Chapter 1 – The Silent Simulation
Blood dripped from Lin Xian's lips as he staggered through the dense forest. The moon hung pale and distant in the night sky, casting eerie shadows across the jagged rocks beneath his feet. His chest burned with pain—every breath felt like knives stabbing his lungs.
"I'm going to die here."
The thought gnawed at his mind as the sound of footsteps echoed behind him. The bandits chasing him were close—too close. They had already cut him down once. Another strike, and it would be over.
A glint of steel flashed through the air. Lin Xian twisted his body just in time to avoid the dagger aimed at his heart. His vision blurred as he stumbled backward, his body at the edge of collapse.
"Am I really this weak?"
A wave of bitterness rose in his chest. In a world ruled by cultivators—where the strong soared through the heavens and the weak were trampled—he was nothing more than an insect struggling to survive.
And now, he was dying. Alone. Forgotten.
[Activating Silent Simulation System…]
A cold voice echoed in his mind. Lin Xian froze. For a moment, the world around him seemed to shatter like fragile glass. A translucent screen appeared before his eyes.
[Death Detected – Initiating Simulation.]
[Simulating Optimal Escape Path…]
In an instant, his vision warped. He saw himself—dying. The dagger pierced his heart. Blood spilled from his mouth as the world faded to black.
"Is this… my fate?"
But then—everything rewound. The world reset.
[Simulation Complete – Optimal Outcome Calculated.]
Without thinking, Lin Xian lunged left, narrowly avoiding the dagger that should have ended his life. His body moved faster, sharper—almost as if he had already lived through this moment.
A surge of energy flooded his limbs. The system's power.
The bandit's eyes widened in shock. "Impossible!"
Lin Xian didn't waste a second. He grabbed a jagged stone from the ground and drove it into the man's throat. Warm blood splattered across his face. One down.
A second attacker charged. This time, Lin Xian didn't hesitate. The system's guidance burned in his mind—each movement clear and precise. He slipped behind his opponent, striking a vital point at the base of the neck. The bandit collapsed without a sound.
The forest grew deathly quiet. Lin Xian stood alone, heart pounding, blood staining his torn robes.
[Simulation Success – Reality Adjusted.]
He was alive.
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The Power to Rewrite Fate
Lin Xian gasped for breath, his hands trembling. "What… what is this power?"
The system's cold, mechanical voice echoed in his mind:
[Silent Simulation System: Activated.]
– Simulate future outcomes.
– Adjust reality based on successful scenarios.
A shiver ran down his spine. This power—if he understood it correctly—it meant he could rewrite reality by choosing the best future.
A slow smile spread across his lips.
"I'm not weak anymore."
But before he could celebrate, a new notification appeared.
[Unknown Entity Detected – Initiating Silent Link.]
A strange warmth bloomed in his chest. And then—he heard her.
A soft, distant voice, like a whisper carried on the wind.
"Who… are you?"
Lin Xian's heart froze. There was someone—or something—inside the system.
And whatever it was, it had just awakened.
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End of Chapter 1