Chapter 1: This Generation’s Master of Penglai Island Has a Serious Problem

Retirement Life.

“Cheng Huan—”

The man’s eyes widened. He scrambled on all fours to Cheng Huan’s side, hastily cradling her body as it slowly began to disappear.

His eyes were full of panic and helplessness, his hands trembling as he desperately tried to wipe away the blood gushing from Cheng Huan’s mouth.

His voice was thick with sobs, “Huan’er, don’t scare me… Please don’t die… Huan’er…”

Cheng Huan’s face was pale as the white clouds about to disperse in the sky. She struggled to raise her hand. The man, seeing this, immediately grasped her ice-cold hand, pressing her palm against his tear-streaked cheek.

He choked out, “Huan’er… Huan’er…”

Cheng Huan felt her internal organs failing. Enduring the agonizing pain, she spat blood while delivering her lines:

“Brother Lin, Huan… Huan’er… can no… longer… accompany you. You must… take good… care of… yourself… Huan’er… will watch over… you from… heaven…”

As the last word fell, the blood from the corner of her mouth stained their pristine white clothes.

The man watched as Cheng Huan closed her eyes in his arms, her body scattering between heaven and earth along with the gentle breeze, no matter how he grabbed, he couldn’t hold onto even a trace.

He threw his head back, howling in agony: “Cheng Huan—”

Examiner: Congratulations Tasker Cheng Huan for completing the White Moonlight mission in “Godslayer’s Path”.

Examiner: Mission completion rate: 100%, Mission Grade: C, Mission Points earned: 5125.6, Tasker Cheng Huan’s current total Points: 10003567.6.

Cheng Huan lay listlessly in the system space, looking at the total points on the data panel, feeling the pain in her body gradually fading. She took a deep breath and laughed heartily: “I’ve finally finished the last task.”

A soft, glowing sphere the color of faint white jade emerged above Cheng Huan’s head. The sphere had two fuzzy antennae, making it look like an electronic toy.

System 805 cheerfully circled around Cheng Huan, its child-like, youthful voice cheering loudly for her:

Cheng Huan, you finally saved up ten million points! You can retire now! [confetti] [confetti shower]

Cheng Huan sat up, the pain in her body completely gone. She vigorously ruffled System 805. “Thank you for your company during this time.”

805 steadied itself and complained helplessly: You don’t have to keep rubbing me, do you?

Cheng Huan grinned: “Force of habit.”

805 immediately put distance between them, wary: Don’t even think about it!

Cheng Huan pouted, spreading her hands: “Alright, I won’t touch you.”

Seeing this, 805 asked while still on guard: So, are you planning to go to the Pale Land now to exchange points with the Main System for retirement?

Cheng Huan stood up and stretched, nodding: “Mm, I’ve been doing missions for almost ten thousand years now. Having scraped together enough points to retire, I can’t wait a single moment longer.”

That’s because you kept earning points and then spending them like crazy! The points you’ve deducted since starting could support loads of other Taskers and Assistant Systems. I’m the tenth system assisting you. You can do the math yourself. 805 sighed.

Cheng Huan rubbed her nose, giving an awkward laugh: “Hehe.”

805 flew beside Cheng Huan, its antennae extending towards her. Since you’re retiring, our contract ends here.

“Ends here?” Cheng Huan asked, surprised. “You’re not coming with me to the retirement world to have some fun?”

As long as a Tasker in the Three Thousand Worlds saves up the retirement points set by the Main System, they can exchange them for Retirement Eligibility. A retired Tasker can choose different retirement worlds within the Three Thousand Worlds to experience, eventually finalizing one as their ultimate retirement world. They then dissolve their Tasker identity and authority, becoming a member of the chosen world’s reality. The soul and freedom once bound by the contract with the Lord God will also return to them.

When a retired Tasker enters the chosen world, the Main System provides a Companion System to manage and resolve any troubles the Tasker encounters in the Retirement Experience World. The Tasker can choose the Companion System provided by the Main System, or they can use their previously contracted Task Assistant System.

805 bobbed its round body. “The Main System assigned me to the next Tasker. I need to save up points quickly so I can take the assessment for Realm Officer.”

Cheng Huan nodded. “Alright, then I won’t hold you back. How many points are you short before you can take the assessment?”

805 bent its antennae. “Still 14500 short. After assisting the next Tasker, I can take the Realm Officer assessment.”

Cheng Huan frowned, worry in her voice: “The assessment has risks. Are you sure you want to use all your points for such an uncertain chance?”

Thousands upon thousands of systems and Taskers took the assessment, vying for the handful of Realm Officer positions. The probability of passing was simply too slim.

Cheng Huan had a relatively laid-back nature and was very cautious with her points. She wasn’t willing to risk a lot for a small gain. Given the available options, she would choose whatever was better for her.

One must understand, for both Taskers and Systems, Points were a sacred existence, akin to “money”.

As the old saying goes, money isn’t everything, but without it, nothing is possible.

The same was true for Points.

When Cheng Huan was on missions, she really liked making money in the various worlds. This habit didn’t significantly impact the main world storyline.

So the System and the Heavenly Dao allowed it, turning a blind eye.

Having followed Cheng Huan for so long, 805 naturally knew the deeper meaning behind her words. You can choose retirement. But in my consciousness, I must climb higher. That is my endpoint.

Systems and Taskers were much alike, both being Awakened chosen by the Heavenly Dao from the Three Thousand Worlds. Their choices were simply different.

Whether to choose to have self-awareness, emotions, and memories as a System or Tasker.

The biggest difference between the two paths was the difficulty of the missions and the acquisition of points.

Taskers and Assistant Systems with self-awareness and memories took on harder missions but earned more points. Those without took on easier missions but earned fewer points.

The two paths also faced different hardships during missions.

Taskers and systems could become entangled in emotional turmoil within a mission world, ensnared by feelings for the world’s inhabitants, unable to extricate themselves, eventually collapsing and self-destructing.

Or, through the loss of emotion, they could become mere operating mechanisms of the Three Thousand Worlds, gradually losing their sense of self and turning into scattered fragments swept away by the river of time.

The choice, and its consequences, rested entirely on a single thought.

“Alright.”

Cheng Huan’s eyes flickered. She didn’t say anything more. She gave 805’s spherical body one last pat and watched it fly into the distance until it disappeared.

She could feel the contract with System 805 within her body dissolve.

Cheng Huan clicked the [Teleport] button on the data panel and selected [Pale Land] as the destination.

In the blink of an eye, Cheng Huan had teleported to the Pale Land.

This place was both the palace of the Lord God of the Three Thousand Worlds and the central hub where Taskers and Systems handled all matters.

Cheng Huan looked at the translucent steps faintly visible among the clouds. High in the heavens above, a golden, radiant palace floated, its grand and majestic exterior seemed to proclaim solemn authority, commanding submission and an inviolable sacredness. It inspired awe, making one feel utterly out of reach, not daring to even harbor a flicker of disrespect.

All passing Taskers and Systems wore expressions of respect and submission. Cheng Huan was the same, except within her heart lurked a slightly different thought.

For instance, that dazzling golden light—did it mean the entire palace was made of gold? It must be worth a fortune.

The thought was fleeting. The next second, Cheng Huan received a warning from the Main System.

Main System: Tasker Cheng Huan, disrespect towards the Lord God’s Palace is prohibited! Any further instance will result in a deduction of 10000 Points and three lashes of divine flogging!

“…” Cheng Huan pouted. “I’m not allowed to even just think about it?”

The Main System’s cold voice echoed in her mind: If you dare put that thought into action, your soul will shatter and be extinguished, annihilated.

Cheng Huan rolled her eyes internally but put on an appeasing face: “Look at you, I was just joking, and you took it seriously?”

The Main System pulled up an interface recording certain data. Its formulaic tone contained a hint of exasperation. Heavenly Calendar Year 113, Tasker Cheng Huan stole the Life Pearl from the Wheel of Reincarnation. Deducted 10000 Points. Heavenly Calendar Year 165, Tasker Cheng Huan stole the Spirit Glyph from the Nine Absolute Divine Pillars. Deducted 15000 Points. Heavenly Calendar Year 199, Tasker Cheng Huan stole the Divine Radiance from the Jade Balance Hall Canopy. Deducted 25000 Points.

The crimes are recorded clearly. Do you still have anything to argue?

Cheng Huan frowned: “You got one thing wrong.”

Main System: What?

“What’s this about ‘stealing’?” Cheng Huan argued indignantly. “I examined them right in front of you. How can you call that stealing? Poor choice of words.”

The Main System said: You are twisting logic.

“How am I twisting logic?” Cheng Huan sat down on the ground, picked up a pen someone had dropped, and twirled it while speaking. “Didn’t I take the items down right in front of you?”

Main System: Yes.

“And didn’t I return them in perfect condition after examining them?”

Main System: Yes.

“Those point deductions were warnings not to randomly touch things in the Pale Land, not because I stole anything, correct?”

Main System: Correct.

Cheng Huan stopped twirling the pen and argued with the fury of one disappointed by a lack of ambition: “Look at you! I, being the bigger person, have already let bygones be bygones, but you keep dwelling on the past. Don’t you know the biggest taboo in any relationship is bringing up old scores?”

Main System: …

Suppose you hadn’t been caught by us, you would have definitely kept them for yourself, right?

The smug curve of Cheng Huan’s mouth froze, then she lamented: “Too bad there’s no ‘suppose’.”

Main System: …

She definitely would have! She absolutely would have!

But it couldn’t judge a Tasker without concrete evidence.

Once again, Cheng Huan had rendered the Main System speechless with anger. She patted her pants and stood up, putting the pen she’d picked up back in its place and waved. “Lord Main System, let’s not fool around anymore.”

Main System: …

Who’s fooling around with you?!

Dealing with a “lawless element” like Cheng Huan, who frequently landed on the blacklist, either eyeing the treasures of the Pale Land or casually collapsing mission worlds, had nearly driven the Main System to breakdown multiple times.

The Main System gave Cheng Huan a fierce glare internally and crossed its arms in frustration.

“My mission points are fully accumulated. I now wish to exchange them for Retirement Eligibility. I request the Lord Main System’s approval.” Cheng Huan looked at her data panel.

Although the Main System held deep grudges against Cheng Huan, it wouldn’t affect its work. Business was business.

It looked at Cheng Huan’s total of ten million points and said seriously: Tasker Cheng Huan is using ten million points to exchange for Retirement Eligibility. Please confirm if this is correct?

Cheng Huan nodded: “Yes.”

Confirming once more, Tasker Cheng Huan is using ten million points to exchange for Retirement Eligibility. Please confirm if this is correct?

Cheng Huan pressed the button that appeared before her, “Yes.”

Button pressed, exchange successful.

The Main System performed some operations on the data console.

The Tasker must select a retirement world within one month. Failure to do so will be considered a voluntary forfeiture of Retirement Eligibility.

For the selection of the Retirement Experience World, Tasker Cheng Huan must randomly draw one Retirement Experience World and three Persona Cards.

Drawing a retirement world, Cheng Huan understood. But what was this about Persona Cards?

She was planning to retire! Why were they still assigning her mission personas?!

Hearing Cheng Huan’s confusion, the Main System explained: Persona Cards in the retirement world are different from those in mission worlds. They will not force the Tasker to follow a character profile for the world’s plot development.

The Tasker can maintain their own disposition in the retirement world. The Persona Cards only help the Tasker better integrate into the retirement world, serving an auxiliary and transitional purpose. Their deeper goal is also to prevent the Tasker from causing damage to the retirement world.

Therefore, Persona Cards are set to restrict the Tasker’s extreme behaviors. Once the Tasker confirms the final retirement world, the Persona Cards’ effects will automatically vanish and no longer restrict the Tasker.

Cheng Huan frowned: “What do you mean by ‘extreme behaviors’?”

Main System: Massacring the world’s inhabitants, intentionally attempting to destroy the world.

“Oh, rest assured, I don’t have such perverse ideas.” Cheng Huan’s eyes flickered, and she waved her hand dismissively.

She looked at the Persona Cards and Experience World parameters constantly flickering on the data console. After thinking for a moment, she began the draw.

Actually, one could spend points to purchase a Retirement Experience World, but the price was relatively exorbitant. But Cheng Huan didn’t have many points left, so she went with the arrangement.

Personas, however, could not be purchased; they were completely random, depending on one’s luck.

“Click, click, click—”

Draw complete.

The Main System read out the cards Cheng Huan had drawn, a hint of surprise in its voice: Retirement World (One) – Fantasy.

Persona Cards: 1. Cross-Boundary King [Tasker, please find out for yourself];

2. Destitute [Tasker, please find out for yourself]; 3. Bisexual [Tasker, please find out for yourself];

Cheng Huan stared at the second Persona Card, her brow furrowed so tightly it could crush a fly. She growled: “Are you deliberately screwing with me?”

The Main System said calmly: Randomly drawn. The Heavenly Dao is witness. Fair and just.

The ultimate sanction against Cheng Huan was to make her poor.

Cheng Huan could clearly hear the schadenfreude in the Main System’s voice. But since it invoked the Heavenly Dao as witness, she couldn’t really blame the Main System further.

After all, the existence of the Heavenly Dao was like a sword hanging over everyone’s head, warning all.

The Main System, seeing Cheng Huan’s dark expression, offered some kind consolation: Yours is pretty good, all things considered.

“Good in what way?”

Main System: At least you’re not missing arms or legs, not plagued by endless bad luck, and not fated to die a violent death. Just a bit poor. That’s quite a good set of Persona Cards.

Cheng Huan said in agony: “Are these Persona Cards specifically designed to target a Tasker’s weak points?”

Main System: You think too highly of yourself. You’re not that important.

Cheng Huan: “…”

The Main System couldn’t be bothered to argue further with Cheng Huan. It directly finished explaining all the remaining matters, assigned her an Assistant System that looked just like a little hedgehog, and then immediately vanished into the void.

Cheng Huan looked at the system, not knowing where to start. She sighed wearily: “How should I address you?”

The little hedgehog blinked: Host can call me Little System. Just call my name twice whenever you need me.

Cheng Huan called out weirdly: “Little System, Little System?”

The little hedgehog responded: I am here.

Cheng Huan: “…”

She had definitely been screwed over by that old bastard, the Main System!

Not only did it give her a destitute persona, but it also gave her a newbie system she couldn’t even pet!

The little hedgehog looked at its host staring at it with a sad expression. Its little black-bean eyes revealed innocence and naivety. Host, don’t you like me?

It recalled the earnest teachings from the Main System during its training.

If the host is in a bad mood, let the host pet you more. Touching you can make the host happy.

Thinking of this, the little hedgehog excitedly rushed towards Cheng Huan, shouting: Host, you must cheer up!

Its sharp spines made Cheng Huan jump and skip around in pain. She ran and dodged: “Stay away from me!”

Host, don’t run! I can bring you joy! Just pet me!

The little hedgehog didn’t understand why Cheng Huan was running away, but it firmly remembered the Main System’s teachings.

If the host is unhappy, you must let the host pet you.

Thus, the Pale Land was filled with a series of miserable shrieks and pitiful, aggrieved whines.

“Host, hug hug.”

“Hug your grandpa! Argghhhh…”

The agonizing sounds lingered endlessly. It wasn’t until the Main System snapped its fingers that the Pale Land quieted down.

The Main System raised its chin smugly and snorted: Twerp, thought I couldn’t deal with you?!