Ciaran_Godheart

Synopsis:

Lu Chunhe was just an ordinary shut-in from Earth—cowardly, risk-averse, and content with a life of mediocrity. But when he wakes up in the broken, battered body of a notorious fraud in a world of ruthless cultivators, survival becomes his only priority.

The original owner of this body was a con artist—an imposter who stole the identity of a noble young master, infiltrated a powerful sect, and spent his days abusing his status. But arrogance has a price, and after provoking the wrong people, he was beaten to death and discarded like trash.

Now, trapped in a body on the brink of collapse, Lu Chunhe barely has time to process his situation before a terrifying vision strikes him—a glimpse of the future where the very sect he now belongs to is annihilated in a brutal war.

With enemies all around and no allies to rely on, Lu Chunhe does the only thing he can: he runs. He flees the sect, convinced he has outsmarted fate.

But fate refuses to let him go.

A system—cold, relentless, and bound to his very existence—whispers in his mind, forcing him onto a path of destruction. [Death Event Triggered: Return to the Sect.] No matter how far he runs, the system drags him back, pushing him toward the death flag he so desperately wants to escape.

Lu Chunhe isn't a hero. He isn't a warrior. He just wants to live. But against a system that exists only to kill him, survival may be the hardest thing of all.

Dying Is Not an Option—Tell That to My System!

The moon hung high in the night sky, casting a pale glow over the desolate landscape. A cold wind howled through the village, rustling thatched roofs and shaking wooden fences.

A man staggered down the dirt road, his movements slow, unsteady. His robes were in tatters, barely clinging to his battered frame. His once silky black hair was matted with dirt and blood, hanging limply over his hollow, haunted eyes. His skin, bruised and bloodied, was so pale he looked like a ghost dredged up from the bottom of a river.

The first scream shattered the silence.

"A GHOST! A DEMON!"

Panic spread like wildfire. Doors slammed shut. Lanterns were doused. Mothers clutched their children, dragging them inside. Men scrambled to arm themselves—rusty swords, farming tools, even sticks and torches. A grizzled elder grabbed a shovel. A burly blacksmith hoisted a pickaxe over his shoulder.

"Get rid of it before it curses the village!"

Lu Chunhe raised a trembling hand, trying to speak, but his throat was too dry. The only sound that escaped was a hoarse croak.

"IT MOVED! ATTACK!"

A pitchfork flew past him, narrowly missing his leg. A rock struck his shoulder with a dull thud. Pain shot through his already broken body.

Bare feet pounded against the dirt road. His breath came in ragged gasps. He stumbled, barely dodging the swing of a crude sword. Behind him, the mob chased with torches, turning the village into a flickering, hellish nightmare.

Then—the system's cold, emotionless voice echoed in his head.

[Mission Failure Detected. Initiating Punishment.]

A sharp, burning pain seared through his body. It felt like his bones were being crushed from the inside out. His legs wobbled. His vision swam. His body moved in slow motion.

His already tattered robes caught on a nail jutting from a wooden pillar.

For a brief, horrifying moment, there was absolute silence.

"THE DEMON IS A MADMAN!"

"AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Lu Chunhe screamed. The villagers screamed louder.

Through the village square, past the marketplace, weaving between stalls and barrels—completely, utterly naked.

A woman hurled a bucket of dirty water at him. A broom smacked his back. Someone lobbed a cabbage at his head. An old man nearly hooked his ankle with a hoe.

His foot landed on something slick.

He flipped mid-air. Crashed headfirst into a pile of straw.

His world spun. His body gave up. Darkness swallowed him whole.

The scent of hay surrounded him. His body ached, but the pain had dulled. Slowly, he cracked open an eye.

Villagers stood around him, their expressions a mix of guilt and embarrassment. Someone had draped a blanket over his body.

"He's... human?" someone muttered.

"I thought he was a ghost..."

"Gods, we chased a half-dead man through the village... naked."

Lu Chunhe wanted to die all over again.

Then—the system chimed in his mind.

[Congratulations, Host! You have unlocked the achievement: Most Humiliating Escape!]

[Reward: 100 Survival Points.]

Lu Chunhe covered his face with his hands.

This new life was hell.

Chapter 4: The Night of Terror