Chapter 3: Task

“Host, don’t be nervous. I’m an intelligent system that travels through time and space. I’ve been to many different universes, and now, I’m in your brain.”

“A parasite? Are you going to eat my brain?” Qin Ze was startled.

“... No. I am complicated to explain, a creature of this tri-dimensional world would not understand. You can think of me as a golden finger* of a web novel’s male lead.”

[T/N: A ‘golden finger’ helps someone get skills and become stronger.]

"Oh!" Qin Ze nodded, then scratched his head and violently bounced up from the seat. "No, I shouldn’t believe this! I’m going to the hospital..."

He was about to walk away when he suddenly lost control of his body and sat back down again.

All while Qin Baby looked at him, stunned.

Qin Ze was teary. “Sister, help me! You need to save me.”

“Have you lost your mind?” Qin Baby guarded her chest with one hand and felt his forehead with the other. “Is there water in your brain?”

“No, there’s- … I’m fine.” He lost control of his speech, as a mechanical voice said in his mind, “Host, don’t expose my existence. Otherwise, you will be obliterated.”

“What the hell are you?!” Qin Ze roared in his heart. “You can control my body? Don’t tell me you’re some kind of golden finger from a web novel, I can distinguish fiction from reality!”

"I have traveled to several times and spaces and changed masters many times. There were many like you. It doesn't matter. You’ll accept it slowly. Now, your first task is to help Qin Baby sign with Xingyi Entertainment. Failure will result in deduction of points, and if all your points end..."

Qin Ze shivered. "I’ll be obliterated?"

"That would not be the case, I would choose another host."

"Then choose someone else!"

“But when I traveled to this world, I lost a lot of energy. To transfer to another host, I’ll need to drain your energy. Are you sure you want to give up?”

“What will happen to me if you drain my energy?”

“You’ll be vegetative.”

“... I like golden fingers the most… are you sure you won’t eat my brain?”

“No!”

“Then, what do I do?”

"The task begins now, you have three hours. I’ll repeat: Help Qin Baby sign with Xingyi Entertainment. Succeed and you will be rewarded 300 points, failure will result in a deduction of 100 points."

"Sister, if you want to enter the entertainment industry, it’s not impossible. You just have to plan your steps well." A gentle smile hung on Qin Ze's face, like an old teacher.

“There really is water in your brain. Your sister will call an ambulance for you.” Qin Baby frowned and pulled out the phone from her chest to dial.

"Get lost," Qin Ze, like a tiger pouncing on his prey, swiftly hugged his sister and recaptured his phone.

"You’re not lying?" Qin Baby stroked her hair. After such fierce resistance, she had never expected this. Her face flushed, tears starting to well up.

"I’m not lying."

"You’re such a good brother, Sister likes you the most." Qin Baby suddenly smiled and kissed Qin Ze's face.

"But the entertainment industry really isn’t easy to enter. People won't want you just because of your face." Qin Ze frowned. "Let me think..."

"You don’t need to think, I was already prepared as long as you didn't report me." Qin Baby sat on the sofa, "When I resigned, my boss asked me why I left. I said I wanted to enter the entertainment industry, he said he had some personal connections at Xingyi Entertainment and offered to help me out. So I have an interview at ten today."

Qin Ze suddenly realized that the road had already been paved, and his sister told him only because the two lived together. It was not something she would be able to hide from him. 

The system’s task just happens to be signing with Xingyi Entertainment? It was obviously not a coincidence. Thinking about it, he was a college student, how could he help Qin Baby sign with an entertainment company? 

With this interview, the difficulty was reduced by a lot. It was like a rookie’s task acquired from a Novice Village. The village chief said: ‘Brave warrior, help me kill the big boss... Oh, but he’s already fatally injured and on the brink of death.’

This was reasonable.

The interview was at ten o’clock, it was now half-past eight, there was still plenty of time. Qin Baby hurriedly went to her room to get changed. She came out looking like a completely different person. Wearing a female professional suit, on top of a white shirt, no stockings, and black high-heeled shoes, made her look like a capable work woman. She also applied light makeup.

Qin Baby already had perfect facial features. After putting on makeup, she looked absolutely bewitching. Qin Ze quickly covered his eyes.

“What are you doing?” Qin Baby said, gently brushing her maroon, curly hair with her hands.

“Your brightness blinded me.” Qin Ze said exaggeratedly.

“You’re too much.” Qin Baby said, but the corners of her mouth exposed her pride.

The siblings took the elevator to the underground parking garage of the semi-new condominium. Qin Baby's car was a red BMW. It took her six months' worth of salary plus some help from her family. She bought it at the beginning of the year, it was brand new.

Once in the car, Qin Baby kicked off her high heels and threw them to Qin Ze, who was sitting in the co-pilot. She started the car and drove out of the parking lot.

Xingyi Entertainment was 20 kilometers away from their area. They were at the peak of rush hour. The traffic in Shanghai could drive you insane. After the red car drove out of the condominium, it passed two traffic lights and successfully got on the viaduct, and then started to go at a speed of 30 or 40 km/h.

Qin Ze held his sister's high heels and leaned against his seat to take a nap, communicating with the system in his mind.

"What on earth are you?"

"A cosmic calculus system."

"What is that?"

"It's hard for creatures in a three-dimensional world to understand what I am. My ultimate goal is to calculate the universe."

"Why are you in my head?" Qin Ze didn't understand, so he had to change the subject.

"You were randomly selected. Hosts chosen in every space-time are random."

"Every time and space? I don't understand, but that sounds awesome," Qin Ze said.

"Time and space are the greatest mysteries of the universe. Time is a one-way flow, and space is endless. The universe is so big, there are no borders, and there are countless planets with intelligent life. My capabilities lie in the field of space, so I have been to a lot of times and places, and every intelligent creature that has been my host became a popular figure of that time."

"God, please let me kneel," Qin Ze complained, and then said, "I’ve read novels, ones where it’s possible to pluck stars, take the moon and live forever."

[T/N: God, please let me kneel meme.]

"I've been to a similar world."

Qin Ze was excited. "Then can I become immortal? Live forever?"

"Ridiculous. There is nothing eternal in the world. The sun will come to an end one day. According to my guess, even the universe is not eternal. Including me."

"Can I live as long as the sun?"

"No. The formation of the world depends on many factors. Each world and its laws of existence are different. You live in a world where human beings cannot ascend to the skies."

"Are you of any use?" Qin Ze felt disappointed, every boy dreamt of being an immortal hero.

"Qin Ze, born in 1995, has a mediocre physique, average intelligence, and mediocre grades. According to the current trajectory of your life, your sister Qin Baby will be the most beautiful woman you have ever seen, and your life will be mediocre. But I can change your life and your destiny, so I think I am still of use."

"You saying that really makes me want to die," Qin Ze covered his face. "Then what use are you?"

"Time to tutor the novice. Please open the system interface."

"How do I open it? At least give me a hint. Should I shout ‘system interface’ for it to appear?" As soon as Qin Ze's voice fell, a glittering blue virtual interface jumped out in front of his eyes, reminding him of the 3D projections he’d seen online.

His name, “Qin Ze”, was on the upper left corner of the virtual interface, with two options below it. “Task” and “Points Mall”!

Qin Ze stretched out his finger and clicked on "Task". The task details appeared on the virtual interface.

Main task: help Qin Baby sign a contract with Xingyi Entertainment Co., Ltd., succeed and you will be rewarded 300 points, fail and 100 points will be deducted.

He then clicked “Points Mall”, but a message popped up. ‘This function has not been activated!’

"System, what's in Points Mall?"

"Things that will help you get to the top of your life."

"It hasn't been activated yet because I have zero points?"

"Yes. Host, please work hard."

"I'd like to ask, what in the hell is this task?"

"The task is not in hell, but I can probably understand what Host means. There is no such thing as a free lunch. You have to make an effort to get what you want. If you want to exchange points for things in the Mall, you have to do tasks all the time."

"In what conditions do the tasks appear? Don't tell me you want me to commit murder and arson or molest girls."

"The conditions for the appearance of a task are determined according to the Host’s state, the people and things around, and the Host’s desires."

"So if I want to molest a girl, it’s possible for there to be a mission to molest girls?"

"Yes."

"I’ve had enough of you." Qin Ze’s mouth twitched. Who didn't have a dark corner in their mind?

"In the event of such a task, Host can choose to give up. The system will automatically deduct points."

"Hey, there are props here?" Qin Ze found that at the end of the task details, there was a gray line: ‘Task Props’.

"This is an auxiliary prop for the first task. The activation requirements have not yet been reached. You’ll have to wait patiently."

At this time, Qin Baby turned around and looked at him, curiously asking, "What are you doing, gesticulating with your hands and feet?"

"My head is broken." Qin Ze said, shutting down the system interface.

Qin Baby snorted, looked ahead, and concentrated on driving. Qin Ze looked at the side of his sister's face in a daze. The straight nose, thin lips, and slightly raised chin reminded him of Greek sculptures. They didn’t look alike at all. Qin Baby had always been praised by relatives for being lovely, she grew into a beauty without surprise. A garden flower in kindergarten and a beauty queen in school. The love letters she received were more than enough to wipe Qin Ze's butt for more than ten years. Qin Ze, on the other hand, was quite ordinary. Regular features, at most, slightly above average. He had seen pictures of his father when he was young. He could only say that he was “okay” and his mother just “pretty”. Together, they gave birth to a daughter, passing on all their good genes. When it was Qin Ze's turn, there was nothing left. He turned out so-so.