Seized by the System

Banquet Hall, Backstage.

A man, about thirty-years-old and wearing gold frame glasses approached Qi Tao and asked him, “Somebody reported that you got into an argument with President Zhao. What actually happened?”

“Nothing much. I have my eyes set on that fatso’s daughter, but he keeps rejecting my requests to let her marry me. Instead of me, that foodie favored that good-for-nothing superpowered individual who merely had their cooking skills enhanced. I merely went over to exchange a few words with them, but that good-for-nothing fainted. What a joke…” answered Qi Tao nonchalantly.

A glimmer of fury flashed in the bespectacled man’s eyes. “You can act like a rich brat all you want, but you have to keep in mind the occasion! Whether or not he’s a good-for-nothing doesn’t matter, the fact that he managed to step into this place means that he’s a rich guest. Is that how you treat a guest?”

For being berated directly by the bespectacled man, Qi Tao angrily spat back, “Yo, even if you’re the oldest son of the Qi family and just because I gave you some face by calling you Older Brother Ye while you were leading people to riches, did you think I really was afraid of you? The nerve, trying to teach me a lesson. Don’t forget, the creation of your medicine would have been impossible if not for my grandfather!”

With that, Qi Tao threw a dirty glance and promptly left through the back door.

Qi Ye gazed at Qi Tao’s brazen and reckless silhouette, his eyes cold. As expected, being nice and lenient really wasn’t a path to power.

…

At the same time, The System was being uncharacteristically obedient as it waited for Fang Ning to explain how he had pulled the entire thing off. Even when they had unlocked that “Repaying a gratitude once owed” achievement, the System wasn’t this compliant.

It was obvious that Fang Ning’s mental racketeering technique was very important to the System…*

Of course it would be; having this technique meant that the System would be able to farm many more Yellow-Named Monsters, thus leading to an increase in efficiency. The System would definitely be in need of something like this…

Which was also why the System had resisted farming a monster that had an almost purplish-red name. If it had happened at some other time and place, it wouldn’t have hesitated, even if he had to run from one end of the city to the other end.

It was a good thing that Fang Ning and the System were of one entity. Whether or not Fang Ning could continue his homebody lifestyle of reading online novels and playing video games all depended on just how dependable the System was.

Fang Ning began explaining, “It was actually quite simple because I’ve read my fair share of novels. When he had called me a good-for-nothing, it could have actually been counted as a personal attack against us. If you think about it, he was actually quite a threat.”

“What threat are you talking about? I didn’t feel anything. He is quite strong, but if I were to use my Esoteric Skills against him, it wouldn’t be much of a fight,” said the System confusedly.

‘You stupid System’, thought Fang Ning before he continued, “He called us useless and even tried to snatch our possible fiancée. It wouldn’t be so bad if he were a normal person, but you said that he was full of potential. I’m sure he’s aiming to cripple me completely in the future, so if we don’t do something about him now, wouldn’t he be a huge threat once he grows stronger?

“Even if you were able to retaliate when that time came, it doesn’t change the fact that he’s from the Qi family. He’s supported by a bunch of elders in the family, what happens if they all take revenge for him? We’re not talking about people from novels; if they immediately send someone that’s more powerful than you, then wouldn’t we be finished? When I think about an ending like this, where I can no longer read my novels or play my video games, it felt like my life was ending…”

The System finally began to understand, but it was still confused, “You’re making a lot of sense. Although what you’re saying is based on facts and evidence, that doesn’t deny the fact that you came up with the whole thing in your mind. How did you change the color of the monster’s name on the System Map? Even I couldn’t do it.”

“Of course you couldn’t do it. You’ve said it yourself that you are a System that only operates according to a specific set of parameters to obtain power, so you can’t exactly do as you please. So the fact of you not knowing about these hidden effects is normal. If not, you wouldn’t have been so shocked when we unlocked that special achievement. But I’m your host, so I have ways to activate them.” Fang Ning patiently explained. He had to bluff the stupid System, or his true purpose of doing this would be exposed.

Fang Ning continued, “To me, a homebody that has read many different types of novels, this delusion of persecution that depends on facts and evidence does turn into an Obsession. Have you forgotten how we unlocked that “Repaying tenfold a gratitude once owed” Achievement?

“Wasn’t there a notification that said that I had finished my gratitude repayment Obsession? This new Obsession also probably triggers some hidden setting. The easiest to trigger was to change that Qi Tao’s alignment into that of my enemy, allowing you to destroy him. Am I right?”

The System answered, “Absolutely!”

Hearing the System’s reply, Fang Ning was elated. This stupid System’s brain really didn’t work, as it completely fell for Fang Ning’s bluff. If it possessed even a lick of humanity, it would’ve seen through Fang Ning completely.

The fact that Fang Ning was able to trigger that Obsession within the hidden settings wasn’t because of some ridiculous delusion of persecution that he had thought of, but rather because of the fact that it had always existed within him. Obsession isn’t imagined, so what logic would it be for the brain to be able to produce it so easily? The System wasn’t human and didn’t possess emotions, so it couldn’t possibly understand the complexity of human emotion, thus making it incredibly easy to bluff. If it were a human, Fang Ning would have been exposed.

His Obsession with repaying gratitude came into existence because it had slowly took shape over a course of a decade…

What was the other Obsession, a decade in the making? He just couldn’t understand it.

Fang Ning thought to himself, ‘I’m not telling this stupid System about that at all. If I do, it could come up with ways to destroy that Obsession, then what more would I have in life? Besides, I do not and can’t destroy this Obsession; as long as it exists, it would be equal to giving the System a permanent monster farming Buff, and it wouldn’t have to worry about there not being any more monsters to farm.

‘Using that Celestial Weapon to attract monsters was efficient, but uncontrollable, but this Buff can be activated at will, combining both together would be perfect.’

While Fang Ning was deep in thought, the System spoke up once again.

“Host, after all these accidents that have happened, I have no choice but to admit to the huge difference between our intellects. So, I have just made an extremely difficult decision…”

“What decision?” Hopefully it isn’t some automatic uninstallation process because this idiot’s confidence is all but gone because of me, thought Fang Ning to himself, extremely worried. He had realized just how comfortable it was to be taken over by the System. Even his long-time wish and Obsession had been fulfilled…

Thankfully, that terrifying situation wouldn’t come to pass…

The System answered, “If more troublesome matters that I cannot solve pop up, I will stop all System Cognitive Processes and you will be summoned to handle the matter.”

Fang Ning vomited a mouthful of blood; this was definitely a difficult decision, so Fang Ning wasn’t going to work for free, “Any benefits for me?”

“You can do whatever you want in the System Cyber Café and I’ll turn a blind eye. Who knows, you might even get more ideas from your novels and games…”

This benefit was essential. Fang Ning could finally do whatever he wanted in peace, and so he pushed even further, “What if I was busy and didn’t have the time to help you with the matter?”

“Then I’ll disconnect the Internet connection.”

‘What a cruel move’, thought Fang Ning as he vomited blood again, “What if I appear but I can’t solve the matter?”

“I’ll disconnect the Internet connection.”

The System was so stubborn…

“What are you planning to do?” asked Fang Ning.

“I’ll farm some monsters, and practice.”

Hearing these six words, a bolt of shock as quick as lightning coursed through Fang Ning’s body. Something clicked in Fang Ning’s brain, and he came to an epiphany, ‘I think I can about guess how the System came to be.’

‘Now I remember, the night of the Qixi Meteor I had passed out and had slammed onto my laptop; I distinctly remember there being blood, but when I woke up, it was clean. That time, I was playing some ridiculously bad online real-time Wuxia video game that was reprogrammed from another game’s base. This stupid System must have manifested from that game, or it would have been about as smart as me…’

Finally clear on how the System came into existence, Fang Ning felt himself relax immediately; he didn’t have to worry about the System seizing his body or his consciousness completely one day, because with that terrible base programming it, it wouldn’t last three years in the ever-changing situation they were currently living in. ‘If you had given in earlier, then I wouldn’t have to be constantly on my toes every time I was reading a novel or playing a game. As for that b*stard that tried to snatch my potential fiancée from me, I’ll have to farm him soon or I wouldn’t be able to sleep or play properly. I wouldn’t want something to affect my daily routine; I don’t want to spend my time running around chasing him…’

A notification popped up then. [ Host’s Obsession has grown stronger. It will become permanent with three more occurrences. ]

The System went, “??”

“This idiot won’t figure this out, right?” thought Fang Ning to himself. He then realized that he was just overthinking the issue.

The System merely ignored the notification; it seemed that the difficult decision it had made prior was causing it to stop thinking completely. It then said, “I’m looking at the System Map and Qi Tao’s name is so red, it’s almost black. Are we going to keep waiting?”

Fang Ning answered, “Keep waiting. I have a question to ask. Now we have not only the Aggro Bar, but the Morality Bar that we unlocked 50 levels in advance, as well as the double effect both bars bring. Are there any monsters that you cannot farm currently?”

“No. When we only had Aggro, it was hard to control even using Esoteric Skills. But now that we have the Morality Bar too, our power has doubled. If someone were to attack us who was chivalrous, they would be categorized as evil, which means using Morality against them would be very effective. As long as we work hard and take note to keep the Morality Bar filled, there is no monster we cannot farm. Now that I’ve answered your question, can we go and farm him?”

“Be patient. Like I said just now, he isn’t like the other monsters we’ve farmed. He’s a new type of monster birthed from a new time, so we can’t mindlessly farm him. We have to gather information on him first and decide on a perfect plan.”

“Before you come up with that perfect plan, I’ll disconnect the Internet connection first…”

Sh*t! Fang Ning was dumbfounded but quickly regained himself to say, “No, I need the Internet to gather information.”

“You don’t. Whatever you want to know, just ask me about it. I’ll go online to search for it and I’ll definitely be faster and more detailed than you. I’ve been testing it out these past few days and I’ve realized that going online isn’t all that difficult; it’s just like breaking and entering. I even went into the Dark Web you talked about before. Although I couldn’t understand anything, but whatever you are looking for, I’ll bring it and copy it into your computer…” Although this System was stupid, but it knew that its host would forget everything once he started playing, so disconnecting the Internet connection was the most efficient way.

What a cruel b*stard. Fang Ning immediately started coming up with a perfect plan. He wouldn’t stand by and just let his Internet connection be disconnected! His novels were still updating, and all his friends in his online games are probably waiting for him to come back online. If he were to disappear for a few days, they would definitely cause a fuss.