Sister, can I be the scabbard too?

"While others read books like 'The Mysterious Immortal Clan' and 'The Lord of Mysteries' in college, I read Plato, Hegel, and Kant. You know, that's pretty..."

"Come on, it's just failing Western Philosophy, what's the big deal?"

Outside the cafeteria of Suzhou University in the Great Xia Federation

Lin Yuan listened to his best friend Zhang Xiaobai's boastful words with a sense of helplessness.

"Heh, you don't understand." Zhang Xiaobai stood with his hands behind his back:

"A cold wind blows in the desolate valley, cicadas sing as the youth returns. Failing a course? That's just a bit of hardship!"

"You...you're truly amazing." Lin Yuan was speechless.

Where is God?

"Behind the original."

Lin Yuan instinctively replied, but immediately realized something was wrong.

Didn't we agree to stay away from stale internet memes? How come I still unconsciously got dragged into it by Zhang Xiaobai?

You bastard, you've already chosen your own death!

Although he was only a freshman, Lin Yuan could already see how abstract his life would be over the next four years.

Just then, a dialog box appeared in front of him.

[System is unlocking, progress 1%, 5%, 15%, 25%...]

His expression suddenly changed. After looking around and confirming that only he could see the words, he turned back to look at Zhang Xiaobai.

The fervor of their days skipping school to play mahjong was gone from their eyes; only the pity of a god looking down upon mortals remained.

"Xiao Bai, I'm sorry, but there's already a thick barrier called class between us."

"Damn, it's just that you didn't fail any courses, is it really that big of a deal?" Zhang Xiaobai exclaimed in surprise.

"Little Yuanzi, you've mastered the ultimate form of Freedom and Perfection!"

"You don't understand." Lin Yuan nodded compassionately.

Zhang Xiaobai felt uncomfortable under his gaze and frowned, saying:

"Since Lord Tree Man and I are no longer in the same class, could you please give me 50 for lunch?"

"No problem." Lin Yuan nodded compassionately again.

"Would you like another serving of braised chicken with rice?"

"No problem." Lin Yuan nodded compassionately once again.

"Would you like to add a bowl of Liangzi noodles?"

"No, no, no problem." Lin Yuan nodded compassionately once again.

His shrewdness made Zhang Xiaobai increasingly uncomfortable, and he unconsciously distanced himself from him.

That posture was like a top-level battle of wits when four people agree to take a dump together, but only bring one sheet of sandpaper.

But Lin Yuan didn't feel embarrassed.

As a great being who has awakened the system, the fact that he was willing to have a few words with Zhang Xiaobai in a calm and peaceful manner already shows that he has a great deal of self-control.

The adult world is full of deceit and treachery.

From now on, Zhang Xiaobai, you will never bring me food again, nor will you give me the chance to call you "Dad".

I, Lin Yuan, will take care of all the meals for room 302.

No, not just 302, but all the meals on the third floor, Lord Lin Yuan has taken care of them all!

I hope you will willingly call me father.

Imagining the wonderful future of having an endless number of adopted sons, Lin Yuan took a deep breath and continued to look at his system.

[Loading 90%, 95%, 99%...]

Lin Yuan: "Yeah, I understand. According to the usual routine, the system will freeze for three days at 99%, keeping me on the edge of my seat and making me want to curse out 'fuck the mud horse' before it awakens, pulling me off the cliff and making me swallow the Gobi Desert whole."

[Loading 100%, system awakening.]

Lin Yuan: ?

Brother Tongzi, how come you awakened directly?

Wait a minute, Galagaim... no, it's not like this in the online novel!

[Congratulations, host! You have been bound to the Kreece Apocalypse Survival Guide System.]

This system will guide you through the devastation and madness of this post-apocalyptic world, helping you grow stronger and ultimately become a being feared even by the Great Old Ones.

Please explore this world on your own and trigger quests.

"Hmm, destruction, madness, restraint, the Great Old Ones, powerful and strong, truly too powerful and strong, as expected of my system."

As Lin Yuan spoke, he stiffly turned to look at Zhang Xiaobai:

"Xiaobai, what kind of person am I in your eyes?"

"Huh?" Zhang Xiaobai's eyes widened, and he instantly covered his anus:

"Brother, I don't wear white socks, and I don't have a round face and a thick beard. I'm just a bricklayer at most. Can you please let me go?"

"..."

Lin Yuan pushed up his non-existent glasses and asked again:

"No, what I mean is, in your eyes, I shouldn't be the kind of twisted monster covered in tentacles and with countless eyeballs, right?"

"Of course not." Zhang Xiaobai relaxed, then looked at him as if he were an idiot: "No, what's wrong with you? Have you been playing too much Saya no Uta?"

"Are you still into tentacle-themed doujinshi lately? If you're interested, I can recommend a few."

"It's nothing." Lin Yuan shook his head, raising his head like a prime minister in Shangfang Valley, and closed his eyes.

"Little Bai, oh no, Brother Bai, oh no, Father Bai, I need to discuss something."

"What is it?"

"Would it be alright if you treated me to lunch today?"

"What about the thick barrier?"

"Actually, the character for 'wall' in 'thick barrier' also has nine different ways of being written..."

Lin Yiji murmured.

What the hell is this damn system?!

This is Earth, China, in the 21st century. There's no apocalypse here, no supernatural monsters!

Can we make an independent ( ) that is not defined?

And, most importantly, the Lovecraftian worldview is clearly a literary creation from H.P. Lovecraft's works!

The current situation, no matter how you look at it...

He's missing the step of "traveling to the world of Cthulhu."

What should I do? Should I try my luck?

I have a system, I'm the chosen one, so I shouldn't need to avoid its sharp edge, right?

But what if I wear the wrong outfit and end up in the magical girl world?

Or try sending Earth's coordinates to outer space?

Wait a minute, the Kreece universe isn't the Trisolaran universe, so we can't receive it...

"Alright, stop joking around. Hurry up and feed my senior dog, and pray that I don't fail my makeup exam tomorrow!"

Zhang Xiaobai said to Lin Yuan.

This dog, nicknamed "Exam God," is a Border Collie from Suzhou University. Because its intelligence is much higher than that of ordinary dogs, it is known as the "Exam God."

In university, those who are unwilling to study but don't want to fail—yes, those who are just clueless—will bring sausages to pray for divine intervention before the exam.

Lin Yuan was in a daze throughout the journey.

He didn't understand (in the voice of the Director) why his system was like this.

If the system can't be used, Watashi...

Zhang Xiaobai also noticed that Lin Yuan was acting strangely.

"What's wrong with you? Why are you acting like a desperate captain?" Zhang Xiaobai asked, puzzled.

"Did the takeoff fail last night? I have a nice one here, a nun-themed one, called ABW..."

"Get lost, you won't understand even if I explain it to you. I can only say that those who understand will understand, and those who don't won't understand even if I explain it to them."

Lin Yuan glanced at him sadly, but then he saw his Border Collie senior lying on the side sunbathing.

This Border Collie is extremely handsome; it's the kind of dog that everyone loves.

But she has a rather arrogant personality and won't let anyone touch her except Lin Yuan.

When the two of them came over, the senior student first stuck out his tongue happily at Lin Yuan, then looked at Zhang Xiaobai with disdain and yawned.

As everyone knows, Border Collies look down on all dogs equally, including Zhang Xiaobai, of course.

Just then, a dialog box appeared in front of Lin Yuan's eyes.

[Warning! You have encountered Tindaros Hounds, terrifying predators capable of traversing time and space.]

Make a choice: to flee or to conquer!

If you can defeat him, you will receive 1000 Universal Points.

When he truly accepts you, he can transform into your exclusive armor, the Sky-Waving Cloak.

[After completing the mission, you will unlock your personal panel. After accumulating 5000 points, you will unlock the Old Days Shop.]

Lin Yuan: ?

A cloak that billows in the sky? Isn't that the dog mat of the Howling Celestial Dog?

And what the heck are these arrows?

"Could it be that my cheat program is bugged, making this world a doomsday scenario?"

"Never mind, it's free anyway, I'll give it a try."

【Your king descended from the heavens, wrathful and ferocious, and effortlessly subdued the hounds of Tindaros, winning their utmost submission.】

Such power, in short, is unparalleled in heaven and earth!

You have earned 1000 Universal Points.

Your SAN cap has been increased by 100 points.

Your physical fitness has improved by 10%.

[You can transform it into the Sky-Waving Cloak at any time (after a successful transformation, it can transform back into the Hound form at any time).]

Looking at his senior, who was lying on the ground with his belly exposed, Lin Yuan fell into deep thought.

He did indeed pay a heavy price to capture this Tindaros hound.

A whole starch sausage.

It was freshly fried by the cafeteria lady.

"That shouldn't be happening." Zhang Xiaobai was completely baffled. "She won't eat the canned dog food I brought, but she's eating your starchy sausage... Hmm... Could this be a female dog?"

Upon hearing this, the Border Collie senior rolled his eyes again.

Lin Yuan, however, looked at the system.

"I can feel the improvement in my physical abilities, but the upper limit of this SAN value..."

The maximum SAN value determines how long you can withstand corruption and also determines the level of secret arts you can learn.

[For the average person, this value is 100 points.]

"Did the reward double for one mission? But it's useless, this isn't some kind of apocalyptic world."

"but……"

Lin Yuan looked around.

You are now in Miskatonic University, a haven from the apocalypse.

Explore freely within the university and acquire the essential knowledge to become a legendary investigator.

"Even the University of Michigan is here."

Lin Yuan raised an eyebrow.

The University of Michigan is a well-known university in the Cthulhu Mythos, and it certainly has nothing to do with Suzhou University.

Bad news: The system has a bug, mistaking many things it sees for things from the Kelvin apocalypse.

Good news: Rewards can still be issued even after the bug occurred.

This is a good thing!

Instead of actually dealing with Tindaros' hounds, feeding the dog-senior starch sausage is definitely more cost-effective.

Lin Yuan thought about it and decided on his next course of action:

"You can have lunch by yourself. I'm going to the library."

If the senior dog can turn into a Tindarous Hound, then what about the books in the library?

Could it turn into a book of supernatural esoteric spells?

If things change, I'll learn it myself...

Beware of Superman?

Happy Hero?

Everyday Superman!

"You're going to the library?" Zhang Xiaobai frowned.

"But didn't we sign up for a mock matchmaking event this afternoon? It even gives you extra credits!"

"It's so hard to find a girlfriend these days, this is a great opportunity, we have to seize it!"

Lin Yuan frowned as he listened.

He could smell the simp.

Alright, Xiaobai, the goddess worth 388,000 is yours to protect.

I'll stick to Superman.

I'm off to the library to study.

……

at the same time,

It's on the rooftop of the second floor of the Suzhou University cafeteria.

Tang Ling'er was secretly observing Lin Yuan through binoculars.

She is tall, about 1.7 meters, with mixed features, possessing both the gentle features of a woman from southern China and the deep features of a goddess from ancient Greece.

Her figure is incredibly good; even though she's wearing very ordinary clothes, she looks completely different from the people around her.

Several good-looking college students considered approaching the girl, but after hesitating, they decided to give up because they felt they weren't good enough.

Of course, Tang Ling'er didn't care about any of this.

At this moment, she was observing Lin Yuan intently.

This spying has been going on for the entire morning.

When she saw Lin Yuan feeding the Border Collie to his senior with a sausage, a look of utter shock appeared on her face.

I couldn't help but gasp, making a valuable contribution to global warming.

"So that's how it is... As expected of Lord Lin Yuan's eloquence, he discovered so early on that Border Collie, no, that Chaos Wolf lurking in the shadows, is extremely talented."

"With such keen insight, no wonder you were able to become so strong after the apocalypse!"

Yes, Tang Ling'er is a reincarnated person.

A month later, a world of cosmic apocalypse invades reality.

The terrifying ancient gods and the Great Old Ones have resurrected, turning the human world into a purgatory, with only one in ten surviving.

And she, Tang Ling'er,

In that terrible apocalypse, they outwitted and outfought the retinue of the ancient gods, and fought desperately against the terrifying cult.

Then, in an identity that no one could remember, he died on an ordinary night.

Good thing...

"Haven't you heard that there's always a way out? As long as I want to walk, the path is right beneath my feet! Hehe, I will definitely survive!"

Tang Ling'er said, clenching her fist.

The reason she spied on Lin Yuan dates back to the night before her death.

That day, she learned about her long-lost sister.

Incredibly, her sister, who had always been at odds with her, had become Lin Yuan's weapon.

Yes, Lin Yuan is the only human in the future apocalypse who can look directly at the ancient gods and still survive.

His special ability allows him to transform any ordinary life form into a terrifying, extraordinary creation.

Her sister was transformed into a sword by Lin Yuan.

Of course, although it is called a sword, Lin Yuan only uses it in battle. In ordinary times, it can maintain its human form and also possesses powerful supernatural abilities.

Just like that Border Collie, it is still in dog form normally, but when fighting, it transforms into a cloak that can teleport instantly.

Although I know that becoming Lin Yuan's sword will be very hard, and I might have to fight enemies during the day and fight him at night.

But Tang Ling'er didn't care anymore.

In her previous life, she was unable to awaken her superpowers throughout her entire life, and her value in the apocalypse was even less than that of a loaf of bread.

In this life, fortunes can change in thirty years, and Tang Ling'er is determined to live a life worthy of her name!

She needs to become stronger, to become Lin Yuan's sword, only then can she possess extraordinary power!

"I have to consider whether this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

"Foolish sister, you had too much fun in your past life, no, you suffered too much."

"Leave the task of ensuring Lord Lin Yuan's enjoyment to me in this lifetime to be done."

"But don't worry, I will protect you after you achieve extraordinary status."

As Tang Ling'er spoke, she turned on her phone.

She had already figured out how to win over Lin Yuan.

This afternoon, in response to the national call, Suzhou University will hold a mock matchmaking event, aiming to eliminate gender antagonism and build a positive environment for marriage and relationships.

Lin Yuan, in order to earn credits, also registered for the exam.

In her previous life, Tang Ling'er did not participate in this blind date.

But in this life, she will take back what she has lost!

She not only used her connections to participate in the event, but also changed Lin Yuan's blind date from his sister Tang Feixue to herself!

To ensure her sister Tang Feixue wouldn't show up and trigger the defeat CG of falling in love at first sight with Lin Yuan, she even sent her sister a message, inviting her to study at the library that afternoon.

Tang Feixue had been trying to mend her relationship, so she immediately said she would skip the afternoon's mock blind date and meet her at the library.

"I'm a genius."

Tang Ling'er covered her eyes and laughed:

"My foolish sister, please don't blame me; the struggle for the crown prince position has always been like this!"

Moreover, she had already investigated.

No matter how strong and powerful Lin Yuan becomes in the future, he is still a pure and innocent virgin who has never been in a relationship.

Moreover, he and Zhang Xiaobai spent all their time together.

Zhang Xiaobai is well-known as the most sexually repressed boy in the entire Suzhou University, an absolutely pure man.

Lin Yuan and he were like two smiling tigers, two black sharks, and Lin Yuan must have felt very repressed.

With her looks and figure, how could she not let him have his way?

"Then... hehe, hehehe, oh ho ho ho!"

"In this Jiangdong, oh no, in this end times, it's still uncertain who will be the master."

Thinking about what was about to happen, Tang Ling'er couldn't help but hum softly.

My foolish sister, you just waited foolishly in the library all afternoon, watching helplessly as I took away the greatest opportunity of your life!

Tang Ling'er's smile was so radiant.

If she knew that the Lord Lin Yuan she longed for was on his way to the library where Tang Feixue was,

She'll definitely have an even happier smile on her face!