Chapter 3 - 0.3 - Bound

'No.' She tried refusing one more time.

[Xu Jiaqi, this one feels like you are pitiful, you haven't lived your life out to the brim yet. You have fallen before you could do so. Thus, would you like to enter the Host program?]

The third offer.

Xu Jiaqi was dumbstruck. So persistent!

Xu Jiaqi: Alright, you asked for it. Let's fight.

'No.'

[Xu Jiaqi, this one feels like you are pitiful...]

'No.'

[Xu Jiaqi, this one feels.]

'No.'

[Xu Jiaqi...]

'No.'

After continuous back and forth banters, with the voice repeating the exact same sentence and Xu Jiaqi refusing to give in, silence finally occurred.

A long, long silence. The last speaker was Xu Jiaqi. Her words were of course, a simple no.

Finally, the voice gave a different dialogue.

[..Won't you listen to my explanation first?] The voice was noticeably irked compared to the beginning.

Xu Jiaqi paid no attention to the voice's tone, she was happy that it broke the seemingly endless chain.

'HA! I won.' Xu Jiaqi celebrated, praising her patience and willpower.

In truth, she also wanted to hear what the System had to say.

'You can explain now, I'll be the bigger person and listen.'

[...] The voice made an audible sigh, showing strangely humane traits.

Bigger person, where is this bigger person? Clearly there was only a childish Host candidate.

[Simply speaking, if you bind with me and register for the program, then I can give you life as an exchange for your work.]

'...I have to work for reincarnation?' Xu Jiaqi questioned.

Once deceased, wasn't she supposed to enter the gates of the Underworld and undergo trials there to decide her destination?

This was different from the teachings she received, ah.

[Usually, no. But you are an anomaly. Don't worry, you are not the only one. Your current state is that of a fleeting soul, bound to no realms. You have been rejected from the cycle of rebirth.]

'Wait, why was I rejected?'

She had accumulated quite the fair share of good deeds. Shouldn't she have good karma piling up?

The answer she received made her want to ruin that mountain of good karma she had brought up.

[Because the Lord God said so.] The voice stated without a hint of remorse.

Xu Jiaqi was stunned.

'Are you.. being serious right now?'

[The Lord God said so.] It repeated.

This time, Xu Jiaqi didn't want to protest and continued asking.

'So, what are you? An angel? A devil?'

[I am what you call a System, and if you bind with me, you will be my Host. We will go through realms to experience lifetimes together, possessing certain suitable bodies and extract life from them after our missions end. Once you accumulate enough life, you can start to gain authority and will be able to enter the cycle of reincarnation at your will. You would also be able to voice out other wishes along with it. Great, right?]

'This relationship, is it mutually beneficial or am I the only one profiting? What do you get?'

[I will receive a share of the life you accumulate in exchange for my service. That is how I upgrade and strengthen myself.]

'What happens if I refuse?'

[If you don't bind with me, your soul is never going anywhere and will stay here forever. Not able to reincarnate, not able to disperse. Doing nothing for the rest of eternity.] The System rapidly told.

'..That does sound unpleasant.'

[Right? So, bind with me.] The System stated as if it was a righteous and benevolent being who lowered a hand for the unlucky Xu Jiaqi.

'What missions will I receive?'

[It depends on the target. Side Quests might also be issued if you trigger the right scenario. Normally, a world would have one Main mission and up to three Side Quests. The topic might range from romance, achievements, helping other characters, overcoming disasters, or you might also be asked for a large scale quest like saving the world, which will in turn give you large benefits.]

'Out of the list, I only have complaints with romance.'

[...You're confident in saving the world?]

'Not exactly, but knowing myself, don't you think I have a higher chance of saving the world rather than falling in love with somebody?'

[You don't have to fall in love with the characters, you can act. Romance missions are directed at the romance target, not yourself. For example, you can just act like you are in love with them until the mission completion.]

'Act? Like what Xu Jiaxin did to Wang Zhengyu?' Xu Jiaqi frowned internally. She knew that she was capable of acting, but acting in love ws a separate matter for her. 'Just to remind, I don't have any love experience.'

[If you want to put it that way, then yes, act like Xu Jiaxin to fulfill the mission.] The System confirmed.

Thinking about it, Xu Jiaqi sighed. To think that she would have to act for the same reasons she loathed her step sister for.

However, if there was no other choice, then she would do it.

After all, there was no way that she would fall in love, right? To complete her mission, it had to be done.

'Alright, I don't believe that failure is in my bloodstreams.' Xu Jiaqi was not stubborn, she quickly accepted the fact that there was no other choice since she was stuck in this indescribable feeling of existing, and yet not existing at the same time.

[Failure is really not in your bloodstreams, ah. I did a medical checkup on your previous body, and you turned out to be very healthy except for your brain, which lacked serotonin. That might be why Lord God decided to reject you. On the other hand, your bloodstreams are completely normal.]

'...I said that as a metaphor.' Xu Jiaqi muttered.

[Host Candidate: Xu Jiaqi. Initializing binding process...] The System ignored Xu Jiaqi and started up the process on its own.

'So it's starting, huh?' Xu Jiaqi let out a gentle sigh as she felt her soul drift away and be sucked into the System's process.