Chapter 2: The Cheat
What the hell? Isn’t this the game interface I played before? Su Hao—no, now he was Charles—stood stunned for a moment before regaining his senses.
After rubbing his eyes, that translucent little interface still hovered before him, as if etched directly onto his retina, refusing to disappear no matter how he turned his head. The small, square frame floated there, displaying rows of numbers and words in an extremely plain fashion, lacking any of the previous ornate graphics or design.
“Charles Maesterlin
Spirit 1.8, Strength 0.6, Constitution 0.5, Agility 0.7
Not Awakened”
Below were several blank little slots, which in the game would display miniature totem images. Now, none were present—not even the beginner gifts like the Black Wolf or the Nine-Lives Cat.
The game, a casual title produced by a certain company, quickly went viral by leveraging the vast social network of QQ. Its main feature was the cultivation of all sorts of totems, which could eventually evolve into super legendary pets like dragons or phoenixes. Of course, nurturing these totems required a variety of resources, such as precious gems.
As for acquiring gems and other evolution materials, was there really any need to ask? How could you ever grow strong without spending money?
He had started out just playing to relax and relieve the stress of his demanding job, but ended up falling so deep into the rabbit hole that he became a whale. Not only did he quit all the other games he’d played before, but he even swapped out his favorite anime figures for all sorts of totem-themed merchandise, pouring tens of thousands of yuan into the game without realizing it.
Later, after splurging on a thousand-yuan ten-pull and drawing nothing but a useless Prairie Gray Wolf totem, he got drunk and, in a fit of frustration, used a cheat for the first time—this very Totem Evolution Modulator he now saw before his eyes, risking a ban.
The cheat’s main feature was to skip the step of sacrificing gems and other evolution materials, forcibly evolving a totem directly!
In this way, the evolution process became absurdly easy; super legendary pets were just a click away. Yet before he could savor the pleasure of owning countless mythical beasts, he was already transported to another world.
He searched his memory for the exact effects and appearance of that cheat, but found there seemed to be significant differences—though the details were hazy, lost long ago in his drunken state.
“Damn it, if I’d known, I never would’ve drunk that night!” He slapped his still-throbbing head in exasperation.
He had no idea how he’d crossed over; with one blink, the world had changed—just like that!
Phew.
“Forget it, I’ll rest for now. Everything else can wait until tomorrow.” Charles, helpless, decided to set his worries aside. Having just transmigrated, even thinking made his head ache unbearably. He resolved to get a good night’s sleep and recover.
Nestled beneath a luxurious golden silkworm quilt, Charles gradually drifted into sleep. Two vastly different sets of memories tangled in his dreams, merging into cinematic fragments that played on and on without end…
“Young master… young master…”
A voice seemed to call from afar. Charles blinked groggily, sunlight filtering through slightly clouded glass, brushing his cheek and gilding the fine hairs there.
“Mm… Where is this?” Charles’s pale blue eyes were blank, with no awareness of his situation.
“Young master, it’s time. You must go greet the lord.”
The voice sounded again, bringing him to notice the figure standing beside him. The confusion faded from his gaze as he sighed inwardly.
“So… it wasn’t a dream. This is no longer my home country.”
The person beside him was his maid, Eve—a sixteen-year-old girl, slight and small, with a cherubic face and big, bright eyes, looking more like a thirteen- or fourteen-year-old. Even her voice carried a childlike sweetness, reminiscent of a children’s song star—fitting right in with the standards of his past life.
At this moment, she held his clothes, her cheeks tinged with pink as she shyly sneaked glances at his face. When their eyes met, she immediately looked away like a startled rabbit.
Not a bad perk… but she’s just too young; I can’t bring myself to do anything!
Charles rose from bed. Eve was the daughter of ordinary folk who’d moved to Goldflash Town; tragically, her parents had been murdered by bandits just days before. The original owner of this body, finding her pretty and docile, took her in as a maid—his reputation as a lecher was well known. Yet before he could act on his desires, he died, leaving Charles to inherit both body and circumstance.
Under Eve’s attentive care, Charles washed and dressed, smoothing out his tangled hair and donning a silver-gray suit with golden trim. He dabbed on a bit of cologne, transforming once again into a refined young nobleman.
Satisfied that nothing was amiss, he left the bedroom alone.
Baron Buyano was a strict and old-fashioned aristocrat, always striving to join the higher ranks of nobility, and thus kept his son on a tight leash, forbidding any breach of etiquette. Fortunately, the baron seemed preoccupied of late and hadn’t had much time to impose discipline.
Stepping out of his own small residence, Charles could see the vast extent of the estate—equivalent to three or four football fields, yet housing fewer than two hundred people. Of these, nearly a hundred were private soldiers, who rarely wandered the grounds.
Thus, he encountered few people on his way—just a few children of the household chasing and playing in the courtyard, their laughter adding a touch of liveliness to the otherwise quiet manor.
Passing several maids who eyed him with a hint of fear, Charles’ footsteps echoed on the wooden floor as he made his way through a long corridor, stopping in front of a separate pavilion.
“Come in.” A warm, deep voice sounded from within.
Drawing a deep breath, Charles braced himself, nerves taut with the fear of being discovered as an imposter. Inside, he saw a tall, imposing middle-aged man.
The man had the same glossy wine-red hair and golden eyes as Charles, with a neatly trimmed handlebar mustache. His posture was impeccable, exuding the pressure of an old noble. He sat upright, a beautifully bound book in his hands.
“Father, good morning.” Charles placed his right hand over his chest and bowed respectfully.
His father looked up, frowning suddenly. “Charles, stay away from those wandering bards! Is it proper for you to make mischief with them every day?”
“The Viscount Mark’s son is visiting, isn’t he? You’re to keep him company these days and learn from him. Your coming-of-age ceremony is soon, yet you still idle your days away…”
Charles hung his head in silence. The original Charles had always feared these lectures and avoided meeting his father unless absolutely necessary.
“Sir, the young master is just a bit playful. He’s usually quite diligent,” Simon, the old butler, interjected out of habit.
Simon had served as the estate’s steward since the baron’s own father, and was treated more like family than a servant.
“I’ll let it go this time. Work harder. After your coming-of-age ceremony, I plan to send you to the Imperial Royal Academy. If you can’t even pass the basic entrance test, you’ll spend three months under house arrest!”
Listening to these stern words, Charles nodded hurriedly. “Yes, Father, I’ll do my best!”
The Imperial Royal Academy—the most prestigious school for nobles, where even princes and princesses studied. Graduates could enter the imperial army or hold posts in major cities, making it a powerful lure for minor nobility.
Buyano was merely a baron; it must have cost him countless favors and a fortune to secure Charles a place, though he’d said nothing of it. It reminded Charles of his own parents in his previous life, who had worked so hard to send him to university… How universal is a parent’s love!
After the formal greetings, Charles left, wiping sweat from his brow. The original owner’s fear had seeped into him, leaving his heart pounding.
He paused in the courtyard, gazing at the blooming purple flowers, and murmured, “Next… it’s time to meet that person.”