*Connecting to the Creator...* *Connection established successfully.* "It happened again...." I muttered to myself, watching as everything around me froze. The colors drained from the world, turning everything black and white. It was like time had come to a halt, leaving me trapped in this eerie, lifeless landscape. *Receiving your system profile file link...* *Link received...* *Please open the system profile.* “Nero... you still there?” I asked, though I wasn’t really expecting a response. The silence reminded me of the last time we had this conversation—back when Nero and I had argued over his name. I smirked, remembering how close he had come to being stuck with the name *Daftian* just because the system lagged. He hated it. Without thinking, I clicked on the file link. "Should I mess with you again and name you *Daftian* this time?" I chuckled to myself, shaking my head at the memory. It was ridiculous, but at the moment, it was hilarious. *If not for the glitch, you'd
As I watch Lu Cian walk toward me, a strange feeling washes over me. He says, "Whenever I look at you, I always feel like I'm looking in a mirror." That line, one that echoed through the years, only hit harder now because I’ve come back from my past. I know what happens next.He’s a reflection of our father, with his gray hair and matching eyes. It’s uncanny. Lu Cian always embodied the heir of the Pion family. Meanwhile, I was the reminder of our mother, Von Fey Larisa, with my black hair and those same gray eyes. The eyes of the family I barely knew growing up. But now, standing here, it's like the distance between us—the secrets, the pain—it all feels so small. "So am I?" I chuckle weakly, touching my head as a wave of memories hits me again. Every painful, vivid detail of my past life flashes behind my eyes. “Not yet. To be honest, I kind of feel groggy. It’s probably because all of my memories are coming back,” I admit, rubbing my temples. The rest of the family watches us, c
“Argh.” I groaned, clutching my head as a heavy racket echoed in my mind. The pain was like a hammer pounding away at my skull, and I could feel my body tense up. [Detecting the problem...] [Problem organized...] [Your memory is slowly coming back. You will feel a little at ease later, but it will surely hurt again. Due to the powerful magic that has been inserted into you and the sudden magic shortage, you are experiencing head pain or a mild prickle in your brain.] “What’s happening?” Lu Shirley’s concerned voice broke through my haze, pulling me back to the present. “Nothing; I’m fine,” I managed to say, the discomfort ebbing slightly as I met her worried gaze. I glanced around and suddenly spotted Lu Cian, my younger brother. Memories of our past began to stir. “Cian, it’s been a while,” I said, forcing a smile onto my face despite the remnants of pain in my head. --- **-Flashback-** In my younger days, I was just an elementary school student, solitary by nature.
As they entered, I couldn’t help but think about how my mother had kept me away from them my entire life. I had never been allowed to meet my father’s side of the family. And now, here they were, walking into my home as if it were the most natural thing in the world."Ah, we were just curious about the new upgrades to the house," a woman’s voice said from behind. I looked up to see my stepmother, Lu Shey Gen, standing by the door with a warm smile.I forced a smile of my own. "Well, since you’re all here, why don’t we have dinner together?"The room fell silent. My siblings, my stepmother, even I was surprised by my own words. I hadn’t planned to say that—it just came out. In my past life, I pushed them away because I felt they only wanted to be with me because I got power, but in the end I found that they're really sincere. But before anyone could respond, a familiar voice interrupted. "Sure! We haven’t eaten yet," my father’s booming voice filled the room as he entered. Lu Urcel
As I bit into the chocolate bar, the sweet flavor of it melted in my mouth. It was a sensation I had never experienced before. This was the first time I tasted chocolate, and it was glorious. Every bite was better than the last, and as I washed it down with a swig of strawberry lemonade, a soft sigh of satisfaction escaped me. Suddenly, a familiar sound echoed in my head. **Ding!** [Emergency Assigned Quest! Upgrade the house.] **Reward: 100,000,000 golds, and Title: I'm the Great Head** **Failure: Food Market Closed** **Due Date: 1 hour** "Food market closed? Really? Isn't that a bit extreme? It's not like I won't do it... just, can't I enjoy my chocolate first?" I muttered, irritation growing as I set the bar down. "I swear you're too harsh sometimes." [I'm not the one who sells food, that's the system market's job. But it seems like it's taken a liking to you. I'm only responsible for assigning quests.] "So... you're just jealous because I'm prioritizing the market?" I r
Days had slipped by in the Underworld, each one more chaotic than the last. After the initial shock of the dungeon and the strange creatures that inhabited it, I found myself slowly adapting to the rhythm of life here. The tasks, the patrons, the dynamics of power—it was all a game, one I was beginning to understand. Now, as the time to return to the real world approached, I couldn’t shake the feeling of anticipation mixed with apprehension. The memory of the previous days loomed over me like a dark cloud, a constant reminder of the challenges I faced.**Ding!** [Time to return to your world.] *All players must prepare to exit the dungeon within the next 10 minutes.*I looked around at my fellow players, some of whom were still grappling with the reality of our situation. The bustling energy of the Underworld Food Resto was beginning to fade as the countdown started.Creatures I had served were now shuffling back to their respective realms, leaving behind the remnants of chaos a
As Eliana approached me again, her eyes were curious, with a tinge of suspicion. “So… is it true?” she asked, her voice low, trying to sound nonchalant but failing miserably. “Are you really a half-demon? And how on earth do you have all that gold?” I glanced at her briefly, sensing the weight behind her questions. My mind raced, calculating the best response without giving away too much. There was no way I’d tell anyone about my Ultimate Tycoon System—it was too valuable, too dangerous to be known. I shrugged, keeping my tone casual. “Why does it matter if I’m half-demon or not?” Eliana’s lips pressed into a thin line. “It matters because half-blood demons are rare. And the fact that you’re walking around with Nether Gold like it’s nothing? People talk, Lu.” Before I could respond, she launched into an explanation. “You see, in the Underworld, the currency system is broken down like this: copper, silver, gold, and then tokens. It takes 10 copper to make 1 silver, 15 silver to
As I guided the massive creature to his seat, every muscle in my body screamed to run. I could barely hide the tremble in my hands as I forced a smile. "This way, please." The creature loomed over me, its voice a deep rumble. “You’re lucky you spoke up,” it growled. “For a second, I thought I might make you my next meal.”I couldn’t help but laugh—fiercely, even—as I bowed. "Thank you for sparing me." I could hear the tension in my voice, but I stayed composed. As the creature settled down, I approached, preparing to take its order. But something changed. It leaned in, sniffing the air around me, its massive eyes narrowing with suspicion.“What is it?” I asked, keeping my tone neutral despite the rapid thudding of my heart.“You… smell like someone of a higher rank.” The creature’s voice was quieter now, almost fearful. “I can’t let you take my order. I’m just a lowly being.”I froze for a second, my heart hammering in my chest. My knees buckled beneath me, and before I realized it,
The grim atmosphere in the Underworld Food Resto had thickened over the last day. Two of the players from another team were now gone—killed due to failure. Their screams still echoed in the back of my mind, a chilling reminder that survival here wasn’t guaranteed. The system wasn’t merciful, and every mistake carried a price.**[11 players remaining: 9]**We were gathered in the dining hall, and as the notification vanished, the doors to the kitchen swung open. The top patrons and the grotesque supervisors of each team strode in with their haunting presence.Gorbul, the massive ogre-like figure who oversaw the kitchen, cracked his knuckles with a disturbing grin, while Drallith, the shadowy wraith in charge of service, hovered silently, his cold, mist-like fingers curling in the air. Zargath, the skeletal overseer of the order-taking team, moved with eerie precision as he floated by.“Today, things change,” Gorbul growled, his deep, gravelly voice vibrating through the room. “You’ll