The world was a raw, bruising agony. Every breath sent jagged needles through his ribs, a constant reminder of the "lesson" delivered by the Clear Spirit Sword Sect's handyman disciples. He lay on a thin mat, the damp, earthen floor of his rented hovel offering no solace. Five-element poor root aptitude, a common laborer's lineage, and Qi Refinement Stage 2 – his cultivation was a cruel joke. And the debt. Always the debt, a suffocating blanket woven by the ruthless manager of these squalid quarters.
He was just Ren. A nameless existence, barely a whisper in this vast world of soaring cultivators and powerful sects. Yet, a flicker of something far beyond his station pulsed within him: the System. He called it that, for lack of a better term. It wasn't loud, no booming voice, just a silent presence, a constant pressure behind his eyes. It promised escape, a way to defy his miserable fate, but at a cost. Survival points. Achievements. And resources. Spirit stones, herbs, rare materials – all the things a Qi Refinement Stage 2 pauper could only dream of.
A cold, familiar wave washed over him, a precursor to the System's demands. It demanded interaction. Demanded a choice.
A translucent panel shimmered into existence before his aching eyes, visible only to him.
Simulation Opportunity: Text-based. Cost: 0 Spirit Stones (First Trial).
Choose 1 of 3 F-Grade Talents:
[F] Diligent Scavenger: Slight increase in chance to find discarded items.
[F] Nimble Fingers: Minor improvement in crafting speed for basic talismans.
[F] Sharp Sense: Slightly increased awareness of immediate surroundings.
Ren stared at the options. F-grade. The bottom of the barrel. He had no spirit stones, no wealth. His choice was purely utilitarian. Survival.
Diligent Scavenger. It was the most practical for his current reality. Finding anything of value felt like a miracle.
He selected it. The panel vanished. A dull ache settled in his mind, the System preparing. This was not control. This was observation. He was about to witness a version of himself, a ghost moving through a possibility, making choices he could only learn from.
The room faded. The pain in his body receded, replaced by an unsettling detachment. His vision narrowed, consumed by shimmering, block-like text.
SIMULATION LOG: ATTEMPT 1
DAY 1: The Innkeeper's Fury. Ren awakens to the usual pain of debt and a beating. His Qi is stagnant. The taste of blood is metallic. He decides to avoid the main street, opting for the quieter alleyways, hoping to find discarded scraps to sell.
DAY 2: Mediocre Amulets. Ren sets up a small, makeshift stall in a back alley. He attempts to sell low-grade healing amulets, poorly drawn and barely effective. A few passersby glance, most ignore him. He makes a single copper coin.
DAY 3: Market Glimpse. Driven by hunger and desperation, Ren risks a brief venture into the outer rings of the market. He observes cultivators haggling over spirit herbs, hears whispers of a rare beast hunt. He notes the prices of basic provisions, a mental map of scarcity forming.
DAY 4: Ill-Fated Shortcut. Ren, believing he has gathered enough information, attempts to return to his hovel via a less-traveled route, hoping to avoid the gang enforcers. He passes a dimly lit tavern.
Suddenly, a flash of movement from the shadows. Three figures, rough and sneering, emerge. They are minor thugs, but their Qi Refinement Stage 4 cultivation is insurmountable. Ren clutches his few copper coins. They demand everything.
He resists. A foolish decision. A heavy fist connects with his temple. Darkness. The cold earth. His last thought is of the unfairness of it all.
SIMULATION ENDED. YEARS LIVED: 0.01 YEARS (4 Days). SURVIVAL POINTS GAINED: 0. ACHIEVEMENTS: None. NEGATIVES: Reckless Resistance. Failed to Escape. No Resources Gained.
Ren gasped, his eyes snapping open. The rough mat was beneath him once more, the familiar ache in his ribs a dull throb compared to the phantom pain of that final blow. Sweat slicked his brow. The simulation. It was just a text, a story played out before him, yet the raw terror of that sudden, brutal end lingered. He squeezed his eyes shut. It was as if he had truly died, if only for an instant. The psychological impact was immediate, a cold dread that settled deep in his gut.
He was still weak, still indebted, still a pathetic Qi Refinement Stage 2 cultivator. But he had new data. Avoid the shortcut near the tavern. Do not resist overwhelming force. Gather more resources before risking direct market interaction.
His own caution, so innate in his living body, had been overridden by the simulation's "past self." It was a terrifying concept. This externalized version of him, driven by different possibilities, could make fatal errors he would never choose.
The world outside his hovel was still dangerous. Every shadow held potential threats. His current level of cultivation was laughable against the true powers of this world. He was a small, fragile insect in a forest of predators. He needed to survive. He needed to learn. And the System, with its brutal lessons, was his only teacher.
What decision does Ren make next based on this first simulation, and how does he begin to acquire the resources needed for more attempts, knowing the dangers of both the real and simulated worlds?