Chapter 1: Strategy, Romance, and Harem System

S City, 2255.

Bai Xue University, single-person dormitory.

Lin Ran swiped his phone screen expressionlessly, tapping heavily on the profile picture labeled [Literature Club Senior].

“MD, she really gave off that white moonlight vibe at enrollment, but turned out to be an extreme vegan. If I added an egg to instant noodles, she’d write an 800-word essay saying I was committing murder.”

Delete!

Next, [Rich Girl Classmate].

Lost over a million chasing celebrities, family went bankrupt, and she dropped out too.

Good thing I didn’t agree to date her…

Delete! Delete!

Next up, noted as [Junior Xia Li].

This one’s even more heavyweight!

“This woman, her face is really pretty. She won the Campus Belle title two years in a row.”

“Chased me for three months, almost made me fall. Thankfully, a good bro caught her running to the international students’ dorm every day…”

“Hmm? She posted on her Moments…? What’s this about celebrating the baby’s full month with Mike? And the baby has dark skin…?”

By the timeline, damn, she was already pregnant when she was chasing me?

Thinking of this, Lin Ran’s stomach churned.

Delete! Delete! Delete!

“Weirdos! Why are they all weirdos? Did I stir up a nest of freaks??”

—

This isn’t the college life he imagined at all!!

Before entering university, the college life Lin Ran longed for was simple—fall in love, make some friends among roommates.

The requirements for a girlfriend weren’t high either—

Female, alive, sane, and wouldn’t make him a cuckold.

Back in freshman year, he still had dreams about university and romance, even tried initiating conversations with girls.

But after three years, Lin Ran was numb.

The only reason he could still entertain the idea of romance was out of some lingering childhood fantasy…

Actually, he didn’t look bad, even made the Campus Hunk list several times, and was pretty outgoing.

But why did he only attract these heavyweight types?

Is it bad luck, or does he really have some special physique?

In any case, he’d almost forgotten what a normal woman was like.

At this point, even having a roommate to complain to would be nice.

But now, forget romance, even making a few friends in this single dorm was difficult.

Lin Ran sprawled on the bed, too lazy to turn off the light.

He covered his eyes with his arm as a makeshift blindfold, and drifted off to sleep.

…

…

[ Ding——Despair value towards romance detected at MAX. Binding criteria met! The Strategy, Romance, Harem System is at your service! ]

When Lin Ran was jolted awake by the clear mechanical voice, he was in a daze.

Outside the window, daylight had fully arrived.

“System…?”

He sat up abruptly, recalling the voice.

His heart pounded wildly.

But soon, he dismissed the thought.

“What am I thinking, binding a system, being all yassa-shi, then having a harem revolve around me. I’m not the protagonist of some novel.”

He stretched, about to get up and wash.

“Hmm…?”

A virtual panel stood right at his bedside.

[ Host: Lin Ran ]

[ Race: Human ]

[ Love Saint Level: LV.0 (EXP needed: 0/100) ]

[ Status: Healthy ]

[ Attributes: Spirit·9, Strength·7, Agility·8, Charm·10, Luck·-10 ]

[ Skill: Cupid’s Aversion (LV.MAX) (Passive): Increases the probability of encountering bizarre human females by 10,000% ]

[ System Evaluation: You’ve worked hard, Host! But please don’t give up on treatment! The System is about to activate, missions will be released soon, and sweet love and harem life await you! ]

Lin Ran stared in shock for a full minute.

The next second, his vision went dark, almost passing out on the spot.

Then, an indescribable mix of grief and sudden realization surged in his chest!

So, all the weirdos I’ve encountered over three years after transmigrating weren’t because I was unlucky…

(At least with Luck -10, it shouldn’t be THAT bad… right?)

It was all because of some crappy skill screwing me over!

He almost coughed up blood.

But soon, ecstasy replaced the despair.

System! He really had a system!

This was a system!

From blockbuster masterpieces to bottom-rung web novels.

Ubiquitous, the protagonist’s standard golden finger!

Heavens haven’t forsaken me!

His phone vibrated at the worst possible moment.

Lin Ran glanced at it—it was a friend request from Junior Xia Li.

He couldn’t even be bothered to open it.

With a system, who would care about those weird girls now!

Besides…

[ Senior, why did you delete me as a friend? Was it a mistake? ]

[ Senior, Mike suddenly returned to his country two days ago. The baby in my Moments… now has no father. I’m so sad. ]

[ Senior, honestly, I’ve always liked you most. I was just deceived by Mike. Now I’ve woken up. Men like you—honest and reliable—are the best. ]

[ Senior, you’re such a good person, can you really bear to watch a girl like me struggle with a child, with nowhere to go? ]

Isn’t this obviously trying to make me take responsibility?!

Who cares about you!!

A new life is already waving at me!

Weird girl? Get lost!!

He turned off his phone and jumped out of bed, excitement surging.

He washed and dressed as usual.

Just as he was about to step out to embrace his new life and see what surprises the system had in store.

The door wouldn’t open.

The lock wasn’t broken.

He didn’t even have a habit of locking it.

Besides, he was so tired yesterday, he slept with the door half-open.

It was as if an invisible wall was blocking the way.

Lin Ran grabbed his phone to check the situation.

Then he realized the vibrations just now weren’t from Xia Li’s request.

But from the freshman group chat he joined last year, which hadn’t had a single message in ages.

A torrent of pop-ups had exploded at the top.

[ World Invasion Endgame—officially begins ]

[ First round invasion world: Alternate World Continent—swords and magic, Demon King and Hero (but toilet paper version) ]

[ First wave monsters: Slimes (the first wave is weak~ it’s welfare time~) ]

[ Wave after wave of monsters will continue attacking human residences. To prevent targets from escaping and monsters from losing their targets, everyone has been locked in their respective dwellings. Air Wall restricts all movement, so please do not attempt to escape~ ]

[ Finally, wishing everyone great fortune in battle ]

No sender information, not even administrators could retract the message.

Below, many other students were discussing, but Lin Ran only felt a chill crawl up his spine.

This pace…could it be…the apocalypse?

From the sink, toilet, and bathtub, blue jelly-like slimes wriggled out one after another.

Obviously, the message was real.

Lin Ran’s face darkened.

“System, come out.”

[ I’m here, please speak~ ]

“This is what you call sweet romance? Can’t even leave the room. Your idea of a harem life is me and my left and right hand?”

The system didn’t reply, only emitting mechanical whirring.

Lin Ran didn’t have time to complain anymore.

This system was obviously garbage.

In the end, he’d have to rely on himself.

Moreover, the number of slimes was increasing.

From the toilet, from the floor drain, more and more slimes crawled out.

Lin Ran instinctively grabbed the fruit knife on the table.

But just then, the mechanical sound in his mind stopped.

[ Ding! Quality opposite gender detected near Host. System Newbie Gift Pack has been issued! ]

[ Congratulations to Host for obtaining the “Eye of Romance Detection” ]

[ Eye of Romance Detection: You can view the romance potential value of any opposite gender. The higher the potential, the greater the probability of a sweet romance with them. ]

“Alright, alright, got it. You go play in the corner, it’d be better if you shut down completely.”

Lin Ran had no expectations for a romance system in an apocalypse.

Was he supposed to romance slimes?

This lousy feature couldn’t even be turned off.

Virtual blue screens popped up over the slimes:

[ Target: Normal Slime (somewhat cute) ]

[ Romance Potential: 5 (average, no special feelings) ]

[ Target: Normal Slime (rather strong) ]

[ Romance Potential: 0 (absolutely impossible between you and it) ]

Wait, it even evaluates romance potential for slimes?

Humans should do what humans are meant to do!

How could anyone fall in love with a slime!

Does this system not even understand such basic logic?

It’s definitely a trash system!

His gaze swept the dorm, finally settling on the sink where a slime was curled up in the corner.

It was much smaller than the others, only about half the size of his fist.

Other slimes were at least half the size of his head.

Completely different from its slightly murky companions.

Its body was like a blue crystal, pure and clear, without a trace of impurity.

Two tiny, bead-like light-sensitive organs were tightly shut.

It seemed timid, trembling slightly—

But whether it feared the new environment or Lin Ran’s gaze, he couldn’t tell.

Of course, what attracted Lin Ran wasn’t its appearance.

But The system sounded.

[ Target: Slime Baby (rare!) ]

[ System Evaluation: She is a once-in-ten-thousand-years beauty among slimes, possessing the purest core and the most perfect form! ]

[ Romance Potential: 99 (a match made in heaven!) ]

[ System Mission Released: Strategy the Slime Baby and begin a beautiful love story ]

[ Mission Reward: All attributes +10% ]

?

??

No way, bro???

This broken system, you’re serious?!!

…