1 Prologue: The World-Hopper and His System

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LOCATION: NEAR THE BORDERS OF NORTHERN XIA EMPIRE

A man clad in white and grey hanfu was seating crossed legs at the edge of the cliff with close eyes, calming himself as if he wanted to be left alone and to relax, but in reality, he was waiting for someone.

While he was waiting and do nothing, the man in question speaks through his mind in annoyance.

'Just when the heck is that f*cking guy would come here?! Before that happens, I'll be freezing to death!'

He ranted out through his thoughts and after that, the sound of something familiar through his mind that he kept hearing for over a millennium of times that he couldn't count anymore.

« The protagonist is on its way here, esteemed host. However, the system noticed that something is amiss to the protagonist. »

The man raised an eyebrow at his non-existent companion since both of them had been together throughout this journey and even though this entity that he called before is just nothing but a computer-based technology that he learned from his world-hopping journey; the man at least is indebted to this system, who gave him a chance to experience this journey.

And also, for saving him from his impending madness because of the betrayal.

Before his mind clouded from those unpleasant memories, he shook off his head as he went back to response through his mind.

'What is it? Didn't we always encounter problems like this in the past? Like what… ten millennium times? Oh, let me guess this one. The male protagonist and the villainess who are supposed to hate each other are now in a platonic relationship and that stupid heroine still put on the [white lotus] act in front of everybody to gain pity?'

« Esteemed host is correct. It seems like that the host had already anticipated this scene. »

'It's the almost cliché romance plot with the f*cking white lotus stupid heroine and her other male leads, with a touch of a rival villainess who was the supposed fiancé of the male protagonist in a [xianxia] setting storyline. Who wouldn't be able to predict what would the outcome since I meddle a little in this story? Tsk!'

He wanted to roll his eyes because of the system's obliviousness. This system of his differs from others because for some reason, this had a sentient and although this system speaks in a more robotic voice like those in Roodle, he can tell that this system can perceive human emotions, although it's just a bit dense sometimes.

As for this current world, it's clear that the plot had already collapsed and was no longer bound by the world's control because of his interference, as a world-hopper and an outsider on this plane.

Also, this is normal for him to encounter some problems during his world-hopping journey.

At first, when he started as a novice world-hopper, he panicked at the moment when he received his task for the first time, and he didn't understand anything about this whole world-hopping journey.

However, he was thankful at least that this entity that they referred to themselves as [system] and guided him on his first task and also, the system that was assigned to him was considerate to placed him in a tutorial world for him to be familiarize from everything step by step.

He thought from before that he might have accidentally made a deal with a demon and that he would regret it because, back in his original world, he was a very cautious individual and never trusted anyone because of his traumatic experiences.

His thoughts were cut off when he noticed the presence of someone coming in his direction and he heard the system's robotic voice once more.

« Esteemed host, he's here. Please be careful as this system noticed something is different from him. »

He sighed and groaned in annoyance; 'For a millennium time already, SILVER. Addressed me by my name and no need to be formal!'

When he noticed before that the [system] who was guiding him had at least sentient compared to the other [systems] that he learned from other hosts that he met back at the World-Hopper Department, he felt guilty for just addressing this fellow as [system] so he gave his [system] a name at least.

« But esteemed host, Silver couldn't do that, as Silver needs to maintain a level of professionalism for someone as esteemed as the host. »

'Level of professionalism, my a**! Just where the heck did Silver learn that phrase, anyway?!'

He groaned because no matter what he did, Silver didn't want to back down on its own principles, and sometimes he couldn't help but to chuckle because of this.

How he wished that his system would materialize as a human and, for sure, Silver would be the only person he would place his trust in because he knew that Silver won't betray him.

But that was only his wishful thinking, and he knew that it won't happen.

« Esteemed host, prepare yourself to confront the protagonist. Be careful once again. Call Silver if you need further assistance. »

Silver's warning about the protagonist caught his attention, as he had encountered many protagonists during his world-hopping journey, and some were not as described in Silver's system archive.

'Tsk! It's already a troublesome one, and I have been waiting for this.'

He didn't move from where he seated and waited for that person to come and after a minute had passed, a familiar presence appeared in his back but still, didn't move from where he seated as he waited for that person to make a move or trying to sense his surroundings using his third insight.

"This lowly mortal, Xiao Zixin, greets the Immortal Master Shen Haoran."

Upon being addressed by the youth, the Immortal Master opened his eyes, stood up and faced him. He observed how the young man respectfully bowed in front of him with both hands clasped together.

He didn't speak for a minute as he observed the youth in front of him and he didn't need to use his other special skills to check what was wrong with this protagonist because, with one look, he could tell already.

'Now what?'

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Source: Google, Wiki for the meaning of the [] words.

[White Lotus] - a person who looks pure and innocent but in reality, is two-faced, slanders others and does things to make their status or reputation better than everyone else's.

[Xianxia] - literally meaning "immortal heroes", is a genre of Chinese fantasy heavily inspired by Chinese mythology and influenced by philosophies of Taoism, Chan Buddhism, Chinese martial arts, traditional Chinese medicine, Chinese folk religion, Chinese alchemy, other traditional elements of Chinese culture, and the wuxia genre.