"You have a new voicemail," a bored voice spoke in Liang Wu's mind shortly after he woke up.
"Voicemail? From who?" he muttered.
"You're talking aloud to yourself again," Chen Li Li commented from his side, her voice carrying a teasing edge.
He waved her off, more focused on the voice in his mind. The System Helper continued, ignoring the interruption. "The voicemail is from the Quest Giver, Ji Ling."
"Okay, play it." Liang Wu straightened, a hint of curiosity stirring in his chest. The calm voice of Ji Ling, the Quest Giver, filled his thoughts.
"Excuse me for calling you unannounced, sir, but we have some exciting—though slightly unfortunate—news for you. After our last conversation, we noticed that your soul was suddenly disconnected from your godly domain and is now available to our management!
We attempted to update your quest system, but it seems your soul was badly damaged. We were unable to update the system without causing you harm, so instead, we created a new system specifically for your damaged soul. We call it the Random Quest System!
Unlike the previous quest system that came preloaded on the overall System and required constant updates, this new system will take information from your surroundings and generate custom quests and rewards for you.
We would love to implement this new quest system for everyone, but without the power of your true body, we can't alter the souls of all living beings. The only reason we could alter your soul is because of the damage you received and the fact that you were operating on an older version of the quest system.
Speaking of your old quest system, we couldn't entirely remove it, so you'll still have the old system quests that were preloaded on the System alongside the new random quests.
Good luck on your adventures, sir, and please contact us if you need any further assistance!"
Ji Ling's voice, full of enthusiasm, slowly faded. Liang Wu blinked, processing the information. They had updated his quest system. 'Random quests?' The idea intrigued him, though it also seemed like it could be chaotic.
"Huh? That's a novel idea," he muttered, a smirk forming. "I should have thought of that when I was creating the quest system. I'll have to increase their salary when I get back to my true body."
His mind briefly flickered back to the time when he had crafted this world—when boredom had driven him to create challenges, quests, and systems. Now, though, he wasn't so sure it had been boredom after all. Loneliness, perhaps? He quickly pushed the thought away, replacing it with his usual arrogant demeanor.
The System Helper, as ever, wasn't shy about chiming in. "You don't pay the Quest Givers any salary."
"I gave them purpose! That in itself is better than anything money could buy!" Liang Wu retorted. The deceased gods he had put in charge of his systems had nothing to do in the afterlife, so surely, they appreciated his efforts. Or at least, that's what he told himself.
The carriage creaked and swayed as it continued along the path. After what felt like hours, the coachman suddenly reined in the horses with a sharp, "Whoa!" The carriage came to a halt, jolting Liang Wu from his thoughts.
Liang Wu looked out the window and saw the towering walls of a city rising before them. Stone walls at least twenty feet high stretched out, and a long line of travelers queued to enter through the fifteen-foot-tall gateway. It seemed they had finally arrived.
Just as he was about to comment on the sight, a translucent blue screen blinked into existence before his eyes.
Random Quest - Forced Marriage!
Description: Save Chen Li Li from her forced marriage! She is being forced to marry someone against her will by her family and needs your help to escape from the marriage!
Reward: A special reward from Chen Li Li + 100 EXP
Liang Wu frowned at the screen. "What the hell? A forced marriage? What kind of quest is this?"
Chen Li Li flinched beside him. "Why are you talking about forced marriages all of a sudden?"
He turned to her, brow furrowed in thought. Should he tell her about the quest? 'Why not?' "It's a quest I just got. Apparently, it concerns your forced marriage." He shared the quest with her, the translucent screen now visible to both of them.
Her eyes widened as she read the details. "Gasp! What in the fu—!" She was clearly shocked, but before she could say more, the carriage lurched forward, moving up in the queue.
"How did you get this quest?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly as she processed what she had seen.
Liang Wu shrugged. "The ones I put in charge of the quest system made me a new one because of my soul injury. They couldn't update my old system, so they created a new one instead. This quest must be one of those random ones."
"Uh-huh, sure… anyways, how are you supposed to help me get out of my forced marriage?" She crossed her arms, still skeptical, but there was a glimmer of hope in her eyes.
Liang Wu leaned back, studying her for a moment. He could tell this wasn't something she wanted to discuss openly, but he needed details if he was going to help. "Why don't you tell me about this marriage first? Then I can come up with a plan."
She hesitated, then sighed, her gaze dropping to the floor of the carriage. "It all started the day before the world changed three years ago… My father was the head of our clan. He had been injured in a battle against a soul cultivator and was in secluded cultivation to preserve his soul, so it wouldn't scatter away.
My mother had left in search of a rare herb to heal his soul. Then, the next day, when the world changed, my uncle found my father dead in his secluded cultivation. He claimed that it was the change in the world that had killed my father. Shortly after, he took over as the head of the clan.
About a year later, my mother's beast companion returned, heavily injured, but carrying the rare herb my father would have needed to fix his soul. The beast died as soon as it arrived, and I've not heard from my mother since.
My uncle started asking me for the herb. When I refused, he became more aggressive. Eventually, he told me that I'd have to marry someone he chooses or give him the herb. However, I suspect that he was the one who really killed my father, so I've been refusing to hand it over."
As she recounted her story, her voice quivered with emotion. The tale of her father's death, her mother's disappearance, and her uncle's betrayal painted a grim picture. The herb her mother had sought—the one that could heal her father's soul—had become the focal point of her misery. Her uncle's demand for it, under the threat of forcing her into marriage, was the final straw.
By the time she finished, Liang Wu found himself feeling something unfamiliar—guilt. He had changed this world to stave off his boredom, never considering how real these people's lives had become. And now, this girl who had become his companion may have suffered because of it.
He let out a slow breath, pushing away his usual arrogant expression, a serious one taking its place. "You may not like the sound of this, but I have to say it. If you give me the herb, I guarantee that I can get you out of this forced marriage. And as a bonus, I can help you find your mother. But I will need that herb to heal my soul first." Although he no longer had an arrogant expression on, he still sounded quite arrogant with the promises he was making.
Chen Li Li looked at him, uncertainty clouding her gaze. She had no reason to trust him, not really, but there was something in his tone—something genuine.
"Fine," she whispered. "But you better keep your word."
Liang Wu nodded, feeling a strange weight lift from his shoulders. Unbeknownst to him, the deep boredom that had led to him reshaping this world was dissipating. For the first time in a long while, he felt something more—something that resembled purpose. Perhaps it wasn't boredom that had driven him to change everything. Perhaps it was something else entirely.
The System Helper, ever the silent observer, watched as Liang Wu's life unfolded, noting the subtle shifts in his behavior. "Maybe," it thought, "he wasn't as invulnerable as he believed."