Chapter 4

“Nico actually took Ding Ni on her own? Could Nico have been replaced… and now she’s trying to…?”

Anbi’s face showed a rare look of shock, staring at Nico in disbelief, muttering lines from movies or plot twists over and over.

“Nico boss! Is he your long-lost relative?”

Billy also stared at Nico in disbelief.

“How could that be~! I grew up in an orphanage—how would I have any relatives!”

Nico shot both of them an annoyed glare and explained.

“Haha… me too.”

Ye Qingfeng widened his eyes in surprise—he never expected it to be this coincidental…

Nico stiffened slightly, her gaze toward Ye Qingfeng softening a little. She’d grown up in an orphanage, left to work at sixteen, and had even been arrested once for stepping in to help someone.

No wonder she looks so thin and frail, hey!

“From now on, treat the Rabbit’s Den like your home—don’t be polite, we’re all your family!”

Nico, not good at comforting others, could only show her care this way.

“Thank you, Sister Nico… but I feel kind of tired—could I rest for now? We can talk about anything else tomorrow?”

Ye Qingfeng was slightly moved by Nico’s words, but…

It was a lie—he just wanted to find a quiet spot and figure out what the hell had just happened, how he’d suddenly been transported here.

But he wasn’t overly shocked by the transportation—in his original world, he’d been completely alone anyway, and getting arrested would’ve left a criminal record anyway.

Jobs were hard to find; now he had one, a place to live, and even… hehe!

“Alright, go rest. No matter what, everything will pass.”

Nico softly comforted him, then immediately barked at Billy:

“Billy, clean up your room! Qingfeng sleeps in your room tonight—you sleep in the empty one. You’re a robot, you don’t need sheets or blankets anyway.”

“Nico boss, that’s so unfair! Why not let Qingfeng sleep in your room and you go sleep in Anbi’s?”

Billy grumbled but already ran upstairs to clean his room.

“I don’t mind…”

Anbi said calmly, expressionless.

“I mind! Why not let Ye—”

Nico was about to explode, then suddenly remembered Ye Qingfeng was here. To leave a good impression, she swallowed her anger and spoke to him gently:

“These two have some issues—go rest already.”

Ye Qingfeng nodded, turned, and saw Billy coming down the stairs, arms full of metal parts, two pistols holstered at his waist.

A robot with a bunch of metal parts and two pistols? That’s… normal? Hell no!

Why does he have guns? Two of them? What kind of world did I end up in…

Ye Qingfeng quickly looked away to avoid suspicion, took a deep breath, and calmed his racing emotions.

After wishing them good night, he went upstairs and saw four doors—luckily, names were stuck on them. He entered Billy’s room and shut the door, about to lock it, when Billy’s voice called from outside:

“Take care of the Star Emblem Knight and Sister Monica’s posters!”

“Uh… don’t worry, I won’t touch anything…”

Ye Qingfeng locked the door, turned, and scanned Billy’s room—walls plastered with posters of Star Emblem Knight and what was called “Sister Monica.”

He didn’t examine them closely, frowned, and sat on the edge of the bed. The room reeked of motor oil—terrible for someone prone to motion sickness.

Fighting off physical discomfort, he silently murmured in his mind: ‘System?’

【You ignored me just now, and now you’re calling me? You heartless hypocrite!】

Ye Qingfeng heard the system’s voice—it sounded like a seven- or eight-year-old girl…

Uh… but it’s kinda humanized—just think it in your head, pretty convenient…

Looks like it can’t read minds—that’s a relief…

Definitely can’t read minds.

【Any more questions? Systems need sleep too!】

The system waited a while, then an annoyed voice echoed in his mind when Ye Qingfeng stayed silent.

‘Yes, yes! Uh, System, you can’t read minds, right?’

【No! Did you just think something bad about me?! Mad! I’m leaving!】

‘System, wait! I was just thinking of a name for you—I didn’t want to spoil the surprise!’

【No!! You’ll pick something dumb like ‘Little White’ or some pet name—so ugly!!】

Ye Qingfeng’s face twisted in shock, pupils dilating instantly.

System, you dare say you can’t read minds!

‘I got transported, right? Where am I?’

【Of course you were transported! (Body transported, like in a game life scenario.)】

【This is a world ravaged by the mysterious ‘Hollow’ disaster—but one city, New Aelidu, has the ability to counter the Hollow threat.】

So that’s it—I’m in New Aelidu now, and the Hollows…

Sounds pretty dangerous from the description…

‘System, what other functions do you have?’

【Of course! You must choose one first.】

【First: Battle Satisfaction System—boosts your combat power, become the bald demon king!】

【Second: Slacker Tang System—easy tasks, worst rewards. You don’t think you’re the hero, do you?】

【Third: Affinity System—reach preset affection levels with specific people to earn rewards. Expect your harem ending!】

【Once chosen, you cannot change it. The beginner reward remains unchanged.】

Wow~ hard to choose—all three sound great. But in this lifetime I just want to coast through life. This system fits me perfectly—Second one’s perfect!

Wait—if I pick the first, I could become the strongest eventually. A few years of hard work, and I’d reach my goal.

As for the third… also good. Doesn’t conflict with my life goals. Plus, I might even get Nico—with the big mole—and petite, adorable Anbi!

Hehehe!

But it’s specific people… what if I pick someone who’s ‘Tier-T0’? That’d be ruined…

Besides, I could still date someone with the first two systems!

Better just slack off. Decided!

【Ding! Time expired. Auto-selected Affinity System.】

What?! Why didn’t you say auto-selection happens if I delay?!

Whatever… Affinity System’s fine too, hehe!

【Sending beginner reward: Physical Enhancement Elixir, Aether Adaptation Elixir.】

‘Uh, what’s the Aether Adaptation Elixir?’

Two small bottles suddenly appeared in Ye Qingfeng’s hands. He stared at one—the label bore unfamiliar characters—and frowned in confusion.