Sin Becomes a God

Chapter 7: A New Beginning

With a sudden lurch, Lu Renjia, who had been sleeping on a straw mat, leaped to his feet. With a dull “thud,” Lu Renjia’s head made intimate contact with the ceiling. After landing, Lu Renjia’s first instinct was to spit. “Pah, pah, pah…” Once he recognized the familiar surroundings and the salty, metallic taste of human blood had faded from his mouth, Lu Renjia muttered to himself, “I… I’m back? Is all of this real?” He was still wearing that pitch-black digital watch on his wrist. Suddenly, every sound around him began to drift faintly into his ears. The abysmal soundproofing meant that not only could Lu Renjia hear the couple next door—that lecherous pair—starting to go at it again amid the dialogue from *The Deer and the Cauldron*, but he could even make out the sound of their heartbeats during their intense activity. “Squeak, squeak, squeak…” The sounds of mice fighting had also become crystal clear. “The Qualified Candidate has completed the mission to kill Ao Bai. Reward: 5 units of Feng Xifan’s martial power…” “The Qualified One has obtained the *Eight Desolations and Six Heavens Sword Technique*, rated by the system as an E-rank martial art!” “The Qualified One has obtained the *Six Harmonies Divine Art* manual; the system has rated it as an E-rank martial art!” “The Qualified One has obtained the secret manual *Bone-Melting Soft Palm*, rated by the system as an E-rank martial art!” “The Qualified One has acquired the skill to craft human skin masks, rated by the system as an H-rank skill!” “The qualified candidate has obtained a fragment of *Battle Soldier Golems*, rated by the system as a D+ manual!” “Since the eligible player completed the quest within twenty days, their Sin Rating is four stars (out of five), increasing their Sin Level by one star. As a bonus, they receive 3,000 Sin Coins and one random treasure chest.” The barrage of reward notifications caused Lu Renjia, who had been frozen in place, to burst into wild laughter. “Hahahahahaha… I’m going to rise above everyone else from now on!!! I’m going to make a name for myself… Hahahahaha… Now that I know martial arts, who’s going to stop me?!!!!” Feng Xifan was, after all, one of the six greatest martial artists in the world of the film adaptation of *The Deer and the Cauldron*. Possessing 50 percent of Feng Xifan’s power instantly transformed Lu Renjia—a complete loser with a combat rating of less than five—into a martial artist at the early second-tier level in the *Deer and the Cauldron* universe. The early stage of the second tier involves integrating the Lung Meridian of the Hand-Taiyin, the Large Intestine Meridian of the Hand-Yangming, the Stomach Meridian of the Foot-Yangming, the Spleen Meridian of the Foot-Taiyin, the Heart Meridian of the Hand-Shaoyin,Hand Taiyang Small Intestine Meridian, Foot Taiyang Bladder Meridian, Foot Taiyin Kidney Meridian, Hand Jueyin Pericardium Meridian, Hand Shaoyang Triple Energizer Meridian, Foot Shaoyang Gallbladder Meridian, and Foot Jueyin Liver Meridian—specifically the Hand Taiyin Lung Meridian, Hand Yangming Large Intestine Meridian, and Foot Yangming Stomach Meridian—are unblocked. Given Lu Renjia’s current physical condition, it would not be an exaggeration to call him superhuman compared to ordinary people. His deep, resonant inner energy caused his maniacal laughter to echo through the cramped underground rental room. It even scared the young man next door—who was in the middle of “plowing”—so badly that he nearly retracted his manhood into his abdomen. Originally planning to go out and teach that lunatic next door a lesson, the young man—who had just finished in a rush upon hearing Lu Renjia’s domineering roar—timidly said to his girlfriend beneath him, “Did that guy get traumatized or something? I heard he’s failed over a hundred job interviews in a row…” The woman, who’d been left in a state of anxiety, shot a disapproving glance at her boyfriend’s limp member and vented all her pent-up anger at Lu Renjia in the next room, kicking the partition and shouting, “You single loser! What the hell are you yelling about in broad daylight?!!!” Lu Renjia, who possessed 50 percent of Feng Xifan’s martial arts prowess and was no stranger to killing and bloodshed, instantly stiffened with defiance. “Damn it! You get to yell, but I don’t?!” The fierce roar shook the partition so violently that dust rained down from it. Only then did the woman, who had been on the verge of losing her temper, calm down. “Gurgle… gurgle…” The sound of his stomach rumbling drifted through the air. He glanced at his pitch-black digital watch—the date and time were still the same as when he’d returned from that disastrous job fair. Yet only half an hour had passed. Possessing 50% of Feng Xifan’s martial prowess—which had completely transformed Lu Renjia—how could he, as a second-tier early-stage martial artist who’d eaten only half a roasted sweet potato all day, not be hungry? “Hehe… Now that I’m back, I won’t be able to eat any delicacies, but there’s plenty of steamed buns! Strange—the *Six Harmonies Divine Art* and *Bone-Melting Palm* were actually rated only E-class martial arts, while that fragment of the *Battle Soldier Demon Puppet* was rated D+? If it were the complete *Battle Soldier Demon Puppet* manual, wouldn’t it be C-class? I’d better check the random gift pack first…”As Lu Renjia spoke, the “Villain System” dialog box popped up in his mind. The “Life Services” option clearly displayed the number “1.” Even beneath the originally gray-white skull icon, a golden six-pointed star had appeared. Furthermore, the “Trading Platform” and “Spatial Wallet” options lit up as well. A silver skull icon lit up on “Spatial Wallet,” accompanied by the number 3,000—presumably the 3,000 Sin Coins he’d earned for completing the quest early. Eager to explore, Lu Renjia tapped the “Lifestyle Services” option and was stunned by the dazzling array of options before him. A long list of items, each accompanied by various icons, made his mouth water—especially the items listed under “Bloodline Exchange.” “I’m going to hit the jackpot… reach the pinnacle of life… marry a rich, beautiful woman? Holy crap…” “Majin Buu Bloodline” possesses the ability to split infinitely; even if his head is severed by an enemy, it will regrow. Combat Ability: S+, Recovery Ability: S, Speed: S-, Strength: S+, System Overall Rating: S-Class. Requires 99,990,000 Sin Coins to redeem. The “Fallen Angel Bloodline” possesses the divine power of the fallen angel Lucifer and grants a lifespan of ten thousand years. Combat Ability: S-class; Regeneration: S+; Speed: S; Strength: S-; System Overall Rating: S-class. Redemption requires 99,990,000 Sin Coins. “Drought Demon Bloodline”: Possesses an immortal body, feeds on the resentment of heaven and earth, and has an infinite lifespan. Combat Ability: S-class; Regeneration: S+; Speed: S-; Strength: S+; System Overall Rating: S-class. Requires 99,990,000 Sin Coins to redeem. Next up were “Wolf Emperor Bloodline,” “Vampire Grand Duke Bloodline,” “Demon Dragon Bloodline,” and “Demon Bloodline”—all A-rank bloodlines. However, as Lu Renjia scrolled through the list, he realized that even the lowest-tier G-rank “Ghost Warrior” bloodline cost 10,000 Sin Coins. With only 3,000 Sin Coins to his name, he couldn’t afford anything. In addition to the “Bloodline Exchange” option, the “Lifestyle Services” section also included categories such as “Weapons & Equipment,” “Cultivation Techniques,” and “System Rewards.” Under the “Cultivation Techniques” option, Lu Renjia even spotted martial arts manuals that countless otaku dream of—*The Divine Art of the Nine Yang*, *The True Classic of the Nine Yin*, and *The Divine Art of the Northern Abyss*. However, to his surprise, these martial arts were rated only E+ in the “Evil God System.” To redeem them would require at least around 50,000 Sin Coins. “Sigh… Looks like I’ve got a long way to go before I can marry a rich, beautiful woman… I guess I’ll just check out the random treasure chest first…” When he tapped the glowing “System Rewards” option, a screen resembling a slot machine appeared before Lu Renjia. “A random reward—isn’t that just like a raffle? You get whatever you get, right? Sigh… For over twenty years now, even when I’ve bought Double Color Ball lottery tickets, I haven’t even won a five-yuan consolation prize. Fifth Sister, Fifth Sister! The door to changing my life’s destiny has opened; I’m about to reach the pinnacle of my life… You’ve got to pull through for me…” After offering a prayer, Lu Renjia reached out in his mind, gripped the slot machine’s lever, and pulled it hard. “Jingle… jingle… jingle…” A series of symbols that made Lu Renjia’s mouth water flashed by—99,000 Sin Coins, the Dark Spider-Man bloodline, the Dragon-Slaying Sword, the Blood Drops, *Nine Yin White Bone Claw*, *Nine Yang Divine Art*, the Divine Dragon bloodline—and as each one flashed by, Lu Renjia’s heart leapt into his throat. “Stop… oh no… my Nine Yang Divine Art, my Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms… Damn it, even the Wudang Sky-Leaping Technique would’ve been fine… No way—the Blade of Agility and Scattering Blossoms are here too? Aaaah… the Power Belt… the Little Electric Hammer…” Amid Lu Renjia’s frantic cries of hope and despair, the slot machine’s screen froze on an “Artist’s Mask.” “The Qualified One has obtained the G-rank equipment ‘Performer’s Mask.’ Note: The Performer’s Mask can be used in all worlds. Once worn, the wearer cannot be identified by others unless they encounter a powerful opponent three ranks higher than the Qualified One. The Performer’s Mask can mask the wearer’s entire aura, making them as ordinary as a ‘passerby.’ Associated skill: ‘Ordinary Face’ (Forgotten at a Glance).” Hearing the explanation provided by the “Evil God System,” Lu Renjia’s mouth twitched. “Damn it! I’d have preferred even the Wudang School’s ‘Tiyun Zong’… at least that would let me scale walls and leap across rooftops… What good is a lousy mask? And ‘Ordinary Face’—sigh… Looks like it really does match my name, Lu Renjia… ‘Extra A’…” “Hum…” A dazzling white light emanated from the jet-black digital watch on Lu Renjia’s wrist, and a mask as white as jade, adorned with simple golden patterns, appeared in his hand. “Sigh… If ‘Talking Out of Turn’ is that awesome, I guess something from the system can’t be too bad… Never mind, never mind. If I get it, it’s my fate; if I don’t, it’s my luck… At least I got a prize, right…” With that, Lu Renjia put on the jade-white “Performer’s Mask.” The moment the cold sensation touched his cheek, the jade-white “Performer’s Mask” seemed to vanish into thin air. In an instant, Lu Renjia’s already unremarkable face became even more ordinary—a face that would be impossible to spot even if lost in a crowd. Even someone with the sharpest memory, upon seeing Lu Renjia at that moment, would be unable to recall his face—which was as ordinary as could be—after just a few seconds. Just as Lu Renjia put on the “Performer’s Mask” and looked into the mirror, the “Evil God System” dialog box popped up in his mind once again. “The Qualified One has discovered a fragment of the D+-level secret manual *Warrior Puppet*. The system awards one G-grade item: ‘Decoy Puppet.’ ” “Qualified Individual’s physical attributes: Internal Energy (Early Second-Tier), Reflexes 10 (ten times that of an average person), Strength 15 (fifteen times that of an average person), Speed 10 (ten times that of an average person), Comprehension 1 (average person). Possesses one D+-level martial art and three E-level martial arts. Possesses the G-level equipment ‘Performer’s Mask’ and the G-level item ‘Decoy Doll.’ Possesses the H-level skill ‘Disguise Technique.’ Overall Rating: F-level martial artist.” Lu Renjia vaguely recalled that when the “Evil God System” fused with him and began scanning, his physical evaluation had been merely H-rank. He never expected that after a single journey through the Small Thousand Worlds, he would actually possess cultivation equivalent to that of a second-tier martial artist in the world of the film adaptation of *The Deer and the Cauldron*. “A message has been received from the ‘Xuan Kui Guild.’ Would the eligible user like to view it?” Lu Renjia was taken aback. When he first saw options like “Guilds” and “Trading Platforms” on the “Evil God System,” he had suspected he couldn’t possibly be the only one to have obtained it. Sure enough, after completing his first mission, he had already received a guild invitation. Upon opening it, Lu Renjia saw a message of invitation sent by Xuan Kui Zhenren, the leader of the “Xuan Kui Guild.” “The path of sin is strewn with thorns. Let’s walk hand in hand as newcomers. Do you wish to push sin to its extreme? Xuan Kui Zhenren sincerely invites like-minded evildoers to join the ‘Xuan Kui Guild.’ Our guild’s mission emphasizes communication and mutual aid, with fair trading of items, martial arts techniques, and bloodlines—no deceit, regardless of age. No Sin Coins required. You who are worthy of evil—what are you waiting for?” “Uh… this looks just like an insurance sales pitch,” Lu Renjia muttered under his breath, but in the end, he still tapped “Confirm” on the invitation option the other party had sent. Immediately, the previously gray “Guild Options” panel began to glow with a幽 blue light. “Eligible Candidate Lu Renjia, race: ‘Mortal,’ strength: second-tier martial artist. Application to join the ‘Xuan Kui Guild’ approved. Please change your alias.” Following the cold prompt from the “Evil God System,” Lu Renjia simply chose a title that sounded similar to his own name: “Extra A.” When the chat-room-style dialogue box appeared before Lu Renjia, a barrage of questions was hurled at him, the newcomer. A user named “Doomsday Maniac” cut straight to the point: “Extra A? That’s a pretty ordinary name… rookie… Which of the myriad worlds are you from? Want some ‘Q-Type Virus Enhancement Serum’?” “What race? Male, female, or hermaphrodite? Let’s see your face…” “Eight-Faced Demon” said coldly. “Welcome, newbie…” “Seductive Little Imp” sent a smiley face. “Dragon Warrior” chimed in: “Noob… need any monster eggs? I’ll sell them cheap… not 8,818… a rock-bottom bargain price—I’ll take just 888! You’ll get a C-class monster egg… an essential pet for home, travel, murder, arson, and covering your tracks…” “Pfft! That lizard-rider’s at it again, trying to scam the newbies. Ignore him… What good are monster eggs anyway? If you’re buying, get my brand-new, nano-tech, heavy-firepower mechanical ‘War Soldier’—it can switch between male and female forms and even do laundry and cook. Paired with ultra-realistic silicone skin, whether you’re a man or a woman, it’ll be your morning and night companion… 500 Sin Coins… 30-year warranty!” “The ‘Mecha Witch’ chuckled. “Xuan Kui Zhenren,” the guild master, also spoke up, “Newcomers joining the guild, please start by introducing the world you come from. Rest assured, there won’t be two Qualified Ones in the same world—unless the previous Qualified One dies, in which case the Demon Envoy will seek out the next Qualified One to inherit the ‘Evil God System.’ So we’re not competitors; joining the guild is simply about sharing resources and helping one another…”