Chapter 1: Materialization

Good news: System 168 was awarded the “Materialization Reward” by headquarters due to outstanding performance.
Bad news: The materialized form is… a baby.

Just as it was about to file an appeal, it was sent into a random small world.

System 168 thought calmly, “A baby? Fine, I’ll grow up eventually… right?”

But upon self-inspection, it discovered that 99% of its functions were disabled!

There was no bound host, no basic information about the small world!

All it could determine was that it was now an orphan girl, in a desolate mountain area.
Full energy capacity: 100.
Current energy: 2.

Wait—energy 2? Or is it negative 2?!

Before it could even react, 168 fell into darkness.

When it opened its eyes again, it was in a dilapidated thatched cottage, lying on an earthen bed.
The old bedding was full of mended patches.

At the end of the bed were a patched quilt and pillow.
A long wooden chest on the floor cramped the room so that only a small bench could fit.

On the chest sat two memorial tablets:
“One for the late father, Qin Ziyou”
“Another for the late mother, of the Lu family.”

There were no offerings before the tablets, nor incense in the burner.

The poverty was glaringly obvious!

168 continued self-inspection. Fortunately, it could still level up.

Of course, it needed to accumulate enough energy first. The current energy wasn’t nothing, but it was barely better than that.

Naturally depleted energy required sleep to recover. Two units of energy would take about two hours of sleep to restore.

As long as it didn’t actively use energy, it could stay awake for about half an hour.

Last time, it didn’t know and over-consumed energy during inspection.
This time, it was very careful—maybe it could stay awake for fifteen minutes?

Voices came from the courtyard.

An older woman advised, “Yingzi, Auntie knows you have a kind heart, but even kindness depends on the timing. We can’t even feed ourselves—how can we raise a baby?”

“Auntie,” the young woman, Yingzi, replied gently yet firmly, “No matter what, as long as I’m alive, she won’t be eaten like some tender lamb.”

Aunt Zhao sighed deeply. “Forget it, you’re as stubborn as a mule. I can’t talk you out of it. Fine, raise her if you want.

“I still have some of Huozi’s baby clothes. I’ll alter and dry them out later so the little one has something to wear.

“Guo Wen’s been gone for three years now with no word. Who knows what happened… Sigh, maybe raising a child is good—it’s someone to keep you company.”

Before long, the straw curtain was lifted, and the two women entered.
Both were pale and thin, with dry yellow hair.

The younger woman was about seventeen or eighteen, with large, bright almond eyes.
The older woman was around fifty, her face lined with hardship.

Yingzi’s face lit up with joy. She hurried over and picked up 168, turning to Aunt Zhao. “Auntie, she’s awake! Look what an adorable baby!”

Aunt Zhao came closer with a smile. “Mm, she’s got a proper, well-shaped little face!”

Energy +0.02.

?

168’s round eyes spun—How did that get added?

Eh? The “Heaven’s Eye” scan was now available? But it could only see information about people who physically touched her, and monitor within a 10-meter radius.

This place was Tongshu Village on Phoenix Ridge, in the Black Mountain area of northern Great Zhou.
It was under the jurisdiction of Qin County.

Yingzi’s full name was Qin Ying, the only daughter of Qin Ziyou, an imperial scholar in the capital.

Seven years ago, the crown prince died after falling from a horse. The emperor died soon after from grief, leaving no heir.

The nine imperial princes began fighting for the throne, a bloody struggle now known as the “Nine Princes’ Rebellion.”

Qin Ziyou died in the chaos. His ten-year-old daughter Qin Ying and her mother fled to Tongshu Village, where they were taken in by the Guo family. Qin’s mother passed away soon after and was buried with the Guo family’s help.

On her deathbed, Qin’s mother arranged for her daughter to marry the Guo family’s eldest son, Guo Wen.

On the day of the wedding, just as they were about to complete the ceremony, Guo Wen was forcibly conscripted due to the spreading war.

Technically, since the marriage wasn’t consummated, Qin Ying was not yet officially a daughter-in-law. But the Guo elders treated her as such. She dutifully served them and cared for her sister-in-law.

Though tall for her age, Qin Ying was only fourteen at the time.

Not long after, a century-level drought struck Black Mountain. The Guo elders fell ill, and she cared for them tirelessly until they passed away.

She then sold her mother’s belongings to give them a proper burial.

The younger sister Guo Nier left to join maternal relatives, leaving Qin Ying alone with a three-room rundown house.

Aunt Zhao, a widow with her young son Zhao Hu, was their neighbor. Fiery in nature, she took pity on Qin Ying, who was being harassed by idle men in the village, and had her move in.

The three struggled to survive together.

It hadn’t rained for three years. The mountains were barren. All stored food had long been exhausted.
Desperate villagers began to lose their humanity—some even dug up the recently buried to eat.

There were also those who ambushed travelers on the road, calling human flesh “two-legged sheep.”
But such prey was not reliable.

168 was grateful: if she hadn’t been a lucky koi system, she really might’ve ended up as food, just as Qin Ying feared.

However, when she tried to bind with Qin Ying, it failed. While she could still provide lucky koi enhancements, energy limitations meant they were weak.

With energy just over 2, consumption was inevitable. 168 quickly fell back into a dormant state—appearing asleep to Qin Ying and Aunt Zhao.

Qin Ying beamed with joy. “Auntie, look how well-behaved she is—not even a single cry.”

Aunt Zhao quickly dug out Zhao Hu’s old clothes. Together, they began to cut and resew them.

168’s original swaddling and underclothes were carefully stored away by Qin Ying. She hoped that if the child’s biological parents ever came looking, they would serve as proof.

At midnight, 168 awoke. Qin Ying and Aunt Zhao were fast asleep. Feeling bored, she heard a strange noise outside.

She activated the surveillance.

Two sneaky men had climbed over Zhao’s courtyard wall.

They crept along while whispering to each other.

Unfortunately, the audio function wasn’t enabled—she could only see them drooling and gesturing, nearly fighting each other.

Weak and scrawny, they were soon panting heavily. They stopped fighting and crept toward the east window.

168 pouted and gave Qin Ying a koi boost.

With her good luck, those who held malicious intent would suffer misfortune.

Oh right—those who wished harm upon her, the koi system, would also suffer backlash~

Hmph, if only she could activate the rebound function!

Never mind, just enjoy the show!

Before reaching the window, Li Er stepped on a round log and pitched forward.
To steady himself, he instinctively flailed his arms—grabbing Zhang San’s waistband.

Zhang San had been tiptoeing. With a yank like that, how could he stay balanced?

Both tumbled forward.

By sheer bad luck, they landed on the messy woodpile right under the window.

With a loud “thud”, Li Er let out a world-shaking scream.
Zhang San clutched his crotch and jumped up, only to fall and roll on the ground, wailing in pain.