Zean drifted in a peaceful dream, wrapped in calm and warmth as if he were floating on soft clouds.
Then, suddenly, a familiar figure appeared in front of him a striking woman with vibrant green eyes and flowing black hair. It was Maya.
"Save me, Zean!" she cried, her voice trembling with fear.
Startled, Zean's eyes widened. Maya looked terrified, her body shaking as if caught in an unseen trap. Out of the silence, a cold, mocking laugh echoed.
From the shadows, a woman with sleek brown hair and dark eyes spoke, "Hahaha... Zean... You can't save her."
"Diana." The name hit him like a shock.
Zean's heart pounded as Diana's sinister voice filled his mind. Maya's green eyes dimmed with dread, and before he could react, Diana raised a weapon and fired.
Bang!
A sharp pain burst through him. He gasped, trying to move, but his body wouldn't obey.
Suddenly, everything went dark.
When Zean's consciousness stirred, he realized he was no longer dreaming. He was awake, but something was very wrong.
His body felt trapped, encased in a strange warmth that both comforted and confined him. He tried to open his eyes, but they stayed shut.
Where… am I?
He struggled to move his arms, then his legs, but nothing worked. Panic rose as he felt himself breathing within a soft, yet unyielding enclosure.
I have to get out!
Driven by desperation, he pushed against the invisible walls. When nothing helped, his mouth inexplicably opened and began to devour the barrier in his path. A strange texture filled his mouth. He swallowed, and yet more of it appeared. He kept eating, over and over, feeling full, but his path remained blocked.
But he didn't stop.
After what felt like hours, everything changed in an instant.
The barrier that had held him back began to slide around his legs, pushing him forward until, with one final heave, it gave way, and he was forcefully ejected.
Zean landed on something soft. His small body shuddered as he gasped for air, each breath a desperate effort to fill his lungs.
He felt odd, his muscles were weak and unresponsive. For a moment, his body was coated in a warm, sticky substance, but just as quickly, that feeling melted away into a cool, refreshing sensation.
Slowly, he opened his eyes. A flood of bright, golden light burst into his vision.
"Aah… Aha… Aho..." Strange, unfamiliar sounds escaped his lips. His voice felt soft and weak, like was not his own at all.
As his blurry sight cleared, Zean saw a figure before him: a woman with long, flowing purple hair, seated in deep meditation. Her naked form glowed faintly with a purple light; her skin was flawless, and her face radiated calm serenity.
He had never seen anyone like her.
Who is she? And why is she meditating?
His eyes darted around the strange new space. A golden, translucent barrier enclosed them, shimmering like a protective shield.
His heart pounded wildly. He tried to speak, but only tiny, baby-like sounds emerged.
What's happening? Why can't I talk?!
In confusion, he lifted his hands to rub his eyes, but only to be startled by what he saw. His fingers were tiny; his arms, short and chubby.
What… What is this?!
He glanced down at his body. His limbs were small, his skin soft and uncalloused.
His breathing quickened.
No… no way…
A horrifying realization slowly crept over him.
He was in a baby's body.
What is happening?!
Zean's mind raced in a whirlwind of confusion and panic.
Didn't I die when Diana shot me? Why am I still alive? And... why am I in a baby's body?!
His golden eyes darted toward the beautiful, naked woman still meditating in front of him.
Is she... my mother? But why is she meditating? And what's that golden, translucent barrier around us? Some kind of magic? Is this real... or am I still dreaming?
Everything felt too vivid, too detailed to be just a dream. He looked around the room for more clues.
The room was spacious, but not overly luxurious. The walls were made of solid rock and brick, their surfaces smooth yet showing signs of age.
Intricate paintings and calligraphy scrolls hung on the walls, depicting ancient landscapes, celestial beings, and mystical symbols.
The air carried a faint scent of burning incense, its source a small, ornately carved incense burner resting in the corner.
The bed was covered in soft, dark-colored silk sheets, slightly wrinkled, with a thin but high-quality blanket folded neatly at the side.
A single wooden table stood near the bed, holding a ceramic teapot and two cups, along with a few unlit candles.
Everything about the room gave off a simple yet refined aura, showing wealth but not extreme luxury.
Suddenly
"Corrupted System is activating..."
A voice echoed in his mind.
Zane froze. Who said that?!
His eyes widened as he looked around. Other than the meditating woman, there was no one else in the room.
"Hello?! Who's talking?!" He tried to speak, but only baby-like sounds came out.
Before he could process it, something dark purple and translucent appeared in front of him, a floating screen!
It flickered like an old, unstable hologram, its words slightly distorted. At the top, large glowing letters read:
CORRUPTED SYSTEM
Below that, a loading bar was filling up:
[Loading: 5%…]
[Loading: 10%…]
A thin, flickering line slowly moved across the screen, similar to a game loading screen.
Zanw's breath caught in his throat.
"A… system?! Like in games?!"
His instincts kicked in, and he reached out to touch it, but his tiny hands passed right through.
It's not physical?
The loading continued. 15%… 25%… 50%…
Each second felt like an eternity.
Finally, after five minutes, the bar hit 100%.
[System Successfully Loaded]
A new screen appeared, displaying information:
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CORRUPTED SYSTEM
Name: Zean (Changeable)
Age: 0/20
Cultivation: None
Skills: None
System Features:
- Corrupts every technique, cultivation method, and skill host practices
- Prevents all harmful side effects of corrupted techniques
- Corrupted techniques are more lethal but are weak against Divine techniques
Missions:
Main Mission: Find and capture the lost system assistant and return it to the system.
Reward: Unlock additional system features + obtain System Assistant
Temporary (Once-in-a-Lifetime) Mission: Join a sect
Reward: Gain a Corrupted Divine Body related to the sect chosen.
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