I stayed up past midnight.
Not on purpose - but because I wanted to see what happened if I didn't complete the sleep regret quest.
Turns out?
The system is petty.
[REGRET QUEST FAILED ❌]Penalty: +1 New Regret Added"Regret: Ignoring a Chance to Rest"Status: UnresolvedRegret Points Gained: 0System Comment: "You played yourself."
The glowing screen disappeared with a passive-aggressive pop.
I groaned, rolled over, and buried my face into my pillow.
"Regret farming is harder than I thought," I muttered.
Baozi floated into view, his expression smug.
"Tried to outsmart the system?" he said. "How's that working for you?"
"Like a wet sock in winter."
"Elegant metaphor. +1 Style."
A notification pinged.
[+1 RP: Self-Cringe Bonus Activated]
I sat up, blinking. "Wait. I got a point for that?"
"Yes," Baozi said. "The system is… flexible. Regret is everywhere. It rewards even emotional suffering, if you lean into it."
I stared at him.
"Define emotional suffering."
He spun in the air. "Like… messaging your crush a meme she didn't laugh at. Tripping in front of a crowd. Wearing socks with sandals. That sort of thing."
I froze.
"You're saying I can get points for being awkward?"
Baozi nodded. "Precisely. But only if you actually regret it. The system knows."
Something clicked in my mind - a dangerous, beautiful idea.
"I have… so many regrets."
Ten minutes later, I was in my school's hallway.
I approached the vending machine.
"Observe," I said to no one.
I inserted a coin, pressed the wrong button on purpose, and watched a raisin milk drink drop out instead of iced coffee.
I hate raisins.
[REGRET DETECTED]"Regret: Bought Raisin Milk"+2 RP Earned
I took a sip and nearly gagged.
"Disgusting," I coughed.
[Bonus RP: Endured Regret] +1
I turned to Baozi. "This is working."
"Congratulations," he said. "You're farming emotional damage for power. Very heroic."
"I'm optimizing," I corrected. "There's a difference."
Back in class, I raised my hand - me, voluntarily - and asked a question about the homework I didn't do.
The teacher blinked, shocked.
"Ye Zhen… Are you okay?"
"No, sir," I said solemnly. "I regret many things."
Laughter erupted around the room.
Baozi hovered by the window, whistling.
[REGRET STACKING ACTIVE]"Regret: Asked Dumb Question Publicly" – +3 RP"Regret: Public Self-Awareness" – +1 RP"Regret: Teacher Pity Unlocked" – +1 RPNew Passive: Classroom Cringe Shield – LV1Effect: Reduces social damage by 10%
By the time school ended, I had:
26 Regret Points
A passive that protected my dignity
And a deeper appreciation for the art of strategic failure
It turns out…
Being a loser on purpose is wildly profitable.And I was going to ride that all the way to the top.