Crimson Moon

Pain. It was unbearable. The throbbing ache in Zhuo Mingrui's head felt like a relentless assault, as if someone had struck him with a pole, followed by a sharp object piercing his temple and twisting it. Slowly, the pain began to subside, and Zhuo Mingrui cautiously opened his eyes. His vision was initially blurry, but he could make out a faint crimson light. As his eyes adjusted, he realized he was sitting at a wooden desk.

On the desk, there was an open notebook with yellowed pages, an ink bottle, and a revolver. The sight of the gun startled Zhuo Mingrui, making his unfamiliar surroundings all the more unsettling. He glanced out the window and saw a crimson moon, which only added to his growing sense of unease.

Attempting to stand, Zhuo Mingrui was met with intense pain, causing him to collapse back into the chair. He tried again, more carefully this time, and turned his attention to the mirror across the room. It had two cracks, and as he gazed at his reflection, he noticed his black hair, brown eyes, and a somewhat rugged appearance. Before he could fully process the situation, a robotic voice echoed in his mind.

"[Heavenly Dao system is fusing with host's soul 10%... 20%... 30%...]"

Confused, Zhuo Mingrui could only utter, "What...?"

"[Ding! Heavenly Dao system fusion with host's soul complete.]"

A warm sensation spread through Zhuo Mingrui's body, though he couldn't quite comprehend its meaning. Suddenly, a flood of fragmented memories overwhelmed his mind. He now knew himself as Klein Moretti, a history graduate from the Northern continent of the Loen kingdom. His father, a sergeant in the Imperial Army, had perished in a war with the Southern Continent. His mother, a devout follower of the Evernight Goddess, had passed away the same year Klein passed the Khoy University entrance exam. He had an older brother and a younger sister, and they all lived together in a modest two-bedroom apartment.

As the memories settled, Zhuo Mingrui, now Klein, couldn't contain his curiosity about the system's purpose.

"System, what exactly are you?" he asked, his voice shaky with confusion and curiosity.

"[I am the Heavenly Dao system, designed to assist you in navigating and influencing this world.]"

"Assist me how?" Klein pressed, his brow furrowing.

"[I can help you become a Heavenly Dao and assist in world development. However, due to your current weakness, most system functions are locked.]"

"Locked? Great, just my luck," Klein muttered, sarcasm creeping into his tone. "So, what can you do right now?"

"[I can communicate with you through thoughts and provide limited guidance. Currently, I am initiating the world-binding process. Would you like to proceed? Yes or no.]"

Klein hesitated. "What happens if I don't bind to this world?"

"[The system will unbind from you, and you will be left to navigate this world alone.]"

Realizing he had little choice, Klein replied, "Fine, bind me to the world."

As he agreed, everything around him began to darken. He felt his soul being pulled out of his body, but the system's voice still reached him.

"[Ding... System starting binding process 10%... 20%... Error... The system has noticed that the world is corrupted by ##### and your soul is being devoured.]"

Panic surged through Klein. "What do you mean, devoured?"

"[Your soul is under attack by a corrupting force. Activating self-defense sequence.]"

Klein's consciousness wavered as whispers filled his mind. Just as he thought he would lose himself completely, a golden light enveloped his soul, and the system's voice cut through the chaos.

"[Start healing host's soul…50%…100%. The system will temporarily protect your soul and body from the corrupted world and madness. Proceeding with binding 30%... 40%...]"

"[Ding... The system has successfully bound the world, unlocking status and mission functions.]"

Trembling, Klein mustered the last of his strength and settled back into the chair. As he tried to calm his racing mind, his gaze fell upon the open notebook on the table. In dark ink, the words stared back at him:

"Everyone will die, including me."