[~Middle age has arrived, but still no power, no money. Don't you worry, for the system is here! Middle Age Support System will help you out of your predicament and guide you into the perfect man~]
[Welcome, host.]
Hearing those introduction words along with the cheesy background tune, he frowned slightly.
'Wait a minute... perfect man? Why does that phrase sound so familiar? Did I hear it somewhere before?'
Suddenly, like a lightbulb switching on in his head, he remembered. It was a memory he couldn't forget, even after all these years!
"It was that fucking game!" he shouted in surprise.
Back then, when he was crossing the street on his way to the blind date, that was what he had been playing. A game called The Perfect Man. It was the reason he had been so distracted that he nearly got flattened by truck-kun.
The game was simple. You started out as a nobody. By completing missions, your character would gain benefits: a boost in appearance, business skills, access to secret information, high-level clubs, and more. From there, you could pursue any path: conquering beautiful women, fighting street gangs, building a business empire. Whatever suited your playstyle.
It was a self-insert game. The only goal was to raise your Perfect Score, which measured how close you were to being the 'ideal man.' The more good looks, fame, wealth, and status you had, the higher your score. If you managed to reach the maximum score of 100, you'd receive a trophy for conquering the game.
Han Suo stared at the glowing blue screen, a storm of emotions boiling in his chest. His eyes grew red as he gritted his teeth and squeaked out a few words.
"Tell me, system. What can you do?"
[Middle Age Support System is designed to help you succeed as a man! I can assign you missions tailored to your growth, and each completed task will earn you enticing rewards. Complete them and become the ideal gentleman!]
Just as he expected, it sounded exactly like the game!
"Was it you that sent me here?!" he asked with heavy breaths.
[Negative. A high-level being took pity on your mediocre life on Earth and gave you another chance after your death!]
"Then... you follow me here from Earth?
[Yes!]
"What?! Then how did it take you so long to activate?" he exclaimed in shock.
[The boundary of this martial world was too strong, host! Crossing it forced me into a slumber. I only woke up when sensing your predicament of hitting middle age with nothing in your hands!]
"Huh? But I'm only... Wait, is today my real birthday?" he furrowed his brows in doubt.
Han Suo was an orphan in this world. He was found on a snowy night, wrapped in thick blankets at the gates of an orphanage. He only carried a pendant with the word 'Han' on his neck. The name 'Han Suo' was given to him by the kindly old director of the orphanage.
He turned his gaze to the small calendar on his desk.
"So, I was born on the 6th of June," he muttered without any particular emotion.
After a brief moment of melancholy, he said.
"Show me all the features."
[Status/ Missions/ Shop/ Gacha/ Inventory]
Curious, Han Suo thought with his mind to open 'status.'
[Status]
Name: Han Suo
Age: 30
Occupation: Jobless
Cultivation: Late-stage Body Refinement
Arts: None
Inner Methods: None
Wealth: 24 silver coins, 15 copper coins
Partners: None
'It is my information, alright. It even counted the silver coins Manager Hong paid earlier,' Han Suo rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
Then he asked the most important question for every main character in a system novel, his eyes widening.
"System, do I have a welcome gift?"
[Yes! Do you want to activate it?]
"Of course!" Han Suo blurted out, afraid even a second of delay might make it disappear.
[Ding!]
[Welcome gift opened. You have received 100 gold coins, a 7-day Training Acceleration Ticket, and a Miraculous Elixir. Check your inventory to claim the items.]
"Ohhh!" he gasped in excitement.
"100 gold coins! I'm rich! I'm rich!"
Han Suo stood up and danced around in joy. After all, it was more than he had earned in his entire life!
After a few minutes of celebration, he finally calmed down and turned his attention to the other two items.
[7-day Training Acceleration Ticket]
Rank: Upper Mid Rank
Description: The ultimate treasure for any bodybuilder. A magical ticket that grants a staggering 20-fold increase in body training effectiveness!
Note: Tear the ticket to use. The countdown will start immediately. But remember, 0 multiplied by 20 is still 0!
"Wow! 20-fold increase?! That means using this, I'll get 140 days' worth of body training effectiveness?" he exclaimed in amazement, completely ignoring the jab at the end.
"No... it must be more than that. There's no way anyone could maintain the same level of training effectiveness every single day for that long..."
"A treasure!"
Lastly, he glanced at the third item—the Miraculous Elixir. It was the one that made his heart race the most!
"Quick, show me what this Miraculous Elixir can do!"
[Miraculous Elixir]
Rank: Unknown
Description: Made from the tear of a Phoenix. It can reconstruct the body and create something out of nothing.
Note: Just what a scrub like you need! Be careful, though. It might sting a little bit.
Han Suo raised his brows and spoke out loud, "Is this what I think it is? Will this grant me the ability to absorb Ki?!"
Without wasting a second, he hurriedly switched to the 'Inventory' tab. With just a thought, a small glass vial materialized in his hand. Inside was a thick, blood-colored liquid, swirling slowly with tiny specks that shimmered like embers in the dark.
Han Suo gulped nervously while looking at it. His grip on the vial tightened as he asked, a hint of hesitation in his voice,
"Drinking this won't have any bad consequences for my body, right?"
[Of course not!]
He patted his chest in relief and let out a long breath. Bringing the vial closer, he pulled out the cork with a soft 'Pop!'
A sweet, intoxicating scent immediately escaped, making his nose tingle. He took a few sniffs. The aroma made him a little dizzy, and a strange warmth spread through his chest.
Just as Han Suo tilted his head back and downed the liquid in one gulp, tasting its bland bitterness, the system's clear voice rang out.
[At least you won't die.]
Han Suo's eyes widened in shock as he spun around to glare at the glowing blue screen.
"What the hell do you mean?! Why didn't you say that earlier?" he shouted in disbelief. This system was seriously unreliable!
But before he could keep scolding it, something inside his body suddenly stirred.
'TINK!' 'CRACK!'