His eyes narrowed. "Right… death." He hesitated. "How did I die?"
[Cardiac arrest. Complete heart failure.]
"…A heart attack?"
[Yes, Host. The stress and imbalance in your body, combined with your unhealthy lifestyle, led to sudden cardiac arrest.]
"Figures… just my luck." He chuckled bitterly.
Dying of a heart attack? Pathetic. But hey—it was still better than getting isekai'd by Truck-kun. Right?
It wasn't as if he had a difficult life—just a meaningless one. Waking up, going to school, coming home, playing games, reading novels, watching anime, and repeating the cycle day after day. No friends. No family.
Just… existing. That's all I ever did.
He sighed. "So, I died like a dog."
[Incorrect, Host.]
"Huh?"
[You were chosen by the System. A lowly existence by normal standards, but a compatible host for the System nonetheless.]
He stared at the ceiling. His thoughts were a mess, but deep down… wasn't this exactly the kind of opportunity he had secretly wished for?
"Alright," he said quietly. "You said I was integrated with you. So… what now?"
[Your soul and body are yet to fully merge. Currently, they're only temporarily stable.]
"Hm… is it that bad?"
[Nothing serious, Host. With the System, this won't be a problem.]
"...Okay"
[Shall I begin the merging process? Once complete, you will inherit the physical and mental traits of this body, as well as access to basic System functions.]
He hesitated. His hand hovered over his chest as a strange tension built inside him. "Will it hurt?"
[A bit.]
"…Alright." His lips pursed. But then turned into a thin smile.
"Do it." He braced himself.
[Brace yourself, Host. Beginning merging process…]
And then—
"Agh—!"
A sharp pain stabbed into his skull like molten steel was being poured directly into his brain, burning away his thoughts and replacing them with something foreign.
His vision blurred, colors seemed to blend together in an incomprehensible way. A torrent of unfamiliar memories surged through his mind—memories that weren't his.
A new life. A familiar yet different world. A body that was both his and not. New faces he had never seen before, appeared familiar. Memories of neighborhood, school, family, and countless other moments, flashed through his mind like lightning.
His mind felt like a jigsaw puzzle hastily glued together. Coherent, yet full of gaps that made him uneasy.
His hands clenched the sheets beneath him as the pain intensified. His body trembled, sweat dripping down his forehead.
Then—
THUD!
His body collapsed into bed. His mind exploded with clarity. The pain receded as quickly as it had come. His chest heaved as he gasped for breath. Slowly, his trembling hands loosened.
[Merge complete.]
"So… this… is me… now." He formed his words amidst his irregular breaths.
He rested for five minutes with eyes shut as if reorganizing the new memories.
"System, did you lie to me? Isn't this the same world as the game I played before I died?"
He opened his eyes, and asked while staring at the ceiling.
[No, Host. This world isn't the one you played in the game. It resembles a little but is completely different. It was the closest match to what your preference that I could find.]
"My preference…? Please, explain yourself. I don't get what you're trying to say."
[The moment system located you as compatible Host, you suffered complete cardiac failure, causing your death. Before your soul could leave your body, the System extracted and bound it.
Since you had died, you needed a new body that would be compatible with your soul. After searching, System found several compatible targets across different universes and dimensions. And the System chose the one that closely resembled your world, The Earth, as well as the one in your memories.]
"Oh… I guess that makes sense." He muttered, still at a loss. The system's long explanation was eye-opening.
"I apologize to you, System. I doubted you."
[No worries Host. That is what I'm here for—to help and guide you.]
"Once again, sorry, and thank you for giving me this life. By the way, in all the chaos earlier, I forgot about you. Please tell me something about yourself."
[Host, I am the Supreme Conqueror System, exclusively created based on your memories and preference, after binding with your soul.]
"Supreme Conqueror System? And again… my preference? Is it related to the game I played in any way?"
He raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the naming.
[Yes, Host. The system adapted to the best suited for you based on the things you liked and would like to do. And the Supreme Conqueror System is the reflection of your innermost desires.
This System will help you reach peak of the world by conquering everything in your path. Crushing enemies, getting rich, conquering the women you desire, living a lavish life—whatever you wish to achieve, this system will provide the means to make that happen.]
"Well…" He felt a little embarrassed.
Wasn't that kind of… overkill?
Did I really have those kinds of preferences buried deep in my heart?
Face-slapping enemies? Getting rich? Winning the hearts of beautiful women? Living in luxury?
Sure, I'd dreamed about that stuff. Who hasn't? But actually living it? That was just a fool's dream.
And yet… here I am. Alive to see the day.
Well, technically, I died—so maybe it doesn't count.
Still, this life… it might not be as bland as the last.
This excitement… it's too much. If this keeps up, I won't be able to stop myself from laughing like a maniac and yelling something stupid like—
'Watch out, world—your Supreme Conqueror has arrived!'
Or perhaps, I would prefer—
'I'm the MC now. Bring it on, bitches!'
Nah, something simple like—
'Let's freaking gooooo!'
[ -_- ] System stayed silent.
"...I should probably stop smiling like a maniac. People might think I'm crazy."
He snapped out of his thoughts. Then, he coughed, holding his excitement. "Anyway, what features do you have?"
[The Supreme Conqueror System currently has four basic functions.
Reward function, Point Function, Lottery, and Tasks.
Reward function: For every milestone achieved by Host there will be corresponding rewards. The rewards can either be physically based like physical assets, or spiritual based like knowledge.
Point Function: The Host will earn points over time based on the System's evaluation of their activities. These can range from insignificant actions to highly difficult tasks.
Lottery: A lottery is available for spinning. The items on lottery will be hidden. The items can be categorised from Level 1, lowest rank, to Level 5, highest rank. The items in the Lottery can be seen by deducting System Points accordingly for their levels.
Tasks: Quests generated by the System. Appropriate rewards or points will be given based on the level of difficulty and accomplishments.]
"Reward, points, lottery, tasks…" He was excited. "Damn, System, you're perfect. I love you. If you had a body, I'd shower you with kisses."
[Host, I shall refrain from making any comment on that.]
"Hiss—" He sucked in a cold breath as he realized his slip of words. He got embarrassed and tried to dissuade the System.
"Hey! Don't take that the wrong way!"
[No worries, Host. I completely believe you. Completely.]
"...You totally don't." He paused, still unconvinced. "I really don't swing that way. I just blurted in the heat of the moment. Believe me."
[As you wish, Host. I'll pretend I didn't hear that.]
He knew the more he tried to convince, the more embarrassing it would get for him.
In such situations, silence was the most effective answer. And so, he did.
The room fell silent.
After a minute or two, feeling a bit relaxed, "So… what's the catch?" he asked cautiously.
"Even if I'm chosen one, there must be some catch. After all, no one gives you a second life for free."
[As expected, Host. Your compatibility with the System wasn't for nothing.]
The mechanical voice almost sounded amused.
[But sadly, you haven't reached the minimum sufficient level to know that.]
"And what level is that according to you?"
[Currently, it's far out of your reach, Host. Thinking about that won't bring any benefit.]
He didn't press further, and changed his question.
"At least, you can tell me where you came from. Your Origin. Can you?" He was curious.
[Yes, Host. I originated from Black Hole.]
"Black Hole?" He raised his eyebrow. "What do you mean? Please, be clear."
[Host, wouldn't it be more efficient to talk about your current situation than talking about my 'Origin'?]
The soft mechanical voice of System rang in his head. Suggesting him.
---
Almost an hour had passed since he woke up and discovered the System. He was initially shocked but came to terms with his situation. He'd spent the last hour talking to the System, understanding its functions. After all, the System was the only ladder to climb up in this new World.
He had caught up with most of it, but there were still a few things left to figure out. It was slightly unbelievable but so far, his mind was keeping up.
With a quiet sigh, he stood. His body felt stiff—like it hadn't moved for days—yet oddly familiar.
Stretching lazily, he glanced around the cramped bedroom. Morning sunlight filtered through the curtains, throwing pale streaks across the messy floor.
"Well… I guess this is my life now."
Muttering to himself, he made his way to the bathroom. The mirror greeted him with a reflection that wasn't entirely unfamiliar—but it wasn't quite the same either.
Li Tianyi.
That was his name. A nineteen year old boy, in his first year of University.
His features were decent, maybe a little above average on a good day, but nothing exceptional. Short black hair, slightly sharp red-tinted eyes, a straight nose—he was neither handsome nor ugly, just… average. His physique was another disappointment.
"Tch, I was hoping for some anime protagonist glow-up…" He sighed, flexing his arm only to confirm that he was just as weak as before.
A few months back, he'd graduated high school and taken the National College Entrance Exam. Through effort and discipline, he passed—not at the top, but solid enough. When the admission letter came, it was from the university he'd actually hoped for. That moment felt like a reward.
He had joined just last month. At the time, it was the one-week National Holiday. So, pretty much, he had a week to decide his future plans, and adjust to his new environment.
As the cool water washed away the remnants of sleep, his mind replayed everything—his situation, his options, and the surreal existence of the System.
He finished freshening up twenty minutes later, feeling somewhat reset.
But peace didn't last long.
Just as he returned to room, his phone vibrated, snapping him out of his reverie. He took the phone from the bedside table and—
[New Message: Your investment in Nuub Sales Stocks has dropped by 100%. Total loss: $1000.]
His heart nearly stopped for the second time that day.
"WHAT?!"
He frantically opened the investment app, fingers trembling. Hoping it was a glitch, a mistake, something. His heart was beating frantically.
Nope.
All gone in an instant.
His entire savings—months of scrimping and saving—
Gone in the blink of an eye.
His breathing turned shallow.
"No… no no no… This isn't fair! Even in a new life, I'm still broke?!"
He felt like crying.
He sank onto the bed, the phone falling from his hand.
It wasn't even his money. Well… partially.
The money was from his father—tuition fees, living expenses, personal allowance. It was meant for survival—not speculation.
If it had been money he earned through hard work, he could've taken the loss for once. But this?
He felt worse. Like a knife stabbing through his heart.
Though he had no experience, he understood the effort a middle-class family put into earning money. He'd inherited this trait from his family in his previous life. Saving Money. And he's very conscious about that.
From the memories, he understood the kind of character his father was—a man who woke up before dawn and returned long after sunset. Who never once complained. Who poured his life into giving Li Tianyi a better shot.
And this was how he repaid him?
He wasn't the kind of person who did things like this. He never spent lavishly. In high school, he used the same cracked phone for years, never asked for more.
But in university… seeing people with sleek phones, brand-name shoes, designer bags, and even cars—it got to him.
Just in a week, he started craving more. Just a little. Enough to feel like he belonged.
But his situation held him. He thought of earning some money and use that to fulfill his desires.
But, he didn't have time for a part-time job. So he looked for the low-effort high-return schemes. And he found one. The stock market.
He had little knowledge about finance from his high school.
He thought he'd found the shortcut—thought he was being smart. Calculated. Strategic.
So, he poured all the money on a single stock.
And a week later—reality slapped him harder than any failure ever had.
"If it's gone… it's gone."
He exhaled deeply, fingers still clenched around phone. No use crying now.
Money.
That was the first priority. Before anything else.
If you didn't have money, what could you do?
Smartphones? Clothes? Cars? Even love? Security? Freedom?
All came down to one thing—cash.
With money, you didn't have to beg. You didn't have to worry. You didn't have to follow the rules.
He stared blankly at the wall.
"Should I start a part-time job?"
But then again, it's not like he'd just randomly get a message saying—
You won a million-dollar lottery!
"Heh… if only."
He chuckled bitterly. Well aware of the harsh reality.
And then—
[Ding! Poverty Detected. Host is officially broke!]
[In this world, money isn't just wealth. It's life. Without money, dreams remain dreams. No one respects the poor. No one fears them. Power, freedom, love—they all bow before wealth.]
[A task has been triggered. Choose ONE option:]
1. Loan Shark – Receive $100,000 instantly.
Pay back $500,000 in 3 months. No exceptions.
> High risk. High pressure. Brutal punishment. Play with fire—burn or rise.
2. Sweat & Blood – Get $1 Million in startup capital. Multiply it 100x within 1 year. Return 90% to the System.
> Work hard, work smart. Or crumble trying.
3. Black Market Exchange – Receive $5 in cold cash, in exchange for 1 day of your lifespan.
> Small gain. Big cost. Some say a single day of life is worth a gold coin. But who's buying?
4. The Investment Lunatic – Gain access to $10 Billion in investment capital. Every cent must be invested. Your reward: $10,000.
> A true rich person spends with no leash. But they're not idiots either. With each of their extravagant spending, they secure their future. Show the world your might.
---
Li Tianyi froze, his eyes widened.
Wait… WHAT?!