Yue stared at me for a moment before reeling over and laughing, clutching her stomach as she bent double and her shoulders shook. She stumbled, trying to stop her laughter, before she stood upright with a wicked grin. Grabbing a small blade from one of the goblins, she lunged forward and slashed the blade with vicious speed toward my throat.
“Peijin!” Yang shouted, rushing forward.
With the strength from my heightened physique, I quickly grabbed her wrist and bent it backward, wrestling with her for the blade.
Yue bent her arm and closed the distance between the two of us, pulling my hair and smashing her fist into my face.
My hair was covering my delighted smirk. Her punch didn’t even hurt—it didn’t even leave a mark.
Unaware, Yue pulled her hand out of my grasp and swung again at my face, landing a firm punch. I pretended to stumble back and grab my face.
“Ha, so you’re all talk,” Yue said. Her words were laced with malice.
She flipped the blade in her hands, closing the distance between us. She swung frantically, but I pulled back just before she could deal any damage.
Catching sight of my cocky smirk, Yue became more frantic and messier with her swings. Finally, I let her get close enough.
Her blade struck my throat with astounding force, but it simply clattered against my skin. Yue froze before readjusting her grip on the knife and driving it into my stomach. The blade snapped in half. I looked down at Yue, my expression smug.
When Yue looked up to face me, her brows were furrowed and eyes black with rage. “What are you?”
I gave a cocky shrug. “Just a pest control worker,” I replied before balling my hand and slamming my fist into her liver, watching her fly back and slam into a car. She let out a surprised yelp as she bounced off the now totaled car and skidded across the asphalt
[954 observers are following you with immense interest!]
[4 major gods are watching you closely!]
I couldn’t help but enjoy messing with my own creation. I was rapidly adjusting to my new reality—how could I prefer pest control over a world where I could finally leave my monotonous life?
Our fight was the most exciting thing in the area; the Azure Dragon gasped at the sight of me hovering over Yue and covered his snout with his stubby hands. I could practically see the dollar signs in its eyes. “Do I really have a fortune teller in my channel? This is so good for business!”
I glared at the greedy Azure Dragon and looked back to the freeway, watching the horde of goblins sprint toward me, since I had attacked their “ruler.” With a simple sweep of my foot, they dissolved into speckled black ash that blew into the air. More and more charged and met a similar fate, and others ran toward Yue, crying out as they struggled to lift her back onto her feet. I continued to leisurely walk closer and closer to Yue.
The freeway was filled with more and more dead bodies as people continued to fight and lose against the violent horde of goblins. Blood and gore littered the streets, painting the initially dusty gray and cracked asphalt with a deep red. I shook out my fist in the air, rubbed my knuckles, and waited for Yue’s retaliation.
[Observers Chat]
Socrates: This is the action I wanted to see. Keep this up, and maybe I’ll leave you a good review. We all know you need it.
“Am I a street performer and pest control worker now?” I grumbled under my breath before I looked up at the sky once more. Stars were the system’s currency, but stars in the sky represented gods who were watching the broadcasts. A few more stars were present in the sky, twinkling down on me, so at least some showed interest in me.
[Observers Chat]
Socrates: Wooooow, that was the first time you responded to me. I almost thought these messages weren’t getting through. I’ll send more now, though :)
[Time left: 4 minutes 39 seconds]
[Percent killed: 44%]
Yue coughed up blood but wiped the side of her mouth with her raw, skinned hands. She tried to stand with the help of the goblins, but her legs gave out beneath her, and she fell onto her knees, gasping for breath. Her long black hair fell over her face.
“Yue,” I said in a firm voice, kneeling beside her, “I want you to team up with me.”
Yue was, unfortunately, part of the main cast, but more importantly, she’d become one of the strongest characters in Surviving My First Run by taking the Demon Bull King as her sponsor, receiving his magical and financial backing. As one of the only beings to ever rival Sun Wukong, who was the greatest Chinese divinity, the Demon Bull King was a truly formidable god.
Wei looked over, admiration peeking through his surprised expression. He nudged Yang’s arm while Yang was trying to wipe off the bug guts from his hands.
Wei was too far to be in earshot, but he was receptive to my actions. He was easy to please, like a dumb dog.
Yue snickered and tilted her head back, eyeing me as I stared at her busted lip and the blood that trickled down her face. “I don’t really have a choice, do I?”
“No, not really.”
She sat up and reached for my hand, and I looked at her with a cocky, pleased smile.
Yue’s hand slammed into my gut with unexpected force, causing me to fall back onto the ground mostly from surprise.
“These observers and stars do come in handy, huh?” Yue dusted herself off, readjusted her school skirt, and hovered over me. Her firsts were balled at her sides, ready to pummel me into the asphalt.
How could she possibly have enough stars to level up her strength like that? I groaned, getting up rather quickly. She should have what, maybe 500 or 600 stars? That wasn’t enough to overpower my physique level. She must have been getting coins from observers.
The Azure Dragon gawked as it redirected the broadcast toward my fight with Yue.
“Seems like a lot is going on here, too! Feel free to donate some more stars to my broadcast, so I can bring you better content!” The Azure Dragon batted his long gold lashes at an invisible camera just above Yue and me.
[Observers Chat]
Nipon23: Sorry not sorry Jia Li
[You have received a new review!]
NIPON23 REVIEW: ★☆☆☆☆
He Yue needs to win this fight. Liu Peijin is beyond incompetent.
Seriously? This guy again? What an ass. As an observer, he read Surviving My First Run and knew I was better than Qui Feiyu at this point in the story.
If these insulting observer ratings had an impact on my progression, I was completely fucked.
I quickly checked to see how the chapter was progressing, looking at the blue screen.
[Percent killed: 51%]
Looks like the goblins had done their job at killing the majority of the population… but still, something about this was unsettling. The numbers climbed a lot faster than I’d expected.
Returning my focus to Yue, she must not have invested many stars into physique given her labored breathing and the sweat on her brow.
I didn’t want to use this many stars for the prerequisite arc, but it looked like I had to.
[2000 stars used.]
[Strength level 5 → level 15]
“Sorry, Yue, I don’t think you understand what’s happening.” I slowly stood up and lowered my hands to my sides, trying to avoid intimidation. “Your fortune ends here.”
Yue’s fists started glowing with ominous flames that flickered up her arm. She looked down in amazement, a chaotic grin lighting up her expression. “Did you predict this, then?”
Yue’s fist threw me backward and hurdled me straight into the fence on the side of the freeway. My body crashed straight through the metal railing before I collapsed into the ground like a starfish, groaning in pain.
[638 observers have turned away!]
Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.
[8 gods are doubting your ability!]
[1 major god has turned away!]
[Many demons are pleased by your failure!]
I underestimated Yue. She’d already unlocked her ‘Demonic Fire’ skill. This time, my physique was too low. Yue was advancing far faster than she had in Surviving my First Run from my toying with her. So, that meant I could force my characters to grow faster than their initial trajectory.
I smiled at the thought, struggling to stay conscious.
[1000 stars used.]
[Physique level 10 → level 15]
Wei sprinted over to me, lifting me up and slapping my cheek to try and keep me awake. He quickly armed himself with metal rubble from the car accidents and stood before me, holding Yue back.
[You have unlocked ‘Hindsight!’]
[Hindsight activated!]
“... and this seems to be a very embarrassing play on behalf of our… fortune teller,” the Azure Dragon commentated.
At once, my eyes began glowing a deep blue. I saw the entire world play out in blue frames. Yue’s hands continued to glow with the demonic flames, countless white text surrounded her and described every potential move, every potential detail.
The amount of information was overwhelming, but my mind comprehended it with surprising ease. With every breath she took, it constantly shifted to show possibilities in blips of red and purple frames. Above her, a strange, ominous green creature with pointed ears and a squished face lurked, glaring at me with glowing white eyes—only ‘Hindsight’ allowed me to see him.
Demon King of Resourceful Goblins feels great animosity toward you!
The demon ‘King of Resourceful Goblins.’ That bastard was still mad at me for killing all those goblins, and now, he was controlling Yue’s movements to kill me.
[Observers Chat]
Socrates: You just lost a bunch of observers and gods from that hit, Jia Li. And right
before you have to pick a sponsor :(
I grabbed Wei’s shoulder, gently pushing him to the side. “I’m fine, Wei. I’m just fucking pissed now.”
Yue faced me, angling her chin up with both of her arms now blazing with demonic fire. Admittedly, I hadn’t quite seen this coming; even though the skill was the same as in Surviving My First Run, she hadn’t activated it until the second arc. These observers were seriously throwing off my entire story.
Just like they had before the apocalypse.
“Come back for more, Peijin?” When Yue called my name, it only sounded more like an insult. She must have picked up my name earlier from Yang’s shout.
I spit out blood onto the freeway, causing a thick splatter just a few feet away. “Yeah, yeah, whatever.” My two hands were raised in front of me and gestured for her to make the first move. “I’m not here to fight you.”
Yue stared at me, dumbfounded, before she burst out laughing, borderline cackling like a hyena. “Ha! You’re really something, Peijin.”
“I’m not talking about you, you narcissist. I’m talking about the demon you signed a contract with.”
There was no way the Goblin King could be influencing this chapter so heavily unless he signed a deal with Yue in which they both had to sacrifice something to offset karmic restraints.
As soon as Yue moved, the blue frames highlighted the most likely possibility before vanishing, forcing me to synthesize all the information in a mere moment.
Yue’s fist barely missed my right cheek as I dodged, side-stepping at the last possible moment. I let out a sigh of relief—maybe I’d be able to keep a sliver of dignity despite the Azure Dragon’s convoluted broadcasting.
I shouted over the sound of chaos, sucking in a quick breath. “These aren’t your movements! You let the Goblin King control your body to kill me, didn’t you?”
A flaming fist narrowly missed the top of my head before I quickly ducked down, jumping out to the side and quickly regaining my footing. Yue’s jaw was clenched tightly, her brows furrowed in rage, but she continued to throw violent punches one after another.
“What’s wrong, Yue? Cat got your tongue?” I smirked, lightly jumping back and forth between my two feet. Growing more comfortable with the hindsight skill, I danced around her in a mocking manner.
[You have received a new review!]
REGUS3 REVIEW: ★★★★☆
Liu Peijin is very quick to understand her opponents, and she pieces together complex deals or relationships with seeming ease. She’s not as cool or good as Qiu Feiyu, though.
I glared at the notification. Just make it a five, god damnit! Forget about Feiyu!
At the notification, a flow of energy coursed through my body. Ha, I got it now. In a way, observers were like believers. The positive reviews gave the recipient more spiritual energy, heightening my mana and potential skill power.
Yue let out a frustrated cry as she battered me with her fists, yet I easily blocked every single move with the side of my forearms. Each burst of her demonic flames would leave the top-most surface of my skin charred black, but thanks to my physique level, it easily dusted off.
My leg smashed into her side, launching her into the pavement once more. Her body crunched on the pavement, leaving a human-shaped indent, before she skid a few feet further. Yue drooped, unconscious, as she laid on the crusted asphalt with spit dripping out of her open mouth.
[Time left: 2 minutes 19 seconds]
[Percent killed: 54%]
At the assault of their leader, dozens of goblins shrieked and charged at me, furiously wielding their battered sticks and stones. A clever few even picked up shards of glass and attempted to slash my legs.
With a light side kick, an entire row of them faded into black ash until they slowly dwindled in number.
I let out an exhausted sigh, my shoulders slumping. I struggled to calm my beating heart while clearing through the countless blue notifications that had been blocking my view. The skill ‘Hindsight’ toggled off by itself to conserve my energy, and my vision returned to normal.
“Peijin! Are you alright?” Wei asked, stepping toward me.
“Of course, I am,” I replied. I signaled for him and Yang to step back once more, and I opened the Azure Dragon Store and began browsing.
The Azure Dragon Store was the most convenient place to purchase many goods. A big limitation was the tier system. To access the better items, one had to buy into a higher tier by paying an expensive membership fee. The tiers ranged from silver—the default—to gold, platinum, titanium, and black.
Still, some of the best items could only be won through the challenges, and my current strategy was to save as many stars as possible in case I had an emergency that required me to make a large purchase or massively upgrade my stats.
Well, if Yue made a deal to be possessed by the Goblin King, then an exorcism potion would do the trick… except that was another couple thousand stars.
Yellow sparks flittered in my peripheral vision, and I snapped my head toward them. Blue sparks signified the working of the system—yellow sparks were from karmic restraint acting on an unfair action.
The Azure Dragon let out a strange chirping and clicking sound of complete excitement.
Yue’s unconscious body was being lifted into the air like she was a doll. The movement was rigid but quickly became more fluid.
[Time left: 1 minutes 36 seconds]
[Percent killed: 55%]
Judging by the yellow sparks, Yue must have agreed to let the Goblin King aid her movements in her earlier fight with me in return for the support of the goblins. But she must not have agreed to total control, even when she was unconscious.
My eyes widened in surprise, and I let out a small huff. This strong of a reaction from a god this early on? What a total loser the Goblin King was.
[Hindsight activated!]
White puppet strings became visible, connecting all of Yue’s limbs to the massive but blurry figure of the Goblin King hovering above her. He expertly moved his hands forward, and Yue’s body was launched right at me.
This time, without being hindered by Yue’s control, the Goblin King expertly maneuvered Yue. Even if he was a low-ranking god, he was still a god, and Yue was far more of a threat now. Her fist flew at me, and I quickly lifted both my forearms, barely blocking her fist.
The blow knocked the wind out of me. I skid back, digging my heels into the ground. I could see Wei and Yang panic, but I shook my head, reassuring them to keep out of it.
Yue’s leg lifted into the air and connected with my hip. I let out a small grunt but stabilized myself, increasing the distance between us. It was a good thing I updated my physique levels earlier.
I faced Yue, her head lolling back and forth but her body alert and read to dash at me again. The karmic sparks were beginning to eat away at her body, punishing the physical form of Yue in response to the Goblin King’s abuse of his power. Her skin was burning with every spark, and pieces of raw flesh were becoming visible on her ankles and shin.
Though I hated Yue, I hated the gods more. The fact that the Goblin King would go this far and use Yue’s body as a tool—it made me livid.
I wouldn’t be able to get close enough to make her drink the exorcism potion anymore. I picked off a sturdy knife left behind by one of the goblins, and I fiddled with it in my hands. It wasn’t the strongest, but it would do for what I wanted to test.
Yue charged at me once more. I let her get close enough to swing for my chest, but I quickly ducked out of the way. I grabbed onto her shoulders and pushed her down, striking above her head for the puppet strings that connected her to the Goblin King.
The small knife shattered like glass on impact. The string didn’t even move.
Yue whipped around and grabbed the side of my head, smashing me into the pavement. I let out a sputtered grunt, struggling beneath her grip and trying to wiggle out from beneath her.
My frustration with the Goblin King only grew with each passing moment. Since he was fighting with her body, I didn’t want to strike Yue. Any drastic move would undoubtedly hurt Yue more than him. What a bastard.
I had to rise to the top of this system and tear down the gods with my own hands. There was no question of it now.
Unable to hold back any longer, Wei rushed forward, and Yang followed suit. Yang used the crowbar to hit the nearby goblins. Blue sparks glimmered at Yang’s feet while he leveled up his strength and physique level to avoid getting swarmed.
Wei reached beneath Yue’s arms, tugging her off. But she quickly overpowered him. Her elbow raised high in the air before she attempted to strike it into his ribs.
[Time left: 39 seconds]
[Percent killed: 56%]
I gasped for a breath of air and struggled to my feet. I caught Yang’s eyes—he gave a curt nod, defending Wei and I from any of the goblins and letting us focus on Yue.
I nodded back, understanding his role. Just like at work, Yang immediately picked up on the role he needed to adopt in any given scenario. Usually, I was countless steps behind him, but this time, he stepped back to give me the front stage.
Blue sparks erupted from my hand before the exorcism potion and a thin, but incredibly sharp, needle appeared. The needle needed to be sharp and hard enough to ensure it wouldn’t snap when it met resistance.
Yue landed a blow on Wei, and he was thrown back, bouncing off the asphalt and tearing open his arms and legs. His breath was labored, and his limbs bloodied—he didn’t have enough coins to level up the way Yang and I did. Still, his eyes locked on Yue once more, utterly enraged and already getting up.
He handled the blow far better than any human of his level could have. What a formidable asset he was—one that I had to get my hands on.
I uncapped the needle and quickly filled it with the potent exorcism potion. I bought a small but powerful exorcism potion. At least powerful enough for a god this pathetic.
[Time left: 18 seconds]
[Percent killed: 56%]
Thanks to the opening Wei created, I ran forward, carrying the bottle obviously in my hand. Yue whipped around and prepared to block me.
I grabbed onto her button-up shirt and pulled her toward me. With my right hand, I tried to force the potion down her throat.
She instantly blocked my hand, digging her nails into my wrist. I could see the Goblin King’s figure inflate with pride, mocking my stupidity, through Hindsight.
Yue twisted my wrist until the bottle crashed to the ground, erupting into dozens of pieces of broken glass. The exorcism potion spilled out, spreading into a thin puddle on the ground.
My left hand released Yue’s collar and revealed the syringe. I jabbed it into her neck, injecting her with the exorcism potion.
With a rancid puff of smoke, the goblin demon’s energy burst out of her mouth with a loud cry before exploding into yellow sparks.
A god influencing such an early chapter would undoubtedly be subjected to the horrific punishments of karmic restraints. After all, karma was all-powerful. The Goblin King would face punishment by the system for such heavy interference.
Yue herself was beat up. The yellow sparks had left the skin on her ankles and shin raw and bare.
“Peijin, be careful,” Wei said. He stood up, wobbling and clutching onto his arm in pain.
“Is it broken?” I asked.
Yang brushed passed and support Wei with his body. “I’ll take a look. You take care of Yue.”
My feet crunched on the broken glass scattered around the freeway as I picked Yue up, wrapped my jacket around the waistband of her skirt and threw her over my shoulder.
[Observers Chat]
BMelv: How are you gonna be a whole demon and lose to a human this early on?? Mad embarassing
CannedWorms: LOL you know the Goblin King is getting absolutely demolished in the demon realm right now
MoldyBlanket: Either way Liu Peijin pulled that off really well. You could see her think through the system
Socrates: Eh. I mean is Peijin that impressive or is the Goblin King just weak?
Nipon23: BOOOO tomato tomato
I finally made it back to the pest control van and let out a heavy sigh, sinking against the side of the battered truck. This had become much more convoluted than I was hoping for.
I could hear the dragon’s relentless yapping in the background, but I tuned it out. I went through the Azure Dragon Store once more, looking for the cheapest ointment to apply to Yue’s wounds.
Yang and Wei appeared soon after, but Wei eyed Yue with utter contempt and disdain.
“I don’t like her either,” I reassured Wei, “but you can’t deny how powerful she is.” Besides, I was her creator. I could fix her.
[Time left: 0 seconds]
[Percent killed: 57%]
With a blue flash, the timer for the first chapter finished, marking the end of the first challenge.
[Chapter #1 - Prerequisite has concluded.]
[Stars received: 21,400]
[Congratulations! You have cleared the chapter.]