My cheat was Paimon

While reminiscing about the past, Lin Ze arrived at the External Transmigration Department's office and received a warm welcome from its minister.

The minister's surname was Wu. Coincidentally, his given name was also Ze. He was a handsome blond man with blue eyes.

Minister Wu looked about the same age as Lin Ze, but he spoke with a distinct northeastern Chinese accent:

"It's great to have you here helping out! Our department's pretty flexible overall. As long as you finish the mission, whatever score you get is fine. You're darn good at your job, so this'll be a piece of cake for you. Relax, no need to put pressure on yourself."

Noticing Lin Ze's gaze wandering over his face, Minister Wu understood.

"Don't mind how I look, Lin Ze. I didn't always look like this. Back in the day, I was a fine young Chinese lad, born under the red flag and raised in the spring breeze. With those thick brows and big eyes, I looked way better than I do now.

"When I first joined, though, our bureau's Science Development Department didn't have the technology it does today. Back then, everyone transmigrated in their own bodies.

"My first mission went all right. Nothing major happened. But on my second one, I got careless."

"What happened?"

Lin Ze was a little curious.

Minister Wu looked somewhat embarrassed.

"Nothing much. I just accidentally blew myself up."

Lin Ze: "..."

So when they said the External Transmigration Department was high-risk, they meant you could blow yourself up!

Being locked in a dark room and subjected to... that... was nothing compared to this. Cold sweat broke out on the back of Lin Ze's head.

Director! Is it too late for me to go back?!

Seeing the change in Lin Ze's expression, Minister Wu immediately sensed trouble. He hurriedly grabbed his hand, afraid his new subordinate might bolt the moment he looked away.

He said breezily:

"Don't be scared, Lin Ze. That's ancient history. The Science Development Department's technology is top-notch now. The External Transmigration Department offers the same setup you had in the Historical Transmigration Department: consciousness transfer.

"Not only that, you also get game cheats to help you. The worst that can happen is failing a mission. You won't come to any harm."

Only then did Lin Ze relax.

As if afraid his newly secured subordinate might fly away, Minister Wu grabbed a stack of documents and stuffed them into Lin Ze's arms, then pulled him toward the door. "Time's tight and there's plenty to do. We've still got loads of unfinished missions.

"See how everyone else in this office has been sent out on missions? Let's not waste time either. I'll show you the ropes today, and once you're familiar with things, you can get straight to work."

Now that it was a done deal, Lin Ze was no longer as panicked as before. He followed Minister Wu to the Golden Finger assignment office.

The young woman working at the counter seemed to know Minister Wu well. She made a point of setting aside her work and inviting them to pick out a Golden Finger.

Golden Fingers were tools that assisted with missions. The External Transmigration Department's authorization allowed its staff to choose one game-based cheat to use.

Of course, these differed considerably from the built-in features of actual games. After all, the Golden Fingers developed by the Science Development Department were designed to serve their missions.

The young woman led them to a counter covered with a dazzling assortment of different game Golden Fingers. Lin Ze recognized several of them.

"What games do you usually play? We have Game for Peace, Identity V, Onmyoji, Magic Awakened, Honor of Kings..."

She introduced them one by one, picking up each Golden Finger to show them: a frying pan from Game for Peace, a balloon from Identity V, a paper doll from Onmyoji, a wand from Magic Awakened, and a miniature crystal from Honor of Kings.

Minister Wu explained, "I recommend choosing a Golden Finger from a game you play regularly. That'll save you the adjustment period and make it easier to get started.

"Also, while all these Golden Fingers are powerful, they're designed with different priorities. It's best to choose something you're good with that also offers a bit more flexibility."

"For example, I picked Honor of Kings. I'm wicked good at playing Luban."

No matter how good you are, didn't you still blow yourself up?

Lin Ze was deeply skeptical of Minister Wu's words, but the advice his superior shared did give him an idea.

Under Minister Wu's disappointed gaze, Lin Ze asked the young woman:

"I don't really play Honor of Kings. Do you have a Genshin Impact Golden Finger?"

Her eyes lit up. Giving Lin Ze a look that said, "This young fellow has a bright future," she replied:

"Yes, we do! Right this way."

They passed a few more counters before the young woman picked up a tiny doll.

"Paimon!"

Yes, the little doll unmistakably resembled the Traveler's good friend from Genshin Impact, the game guide whom countless players suspected of being the final boss.

A little excited, Lin Ze made his decision on the spot.

This was the one.

The young woman was highly efficient. In less than two minutes, she guided them through the Golden Finger loan paperwork.

Watching the Genshin Impact icon disappear from his palm, Lin Ze felt thoroughly satisfied, body and soul.

"Remember, after you transmigrate, you must complete Paimon's prerequisite quest first.

"Otherwise, you won't be able to pull characters. And until you finish that quest, you'll only have one combat talent: Anemo."

"Huh? I have to pull characters? Can't I use all of them?"

Lin Ze felt a headache coming on. It was already a Golden Finger, and he still had to deal with gacha?

The young woman froze, apparently not expecting Lin Ze to ask such a basic question.

Minister Wu reacted quickly. He told her to get back to work, then pulled Lin Ze toward the Space-Time Gate.

"You just got here, so you don't know how things work. Sure, we're a semi-official organization, but we still have to pay annual licensing fees to use Golden Fingers developed from those companies' games."

"You must've heard about our bureau's project funding back in the Historical Transmigration Department. Giving you access to every character just isn't realistic.

"But the External Transmigration Department still guarantees the basics. Once you finish the prerequisite quest, you'll get a ten-pull. After that, completing official missions will also reward you with ten-pulls."

Minister Wu chuckled. "You can't get fat from a single bite. Husbandos, waifus-keep at it, and sooner or later you'll have them all. You get what I'm saying?"

Lin Ze was speechless.

"Got it..."

In plain terms, they were broke.

Lin Ze bravely accepted his fate: even work missions couldn't save him from gacha. Just before stepping into the Space-Time Gate, he suddenly thought of a question.

"Minister, am I transferring into the male Traveler or the female Traveler?"

"Aether or Lumine?"

"You want to be Lumine, too? Aren't all those female characters enough for you to play with? You're lucky you're getting Aether. Enough questions. Go on, get moving."

Minister Wu shattered Lin Ze's fantasy and gave him a hefty slap of affection.

That single slap sent Lin Ze straight through the Space-Time Gate.

The moment he entered, Lin Ze regretted it. Had he transmigrated into some vast Gobi desert?!

"Where am I?"

Lin Ze looked around and discovered that he was standing in a barren desert.

He raised his head to the sky. A red sun hung high overhead, its scorching light beating down on the land, yet there wasn't a trace of green anywhere. The whole world was nothing but gray and black.

"Traveler! Traveler!"

"I'm over here! Help me!"

Following the voice, Lin Ze found his Emergency Food in a small sand dune behind him.

He hurriedly dug Paimon out with his bare hands.

"Ptoo! Ptoo! Ptoo!"

Covered in dust, Paimon floated in midair, tears tracing two broad little rivers down her face. She plunged into Lin Ze's arms, her voice thick with sobs.

"Traveler! Wooo... ooo... waaah...!!!"

"What took you so long... Wooo... Paimon's already stuffed full of sand! Waaaaah!!"