'%3e%3cclipPath%20id='prefix__a'%3e%3cpath%20d='M0%200h1080v1080H0z'/%3e%3c/clipPath%3e%3cg%20clip-path='url(%23prefix__a)'%3e%3cpath%20d='M1033.05%20324.45c-.19-137.9-107.59-250.92-233.6-291.7-156.48-50.64-362.86-43.3-512.28%2027.2-181.1%2085.46-237.99%20272.66-240.11%20459.36-1.74%20153.5%2013.58%20557.79%20241.62%20560.67%20169.44%202.15%20194.67-216.18%20273.07-321.33%2055.78-74.81%20127.6-95.94%20216.01-117.82%20151.95-37.61%20255.51-157.53%20255.29-316.38z'%20fill-rule='nonzero'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/svg%3e)
Chief Supporting Character System, Flawed Creation System, God of Cooking System, Emotion System, Know-It-All Teacher System, Tycoon System, Make-Wide-Connections System...
Pop-ups sprang up in his mind, one after another.
Waves of dizziness washed over Lin Bai. His head was like a virus-infected computer, constantly loading new programs, until even his reactions to the outside world slowed considerably.
What the hell?
Was this his Golden Finger?
Did they come with the Thousand-Armed Guanyin's hands?
Either none showed up, or this many arrived at once. They were going to work him to death!
"Brother Lin, Brother Lin..."
Repeated calls roused Lin Bai from his crashed state. He turned his stiff neck and met a pair of concerned eyes, the scene before him gradually coming into focus.
But his mind remained a chaotic mess, with pop-ups still springing up one after another.
"You look terribly pale. Shall I send for a physician?" A scholar wearing a silk headscarf and a blue robe reached for Lin Bai's forehead.
"Thank you for your concern, Brother Luo. A little rest will do. It's nothing serious." Struggling to adjust to his brain's impending collapse, Lin Bai dodged his hand, picked up the nearby teacup with trembling fingers, and managed a difficult sip.
As the bitter tea reached his stomach, the systems in Lin Bai's mind finished loading. His overloaded CPU instantly went idle, and he finally recovered his senses.
Perhaps the systems realized that running simultaneously would cause his body to collapse. Most fell silent once they finished loading.
Only four systems remained active: the Flawed Creation System, the Emotion Management System, the Chief Supporting Character System, and the God of Cooking System.
Sensing the four active systems in his mind, along with the others lurking in its depths that might erupt at any moment, Lin Bai felt something he couldn't quite describe. What should have been a perfectly nice Golden Finger delivery somehow felt like a violation!
Was this fucking malware or a Golden Finger?
Lin Bai had read countless books. Naturally, he knew that systems, those famous Golden Fingers, could effortlessly deliver someone to the pinnacle of life, let them dazzle everyone, and turn them into a glamorous parasite on society.
But he had never imagined that one day, he would be troubled by his Golden Finger.
A systems family bundle?
With this many systems running at full throttle, even working nine to nine, seven days a week, probably wouldn't begin to describe his "blessing"...
Lin Bai browsed the descriptions of the four systems:
Flawed Creation System: Nothing in the world is perfect. Flaws are the natural state of all things. You must teach everyone to accept flaws and grow accustomed to regrets.
Flaws?
Like the armless Venus?
Bullshit system!
Lin Bai grumbled inwardly. He had pursued perfection for over twenty years, striving to make every step meticulous and flawless. Only then had he achieved a relatively successful life after graduating from college.
Had he not suddenly transmigrated, he would most likely have spent the rest of his life without worrying about food or clothing, living more happily than the vast majority of people.
Pursuing perfection had become his philosophy of life. Why should he get used to flaws and regrets?
Whoever invented this system definitely had something wrong with them.
Emotion Management System: Once you learn to stir the emotions of others, you will become the master of the world. Joy, anger, sorrow, pleasure, shame, fear, surprise—go explore the profound mysteries of emotion!
Unlike the Flawed Creation System, this so-called Emotion Management System actually made sense to Lin Bai. Indeed, if you could easily influence other people's emotions, you could get twice the results with half the effort.
Chief Supporting Character System: Do not be the first to seek fortune or the first to invite disaster. The tree that rises above the forest will be battered by the wind; the man whose conduct rises above others will be condemned by the crowd. If you do not contend, none under heaven can contend with you. Find yourself a boss. Second place is the most perfect position under heaven.
Bullshit!
In Lin Bai's era, people either scrambled to get ahead, showing off their individuality as though they were the greatest in the world, or lay flat and stayed salted fish until they died.
Be number two?
A system like this was practically driving history in reverse.
Fuck this shit!
The God of Cooking System looked like the most respectable of the lot, but Lin Bai was a transmigrator who had only just managed to figure out how this world worked!
Surviving in this unfamiliar world was already difficult enough. Studying to become an official or learning martial arts to protect himself were the proper paths. Who the hell wanted to become a god of cooking...
That was right.
Lin Bai was a transmigrator.
Seven days earlier, he had inexplicably arrived in this unfamiliar world. Its social structure resembled a blend of ancient Chinese dynasties, with Medical Halls, taverns, inns, escort agencies, brothels, government offices...
The only difference was that this world had Martial Arts and spirits, and very possibly immortal arts as well...
That made life here even harder.
Having transmigrated into this world penniless and without a single acquaintance, Lin Bai had only just figured out its structure. Using the impressive social skills he had mastered on Earth, he had made a connection with a scholar named Luo Congwen and solved the problem of food and drink...
He was not someone content with mediocrity. After transmigrating, everything had started over, but he had never considered blaming heaven or other people. Once he understood his circumstances, Lin Bai quickly planned a new life for himself, intending to use the Luo Residence as a stepping stone and the knowledge he brought from Earth to climb back to the pinnacle of life.
Who could have expected that, just as all his plans were getting underway, his Golden Finger would suddenly appear? It came crashing in like towering waves, catching him utterly off guard.
[Let ten people experience the ... of imperfection. Reward: Nine Suns Scripture · incomplete.] [Collect one pure emotion directed at you. Reward: spirit +1.] [Find yourself a big brother. Reward: luck +1.] [First, you must open a restaurant. Reward: 10 taels of Bai Yin.] The four systems' initial tasks looked equally dubious. The Flawed Creation System in particular had not only issued an incomplete task, but even its reward was incomplete... *Fuck this shit.* *The what of imperfection?* *Its beauty?* *Its harm?* A few missing words in the task were tolerable. They didn't interfere with understanding its meaning and did no real damage. But stripping the Nine Yangs Scripture down into the Nine Suns Scripture, then giving him an incomplete copy on top of that, was going a little too far. *Could he even practice the Fragmentary Nine Suns Scripture?* *What was missing here?* *Fucking decency, that was what!* ... *Emotions should be the easiest thing to stir up!* After calming down, Lin Bai decided to try completing a system task. Only an idiot would leave his Golden Finger unused. In this world overrun with demons and monsters, an ordinary man like him needed some skills to protect himself. Compared with relying on his own efforts, the Golden Finger was clearly the faster option. Of the four initial tasks, the Emotion System's was the easiest to attempt. He was newly arrived and knew neither the place nor its people. Where was he supposed to find himself a big brother? Opening a restaurant required cash. As for making people experience something about imperfection, he had no ideas yet. By comparison, stirring up emotions was much simpler and cost the least. ... And so, Lin Bai set his sights on the scholar opposite him. The scholar's name was Luo Congwen. He came from a wealthy family, had passed the prefectural examination, and held the status of a junior examination candidate. If he passed the academy examination the following year, he would become a bona fide licentiate and gain officially recognized standing. Yet this promising scholar had the heart of a wandering hero. He spent his days dreaming of punishing evil, promoting good, slaying monsters, and banishing demons. Unfortunately, he had no patience for practicing martial arts or conditioning his body. Instead, he was obsessed with seeking immortals and pursuing the Dao, neglecting his proper studies. It was precisely this disposition that had given Lin Bai an opening. A passage from A Chinese Ghost Story, about a scholar's romantic encounter with a female ghost, had let Luo Congwen immerse himself completely. He was so enthralled he was practically floating on air, and he had come to regard Lin Bai as a kindred spirit. "Brother Lin, since it's nothing serious, why don't we continue Ning Caichen's story?" Luo Congwen rubbed his hands together, a flicker of anticipation in his eyes. "Mm!" Lin Bai studied Luo Congwen, considering a suitable opening for his task. "What happened after Xiaoqian left? Who was stronger, Granny Tree Demon or Yan Chixia? Was he going to become Yan Chixia's disciple?" Oblivious to anything unusual about Lin Bai, Luo Congwen pulled up a chair, sat opposite him, and fired off a string of questions. Lin Bai pondered for a moment, took another sip from his tea bowl, and said, "Don't rush. We'll take it slowly." "Yes, yes, take it slowly." Luo Congwen nodded eagerly. "What happened to Ning Caichen afterward?" In those few moments, Lin Bai had already made up his mind. He smiled. "Brother Luo, prick up your ears. This next part gets exciting." Luo Congwen sat up straight. After a pause, Lin Bai looked at Luo Congwen, who was listening intently, and began his vivid narration. "Now, that night, Ning Caichen encountered the female ghost Nie Xiaoqian. In the dead of night, the beautiful ghost teased and flirted with him, setting his heart rippling. "A young man yearning for beauty, he could think of nothing but the ghost's captivating glances. But after the bushy-bearded Yan Chixia warned him that humans and ghosts walked different paths, he naturally felt unhappy. He returned to his room early, eagerly awaiting Nie Xiaoqian's visit. "But he was only a scholar, after all. The many events of the past few days had exhausted his mind and spirit, and before long, he fell into a deep sleep. Who knew how much time passed before a noise in his room startled Ning Caichen awake..." Luo Congwen's eyes lit up, and he unconsciously squirmed in his seat. "Xiaoqian came to see him?" "Don't rush, Brother Luo. Just keep listening." Lin Bai chuckled. "By the moonlight, Ning Caichen looked closely and discovered it was Yan Chixia, who was staying next door. Disappointment was inevitable. He had only just begun asking, 'Hero Yan, coming here in the middle of the night...' "Before he could finish, Yan Chixia's beard and hair bristled. His eyes were bloodshot, as though he were possessed, and he lunged at Ning Caichen with a savage grin... "A scream rang through the Orchid Temple, startling countless night birds into flight. Granny Tree Demon and her host of female ghosts trembled..." An embellished adaptation of A Chinese Ghost Story flowed smoothly from Lin Bai's lips. Inside the Orchid Temple. Heavenly thunder ignited earthly fire. Half an hour later, the frail scholar Ning Caichen covered his face and wept... "..." Luo Congwen's expression gradually shifted from anticipation to stupefaction, before his entire face flushed red. Obsessed with cultivating immortality, he identified with Ning Caichen. Lin Bai's story made him feel as though he were there himself, but this turn of events was completely beyond anything he had expected. It felt like being engrossed in The Return of the Condor Heroes only for Xiao Longnu to suddenly encounter Yin Zhiping—a fly lodged in his throat, making him want to stab the author on the spot. Worse still. This time, the one suffering Xiao Longnu's fate was the protagonist—the protagonist he identified with. The more vividly Lin Bai told the story, the more uncomfortable Luo Congwen became. Whenever he imagined Ning Caichen being taken by a bushy-bearded man, seven thrusts in and seven... Waves of nausea rose in his throat! Luo Congwen slammed one hand onto the table, interrupting Lin Bai. **"Enough!"** Lin Bai's voice stopped abruptly. At the same time. A task completion notification sounded in his mind:
[Collected one emotion of anger directed at you. Reward: spirit +1 (delivered).] ```
Before you continue