Chapter 10: Understanding The System
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Yin Zhe froze again in surprise.
His jaw first opened slightly then it dropped. His jaw dropped. His eyes first blinked once then Twice. He was so shocked that he even forgot to breathe.
Across the cell, Ren Tie suddenly flinched. His body had reacted way before his mind did. His body had sensed the change. The burst of pure Qi. The increase in core essence.
He stared at Yin Zhe with wide white eyes. "What…?" Ren Tie whispered under his breath.
Yin Zhe was still lost in his thoughts when a sudden sound broke his thoughts.
Ding!.
[Surprised Reactive Points +1]
Yin Zhe thought "uhh.. tsk.. the system did it again. What does this mean. But this time it's surprising. It's not cursed like the first one. Hmmm. Yes I'm kinda surprised now. So if it's giving points based on my reaction then why did I get a cursed +1 RP the first time?.. tsk.. tsk.." he scratched the back of his head in confusion.
"Ok one thing is for sure. Hhh. Hmm uhh uh... The system is called a reactive system so it gives me points based on reactions. That sounds right. And if it was based on my reaction my points would be flying sky high by now." Yin Zhe had a sudden realization.
"That means it is not giving me reaction points based on my own reaction. Neither did the system curse me. Back then when I got the cursed notification I was throwing a tantrum. And Bao Zi whose cage was closer to mine was watching me. He had shifted back and hugged his knees.. someone in that situation. It's only normal that he cursed him inwardly." Yin Zhe eye widen.
"So that means. I get points based on other people's reactions about me or towards me.. hehehe. Ren Tie is the only one with a surprise face right now. And he doesn't seem to be that good in hiding his emotions or reactions. He must have added that surprise +1 to my notification bar" Yin Zhe turned to look at Ren Tie.
Ren Tie stepped forward and spoke loudly enough for the others to hear.
"I guess you gained enlightenment," he said. His tone held confusion but also a weird touch of respect. He was clearly referring to Yin Zhe. "You broke through after seeing me break through? Is that it?... You must have also gotten an apifiny from watching me cultivate"
The system reacted again.
[Acknowledged Reactive Points +1]
"Pfft" Yin Zhe nearly spat blood. He looked away and pretended that he hadn't heard any of the gibberish that this guy was spouting.
He wasn't looking at Bao Zi. Or any at any of the other cages. Neither was he looking at the wooden wall or looking at the cracks in the floor.
He was now staring at the air in front of him. Looking Completely dazed.
His eyes were empty like someone who just discovered they might be cursed by fate or the universe itself.
Can the system read everything people think about me?. The question crawled through his mind. Can it hear every thought?. insult?. doubt?. And Every… everything?
His breathing slowed down. He felt his heartbeat echoing in his ears.
Ren Tie's words had made everyone else's turn to look at Yin Zhe.
Whispers, murmurs. And curious eyes floated through the cell room. landing on him one by one like needles.
Ding!!.
[Doubted Reactive Points +4]
The system message [Doubted Reactive Points +4] floated in the system notification panel like something that refused to leave Yin Zhe's mind. His head felt heavy. And his thoughts were still swirling around the system like a pot boiling for far too long.
The strange part was how the notification carried a faint echo, he muttered to himself. That was when it clicked.
"Wait.. did It all come from Ren Tie?. Wait.. tsk.. one, two, three and four.. so that means the reactive points had come from all four of them" Yin Zhe blinked. "Hmmm… from them?" he muttered under his breath.
Ren Tie narrowed his eyes. if he felt like something off. Yin Zhe had ignored him completely. He felt insulted. The cog wheel in his brain started to spin " that's odd.. I didn't even see him cultivating…"
ding!!.
[Doubted Reactive Points +1]
Yin Zhe could now understand the system a bit more. "He's clearly doubting me right now isn't it"
Ren Tie paused for a bit as his jaw tightened. The shock in his eyes appears to linger. Growing sharper. He rubbed his fingers together, he kept on replaying a moment in his mind and failing to make sense of it.
He turned to stare at Yin Zhe with an expression between suspicion and confusion.
To Ren Tie, Yin Zhe looked like a mad man.
Someone who hit his head on wooden bars to vent their frustration, while screaming at invisible gods, and prayed like a broken monk, someone that breathes like a dying ox.
But even with all those downgrading factors… he had now decided to pay more attention to Yin Zhe now. There was definitely something strange about this boy. Something that kept poking his curiosity.
Meanwhile, Yin Zhe wasn't even paying attention to Ren Tie at all.
He had his head down, staring at the space in front of him. The space where the system message had been, he was thinking hard.
"Hmmm… this system…" he muttered. "at least I know why I'm getting notifications whenever people think about me…? Or when they react…?"
His brows pulled together. He didn't know if he was lucky or cursed. "This might as well be a blessing. My Reactive system can see through every possible poker face... Hehehe"
the carriage creaked. As it moved forward in the wet mud.
creak… creak…
Rain drummed on the rooftop of the carriage like fingers tapping.
Tap… tap… tap.
Five of them. All prisoners. sat in their own small wooden cells. Each cell is just big enough for a human to stand. Thick and old wooden bars. The wood felt Cold to the touch. But can quickly warm up when held for a brief moment. There was a faint smell of dampness and metal.
The Night outside was filled with nonstop Rainfall. They couldn't see anything past the small gaps in the wood because of the darkness.
Ren Tie kept circling around cultivation thoughts.
Yin Zhe who seemed insane to his fellow cell mates was still focused on the reactive system.
The two silent prisoners in the far cells, Wen Chong and Tian Zuo just stared at the floor, each sunk into their own thoughts.
A nice moment of quiet peace.
Ren Tie sighed lightly and lifted his head. Breaking the brief silence.
Ren Tie began to mumble to himself. "I'm the highest level cultivator here," he thought. "Well That's Aside from the trafficker outside… the one driving this damn carriage… that one is the real monster."
He slowly shook his head.
Even thinking about that driver made his stomach tighten. He had a cold sweat.
"The one outside wasn't just a pushover cultivator. He was a high ranking immortal." Ren Tie whispered.
"He's Someone on a whole different level. Someone who could lift this entire carriage with one hand if he wanted. Such power" Ren Tie thought.
The rain outside grew louder.
Drip… drip… tap... Tap...
Yin Zhe leaned back a little. His body ached from hitting his head on the wooden bars and floors earlier, but he gritted his teeth and pushed the pain down. He was about to re-open his system panel again when something suddenly happened.
SCREEEEEEECH!