Chapter 1: The Happy Life Simulator
“Doctor, is there really no other way?” Nan Zhu’s voice trembled slightly, his fingers unconsciously digging into the edge of the table.
The doctor remained silent for a moment, avoiding Nan Zhu’s gaze. He then lowered his head to sort through the medical records on his desk. “Your illness… is unheard of. Current methods, whether it be a Cultivator’s pill or a technological approach like Gene Correction, are powerless.”
Nan Zhu’s throat tightened, as if something were blocking it. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out.
“Your illness is very strange; it seems to be a lack of some essential part of the soul. Although you appear healthy now, but…” The doctor’s meaning was clear.
Nan Zhu slumped back into his seat. After a long while, he asked again, “How much time do I have left?”
The doctor held up three fingers.
“Three years?”
“Three months.”
“……”
“I understand.”
Nan Zhu left the hospital in a daze, checked out of his room, and walked aimlessly in the direction of his home.
On the street, Cultivators flew past on their swords, leaving trails of brilliant flowing light. Mages rode broomsticks, drawing elegant arcs in the air. Robot Cleaners silently weaved through the crowd, their robotic arms deftly picking up litter from the ground.
The earthquake ten years ago had changed the entire world. Experts called it Spiritual Energy Recovery. Cultivation, magic, technology… everything that had once existed only in fantasy had now become reality.
But none of it mattered to him. Nan Zhu stood amidst the crowd, yet felt like an outsider.
And in such a world, there was no cure for him.
“Three months…” Nan Zhu let out a bitter laugh, returned to his room, and stared blankly out the window, his expression complicated.
Ever since Spiritual Energy Recovery began, he had noticed his difference from others.
Whether it was products from the Cultivation side, the magic side, or any other side, he seemed unable to understand or interact with them.
Recently, he had been experiencing hallucinations, and in his dreams, he felt as if his soul was trying to escape his body.
At first, he hadn’t paid much attention. But the outcome told him that his life had entered a countdown…
“I wish I could also… have an extraordinary life…”
[Ding, detected that the host has a strong desire. Happy Life Simulator has been successfully bound. This simulator will fully assist the host in experiencing various different happy lives.]
[After the simulation begins, the host’s consciousness will be mapped to the simulation world.]
[Each time the simulation ends, corresponding rewards will be given based on the brilliance of the host’s simulated life.]
[Remaining simulation attempts: 1]
“???”
A cold, mechanical voice echoed in Nan Zhu’s mind. He jolted upright. “Holy crap!”
Looking at the blue light screen that had suddenly appeared before him, “Simulator?” Nan Zhu quickly adjusted, and as he looked at the simulator before him, he gradually understood.
Seeing the words “Start Simulation” before him, he didn’t press it immediately.
“Simulating life… what’s the price?” Nan Zhu asked.
But the simulator before him did not answer. The words “Start Simulation” flickered slightly, as if to say: Just tell me if you want it or not.
“……”
Nan Zhu let out a wry smile. Did he even have a choice? Then, he tapped the four large words: “Start Simulation.”
[Simulation is starting—]
[World confirmed. Transmissible worlds locked. Analysis indicates a Cultivation-side world.]
[Generating traits. Please select three traits as the character’s innate talents for the initial simulation.]
[Trait levels from low to high are: Black, White, Green, Blue, Purple, Red, Gold.]
Rolling Fortune (Purple): You were born into a wealthy family. Money always finds its way into your pockets, and you will never worry about finances in your life. Even as a Cultivator, you will never have to worry about Spirit Stones.
Emotional Defect (Purple): You are naturally lacking in emotions, not knowing joy, anger, sorrow, or pleasure. Even if your loved ones die before your eyes, your heart will remain unmoved.
Emotionless Sword Art (Red): This is a cultivation technique that can lead to immortality. By discarding emotions, your sword can sever everything. Remember, everything.
Barbarian King’s Might (Green): You are born with immense strength, capable of going head-to-head with cultivators in the Qi Refining Stage. However, this ability is for life only.
Innate Sword Body (Gold): You are favored by the Heavenly Dao. In the path of sword cultivation, no one would dare claim to be second to you. With your innate sword bones, from the moment you pick up a sword, you will exude the demeanor of a Sword Immortal, captivating all who behold you.
Lover of All (Blue): Villains will frequently appear around you, causing those close to you to die one by one. Heartbroken, you will physically purify every villain, refining them in an instant.
Nan Zhu’s gaze flickered between the six traits, his brow furrowing deeper.
“Lover of All? Hmph, this isn’t ‘great love,’ it’s clearly ‘great disaster.’” He shook his head and directly rejected the option.
“Barbarian King’s Might… sounds good, but what does ‘for life only’ mean? Does it mean I can only reach the Qi Refining Stage?”
His gaze lingered between “Emotional Defect” and “Rolling Fortune.”
“Without emotions, what kind of life is that?”
Finally, his finger stopped on “Rolling Fortune.” He took a deep breath. “At least, I don’t want to become a cold-blooded monster.”
As for “Emotionless Sword Art”… he let out a wry chuckle. “To forget emotions is better than to be devoid of them, and I might not even practice it.”
The final choices were: Rolling Fortune (Purple), Emotionless Sword Art (Red), Innate Sword Body (Gold).
[Traits confirmed. Start simulation?]
“Yes.”
Nan Zhu adjusted his state, then felt an unfathomable sensation. A dazzling white light flashed, and his consciousness detached from his body.
[Simulation Number 001 officially begins.]
[You jolt awake in bed, suddenly remembering the existence of the simulator. You try to summon it, but fail.]
“It really is a dream.” Nan Zhu smiled helplessly.
[You stand up, intending to go for a walk. Seeing people in various strange outfits flying across the sky, you feel envious.]
[As you are lost in thought, a Dayun Brand Heavy Truck rushes towards you, sending you flying.]
[You struck it lucky.]
[But when you open your eyes, you are surprised to find that you are not dead, but have transmigrated. You are very happy, because the rumor of being able to transmigrate by getting hit by a truck is true.]
[You have become an eight-year-old boy. Your family has nothing, except for a lot of money.]
[Your parents tell you that your family used to be very poor, and that it only started to prosper from the time you were born.]
[But you know this is a Cultivation World, so you have no intention of inheriting the family fortune, which infuriates your parents. You’ve seen Immortals fly in the sky, so you aspire to become a Cultivator, capable of anything. However, before you can showcase your abilities, an unexpected plague shatters your fantasies.]
[At the age of ten, your parents die from the plague, and you narrowly escape.]
[After burying your parents in grief, you leave home with your silver.]
[Later, an Immortal intervened, and the plague was successfully resolved. However, the plague dealt a heavy blow to the entire Mortal Realm. What followed was a great famine.]
[Seeing countless corpses of the starved lying by the roadside, seeing the refugees living in hardship with their hollow eyes, you feel heartbroken.]
Hunger.
Cold.
Death.
These were the keywords of that period.
Relying on the silver you carried and your warm clothes, Nan Zhu survived the famine.
As you could find money just by walking, Nan Zhu used the large sum of money he earned to build a team of carriages.
This team was dedicated to rescuing the unfortunate souls on the verge of starvation in the streets. It was the least he could do.
The famine wreaked havoc. In a dilapidated thatched hut, the wind howled like a hungry beast.
A mother held her infant daughter. Her cheeks were sunken, her skin cracked, her eyes were narrowed, and her hair was dry and messy. She used her emaciated body to shield her daughter from the wind and cold.
Nan Zhu and his carriage team passed by and witnessed this scene. He sighed, then offered his water flask to an elderly woman and her daughter who were still alive before him.
“Auntie, have some water first,” Nan Zhu said, handing his flask to the mother.
The mother did not drink. She remained in that posture, seemingly resting with her eyes closed. But Nan Zhu seemed to realize something, reached out, then silently withdrew his hand.
“……”
“I was still too late…” he murmured, his voice filled with deep weariness.
Just then, a faint cry came from the infant in the swaddling clothes.
Nan Zhu paused for a moment, then smiled wryly and picked up the baby. “Little one, you’re quite lucky to be alive.”
He gently wiped the dirt from the baby’s face and whispered, “From now on, your name will be Nan He.”
