July 14, 2023
The sound of my speaker echoed around the room as I packed the last of my luggage.
Today was the day I finally moved out of my parents' house.
The excitement bubbling in my chest felt surreal. Freedom , at last. My own apartment, my own space, my own rules. Living under my parents' roof had always been a thorn in my flesh, but that ends today.
Bang! Bang!
The loud pounding on the door nearly stopped my heart.
"What the hell? You trying to break down my door?!" I yelled.
The door flew open, and my father stood there, his expression twisted in fury, his jaw clenched so tight I could almost hear his teeth grind.
"Keep that shit down, Chloe," he barked, pointing at the speaker.
I scoffed, crossing my arms. "This is my last day here. Can't I at least do what I want? You'll be rid of me in less than twenty-four hours."
He stared at me for a moment, eyes cold and unblinking, then strode across the room, grabbed the speaker, and smashed it against the floor.
"Don't fucking piss me off," he snarled, shooting me a deadly glare before storming out and slamming the door so hard the walls shook.
I stood there, fists clenched until my knuckles turned white.
"This damn house… to hell with all of you," I hissed through gritted teeth, my voice trembling with venom.
I hated my parents. Every moment with them felt like walking barefoot on glass — constant tension, constant control. They made everything harder than it needed to be.
I needed to get out. Fast.
I folded my clothes into the box with shaking hands, then tucked in my favorite novel — Soulmates Transmigrated. I'd read it a thousand times and still never got tired of it. The main characters and I shared too much in common, pain, loss, defiance.
Heading to the basement, I went to clean my bike before leaving. But when I got there, my brows furrowed. The bike was half-buried under a pile of junk , nowhere near where I'd left it.
"These dumbasses moved my bike… fucking hell," I muttered under my breath, dragging it free.
Just as I tugged harder, something heavy crashed down onto my head.
"Fuck!" I hissed, wincing as warm blood trickled down my temple.
I glanced at the floor, a medium-sized box lay there, its corner stained with my blood.
"What the…" I bent down and picked it up, my curiosity overpowering the sting on my scalp. The box was wooden, old, yet strangely intricate, carved with symbols I didn't recognize. It looked nothing like anything I'd seen before.
When I opened it, my breath caught in my throat.
Inside sat a small machine, strange, metallic, humming faintly, and plastered all over its surface were tiny pictures of my favorite characters from Soulmates Transmigrated.
My heart skipped. "Where the hell did this come from?" I whispered.
Kneeling, I set the box in front of me. The machine had a small dark screen and several buttons beneath it. As I leaned closer, I caught my own reflection staring back at me.
Curiosity tugged harder. I pressed the red button below the screen.
Then—
{SYSTEM INITIATED}
The screen flared to life, flooding the room with harsh white light. I stumbled back, shielding my eyes.
My heartbeat quickened. "What the hell is going on?" I whispered.
{SYSTEM PROMPT}
Do you wish to alter the fate of your favorite characters?
I blinked, frozen in place. "Y… yes."
{SYSTEM MISSION}
> Current assigned points: (0/100)
Mission: Save the main characters from their destined deaths.
Fail… and you will be trapped in this novel forever.
"What—?"
Before the word could fully escape my lips, the screen went black. The ground beneath me seemed to vanish, and a powerful force yanked me forward.
The last thing I saw before darkness consumed me was my reflection, wide-eyed and terrified, as I was pulled into the void.
Swallowed by the system.