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[FLASHBACK]
LOCATION: NEAR THE BORDERS OF NORTHERN XIA EMPIRE
A man clad in white and grey hanfu sat cross-legged at the edge of a steep cliff. His eyes were closed, his posture calm, as though he was merely enjoying the silence of nature.
But the truth was far different.
He was waiting.
Although his exterior appeared composed, his thoughts told a completely different story.
'Just when the heck is that f*cking guy going to show up?! At this rate, I'm going to freeze to death sitting here!'
His impatience echoed loudly within his mind, only to be interrupted by a familiar presence—one he had heard for so long that counting the years had become meaningless.
« The protagonist is currently on their way, esteemed host. However, the system has detected that something is amiss with the protagonist… »
He raised an eyebrow slightly, directing his attention toward the voice that only he could hear.
This entity—this so-called [System]—had been with him since the very moment of his death in his first life. It was also the same entity that bound him and transformed him into a Dimensional Traveler.
Over time, through countless world-hopping experiences, he had come to understand its nature.
The [System] was not a divine being.
Nor was it something mystical.
It was, in essence, a form of advanced computational technology—something he had encountered in several modernized worldlines during his journey.
Given that the Main House System itself was responsible for creating worldlines, it made sense that fragments of such advanced systems appeared within them.
Still… despite everything, he could not deny one thing.
He was indebted to it.
It had given him a reason to continue living.
A chance to experience countless lives beyond the one that betrayed him.
And perhaps most importantly—
It saved him from descending into madness.
The betrayal.
The abandonment.
The crushing weight of being labeled a villain by those he once trusted…
Before those unpleasant memories could cloud his thoughts any further, he let out a quiet breath and shook his head, forcing himself back to the present.
'So? What's the issue this time?' he responded inwardly. 'Haven't we dealt with things like this before? What, thousands… maybe even millions of times already?'
He paused briefly, placing a hand beneath his chin as if deep in thought—though the answer had already formed in his mind.
'Let me guess… The male protagonist and the villainess who were supposed to hate each other ended up in some kind of peaceful, platonic relationship… and that so-called heroine is still putting on her pathetic [white lotus] act in front of everyone?'
« The esteemed host is correct. It appears that you have once again anticipated the deviation. »
A faint snort escaped him.
'Of course I did. It's the same cliché nonsense over and over again. A typical romance setup—idiotic white lotus heroine, surrounded by her collection of male leads, mixed in with a rival villainess who was supposed to be the male protagonist's fiancée… all wrapped up in a [xianxia] setting.'
He clicked his tongue in mild irritation before continuing.
'Then again… who wouldn't see this coming? I did interfere with the storyline, after all.'
He fell silent for a moment, his gaze drifting toward the horizon beyond the cliff.
A quiet, almost amused smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.
'Well… let's see how much this "story" has changed this time.'
He resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the system's blatant obliviousness. Among all the systems he had encountered, this one was… different.
For reasons he still could not fully explain, this system possessed a form of sentience—an ego, even. At times, it behaved less like an artificial construct and more like an actual person. If not for its unmistakably mechanical tone, it would have been almost impossible to distinguish it from a human.
Though its voice remained robotic—similar to those he had heard in technologically advanced worlds such as Roodle—it was evident that this system could perceive and process human emotions. Unfortunately, it was also undeniably dense in certain aspects.
As for this current worldline, it was clear to him that the story had already begun to collapse. The plot no longer followed its predetermined course, slipping beyond the original framework that bound it.
And the cause of that disruption…
…was none other than him.
As a Dimensional Traveler—an existence that stood outside the constraints of a single worldline—his mere presence was enough to distort the structure of the narrative.
Still, this was nothing new.
It was almost routine for things to deviate the moment he interfered.
Back when he first began his journey as a novice Dimensional Traveler, he had been utterly unprepared. The moment he received his first task, panic consumed him. Everything was unfamiliar—alien even—and he understood nothing about the intricacies of world-hopping.
He had been lost.
Confused.
And deeply wary.
Yet despite all that, he remained grateful.
Grateful to his system companion, who had guided him through that chaotic beginning. The system itself had been considerate enough to assign him to a tutorial world, allowing him to learn the essentials step by step—to adapt, to survive, and eventually… to master the role forced upon him.
At that time, he had been convinced that he had made a pact with something sinister.
A demon, perhaps.
After all, in his original world, he had always been cautious—paranoid even. Trust was not something he gave lightly, not after everything he had endured.
Betrayal had a way of etching itself deeply into one's soul.
His thoughts were abruptly cut off when he felt a presence approaching.
At the same time, the familiar mechanical voice echoed in his mind once more.
« Esteemed host, he is here. Please exercise caution. This system has detected abnormalities within the protagonist… »
He let out a long, exasperated sigh.
'For the thousandth time, SILVER—just call me by my name. There's no need for all that formality.'
When he had first discovered that his system was sentient—unlike the standard systems within the Main House System—he had found it strange to address it simply as [system]. Eventually, he decided to give it a name.
Silver.
It felt… more appropriate that way.
« But esteemed host, Silver cannot comply. Proper decorum must be maintained when addressing someone of your standing… »
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