TAWTBMFL – 3

Chapter 3 : Bottom Card (Grade 1)

Hearing the villain’s lines from the script, Yan Zhen was actually quite touched.

Look, this is exactly how an ordinary bystander should react, so vivid and lifelike.

Unlike Yan Menger…

“Shut up!” Yan Menger released Yan Zhen and stood up from the ground, turning her back to shield Yan Zhen. “From now on, you’re not allowed to badmouth my cousin Yan Zhen. If I hear even half a sentence, you’ll end up like this tree!”

Saying that, a golden glow flickered in Yan Menger’s jade palm.

She slapped a nearby tree with her palm. Bang! The trunk as thick as a bowl snapped with a blackened break.

Such a display frightened the two rude people, their faces turning pale and lips trembling.

“This is… a Mys…. Mystic technique?” “Menger has actually learned Mystic techniques?”

A stir arose as no one dared comment on Yan Zhen anymore, completely deterred.

Mastering Mystic techniques made all the difference in battle power!

At their age, they should be devoted to enhancing their Mystic cultivation to attain passing scores in the assessment. Yet not only had Yan Menger surpassed them by reaching the eighth level of Mystic Disciple, she had even learned formidable Mystic techniques!

What an exceptional talent!

Yan Zhen was dumbfounded, not by Yan Menger’s Mystic technique, but… why did it feel like she was showing off in front of him, the main character? He hadn’t even started showing off yet!

This river?!. jpg …. (1) (Is this reasonable?)

“Cousin Yan Zhen, let’s go. Menger will take you home.”

Yan Menger took Yan Zhen’s hand again and led the dazed young man away from the arena under everyone’s strange gaze.

As they walked, Yan Zhen remained silent but was anxiously communicating with the system.

“Have you found the reason, System?”

[Host, please remain calm. The system is investigating the issue… Ding! An anomaly has been detected.]

“What anomaly?”

[Due to the system summoning the host to play the lead role, there have been some changes to the world line, affecting the plot development to a certain degree.]

“Ah this… Then what should I do?”

[Rest assured, host. As long as you guide the overall plot to align with the original, it will suffice.]

“So what do I do?”

[Host, keep up the good work. The system is here to serve you at all times. Mwah~]

With that, the system fell silent, leaving only an empty interface.

WDNMD! (2) (I fucked your mom)

Yan Zhen felt an urge to drag this useless system out for a beating.

What to do? He could only rely on himself.

“Cousin Yan Zhen, you’ve been quiet all this time. Are you angry?”

Yan Menger’s voice brought Yan Zhen back to his senses. The young girl now looked timid, a far cry from her earlier display of power by breaking a tree and intimidating her tribesmen.

“Earlier, Menger acted rashly out of desperation, saying some presumptuous things that may have upset Cousin Yan Zhen. But Menger meant no harm; she just didn’t want to hear those unpleasant words…”

“Ahem, ahem.” Yan Zhen cleared his throat. “That, uh, I can go back on my own. Could you let go of me?”

Yan Menger’s beautiful eyes widened slightly, then she reluctantly released her little hand, dejected.

“Apologies, Menger was presumptuous.”

“Goodbye.”

Without any expression, Yan Zhen walked past Yan Menger and returned to his courtyard.

Watching the indifferent young man’s retreating back, tears welled up in Yan Menger’s eyes once more.

She sniffled and quickly wiped away the tears, her expression slowly becoming more resolute.

The young girl was prepared. No matter how coldly Yan Zhen treated her, she would strive to earn his forgiveness and mend their relationship.

She wanted to be on good terms with him again.

She wanted to be with him forever.

This was her entire purpose for being reborn!

“In a few days, that woman will come to the Yan Family to call off the marriage. Before then, I must reconcile with Cousin Yan Zhen. Otherwise, I won’t even have the chance to console him… Elder Sister won’t be back for a year, so I have to protect Cousin Yan Zhen in her stead as well!”

……

“Sigh~”

Yan Zhen plopped onto the bed, letting out an exasperated sigh as he lay on the unfamiliar bedding.

Staring at the unfamiliar canopy, feeling the unfamiliar mattress, he couldn’t help but feel vexed.

He had thought playing the lead would be simple, but he had stumbled right from the start. Moreover, the useless system was no help at all!

Miserable.

With his fragile heart, Yan Zhen withdrew into himself a little, but he also knew there was no turning back now. He could only continue acting.

Even if impromptu scenes arose, he would have to cooperate and strive to guide the plot back on track.

Otherwise, if the world collapsed, he would be finished.

“Sigh~”

After collecting himself, Yan Zhen casually summoned the system interface but was surprised to find the plot completion rate at 100%.

This reinvigorated Yan Zhen’s spirits.

A 100% plot completion meant he could claim the system’s reward.

Yan Zhen rubbed his hands in anticipation and clicked to claim it ceremoniously.

[Congratulations to the host for obtaining ‘Bottom Card (Grade 1) x1’ and ‘Cultivation Mega Pack x1’, which have been sent to your inventory.]

“Bottom Card?”

With a thought, the introduction window for the Bottom Card appeared.

[Bottom Card (Grade 1): An all-purpose card that only the protagonist can use to turn the tide at critical moments. Only effective against those below the Mystic Scholar realm.]

After reading the introduction, Yan Zhen vaguely understood the purpose of this Grade 1 Bottom Card but wasn’t entirely clear.

It seemed to be akin to a “lifeline.”

For example, if Yan Zhen was poisoned, using this card could cure him.

Or if Yan Zhen fell from a cliff, using this card could prevent his death.

In simple terms, it allowed him, the protagonist, to turn catastrophes around and avoid an untimely demise.

However, this Grade 1 Bottom Card would become ineffective once he broke through to the Mystic Scholar realm.

Of course, his current cultivation was only at the third level of Mystic Disciple, still far from Mystic Scholar.

On the Mystical Heavenly Continent, Mystic cultivators were divided into ten major realms:

Mystic One, Mystic Scholar, Mystic Master, Mystic General, Mystic King, Mystic Lord, Mystic Ancestor, Mystic Venerable, Mystic Saint, Celestial Sovereign.

Mystic Disciple was an entry-level realm, also called the Entrance Realm, not included in the ten major realms.

[Cultivation Mega Pack: Initial funds of one million spirit stones, a choice of Grade 1 spirit pellet, a choice of Grade 1 spirit artifact, and the universal ‘Mystic Body Technique’.]

“One million spirit stones?”

Yan Zhen’s eyes widened in surprise. This amount rivaled a city lord’s annual tax revenue, yet for the system, it was merely the “initial funds.”

—Great!

Yan Zhen was satisfied as he stored the two items but had a new question in mind.

“Yan Menger didn’t follow the script, so how did the plot completion reach 100%?”

Originally, the plot called for Yan Menger to ignore Yan Zhen, leaving him heartbroken to return to his room alone and withdraw into himself. But now, Yan Menger had suddenly changed her mind, crying apologies to him and even intimidating the others to defend his honor—the plot had deviated significantly!

[Host, the plot has not deviated. As the protagonist, you did indeed separate from your childhood sweetheart Yan Menger and return to your room alone to withdraw into yourself.]

“This is also possible?”

The system’s words left Yan Zhen dumbfounded.

[As long as the host fulfills the role-playing requirements, the plot can be completed.]

“I see. I understand.”

[The host is very smart.].

“Hey, who are you calling very smart!”

Whatever, I’m not going to argue with a bunch of code.

Yan Zhen lay back down on the bed and took a nap until the knocking sound “da da da” woke him up.

After checking the system prompt, it seems the second chapter of the novel is about to begin.

Since it’s not a key plot point, he can improvise freely, or even choose to skip it.

Skip is truly a civilized option.

However, Yan Zhen is very professional, so he patted his face, instantly got into character, and opened the door.

This river?.jpg (1) : Meme meaning that something doesn’t make sense. 

WDNMD (2) : A Chinese oral slang first promoted by the Chinese CSGO player QuanQing “qz” Wu (aka Qiezi, 茄子), which is an abbreviation for “wo diao ni ma de 我屌你妈的”, meaning “I fuck your mom” (see Cao ni ma) –   FUCK you in a gentle way.

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