"Did I just jump into some kind of fictional novel?" he thought, trying to recall what exactly a fictional novel was.
[ No. The host has been transmigrated into a novel-like world, parallel to your own. This world has a villain, a protagonist, and other characters similar to those found in a novel. However, this world is not written in any book. ]
He had been lying on the floor for over an hour, and surprisingly, he wasn't starving. He mulled over what the system had said.
"So, I was kidnapped and thrown into a suicide mission?"
[ No. ]
"Stop replying. I'm not asking!"
[...]
"So... my name is?"
[...]
"Hello? Why won't you answer?"
[ Downloading host's information... ]
The guy continued to stare at the broken, old ceiling. He remembered very little about his life in the original world. It felt like a puzzle with too many missing pieces. His heart ached for something he couldn't quite remember, but there was a strange, familiar feeling that tickled his lonely heart.
"How cruel… why can't I remember?"He didn't even know what he was trying to remember—he just knew he wanted to.
"System, are you there?"
[ The host's required information has been downloaded. Please proceed to the host's inventory. ]
"What? I have an inventory?"He immediately jolted upright and instinctively searched his body. Unexpectedly, he found some sort of bag hidden beneath his black robe. But this wasn't a normal bag you'd find in the real world. It may look small, but in reality, it could store a certain number of items of a certain size.
He opened the bag and found a thick book inside.
"A book?" he muttered. The system heard him and responded in its robotic tone:
[ This is the manual script and guide for the host's future endeavors. Also, regarding the host's memory—it was intentionally erased by the system and distributed across different levels. The more the host levels up, the more memories he will regain. Good luck! ]
The guy felt slightly wronged—but curiosity got the better of him. Without hesitation, he opened the book. As he flipped through the pages, notifications popped up one after another, accompanied by the system's robotic voice:
[ Congratulations! You have successfully reached a new level! ]
Current Level: 0.1
Weapons: None
Skills: None
Acquired: A piece of memory
Achievement: None
Mission: None
[ Please maintain your hard work! ]
In a flash, a bit of his memory returned.
His name was Shen Yao, 17 years old. He rented a small, hideous house near his old school—costing five times more than his pathetic salary (even including tips). With too many debts to count, he could only afford a piece of bread for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And that wasn't even the worst of it.
As memories came flooding back, Shen Yao realized he and the original owner of this current body shared many similarities.
For instance, this body's physical condition and social status were poor.Even more surprising—they shared the same name.
Shen Yao.
After a while, he decided to study the life of this world's Shen Yao, as written in the book. Although the book looked ordinary, it contained information unknown to most civilians. After all, technically, they weren't him.
For example, this world's Shen Yao had a past that only he knew—like when he was eight years old, abandoned and on the verge of dying. Fortunately, someone found him and took him in. They became close friends.
But it didn't last long. Three years later, Shen Yao lost his only friend and was left abandoned again—in the very house they once shared.He muttered, "This Shen Yao really doesn't know how to take care of himself…"
But as he read further, something felt… off.
"Hmm... Something's not right," Shen Yao mumbled."How could this Shen Yao's friend leave him in his own house? Did he have somewhere else to go? System, where did you even get this information? Why does it feel incomplete?"
[ The information in the book, aside from general knowledge about the world, consists of the original Shen Yao's fragmented memories—left behind in his soul and nearly forgotten. ]
"Forgotten? Fragmented?"
Shen Yao felt like his head was about to crack under the weight of it all.
"How did I end up receiving more problems instead of answers?"He sighed and closed the book.
"That's it—I quit! I just wanted to survive, and now you've thrown me into a suicide mission! And on top of that, I've got to gather someone else's memories while recovering my own?!"
System:[...]
The sun had set. The sky had darkened, and the houses around him lit up with warm orange light that poured through their windows. Families were sitting down to dinner—tender, delicious pork, chicken, fresh vegetables. Others were still out, locking up their shops, counting their coins, wondering if they could afford a small treat for their children.
Shen Yao lay down again, resting his arms beneath his head like a pillow as he gazed at the bright moon.He could almost smell stewed chicken from afar, the scent making his stomach growl in protest.
"System… when do I get my supplies?" he asked, his voice cracking and eyes glossy.
[ Greetings, Host. If the host wishes to receive supplies, a task must first be performed. ]
Shen Yao's mouth dropped open.
"What?" he exclaimed, sitting up straight."What kind of nonsense is that?" He knocked on the air, calling for the system again."Hey, system. What kind of task? Should I dance? Sing?"
The system responded:
[ Your task is to find someone. ]