The night shift was quiet.
Too quiet.
Chen Ping'an leaned back in his wooden chair, one leg lazily propped against the ancient bookshelf behind him. The library of Qingyun City was massive rows upon rows of dusty manuals, forgotten scriptures, and techniques no one had touched in decades.
And yet…
"Still no one comes," he muttered, flipping a page of a worn-out novel.
Three years.
Three whole years since he transmigrated into this so-called high martial world.
Others.Born with heavenly roots, rare physiques, destined to shake the heavens.
Him?
No talent. No spirit roots. No destiny. Just a job.
A library security guard.
"…At least it's stable," Chen Ping'an sighed.
He reached for his teacup
Skitter.
He froze.
Slowly… very slowly… his eyes drifted downward.
There.
On the floor.
A cockroach.
A big one.
Its antennae twitched like it owned the place.
…You've got to be kidding me.
Chen Ping'an grabbed the nearest weapon of mass destruction
A worn-out rubber slipper.
Three years in a cultivation world and THIS is my opponent.
The cockroach moved.
Fast.
Hey! Don't run!
SLAP!
Direct hit.
Silence returned.
Chen Ping'an stared at the flattened corpse.
"…Too easy."
Then
[DING!]
A mechanical voice echoed in his mind.
[System Activation Complete]
[Binding Host: Chen Ping'an]
[Analyzing Target…]
Chen Ping'an blinked.
"…Huh?"
[Target Identified: Abyssal Devourer of Ten Thousand Realms (Ancient Cataclysm-Class)]
…What?
[Threat Level: Capable of consuming worlds and collapsing dimensional layers]
Chen Ping'an looked at the cockroach.
Then back at the air.
"…You good?"
[Host has slain a Cataclysm-Class entity]
[Reward Calculating…]
A pause.
A long one.
Then
[Reward Granted: Eternal Immortal Body]
[Reward Granted: Infinite Regeneration]
[Reward Granted: Indestructible Flesh]
Chen Ping'an scratched his head.
…So… is this like… a prank?
Nothing felt different.
No explosion of power.
No golden light.
No dramatic music.
He poked his arm.
Still normal.
Far above the heavens…
A group of ancient cultivators suddenly froze.
"…Did you feel that?" one whispered.
Another trembled. "Something… just became immortal."
…In the lower realm
Back in the library
Chen Ping'an yawned.
"System, right? You're late. Three years late."
[Host dissatisfaction detected]
"Yeah, yeah. If you're real, do something useful."
Buzz.
A fly landed on the table.
Chen Ping'an didn't even look.
SMACK.
Dead.
[Target Identified: Void Winged Desolation Beast (Mythic Calamity-Class)]
[Reward Granted: +3 Major Cultivation Realms]
Somewhere in the world—
A Nascent Soul cultivator suddenly choked on his own breath.
"W-WHO JUST BROKE THROUGH THREE REALMS AT ONCE?!"
Back in the library—
Chen Ping'an blinked.
"…Did you just say something?"
Nothing.
Silence.
The system did not respond.
"…Definitely broken."
He stood up, stretching.
"Whatever. As long as I get paid."
He grabbed a rag and started cleaning.
A spider clung to the corner of a shelf.
"…You too?"
WHAP.
Gone.
[Target Identified: Eight-Legged Primordial Horror (Heavenfall-Class)]
[Reward Granted: Heavenly Dao Affinity MAX]
[Reward Granted: Comprehension Speed ∞]
The sky above Qingyun City darkened.
Lightning gathered.
The Heavenly Dao… trembled.
"…Something is wrong," the heavens whispered.
Chen Ping'an looked up.
"…Rain?"
Then shrugged.
"Better finish cleaning before my shift ends."
Far, far away
Deep within a forbidden mountain range
A 100-meter demonic ape slowly opened its eyes.
It sniffed the air.
Then…
It shuddered.
"…Something terrifying… has awakened."
Back in the library
Chen Ping'an picked up his secondhand industrial vacuum cleaner.
He gave it a shake.
"Still works."
He smiled, satisfied.
"Good. Less bugs tomorrow."
The world did not know.
The heavens did not understand.
And Chen Ping'an.
He just clocked out.