Li Ming's first thought upon waking was that his alarm clock had gotten an upgrade.
Instead of the usual grating beep-beep-beep, there was a soothing chime, followed by a glowing blue screen floating before his eyes.
[Welcome, Player Li Ming.]
[You have been selected to begin anew.]
[Class: Strategist (Hidden).]
[Please allocate your stat points wisely.]
Li Ming groaned, clutching his head. "Ugh… what a weird dream. Did I pass out after the raid?"
He sat up, expecting to see his messy apartment, the pile of instant noodle cups, and the faint outline of his computer glowing in the dark.
Instead, he was surrounded by grass, trees, and the crisp smell of morning dew. Birds chirped cheerfully above him.
Li Ming froze. "…Where the hell is my desk?"
The floating blue screen blinked patiently at him.
[HP: 100 | MP: 50 | Strength: 5 | Intelligence: 10 | Charisma: 7 | Luck: 12]
[Remaining Stat Points: 10]
He rubbed his eyes. The screen remained.
"…Wait. Don't tell me…" He stood, wobbling. "Did I just… isekai?"
Li Ming had, of course, read webnovels and watched anime about this sort of thing. Tragic protagonist dies in some dumb way and wakes up in a fantasy world with stats and skills.
And now, apparently, it had happened to him.
His mouth curled into a grin. "Hah! My tactical retreat from life worked! Truly, I foresaw even death itself!"
The screen dinged.
[Title Gained: Delusional Confidence]
[Effect: Charisma +1 when boasting.]
"…Excuse me?"
-----
Li Ming poked at the screen, which shifted when he touched it. He could see tabs for "Inventory," "Skills," and "Quests."
"What's my class again? Strategist?" He tapped on it.
[Class: Strategist (Hidden)]
A master of tactics and battlefield manipulation. Cannot fight directly, but enhances allies and controls conditions for victory.]
Starting Skill: Coincidental Genius (Passive). All actions you take are misinterpreted as intentional strategies.
Li Ming's jaw dropped. "Wait. Wait wait wait. That's… me. That's literally me!"
He laughed hysterically. "Hahaha! Even in death, fate acknowledges my talent!"
A villager walking by with a basket of herbs paused, staring at him like he was insane.
Li Ming quickly straightened his posture and waved regally. "Ahem. Fear not, citizen. I was merely… communing with the heavens."
The villager gasped, eyes wide. "A sage! You must be a sage sent by the gods!"
Li Ming blinked. "…Yes. Exactly. A sage."
The system chimed again.
[Title Gained: Sage of Coincidence]
[Effect: Increases chance of random events benefiting you.]
"…I can work with this."
-----
As if responding to his thoughts, the screen flickered.
[New Quest: Aid the Village!]
The nearby village of Qinghe is troubled by goblins. Assist them.]
Reward: Basic Equipment, 200 EXP.]
"Classic starter quest," Li Ming muttered. "Fine. Let's see where this goes."
He followed the villager into the village, which was as stereotypical as they came: straw huts, wooden fences, children running barefoot, and an inn with a squeaky signboard.
The villagers gathered around, murmuring. "A traveler! No, a sage!" "Look at his robes!" (they were just his office shirt and slacks, now strangely pristine). "He must have wisdom from the heavens!"
Li Ming coughed, pretending to be dignified. Inside, he was panicking.
Okay, Li Ming. Don't screw this up. These people think you're smart. Just… just say vague things that sound deep.
He raised a hand dramatically. "Your troubles… are but stepping stones. Every battle is both danger and opportunity. The key… is to run at the right time."
The villagers gasped. "Profound!" "Truly the words of a sage!"
Li Ming almost choked. They bought it? They actually bought that?
-----
Soon, a group of adventurers barged into the village. They wore leather armor and carried rusty weapons, looking harried.
"Damn goblins ambushed us on the road!" one shouted. "We need reinforcements!"
The villagers turned to Li Ming expectantly.
"…Why are you all staring at me?" Li Ming said nervously.
"You're the sage!" they cried. "Tell us what to do!"
Li Ming swallowed. Crap. Crap. They actually expect me to come up with something!
He glanced at the adventurers. They were exhausted, bleeding, clutching their weapons. Clearly not ready for another fight. The villagers had pitchforks at best.
"Uh… then my strategy is…" He raised a finger, trying to buy time. "…Run away!"
Everyone blinked.
The adventurers looked confused. "Run away? Are you serious?"
"Yes! Retreat now!" Li Ming said firmly. "Sometimes, the best attack… is not attacking!"
They grumbled, but obeyed, fleeing back toward the village gates.
Moments later, a horde of goblins burst from the treeline, charging straight past where the adventurers had been standing. If they had stayed, they would have been slaughtered.
The villagers gasped. "He predicted it!"
The adventurers turned pale. "If we hadn't moved when he said…"
Li Ming smirked, sweating buckets inside. Oh my god, it actually worked?!
The goblins kept charging, but suddenly a wagon full of barrels tipped over, rolling downhill into them. The barrels cracked open, spilling flour everywhere. The goblins, blinded and coughing, stumbled into each other, causing chaos in their ranks.
The villagers cheered. "The sage's plan worked! He used the wagon trap!"
Li Ming, who had not even noticed the wagon, crossed his arms and nodded sagely. "Yes… all according to plan."
The system chimed.
[Quest Complete: Aid the Village!]
[Reward: Basic Equipment, 200 EXP.]
[Skill Learned: Inspiring Bluff – Your empty words inspire allies, boosting morale.]
-----
By sunset, the goblins had fled. The villagers threw a feast in Li Ming's honor. They insisted he sit at the head of the table, praising his brilliance.
"To think you foresaw the wagon's fall!"
"And the retreat, perfectly timed!"
"Truly, only a sage could command fate itself!"
Li Ming stuffed his mouth with roasted meat, grinning. So this is what it feels like to be respected… and fed actual food.
The innkeeper leaned closer. "Sage, will you stay in our village? We need your guidance!"
Li Ming paused, wiping grease from his mouth. A thought occurred to him.
A strategist… needs soldiers. An empire. A guild.
He raised his cup high. "No, my destiny lies beyond one village. But fear not! I shall gather comrades, form a guild, and bring strategy to the entire world!"
The villagers erupted into cheers.
The system chimed once more.
[Main Quest Unlocked: Establish a Guild.]
[Objective: Recruit at least 5 members.]
[Reward: Guild Hall (Basic), 1000 EXP.]
Li Ming grinned. "Perfect. My tactical empire begins now."
Inside, however, he was thinking only one thing:
Please, for the love of all that is holy, let my coincidences keep working…
.
.