Chen Zhe's mind felt like it was passing through a space with incredible speed. He could not keep up with the track of time inside it.
[FIRST TASK HAS BEEN CHOSEN]
'Please go easy on me, system.'
[SYSTEM CANNOT FULFILL PERSONAL ORDERS]
'Tch. You are useless, aren't you?'
[Host requesting an S rank mission]
'Ah shit.'
'I'm sorry, man. I just died. Cut me some slack.'
[The world has been chosen]
[Transferring the consciousness into the new body]
Chen Zhe was taken aback by the sudden pull. His thought process was slowly disappearing as he was now being transferred like files from a pen drive.
"Is he alright, doctor?"
"His body seems to be fine. It's probably the stress."
"Oh, thank you very much."
Chen Zhe could hear voices but could not open his eyes. His body was now lying in bed, and from the voices he had just heard, he was probably in a hospital.
'Hey system, do I receive the original host's memory or not?'
[You will.]
"Xiao Xi? Can you hear me?"
He slowly opened his eyes and saw the view.
The voice was trembling, filled with worry and tears. Chen Zhe shifted his gaze. To his left sat a middle-aged woman clutching his hand as if it were a lifeline. Her eyes were red and swollen.
Standing behind her, acting as a silent pillar of support, was a tall man with a sharp jawline, his elder brother.
On the other side of the bed stood a young woman, her arms crossed, biting her lip nervously, his elder sister.
They looked at him with such intense, raw affection that Chen Zhe felt a piercing pain in his chest. It had been years since anyone had looked at him like that.
"Mom..." The word slipped out of his mouth before he could stop it. It wasn't his voice.
It was softer, lighter, lacking the deep training of his original vocal cords.
"Oh, thank God," the mother sobbed, burying her face in the sheets near his hand. "You scared us to death, child. Fainting in the middle of a party... we thought your heart gave out."
Fainting?
Chen Zhe frowned. His body didn't feel like it had just fainted. His lower back throbbed with a dull, aching pain, and his wrists felt raw, as if they had been pinned against something hard.
'System,' Chen Zhe thought, his internal voice sharp. 'Memory transfer. Now. Before I say something stupid.'
[Initiating Memory Integration.] [Warning: The host's emotional state was unstable before the incident. Integration may cause significant psychological backlash.] [Good luck, Host. You asked for it.]
'Wait, what do you mean I asked for?'
Shockwaves went through his body.
It wasn't a physical blow, but a psychic spike that drove itself into his skull. Chen Zhe gasped, his back arching off the mattress.
"Doctor! He's in pain!" his sister yelled, rushing forward.
But Chen Zhe couldn't hear her. He was drowning in a flood of images that didn't belong to him.
He saw a name: Lin Ruoxi. Twenty years old. An art student at a famous university. He was kind, probably the quiet kid you would see in class.
He saw another face: Guo Zian.
Handsome in a dangerous, predatory way. The CEO of a massive entertainment conglomerate.
And then, the tone of the memories shifted. The colours drained away, leaving only cold terror in his life.
Chen Zhe saw Lin Ruoxi standing in a lavish penthouse, trembling. He saw Guo Zian unbuckling a belt, his face twisted in a sneer that didn't match the loving mask he wore in public.
"You belong to me, Ruoxi. Don't you forget that. Your family only lives comfortably because I allow it."
The memories flashed faster, jagged and violent. Lin Ruoxi is being dragged by his hair. Lin Ruoxi is crying, begging to go home.
Guo Zian forced him down onto a bed, ignoring the pleading, ignoring the tears. The weight of the man, the choking scent of expensive cologne mixed with sweat, the tearing pain.
Abuse.
It wasn't just a bad relationship.
It was slavery disguised as perfect romance. Lin Ruoxi was gay, yes, but he hadn't chosen this. He had been cornered, groomed, and then trapped by a man who saw him as a plaything.
The most recent memory, the one that landed him here, played out in Chen Zhe's mind like a film. Watching that felt like experiencing a horror movie.
It was the night of the charity party. Guo Zian had dragged Lin Ruoxi into a private VIP lounge. He wanted Ruoxi to "perform" for him, right there, with guests just outside the door.
When Ruoxi refused, terrified of being heard, Guo Zian's fake attitude crumbled. He had forced him, choking him until Ruoxi passed out from lack of oxygen.
Then, the bastard had cleaned him up, dressed him, and claimed Ruoxi had simply "fainted from the heat" to the waiting paramedics.
The memories receded, leaving Chen Zhe gasping for air, sweat drenching his hospital gown. The lingering emotions of the original host, shame, fear, and hopelessness, washed over him.
Lin Ruoxi had wanted to die. He had prayed for death in that ambulance.
Chen Zhe clenched his fists under the blanket. The nails dug into his palms.
So that's how it is, Chen Zhe thought, a cold fury rising in his gut. I killed myself because I couldn't handle my own guilt. But this kid... this kid was killed by someone else's greed.
[Memory Integration Complete.] [Current Mission: "The Golden Cage"] [Objective: Break free from Guo Zian's control. Expose his crimes. Ensure the safety of the Lin Family.] [Difficulty: S-Rank.] [System Note: Since the Host complained about the System being useless, I have selected a world where the antagonist has 99% social influence. Enjoy.]
'You petty piece of junk,' Chen Zhe cursed internally, though a dark smirk tugged at the corner of his mind. 'Fine. I dealt with sharks in the idol industry. A CEO with a god complex? I can handle that.'
"Xiao Xi?" His brother, Lin Feng, leaned over, his face etched with worry. "Are you back with us?"
Chen Zhe blinked, pushing the residual terror of Lin Ruoxi's memories into a box in the back of his mind. He was an idol. He knew how to act. He needed to be Lin Ruoxi, but he needed to be a Lin Ruoxi who survived.
"I'm... I'm okay, Gege," Chen Zhe whispered, using the term for older brother naturally. He winced, letting a hand drift to his throat. It felt sore. "Just... thirsty."
His sister, Lin Hua, immediately poured a glass of water and held the straw to his lips. "Drink slowly. The doctor said your blood pressure dropped dangerously low."
Chen Zhe drank, his mind racing. Looking at these three people, he realised something crucial from the memories. They didn't know. Guo Zian was a master manipulator.
To the Lin family, Guo Zian was the perfect boyfriend; he paid for Lin Ruoxi's tuition, he sent gifts to Lin Ruoxi's mother, and he helped Lin Feng get a promotion. They thought Ruoxi was living a Cinderella story.
If he told them the truth right now, they might not believe him. Or worse, they would believe him, storm off to confront Guo Zian, and get destroyed by the man's power.
"Where is... he?" Chen Zhe asked, his voice trembling slightly. It wasn't entirely acting; the body reacted with fear at the mere thought of Guo Zian.
"President Guo?" His mother wiped her eyes. "He stayed with you until the ambulance came. He was so worried, poor man. He had to leave for an urgent board meeting, but he said he'd be back tonight."
Of course he did, Chen Zhe thought bitterly. Checking to make sure his toy isn't broken.
"He left his guards outside," Lin Feng added, looking slightly uncomfortable. "To ensure your privacy. He really cares about you, Xiao Xi. You're lucky to have someone who protects you like that."
Chen Zhe felt a wave of nausea. Protects? He's keeping me under surveillance.
"Brother," Chen Zhe said softly, testing the waters. "Do you... Do you really think he's a good man?"
The room went silent. Lin Feng exchanged a glance with their mother.
"Well," Lin Feng hesitated. "He's powerful. He can be a bit... intense. But he's done so much for us. Why do you ask?"
Chen Zhe looked down at his hands, Lin Ruoxi's hands. They were slender, artistic hands, now trembling. He couldn't reveal everything yet. He needed a plan. He needed to use the System.
'System, does this body have any physical buffs? Or am I just a fragile art student?'
[You possess the 'Idol's Charisma' from your soul. Your skills are fully transferable.]
'Good. That's all I need.'
"I just..." Chen Zhe pitched his voice to sound fragile, scared. "I had a nightmare while I was out. He was... scary in it."
His sister, Lin Hua, frowned, stepping closer. "Scary how?"
Before Chen Zhe could answer, the heavy metal door of the hospital room swung open.