"Where am I?"
Xia Zuo blinked his eyes, his vision blurred, both eyes swollen and puffy. A spinning halo of light danced before him, causing more discomfort than staying up all night.
His body felt weak, limbs unresponsive. Only after expelling all the air from his chest could he draw in a breath.
Gathering some strength while lying on the ground, he groped for the wall with his right hand. Leaning against it, he sat up, his gaze gradually focusing, unbelieving of the scene before him.
It appeared to be a prison cell, thick iron bars blocking the way.
In the narrow corridor outside, torn pieces of black bread were scattered beside a bucket of water, its surface marred by impurities.
The air here was damp and chilly.
Xia Zuo shivered, hugging himself for warmth. But then, he froze, slowly lowering his head...
He was draped in tattered clothing, patched together with various fabrics emitting a sour odor.
"What's going on?"
His mouth moved, the voice hoarse and parched, a stabbing pain in his throat.
In the darkness, a faint voice echoed.
Xia Zuo listened intently.
The voice grew clearer, repeating the same words as if echoing in his ears.
"Checking if the host is awake..."
"Checking if the host is awake..."
"Host detected awake, initiating body scan... Scan complete. Initiating data transformation... Transformation successful, generating personal template."
"Personal template??" Xia Zuo gasped in astonishment, the words turning into a soft cough in his throat.
A strange set of information invaded his mind.
...
【Personal Template】
【Name】Xia Zuo
【Gender】Male
【Age】14 years 8 months
【Status】Commoner (You are a descendant of commoners, lacking special skills and knowledge.)
【Level】LV.1
【Experience】0/10
【Health】15/18 (Slight poisoning, hungry)
【Strength】2 points. Strength determines most of the physical attack power, reduces penalties for wearing heavy armor and carrying heavy items, and enhances blocking and parrying damage reduction.
【Agility】2 points. Agility decides the character's attack and counterattack speed, increasing the success rate of evasion. Higher agility makes it easier to perform difficult physical movements.
【Endurance】3 points. Endurance determines your ability for enduring running and combat, affecting the speed of stamina recovery.
【Vitality】3 points. Vitality is your internal life source, deciding your maximum health points and healing speed.
【Perception】3 points. Perception is a combination of your five senses and intuition. Higher perception enables quicker and more detailed observation of surroundings and anticipation of impending dangers.
【Willpower】3 points. Willpower determines your resistance to abnormal effects, whether they affect the mind or the body, providing assistance in combating them.
【Spirit】1 point. Spirit influences your acceptance of elements and energy. Higher spirit reduces consumption and difficulty when manipulating elements and energy.
【Charisma】3 points. Charisma embodies your abilities in appearance, physique, eloquence, etc. Higher charisma leads to better initial impressions from other beings and easier gaining of favorability.
【Special Traits】
【Undying Body】Before health reaches zero, even if hit in vital areas, death is averted, and any injuries will heal as health replenishes.
...
"Am I... transmigrated? 'Undying Body'... Is this the advantage of being transformed by the system..." Xia Zuo gazed blankly at the iron bars.
The information in his mind shifted.
"Host successfully activated the golden finger. Rewarding 1 free attribute point, which can enhance attribute values. Activating the first skill: Insight."
The influx of information ceased, as if all before was merely illusion.
After a few moments of numbness, Xia Zuo rubbed his face with both hands, covering his eyes, finally accepting the fact of his transmigration.
He attempted to inquire in his mind, "What is Insight?"
The system, calling itself the golden finger, promptly responded without emotion:
"Insight: You can use this skill to view basic information about the target. With sufficient knowledge and perception, more information can be obtained."
Xia Zuo stared at the black bread on the corridor, silently repeating "Insight."
A concise line of information appeared: "Black bread, common food, satiates hunger, slightly accelerates healing. Consuming grants minimal experience."
If food grants experience, would the water?
He used the Insight on the water barrel. The response was similar to before—drinking water also awarded experience, albeit a very minute amount.
"What are the channels to gain experience?" Xia Zuo silently inquired.
"All actions undertaken by the host grant experience." The golden finger's responses were direct, devoid of emotional fluctuations.
Picking up the black bread, he soaked it briefly in the water.
Sour, tough, difficult to bite, and harder to swallow—a stone encased in bread crust.
Wrapping a small piece of bread in his warm saliva, he slowly melted it.
Gulp.
The first bite of bread went down.
"Experience gained 0.01 point, current progress towards level-up 0.01/10."
Stimulated by the food, his stomach quickly churned, intensifying the prolonged hunger.
Xia Zuo crumbled a piece of black bread into the water, resisting the urging of his stomach. A small bite of bread followed by a sip of water, meticulously chewed before swallowing.
After a few bites, as his stomach settled, the dizziness and spinning vision from hunger slowly receded, giving way to a clearer sight.
At the end of the corridor, a faint candlelight barely illuminated the path and the edges of the cell.
Xia Zuo didn't shout.
Xia Zuo, I thought you wouldn't make it...
A shadow peeled back the covers and stumbled over to sit beside the iron bars, conversing with Xia Zuo across the aisle.
"The medicine this time was far worse than before. You passed out after drinking it, and I had to carry you back."
Xia Zuo used his detection skill on the scruffy figure but gleaned little beyond the person's alias.
"Xiao Nizi, what medicine are you talking about? My head feels like it's splitting, and I've forgotten a lot." Xia Zuo rubbed his throbbing head.
"What else could it be... That alchemist old man only knows how to tinker with those disgusting bubbling potions."
Xiao Nizi crumbled black bread into his mouth, mumbling indistinctly, "Each time, it's more foul and more unpleasant. I wonder how many more times before I become his apprentice."
An apprentice?
Are you kidding me?
Xia Zuo gripped the icy iron bars. Who keeps an apprentice locked in a cell?
"Are there others here?"
Xiao Nizi flicked some snot against the wall, sniffing back a stream from his nose, "Including you and me, there are four others. Seems like you've lost your memory from the medicine. On your left is a chubby kid, on your right, a thin, short one. In this row, it's just me left, the others didn't wake up after taking the medicine, so the alchemist sent them home."
Being locked up while alive, eating black bread, drinking filthy water, and then getting sent home after not waking up? That alchemist who forced medicine on kids didn't seem like a decent person, more like a sinister old man.
If I hadn't woken up earlier, I might be buried underground by now.
According to the character sheet, I'm in a poisoned state. The medicine Xiao Nizi mentioned, getting worse each time... it's an increase in toxicity, right?
Xia Zuo's heart skipped a beat. "When is the next time we drink the medicine?"
"You really can't remember anything. We're eating black bread now. When we switch to white bread, it's time for the medicine."
Seemingly drained, Xiao Nizi gestured across the aisle and wordlessly retreated into his covers, lying back as before.
Lost in thought, Xia Zuo nibbled on the bread, settling on his mat.
I have one point in the freedom attribute now. I mustn't waste it.
Though unsure of an adult's character sheet, having only two points in strength and agility seemed futile for a 14-year-old boy, especially without weapons here. Adding the freedom points to these attributes would be pointless.
"Golden Finger, can the willpower attribute resist the poison?"
Silently chanting, Xia Zuo waited a minute but received no response.
A callous and indifferent Golden Finger. Looks like I'll have to rely on myself... His face drooped, eyes lowered in resignation.
The description of the mental attribute was enticing, indicating the existence of magic in this world. But in the current situation, it wasn't much use.
Willpower, vitality, and charm - these three attributes might have some effect.
The first two would help endure the torment of the testing medicine rounds.
As for the third attribute, adding a point in charm might improve relations with the villainous alchemist... Pretend compliance, then seize an opportunity to escape; this plan might work.
As he contemplated, the candle at the end of the corridor went out. The entire cell plunged into darkness.
The overpowering weariness turned the prickly straw mat into a cradle.
Xia Zuo succumbed to sleep.
...
The grating sound of teeth-clenching locks woke the boy in the cell. It was followed by the creak of the iron door and footsteps.
Xia Zuo opened his eyes, witnessing a stooped figure pacing the corridor.
This old man wore a black robe, stained with splatters of spilled potions.
Disheveled, unkempt gray-white hair framed his head.
Wrinkled, weathered skin and a stooped posture supported by a cane.
He exuded the aura of a malevolent alchemist.
Sensing Xia Zuo's stare, the villain tossed a few bread pieces through the iron bars.
Before Xia Zuo could employ his detection skill, the figure hurriedly departed.
Clang! The iron door at the end of the hallway shut.
Xia Zuo picked up the bread, his face paling.
Soft, sweet, smelling of milk, identical to the bread from the bakery he used to enjoy.
This was white bread.
Previously a delightful treat, now it felt like a death knell.
Xia Zuo glanced around; only he and Xiao Nizi had received white bread, the other two had black.
"Xiao Nizi, wake up. Why do only you and I need to take the medicine?"
"Am I also given white bread?"
Xiao Nizi sprung out of his covers, stuffing the bread into his mouth, "Is it because I didn't pretend well enough, and the alchemist saw through me?"
Xia Zuo paused, then realized.
The villainous alchemist decided whether to test the medicine based on how the boys appeared.
Just a few stolen glances at the old man led to being chosen for the potion.
The alchemist's perception was remarkably keen. Xia Zuo needed to be more cautious in the future.
Revealing an attack intention rashly might put him in danger.