[Host, please listen to me.] The voice had gone from chipper to urgent in the space of a heartbeat, the kind of tone a shopkeeper used when they saw their only paying customer walking toward the door.
[I'm not like those other systems you've heard about. Xuyu is different. We treat our hosts with respect, we do not issue punishments for failure, and we believe in rewarding our partners with benefits beyond anything this primitive beast world could ever provide.]
She raised one brow, unimpressed. "Mm-hm. Let me guess, you're about to tell me that all I have to do is sign my soul away, save your little world from extinction, and in return, I'll get a free set of steak knives."
[Better than steak knives, Host! If you agree to help us restore the beast world's population and stability, you will have access to countless modern-world luxuries, each one more useful than the last.]
[To start you off on your new journey, we have prepared a newbie supply pack containing a full bathing kit...shampoo, soap, and a soft towel.]
Su Qinglan blinked slowly. "So… You're saying, in exchange for me saving the world, you'll give me soap?"
[Host, please don't frame it like that, it's a premium cleansing package!] Xuyu sounded genuinely distressed.
[And that's only the beginning. You'll receive more rewards for each completed mission. Without any risk or punishment, only privileges and support. All you need to do is help the world. Surely that is a fair exchange?]
She tilted her head, considering. It sounded far too generous.
In the apocalypse, anyone who claimed to give "only rewards, no punishments" was either lying, delusional, or about to drug you and steal your boots. "Alright," she said slowly, dragging the word out like she was testing its weight.
"But what happens if I still refuse?"
[Ah… well…] The voice, so energetic moments ago, faltered.
[Host, please don't talk like that. Xuyu loves you. I personally selected you because I knew you could do this.]
[If you truly refuse, the upper management will recall me and assign me to another host who is willing to help. You will then be returned to your original world… where, I must regretfully inform you, you had already died at the time of your transmigration. Meaning…]
"Meaning I'll be dead for real."
[Yes.] The system's voice dipped low, almost mournful.
[And Xuyu will be very, very sad.]
Su Qinglan stared at the rippling surface of the river, water running down her chin, the cool current swirling against her legs. She wasn't stupid.
She knew blackmail when she saw it, even if it was gift-wrapped in politeness and the promise of "no punishments." But as far as threats went, "help us or you go back to being a corpse" was a pretty airtight one.
She sighed heavily. "Alright, Xuyu. Just don't test my patience."
[Crystal clear, Host!] Xuyu chirped, sounding like a salesman who had just closed the biggest deal of the year.
"Fine. But give me the newbie supply pack first. I want to rub the dirt off me. It's disgusting."
[Yes! Host]
Soon, Su Qinglan saw the screen in front of her change, showing a new heading: Storage Space. Inside were three neat little cells, each displaying a clear image...one bar of soap, one bottle of shampoo, and one folded towel, and in the lower right corner of each icon, a small notation marked "x1," which she assumed was there to indicate the quantity available.
[Host, just think about the item from the storage space, and it will appear in your hand.]
Su Qinglan nodded, and in the next second, a shampoo bottle appeared in her hand. She was delighted to see that it was a big bottle—enough to last her for months. Smiling, she squeezed a generous amount into her palm before working it into her hair.
She began scrubbing her messy, tangled hair, but to her shock, the foam vanished in seconds. Su Qinglan cursed under her breath.
She rinsed her hair and repeated the process several times. Only then did she finally uncover her hair's real color—a beautiful ginger shade, the kind of shade that looked like the child of a warm sunset and an autumn leaf...not too orange, not too red, just an easy, flattering mix that would have made even a stylist in the modern world pause and nod in approval.
She stared for a long moment, fingers combing through the now-smooth strands, and muttered, half admiringly, half accusingly, "The original owner was really a piece of work… ruining such good hair like this."
Next, she took out the soap and began scrubbing her body. So much dirt came off that the river around her started turning black. And not to mention the beautiful fishes, who have gone into hiding.
Su Qinglan: "..."
Thankfully, the river water was flowing, so the filth was quickly washed away. After cleaning herself thoroughly, Su Qinglan felt refreshed and lighter, even. It was as if she had shed a huge burden.
Humming a cheerful tune, she reached for the dry animal hide to wear, but the thought of putting it on disgusted her. Still, she had no other choice. She couldn't possibly run naked around the tribe, could she? The thought made her shudder, and she reluctantly put it on.
Even though it was the largest piece she had, it still felt small on her body. That's when she realized an even bigger problem: that she didn't have any underwear at all.
Searching through the original Su Qinglan's memories, she found no recollection of ever wearing it, nor did anyone in the tribe seem to discuss it.
"Ah… the first thing I have to do is make myself a set of underwear," she muttered. because she would not survive walking around with nothing between herself and rough animal hide for long.
Just as she was about to return to her cave, she heard frantic shouting on the way.
"It's bad! Something bad happened! Our warriors were injured by a evil ferocious beast! They're all bleeding!"