Qin Yu's First Experience with System

Ah… She knew that she was being too conceited and greedy after a volley of good luck happened to her.

It was good enough that she could turn back time, being a human before the apocalypse began; another golden finger was just a bonus.

Yep, be steady and you'll be able to survive the crazy era ahead.

However, she still had a pile of questions inside her head, so it was so timely that something like a "system" appeared in front of her.

"Wait, wait, Mr. Good and Handsome System, wait a minute!"

She shouted inside her mind, but she got no response.

This… maybe this system was a female series?

"Hello, Ms. Charming System, can you hear me?"

"Or maybe you're something like gender-neutral being? I know this kind of trending nowadays. Some of my college friends declared on social media that they are one, which caused quite a stir on the internet. Um, I think zombies are also gender-neutral? Well, in that case, recently we had a similar experience. You might not believe this, but I somehow understand how you feel, so how about—"

"Honorable client, you're too noisy." Before she could continue her rattling, a cold voice appeared in her mind. "You can ask some questions, but I will only answer according to your current authority."

Qin Yu didn't mind the system's cold attitude as she still felt excited to have a conversation partner after seven years of only being able to let out grunts and roars.

"Do you know the one who caused the apocalypse to happen?"

"Your authority is too low. I cannot provide an answer to your question. "

"Does my rebirth somehow relate to you, or the so-called the will of the world?"

"Your authority is too low. I cannot provide an answer to your question. "

"Is everything I've experienced so far… for damn 8 years… is a reality or a dream…?"

"Your authority is too low. I cannot provide an answer to your question. "

"This can't, that can't, so what answer can you give me?!"

"…."

Her mind suddenly fell quiet, and it quickly became awkward since neither Qin Yu nor System could find anything to say.

"Sorry… I'm suddenly getting irritated; I don't mean to scold you…"

"Honorable client's mental condition is unstable. I suggested Honorable client have an appointment with a medical expert as soon as possible. "

"Well… thank you for your concern?"

Although the system's voice was devoid of emotion, having someone speak words of concern for your well-being caused the corner of Qin Yu's lips to curl up unknowingly.

She was so lonely for such a long time that even a perfunctory answer could make her heart start to warm up.

"Anyway, please tell me what kind of answer you can give, or… what level of authorization do I have?"

"I will only give you information that won't exceed your authorization level, which is currently at Level-E, the lowest authority."

"Okay… so, what level of authority do I need to get an answer to my previous questions?"

"Your authority is too low. I cannot provide an answer to your question."

"…."

Qin Yu suddenly had an urge to pull her hair down, 'Argh, it's so frustrating!'. It was stubborn as a mule as if she was talking to a wall.

Qin Yu took a long breath to calm her mind. She realized that she wouldn't get any important information anytime soon.

Ultimately, she still needs to increase her authority.

However, learning from her previous experience, she decided to take her time and ask how to do it after getting some trivial information first.

"Okay, let's get a fresh start… So, you're an advanced AI, something like Alexa, Google, or Siri?"

"Honorable Client, I'll take your question as an insult." The system snorted in disdain.

"From your reaction, it seems that you're better than them?"

"Don't compare me to those trash!"

"Yes, yes, of course, you're the best, the most badass, unparallel under heaven—" Qin Yu started a round of flowery words to flatter the system but stopped with a soft snort. "Your flattery won't get you anywhere, Honorable Client."

"Hmm… your response is so natural just like a human, if you are an artificial intelligence you'll easily past the Turino—"

"Turing."

"Pff. Now, now, don't sweat the small details... After all, being a zombie for so long can make you forget many things…"

"…."

"Tsk. You won't take the bait, huh?" Qin Yu clicked her tongue as she failed to pry more information from the system. "You always called me as Honorable Client. Isn't someone like me usually called a "host"?"

"I'm a Welcome Bot System, not yours, Red Packet System, Honorable Client."

"Could my system speak like you too?"

"Red Packet System doesn't have a voice assistance feature, Honorable Client. So, it was a no."

Hearing its answer, Qin Yu felt slightly disappointed.

Although talking with Bot System sometimes made her frustrated, she also felt it was quite amusing.

She felt that having a system that occasionally made a retort to your comment was like having a friend that you could have happy banter with.

'It seems that my only option is to search for a human companion, but… can I do it?'

One of the reasons Qin Yu had been hesitating to follow the footsteps of "Qin Yu" from the previous life was that she was afraid that she couldn't hold back and attack another human.

Even if she was now a human, being a zombie for seven years was enough to build something like muscle memory or habit, right?

Although she had no solid basis for those thoughts, it still made her anxious to meet another human.

However, whether she was ready or not, she would come into contact with another human sooner or later, so she could only take one step at a time.

"My time is limited. Do you have any more questions, Honorable Client?"

Qin Yu was drawn out from her whirlpool of thought by the system's question.

'Ah, anything good will eventually come to an end…'

Although reluctant, Qin Yu asked the system her final question, "How could I raise my authority level?"

"You will know when the time comes."

Just like before, the system didn't give her a clear answer.

After having a Q&A session with the system, Qin Yu felt like she had even more questions than when she woke up.

She now a little bit understood how exasperated the protagonist was in the story, where they always got a vague answer or kept being teased with unfinished sentences.

"My time is up. It's time to say farewell, Honorable Client."

"Thank you for your explanation. And, umm…" Qin Yu hesitated a bit before deciding to ask the question. Her clear black eyes shone with expectation, "Will we meet again?"

"I believe there will be opportunities in the future." The system's flat tone somehow felt slightly gentler in Qin Yu's ear. Unbeknownst to her, a smile as bright as sunshine could be seen from her lips, "See you next time, system!"

"See you next time, Honorable Client."

After the Bot System disappeared, Qin Yu felt a little bit empty in her heart.

But soon after, another series of notifications flooded Qin Yue's mind.

<Ding!>

<Red Packet System is successfully installed.>

<Initialize…>

<Granting host the access of exclusive inventory>

<Exclusive Inventory can only be used for items acquired from the Red Packet System. No external item can be stored into Exclusive Inventory.>

<Activate the feature "Daily Red Packet Request.">

<Request Daily Red Packet for today's quota?>

"Yes." Qin Yu softly murmured.

<Ding!>

<The will of the world sent you a big red packet! Do you want to open it?>

Qin Yu responded with a nod. The Red Packet System seemed to understand what the gesture meant and instantly opened the red packet.

<Congratulation! You get 10 sacks of "Supreme Grade Soil Nutrient">

<Congratulation! You get an Unique Artifact: Compact Nuclear Fusion-Powered Electricity Generator!>

<Congratulation! You get a Blueprint: High-Security Nuclear Resistance Building Fortification Plan!>

Qin Yu couldn't help but gasp.

The items she got from the system were way far ahead of even the state-of-the-art technology. Even their names sounded like something that came straight from a science fiction novel. Although she had somehow expected this outcome, when she actually experienced it, she still felt overwhelmed by it.

"Xiao Hong," she gave her system name Little Red from the Red Packet System. It was indeed lack of creativity, but Qin Yu found it quite cute, "give me the details about the items."

---

Supreme Grade Soil Nutrient : Repair and enhance soil condition before planting. Increase the total yield by 400%, decrease the harvest time by 400%, additional effect: consumable harvest will enhance body strength, increase the resistance of Z-virus, increase the rate of ability mutation. Each sack is applicable to 1 mu of soil.

---

Compact Nuclear Fusion-Powered Electricity Generator: The wonder of science, the miracle of technology. Generate up to 1000MW electricity, AI-fully controlled system, consumption-based electricity generator.

---

High-Security Nuclear Resistance Building Fortification Plan: Upgrade a building to a High-Security Nuclear Resistance Building, capable of resisting even Elite Tier Zombies or Mutated Monsters. Applicable to 1 building.

---

"Incredible…" She couldn't help but utter it.

After obtaining these items, she could be said to have solved all the most crucial challenges for survival in the apocalypse day: food, energy, and shelter.

If she wanted to, she could spend all her time hiding inside the mansion. Who knew she might have a chance to live past the apocalypse day?

But, was this the life she wanted?

What was the difference between this kind of life and her previous life when she was turned into a zombie?

No! She wanted to live genuinely as a human being!

Her next question was: how? How did a genuine human being live their lives in the apocalypse?

A life in which competition served as the backbone, in which the strong had the privilege of living and the weak were doomed to die, was this how a human should live?

Or, a life where someone acted like a saint, placing the well-being of all humanity at the top of their interest and desire, making the continuity of humanity their mission; was how should humans live?

What kind of life should a human live in an apocalypse?