The road stretched out before Li Ming like a snake basking under the sun. Dust rose from every step he took, clinging to his ragged boots. His "adventurer's gear" was laughable at best: a second-hand tunic that smelled faintly of cabbage, a wooden stick he optimistically called a "staff," and a crumpled map he could barely read.
"So this is it," he muttered dramatically, holding the map upside down without realizing. "The first step of my grand strategy toward glory and survival!"
He took two confident steps, only to trip on a pebble and fall face-first into the dirt.
"...A tactical roll," he quickly justified, spitting out soil. "Yes, I did that on purpose. Strategy."
A fork in the road appeared a few hours later. One sign pointed east toward the capital. The other, west toward "Hill of Bandits – Do Not Enter."
Li Ming stared hard at the signs. "Hmm. Which way would a clever strategist choose? Perhaps the obvious choice is a trap, and the dangerous choice hides opportunity! Yes… I'll take the road less traveled."
He turned west, walked three steps, and then sneezed so hard he stumbled backward. His heel struck a rock, and he tumbled down the slope—landing miraculously back on the eastward path.
"..." He dusted himself off and coughed. "Exactly as planned. What fool would willingly walk into a bandit camp? Not me, the genius strategist."
Unbeknownst to him, a group of armed bandits lay in wait just over the hill. Had he taken one more step west, he'd be stripped of his cabbage-smelling tunic by now.
-----
The capital of Yue finally rose into view at dusk. It was nothing like Li Ming expected—no, it was far grander.
Massive stone walls loomed over the landscape, inscribed with glowing runes that pulsed faintly. Guards in polished armor patrolled the gates with spears gleaming like silver. Beyond the gate, a bustling sprawl of towers, cobbled streets, and flickering lanterns beckoned him inside. Adventurers swaggered past, weapons strapped to their backs, enchanted cloaks trailing behind them. Vendors shouted at every corner, hawking everything from roasted skewers to suspiciously glowing potions.
Li Ming gawked openly, mouth hanging wide.
"If this is the starter city," he whispered, "what's the DLC like? Floating castles? Dragons with subscription fees?"
He tripped again, nearly knocking into a stern merchant carrying a stack of crates. The man snarled but moved on. Li Ming laughed nervously and rubbed his neck.
Note to self: Try not to die before even registering as an adventurer. I don't want my reincarnation story to end as 'Man Crushed by Vegetables in Market Accident.'
-----
The Adventurer's Guild was impossible to miss. A towering building with banners flapping outside, its wooden doors bore a crest of crossed swords and a shield. Inside, the atmosphere buzzed like a beehive—hunters and mages lounging at tables, guild clerks stamping paperwork, and a giant quest board filled with flyers like "Slay Five Slimes" or "Retrieve Old Lady's Cat."
Li Ming walked to the front desk where a receptionist with immaculate braids smiled politely.
"Welcome to the Adventurer's Guild. Are you here to register?"
"Yes!" Li Ming puffed out his chest, trying to look confident but mostly looking constipated. "I am destined for greatness. Please sign me up."
The receptionist raised an eyebrow but handed him a form. "Name, age, birthplace, class, and preferred weapon. Once you complete this, we'll assign your initial rank."
Li Ming glanced at the form. Birthplace? Uh… Earth? No, they'll think I'm insane. Let's just scribble something… He hastily wrote "Remote Village No One Knows."
For class, he paused. His hidden class—Strategist—was still listed in his mysterious system screen. Should he reveal it?
"Well, honesty is the best policy," he muttered. He wrote "Strategist" in bold strokes.
For weapon, he hesitated again. Sword? Bow? Magic? His current weapon was… a stick.
"What do I fight with most often… ah, yes. Strategy." He proudly wrote: Weapon: Strategy.
He handed the form back with a flourish.
The receptionist read it, blinked once, then twice. Her polite smile wavered. "…Weapon: strategy?"
"Yes," Li Ming said firmly, nodding. "I slay my foes with cunning. Sharp wit is sharper than any blade."
Around them, a few adventurers overheard and snorted into their mugs. One burly man whispered, "He's either a lunatic or the next Sun Tzu."
The receptionist coughed delicately. "Very… unique. Please step to the examination area for your basic evaluation."
-----
The exam was simple: break a wooden dummy to demonstrate strength.
Li Ming raised his stick. He closed his eyes dramatically, muttering, "Observe, as my strategy unfolds." He swung with all his might—
Whack! The stick snapped in half. The dummy remained untouched.
The crowd chuckled. Li Ming's face burned red. But then, miraculously, the dummy wobbled… tilted… and collapsed in half.
Gasps filled the room.
"He… he struck its weak point!" a spectator exclaimed.
"Impossible! That dummy has withstood hundreds of tests!"
Li Ming blinked. "Yes. Exactly as planned." He raised the broken stick like a trophy.
The receptionist scribbled frantically. "Candidate Li Ming… approved as F-rank Adventurer. With… potential for strategic combat."
Li Ming swaggered back to the counter, internally screaming: What the hell just happened?! That thing just fell because it was loose! But hey, I'll take it.
-----
After receiving his adventurer's badge, Li Ming immediately posted a recruitment notice on the guild's board.
Now Recruiting: Brave Companions for a Guild!
Benefits: Safety in numbers, snacks included.
Requirements: Ability to survive.
Motto: "We only wanted to survive, not be geniuses."
He stepped back, proud. "That should do it. Free snacks always attract the best warriors."
Not long after, two figures approached him.
The first was a cheerful young woman with messy hair and a crooked magician's hat. She waved excitedly. "Hi! I'm Zhao Yun'er, a mage. I saw 'snacks' and immediately applied. Also, I may or may not have blown up my last party by accident. But don't worry! This time, I'm sure I can control my spells… eighty percent sure."
Li Ming forced a smile. Eighty percent? That's lower than my exam scores in math.
The second was a tall, silent swordsman with sharp eyes. He crossed his arms and spoke in a monotone. "Han Wei. I joined because I misread your notice. Thought it said 'stacks' of gold, not snacks. But I'm here now."
Li Ming blinked at the pair. A chaotic mage and a miserly swordsman.
"Yes… perfect," he said slowly. Perfect for what, I don't know. But surely this is part of my grand strategy.
He raised his fist dramatically. "Together, we shall form a guild that shakes the heavens!"
Zhao Yun'er clapped. "Yay, free food!"
Han Wei muttered, "I'll leave when I find gold."
Li Ming grinned, his heart swelling with excitement and dread all at once. This was it. His guild. His comrades. His next step toward survival—or disaster.
And somehow, everyone watching whispered in awe.
"Did you see? He picked them deliberately. He must be forming some sort of… balanced party."
"A genius strategist, indeed!"
Li Ming nearly choked on air. Balanced? These two can barely balance themselves on a chair!
But he simply laughed confidently, pretending it was all part of the plan.
"Exactly as I intended," he declared, while praying to every deity that he'd survive his first real quest.
.
.