I Worked Myself to Death

Chapter 1: I Was Worked to Death

Peking University, the finest university in the entire country.

The crescent moon hung like a hook amid scattered starlight, and the time was already midnight. Most normal people were already asleep at this hour, but a single dorm room stood out as unique—its lights still unextinguished, and its occupants murmuring in low voices.

Some frantically hammered away at code in front of computer screens, while others furiously wielded pens, wildly writing papers soon to be published.

The hands of the clock turned slowly, and before they knew it, one o'clock had arrived!

"Rest up! The agreed-upon time is here!"

Fang Xiang, the eldest of the dorm, stretched and spoke.

The other three nodded, went to the washroom to freshen up, changed into a set of pajamas, and climbed into bed to sleep.

They had maintained this routine for a long time. Wasn't competitive burnout all the rage now? Their dorm was precisely the one that worked everyone else to death, the four of them leaving the rest of the dorms and students far, far behind.

Eldest brother Fang Xiang had already passed the CET-4 and CET-6—those most fundamental of certificates—and was now preparing for the IELTS and TOEFL!

Second brother Chen Yun had already been officially hired by the internet giant Tengfei, was currently writing the next phase of code, and his annual salary had already exceeded one million. What was even more astonishing was that he didn't have a single bald spot!

Third brother Wu Zheng seemed to have discovered yet another physics phenomenon and was writing a paper based on his own research to submit to the world's largest scientific research journal.

Fourth brother, Lin Ye, was also preparing for the legal professional examination, frantically memorizing legal provisions.

One o'clock was their scheduled time—at this hour, everyone climbed into bed to rest, and nobody was allowed to study!

Just as the others drifted off into dreamland, a faint glimmer of light could be vaguely seen inside Lin Ye's comforter!

He was actually hiding inside the quilt to study, relying on a flashlight and the concealment of his bed curtains so that not a single person discovered him.

You guys don't study, but I'm going to study in secret and work you all to death!

Lin Ye thought cheerfully to himself.

An hour had already passed, yet Lin Ye didn't feel the slightest bit sleepy; he only felt his head grow a bit dizzy and heavy, and then...

The next day.

News of a Peking University student dying suddenly from studying late into the night hit the trending searches on major websites, causing a massive uproar.

Waking up the next day, the others in the dorm found that Lin Ye hadn't gotten up as usual. Pulling back his bedding, they found a book and Lin Ye, who no matter how they called him, would not wake up.

They reacted quickly and immediately dialed the phone, but unfortunately, resuscitation failed, and a young life was snuffed out just like that!

"Lin Ye, we've all already been recommended for direct Ph.D. programs—why are you still trying this hard?"

"Lin Ye, you're no brother of ours, hiding it from us and studying in secret!"

"Lin Ye, I hope you can live well in the other world and stop studying this hard!"

His roommates all arrived to express their condolences, and this also sounded the alarm for them: next time, studying until twelve-thirty would be enough, so they should rest early! Otherwise, they would be the next Lin Ye.

Ever since then, Peking University added a new regulation.

[The library closes at nine, and two new dormitory aunties are added to each floor to check for internal competition and overworking in the dorms! Students must go to bed before eleven, and studying is prohibited! Violators will be expelled from the school!]

All of this was brought about by Lin Ye's passing from staying up late! From now on, the matter of staying up late to study would probably be hard to come by!

At this moment, Lin Ye's mind was in utter chaos, and then he slowly opened his eyes, feeling as though he had fallen into a warm embrace.

"Where am I? Where are my books?"

"Itachi, you must take good care of your little brother, you hear?"

"Mm-hmm, let me hold him!"

"Alright!"

A woman with a warm smile on the side handed Lin Ye into the little boy's arms.

[I actually recognize who this person is! It seems to be Itachi, right? Ah, this...]

[That means I've transmigrated into the world of Hokage!]

"How come it feels like someone is talking? Who is calling my name?" Uchiha Itachi looked around him, but didn't find a single person, yet he had clearly heard a voice!

[Let go, let go—where are your hands wandering off to!]

Lin Ye raved wildly in his heart as Uchiha Itachi's hand drifted to a very inappropriate place.

Yet as a tiny baby, he couldn't speak aloud and could only rage frantically in his mind.

Could it be him? Uchiha Itachi figured that he wouldn't mishear. Since there was no one around and his mother hadn't spoken, there was only one possibility: the little baby in his arms, his younger brother, was speaking. But upon second thought, how could an infant possess such complex emotions?

Besides, babies couldn't talk at all, and he hadn't even opened his mouth! Could it be his inner voice?

The moment his emotions shifted, Itachi's hand involuntarily applied a bit of force.

Lin Ye the baby let out a wail.

[Itachi, I am sworn enemies with you. You just wait, I'm not saving you!]

"Itachi, be careful—you're hurting your little brother!" Uchiha Mikoto immediately chided, taking Lin Ye back out of Itachi's arms.

Uchiha Itachi sheepishly scratched his head, looking a bit embarrassed.

Yet this also confirmed that he seemed to be able to hear the voice inside his younger brother's heart.

"You must take good care of your younger brother from now on! Help him pick a name!"

"Let's call him Neko, then! How cute are nekos!" Uchiha Itachi pondered for a moment and spoke.

[You're the neko! Your whole family is nekos! Don't name me that just because you've worn cat ears before—my name is Yoru, Uchiha Yoru!]

Lin Ye screamed frantically in his heart.

"That doesn't sound very nice!" Uchiha Mikoto said. It really was a bit too early to let a child like Itachi pick names!

"How about the name Yoru?" Uchiha Itachi said with a smile.

"That's a good name!"

Lin Ye found that his inner thoughts had been adopted, and seeing the look Uchiha Itachi gave him, he felt as though Uchiha Itachi could hear what he was thinking in his head! But that wasn't possible either! Where in the ninja world was there such an ability!

[At least he gave me a normal name!]

Otherwise, from now on, whenever he thought of people calling him Neko or Nekokiss, Lin Ye would feel a chill run down his spine.

[Ninja world, here I come! Just watch me grind you all to death! Watch me become a Jonin at five, Kage Level at seven, super Kage at ten, and beat Madara Uchiha with my fists at twelve!]

Salted Fish System awakening...
The more salted fish the host is, the higher the rewards he obtains!
Given that the host's strength is too low, missions are temporarily unavailable!

Lin Ye: !!!

I just wanted to work hard, and you hit me with this!

Before Lin Ye could even voice his internal complaints, he felt his head grow dizzy, a heavy wave of sleepiness washed over him, and he drifted off to sleep before he knew it!

Uchiha Itachi looked at Lin Ye—no, Uchiha Yoru—lying on the bed, a trace of a happy smile appearing at the corners of his mouth.

From now on, I'm also someone with an otōto, and I will definitely protect you well, no matter how bizarre you are!