Chapter 1: The Miserable Otaku

Chapter 1: The Miserable Otaku

Qin Ze woke up to find that the world had changed.

At the very least, his bed had changed. Before, it was a seven-year-old, second-hand Simmons mattress, slightly worn but still comfortable, soft, and bouncy. Occasionally, when he invited a girl over for some "exercise," it would even emit a creaking "yi-ya yi-ya" melody as accompaniment. Now, however, he felt cold and hard beneath his back, lying on something extremely uncomfortable. Discover new chapters at novelhall.com

What puzzled him even more was the unbearable air quality. It stank, like sleeping in a pigsty. He admitted that his own "doghouse" had its own peculiar smell, but it was far more tolerable than this.

As he prepared to sit up and see where he was, he realized that every part of his body ached, causing him to wince in pain. "What the hell? What's going on with me?"

Suddenly, he noticed something even stranger. He was wearing clothes! He was always a naked sleeper, and the color and quality of these clothes seemed oddly archaic. "Why do they look like ancient costumes?"

"What's happening? This doesn't make sense."

Just as he lay there pondering, a sound came from the next room, "Huff, huff, huff..."

"What's that noise?"

"Is it a pig making that sound?"

"Do I have a pig as a neighbor?"

"Holy shit, I've lived here for years and didn't know my neighbor kept a pig..."

"A pig? Wasn't it the meat-selling girl who usually left late and returned early...?"

Qin Ze lay there frozen, as if struck by lightning, staring blankly at the thatched roof above him. Sunlight peeked through the cracks in the tiles, casting gentle rays on his face. In that moment, he was stunned.

He couldn't believe what was happening.

A seasoned otaku, Qin Ze spent his days immersed in the worlds of games, novels, and anime. He never believed in the time-travel tropes found in novels, knowing them to be mere gimmicks. If he could truly travel through time, he would be the first to try it, as it would be the only way to change his life.

He hated his current existence but refused to face reality, earning a living through game-leveling services. The night before, while leveling, he encountered a wild BOSS, which was strange since he knew the game intimately and knew that wild BOSSes didn't spawn. Without hesitation, he prepared to engage.

To his surprise, the BOSS spoke. "Don't attack me, don't attack me, I have something to say..."

"Something to say? Fuck off, where would I get my gear if I didn't fight you?"

Feeling no wrong in his actions, Qin Ze relentlessly assaulted the BOSS, who had no defense. Its health quickly dwindled.

Cultivation was out of the question. Qin Ze didn't fully understand the implications of a damaged Dan Tian, but the memory of endless nights of futile training told him that there was no future in it.

"Gods above, I'm a time traveler for crying out loud! Can't you throw me a bone?"

After pondering for a while, Qin Ze still couldn't find a shortcut to prosperity. He was nothing more than an otaku, clueless about business or making money.

If only there were online games here, he could've quickly turned his life around.

Qin Ze had a special affinity for gaming. Killing monsters, leveling up, completing quests, and raiding dungeons were his forte, surpassing even professional gamers.

But this world didn't even know what a computer was, let alone online games.

"Ah, you're awake?"

Z"Zhang Dafu, the owner of the Hibiscus Tavern, stepped into the room, a hint of surprise flickering across his face as he saw Qin Ze sitting on the edge of the bed. 'To still be alive after that beating, you're one tough bastard,' he said."

"Uh-huh," Qin Ze mumbled, glancing up at Zhang Dafu.

"Awake and you're just sitting there? Get your ass up and start working, you lazy piece of shit! What kind of face do you have to show after waking up?' Zhang Dafu bellowed, spittle flying everywhere."

Zhang Dafu was an outer disciple of the Qin Family who, unable to advance in cultivation, had taken up managing the family's businesses. The Hibiscus Tavern was one of his ventures.

Qin Ze found it incredible that Zhang Dafu's voice didn't rupture his own throat.

"Master, our young master just woke up, and his body isn't fully recovered yet. I can handle the work alone," said Meng Lei, a simple-minded man, a trace of fear in his eyes as he looked at Zhang Dafu.

Zhang Dafu sneered at Qin Ze and spat, "Young master? How did the Qin Family end up with such a waste? If it were up to me, I'd throw you into the Kunlun Mountains to feed the beasts, saving us all the embarrassment."

The Kunlun Mountains were one of the ten most dangerous places on the Tianyuan Continent, filled with perilous creatures and dangers that even the bravest avoided. Legends spoke of monstrous beasts that could take human form, their strength terrifying.

Located eighty li north of Qinghe City, the Qin Family ancestors had carved a path leading into the mountains, making it a must-pass for countless adventurers and contributing to the Qin Family's rise as the third most powerful clan in the city.

The Kunlun Mountains were both a peril and a treasure trove, filled with rare herbs and beast cores coveted by martial artists. However, for every person who entered, few returned, their fate often sealed.

A martial artist of Qin Ze's first stage would surely perish if thrown into the Kunlun Mountains.

"Master, how can you..." Meng Lei's face darkened, anger boiling within him. He had known Qin Ze for years and was willing to follow him through thick and thin, enduring hardships without complaint.