Humans have always feared the unknown, and Ning Shu was no exception. Even though she was now a soul, she still felt a shiver run down her spine in the face of this strange situation.
However, for better or worse, she was still "alive," albeit in a different way. Since she couldn't figure out what was happening, she decided to stop overthinking and simply accept whatever came next.
If her illness had brought her endless pain and suffering, it also had to be acknowledged that it gave her a tenacious mindset. Without a strong will, anyone facing such constant agony might have chosen suicide to escape the torment.
Ning Shu stomped her foot on the ground beneath her. It felt odd, unfamiliar. She bent down and touched it with her hand—it was unlike anything she had ever encountered before.
Surveying her surroundings, Ning Shu realized she was completely alone. Giving up on the idea of finding anyone else, she sat down on the strange ground, adopting a meditative posture, and closed her eyes.
In truth, Ning Shu cherished life more than anyone. She knew there had to be a reason she was here, so she resolved to wait and see what fate had in store for her.
After a while, Ning Shu began to feel a sense of calm. No, more than that—her soul felt at peace. A warm sensation seemed to flow into her, making her feel light and airy.
Endless waiting breeds fear, but Ning Shu found a way to pass the time. She began meditating, focusing on absorbing that mysterious warmth into her body. Not knowing how to fully control the process, she relied solely on meditation.
When she finally opened her eyes, surprise and joy filled them. She could feel a change in her body. Though it was subtle, her soul felt a bit denser, more solid. It wasn't much, but it was progress, and Ning Shu could definitely feel it.
Where exactly was this place? It seemed to have the ability to strengthen souls.
It was unbelievably magical.
"Test results meet the requirement. Task initiation."
A cold, mechanical voice echoed through the deathly stillness of the space, sounding abrupt and eerie.
Upon hearing it, Ning Shu felt a chill run down her spine. The voice seemed familiar—it was the same one she'd heard just before she lost consciousness.
Ning Shu was cautious about things she didn't understand. She didn't bother asking who the voice belonged to or what its intentions were. After all, what could anyone possibly want from her in this state?
"Your current number is 2333. Number 2333, do you wish to start the task now?"
Ning Shu couldn't help but feel as though she were being ridiculed by being assigned the number 2333. But then the voice mentioned starting a task. Although she had no idea what it meant, she responded quickly, "Start the task."
The moment she spoke, a projection screen appeared in front of her, displaying her stats and information.
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Number: 2333
Name: Ning Shu
Age: 27
Experience: 0 (0/10,000)
Soul: 60
Life: 50
Charm: (?????)
Luck: 20
Mental Strength: 120
Abilities: None
Acquired Titles: None
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Looking at these stats, Ning Shu felt like she was in a video game. But… why were there question marks for her charm? However, she shrugged it off, thinking charm wasn't very important anyway, and instead asked about something else.
"My number is 2333, so does that mean there are people with numbers before mine?"
"Player does not have the authority to know," the voice responded coldly.
"What happens when I reach ten thousand experience points?"
"Player does not have the authority to know."
"Since I'm a player, are there other players?"
"Player does not have the authority to know."
"Why are my charm points unknown?" Surely she had the right to know that much?
The mechanical voice hesitated for a moment before replying, "While Host was alive, no man expressed favorable feelings or love toward Host. Therefore, Host's charm cannot be determined."
Ning Shu: …