Chapter 1: The Negative Emotion System

Lusheng Provincial Academy of Arts.
Eight o'clock in the evening.
He sat on a bench beside the school playground, hands cradling his chin, watching couples lost in each other’s affections.
His gaze was unfocused, his eyes dull.
He knew this was not Earth, but a parallel world called Blue Star.
He had crossed over.
“Li He, a third-year student in the Composition Department at Lusheng Provincial Academy of Arts.”
This was his new identity.
He sighed deeply. Aside from some damaged memories from the original host, everything else had been inherited by him.
Especially the handsome, refined appearance, which made him feel perfectly immersed in this new role.
He swept through the remnants of the original host’s memories.
Li He was not surprised to discover that the cultural background of this world was utterly different from his previous life.
The era of modern warfare had passed; now, wars were fought with cultural invasions.
Here, the atmosphere of culture and art was remarkably rich, and with government support, every artistic field—music, film, literature, painting, sculpture—was thriving.
“Utopia.”
For those who work in the arts, this was truly an ideal world.
The world was ideal, but the host Li He had crossed into was ill-fated.
His mother died in childbirth, saving the child but losing herself.
His father died in a fire two years ago, and the host’s voice was damaged in the same blaze.
Forced to transfer from the Vocal Department to Composition, which he was not skilled at.
The original host had an elder sister, who gave up her chance for postgraduate studies to work and help cure her brother’s throat.
After successive blows, the host lost the will to live and, unwilling to burden his sister, chose suicide by overdosing.
Perhaps Li He was able to take over because both he and the host died for similar reasons.
Seeing this, Li He felt a bit relieved.
As everyone knows, those who have lost both parents are never ordinary.
Li He had thought his situation was manageable, until he delved into the host’s memories and his face fell.
Staring at the borrowing record in the Finance Treasure app, he sank into thought.
The host had borrowed three hundred thousand Summer coins, secretly from his sister, to heal his throat, only to be swindled by a fake specialist.
This, perhaps, was the final straw that broke the host.
Without his innate voice, the host could never repay that debt.
Li He was somewhat fortunate that works from his previous world’s entertainment and arts had not appeared here.
He could plagiarize a couple of songs, write a few scripts, adapt some novels.
He would not produce literature and art; he would simply be a porter of the times.
Earn some money, repay the debt.
It was an urgent thought, for no one likes to be chased for money.
But when Li He tried to recall works from his previous life, he was shocked to find he couldn’t remember everything.
He could recall the names of many classic songs, recite some lyrics, but to actually write a complete song—he couldn’t do it.
Web novels too—he knew the general storyline of “Battle Through the Heavens,” “Soul Land,” but couldn’t write them in detail.
He hadn’t worked in the arts in his previous life, nor had he memorized these works.
So, where was the shortcut to quick money?
Li He questioned in his heart.
Then a synthesized electronic voice sounded in his mind:

[Blood matching…]
[Gene matching…]
[Database matching…]
[Compatibility… perfect…]
[Matching requirements met…]
[Tianhe System… Blue Star…]
[Binding…]
A golden finger?
Li He understood.
This was the system to help him achieve financial freedom quickly, something often written about in web novels—“System of Becoming a Tycoon through Loss,” “Art System,” “Godly Wealth System,” and so on.
He stopped overthinking and waited quietly for the system to bind.
Before long, the electronic voice sounded again in his mind: [Negative Emotion System binding complete!]
Negative Emotion System.
He had never heard of such a system.
Being responsible, Li He greeted it proactively.
“Hello, what functions do you have?”
The electronic voice replied: [Greetings, host. Congratulations on binding the Negative Emotion System. This system will help you fulfill all your wishes. Your host information will now be displayed in text.]
The electronic voice faded.
A virtual projection screen appeared before Li He.

[Name: Li He]
[Age: 20/44]
[Negative Emotion Value: 0]
[Skills: None]
[Note: Negative Emotion Value is the negative emotion the host gains from others. The higher the value, the greater the reward.]
[10,000 Negative Emotion Value: Eligible for one lottery draw.]
Age 20/44—what did that mean?
Was he only going to live to 44?
As if sensing Li He’s confusion, the thoughtful system provided an answer: [Forty-four is the theoretical maximum age for the host, but actual circumstances may cause fluctuations.]
Fluctuations could mean anything—thirty years either way, and he might even lose ten years.
“Can lifespan be increased?”
According to web novel logic, it should be possible, but with this peculiar system, he wasn’t sure.
System: [As long as the host’s Negative Emotion Value is sufficient, theoretically, this system can fulfill all your requests.]
“Why theoretically?”
Li He asked in his mind.
System: [Because you are the system’s first host.]
Li He understood.
Whether it could increase lifespan would only be known after testing it on himself.
He understood the routine, and asked skillfully, “Where’s my newbie gift pack?”
Li He’s familiarity made the system doubt whether it was his first host, pausing three seconds before answering: [Newbie gift pack has been placed in the host’s private warehouse.]
“Open warehouse.”
As soon as Li He spoke, the virtual projection screen changed, adding a new function:

[Warehouse: Song ‘Dispel Sorrow’]
That’s it?

Li He knew that, given the nature of this eccentric system, it wasn’t likely to be generous—getting one song was already good.
While complaining, he listened to the song. As soon as the intro played, Li He recognized it as the signature piece by Maomao from his previous world.
It was thanks to “Dispel Sorrow” that Maomao became a sensation overnight.
Now that he had the song, Li He already had a plan for earning Negative Emotion Value.
The question was: who would sing “Dispel Sorrow”?
This song had been proven by the market—a guaranteed hit. Whether it would become a classic, he didn’t know, but it would definitely become popular.
He was unwilling to hand it over to just anyone.
“If I let someone else sing ‘Dispel Sorrow,’ whose Negative Emotion Value would it generate?”
He had to consider this, since his own damaged voice made him unable to sing.
System: [All Negative Emotion Value generated related to the work belongs to the host.]
That was reassuring. The song could be sung by someone else; as long as the value was his, it was fine.
Perhaps influenced by his previous life, Li He had little desire for fame; working behind the scenes suited him well.
The song’s emotional expression was fitting, very apt for the original host’s situation.
Thinking this, Li He suddenly wondered, “System, I died in my previous world and came here. Is the original host the same as me?”
System: [Life Exchange]
“Life Exchange?”
Li He’s eyes flickered, feeling slightly cheated.
He hadn't even met the blind date that had just been introduced to him—who knows, it might have worked out.
Exhale—
Fortunately.
He survived.
Though his beginning was rough, he now had hope, and anything was possible.
He could choose not to look back, to fly against the wind.
Not afraid of rain in his heart, frost in his eyes.
A toast to his hometown, and a toast to the distant future.
…
—
P.S. The new book is signed, please support it!
New book blurb:
Chen Zi’ang, who crossed into a parallel world, has parents alive, a sister, and a house. Having just earned his master’s degree, he only wants to quietly live as a laid-back, freeloading adult—until…
“Ding!”
“Welcome to the Fully Automated Intelligent Entertainment System.”
“Your entertainment life is lacking. The system will now identify suitable entertainment activities for you. An entertainment competition is currently accepting applicants. Please wait…”
“Successfully registered. Please continue to enjoy yourself…”
“Note: During system management, you will lose control of your body.”
With the Fully Automated Intelligent Entertainment System, Chen Zi’ang’s life turned completely contrary to his wishes.
Facing reporters, Chen Zi’ang poured out his grievances.
“I’m really not a celebrity!”
“My fame is purely accidental!”
“My dream is to face the sea, with spring flowers blooming…”
Look, Chen Zi’ang is trending again.
Other titles for this book: “This System Wants Fame Too Much,” “I’m Really Not a Celebrity,” “I Just Want to Be a Laid-back Adult.”