Pain.

That was the first thing Chimi felt.

Not the sharp, unbearable pain of broken bones, but a dull ache that seemed to seep into every part of her body.

"...Host... Host... Can you hear me?"

A strange voice echoed somewhere inside her head.

She frowned.

"Five more minutes..."

"..."

"..."

Ding!

Emergency restart successful.

Heavenly Fortune System activated.

Scanning Host...

Soul compatibility: 100%.

Transmigration complete.

Chimi's eyes snapped open.

The ceiling above her was made of rough wooden beams blackened by age. The smell of herbs filled the small room. A cold mountain breeze slipped through crack's in the wall.

She blinked.

"This... isn't my apartment."

The last thing she remembered was rain.

A landslide.

A terrified little girl frozen in the middle of a mountain road.

She had run toward the child without thinking.

Then...

Darkness.

"So..."

She slowly sat up.

"I'm dead."

The voice returned, sounding oddly cheerful.

Correct.

"..."

"You're very direct."

Thank you.

"Most people would ease into that conversation."

I calculated that honesty has a 98.7% higher acceptance rate.

"...Who are you?"

I am the Heavenly Fortune System.

Your lifelong companion.

Your guide.

Occasionally your therapist.

Frequently your source of headaches.

Chimi rubbed her temples.

"I've gone insane."

Negative.

You have transmigrated.

"..."

"..."

"...Seriously?"

Yes.

She sighed.

"Well."

Another sigh.

"I suppose that's one way to avoid paying for next month's rent."

The system paused.

The host possesses unexpected optimism.

A laugh escaped her lips.

"If I'm already dead, I might as well enjoy the absurdity."

Before she could ask another question, a flood of memories crashed into her mind.

A girl.

Also named Chimi.

Sixteen years old.

The forgotten daughter of a noble family that had fallen from grace.

Ignored.

Mocked.

Called cursed.

Even the servants pitied her.

The previous Chimi had fallen gravely ill after days without proper food. She had died quietly during the night.

Now this body belonged to someone else.

"...I'm sorry," Chimi whispered to the girl whose memories she now carried. "I'll live well—for both of us."

The room fell silent.

Then...

Ding!

Hidden Achievement Unlocked: Honoring the Fallen.

Reward: 100 Fortune Points.

Chimi blinked.

"I get rewarded for saying thank you?"

Kindness is rare.

"I like this system already."

Correction.

You like the rewards.

"...Fair enough."

Suddenly, footsteps approached outside.

The door burst open.

A tiny girl rushed in carrying a wooden bowl.

"Big Sister!"

She stopped abruptly.

Her eyes widened.

"You're awake!"

Without warning, the little girl threw herself into Chimi's arms.

"I thought you were going to leave me too..."

Chimi froze.

She gently patted the child's head.

"I'm here."

The girl cried even harder.

The system quietly spoke.

Name: Pema.

Age: 10.

Relationship: Maid.

Loyalty: 97%.

Current Emotion: Extreme relief.

Chimi looked at the frightened child.

"A maid?"

This was no servant.

This was a little sister in everything but blood.

She smiled softly.

"Have you eaten?"

Pema shook her head.

"I was waiting for you."

Chimi sighed dramatically.

"Wonderful."

"I wake up in another world."

"I'm apparently poor."

"I almost died."

"And now my little sister hasn't eaten because she was worried about me."

The system replied immediately.

Accurate summary.

"Any more bad news?"

Yes.

"Of course there is."

Estimated survival time...

A glowing screen appeared before her.

Remaining Life Expectancy

Three Days.

"..."

"...Excuse me?"

Congratulations.

Your enemies have already begun planning your murder.

Chimi stared at the screen for several long seconds.

Then she smiled.

Not because she was fearless.

Not because she wasn't terrified.

But because worrying wouldn't change reality.

"Fine."

"If destiny wants me dead..."

She slowly climbed out of bed.

"...then destiny is going to have to work very hard."

Outside the window, snow-covered peaks stretched endlessly beneath a brilliant blue sky.

Somewhere among those mountains, fate had begun to move.

Neither Chimi nor the Heavenly Fortune System knew that this seemingly forgotten girl would one day shake kingdoms, humble immortals, and rewrite the destiny of the world itself.

But first...

She had to survive the next three days.

The room was quiet.

Too quiet.

Chimi stared at the glowing blue screen floating before her face.

Remaining Life Expectancy: 3 Days

She rubbed her eyes.

The screen stayed.

She pinched her cheek.

"Ow."

The screen stayed.

She looked up at the ceiling.

"Any chance this is a dream?"

The system answered instantly.

Negative.

"What if I go back to sleep?"

Estimated life expectancy after sleeping: Two days and sixteen hours.

"...You're no fun."

I am a system, not a comedian.

Chimi folded her arms.

"I disagree."

"You've already made me laugh twice."

There was a long pause.

Then...

Recording compliment...

...

Thank you.

A smile crept onto her face.

"So you can be polite."

Only to hosts with acceptable personalities.

Pema looked between Chimi and the empty air.

"Big Sister... who are you talking to?"

Chimi nearly jumped.

"Oh! Right."

She had forgotten no one else could hear the system.

She cleared her throat with exaggerated seriousness.

"My stomach."

Pema blinked.

"...Your stomach talks?"

"It complains."

"I suppose that's normal."

Pema nodded as if this explanation made perfect sense.

The system quietly commented.

Intelligence Assessment:

Pema: Innocent.

Chimi bit her lip to stop herself from laughing.

Pema placed the wooden bowl on the table.

"I made porridge."

"It isn't very good..."

"I burned it a little."

Chimi picked up the spoon.

The porridge looked...

Questionable.

It had somehow become both watery and burnt.

She took one bite.

"..."

"..."

"How is it?" Pema asked nervously.

Chimi forced a smile.

"It's..."

She searched desperately for the right word.

"...memorable."

Pema's shoulders drooped.

"I'm sorry."

Chimi reached over and gently ruffled the girl's hair.

"It's food."

"That means it's already wonderful."

Besides...

She had eaten instant noodles for an entire week back on Earth.

Burnt porridge wasn't the worst thing she'd tasted.

The system chimed in.

Hidden Achievement:

Big Sister Energy.

Reward: One Low-Grade Healing Pill.

A small jade bottle appeared on the table with a soft pop.

Pema gasped.

"Big Sister!"

"It... it just appeared!"

Chimi blinked.

"You couldn't have waited until I was alone?"

Dramatic timing increases satisfaction by 34%.

She uncorked the bottle.

A pleasant herbal fragrance filled the room.

Without hesitation, she swallowed the tiny pill.

Warmth spread through her body.

The weakness in her arms faded.

The dizziness disappeared.

Even the bruises left by the previous owner's illness slowly vanished.

Pema's mouth fell open.

"You look..."

"...healthy."

"I feel healthy."

The system displayed another message.

Beginner Gift Pack Available.

"Now we're talking."

She mentally tapped the screen.

Fireworks exploded across the interface.

Congratulations!

You have received:

Beginner Cultivation Manual

Infinite Storage Ring (Locked)

Ten Fortune Points

One Random Skill Draw

"Oh!"

"I like presents."

Most humans do.

"Open everything."

The system hesitated.

Reminder.

Luck is currently...

Terrible.

"...How terrible?"

Imagine finding a fish in a desert.

"...That's impossible."

Exactly.

"Well..."

She rubbed her hands together.

"I've never been lucky anyway."

"Draw."

The wheel spun.

Golden light.

Blue light.

Purple light.

Black light.

Finally...

It stopped.

Congratulations!

Obtained Skill: Perfect Memory.

Chimi blinked.

"That's... actually amazing."

Every book she read.

Every cultivation technique.

Every map.

Every face.

She would never forget them.

The system sounded unusually pleased.

This skill has a compatibility rate below 0.01%.

Host is unexpectedly fortunate.

She grinned.

"So my luck isn't terrible after all."

Correction.

Your destiny is terrible.

Your soul is lucky.

"...That's confusing."

Welcome to cultivation.

Suddenly...

Bang!

The front door flew open.

A fat middle-aged woman stormed inside with two rough-looking servants.

"There she is!"

"I knew that cursed girl wasn't dead yet!"

Pema immediately stepped in front of Chimi.

"Please don't hurt my sister!"

The woman sneered.

"Sister?"

"She's nothing but a useless burden."

She threw a crumpled document onto the floor.

"Pay three years of debt."

"Or I'll sell both of you."

Silence.

Chimi slowly picked up the paper.

The amount written made her eyebrows rise.

The previous owner had never borrowed this money.

The signature had clearly been forged.

She looked up calmly.

"This debt is fake."

The woman laughed.

"So what?"

Chimi smiled.

A small smile.

The kind that usually meant someone was about to regret their choices.

Back on Earth, she'd once negotiated million-dollar contracts.

Compared to those people...

This woman wasn't even an amateur.

She dusted off the paper.

"Tell me."

"Who told you I was easy to bully?"

The room suddenly became very quiet.

Even the system seemed interested.

Side Quest Generated.

Teach the greedy landlady a lesson.

Reward: 100 Fortune Points.

Failure Penalty:

Public humiliation.

Chimi cracked her knuckles.

"Finally."

"A quest I can enjoy."

The room fell silent.

The fat landlady folded her arms, wearing the smug expression of someone who believed victory was already hers.

Behind her, the two servants grinned wickedly.

Pema tugged lightly on Chimi's sleeve.

"Big Sister..."

Her voice trembled.

"They've beaten people before."

Chimi gently patted the girl's hand.

"It's alright."

She then looked at the landlady.

"May I ask your name?"

The woman blinked.

"...What?"

"Your name."

"You came all the way here to demand money. It would be rude if I didn't know who I'm talking to."

The woman lifted her chin proudly.

"I am Madam Sonam."

"The wealthiest landlord in this district."

The system spoke.

Scanning...

Madam SonamReputation: PoorHonesty: 3%Greed: 99%Intelligence: AverageFavorite Hobby: Taking advantage of desperate people.

Chimi almost laughed.

"Even the system is roasting people now."

Madam Sonam slammed her hand on the table.

"Enough talking!"

"Pay me one hundred silver coins!"

"Or I'll take this house!"

Chimi calmly unfolded the debt paper again.

She read every line.

Thanks to Perfect Memory, every tiny mistake stood out immediately.

The handwriting changed halfway through.

The seal was slightly crooked.

The date was impossible.

She smiled.

"Madam Sonam."

"When exactly did I borrow this money?"

"Three years ago."

"I see."

Chimi nodded thoughtfully.

"And from whom?"

"You borrowed it from me!"

"Interesting."

She pointed to the paper.

"This contract says the lender was your husband."

Madam Sonam froze.

The servants exchanged nervous glances.

"Oh..."

Chimi continued.

"And according to this date..."

She looked toward the small window.

"...your husband had already been dead for six months."

Silence.

Complete silence.

Pema stared at Chimi with wide eyes.

The servants slowly looked at Madam Sonam.

The woman's face turned bright red.

"T-That's..."

"You forged the contract."

Chimi folded the paper neatly.

"And rather poorly."

The system cheerfully announced:

Critical Hit!

Emotional Damage: Massive.

Combo Count: 1.

Chimi fought hard not to smile.

"This system really enjoys drama."

Madam Sonam stomped her foot.

"Who cares?"

"No one will believe a cursed girl!"

She snapped her fingers.

"Grab them!"

The two servants stepped forward.

Before they could move another step...

A deep voice echoed from outside.

"What is happening here?"

Everyone turned.

An elderly monk stood at the entrance.

His robes were old but spotless.

His walking staff looked ordinary.

Yet the moment he appeared, the two servants instinctively backed away.

The system's voice suddenly became serious.

Warning.

High-level cultivator detected.

Power Level: Unable to Calculate.

Recommendation:

Be respectful.

Chimi immediately bowed.

"Greetings, Master."

The old monk smiled warmly.

"I smelled trouble."

"Seems I wasn't mistaken."

Madam Sonam's expression changed instantly.

"M-Master..."

"I..."

The monk looked at the forged contract.

Then at Madam Sonam.

"You forged this?"

She swallowed.

"No..."

"Yes..."

"I mean..."

The monk sighed.

"Greed blinds even those with comfortable lives."

He gently tapped the ground with his staff.

The forged paper burst into golden flames and turned to ash.

Pema gasped.

"So cool..."

Chimi couldn't help agreeing.

"Very cool."

The monk looked at Chimi.

"You remained calm."

"You protected the child."

"You exposed the lie without violence."

His eyes twinkled.

"That requires wisdom."

The system chimed in.

Hidden Quest Completed:

Solve the problem without fighting.

Reward:

+200 Fortune Points.

+One Mystery Gift.

A small golden chest appeared in Chimi's inventory.

She blinked.

"Not opening that yet."

Experience had taught her that surprises could be either wonderful... or catastrophic.

Madam Sonam suddenly dropped to her knees.

"Please forgive me!"

"I was wrong!"

The monk shook his head.

"You should apologize to them."

The woman reluctantly turned toward Chimi and Pema.

"I'm..."

"...sorry."

Her voice was barely above a whisper.

Chimi studied her for a moment.

Then she smiled.

"I accept your apology."

Madam Sonam's eyes widened.

"But..."

Chimi continued.

"If you ever forge another contract..."

"I'll make sure the entire valley knows exactly how creative you are."

For the first time in years, Madam Sonam genuinely felt ashamed.

She hurried away with her servants stumbling after her.

As the dust settled, the old monk chuckled.

"You have courage."

"And a sharp tongue."

Chimi scratched the back of her head.

"I've been told they're a dangerous combination."

The monk laughed heartily.

"I believe we shall get along well."

He looked toward the distant snow-covered mountains.

"My name is Master Gyeltshen."

"I have come because your destiny has finally begun to move."

Before Chimi could ask what he meant...

The system suddenly sounded an alarm.

Emergency Mission Activated.

Host, someone is watching you.

Threat Level: Unknown.

Do not look toward the eastern ridge.

Chimi's heartbeat quickened.

Without moving her head, she glanced at the old monk.

His cheerful expression had vanished.

He was staring toward the mountains with narrowed eyes.

Whatever-or whoever -was out there...

It had just found Chimi.