THE SYSTEM IS NOT MINE

The afternoon sun hung quietly above the training grounds of Golden Eagle City.

The war had ended, but the soldiers had not yet returned to ordinary life. Some sat along the walls repairing damaged armor. Others sharpened blades or spoke in low voices about battles that still lingered in their minds.

At the far edge of the grounds, away from the noise of the barracks, a patch of earth had been turned over again and again.

Yan sat there, nope.

He was buried in the soil.

Only his head remained above the ground.

Spiritual qi moved slowly beneath the surface.

It rose through the soil in faint currents, flowing quietly into Yan’s body.

This was how he cultivated now through the ground and he found it much faster.

Right then, footsteps approached across the training field. Yan opened his eyes slowly.

Chen Yu walked toward him carrying a small wrapped parcel and a folded letter and stopped beside Yan.

“Yan, Something arrived for you.”

“For me?” Yan tilted his head slightly.

Chen Yu nodded and tossed the parcel toward him.

“A courier from the Iron Marrow Sect, it was delivered this morning.”

The soft ground around Yan cracked, and two hands reached out to the parcel, then he brushed the dirt from his hands before opening it.

Inside the cloth wrapping sat a small wooden box.

The moment he lifted the lid, a familiar smell rose into the air.

Food.

Warm spices and roasted meat.

Yan paused.

The aroma was unmistakable.

Westbrook Village.

For a brief moment he simply looked at the box.

Then he reached deeper into the parcel.

Beneath the food sat a small pouch filled with silver coins… and a folded letter.

Yan opened the letter.

Hey Yan,

I’m sending you some food from the restaurant where we used to eat in Westbrook Village.

Hope you enjoy it.

The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

The parcel also contains some silver coins for personal use.

Since you mentioned in your last letter that you are in Golden Eagle City, I have sent the parcel here.

I hope it reaches you safely.

Coming to the main topic…

Recently the sect assigned a mission to investigate reports of berserkers appearing more frequently in several cities.

Sunset City.

Morning Dew City.

Flower Grain City.

I do not believe Elder Chao is behind this.

The sect has stopped purchasing livestock, and nearby villages no longer report animals disappearing.

Whatever is causing this seems different.

I thought this information might help you in some way.

Well… I’m looking forward to meeting again.

Regards,

Ren.

Yan finished reading the letter.

For a moment he remained silent.

The wind moved quietly across the training ground.

Subconsciously, Yan’s fingers rose toward his neck and touched the small pendant resting beneath his collar that Ren had given it to him before they parted.

Yan held it for a brief moment, it felt colder and then he released it.

He folded the letter carefully and placed it beside the parcel.

"Yan"

Commander Leo arrived right when Yan placed the letter aside.

"It seems you received things from your family" Leo said.

Yan did not reply for a second, for a moment his thoughts drifted to the past, his father, his mother and Taner.

And then he glanced at the pendant on his neck and said "You can say that"

"It's so good to have a caring family" Leo added. "Sadly, I lost mine two years ago" Leo said, "And cherish them when they are still around".

Yan looked at Leo, and asked, "Commander, there is one thing bothering my family"

"Oh! What's it? " Leo brought his ears nearer to him.

"It's about the green liquid"

Leo's eyes narrowed.

"They mentioned about the Sunset City where I live, it was said that a bunch of berserkers are appearing there"

"I want to go there and have a look"

Yan said.

Leo looked at Yan and the parcel beside him, "The green liquid, it's dangerous"

"You better be careful while you go, we don't know much about it but it's a dangerous substance"

"Yes, I will be careful" Yan nodded.

"Also, I have to leave" Leo began to leave the place, and he halted for a moment, and said "Be careful again, I have some clues but I am not certain, the war may really have begun because of the green liquid"

Then he left, Yan watched his back and did not say anything.

Yan pushed himself outside the pit, washed himself, opened the parcel and ate the food and then he buried himself again.

When the night descended, Yan was laying on the bed inside in his room.

In front of him, faint white letters appeared in the air.

The Overseer System

Resonance:

Ground (Foundation Cap)

Mind (90% Foundation Cap)

Compatibility: 11%

Stability: 90%

Functions Unlocked:

Memory Recall (Inactive)

Realm: Spiritual Qi Foundation — Layer 6

Yan studied the letters quietly. His cultivation had advanced steadily during the months of war and training.

But something else had not changed.

A thought crossed his mind.

The white letters disappeared and appeared

The Overseer System

Mission: Monitor Steward Zhao — Behavioral Deviation Detected

Failure Outcome: Unknown.

Yan stared at the mission line,It had not changed a bit, Not even once.

Years had passed since the system first displayed it but still the mission remained constant.

Back then, when Yan thought of monitoring Steward Zhao, he could not really find him in the sect. Apparently Steward likes to roam outside more than staying in the sect.

And now, it's much harder, Yan dismissed the white text.

Then Yan thought of the day, when Steward Zhao arrived to recruit him at South Reed Village.

Yan remembered the way the villagers had treated him then.

And the calm expression Zhao had carried while observing everything.

Years had passed since then, yet the system still insisted.

Behavioral deviation detected.

Yan closed his eyes slowly.

The soil beneath him remained quiet.

But somewhere beyond the war… beyond the cities…

Something had already begun moving.

And Yan still did not understand what and why.