Immediately I stood in front of my apartment building, I could already feel the pain waiting for me from climbing those stairs.
Sigh.
Our useless landlord only collects unnecessary fees without fixing anything. Who does not repair an elevator in a five story building?
Do they think I am trying to lose weight or something?
I climbed slowly, one step at a time, stopping more than once to catch my breath. It took a while, but I finally reached my floor and went straight to my apartment.
I entered and kicked off my shoes, too tired to place them in the shoe cabinet. I walked inside and threw my bag on the sofa, then pulled off my suit, which was completely drenched in sweat from climbing those cursed stairs.
I went to the fridge and took out a bottle of cold water before gulping it down like someone who had been thirsty for days.
"Hmm... I am so tired."
I muttered to myself as I dragged my body toward the bedroom.
The moment I collapsed onto the bed, it felt as if all the exhaustion from years of endless work crashed down on me at once.
And then, everything went dark.
Darkness.
When I opened my eyes, I found myself surrounded by nothing but darkness, there was no light or sound, talk less of a single person in sight.
I slowly pushed myself up, my heart beating fast as I tried to look around, but no matter how hard I tried, there was nothing to see.
"Hello…? Is anyone here?"
My voice sounded small, almost as if it was being swallowed by the empty space around me.
I took a few careful steps forward, stretching out my hands, hoping to touch something, anything at all, but there was still nothing.
"Hello! Can anyone hear me?"
There was no response, not even the faintest echo.
The silence felt heavy, pressing down on me from all sides, making it hard to even breathe properly.
I stopped walking, my body slowly going still.
"Is this… my end?"
My voice trembled slightly as the thought settled in my mind.
"Am I really dead?"
A weak laugh escaped my lips, but there was no humor in it.
"I never thought I would die like this, what a complete waste of a life."
Just as my words faded into the silence, something suddenly appeared right in front of me.
A glowing blue screen.
It was filled with strange symbols and numbers, lines of binary code moving rapidly across it in a way that made it impossible for me to understand.
I stood frozen, my eyes fixed on it in shock.
Then, inside a small box on the screen, clear words slowly formed—
[ Binding with Host… 100% Completed ]
Before I could even react, a figure slowly appeared beside the screen.
A man floated in the air, his long white hair flowing gently behind him, and he was dressed in ancient Chinese clothing that looked both simple and elegant, with a black and white folding fan resting in his hand.
There was something about him that did not feel human.
My breath got stuck in my throat as I stared at him, unable to move.
He gently waved his fan, his expression calm as he spoke in a smooth voice—
[ Greetings, Host. I am your guide, Fuji. ]
He paused for a moment, a small knowing smile appearing on his face.
[ Congratulations. You have been granted the "Village Chief System." ]
I stared at him, my mind completely blank for a moment as his words slowly sank in.
"Village… what system?"
My voice sounded dry, like I had not spoken in a long time.
I frowned, my brows pulling together as I looked at him from head to toe, still unable to believe what I was seeing.
"You… you are floating."
The words slipped out before I could stop them.
"And what is with that outfit? Are you filming a historical drama or something?"
The man did not look offended, instead he lightly waved his fan again, looking as calm as ever.
[ Host, please calm down. Your current situation has already surpassed normal understanding. ]
I let out a short laugh, but there was no joy in it.
"Of course it has. I died and woke up in a place with no light, no sound, and now there is a floating man calling himself my guide."
I crossed my arms, staring at him.
"So explain it properly. What exactly is going on?"
He looked at me for a moment, then slightly nodded his head.
[ As you have guessed, Host, your original body has already died. ]
My fingers slowly tightened.
Even though I had already guessed it, hearing it said out loud still made something in my chest feel empty.
[ However, your consciousness has been selected and bound to the "Village Chief System." ]
I narrowed my eyes slightly.
"Selected? Bound? For what?"
The blue screen beside him flickered, and new words began to appear rapidly.
[ Mission: Survival and Development ]
[ Objective: Lead a village, build, grow, and survive in a harsh environment ]
I stared at the screen, my confusion only growing.
"A village?"
I looked back at him.
"You expect me to run a village now?"
He gave a small smile, as if everything was completely normal.
[ Yes, Host. ]
I let out a slow breath, rubbing my forehead.
"This has to be a joke."
[ This is not a joke. ]
His tone remained calm, but firm.
[ You have been given a second chance at life. ]
My hand slowly dropped.
A second chance.
The words echoed in my mind.
I stayed silent for a moment before looking at him again.
"And if I refuse?"
He did not hesitate.
[ Then your consciousness will be erased. ]
Silence fell again.
I stared at him, trying to see if there was even the slightest hint of him joking.
There was none.
I let out a long breath, my shoulders slowly relaxing as a helpless smile appeared on my face.
"…You really do not give people a choice, do you?"
[ This is the only choice available. ]
I closed my eyes for a brief moment, then opened them again, my gaze becoming steady.
"Fine."
If this was really a second chance…
Then I would take it... My last life just passed by and ended.. all my savings gone.. I didn't even take a single penny with me. I didn't get to marry, go out, travel.. eat and satisfy my cravings.
I was just a working machine. Well since the universe has decided to give me another chance at life, I'll live to my fullest... Eat, sleep, have sex.. and play around all day long without feeling regret.
I straightened my back slightly, looking directly at him.
"So what do I need to do?"
The moment I said those words, the blue screen flashed brightly.
[ Host has accepted the system. ]
[ Initializing transfer… ]
Before I could react, a strong light suddenly covered everything.
My vision went white, and my body felt like it was being pulled apart and put back together at the same time.
I clenched my teeth, unable to make a sound as the strange feeling rushed through me.
And then—
Everything went black again.