In the hushed silence of the night, Ye Chen's form stirred, rising ethereally like a specter. A surge of vitality coursed through his veins, a testament to the pill's efficacy. It seemed Lady Jaya's promise hadn't been an empty one, though the severe side effects were a bitter pill to swallow.
With a sigh that echoed in the stillness, he murmured, "Well, it's a small price to pay for wellness."
A sense of relief washed over him as he realized his injuries had mended. "At least I'm whole again," he mused, a note of gratitude in his voice.
Yet, amidst the tranquility, a pang of melancholy tugged at his heartstrings. "I wonder where my family is now," he whispered into the void, his words heavy with longing and sorrow. The silence that followed was a poignant reminder of the solitude that enveloped him.
---
"Hey Xiao, can you do a quick scan for my family?" Ye Chen asked, his voice echoing in the empty desolate night. He was just a teenager in this life, and the loneliness was starting to gnaw at him.
"Sure thing, boss!" Xiao chirped, sounding more like a game show host than an AI. "I've got my super-duper, ultra-advanced, not-available-in-stores auto-detection feature on! But alas, it seems your family is currently MIA. They might be chilling in the highest realms or in a place where the Binary dimension is on vacation. So, for now, let's focus on leveling you up, shall we?"
Ye Chen scratched his head, a frown creasing his forehead. "You know, sometimes I wonder if Lady Jaya sold me, aahm gave me, a knock-off system," he mused aloud. The system seemed to be good for nothing more than creating realistic virtual simulations and doing some basic searches. It was like buying a sports car only to find out it couldn't go above 20 mph.
Xiao, apparently taking offense, retorted, "Bah, who are you calling me a fake? Look who's talking! Your mind is as narrow as a noodle, and you're as slow as a snail racing uphill! You're the one who is supposed to program me, remember? Or did you forget that too, along with your keys and your dignity?"
Ye Chen blinked, taken aback. "Wait, what? I'm supposed to program your functionality? Oh man, I totally spaced on that…" He smacked his forehead, causing a loud thwack to echo in the silent night. Yes, this poor guy had completely forgotten how the system was supposed to work. It was like buying a DIY furniture kit and forgetting you were supposed to assemble it yourself. Classic Ye Chen!
"Okay Xiao, it's time for a new quest. Bring out that damn reprogramming interface to this father. Let me do what I do best wahaha, with you from now on, we shall beat everyone in the universe, demons, devils, gods, everyone wahahaha..."
"Okay boss, lets do this!"
An empty interface materialized before him as Ye Chen stretched his fingers in delight ready to input his new plan of action into use.
LEVEL 0: Create realistic simulations, manipulate time in the simulations created, the simulation should have real time effects to the host's body.
LEVEL 1: Universal search function, be able to materialize in the outside world, access all kinds of systems computer in the universe.
LEVEL 2: Create a magical level up system favorable for this world, create new abilities that I can imagine, combine all magic techniques to form the new magic system.
LEVEL 3: Add any other feature that you deem fit for the user.
---
"Xiao, I think this is okay for now, let's add more features as time goes on…" Ye Chen's voice trailed off, his mind a whirlwind of excitement and anticipation. His ideas, however, were as elusive as a slippery eel, evading his grasp just when he thought he had caught hold of one.
"Mm-hmm, I said your mind is as narrow as a noodle stick hehehe," Xiao's voice echoed in the space around them, a hint of mischief in its tone. "Couldn't you add a feature like danger detection, treasure detection and the likes? You are really lousy but don't fret, this Xiao here got you covered, hehehe!"
As Xiao spoke, a small figure materialized in the outside space. It was a mini version of Ye Chen, looking as cute as a button and as cool as a cucumber. It struck various poses, each one more ridiculous than the last, in a futile attempt to act cute. Ye Chen could only shake his head in embarrassment. This thing was really a knock off.
"By the way Xiao, are you a female or a male?" Ye Chen asked, curiosity piqued. Xiao's form was ever-changing, sometimes taking on the image of Lady Jaya in the virtual space, other times resembling Ye Chen himself.
"Of course am a man hehehe, don't you see am you, you are me, two souls, one body wahaha!" Xiao chuckled happily, its laughter echoing in the space around them. It was no longer just a virtual entity, it could take on any form it desired in the outside world. And right now, it desired to be a source of amusement, a jester in Ye Chen's court, a knock-off version of Ye Chen himself. And it was doing a pretty good job at it too!
---
"Aah, never mind that then. Can we create a plan of action for the time being?" He realized if he continued to push forward without a plan, this system and Lady Jaya might scum him even more.
"That's right, counterpart!"
An interface with a new quest flickered before words materialized as Xiao demonstrated like a kindergarten teacher:
Quest: Body Strengthening
Time: Starting from tomorrow
Test: Run simulations in the virtual world before being put to use.
Tasks:
Run fifty kilometers per day.
Do 10,000 pull-ups per day.
Do 10,000 press-ups per day.
Do 12,000 crunches per day.
Do 15,000 sit-ups per day.
Hold stretch poses for two full straight minutes.
A cry resounded in the silent night as a certain individual was strangled to death.
"This Xiao is too hateful, like his creator, aah. 10,000 what… fuck that chicken shit hehehe?"
Ah, the trials and tribulations of our dear MC here are indeed a source of both amusement and sympathy. The audacity of Xiao to present such a Herculean task list is nothing short of comical. I mean, 10,000 pull-ups and press-ups per day? Even the most seasoned bodybuilders would balk at such a demand!
He dusted his hands after strangling that hateful thing before he realized his clothes were tattered. How would he walk? He did not even have his previous belongings; they were already lost in the beast tide.
Cold, hungry, with nowhere to sleep, he looked for a bushy place before he dived in to sleep. A goodnight it would be!