Zhao Yu trudged down the cobbled streets of Xinzhi City, stick in hand, still half-expecting some giant monster to leap out of an alley.
He wasn't really paying attention to the bustling city around him, floating lanterns, vendors shouting prices for things he had no idea about, people gliding gracefully using qi, but instead, his eyes were glued to the floating system interface hovering in front of him.
"Okay… so first, level one… check… EXP zero… stats absolute trash… yup, classic myself,"
He muttered.
"Nothing's changed… yet. Soon, baby, soon. Wait until I, ugh, whatever. Focus on survival first."
Just then, the system pinged.
———「System」———
◆ Quest Complete
∟ 200+ Exp Increase
———————————
Zhao Yu's eyes went wide.
"Wait… Right! I've completed both quest, and both quest have +100 exp as rewards isn't it? Imagine if school had this… I'd be top of my class in like two days!"
He turned the notification over in his mind like it was a priceless artifact.
"System, tell me more! Tell me my new… glorious status!"
———「System」———
◆ Level Up!
∟ Level Increase 2↑
———————————
"WHAT?! LEVEL TWO?! FROM 1?! BUT STILL ITS GOOD"
Zhao Yu yelped, nearly jumping a foot into the air.
"Yes! Take that, random desert monsters! Take that, giant slime! Take that… uhh… whatever hit me in the sand! I am officially… slightly less trash!"
He tapped the system interface gleefully.
———「System」———
◆ Rewards have been imported into the user's inventory
———————————
Zhao Yu nearly fell over laughing.
"HA! Rewards! Finally, something tangible besides my own tears and bad luck!"
He swiped over to check his inventory.
———「Inventory」———
◆ Unknown Drop
◆ Basic Qi Capsule
◆ Common Tier Chest
———————————
He squinted at the list.
"Hmm… Unknown Drop? Sounds mysterious. Could be garbage, could be OP, could be… cursed. Could literally explode in my face… but you know what? Let's risk it!"
He clicked on it, heart racing.
———「System」———
◆ Passive Skill Acquired: Intoxication
◆ Description: Every harmful object that enters the user's body will be nullified instantly.
———————————
Zhao Yu blinked.
"Wait… every harmful object? Does that include poison, venom, bad ramen, bad decisions…?"
He grinned wickedly.
"Ohhh… I like this. This is me. Zhao Yu, master of surviving things that try to kill him. This… this is gonna save my life so many times."
He raised a finger dramatically to the sky.
"Yes! Now, no more worrying about poisonous plants, rogue slimes, or, heck, bad street food! I am invincible! Well… slightly. I'm still level two trash, but hey… invincible-ish."
He leaned back against a wall and started scrolling through his updated stats.
———「System」———
◆ Name: Xie Zhao Yu
◆ Level: 2
◆ Exp: 100/150
◆ Qi Capacity: 25/??
∟ Can be increased through completing system quests or through breathing training.
◆ Class: Half-Solarian / Human
◆ Profession: None
∟ Profession can be changed based on your skills, abilities, and stats.
◆ Passive
∟ Intoxication: Every harmful object that enters the user's body will be nullified instantly
◆ Skills
∟ Silent Step: Allows a person to walk or run without making a single frequency of noise.
◆ Stats:
∟ STR: F
∟ QP: F+
∟ DEF: F
∟ AGI: F
∟ INT: F
∟ CHARM: G
◆ System Shop
◆ System Inventory
◆ System Coins: 0
◆ Quests Available: 0
—————————————
Zhao Yu groaned and rubbed his eyes.
"Yeah I don't want to see my status. STR F, DEF F, everything F… G on charm, worser, okay, okay. Atleast some woman or NPCs, might like me. Woohoo, and Qi Points is finally carrying my dead stats."
He shook his head.
"Alright… enough scrolling. I can admire my brilliance later. First step: registration office. Get my name… or, uh… not-my-name, whatever the guards want me to call myself. Get inside, maybe snag some food… and not die again today."
He stood, took a deep breath, and began trudging toward the towering registration office at the heart of the city, stick in hand, inventory freshly updated, new passive skill throbbing with potential.
"Yeah… this is it,"
He muttered, a sly grin spreading across his face.
"Zhao Yu, level two, passive op, QP high… let's see how badly I can screw up the city today."
Zhao Yu took a deep breath and adjusted his cloth, ready to finally march into the registration office like a "Responsible citizen." Then, almost mid-step, a thought hit him.
"Wait… the guards! The ones who yelled at me earlier!"
He muttered, eyes darting around.
"I can't just stroll in without them… right? Right? Or I'll get yelled at… again. Or worse… arrested?"
He spun around, squinting into the shadows and the fading lantern light.
And there they were.
Two guards, standing side by side, perfectly still, arms crossed, blank expressions glued to their faces.
Zhao Yu froze.
"…Oh. Ohhhh."
He raised his hands in a weak wave.
"Uh… hey… hi? Remember me? The guy wh9 you guys yelled with words, waving a stick… chaos… fun… dramatic entrance… that guy?"
The guards blinked once.
Then, silence.
Not a word.
Not a twitch.
Just the cold, blank stare of judgment.
Zhao Yu swallowed.
'Okay… yeah… they probably think I'm insane. Or at least… socially maladapted. Or… maybe both.'
He shuffled his feet awkwardly.
"I mean, come on… I have been talking to myself for hours. Solo commentary… heroic monologues… dramatic gestures… I, yeah, I see it now. I'm a maniac."
He scratched the back of his neck.
"But, hey, at least I'm honest about it. That counts for something… right?"
He peeked sideways at the guards again.
Still blank faces.
Still judgment.
"Right… okay… I need to look normal. Calm. Civilized,"
He muttered under his breath, puffing out his chest and trying his best "I totally belong here" stance.
He took a step forward, then another, then paused.
"Maybe I should smile? Yeah… subtle, friendly smile… not creepy psycho smile…"
He attempted a small grin.
The guards didn't flinch.
Zhao Yu sighed dramatically.
"Okay… fail. Smile failed. Note to self: charm G. Smile clearly not included."
He rubbed his eyes and muttered,
"Well… whatever. Let's just… pretend nothing happened and walk in like a normal person. Normal people… they exist… I think. I hope. Maybe."
He stepped closer, adjusting the stick like it was a ceremonial staff, taking careful steps beside the silent guards.
Every so often, he muttered to himself:
"Step lightly… don't trip… don't look like a psycho… don't talk to yourself… okay, screw that last one… can't stop now…"
And as they approached the registration office, Zhao Yu felt the familiar rush of chaotic energy coursing through him, the thrill of being level two, passive skill activated, inventory loaded, and his chaotic mind racing a million miles an hour.
"Here we go…"
He whispered.
"Zhao Yu, professional maniac, semi-functional adventurer… let's see how much trouble I can stir today."
*****
[Around the time when Zhao Yu was Fighting the Serpent]
"So… umm,"
Rosswell said hesitantly, his eyes scanning the wide, open field before him.
"Is this… the place you were talking about? Husk Field?"
He leaned slightly over a nearby open file, trying to match it to the landscape.
Yang Yi nodded firmly, her thoughtful eyes still scanning the horizon.
"Yes. This is the exact location. From here, we're planning to meet up with Mei Mei. She should be somewhere around the eastern edge of the field, near the ridge."
Rang Rang's ears perked up as her gaze caught a flicker of movement in the distance.
Her voice bubbled with excitement.
"Oh! There she is! Come on, Yang Yi, quick, let's..."
"Umm,"
Rosswell interjected, holding up a hand and shaking his head slightly, his voice calm but firm.
"For now… could you just call me Rosswell? The 'subject' thing… it's a little uncomfortable. I… I'd rather stick with that name for now."
Rang Rang tilted her head, blinking in surprise, but then she smiled and nodded.
"Oh… okay. Rosswell it is, then. Nya~"
Yang Yi stepped closer, her measured gaze softening as she reached into her pack.
"Here. I can tell you don't have a glider yet, right?"
Rosswell blinked.
"Uh… yeah, that would be accurate."
With a swift motion, Yang Yi handed him a small, sleek device.
"This is a nano Vortex box. Just tap it."
Rosswell raised an eyebrow.
"Tap it?"
Before he could even question further, Yang Yi demonstrated.
A soft hum filled the air, and the compact box unfolded and expanded, transforming seamlessly into a lightweight, aerodynamic glider.
Rosswell's jaw dropped slightly.
"Whoa… that's… actually incredible."
Rang Rang clapped her hands, bouncing slightly on her heels.
"See! Told you! You'll be flying in no time, Rosswell!"
Yang Yi gave him a small, almost knowing smile.
"Just… be careful with it. There's more to flying than just balance. It takes finesse."
Rosswell carefully lifted the glider, examining its delicate mechanisms, feeling a thrill of anticipation mixed with caution.
"Alright… I guess it's time to see how well I can… not crash horribly."
Rang Rang giggled.
"Oh, this is gonna be fun!"