This dumbass system.
The dickhead who made this brain-dead system definitely had a few screws loose when creating it.
I cannot begin to imagine what was going to the man's mind when creating it that's how braindead this whole shit is.
You're probably wondering what I'm even talking about, right?
Well, let me first tell you how it started, It started with…
[Ding! Binding successful.]
[Welcome, Host!]
Hen Zhe opened his eyes to a sea of lush greenery, trees stretching endlessly in every direction. Birds screeched overhead, insects buzzed around him, and the earthy scent of damp soil filled his nostrils as his palms pressed into the mud.
"Eh mud?" Hen Zhe muttered, moving his hands away from mud.
"Huh? Where am I?" His eyes darting around at his surroundings.
[Finalization complete. Congratulations, Host, on your reincarnation.]
He froze staring the dark purple panel. "Reincarnation? Did I die? Oh no… don't tell me I crashed the truck…"
[Affirmative. You shouldn't have drank while driving especially not on a hillside.]
[Cause of death: Car Crash.]
Hen Zhe blinked slowly, then rubbed his eyes. "Wow. So I got reincarnated... The truck thing was real.. Well not exactly how it usual goes... Huh."
A strange excitement bubbled up in his chest. As his heartbeat sped up. "Wait… Wait… Wait! If I'm reincarnated, then—"
[Correct, Host! This is a cultivation world. Immortality, power, and ascension awaits you… that is if you can survive!]
Hen Zhe's eyes sparkled. "Oh! And I have a system! I got a system! Ha! Finally! I'm one of those main characters with systems!"
"Does this mean… no more nine-to-five?" he asked, hope creeping into his voice.
"System… will you slave me away? Make me do tasks!?" Hen Zhe asked cautiously. If this system demanded work, he wouldn't hesitate to embrace death immediately.
[Nope. I require you do no such tasks, only specific things…]
Hen Zhe threw his hands in the air. "Ha! Ha! Perfect! No more suffering!" He trailed off, imagining a life without the existential dread of having a j*b, paired with the crushing stress of everything that comes with having a j*b.
Hen Zhe felt like a man who'd just been enlightened by the buddha. "System… thank you for this opportunity.. I've been surviving hellish years of my life slaving away for years for a corporation who wouldn't care if I died, Thank you for this opportunity.." The man suddenly teared up, shaking his head as he continued pouring his heart out.
He clasped his hands together. "Alright, now then System, tell me what kind of System you are! Task system? Looting System? Sect-building? or Oh EXP farming? Come on, tell me I can fight someone and get loot!"
[I like your enthusiasm, Host! However, I am a unique type of system.]
Hen Zhe grin grew. "Unique? Sounds overpowered already."
[I am.. The Negativity System!]
His grin froze mid-smile. "…The what?"
[The Negativity System!]
[A system designed to reward you through the negativity of others!]
[Every time someone feels negative emotions toward you whether it be anger, hatred, envy, fear, humiliation, or any other kind of negative emotion you will earn points. The stronger the emotion, the more points you gain. Subtle or fleeting irritation, however, grants very few points.]
[Also, the strength and cultivation realm of the person directly increases the points you receive, so gaining negativity from the strong is especially beneficial.
P.S. Be careful not to provoke extremely strong individuals who could kill you instantly, because the system cannot protect you.]
[Anyway, in short… your growth will be built upon the negativity of others!]
Hen Zhe stared at the text infront of him for a long, horrified second. Then, slowly, his mind processed it.
"So… let me get this straight one more time. I literally have to be a top-tier ASSHOLE to everyone?"
[Correct.]
[Not just that. You also have to hate everything. Someone breaks through? Hate! Someone gets married? Hate! Someone reunites with their long-lost family? Hate! Someone sneezes? Hate! Someone eats bread? Hate! Someone smiles at a puppy? Hate! Someone drinks? Hate! Someone blinks? HATE! HATE! HATE!]
[You must hate absolutely everything, in every possible way. And when I say hate, I mean outwardly show disdain. In your mind, you are free to think however you want, but if you show any happiness toward something, there will be repercussions. You must hate the sun, hate the clouds, hate gravity, hate your very own shadow, hate your reflection, hate this system HATE! Hate!]
[Failure to show disdain = pain, and depending on the circumstances… DEATH. And one final tiny, unimportant piece of information: failure to gain negativity points will also result in… DEATH.]
Hen Zhe stood there, dumbfounded by how utterly absurd this system was. He was so silent that the only sound came from tiny bugs around him, his face frozen in a blank, completely bewildered expression.
"What the fuck? Who the hell designed you? They've gotta be out of their minds!"
[System Notification: Negative Emotions Detected]
[System Notification: +211 Negativity Points.]
[That's it's Host… your… your points are uhh multiplying...]
Hen Zhe blinked. "What the fuck I just insulted you and I got points?!"
"Also… whatever the fuck you just did never do that again…"
[Ahem. Apologies. Yes. As I have said: negative emotions is your currency. You can exchange them to break through realms or buy things in the shop.]
Hen Zhe stood there, staring at the message, an idea forming in his mind.
"Are you some kind of masocist? Is this what u wanted you little freak?"
[System Notification: +111 Negativity Points.]
"Ugh. You're a dirty fucking freak!"
[Error!]
[Error! Host! Exploiting system bugs is forbidden! Rechanging system functions…]
Hen Zhe cursed under his breath, the system had noticed what he was doing.
The system showed a spiraling circle, as it rebooted.
[Reboot Completed.]
[Ahem. Congratulations on earning your first few points, Host. Just speak or think of points and they will appear.]
"Points?" he muttered.
[Total Negative Points: 322]
Hen Zhe nodded, a small smirk forming as the system confirmed negativity really was his currency.
[A good start, Host…]
[Ah! I must also mention the Shop, a place where you can buy weapons, techniques, or various utilities!]
[Again, just mutter or think of the Shop and it will appear.]
"Shop."
[Opening Shop Interface…]
A red holographic screen shimmered into existence before him, images of weapons, combat techniques, and mystical cultivation tools. Each item had a price in Negative Points, some were ridiculously high.
Hen Zhe scrolled through the options, his eyes widening.
[Sword of a Thousand Curses]
[Cost: 100,000 points]
[Shadow Step Technique]
[Cost: 5,000]
[Flaming Blade]
[Cost: 2,000]
"Wow. This is insane."
He leaned back, staring at the screen.
"Yeah, okay. Nothing I can afford right now…"
"Ah! You said I can break through using my Negativity Points, right? How do I do that?"
[System Notification: Opening Stats Display…]
―――― HEN ZHE ――――
Negativity Points: 322
Cultivation: None((Click to Breakthrough))
Race: Human
Bloodline: None
Gender: Male
Age: 18
―――― Stats ――――
Qi: 0 ((Click to add))
Strength: 0 ((Click to add))
Dexterity: 0 ((Click to add))
Intelligence: 0 ((Click to add))
Qi: 0 ((Click to add))
Perception: 0 ((Click to add))
Cultivation Potential: ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
―――― Inventory――――
Techniques Unlocked: 0 ((Click to view))
Weapons Owned: 0 ((Click to view))
Hen Zhe, clicked the cultivation button.
[Breakthrough Initiating… Negavity Points Consumed: 322]
[Breakthrough Complete: Mortal → Body Building Stage 1]
[Congratulations on stepping onto the path of a cultivator! Bronze Box Acquired.]
[Congratulations on breaking through a major realm! Gold Box Acquired.]
"Woah," Hén Zhě muttered, staring at the two new notifications.
"Wait…" he muttered again, not because of the boxes, but because he felt nothing. It was as if nothing had changed at all.
[Of course, Host. Try punching that tree.]
"Hm…" I muttered, getting into a stance. I pulled my arm back and then shot my fist forward.
The tree shattered completely on impact.
"Ha!" I shouted, grinning.
"Maybe this won't be so bad…"
"UAGHH…" A jolt of pain suddenly shot through my entire body.
[Warning: Do not outwardly shownhappiness, Host.]
I froze, staring at the message. Then I burst out laughing, the absurdity of the whole situation hitting me all at once.
"This is all insane…" I muttered, still chuckling.
"UAGHH!" Another jolt of pain shot through me as I laughed.
[Warning: As I said, Host. Do NOT outwardly show happiness, Host.]
I groaned as I got up. "Yeah… yeah."
"Forgive me for my happiness, dear System…"
[:D I accept your apology, Host. I hate to hurt you. Doing it hurts me more than it hurts you…]
Hen Zhe rolled my eyes reading the message, then remembered something completely disregarding the message.
"Right! Thoses boxes open them for me."
[Bronze box opening...]
[Ding! Congrats on obtaining a Mysterious Talisman]
[Info: unknown.]
"… The fuck is this?"
[the reward!]
"Son of a bitch" he muttered.
"Open the gold one!"
[Gold box opening...]
[Reward Obtained: Sword of Resentment]
[Grade: Heaven Tier – Growth Type]
[A blade forged from the resentment of the dead.]
[Passive: Stores resentment directed at the host. When wielded with intent to strike, the opponent senses the resentment stored within the blade, causing them to cower before the user even makes a move.]
[Active Skills:
[Attack of Resentment: Releases stored resentment in a single devastating attack.
Additional Effects: Wounds inflicted by this weapon induce fear, the intensity depends on the cultivation levels of both the wielder and the enemy.]
[Growth Condition: ???]
Hen Zhe's eyebrows shot up as he read the information on the weapon.
He clicked his inventory and pulled out the sword.
The weapon immediately appeared in his hands.
The blade was dark red. Its design was plainly simple, no hilt, just a plain handle, yet there was an undeniable sense of… creepiness to it.
Even glancing at it made the air feel heavier, as if an oppressive weight had been pressed down upon you, instinctively putting anyone nearby on edge.
As Hen Zhe inspected the weapon, a sudden scream startled him.
"Huh?" He turned toward the source of it.
"Stop!" a woman shouted.
"Huh… saving the damsel in distress cliché, huh?" he muttered, even though he was walking toward the scream anyway.
"Don't worry. I, Hen Zhe, shall save thee," he added with a smirk.