Liên Hiệp Commune, Bắc Quang District, Hà Giang Province, 2024.
It was just another ordinary, peaceful, and predictably boring afternoon.
In a small kitchen near the village's cultural house, amidst the sizzle of a half-cooked dish and the greasy air, Đỗ Phi Hùng, a 17-year-old teenager, was fully focused on a noble mission: washing dishes.
"Damn it, how am I supposed to level up at this rate?!" Hùng grumbled, scrubbing an old bowl furiously. "Other authors get thousands of views per chapter, while I'm over here grinding all day for a measly few hundred—sometimes not even ten! And it's not like my writing is bad. People just don't know how to appreciate good work anymore!"
To sum up who Hùng is: a certified narcissist. In his own mind, he's the most handsome guy in Liên Hiệp. No—scratch that—the world. His talent? Far surpassing that of top-tier authors. Reality, though, was less glamorous. He was just an overly imaginative teen who spent his days doing house chores and his nights writing web novels no one cared to read.
As Hùng stewed in frustration over life's unfairness, a sudden Ting! echoed inside his head, startling him so much that he dropped the bowl into the sink.
"What the hell?! Who's playing music?" He looked around, but the house remained silent save for the gentle trickle of running water.
Then, a clear, playful female voice chimed:
[Ding! The Disturbers System has been activated!]
Hùng froze. What? A system? Had he just been isekai-ed into his own novel?
"Wait a second... That name sounds familiar. Vengeance System? Could it be..."
[Correct, Master. This system will help you become the strongest in all fiction!]
Hùng stood there, dumbfounded, his brain racing to process the absurd situation. He vaguely recalled once brainstorming a story about a "Reckless System," but the name was so cringy he rebranded it as "Vengeance System." Was his imagination being hacked?
Stammering, he asked, "Hold up... Weren't you the 'Reckless System' before? Why the sudden name change?"
[Master, that old name was too lame. I upgraded it to match your refined style.]
"Well... that actually makes sense," Hùng muttered, scratching his head. Though confused, he couldn't help feeling a thrill of excitement. Was this finally the turning point in his life?
[First mission issued: Wash the dishes and cook dinner.]
[Reward: Starter Pack.]
Eyes wide, Hùng burst out laughing.
"Nice! This is my chance to start my journey to becoming the strongest! From this kitchen sink, I will make history!"
[Master talks big, but please focus on washing. I'm just here to watch.]
"Fine! I'll conquer this pile of dishes with the pride of a battle god!"
Determined, Hùng scrubbed and rinsed, imagining himself in a fierce arena. The sink became a brutal battlefield, pots and pans formidable enemies, and he, Đỗ Phi Hùng, was the fearless warrior.
After a hard-fought battle, the mission was complete. Soap bubbles clung to his face, but pride gleamed in his eyes.
By the time he cleaned up, night had fallen. Exhausted, Hùng stumbled toward the bathroom, ready for a shower. As he stripped off his shirt, the system voice echoed again:
[Reward Issued: +1 Physical Attribute | 1 Marrow Cleansing Pill]
Hùng's eyes lit up. "Seriously?! Am I about to become a cultivation genius like those novel protagonists?"
Reaching into thin air, he retrieved the Marrow Cleansing Pill. Unlike the mystical pills described in stories, it didn't emit smoke or divine light—it looked exactly like a gummy candy.
"Well, it doesn't look impressive, but I bet it's powerful. Bottoms up!"
He popped it into his mouth. Surprisingly, it tasted sweet and sugary, nothing like the bitter concoctions he had imagined. However, within seconds, his body ignited with unbearable heat.
"Holy crap! What's happening?!"
It felt like flames were consuming him from the inside. Hùng writhed on the floor, sweat pouring down in rivers, his skin tingling painfully. Suddenly, a thick black liquid oozed from his pores, filling the room with an unbearable stench.
"Dear god... what is that smell? Like a toilet left uncleaned for thirty years!"
[Congratulations, Master! Marrow cleansing complete. +1 Physical Attribute. Additionally, you've earned 500 Vengeance Points for spreading 'aroma' across the neighborhood.]
Enraged, Hùng shouted, "Vengeance Points?! You're rewarding me for causing a stink?"
[Correct. But why not use those points to upgrade your bathroom drain?]
Grumbling, Hùng spent 300 points to upgrade the plumbing system. Instantly, the drain transformed into a state-of-the-art device, capable of vacuuming and purifying all waste materials. His jaw dropped.
"Okay... This system isn't bad after all."
Freshly showered and clean, Hùng chuckled to himself. Maybe life really was turning around for him.
---
As the day ended, Hùng collapsed onto his familiar bed, hands behind his head, eyes staring at the ceiling. No longer preoccupied with unwritten chapters, his mind buzzed with excitement for the journey ahead.
"Tomorrow marks the start of my reign as the Vengeance King. Just wait, fiction world!"
He drifted into sleep, leaving behind the lingering scent that still stubbornly hung in the air.
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End of Chapter 1