Chapter 2: The "Ordinary" Youth Chosen by Fate
As the shimmering light of the initialization interface receded like a tide, Bai Qinglai smelled a refreshing, soul-soothing fragrance before he even opened his eyes. It wasn't a synthetic scent; it was the genuine aroma of peach blossoms, carrying the scent of damp earth and greenery.
He slowly opened his eyes, his pupils trembling slightly.
Before him lay a boundless peach forest. Pink petals fell like snowflakes, some brushing gently against his cheeks with a faint, ticklish sensation. He instinctively reached out to catch one. The texture against his palm was delicate and real—even the cool breeze against his neck felt indistinguishable from reality.
"So this is Moon's Orbit..." Qinglai murmured. Although he had heard Joseph brag about it countless times, being physically present in this "Peach Blossom Spring" still made his heart race with awe.
However, the tranquility was soon shattered by a barrage of system notifications. Qinglai frowned and raised his hand to tap open the virtual control panel. A smooth tutorial interface popped up, guiding him toward the core feature: the Character Customization System.
Reflected in the center of the screen was his own face. A flat, mechanical voice announced: [Real-name authentication data detected. Initial module generated. Players may choose to use original facial data, select a template from the database, or adjust manually.]
Looking at the face on the screen, Qinglai fell into a long silence.
It was a strikingly beautiful face—pale skin and a natural sharpness blended with allure. His "peach blossom" eyes, in particular, looked perpetually misty, as if he were slightly intoxicated. In reality, this face had helped his business thrive, but it had also attracted endless unwanted attention. Even his ex-boyfriend's excuse for the breakup had been tinged with the prejudice that "you look too untrustworthy."
"I'm here to relax. I don't want to be stared at in the starting village." Qinglai's gaze darkened as his slender fingers slid rapidly across the screen.
Without mercy, he dragged his appearance rating down from a staggering 98 all the way to a 35.
On the screen, the youth transformed. His sharp features softened, the vivid allure washed away to reveal a healthy-looking, clean-cut, and quiet young man. He wouldn't stand out in a crowd; he looked like the studious boy next door—pleasant to look at, but certainly not breathtaking.
"Phew... much better." Qinglai looked at his new image with satisfaction.
He failed to notice that while his face had changed, the "Charm" stat at the bottom of the attribute column remained stubbornly locked at 98. He casually set his pain sensitivity to 10%—he had no desire to feel the sensation of being run through by a sword—and cranked the environmental comfort to the maximum.
The moment he pressed confirm, a roof-shattering scream erupted in the R&D department of Joseph's company on the other side of the world.
"Holy crap! Look at the backend! Less than an hour since launch, and someone triggered a 'Celestial-Tier' appearance rating!" A programmer pointed at the flashing red lights on his screen, his eyes nearly popping out of his head.
"What? A 98?! Is that even a human face?"
"This is the real-name authentication system! No makeup, no filters—it reads directly from the ID database!" another shouted, slamming the desk. "Which Omega or Alpha is this god-tier? It's like they stuffed the God of Beauty into the server!"
"Damn it, we don't have high-level clearance to see the specific face..." The office was filled with wails as programmers stared at the blinking red dot, wishing they could dive into the data just for one glimpse.
Back inside the game, Qinglai was staring blankly at a hidden attribute that had popped up on his screen.
[Detection: Player's original Charm stat meets the threshold. Hidden Achievement unlocked.]
[Forced Activation of Hidden Passive: [Friend of All Creation] (Permanent).]
[Description: Initial NPC Favorability +50%. In the eyes of NPCs, you are a rare "Darling." You are significantly more likely to receive unexpected gifts.]
"...Darling?" Qinglai's eyelid twitched. The word felt dangerously like being targeted by a "creepy uncle."
The next second, a burst of white light occurred.
He was transported to an extravagantly luxurious, ancient-style dressing room. Just as he was becoming dazed by the rows of purple, gold, black, and red shimmering outfits, a soft, mischievous "Meow" came from beneath his feet.
Qinglai looked down to see an impossibly beautiful Ragdoll cat. With snowy fur and deep sea-blue eyes, it sat elegantly on a mahogany stool.
"Welcome to Moon's Orbit. I am your Newbie Guide." The cat opened its mouth, sounding like a bratty young boy. "Now for the part players look forward to most—drawing your Special Attribute! This determines whether you'll be a powerhouse or a total noob!"
"Huh???"
"Don't be so nervous. It's just an extra special trait, think of it as bonus experience."
With a flick of its paw, two dice as white as mutton-fat jade suspended themselves in the air.
"Attribute Ranks go from N to UR. Add the dice together: 2 to 7 is N to R; 8 to 10 is S-rank; 11 is SSR. And a 12... hehe, that's the one-in-a-million UR-rank."
The white cat licked its paw, a mischievous glint in its eyes. "UR attributes offer massive rewards that can make you fly, but they come with matching restrictions. Do you dare to gamble?"
Qinglai raised an eyebrow. He never had much faith in his luck. He grabbed the dice and gave them a casual toss.
The dice spun rapidly on the mahogany table with a crisp clatter before finally settling—
A six and a six. Total: 12!
"Meow—?!" The white cat was so shocked it nearly slipped off the table. It stared with wide eyes. "A 0.1% Critical Success? Are you the developer's secret son?"
Instantly, a violet-gold glow enveloped Qinglai, and an ancient scroll slowly unfurled before him:
[Unique UR Attribute: Intertwined Branches]
[Luck Bonus]: Increases the chance of triggering hidden quests & drops high-quality gear from bosses.
[Special Permission]: High probability of triggering "Hidden Romantic Encounters."
[Restriction (The Devil's Clause)]:
The player must form a "Romantic Bond" (Partner/Couple) with another player within 7 days of entering the game.
Stats are doubled while the bond is active. If the player remains single after 7 days, or if the bond is broken without cause, this attribute is permanently lost, and the player's level will be forcibly reduced by 50% (EXP cleared).
[System Note]: Single dogs don't deserve ultimate luck. Since you're this beautiful, hurry up and fall in love!
Qinglai stared at the line "Single dogs don't deserve ultimate luck," his entire body as stiff as a statue.
He had only been out of a failed relationship for six months! He entered this game for work, for diaper money, and for relaxation—not to find another man to marry in a virtual world!
"Can I... return this?" Qinglai stared deadpan at the cat.
"No can do. UR attributes are soul-bound," the white cat said guiltily, burying its head in its paws. "Actually... since you look so 'ordinary' now, why don't you just grab a random passerby on the street and sign a contract marriage? It doesn't say you actually have to be in love."
"Damn it! What kind of crappy advice is that?!" Qinglai snapped.
A second later, he quickly covered his mouth. He was only screaming internally—why did it come out loud?
"Don't bother covering your mouth," the cat said, flicking its tail. "Holographic games use a mental-link. If your internal emotions are too strong, the system automatically converts them into voice output. This is our state-of-the-art 'True Personality' system."
Qinglai took a deep breath and closed his eyes. As someone with formal mental-discipline training, he quickly used his techniques to shut down his internal monologue like turning off a valve. His face instantly regained its calm.
To think the technology has evolved this far... he thought, though a streak of stubborn defiance rose within him.
He looked at his downgraded, honest-looking face in the mirror, then thought about the forced romance quest. He let out a cold snort.
Joseph!! If you didn't code my single status into this system personally, I'll eat my hat. This is definitely revenge.
Seeing him calm down, the white cat clapped its paws to lead the next step. "Alright, since destiny has chosen you, please select your Sect Background. This will determine the identity you'll use to find your other half in Moon's Orbit!"