[Reclaim your freedom.]
____
Mission objective: escape the hospital alive.
Rewards: 4 attribute points, plot knowledge (limited to the novel "The Abandoned Wife and the Regretful CEO"), and a random Bronze-level skill.
Penalty for failure: Continued imprisonment and loss of leg movement.
____
'Are you serious?'
[Sorry, I did not understand the question. Please explain.]
'I'm risking my life here, and the rewards are... this? And what's with that penalty?'
What a stingy system. Last time I almost died and all I got was a heal — and it wasn't even that great, it just stopped me from dying immediately.
[I can understand your frustration, Host, but from my perspective, these are high-level rewards.]
I paused to think about the system's words.
In a way, it was right. I've seen how powerful attributes are, and a Bronze-level skill definitely has its uses — assuming, of course, I don't get something useless.
I just didn't understand the second reward.
Plot knowledge.
It would've been useful if I had it at the beginning, but now I have a superhuman yandere chasing me. How exactly is that knowledge supposed to help me?
'System, you should know the plot has gone to hell. Many events from the original story won't happen anymore, so that reward is kind of useless.'
[You may be right. But from my perspective, this is the most valuable reward, as it not only reveals possible future events but also offers valuable insights into certain characters.]
I sat back down on the bed, reflecting on the system's words.
I realized it was right about that... but it's still useless.
Most likely, the plot of the abandoned wife novel will focus on Gu Sheng and Bai Xue's POV.
Bai Xue is already almost broken. Anything I could learn would be pointless, and on top of that, she has a system now.
As for Gu Sheng... why the hell would I want to know more about him? I'm not his friend or anything, and I don't plan to be.
'Let's make a deal, System.'
[What kind of deal?]
I smiled maliciously inwardly, already planning how I would trick— explain my point of view to the system.
'It's simple: I want an advance on the rewards.'
The blue system screen flickered a few times, as if thinking, and it didn't take long for a new text box to appear.
[I understand, Host, but I can't do that for free. I will have to take 25% of all three rewards, and if you fail, the rewards will be revoked.]
I frowned.
This mercenary system was robbing me in broad daylight. Did it see through my intentions in advance?
But this is good. Originally, I planned to offer the entire second reward just to make the system accept my deal.
Heh, now I've thought of something better.
'We can do that, but instead of 25% of all rewards, you can take 50% of the plot knowledge. No more, no less.'
The system fell silent, seemingly incredulous. But it didn't take long before a message exploded in my face.
[Are you trying to rob me to my face?!]
'ME?! Of course not!'
I made my expression as honest as possible.
'Actually, you're the one robbing me. After all, plot knowledge is the most valuable reward — you said so yourself.'
[...]
[You would've sounded more honest if you weren't smiling like a lunatic.]
I covered my mouth. There really was a smile there.
"Ahem—"
I coughed a few times to hide the embarrassment and questioned the system again in my mind.
'Anyway, are you going to accept the deal or not?'
[It's your loss, so I don't care. I accept. But you'll only receive the plot after completing the mission.]
'Fine. Plot knowledge is useless to me anyway.'
[I hope you don't regret it later.]
The blue screen hovered menacingly in front of my face, and seeing how mocking the system was, I questioned myself for a moment.
Had I really made the right choice?
[You can now claim your rewards. No refunds.]
"..."
Well, even if I made a hasty decision, it's already done.
"Status."
____
Name: Bai Ryuu (Kurokawa Ryuu)
Title: Level 1 System Host.
Attributes:
Strength - 4.0
Agility - 4.0
Vitality - 1.4
Charm - 8.0
Intelligence - 11.0
Free attribute points available: 4.0
Special traits: 16-inch member, hidden when inactive (Gold). Mind's Eye (Gold).
Skills: none.
(skill card available)
Use?
____
The screen glowed before my eyes, displaying the available skill card.
"I don't have time to waste."
I reached out and touched the floating interface. Instantly, the card shattered into fragments of golden light that slithered through the air before merging into the palms of my hands.
A strange tingling ran through my fingers, traveling up my wrists and settling in my forearms like a dormant electric current.
[Skill acquired: Magnetic Hands (Bronze).]
[Description: The user's hands function like magnets. One hand attracts metals, while the other repels them. The poles can be switched with each use.]
"Hm..." I murmured, examining my palms. "Could be worse."
Honestly, I liked this skill, but I'm still not sure how useful it will be.
"Let's test it."
My eyes scanned the room for something to use. There wasn't much — Bai Ning had made sure to remove anything that could be used as a weapon or tool.
But there were still a few things, like: the metal tray on the bedside table. The IV stand, now empty, beside the bed.
And, of course, the bed itself, with its tubular steel frame.
I extended my right hand toward the tray and focused.
Attraction.
The tray trembled, slid a few centimeters across the table, and then flew toward me. I caught it midair with a satisfied smile.
Now the left hand.
Repulsion.
The tray was flung back, hitting the mattress with a dull thud.
"Moderate magnetism..." I evaluated. "Not strong enough to hold me during a free fall, but it could be useful in other situations."
I continued testing with other objects.
The metal IV stand creaked when I pulled it, but its base was too heavy to move easily. The bed frame reacted similarly — I could feel it vibrate, but not lift it.
"I see. Objects that are too heavy are out of my reach. Still better than nothing."
Now, the attributes.
"System, allocate three points to Vitality."
[Allocating...]
The transformation was immediate.
A wave of heat exploded in my chest, right where the wound was. My entire body trembled as the sensation flowed through my veins like boiling water, and I instinctively grabbed the bandage.
But the pain that had been with me since the alley fight simply... disappeared.
It wasn't healing.
I could still feel the wound there, a faint ache beneath the skin, but it was as if my body had become so resilient that the damage no longer mattered.
Before, I couldn't even do sit-ups because of the pain... but now I feel like I could do two hundred without even breaking a sweat.
And that wasn't the only change.
The soreness from my previous exercise vanished, and my muscles suddenly relaxed.
It felt like I had been carrying an invisible weight all week without realizing it, and now it had finally been lifted.
"What...?"
I rolled my shoulders, turned my neck, and the sense of relief was almost euphoric. My body felt lighter, looser, more... balanced.
[Your strength and agility were disproportionate to your previous vitality. The host's body was under constant strain to maintain structural integrity. With the updated vitality, that strain has been eliminated.]
"So I was slowly destroying myself without even knowing it?" I asked, incredulous.
[In simplified terms, yes.]
"And you didn't think that was important to tell me?"
[There was no immediate risk of death. Only chronic discomfort.]
I rolled my eyes.
Why wasn't I surprised by that kind of answer?
But setting that aside, I still had one attribute point left and no idea how to use it.
For now, I'll save it for emergencies.
"Status."
____
Name: Bai Ryuu (Kurokawa Ryuu)
Attributes:
Strength - 4.0
Agility - 4.0
Vitality - 4.4
Charm - 8.0
Intelligence - 11.0
Free attribute points: 1.0
Special traits: 16-inch member (Gold). Mind's Eye (Gold).
Skills: Magnetic Hands (Bronze).
____
"Much better."
I walked to the window with steady steps, each movement flowing with a naturalness I hadn't felt in days.
The cold breeze drifting in brushed against my face, and I leaned out, examining the hospital's outer wall.
Unfortunately, I saw nothing but a smooth, white, immaculate surface.
No fire escape, no visible ventilation ducts, no ledges I could grab onto.
Sheng-Li Hospital seemed to value its flawless aesthetic so much that it allowed nothing to disrupt the purity of its architectural lines.
"Incredible," I muttered with irony. "A hospital that looks more like a monument."
I looked down at the ground dozens of meters below. Even with four vitality, I'm sure I wouldn't survive that fall without breaking my legs.
The only possible route was to go down to the floor below.
The cold breeze at that height caressed my face as I stared into the abyss. The wind whispered promises of freedom against my skin, but also of death — a duality that perfectly mirrored my situation.
I looked back at the hospital room that had been my prison for a week. The bed where I slept, the monitors tracking my vital signs, the armchair where Bai Ning spent hours watching me.
"I need a rope," I murmured.
My eyes scanned the room for anything useful. The bedsheets were too thin to support weight, but the blanket...
I walked to the bed and pulled it free. It was made of synthetic material, not exactly strong, but thick enough.
Then I pulled the sheet from under the mattress and tore the pillowcase off.
"Now, how do I turn this into something that won't fall apart halfway down?"
I sat on the edge of the bed and got to work. I tore the sheet into long strips, using my teeth to start the cuts when my hands weren't enough.
The pillowcase was shredded into even thinner strips, which I used to tie the ends of the larger strips together.
The process was tedious, but I wasn't in a hurry. Bai Ning would be out for a few hours, according to her. I had time — but not unlimited time.
When I finished, I had an improvised rope about three meters long. It wasn't pretty, and it certainly wouldn't inspire confidence in anyone, but it seemed strong enough to support my weight.
Now, the next problem: where to tie it?
I looked around, but nothing inspired confidence.
That's when I noticed something below me.
The bed.
It was the only thing I could use. It was large and heavy — it definitely wouldn't be pulled along with me.
"That's it."
I dragged the bed to the window, the metal legs scraping against the floor with a sharp sound that made me flinch.
If there were guards in the hallway, they definitely would've heard it. I held my breath for a few seconds, waiting for the door to open and someone to come in to investigate.
A few seconds passed.
No one came.
I let the air out slowly and continued.
I tied one end of the rope to the bed's metal frame, making several knots and testing its strength with firm tugs. The bed shifted a few centimeters, but remained relatively stable.
The other end, I threw out the window.
I watched the rope descend, swaying against the hospital's white wall.
It didn't quite reach the window below — it stopped about a meter above it — but it would be enough... I hope.
'System, put my remaining attribute point into Agility.'
[Allocating...]
[Agility updated: 5.0.]
I felt the change immediately. My limbs became lighter, my reflexes sharper. It was as if the world around me had slowed down by a fraction of a second, giving me more time to react.
With agility five, I was confident I could make this descent without problems.
I climbed onto the window ledge, gripping the rope with both hands. The wind lashed against my face, and I looked down.
A chill ran through my body.
The ground was so, so far away. Dozens of meters of free fall. Tiny people walked like ants, cars moved like toys.
My stomach churned.
"Thinking about escaping is easy," I muttered to myself, my fingers tightening around the rope. "But in practice... no one would do this."