Phantom City,
inside a dimly lit music bar.
Ding.
“System initializing… progress at 1%.”
A pleasant female voice drifted straight into Leo Rivers’ mind.
“What the…?”
A few seconds passed.
Ding.
“Binding complete!”
The same soft voice echoed again, and this time she sounded as if she was ready to unleash a big move.
“Hello, host! I am the one and only, everyone’s favorite, the universe‑level super—”
Before she could finish showing off, Leo cut her off.
“Stop.”
The system froze for half a second, as if stunned. Just as she was about to keep bragging, Leo asked directly with his mind:
“Can you help me cultivate immortality, live forever, and become the next unbeatable chosen one?”
“No.”
“Can you make this world’s technology go boom—like, usher in some sci‑fi golden age so I can lead humanity to the peak?”
“Uh… also no…”
“Then at the very least,” Leo sighed, sounding utterly defeated, “you should be a tycoon system, right? Make me rich enough to drown in money?”
But the answer he got was still those same two words:
“Can’t do.”
Leo Rivers slumped back into the booth, letting out a long breath. “Then just unbind yourself. What’s the point of keeping a system that can’t do anything useful?”
A pouty, almost girlish voice snapped right back, “Hmph! Listen to me first! I’m amazing, okay? With me, you’ll have access to every entertainment work from another world!”
“Oh.”
Leo gave the most perfunctory response imaginable. Clearly, whatever the system bragged about wasn’t landing.
Entertainment content?
Could that be sold?
Could that fill his stomach?
Obviously not.
Right on cue, his stomach let out a loud growl.
Yeah… it had been a full twenty‑four hours since he last ate.
The system seemed to pick up on his thoughts and practically exploded. “Host, out of all the hosts I’ve handled, you are hands‑down the least motivated.”
Leo took a small sip of his cheap drink and snorted. “What’s the use of ambition when I’m starving? People need to eat, you know. Didn’t you notice I’m about to collapse?”
“...” The system fell silent.
After a moment, it sighed like it was the one suffering. “Given your… astonishing incompetence, here’s a system tip: you can use me to become a top‑tier global superstar.”
But instead of getting excited like the system expected, Leo just replied with the same dull tone,
“Oh.”
“...” The system froze again.
Before it could even complain, Leo added, “Being a celebrity sounds pointless. Every tiny thing you do gets magnified in front of millions. No thanks.”
"System, do you know what my dream is?"
"My dream is to build a three‑story house back in my hometown village... and then bring Brandy home and marry her."
The system went silent.
"Forget it, we'll talk about it later when we get back. Brandy should be here any minute."
The Brandy he mentioned—Brandy Fletcher—was his girlfriend from freshman year.
Yesterday, while Leo Rivers was lying in the dorm playing games, Brandy suddenly messaged him on WeChat, asking him to meet her at this bar.
And when your girlfriend asks you out, how could he possibly say no?
Leo held the small gift box tightly in his hand. Inside was a DW watch worth over a thousand.
He’d bought it just yesterday at the mall, a spur‑of‑the‑moment decision that emptied out all the savings he had left for the month.
That was also why, aside from buying a single drink, he hadn’t eaten anything at all today.
Finally, a pretty girl walked toward him through the dim lighting of the bar.
Leo’s lips curled up—he was about to greet her.
But the moment his eyes focused, his whole smile froze. His mouth hung open, his gaze emptying out like he’d just been unplugged.
"You two…"