Chapter 207: Chapter
My eyes remained fixed on the narrow opening in the roof, but my mind was racing. Even if one person managed to squeeze through that tiny gap, the rest of us would still be trapped inside. Outside were nearly fifty armed guards, while inside there were only eight of us. The odds were completely hopeless.
For the first time since waking up in this world, I genuinely felt death standing right in front of me.
’System.’ I called out, my voice echoing inside my mind.
There was no response for a brief second. Then, the familiar mechanical voice finally answered.
[Host.]
I clenched my fists tight. ’Tell me you have a solution.’
[Scanning current situation...]
A translucent blue screen flickered to life before my eyes.
[Assessment Complete. Current survival probability: 12%.]
I almost cursed aloud. ’Twelve percent?’
[Correct.]
I took a slow, steady breath to calm my racing heart. ’Then help me. If you don’t do something, I might actually die here.’
The system remained silent for several moments before replying.
[Host’s life is protected by the Rebirth Protocol.]
I frowned. ’What?’
[If the Host dies before the main mission is completed, the system can revive the Host.]
My pupils shrank. ’...You never mentioned that.’
[I do remember mentioning it once.]
I had absolutely no words for that answer. ’So... if I die, I’ll just come back?’
[Correct.]
A wave of relief washed over me, but it barely had time to settle before the system continued.
[However...]
I already hated that word.
[The Rebirth Protocol only applies to the Host. All other individuals accompanying the Host will experience permanent death.]
The words struck me harder than Bao Zhao’s trap. Permanent.
Han Fuji. The six villagers. If they died here, there would be no second chances for them. No revival. Nothing.p
I slowly lowered my eyes to the floor. ’...So I’m the only one who gets another life.’
[Correct.]
A bitter smile touched my lips. *What a useless privilege.* If everyone around me died, what would be the point of surviving all by myself?
I immediately shook those dark thoughts away. Complaining wasn’t going to save anyone. ’Fine. Then help me another way. There has to be something in my inventory.. a skill, a weapon, anything.’
The blue screen flickered rapidly.
[Searching Host Inventory...]
Several transparent windows popped up in front of me, listing rewards, mission items, and consumables. It was everything I had accumulated since arriving in this world. The system searched through the list line by line.
Several long, tense seconds passed. Finally..
[Search Complete.]
I looked at the results, then blinked in disbelief. ’..That’s it?’
The list was embarrassingly short, and it read like a manual for a peaceful village life:
* Agricultural Knowledge
* Advanced Farming
* Medical Basics
* Cooking Enhancement
* Leadership Aura
* Mind Reading
There was not a single combat ability. Not one.
I stared blankly at the screen. ’...Are you serious?’
[Affirmative.]
A breathless laugh escaped me. ’I’ve completed so many missions, and I’ve nearly died multiple times. You never thought to reward me with a single fighting skill?’
The system answered without a hint of shame.
[Combat-related rewards have not met the distribution requirements. Host has primarily completed civilian development missions. Mission rewards are generated according to the mission category.]
’...You’re unbelievable.’
Outside, Bao Zhao’s calm voice echoed through the warehouse doors once more. "Have you all decided yet? You can surrender now. It will save everyone a great deal of pain."
I completely ignored him. Instead, I spoke to the system again, my mental voice dropping into a desperate whisper.
’There has to be something you’re missing. Search again. Look deeper.’
The blue screen flickered a second time.
[Conducting Deep Inventory Scan...]
The search took noticeably longer this time. The system seemed to be checking dark corners of the inventory it had completely ignored before. Several seconds passed, stretching my nerves to the breaking point.
Suddenly, the blue screen flashed brightly.
[Hidden Reward Detected.]
I froze, my breath catching in my throat. ’...Hidden reward?’
My heart hammered against my ribs as I stared at the flashing text. ’What is it? Tell me.’
The translucent screen flickered violently, text rapidly scrolling past until a single description locked into place.
[Reward Title: "The Ultimate Peacekeeper" (One-Time Use consumable)]
[Category: Hidden Achievement Reward (Unlocked by completely resolving the Unit Fifty dispute without casualties).]
[Description: Activates a temporary field of absolute compliance. For exactly three minutes, the Host’s "Negotiation" and "Leadership Aura" skills are amplified by 1,000%. Any enemy within a fifty-meter radius will be physically unable to attack and will feel an overwhelming psychological urge to listen to the Host’s terms.]
I blinked at the screen. ’A thousand percent? Three minutes?’
[Warning: Once the three minutes expire, the compliance effect wears off instantly. If an agreement has not been reached, the target’s hostility will increase by 200%.]
A high-risk gamble. But looking around at the pale faces of the six villagers and Han Fuji, who was still examining the roof rafters with a calculating smirk, I knew it was the only real shot we had.
If we tried to climb out of that narrow roof opening one by one, Bao Zhao’s men would hear us and shoot us down like birds in a cage. We couldn’t fight our way out, and we couldn’t run.
I had to talk our way out.
"Han Fuji," I said softly, my voice cutting through the tense silence of the warehouse.
He lowered his gaze from the rafters, his eyebrows arching slightly when he saw the look on my face. "Changed your mind about the roof?"
"We aren’t climbing," I said, checking my weapon one last time before sheathing it completely. "We’re walking out the front door."
The villagers gasped. One of them practically choked on his own breath. "Miss Su, are you crazy? There are almost fifty men out there! They’ll slaughter us!"
"They won’t," I said, my voice carrying a strange, heavy confidence that made them look at me in confusion. I looked at the system screen hovering in my vision.
’System, get ready to activate the reward the exact moment those doors open.’
[Awaiting Host command.]
I turned to the heavy wooden doors and took a deep breath. "Bao Zhao!" I shouted, my voice echoing clearly through the cracks in the wood. "We’re coming out!"
Outside, a brief silence fell, followed by a few muffled chuckles from the guards.
Bao Zhao’s smooth voice drifted back. "A wise choice, Miss Su. Have your men drop their weapons and step out slowly."
"Han Fuji, stay close to me," I murmured, stepping toward the heavy wooden bar blocking the door. "When I open this, just follow my lead. And whatever you do, don’t look surprised."
Han Fuji studied me for a second, his sharp eyes narrowing as if trying to figure out what kind of card I was playing. Then, a slow, amused smile crept onto his lips. "Alright, Su Long. Let’s see what you’ve got."
With the help of two trembling villagers, we lifted the heavy wooden beam from the brackets. The massive doors groaned as I pushed them outward, letting the bright morning sunlight pour into the dusty warehouse.
The moment I stepped out into the open air, my eyes immediately mapped the threat. Forty-eight men. Swords drawn, spears leveled, completely circling the clearing. At the front stood Bao Zhao, his hands neatly folded behind his back, looking at us like a cat watching mice step into a trap.
’System,’ I commanded in my mind. ’Activate it. Now.’
["The Ultimate Peacekeeper" activated. Remaining time: 03:00... 02:59...]
A invisible ripple seemed to burst outward from my chest, sweeping across the clearing in a fraction of a second.
Instantly, the atmosphere changed.
The sneers on the guards’ faces froze. The oppressive, terrifying pressure of forty-eight armed men evaporated into a strange, heavy stillness. Several guards who had been raising their spears suddenly lowered them by an inch, their eyes widening in sudden, unexplainable confusion. It was as if a physical weight had dropped onto their shoulders, locking their weapons in place.
Even Bao Zhao’s smug smile faltered. His posture stiffened, his sharp eyes blinking rapidly as he looked at me, a sudden wave of hesitation crossing his elegant features. He opened his mouth to order his men to seize us, but no words came out. His throat visibly moved as he swallowed, his mind clearly fighting against an overwhelming, inexplicable urge to just... stand there and listen.
I took a step forward, my boots crunching loudly against the dry earth. With the 1,000% boost from the system, every word I spoke felt like a heavy iron weight dropping onto the clearing.
"Bao Zhao," I said, my voice calm, steady, and terrifyingly commanding. "Let’s talk about your brother’s ledger."
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