If someone asked Lin Tao what her greatest dream in life was, she would answer without hesitation.
To lie down.
Eat snacks.
And do absolutely nothing.
That was it.
No complicated goals. No grand ambitions. Just a peaceful life filled with naps, good food, and minimal human interaction.
At this very moment, Lin Tao believed she was living that dream.
She was sprawled comfortably across her old couch, one leg hanging lazily off the side while a bag of crispy snacks rested on her stomach. The television flickered quietly in the background, though she wasn't really paying attention to it.
Her attention was focused entirely on the snacks.
Crunch.
Delicious.
Lin Tao sighed in satisfaction.
"This is the life…"
Another handful of snacks went straight into her mouth.
Crunch.
Crunch.
Crunch—
Then suddenly—
"Cough—!"
Lin Tao froze.
Something had gone terribly wrong.
A piece of snack had gone down the wrong pipe.
Her eyes widened slightly as she coughed, sitting halfway up before lazily collapsing back into the couch.
"Cough— cough—"
Her hand waved weakly in the air as if trying to negotiate with fate.
"…This is a little inconvenient."
Another cough.
Her vision blurred slightly.
For a brief moment, Lin Tao considered standing up to get some water.
But after thinking about it seriously…
That sounded like a lot of effort.
"Maybe… it'll pass…"
Her eyelids grew heavier.
The television continued playing in the background.
And just like that—
Lin Tao peacefully choked to death while lying on her couch.
A perfect ending for someone who refused to stand up.
…
Silence.
Then—
A mechanical voice echoed in the darkness.
[Binding complete.]
Lin Tao frowned.
That was strange.
She was quite certain she had just died.
Slowly, she opened one eye.
Darkness surrounded her, stretching endlessly in every direction.
"…Am I dreaming?" she muttered.
[Ambition Cultivation System successfully activated.]
Lin Tao blinked.
"…Can I refuse?"
The mechanical voice responded instantly.
[No.]
She stared into the void for a moment before sighing.
"…What happens if I just sleep?"
[Host will be forcibly transmigrated into mission worlds.]
Lin Tao closed her eyes again.
"…That sounds troublesome."
[The host must complete missions to cultivate ambition and become a successful protagonist.]
Lin Tao thought about that for exactly three seconds.
Then she replied seriously,
"I don't think I want ambition."
The system paused.
For a brief moment, it seemed confused.
That response was not in its database.
[Host must strive for greatness.]
Lin Tao shook her head slowly.
"That sounds exhausting."
The system's voice grew more rigid.
[Host will enter multiple worlds and complete tasks.]
Lin Tao sighed deeply.
"Fine."
The system relaxed slightly.
Then Lin Tao added,
"But I'm not putting in any effort."
The system froze again.
[Host… what?]
Lin Tao folded her arms lazily.
"My life philosophy is simple."
She spoke with complete sincerity.
"If lying down solves the problem, why stand up?"
Silence filled the void.
For the first time since its creation, the Ambition Cultivation System felt something strange.
Regret.
Unfortunately, it was already too late.
[Preparing first world…]
[Loading world background…]
[1980s rural setting detected.]
Lin Tao yawned.
"Does the next world have snacks?"
The system ignored the question.
[Mission: Rise above your fate and become successful.]
Lin Tao shrugged.
"As long as I don't die again, that's good enough."
The system suddenly had a terrible feeling.
This host…
Might be a problem.
[Transmigration beginning.]
The darkness shattered.
And Lin Tao's new life began.