The System Arrived Four Years Early, but the Anomaly Is Still a Juvenile
Chapter 25
[Congratulations, Host! You’ve survived another day in this monster-infested world. Reward: 1% freely distributable attribute point, 10 system points.]
Shen Ge stayed up until midnight, allocating his daily reward point to his mental stats as usual before checking the system logs and daily tasks for updates.
[January 6, 2028. Day two of your vacation. You continued training through the system’s mission function. The organization’s promised “monster-energy weapon” arrived at the shelter—a butcher’s cleaver with an “indestructible” trait. After extensive testing, you were shocked to find that even explosives couldn’t leave a scratch on it.]
Huh?
A butcher’s cleaver?
“Wait… Did the system just pull a reward I was supposed to get ‘four years later’ and give it to me now?” Shen Ge found this log entry oddly suspicious.
Four years in the future, Shen Ge had awakened his system by slaying the “Silent One.” Four years ago, it had been the same. And now, four years later, the reward was the same butcher’s cleaver as before.
Unable to make sense of it, Shen Ge decided not to dwell on it. He closed the log and opened his daily tasks—only to find the same training mission as yesterday.
“Ugh. Another run to the office, huh?”
Dreading the grueling “exercise” awaiting him the next day, Shen Ge could only resign himself to an early bedtime after washing up. The next morning, he rose before dawn.
This time, having learned from experience, Shen Ge deliberately paced himself, stretching out the first three exercises to avoid arriving at the office completely exhausted.
The good news? The ten-kilometer run felt much easier this way.
The bad news? He was still an hour late.
[In this apocalyptic world overrun by monsters, a strong body is your lifeline. Successfully completing today’s training session: Strength +1%, Agility +1%, Constitution +3%. Reward: 50 system points.]
“Stomach trouble again today?” Old Zhao asked with concern as soon as Shen Ge sat down.
“Constipated today.”
“…”
Before Shen Ge could even boot up his computer, Cheng Shengnan appeared at the door of the general manager’s office and called out to him, “Shen Ge, come to my office. The proposal for Client Chen still needs revisions.”
Once Cheng Shengnan disappeared inside, Old Zhao shot Shen Ge a strange look.
“What?” Shen Ge asked.
“You’ve handled plenty of projects before, but I’ve never seen Cheng Summon you to her office every single day. Are you really just revising proposals? Nothing else?”
“I’ll be sure to relay your question to Cheng Shengnan.”
“Bro, I was wrong!” Old Zhao’s apology came lightning-fast, as if speed alone could outrun the consequences of his big mouth.
Shen Ge carried the proposal into the manager’s office, only to see Cheng Shengnan stand up, close the curtains, and then—instead of returning to her desk—sit down right beside him.
Shen Ge: ?
After three years as colleagues, is she finally making her move?
“…Yesterday, when I was driving out of the parking lot, I saw you getting into a black Hongqi limo with the license plate A**,”* Cheng Shengnan said, her expression grave.
“Uh, yeah. What about it?” Shen Ge asked.
Cheng Shengnan glanced toward the office area, ensuring no one was eavesdropping, then leaned in and whispered, “Last evening, there was a car accident on Chenghong Road. The news showed the license plate of the wrecked car—the exact same one you were in. And there were images of you talking to that woman who came to the office yesterday… Does this have something to do with those… dirty things again?”
*”Well… this story starts with a 15-yuan ride-hailing coupon.”* Shen Ge briefly summarized yesterday’s events.
As someone who had fought alongside her and witnessed the supernatural firsthand, he figured Cheng Shengnan deserved to know the world was changing. A little extra caution in daily life couldn’t hurt.
Cheng Shengnan’s face darkened. “Tell me… is the feng shui around here just terrible? Two supernatural incidents in two days? If so, I’ll push headquarters to fast-track relocating the office… Where do you think we should move?”
“…”
Shen Ge nearly replied that nowhere
on Earth was safe, but then a thought struck him. “What about the commercial building behind Tianchuan Theater?”
Cheng Shengnan frowned. “Tianchuan Theater? Downtown? Office rents there aren’t cheap… Headquarters would never approve.”
“Just find any office near Tianchuan Theater. It’s the safest spot.”
“Why?”
“That woman from yesterday is the head of Rong City’s Special Response Division. And their headquarters is right near Tianchuan Theater.”
After a moment of serious consideration, Cheng Shengnan nodded. “Alright. I’ll have my assistant scout for suitable offices in that area immediately.”
Shen Ge hadn’t expected Cheng Shengnan’s summons to be over something so trivial. Walking out of the office, he couldn’t help feeling a little disappointed.
“Sigh. And here I thought my paid leave was finally approved.”
Back at his desk, Shen Ge diligently worked (read: slacked off) the entire day. In the afternoon, Client Chen showed up again, eager to share his latest tiny idea.
Since Shen Ge had spent the last two days dealing with supernatural nonsense, he hadn’t even opened the project folder. Left with no choice, he printed out the first draft of the proposal and handed it to Client Chen.
To his surprise, Client Chen slapped him on the shoulder so hard it nearly ruptured his spleen. “Xiao Shen, you get me! This proposal is perfect—exactly what I wanted! Go with this version!”
Just like that, Shen Ge somehow scored a glowing review for submitting the initial draft.
After clocking out, he headed to the nearby market to stock up on fruits and veggies. Two straight days of instant noodles had left him craving something fresh.
Now that he had a system tracking his stats and health, a balanced diet was just as important as exercise.
[Warning! Host is entering an area with high monster activity! Multiple high-level monsters have detected Host’s presence via acute senses! For the sake of survival, evacuate immediately!]
Standing at the market entrance, Shen Ge scanned the interior and immediately spotted the “monsters”—a few stray dogs lounging by vegetable stalls, two Pomeranians cradled by a heavily made-up middle-aged woman, and several cats napping atop the awnings.
The scene reminded him of the dogs outside Tom’s Department Store, back when the system had warned of low-level monsters.
“So when the supernatural outbreak hits, the first to change are cats and dogs?”
Ignoring the warning, Shen Ge strode into the market. After all, system alerts meant opportunities for rewards.
[Warning! Warning! Warning! Host has been targeted by multiple monsters! Do not let your previous solo victory over a Tier 2 monster inflate your ego! Charging into a monster nest is ill-advised! Current assessment: Host cannot defeat two or more Tier 1 monsters simultaneously. Retreat at once!]
“Oh?” Shen Ge raised an eyebrow. If he recalled correctly, the system used to flag even a single Tier 1 monster as dangerous. Now it was saying he could take on one, just not multiple?
“Tch. Lousy system. Still no rating boost, huh?”
Mentally grumbling, Shen Ge circled the market three times, buying vegetables and fruits while teasing every animal in sight—even the fish in the tanks.
If live poultry slaughter were still allowed, he’d have happily squatted by the chicken cages for a chat with the roosters, too.
[Host displays unmatched bravery, facing three Tier 1 monsters head-on with wit and courage, successfully driving them back. Reward: 10 system points.] x3
Three sausages for 30 points? Not bad.
[Host outsmarts a Tier 2 monster, toying with its loyal minions through sheer eloquence. Reward: 20 system points.] x3
Shen Ge enthusiastically shared skincare tips with the Pomeranian-toting middle-aged woman.
[Host, drunk on confidence, charges solo into a monster nest! Under the collective gaze of countless monsters, Host remains unshaken, moving as if no monster dares bar his path! Reward: 50 system points.] x3
Yep. Three market laps.
By the time Shen Ge finished his shopping spree, he’d racked up a cool *240* system points. Just as he was about to leave, satisfied, a pitch-black rat—plumper than the average house cat—darted into a fish stall.
“You’ve gotta be kidding me.”
“This again?”
Shen Ge sighed.
Maybe I should write a book—call it One Supernatural Incident a Day and be done with it.