C1 Energy Stealing System?

"Bang!"

Hsu Fann's head crashed heavily against the unforgiving stone platform, darkness engulfing his vision as his organs roiled within him. Gasping for breath, he nearly suffocated on the spot.

"What in the world..."

Struggling to pry his eyes open, he clambered up from the ground. A careless movement grazed his wounds, sending excruciating pain ripping through him. That's when he noticed the gruesome sight of his left forearm and right shoulder—flesh mangled, white bone chillingly exposed.

"Shit!"

Hsu Fann nearly scared himself to death. He sprang to his feet, bewildered, when he suddenly became aware of the cacophony around him, as if a crowd had gathered.

He looked up to confirm—indeed, dozens of people were standing around the desolate stone platform. They were dressed in flowing robes or gowns, their long, elegant hair in a myriad of hues—reds, blues, a dazzling array.

"Is this a movie set?"

Hsu Fann was still trying to make sense of it all when he realized all eyes were on him. They were shouting, "Look, Hsu Fann, that kid, is up again. Senior Brother Han, give him a good thrashing!"

"Huh?"

Clarity began to seep into Hsu Fann's befuddled mind. He was getting beaten up!

He racked his brain, trying to remember if he had joined a film crew for a bit part, perhaps in the middle of a shoot, but before he could piece it together, a gust of wind whooshed by his ear. Turning his head, he was greeted by a fist the size of a sandbag hurtling towards his face.

"Bang!"

Hsu Fann was sent flying, blood spraying from his mouth, his nose shattered...

"Who did I piss off to deserve such a beating?"

Confusion and rage swirled within Hsu Fann. Wasn't he just lying in bed, scrolling through his phone? Had he fallen asleep without realizing it, now trapped in a nightmare?

But the pain felt all too real!

"Brother Hsu Fann, are you okay? Brother, please don't scare me..."

As Hsu Fann teetered on the edge of consciousness, a lively voice reached him from afar. Then, his head lolled to the side, and he plunged into darkness.

"Ding! Congratulations, host, for the successful beating. The energy-stealing system has been activated, and you've earned 10 energy points. Your physical condition is critical, and your life is in danger. Would you like to use the energy to heal yourself?"

"Hmm?"

In a groggy state, Hsu Fann heard a voice that was both womanly and slightly mechanical.

He abruptly opened his eyes to find himself engulfed in a sea of white light, with nothingness all around. He was floating mid-air, and as far as he could see, there was just an endless expanse of white.

"What is this place?"

Hsu Fann had already had his fair share of shocks today. He'd been knocked out cold from a beating, and now he'd woken up in this bizarre location.

"This is the virtual space where the energy-stealing system binds with the host. Think of it as a virtual hard drive!"

The cold, mechanical voice echoed in his ears once more, startling Hsu Fann. There was no one else around—how eerie!

"Um... System?"

Suddenly, a lightbulb went off in Hsu Fann's head, and he latched onto that keyword from the voice. System? Could it be...

"Exactly as you've guessed, host. You've transmigrated and now possess the system!"

The mechanical female voice seemed to peer into Hsu Fann's mind, addressing his inner questions before he could even ask.

"Ah? For real? I've... transmigrated?"

Now, Hsu Fann was genuinely astounded. As a fresh graduate and a regular office worker, he was no stranger to novels. He knew all too well the stories where the hero gets a system and becomes unbeatable. He never imagined he'd find himself in such a scenario!

"Wasn't I just stealing energy? ...How did this happen so suddenly? Wait, could it be his doing?"

Hsu Fann's life was rather dull, his days filled with work, novels, and gaming. But he had one hobby he'd kept up for four or five years—opening Alipay, accessing Ant Forest, and stealing energy from others. Over time, he'd planted several trees in the virtual desert!

He considered himself a philanthropist; even if he was taking energy from others, he felt no remorse. But recently, an unfamiliar name on his friends' list had warned him to stop stealing their energy, threatening severe consequences. Hsu Fann didn't take it seriously, not even after a second warning last night that stealing energy again would curse him to be beaten to death by someone else!

What a stroke of luck!

I nearly got beaten to a pulp!

Hsu Fann recalled the brutal beating he'd received from Senior Brother Han, the humiliation of it all, especially with dozens of onlookers...

"To put it precisely, you're already dead! But somehow, you're still alive!"

A mechanical female voice rang out, followed by a sensation of something being forcibly crammed into Hsu Fann's brain, like countless ants gnawing away, causing such intense pain that he nearly passed out.

These were strange, new memories.

After some time, Hsu Fann wiped the sweat from his brow and pieced together the whole story.

Turns out, he really had died...

He found himself in an alien world known as the Realm of Eternity, now inhabiting the body of an inconspicuous outer sect disciple of the Mysterious Sect, a sect as minor as they come. Essentially, he was living a life with the same name as before, but in a completely different reality.

Hsu Fann was no longer on Earth, effectively making him dead. The Hsu Fann of the Mysterious Sect had indeed been killed by Senior Brother Han, which led to his transmigration and rebirth.

"Brother, I carry your memories, we share this body, and I will seek your vengeance!"

Touched by the determination in those memories, Hsu Fann silently vowed to himself. As he did, he felt the obsession begin to fade, and his soul finally felt lighter.

"Hey? Wait a second, this energy-stealing system, how does it work? Is it as incredible as it sounds? Give me the rundown..."

Having processed the body's memories, Hsu Fann eagerly inquired about the energy-stealing system he had acquired. He was quite excited.

In those novels, systems were never weak. Some could enhance the user without limits, others could transform junk into divine weapons, and some could even make the protagonist invincible from the start!

"I don't need to be completely invincible, being half invincible will do just fine..."

As Hsu Fann pondered, the mechanical voice returned, flooding his mind with a deluge of information about the energy-stealing system, its detailed introduction, and instructions for use. The influx of data was so overwhelming it nearly knocked him out cold.

"This is torture!"

Gritting his teeth against the pain, Hsu Fann grumbled as he began to sift through the influx of information.

The energy-stealing system operated much like the familiar game he used to play on Earth, where he'd swipe energy from others' Ant Forests on Alipay. Now, in this virtual realm, he could similarly siphon energy from his friends.

Yet, "energy" was merely a term; the actual items he pilfered varied greatly. He might snatch the spirit energy another had painstakingly harnessed, or perhaps a treasured magic item or pill they'd crafted. He could even purloin their cultivation techniques, thaumaturgy, and, most intriguingly, their very destiny and opportunities for serendipity!