[ Simulation System Initiated ]

[ Input: Player's Desire - "If only I could make this family better." ]

[ Process: Analyzing Simulation of Decisions to Fulfill Player's Desire ]

- [ Analyzing... ]

- [ Progress: 1% ]

- [ Progress: 2% ]

- [ Progress: 10% ]

- [ Progress: 50% ]

- [ Progress: 60% ]

- [ Progress: 80% ]

- [ Progress: 100% ]

[ Analysis Complete ]

[ Result: Mission Generated - "Rebirth of the Heavenly Marks Family" ]

[ Objective: Utilize knowledge from past life to elevate the status and fortune of the Heavenly Marks Family. ]

[ Actions Required: ]

[ - Directive: Select from the provided options. ]

[ - Warning: Non-selection will result in mission failure and the inability to achieve the player's desired outcome. ]

Nie Li's gaze darted across the screen, his mind racing faster than the countdown itself.

[ Option 1- My name is Nie Li ]

[ Option 2- Patriarch Nie Hai, Do you have the courage to make a bet with me ? ]

[ Option 3- Remain Silent ]

500

499

498

Nie Li pondered, "Can these choices truly improve my family's situation? How?"

Nie Li stood there, his mind racing as he considered his options.

Each one seemed like a different path in a dense forest, leading to unknown destinations.

The first choice, simply stating "[1- My name is Nie Li]," felt too ordinary, almost pointless. "Just announcing my name... What good would that do?" he thought.

"I'm just a farmer's son. Wouldn't saying my name out loud in such a grand manner make me look foolish, like I'm pretending to be more important than I am?"

Then there was the second option.

[ Option 2- Patriarch Nie Hai, Do you have the courage to make a bet with me? ]

This was daring, almost reckless.

It was like throwing down a challenge right in the patriarch's face.

"But what if he says no?" Nie Li worried. "Would I look weak, or would it make him seem scared? And what's the bet about anyway? Do I even have a solid plan for this gamble?"

The third choice, "[ Option 3- Remain Silent]," appeared to be the path of least resistance. "Isn't keeping quiet the same as giving up? Or does it mean I just avoid making things worse?"

He pondered if silence was really the safest bet, or if it was merely a quiet surrender, a missed opportunity to change his fate.

As Nie Li weighed his options, he realized each choice came with its own set of risks and possibilities.

With each tick of the countdown, Nie Li's heart pounded louder in his chest.

Three paths lay before him, each leading to a future unknown.

He could stand tall and reveal who he was, challenge the powers that be, or stay hidden in the background.

But Nie Li knew deep down he didn't come back to this point in time to just watch life pass him by.

The countdown numbers dropped quickly: 250... 200... 150...

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Time was running out.

"This decision... it's not just for right now. It's for the future, for my family's future," Nie Li thought, feeling the enormity of this moment.

These options were indeed tied to the mysterious system that allowed him to travel back in time, then there had to be a reason for them.

A reason bigger than he could see right now.

And so, with a deep breath and a sense of purpose fueling his heart, Nie Li made his choice.

[ Selection Confirmed: Player Nie Li has chosen Option 1. ]

"My name is Nie Li," he declared, his voice strong and clear, cutting through the noise of the hall like a sharp knife.

Everything and everyone around him seemed to freeze, the previous laughter and mocking looks suddenly stopped in their tracks.

The crowd looked at him, puzzled.

Their faces filled with confusion, as if they were all thinking, "Why would he just say his name like it's something big?"

Before anyone could break the silence or start whispering again, time seemed to stand still once more.

The screen that had been counting down flashed urgently in front of Nie Li.

[ Option 1- Patriarch Nie Hai, Do you have the courage to make a bet with me? ]

[ Option 2- Remain Silent ]

Nie Li's heart was racing.

The system seemed to be nudging him towards a bold confrontation he hadn't initially intended to face.

There was no turning back now; he had to move forward.

Silence wouldn't protect him here.

As he prepared himself for what was to come, he felt the weight of his decision heavy on his shoulders.

It was a gamble, a step into the unknown, but he was ready to take that leap of faith. He needed to change his future, and this was his chance.

Taking a deep breath, which felt as significant as if it were his first, Nie Li made his choice.

[ Selection Confirmed: Player Nie Li has chosen Option 1. ]

As soon as time resumed its flow, Nie Li found himself saying, "Patriarch Nie Hai, do you have the courage to make a bet with me?"

The entire hall turned to him in shock. His challenge, bold and direct, silenced the crowd.

The idea of him, a young man of mediocrity standing, daring to challenge the Patriarch was unheard of.

Every face in the room turned towards him, their expressions a mix of disbelief and curiosity.

The silence deepened, weighed down by the audacity of Nie Li's words.

Nie Li could almost hear his father's unspoken questions, "What are you doing?"

Nie Li, feeling the sudden shift in the room, raised his gaze. The figure that now commanded the attention of all was a portrait of authority sculpted by time itself. Patriarch Nie Hai, the venerated Gold rank Demon Spiritualist of the Heavenly Marks Family, emerged from the shadows like a deity from the folds of history.

His appearance was both formidable and dignified. His white hair, the symbol of his longevity and wisdom, was neatly tied atop his head, and his long, segmented beard seemed to accentuate the sharpness of his features. His eyes, narrow and deep, bore the weight of countless battles and decisions, and his stern, commanding expression was a testament to the burdens of leadership.

Draped in traditional attire befitting his status, he sat on a throne-like chair that seemed to hold not just the man, but the legacy he carried. The elder's pride and the young man's defiance both paled in the presence of such gravitas.

A pause hung in the air, filled with unspoken questions and unease. Then, with a voice that carried the resonance of authority and a trace of curiosity, Patriarch Nie Hai addressed Nie Li directly, his words like stones cast upon the surface of a still pond.

"Quite the bold declaration you have there, boy. Pray tell, what is this bet?"

His question was not just an inquiry; it was an opening — a chance for Nie Li to speak, to justify his challenge before the assembled family. All eyes were on the young man, whose heart beat with the ferocity of a war drum in his chest.

Nie Li noticed something different in the eyes of some branch family members—admiration.

The adults among them, who had long harbored dreams too big to voice, found a sliver of respect for Nie Li.

Despite thinking his actions might be because he was retarded, they couldn't help but admire his courage.

Now, all eyes were on Patriarch Nie Hai, waiting for him to respond to this unexpected challenge from the most unlikely member of their family. The tension in the air was palpable, as everyone held their breath, waiting.

The whispers and quiet laughter that had filled the hall were cut short by Elder Wei's stern rebuke.

"Such insolence!" he thundered, disbelief and anger twisting his features.

"To speak in such a manner during the soul ceremony is to disgrace your ancestors and the very name of the Heavenly Marks Family."

His words were heavy, meant to put Nie Li back in his place and remind everyone of the order within their family.

But before the full impact of Elder Wei's rebuke could hit him, a new sound caught everyone's attention—the slow, deliberate creak of wood.

The room fell silent, as if the sound had sucked all the noise out of the air.

Every eye turned, drawn to the source of the sound as if pulled by invisible strings.

The heavy gaze of Patriarch Nie Hai settled on Nie Li, expecting a response to the bold declaration that had echoed through the hall moments before.

But silence unfurled from Nie Li instead.

His eyes darted around the room, a silent plea for the mysterious text of the system to grant him guidance.

But there was nothing—no text, no options, no cryptic advice.

Just the expectant eyes of the patriarch and the growing impatience etched on his aged face.

Nie Li's mind was a tempest of questions. The system had thrust him into the limelight with a challenge, a bet, but had left him without a script in this critical scene.

As the patriarch's expression began to shift from curiosity to disappointment, the murmurs started anew.

Mocking smiles and sneers crept into the faces of those around him, the hall echoing with the sound of their disdain.

The system had been my crutch, my hidden guide, but now, it was silent, completely inactive.

Why?

This lack of response, the total absence of any direction, was eating away at me.

Had I misunderstood its purpose all along? What path was it trying to lead me down? Inside me, tension swelled, a growing resolve pushing back against the heavy cloak of uncertainty.

"You know what, fuck it," Nie Li thought, his frustration reaching a boiling point.

"I'll make a bet. Any bet. It's better than standing here silent."

Just as he steeled himself to voice his challenge, time ground to a halt.

The mocking faces froze mid-jeer, and the patriarch's shifting eyes locked in place. Before Nie Li, the screen flickered to life, blooming with options.

Suddenly, it hit me like lightning.

The system hadn't left me behind—it was just waiting, waiting for me to decide to act on my own. In that moment of stillness, I got it. It wasn't about the system guiding me step by step.

It was about me, my own decision to push ahead, to take a stand, no matter how the system tried to steer me.

Looking at the choices on the screen, waiting for my pick, I understood this was only the start.

The real challenge was just beginning.