Chapter 3: Pastoral System 1.0?

And she had transmigrated into a villain role, a lazy, gluttonous village girl who relied on her doting terrible mother and was infatuated and brainless!!

Ming Zhu...

Felt life was harsh and didn't want to go on.

This seriously clashed with her values!!

Ever since she was little, she always obeyed traffic lights, frequently helped old ladies cross the street, a good kid through and through!!

Her birth as a second-generation official was upright, without a hint of deviance, how could she have transmigrated into a villain?

Was there some mistake!!

This was unscientific!!

She had no experience playing a villain, the pressure was enormous, O heavens, she wished to transmigrate back home!

Just at that moment, a strange interface suddenly popped up in her mind.

"Ding, host's brainwaves indicate a wish request, activate Pastoral System 1.0?"

Ming Zhu...!

Old age hallucinations? She wasn't that old, right?

But what the heck was this?

Then she heard the mechanical synthesized electronic voice continue, "Host, don't panic, hold onto me. You were chosen as the test user of the Pastoral System because our scans detected your previous life's IQ was as high as 180, indicating scholarly potential. Scholars become scholars because they can be strong in any field, and we believe that you can be great at farming as well!"

Ming Zhu...!

A door-to-door insurance salesman in her head?

"Host, you're insulting the majesty of this System! Let me introduce myself, I am the Pastoral System 1.0 guide sprite. By binding with me, I can help the host to become a fair, rich, and beautiful woman, marry a mountain man, and reach the pinnacle of farming..."

Ming Zhu...!

Calmy finished drinking the egg soup and put down the bowl.

Said to Old Granny Zhang, "Mom, I think I might have broken my brain. Is there a doctor nearby who can treat brains? Please find one to come take a look at me?"

In her mind, an eerie silence ensued...

The miraculous interface, as if electricity was cut off, fizzed out and vanished.

Upon hearing this, Old Granny Zhang was shocked and quickly felt Ming Zhu's head.

"Does your brain hurt? Oh, my poor girl! I knew there'd be after-effects. That barefoot doctor in our village is unreliable. It must have been the Old Song family who bribed him into saying it was nothing serious, that you just needed to rest at home for a few days. That black-hearted creature, when someone is nearly drowning, how could it be alright upon waking up? Did the Old Song family think ten eggs would settle this? Pah! Zhuzhu, don't be scared, I'll have your eldest brother go to the neighboring village to fetch Doctor Liu right away..."

Old Granny Zhang told Ming Zhu not to be afraid, but she herself started to cry.

In a frantic hurry, she went out to find her eldest son to look for the doctor.

Her beloved eldest daughter must be alright!

Outside, a chaotic clamor of cursing erupted, "Jinguan, hurry to the field and call your dad back. No, make him go directly to the next village to bring Doctor Liu. Say your aunt's brain hurts, run fast! Did you not eat this morning? Your lazy bones..."

"Yes, granny, I'll put on my shoes. Don't hit me, I have to wear straw sandals if I'm to run fast…"

...

Inside, Ming Zhu lay on the kang bed.

The interface in her mind reappeared.

This time it was in a format that Ming Zhu, accustomed to numerical modeling from her previous life, could understand.

The top line read, Pastoral System 1.0, beta version.

Below was a line in big red letters, saying upgrading this System to a certain level would help the host achieve what their heart desires.

Ming Zhu confirmed again and again, this might not be an illusion.

Ming Zhu thought, "I don't want anything else, I just want to go back to the modern world. My cousin is waiting for the cosmetics I'm buying for her."

The interface then displayed a new line, "Upon reaching a certain level, this System can traverse time and space, no pressure."

"Really?"

"This System does not deceive the young or the elders."

Ming Zhu then asked, "After binding, do you lead me, or do I lead you? How do I get the system to a certain stage value?"

The voice in her head couldn't help it again.

No need for text anymore.

Text communication is never as fast as speaking.

It popped out, "The System and the host are good friends, good comrades in arms. There's no question of who leads whom. The function of this System is to collect various pastoral index parameters of this time and space, issuing random tasks. Once the host completes them, they can obtain various points rewards. When all the index parameters reach the full level, the System will leave the host and satisfy the host's greatest wish."

It seemed that Ming Zhu was overthinking. She had read so many system novels, and many of them were traps.

The kind that the female protagonist couldn't climb out of even if she tried.

The System immediately assured her, "I guarantee I won't scam the host. Once binding is successful, the host will from then on have a close and good friend."

Ming Zhu said, "Why are you so humanized? Are you artificial intelligence? Where is this system from? Who released it? Is it a high-tech existence or some supernatural thing?"

Suddenly, the System changed from its previously lively tone to something stiff and rigid.

"Due to the low version of the System, the host is temporarily unable to access related information."

Ming Zhu sneered.

If you won't tell, that's fine. If you won't tell, I simply won't bind.

After a tense standoff, the System selectively agreed.

"This System is a product of a high-tech dimension. I am artificial intelligence. Other information is access restricted and cannot be provided."

High-tech dimension? Ming Zhu marveled secretly. Now she didn't want to go home!

She was a top student, longing for science. She wanted to witness higher civilizations, to travel through higher-tech dimensions, which must be more interesting.

"I will bind."

The System...!

Damn it, had I known arguing with her was pointless, why didn't I just play it cool and bring out the high-tech civilization card sooner? That would have settled it!

Indeed, the thought processes of a scholar are different from ordinary people.

The System was considering whether it should change its name. Maybe not call itself Pastoral System 1.0, but something like Scholar Farming Madness, to reach down to earth?

After Ming Zhu bound the System, she felt as if someone had installed a program in her mind.

A huge amount of content poured into her mind.

There was so much information that her brain short-circuited for a few seconds.

Afterwards, it quickly calmed down.

Several lines of text appeared on the interface in her mind.

Pastoral System 1.0, beta version.

Host: Wang Yongzhu (Ming Zhu).

Age: 15

Clothing: Level 0

Food: Level 0

Housing: Level 0

Transportation: Level 0

Ming Zhu couldn't understand, so she summoned the artificial intelligence, "Hey, what is this crap?"

"The System will randomly issue tasks, and after completing them, you obtain points to upgrade. When the average value of each item reaches Level 1, the System upgrades to 2.0, and so on."

Ming Zhu gave an 'oh' in response.

"The host can give me a nickname. Calling me 'hey' seems so dismissive!"

Ming Zhu thought for a moment, "Xiao Tianzi, Little Yuanzi, Little Ren, Xiao Gong, Xiao Zhi, Xiao Neng, you choose one?"

"Alright, host, as you wish. As long as you're happy."