C1 Life Achievement System

"Wait a moment, please. Hello there."

Hee Zi noticed a young man jogging toward her from a distance and instinctively stepped back. She touched the mask and sunglasses covering her face, and after making sure she hadn't been recognized, she inquired, "Hello there, can I help you with something?"

He seemed like a cheerful guy. She discreetly sized up the fellow before her. He stood around six feet tall, towering over her by a full head, with a solid build that suggested he worked out regularly. As long as a guy was in decent shape and kept himself tidy, without any significant flaws in his features, he generally looked alright.

'Do I know him from university? What could he want with me?'

[He hasn't seen my face. He couldn't have recognized me. Maybe he just needs directions or something, right?]

"It's like this," the boy said with a bright, somewhat bashful smile. "Hello, would you be my girlfriend?"

"Ah?"

Hee Zi was taken aback. It was their first encounter, and she was so thoroughly concealed that nothing was visible. And yet, he was confessing his feelings?

"It's Christmas Eve today, you know?" the boy said, rubbing the back of his head with a sheepish grin. "All my friends have girlfriends, and I'm the only single one, which feels pretty lonely. So, I thought I'd see if I could change that today. I felt a connection with you, love at first sight, so I mustered the courage to come over and express my feelings."

Who would buy that story?

Hee Zi mentally rolled her eyes, cleared her throat, and without a moment's hesitation, she declined: "Listen, emotions are a serious business. If you think you can establish a romantic relationship with just one glance, then I can only conclude that you're not taking feelings seriously. Sorry, but I'm not interested in playing house with you."

"If this is some kind of punishment because you lost a bet, I expect an apology for your disrespect. Feelings aren't a laughing matter, and even though times have changed, confessions shouldn't be taken so lightly."

Having delivered a lengthy admonition, Hee Zi felt a wave of relief as if she had vented all her pent-up frustrations. Indeed, there's nothing quite like speaking your mind when you're feeling down.

After she finished speaking, Hee Zi turned to leave, comforted by the fact that they were in a public square where the other person likely wouldn't do anything drastic.

But as soon as she turned, he stepped in front of her again, insisting, "But, classmate, I am a good person."

What does it matter to me if you're a good person? Hee Zi thought. If it weren't for the fear of causing a scene in public, she would've raised her voice and given him a piece of her mind. Instead, aware of the gathering crowd of students, she chose a more genteel response, "While you may be a good person, we're just not a match."

She braced for his disappointment, but to her surprise, his face brightened with joy.

Is he... out of his mind?

Circling around him, she began to walk away, only to hear an exuberant shout from behind.

"Woo-hoo!"

"Yeah!"

Is he seriously celebrating being rejected?

Hee Zi shuddered, quickened her pace, and hurried away from the scene.

Rejected by the opposite sex, good person card issued 7/7.

Achievement "You are a good person" unlocked.

Reward: Increased sense of safety from the opposite sex.

Even if "you are a good person" is just a polite rejection, if enough people say it, it becomes the truth, and you're seen as a genuinely good person.

Hsiang Tai, oblivious to the odd looks from others, pumped his fist in excitement. The small text notifications had popped up in the bottom right of his vision, signaling that he had finally completed his hundredth achievement!

Unlike most, Hsiang Tai had an Achievement System, which added a fun twist to his life. Each action could trigger an achievement alert. For instance, after getting friend-zoned with a "good person" card following a failed confession, the "You are a good person" achievement would pop up.

As an avid gamer who always aimed for platinum trophies, Yamaguchi was no stranger to chasing achievements. Despite no penalties for leaving them incomplete, he reveled in the challenge, treating life's milestones as if they were just another game to conquer.

Certainly, the rewards for Hsiang Tai's achievements were quite peculiar, often involving enigmatic items that fell short of turning him into a superhero. Take, for instance, the time he forgot to bring toilet paper on five separate occasions, which earned him the "In the Nick of Time" achievement. His prize? A guarantee that every stall he chose in the future would be stocked with paper.

Consider the time he stood up to bullies trying to steal pocket money from elementary school students six times. This act of valor completed the "Ally of Justice" achievement, bestowing upon him a lifetime of integrity and causing wrongdoers to feel a surge of guilt in his presence.

Or the instance when he overseasoned his meal, earning the dubious title of "Kitchen Assassin," which came with a rather shaky reward—literally. From that point on, his hand would tremble every time he seasoned his food...

Yes, the rewards were that bizarre, and until one was achieved, their outcomes remained a mystery. In fact, some, like the "Kitchen Assassin," could be seen as more of a curse than a boon. Yet Hsiang Tai relished the thrill of the unknown, likening it to the anticipation of discovering a treasure chest.

This time, was the achievement reward more generous, perhaps offering a sense of security to the opposite sex?

Hsiang Tai stretched languidly, basking in the profound joy and satisfaction that accompanied each completed achievement—a feeling unmatched by any other.

Reflecting on the Achievement System that had become a part of him, Hsiang Tai was filled with gratitude. His past self, shadowed by his family history, had been reclusive, friendless, and socially isolated, his days spent buried in books or lost in solitary gaming at an internet cafe, headphones on, contemplating suicide. But with the advent of the Achievement System, he was compelled to engage with the world, to encounter its myriad facets and faces. Slowly, he came to realize that both achieving and living could be sources of immense happiness.

It was this system that led him out of his gloom and allowed him to embrace the beauty of life anew.

He was forever thankful for the Achievement System's guidance during his darkest times, providing him with a sense of direction and the will to carry on.

Beyond the various achievement rewards, the system had granted Hsiang Tai one special perk—a skill akin to an identification technique.

He glanced over at a girl chatting on her Apple phone. As he focused on the device in her hand, a line of text suddenly appeared.

Apple iPhone 8 Plus with 256GB, national edition, priced at 6,888 yuan, purchased on installment by my ex-boyfriend Liu Yuxi, with a repayment progress of 6 out of 12.

Beyond the item's essence, there were some peculiar explanations that came with it. Yet, Hsiang Tai found this feature incredibly useful, having come to his aid on numerous occasions.

"Alright, now that this achievement is complete, it's time to tackle the next one."

Hsiang Tai reviewed the achievements that had popped up but remained unclaimed, zeroing in on one called 'Charitable Deeds'. The goal was to assist twenty individuals facing hardships. He had previously attempted to give money to beggars, doling out five yuan each to ten people, only to see the achievement bar inch forward by a single notch...

What did that imply?

It suggested that out of the ten beggars, nine were not truly in need.

Such are the times we live in.

Current progress: 5 out of 20.

"Fifteen more to go. It's neither a large nor small number, with most of the aid coming from genuine fundraising efforts at school. Charitable Deeds... I'm curious what reward this achievement might offer."

He enjoyed pursuing these achievements; not only were they acts of kindness, but they also brought him rewards. Thus, he resolved that this would be his next conquest.

As he pondered this and continued walking, he noticed the girl with the mask hurrying towards him once more.

Hmm, I hope there's no trouble brewing.

Despite intentionally getting his confession rejected to maintain his reputation, he made a point of choosing unfamiliar faces from outside his school to confess to. If his acquaintances were to catch wind of it, who knows how the story might twist? It could even impact his life and his pursuit of achievements.

Like this masked girl—seeing her for the first time, he sensed she was seldom seen around the school, likely not even a student there, which is why he had seized the chance to complete the final stretch of his goal.

Now, as she approached him...

"Hey there! What's your name?" she asked, breathless from her run to reach Hsiang Tai.

"I'm Shen Tong."

Shen Tong was a fabricated name. Sensing her confrontational demeanor, he certainly wasn't about to give away his real identity.

"Shen Tong, right? Okay, you just confessed, didn't you?"

Hee Zi's heart raced with anxiety as she struggled to catch her breath, speaking in fits and starts, "I've agreed to be your girlfriend. So, follow me now."

"You agreed?"

After a couple of involuntary twitches at the corner of his eye, Hsiang Tai pressed for confirmation, "You mean you want to go out with me?"

"Yes, absolutely! You heard me correctly!"

As Hee Zi reached out her hand towards him, a cryptic smile played at the corner of Hsiang Tai's mouth, and he responded:

"However, I refuse."

Achievement unlocked: "A hot-blooded college career needs no woman."

Rejecting a woman who has asked you out during your college years, progress 1/7.

"What?!"

Hee Zi's face registered shock as she stared at Hsiang Tai. Was he really just toying with me? And here I thought he was genuinely a good guy, someone who made you feel safe...

"Hold on, let me finish!" she hurriedly interjected.

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