READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 2: Killing Insects
Levi Ashborn sat back on the wooden floor, his breaths shallow and erratic. The flood of memories had finally subsided, leaving him with a sense of clarity muddled by unease. He pressed a hand to his forehead, trying to piece together the fragments now etched into his mind.
"So, the original host of this body…" Levi murmured, his voice tinged with disbelief. "His name was Li Tianhuan, a member of the Yanxiao Clan."
The name felt foreign yet familiar, a shadow of an identity that now lingered within him. The Yanxiao Clan, a prestigious faction deeply rooted in the Southern Border region, was renowned for its expertise in illusion path cultivation. The clan owed its prominence to four Rank 5 elders, whose mastery of illusion path had solidified their reputation and ensured their dominance in the region.
Memories of the clan's stronghold—Mengyun Mountain (Dreamcloud Mountain)—surfaced in vivid detail. The mountain was shrouded in perpetual mist, its peaks hidden by veils of rain that fell unrelentingly. To outsiders, it appeared foreboding, its drenched slopes and slick trails discouraging approach. But to those of the Yanxiao Clan, it was home. The intricate pathways, the towering stone gates engraved with swirling patterns of smoke, and the faint hum of Gu worms resonated within the mountain's depths.
Levi's hands clenched into fists as another wave of memories struck him. Li Tianhuan, a boy of fifteen years, had just undergone the clan's Aperture Awakening Ceremony. He had successfully opened his aperture, revealing a B-grade aptitude. This placed him in the middle tier of potential within the clan—neither a prodigy nor a failure, but someone expected to quietly support the family's grand ambitions.
"B-grade aptitude," Levi muttered, his tone bitter. "Not the worst start, but in this world, it's hardly enough to survive." He shook his head, frustration bubbling within him. Memories of the clan's hierarchy, its strict rules, and the ruthless competition between its younger members filled him with dread.
The Yanxiao Clan valued strength above all. Weakness was not tolerated, and those who could not meet the expectations of the elders were cast aside or, worse, eliminated. The clan's elders, shrouded in mystery and power, were figures to be feared, their scrutiny as sharp as the blades they wielded. If any one of them were to sense the anomaly in his soul… Levi shuddered at the thought.
"Li Tianhuan," Levi whispered, his gaze hardening. "I will choose this name from now on and live with it. I am going to set a goal and live as long as I can while pursuing the goal."
"I need to thank the confidence surging within me to this system, every fu*king transmigrator with systems got power that rivaled deities and devils."
The moment Levi received the memories, an unexpected phenomenon occurred. A red screen materialized before him, stark and ominous against the dim light of the room. Its edges shimmered faintly, and black text began to etch itself onto the screen. At first, the words came slowly, disjointed phrases and cryptic symbols that Levi couldn't comprehend. But as the seconds ticked by, the rate of writing increased, line after line filling the screen with purpose. Then, just as suddenly as it began, the text stopped.
The system was simple yet unsettling. The red glow of its background radiated a faint heat, and the black text seemed to pulse, alive with an otherworldly rhythm. Despite its mysterious nature, Levi couldn't ignore its presence.
Levi squinted at the emerging text, the words solidifying in bold strokes:
You are chosen by the system as I became your partner in crime.
After you died, I met you while you were on the way to the Death Gate. Seeing that you are suitable for me as a Host, I chose you, picked you, and brought you here into this world.
Levi blinked, his mind racing to comprehend the implications of the words. "Partner in crime? Death Gate?" he muttered, his voice tinged with disbelief. "What kind of twisted setup is this?"
The red screen shimmered, and new text began to appear, scrolling smoothly:
So, from now on, I am going to help you become strong. As I am generous, I won't give you any missions but instead provide you with random rewards through the Gacha System.
The random items can be obtained using Gacha tickets, which you must purchase with Killing Points (KP). To earn KP, you need to kill living beings. Each item will have a corresponding fixed cost in KP, and you decide what to spend it on.
Levi stared at the screen, his mind a whirlwind of thoughts. "Gacha? Killing Points? So, this is my golden ticket... or curse?"
The screen pulsed again, and another line of text appeared:
The other way to gain rewards is through check-ins. By checking in at random places, you can earn special rewards.
Levi stared at the screen, his eyes now shining brightly like a star as he shouted, "Fu*k yeah baby! With this, I am going to be powerful, hahahaha."
The screen shimmered once more, and new text appeared:
To unlock the Gacha and Check-in systems, you must first earn 10 KP. Begin your journey, Host.
Levi frowned, his initial excitement waning. "10 KP? Killing Points?" he muttered. His gaze swept the room as he mumbled, "Where the hell am I supposed to get living beings to kill in this house?"
As he scanned his surroundings, a flicker of movement caught his attention. In the corner of the room, a cockroach skittered across the floor, its antennae twitching. Levi's eyes narrowed.
"You…" he muttered, pointing at the unfortunate insect. "You're my first victim."
Without hesitation, Levi grabbed a nearby slipper, his movements quick and decisive. With a swift strike, the cockroach was crushed under the sole. The system chimed immediately:
[0.5 KP earned.]
Levi looked at the red screen, his lips curling into a sly grin. "Well, it is expected as it is a small living being."
He scanned the room once more, his eyes darting to every corner, determined to find his next target. After a few tense moments, he spotted another cockroach crawling along the edge of a wooden shelf. "You'll do," he muttered, grabbing the slipper again. With a quick motion, he dispatched it, and the familiar chime echoed in his ears:
[0.5 KP earned.]
"One KP down, nine more to go," Levi murmured. His gaze turned to a small cluster of ants marching along a crack in the wall. A grin spread across his face. "Looks like I hit the jackpot."
Levi wasted no time, targeting the ants one by one, the slipper descending with ruthless efficiency. Each kill was met with the system's acknowledgment:
[0.2 KP earned.] [0.2 KP earned.] [0.2 KP earned.] [0.5 KP earned.]
By the time the dust settled, Levi had accumulated an additional 4.5 KP from the cluster of ants, which included an ant queen and ant soldiers, yielding varied KP rewards. This brought his total to 5.5 KP.
Breathing heavily, he glanced at the screen. "That's 5.5 KP total now. Halfway there."
Levi continued his search through the house, methodically targeting any insects he could find. He crushed another cockroach skittering across the floor:
[0.5 KP earned.]
A small nest of ants near the base of a wooden table earned him [1 KP] collectively, thanks to their numbers. He stumbled upon a spider hanging in the corner of the ceiling, its size earning him [0.5 KP] as he dispatched it with a broom.
By the time Levi finished, he had gathered an additional 4.5 KP, bringing his total to 10 KP. "Finally," Levi exhaled, wiping a bead of sweat from his brow. "Now I can unlock the Gacha and Check-in systems. Let's see what you've got for me."