Wait a minute, a system?

"Mr. Moreaux, please take a look at this file," Shan said, handing it over like it was radioactive.

"This is a proposal from Ruxin Corp regarding the Eastern Suburb Project."

I barely glanced at it before he continued.

"Seems like they already know we canceled the cooperation with the Luma Group. They're well-informed. We haven't even announced the cancellation yet. What should we reply, Mr. Moreaux?"

I pinched the bridge of my nose. "Don't look at me."

Then I leaned back and closed my eyes, rocking the chair like a man trying to sway himself into a parallel universe. Classic CEO move, right? Mysterious, brooding. Miserable.

Shan stood awkwardly. I could hear the silence itching at his professionalism.

"You can go. I'll call you if I need you."

He bowed respectfully and left.

And the moment the door clicked shut, my thoughts crumbled like a stale biscuit.

I became a CEO after transmigration. At what cost?!

I screamed internally. I lost my peaceful, unremarkable mosquito and as well as poor author life. Why didn't anyone tell me being a CEO sucks? No one warned me about the back-to-back meetings, backstabbing competitors, and back pain from sitting too much.

If I'd known earlier, I'd have run back to mosquito life. Wings and all. Or better my poor author life.

**Pfft! Want to be an Aedes mosquito again, babe?**

A voice rang through the air like a drunk bell chime. My eyes flew open.

"Pokolo?" I called, already dreading the answer.

*WHOOSH!*

She popped up from the corner in a dramatic sparkle explosion. Glitter everywhere. Why does she always look like she just came out of a kids' birthday party?

"You remember me, babe?" she grinned. Drunk. Again.

"No thanks," I said instantly. "I thought you died," I added, because clearly my day wasn't bad enough already.

"Don't jinx me, you *Aedes*! That's slander!" she yelled like I'd offended her royal bloodline.

"It was all your fault to begin with!" I yelled back.

"Cool! Cool!" she laughed, baring two full sets of sparkly teeth like a fairy shark.

She plopped herself on my desk like she paid rent. "After I transmigrated your soul into this multiverse, it drained 90% of my celestial energy. I had to hibernate like a beauty queen. Hence, the disappearance. But I'm back, baby! Fully recharged!"

She floated closer like a glowing headache.

"I know you've been struggling lately. You're trying to recover Lucien Malric Moreaux's memories, she continued, poking my forehead, but you're stuck. So, I've got a deal—"

"No."

"You didn't even hear it!"

"I don't want to hear it."

"You hopeless, dramatic author, just listen! Do you want to end up dead again?"

That made me pause. "...What are you talking about?"

"You took on a mission—figure out who killed Lucien. You've recovered some of his memories back, but not all. The full story? Still a foggy mess. The mastermind's still out there. And guess what? They don't know the original Lucien is already dead. You coming out of that coma? They'll think Lucien's back."

"...And if I were the mastermind," I muttered.

"You'd finish the job," she declared, pointing at my chest.

We locked eyes.

"...Okay, that's actually terrifying," I admitted.

"Finally. You're not completely hopeless," she said, proud like a teacher whose dumbest student just learned to count.

"You can be smart sometimes, you drunken glitter-bomb," I muttered. "You're right. They'll try again. The guys in the outskirts were just pawns. Someone bigger is playing the game. But lately, I've hit a wall—I can't recover more of Lucien's memories. It's like something's blocking me."

"And that's why I'm here," she said, hands on hips like a heroic pigeon. "The moment I granted your transmigration, the System activated."

"The what now?"

"The System! Think of it like a divine challenge. If you meet the System's expectations, you'll be rewarded with a life so amazing it makes k-drama finales cry. And as your lovely host, I level up with every mission you complete. Eventually, I can become a top-tier celestial fairy." It's a win-win for both of us.

I smirked. "I'm already living an amazing life." I winked, sarcastic enough to flavor soup.

She gave me the flattest look. "You say that like your eyebags aren't screaming for help."

She floated closer, trying to sweet-talk me. "Let me give you a massage. Come on, under system protection, no mastermind can touch you. Think about it… I'm waiting…" She burst into maniacal laughter like a discount Joker.

She grinned wide—too wide. "So? Her giggle was somewhere between a fairy queen and a madman's echo.

But damn it… she had a point. Until I fully recovered Lucien's memories, I was just a sitting duck in a thousand-dollar suit, and I had no idea what Lucien had known or done.

"Fine," I grumbled. "I agree. But you have to stay sober."

"Of course, of course! I don't like alcohol anyway," she chirped.

And then her tongue slurped out as she stared—mesmerized—at the liquor cabinet across the room.

I followed her gaze. "Who said a few seconds ago that she doesn't like alcohol?"

"Just one sip…" she said, giving me those sparkly, oversized puppy eyes. Please...??

I sighed. "Just this once."

---

"So, what's my role now?" I asked Pokolo. Already regretting everything.

"Just give your thumbprint," she said, pulling out a piece of paper from mid-air and handing it to me.

"I know how to sign," I muttered, rolling my eyes. I scribbled my name on it like a teenager being asked to do chores. I slapped my thumb down like a pro, added my signature with CEO's expensive pen, definitely practice once to give autographs to my readers.

Ding! Signing process completed. You are now entering the system.

Participant Name: Lucien Malric Moreaux

Age: 29 (current age)

Status: Billionaire CEO

System Host: Pokolo

When a participant completes a task given by the system, both the participant and host will be rewarded and proceed to the next level.

"Whirr... buzz... click... zzzzt-zzzzt... chuk-chuk-chuk"... The process has successfully completed.

Note:Complete tasks. Get rewards. Level up. Basically a cosmic to-do list with prizes.

My head was spinning. I looked at Pokolo. She looked just as stunned.

"What's happening?" I asked. "Someone's talking in my head... and I can see a screen. I didn't even drink." "Pokolo," I said, flailing slightly, "there's a voice in my head. And I'm seeing stuff. Is this a normal part of the onboarding process?"

"I'm seeing things too," Pokolo replied. "Seems like the system is finally working."

She held out her tiny hand for a handshake. "From today onward, we'll be working together."

I shook her hand. "Okay. But if you dare deceive me, I will... I will... I will cry," I declared.

"**Ygnz!**" Pokolo gave me a smile. "Then you'll be crying a lot, mate."

Wonderful. My system host has got jokes. And I got no refund policy.

This was going to be one weird partnership.

---