Pain!

  Nothing but pain!

  Beyond the agony gaped an abyss of terror: I'm dying—seconds left. Death wouldn't be like transmigration; once it hit, no world anywhere would remember Skyler Young, not even this flicker of fear.

  No!

  I don't want to die!

  Skyler forced open the half?crushed eye; something hovered in front of him.

  A translucent hexagram, faintly gold, rotated in the air—waiting, inviting touch.

  He had no idea what it was, only that instinct screamed grab it—last shot to live.

  He inched his left hand toward the floating star.

  Almost… almost there.

  "Ah!" A burst of pain drained his strength; the arm fell limp.

  "So this is humanity? Human blood, human flavor…" Vivian panted, ecstatic. "Delicious—wonderful!"

  In her grip Skyler's skull was a raw egg—one squeeze from shatter.

  But she savored the moment, holding at the threshold of destruction to taste every ounce of human terror.

  Such feelings were priceless delicacies.

  She might never get a second chance like this.

  Shaking with rapture, she whispered, "Skyler, you're such a good man. I like you… I love you…"

  "I want you!"

  "Give me—give me everything!"

  The tendrils loosened for an instant—the wind?up before the kill.

  Skyler seized the window, flicking his middle finger to snag the star.

  【Beep—】

  【System activated】

  【Loading user data…】

  【Load complete】

  【Name: Skyler Young · Age: 18】

  【Sex: Male · Species: Human】

  【Status: Awakened】

  【Talent: Luck · Serial No. 199 · Rune Type: Miracle】

  —Are you a system? A plug?in? Whatever—use the talent!

  【Luck is a passive talent. Cannot activate】

  —Then what good are you?! I'm about to die! Save me! Somebody help!

  【Session ended, system concealed】

  【Beep—】

  The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  The interface vanished.

  It had all flashed by in an instant; the star was gone and he was still powerless. Frustration burned—yet hope was zero.

  He shut his eyes and awaited death.

  …

  Weird—why am I still alive? Why is the pain easing? The tendrils around my head are loosening…

  Whoosh—the tendrils slackened, slithering back into Vivian's arm.

  Skyler collapsed, hacking and clutching his throat. "C?cough… cough!"

  Between coughs he looked up.

  Vivian's arms were human again. Eyes wide, tears brimming, she gasped, "Wh?why…?"

  His gaze dropped—her chest was soaked in crimson.

  She reached toward him, unwilling. "You… were… my…"

  Shick— A long Tang?blade speared through her heart from behind, bending her like a harpooned fish.

  "Move," a voice ordered from behind her.

  Trembling, Skyler stood. It was Lynn Qing, crouched, both hands on the blade's hilt.

  "Lynn? Why are you… here?"

  "Move," Lynn repeated, icy.

  "Okay…" Skyler stepped back.

  "Behind me," Lynn said.

  He obeyed.

  Lynn yanked the blade free; blood geysered from Vivian's chest, painting the street scarlet.

  Skyler choked down vomit—then noticed the saber gleamed silver, unstained.

  She placed a finger on the tip, slid it down, and the 150?centimeter sword folded out of existence like slipping into another dimension.

  Skyler gaped.

  Magic? Tech? Super power?

  Lynn didn't glance his way. "No questions. Go home. Cameras are down—this never involved you."

  "But—"

  "You know nothing. Say it," her gaze cut like a blade.

  "I… know nothing."

  "Again."

  "I know nothing."

  "Again."

  "I. Know. Nothing."

  "Good." Lynn vaulted a two?meter wall and vanished into the night.

  Deep night. Skyler bolted from the scene and sprinted all the way home.

  Mom and Dad were asleep; only his sister lounged on the sofa, scrolling her phone. She yelped when she saw his battered face in the doorway.

  "Whoa—what happened to your face?"

  "Oh, right…" He'd rushed home and forgotten the wounds.

  "I get it!" she brightened. "Zombie cosplay, huh?"

  "Exactly," Skyler nodded along. "Pretty realistic SFX, right?"

  "Real as it gets." She grinned mischievously.

  With her you never knew truth from tease.

  Whatever—tonight was too insane; he had no brainpower for banter and couldn't let his parents see him like this.

  He grabbed the first?aid kit and dashed to his room.

  Door shut, he steadied himself, cleaned the cuts with antiseptic, slapped on bandages, then wrapped his gouged arm—sweating, teeth clenched.

  When done, he collapsed onto the bed.

  Fear and shock drowned sadness; the night felt unreal.

  Vivian—his childhood friend, confidante for over a decade—had turned into a man?eating monster?

  He preferred to think a beast had devoured her and worn her skin, like the wolf in Little Red Riding Hood.

  But was that true?

  The creature spoke as Vivian, felt like Vivian—was it another personality?

  Too many gaps his mind couldn't bridge.

  The wounds throbbed—was he infected? Would he wake as a monster?

  Panic churned.

  The golden hexagram drifted into view again.

  He sat up and tapped it.

  【Beep—】

  【Entering system】

  【Congratulations! You have survived 3 hours】

  —Congrats? I nearly died!

  【You have earned 3 Luck Points】

  —Why?

  【Talent: Luck · Serial No. 199 · Rune: Miracle】

  【Effect: For every 60 minutes lived, bearer gains +1 Luck Point】

  —Okay, and Luck Points do what?

  【Attribute panel available. Luck Points can permanently raise any stat】

  —Open panel.

  【Vitality: 10 · Stamina: 10】

  【Strength: 10 · Agility: 10】

  【Spirit: 10 · Charisma: 10】

  【Luck: 0】

  …

  Gamer instinct mapped the six stats to HP, defense, attack, speed, magic, crowd?control; Luck probably meant crits or loot drops.

  With only 3 points everything felt stingy; his eyes locked on the glaring zero.

  【Luck: 0】

  —Luck stat vs. Luck talent—what's the difference?

  【Luck (talent) vs. Luck (stat). Talent is innate; stat is numeric】

  —That explains nothing.

  —This talent feels lame. Can I swap?

  【Denied】

  —Show talent list.

  Instantly a dense talent chart materialized.

  Serial 199—Luck—sat at the top; every entry 198 through 1 was locked and blank.

  —Why can't I see anything?

  【Unexplored data unavailable】

  —Worst system ever; nothing like web?novel cheats.

  Knock knock knock—at the window.

  【Session ended, system concealed】

  【Beep—】

  Skyler jerked upright as the UI vanished.

  A shadow slid the window open and hopped inside.

  Lynn Qing—sport shorts and tee—moonlight icing her long limbs.

  She toed off sneakers, freed her ponytail; black hair cascaded over a shapely chest.

  "You—" Skyler began.

  Lynn hopped onto the bed, barefoot on his chest, pinning him. "I ask, you answer."

  "Okay…"

  "Men or women?"

  "W?women."

  "Good." She crossed her hands at the hem, yanked the shirt off in one motion. "Let's begin."