Meanwhile, Lu Xiaoran observed everything in silence along with Roman. With their cultivation levels in the Golden Core and Nascent Soul realms, they could defeat anyone in the Lu family in seconds. However, they chose to remain quiet, as today Lu Ran was the main focus.
From the corner of his eye, Lu Xiaoran noticed his cousin Lu Zhang, who was terrified by everything happening around him. Lu Zhang attempted to flee, and upon seeing him, Lu Xiaoran quickly followed. Lu Zhang was heading toward the back gate of the Lu family estate, trying to escape.
Before long, Lu Xiaoran appeared in front of him. Overcome with fear, Lu Zhang wet his pants. Despite gathering what little strength he had, he could only manage to say, "Please! Forgive me." Since being kidnapped a few days ago, he had been suffering from severe mental trauma. Now, seeing Lu Xiaoran again, all his fears resurfaced.
Lu Xiaoran looked at him but remained silent. At that moment, he heard a voice in his head.
"Ding! Lu Xiaoran is chosen as the host of this great system through Heaven's favor."
"Ding! Do you want to bind with the system?"
His first thought was disbelief. He couldn't comprehend why he would hear a voice in his head. No sane person experienced this. Then he recalled his master's teachings. His master had spoken of chosen ones, noting that one key feature of chosen ones was systems.
His master explained that a system is a soulless, artificial intelligence beyond mortal or even immortal understanding. It is something that does not originally belong to this plane of existence. His master admitted he didn't know much about the higher beings who created these systems.
No one knew much about those higher beings. They had been described as the most powerful entities ever recorded.
With this in mind, he asked, "System, what are you?"
The system replied, "I am the Ultimate Villain system, designed by higher beings to help chosen ones escape their fate of dying as villains."
"Host, you are a villain in Lin Chen's story, but you have escaped that fate by killing Lin Chen. This has not been recorded in the universe for over a dozen millennia."
"You may not realize this, but killing a chosen one is nearly impossible. Yet you have done it, so as the saying goes, every danger comes with a reward. Thus, you are chosen as the host of the Ultimate Villain system."
Lu Xiaoran pondered this carefully. Meanwhile, Lu Zhang, still cowering in fear, begged Lu Xiaoran for mercy once again. Hearing this, Lu Xiaoran gave him a cold stare that almost made Lu Zhang lose consciousness from fright.
After Lu Zhang fell silent, Lu Xiaoran asked the system, "What do I need to do, and what do you expect from me?"
The system replied, "Host, you just need to bind with the system. We will start with the beginner package and quests. This system will make you the ultimate villain who does not submit to fate but suppresses it instead."
Understanding the system's offer, Lu Xiaoran asked, "What do you want from me in return?"
The system seemed confused by his question. It asked, "I don't understand, host. Why are you asking that?"
Lu Xiaoran insisted, "I'm asking a straightforward question. What do you want in return? Heaven doesn't favor anyone without a reason. You must want something from me. Tell me what I need to do after binding with you."
The system reassured him, "You're mistaken, host. I just want to bind with you and help you achieve the title of ultimate villain, suppressing any chosen ones that come your way."
Lu Xiaoran inquired, "And how do I achieve that?"
The system stated, "It's simple. Just complete the system quests accordingly to earn rewards and grow in strength."
Lu Xiaoran replied, "So you want me to play an RPG game in real life, with you giving me different quests? Sorry, system, but I'm not interested in this. Find someone else to bind."
The system responded, "Host, you need to reconsider. You've already taken the path of a villain. You can't escape your fate. Even if you don't want this, fate will still pursue you. You've killed a chosen one and don't understand the consequences. If you don't bind with me now, the world will label you as an anomaly."
"For your information, Heaven does not tolerate anomalies. It will do everything possible to neutralize you, ultimately leading to your death. If you don't bind with me, your fate will drastically change, and you'll become a target for all chosen ones. Please think carefully, host. You will be hunted by them until your last breath if you refuse this opportunity."
Despite the system's warnings, Lu Xiaoran stood firm and said, "No, system. I don't want to be part of your plans or games. Just leave me alone."
Hearing Lu Xiaoran's final answer, the system replied, "Okay, Lu Xiaoran. If you want to reject Heaven's favor, so be it. Many fools have come before you, and you've just put your name at the top of that list. Don't complain when you face the consequences of your choices, as you did this to yourself."
With that, the system fell silent, leaving Lu Xiaoran's mind. As he felt the absence of the system, he relaxed and looked back at Lu Zhang. Just as he was about to speak, a portal opened in front of him, and his master, along with Louriel, stepped through.
His master shouted, "Lu Xiaoran, did you hear a voice in your head calling itself a system?"
He nodded, and his master asked, "Did you bind with it?"
Lu Xiaoran truthfully recounted everything that had happened and his refusal to the system. Hearing this, his master Vik frowned and said, "Sigh! Now I have another problem on my hands. I don't understand why I accepted this group of villains as disciples."