The moon hung low over the village, a silent witness to three shadows gliding through the tall grass. These weren't your run-of-the-mill thieves. These were Body Refinement
practitioners—mercenaries whose skin had the density of cured leather and whose bones were
reinforced by primitive Qi.
"The girl with the Green Root is in the third hut," the leader whispered, his voice a low vibration.
"Grab her and go. If we alert the Sect Scout, we're charcoal."
They reached the clearing when a soft, high-pitched voice drifted from the gloom behind them.
"Excuse me, Uncles? Are you looking for the main road? You missed the turn by the old well."
The bandits whipped around, blades clearing scabbards.
Standing there was a seven-year-old boy, rubbing his eyes and yawning. Aditya looked like the definition of "harmless," but behind those sleepy eyes lived a soul that had once traded his life for a piece of fried chicken.
"A brat?" the leader spat. "Kalu, silence him. No witnesses."
The largest bandit stepped forward, a jagged scar across his lip stretching into a grin. He
reached out a hand the size of a dinner plate, intending to crush the boy's throat.
Aditya didn't flinch. He just tilted his head, his eyes wide and shimmering.
"Uncle, please! My Ma says it's rude not to give guests a parting gift."
"Gift?" Kalu barked a laugh. "The only gift you're getting is—"
[System Skill Activated: Silent Flick]
Aditya's arm was a blur—a remnant of a soul that had lived a lifetime before this one. He didn't
throw a punch. He snapped his wrist, launching a small, wax-sealed paper packet.
POP.
It exploded in a cloud of fine, crimson dust. This wasn't just spice; it was high-grade,
concentrated Guntur Red Chili fortified with Aditya's "Sticky Qi."
"ARGHHHH! MY EYES! IT'S BURNING MY SOUL!"
Kalu collapsed, his "leather-tough" skin useless against the microscopic shards of spice
invading his membranes. He clawed at his face as if trying to peel off his own skin.
[System Message]
Detected Emotion:Absolute Agony & Soul-Crushing Regret (Bandit 1).
Gain: +300 Spite Points.
"What did you do?!" the leader roared, lunging forward with a rusted iron dao.
Aditya scrambled back, his face a mask of childish terror. "I'm sorry! I thought it was sneezing
powder! Bhaiya, galti ho gayi!" (Brother, it was a mistake!)
As the other two rushed him, Aditya didn't retreat. He dived low, sliding between their legs like
an oiled eel. As he passed, he dropped three heavy marbles coated in the same synthetic
Engine Oil that had caused his death in his previous life.
SLIP. CRACK.
Physics doesn't care about your cultivation level. The bandits' heavy frames worked against
them. Their feet vanished from under them, and one bandit's skull met a granite rock with a
sickening thud. He went limp instantly.
The leader, however, caught his balance. He turned, his face purple with rage. "I'm going to
slow-cook you, you little monster!"
Aditya stopped trembling. He stood up straight, brushing the dirt off his tunic. The "slow,
dim-witted" look in his eyes vanished, replaced by a gaze as cold as a mountain glacier.
"You came for my sister," Aditya said, his voice dropping an octave. It wasn't a child's voice
anymore, it was the voice of a man who had seen the end of the world. "You want to ruin my quiet life? Hau?"
The leader froze. The air around the boy seemed to vibrate with a power that shouldn't exist in
this backwater village.
[System Purchase: Compressed Air Bullet (One-time use)] [Cost: 500 Spite Points]
Aditya pointed a single finger. Phut.
A needle-thin bolt of pressurized Qi tore through the air. No flash, no bang—just a neat, crimson
hole appearing in the center of the leader's throat. The man dropped his sword, clutching his
neck as he fell into the mud.
Aditya stood over the bodies. His stomach churned—killing was never easy—but he looked
toward the third hut where Radhika slept safely.
"Wrong village, Uncles. Wrong house."
The Aftermath
Aditya moved with the efficiency of a professional cleaner:
● The Bodies: Dragged to the river and weighed down with stones.
● The Evidence: A "Water Talisman" washed away the oil and chili.
● The Weapon: The rusted sword was buried three feet deep under a thorn bush.
An hour later, he crawled back onto his straw mat.
[System Message]
Secret Mission Complete:The Guardian in the Shadows.
Reward: 1,000 Spite Points.
Breakthrough: Qi Condensation - Level 4.
Just as he settled in, Radhika turned over in her sleep, her foot connecting squarely with his
stomach.
"Oof..." Aditya gasped.
[System: +5 Spite Points from self-directed annoyance.]
"Even the System is a bully," Aditya whispered, closing his eyes. He might be on the path to
becoming a God, but for now, he was just a kid whose sister used him as a kickball.