Click. Click. Click.
The dark room echoed with the incessant sound of a mouse, the only light in the room was coming from the glow of a single monitor.
"Die! Die already, you bastard!"
Chen Yue's voice was hoarse, his bloodshot eyes locked onto the screen as the boss's health bar inched downward.
His fingers blurred across the keys, chaining together flawless combos keeping the boss completely suppressed, unable to retaliate.
The game had appeared out of nowhere and taken the world by storm. Its breathtaking graphics, immersive story, and full VR compatibility made it an instant global sensation.
VR offered the ultimate experience but Chen Yue couldn't afford it.
So he made do with what he had.
Right now, he was facing a field boss solo, under-leveled and under-geared.
Six hours passed and the boss's HP had finally dropped to 10%.
At that moment, Chen Yue pulled back a little, making sure he wasn't out of the aggro range but also within the boss area.
If one attacked a boss in the middle of their transformation, it triggers the berserk ability and at the cost of the boss down life, would take down the players present.
The boss's skin flushed crimson and its mana bar shifted from blue to red.
The boss had finally entered phase three, the final phase.
"Finally!" he muttered, a grin stretching across his exhausted face.
His eyes burned from hours of continuous focus. For ten straight hours, he hadn't taken a single hit.
Of course, it would have taken even less time had he teamed up instead.
But then he wouldn't get all the loot, would he? Plus, he needed the solo kill reward and the exp.
After making sure the boss transformation was completed, he charged back in, refusing to give the boss even a second to recover.
Another hour crawled by as he slowly chipped the boss hp down to 1%.
Finally victory was within reach and all be needed was the last hit, he shot forward with his character ready to finish it but just then, a swift spear shot out from off-screen.
The boss collapsed instantly and all the credit was taken... stolen.
"What?!"
"FUCK!"
Chen Yue slammed his keyboard, his face flushing with rage.
He shot to his feet, grabbed his computer, and raised it high and just when he was about to throw it down, he halted.
"…Fuck."
The word came out quieter this time.
Slowly, carefully, he lowered the computer back onto the desk.
"It's just a game…"
His voice was tight, forced.
Dragging his feet, he walked to his bed and collapsed onto it, staring at the ceiling, his teeth clenched in frustration.
That night he realised it was colder than any night he ever had.
Was it because he was still bitter about his grind being stolen? Or was it simply because it's just cold.
He sighed even in his sleep but that didn't help as he realised it indeed was because it was cold.
So cold, he began to grit his teeth and reached for his blanket.
But as his hand reached out, it touched… nothing.
Only cold air, his eyes snapped open in confusion, that's when a freezing wind wrapped around his body from all sides.
Snow was falling endlessly from the sky. He froze, literally.
This wasn't his apartment.
He was definitely outside.
"There's a survivor!"
A shout rang out through the snow.
Chen Yue squinted, barely able to see a human silhouette through the thick snowfall.
His body shivered continuously, that's when he also noticed he was only wearing a pair of pants.
"Was I robbed?" he muttered weakly. "Not just my boss… but even my clothes?"
That was the only thought in his mind.
The next moment, his vision went dark as he fell back into the snow.
***
When he woke up, a sharp pain coursed through his head. He frowned, struggling to think.
What happened?
How did it happen?
Why did it happen?
He couldn't understand anything.
What's worse, there was a blue screen floating right in front of him.
[ Congratulations Host for surviving in the snow for a whole year! ]
[ Your reward has been sent to mail, open mail to claim! ]
"A year…? Wasn't it just yesterday… that I was playing a game?"
"Did I… transmigrate into someone with a system… after he died?"
It was the only explanation he could come up with.
But then his expression turned ugly.
"What kind of shitty system is this…?"
"If the host had a system, shouldn't he be invincible?"
"Then how did he die?"
Chen Yue felt a headache coming just thinking about it.
Still, he had no choice.
In this unfamiliar place, surrounded by unknown variables, the only thing he could rely on… was this unreliable system.
He took a slow breath.
"Open mail."
[ Opening mail... ]
The blue screen flickered.
[ You have received the Golden Body Physique and a Heaven Grade Meridian Repairing Pill. ]
[ Fusing the host with the physique. ]
A warm sensation suddenly spread through his body.
It wasn't painful, but it was strange, like something was changing deep within him.
[ Fusion complete. ]
The warmth slowly faded.
Chen Yue clenched his fists slightly, feeling a subtle difference, though he couldn't quite explain it.
The screen refreshed again.
[ Would host like to consume the Meridian Repairing Pill? ]
[ Yes ] [ No ]
"But he doesn't have any meridians! It's a miracle he's even alive."
An old voice sounded from outside.
"Yes, but he also survived the storm despite everyone else being ending dead, so his will to live is strong. I'm willing to sacrifice this Meridian Repairing Pill for him even if it's going to be false hope."
This time, it was a younger voice, soft and gentle.
Chen Yue listened quietly and noticed they were heading to where he was, he looked at the system screen and chose not to eat it for now.
He tapped No.
Right at that moment, the door opened.
The two people walked in just in time to see his action.
They both looked at him and Chen Yue met their gaze.
Then a thought struck him.
Oh shit… can they see the system too?
But his worry quickly faded.
The old man only muttered in shock, "What a miracle… how are you already awake?"
The young girl beside him looked at Chen Yue, then gently shook her head.
"It's good that you can sit up," she said softly, "but you should lie down for now."
Chen Yue obediently lay back down.
But in his mind, a question lingered.
'So… they really can't see the system just like in the novels?'