[The next simulation will begin in 12 hours. Please prepare, Host.]
"Ugh... Damn, that life was really..."
Fu Li climbed up from the floor, rubbing his face. He then looked at the system prompt and was left speechless.
[Tarot Card - The Fool]
[Allows you to fool history once during a simulation, grafting the fate of a person destined to die onto yourself.]
If this thing could be used in reality, he could just give it to Otto and prevent him from causing so much trouble.
As for death? He wouldn't actually die in a simulation, so what was there to fear?
Looking at the card, Fu Li carefully placed it into his inventory.
This thing would be incredibly useful at a critical moment. It was best to save it for now.
And Honkai Adaptability? Was it because he had turned into a Honkai zombie in the simulation but came back to life in reality?
He hadn't expected it to actually make him stronger. And even if it was a Honkai-related reward, he no longer had to worry about turning into a zombie.
No, wait. Generally speaking, ordinary men don't even have the qualifications to become Honkai zombies!
I'm shivering with rage! When will we men finally rise up!
After doing a few practice punches, Fu Li felt a bit thirsty. He reached for a nearby glass, only to hear a sharp crack.
His mind filled with question marks. Turning his head, he saw that he had crushed the glass cup in his hand.
"What happened?"
[As the host has obtained Honkai resistance, your physical fitness is now equivalent to a C-rank Valkyrie. It is normal to be unable to control your strength initially.]
Well then...
Although he knew Valkyries had absurd physical abilities, Fu Li hadn't realized they were this strong.
This was just like the second Spider-Man's awakening; he'd probably wreck his clean apartment just by washing up.
Fortunately, today was Sunday. As a new transfer student, he didn't have to report to school until tomorrow.
Thinking of the children from his memories, Fu Li looked at the water pipe now gushing wildly and felt an inexplicable wave of irritation.
[If the host feels troubled by the memories of the simulated life, you may choose to temporarily store them in the system inventory.]
"No need..."
After a long silence, Fu Li sighed and carefully picked up his phone to call a plumber.
Let the past be the past. It wasn't like he could actually change it.
After scheduling a time with the plumber, Fu Li was about to turn off his phone when a news notification popped up at the top of the screen.
He pulled it down to see that seemingly every platform was loudly proclaiming the same thing.
"SHOCKING! ME Corp President Raiden Ryoma Arrested Three Days Ago! Is This a Distortion of Morality or a Loss of Humanity?!"
"A High-Society Feud?! ME Corp President Raiden Ryoma Imprisoned! His Daughter, Raiden Mei, Reveals an Astonishing Inside Story!"
Fu Li's brow furrowed as he read the various clickbait headlines.
These unscrupulous media outlets were going too far. If he didn't know the real story, he might have actually believed them.
But still... since she was his wife in the game, he might as well save her.
He remembered from the plot that the Honkai Eruption was set for February of next year. So, all he had to do was kidnap her in January and then let her go after the eruption.
But if he did that, what would happen to the Tuna... to Kiana?
Without Mei's support, could Kiana really walk such an arduous path alone?
Indeed, a slacker's mentality wouldn't do. Otherwise, when the Herrscher of Finality descended, everyone would be singing their swan song.
...Ah, screw it. He'd just wing it!
He'd cross that bridge when he came to it.
With that thought, Fu Li put his phone away and began to focus on adapting to his newly acquired strength.
Time flew by in a flash. For the entire day, aside from opening the door once for the plumber, Fu Li stayed cooped up at home.
After finishing a carefully cooked dinner, he wiped his mouth with a napkin. Just as he was about to start the next simulation, another message popped up on his phone.
Classmate - Sato Yuno: School starts at 9 tomorrow. Remember not to be late.
Fu Li stared at the sender's name, stunned for a moment. He quickly looked down at his own skin.
Still yellow. Okay, his complexion was just good. So, what did this mean?
After a moment of silence, seeing the "read" receipt at the end of the message, Fu Li hurriedly replied.
Fu Li: Got it. Thank you, Sato-senpai.
Sato Yuno: It's fine. You can just call me Yuno.
Fu Li: Okay, Yuno-senpai.
Sato Yuno: Mmm. Well, remember to get up early. I'm heading to bed. Goodnight.
After replying with "Goodnight," Fu Li stared at the screen, feeling that the name was a little familiar...
Who was she again...?
Oh, I remember!
Fu Li slapped his thigh, recalling her identity.
She was the Pseudo-Herrscher Yuno, the one who took down an S-rank Valkyrie! If he recalled correctly, she turned to the dark side because she was bullied.
He should keep an eye on this girl...
It was just bullying. All he had to do was help her beat them up. That way, he could prevent the birth of another Herrscher. It was a total win.
Too bad a certain S-rank Valkyrie would never know he'd helped her out. If he ever got the chance to meet her, he would swap her bitter gourd juice for kiwi juice.
With that thought, Fu Li placed a cushion behind his head, found a comfortable position, and began the simulation.
[Entering Simulator...]
[Current Simulation Scenario: Mobius's Personal Story, "Death and Rebirth"]
[You and your sister were born into a family of scholars. Your mother was a scientist, your father a pharmacist.]
[Your family did not find happiness with your arrival. Your mother died after giving birth to you, passing on the name 'Mobius' to both you and your sister.]
[Initially, your name was also set to be Mobius, but you disliked it. You tentatively requested to change your name to Li, and your request was granted.]
[Your father was not broken by the loss of his wife. He continued to raise you gently and treat his patients, until one day, a terrible illness befell him.]
[The side effects of the medication altered his mind, making him irritable, quick to anger, and neglectful of his young children.]
[And today is your sister's 9th birthday. You know she has made up her mind to make a clean break with the past.]
As the narration ended, Fu Li awoke from the darkness and slowly opened his eyes. Before him stood a figure slightly taller than himself.
It was a young girl in a white lab coat, with long, green hair. The hands extending from the white cuffs were exceptionally fair and slender.
Fu Li noticed the girl wasn't wearing shoes. Her small, delicate feet were poised on their tips, gleaming with a unique, pearly white light under the moonlight.
The memories of this body flooded into his mind. Fu Li's pupils widened slightly as two different sets of memories about the girl surfaced in his thoughts.
"Mo... Mobius...?"
The girl, called directly by her name, frowned and turned to look at her younger brother.
Although she didn't say a word, Fu Li felt as if he were being watched by a snake, and his entire body grew tense.
"Uh, it was a slip of the tongue, a slip of the tongue. My apologies, I was wrong, Sister."
Fu Li apologized decisively while cautiously observing Mobius.
From the system's description, it seemed he was Mobius's younger brother, and she wasn't so fearsome in her youth.
All in all, she should be easier to handle.
But starting with Mobius... wasn't the difficulty a bit high?
Why couldn't the system have thrown him to that little girl Griseo? A single lollipop would have been enough to make her behave.
"Don't call me by my name directly next time. It's rude. Also, stay here and be good."
Mobius chided him before turning back. She skillfully measured out the correct dose of medicine for the night, picked up a glass of water, and walked toward a nearby room.
Seeing the scene before him, Fu Li recalled the lore about Snakey from the Elysian Realm.
She's about to get hit!