Shen Mu transmigrated and found himself in the midst of a cliché and poorly written novel, where he became a cannon fodder character.
In the quiet of his dormitory on that late night, Shen Mu observed the serene moon outside the window and couldn’t help but sigh. Little did he expect that the mysterious phenomenon of transmigration would happen to him, a modern young man who firmly believed in science.
As Shen Mu lay in bed, his thoughts began to wander, reflecting on the events of the day.
As an outstanding university student, Shen Mu had been lost in thought during his journey back to campus earlier that day, contemplating whether he should have sweet and sour pork ribs or cola chicken wings for dinner. Suddenly, while walking, he heard a piercing scream. Reflexively turning his head, he was met with a colossal truck hurtling towards him.
“Boom…”
Shen Mu felt as though he had been launched into the air, and after a dizzying whirl, the pain in his body intensified, and his consciousness grew hazy. The air was filled with a cacophony of screams and commotion, accompanied by the distant sound of sirens and an ambulance. As his surroundings gradually dimmed, shrouded in a blood-tinged haze, Shen Mu could no longer hold on. He closed his eyes.
“Hey, Shen Mu, wake up! It’s time for class.” A voice resounded near his ear, accompanied by a gentle nudging. Shen Mu slowly regained consciousness and surveyed his surroundings.
???
Shen Mu gazed at the immaculate classroom, filled with students wearing school uniforms, and found himself dumbfounded for a few moments. What was going on?
“Shen Mu, what are you doing? Don’t space out. We’re having Master Miaojie’s class soon,” the voice from before urged. Shen Mu turned towards his left and saw a boy with glasses—a fair, young face resembling that of a high school student.
“I… I…” Shen Mu was unsure of what had happened. He wanted to inquire about the situation, but before he could do so, he heard a series of approaching footsteps. He looked ahead and witnessed a middle-aged woman striding in, wearing a pair of towering 10-centimeter heels and clutching a stack of books with an air of authority.
“…” For some reason, an overwhelming sense of oppression engulfed him.
“Shen Mu, we can talk later. Master Miaojie has arrived, and if she catches you, you’re done for,” whispered the boy with the youthful face beside him, inching closer. He quickly sat up straight, placing his hands on the desk, assuming the posture of a diligent student.
“…” Shen Mu could already sense the danger emanating from the teacher up front.
“Alright, students, let’s not waste time. Let’s begin the class,” announced the female teacher as she picked up the chalk and commenced her lecture.
Shen Mu stared ahead, his expression vacant, still struggling to comprehend the situation. Suddenly, he heard a faint sizzling sound.
What was happening? Shen Mu strained his ears to listen, and at that moment, a voice echoed in his mind.
“Hello, Shen Mu,” a cold, mechanical voice resounded.
Shen Mu doubted whether he was hallucinating. He looked around, but the voice persisted. “You’re not mistaken, and you can’t see me either.”
In the midst of a scorching summer day, with the sun high in the sky, Shen Mu broke into a cold sweat. After three seconds of silence, his instinct to scream kicked in, but…
“Shut up, are you an idiot?” The voice interrupted once again, cutting off Shen Mu’s scream.
He was certain that he could discern a sense of disdain from that cold, mechanical voice.
Shen Mu grew angry. He was genuinely displeased. Who wouldn’t be frightened by such an encounter in broad daylight?
“Who are you?” Shen Mu silently asked in his mind, realizing that this entity could hear his thoughts.
“I’m Number 053, a regular system under the System Management Bureau,” the voice responded.
As a regular netizen who enjoyed playing games and reading novels, the term “System Management Bureau”… suddenly, he had some thoughts.
“So, I’ve transmigrated?”
“Yes, you’ve transmigrated. In your original world, due to a drunk driver, you died in a car accident before the ambulance arrived. I noticed a high compatibility between you and this body, so I brought your soul here. Now, do you want to bind with me? I will respect your decision.”
…
It turns out I really transmigrated. This is such a cliché situation.
**************
Chapter 2: Forced to Become a “Lapdog”
“Bind!” Shen Mu exclaimed. If there was a chance at survival, he had to seize it. After all, he was an orphan in that world with no attachments.
“Ding—The host has agreed. System binding in progress… Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle. Binding successful, memory transfer in progress.”
Upon hearing the voice, memories flooded into Shen Mu’s mind. Feeling uncomfortable, he leaned on the desk, using the stack of books in front of him as a shield.
These were detailed memories. It turned out to be a novel world called “99 Escapes of the Pampered Husband.” The story revolved around the intense love and suffering between the protagonist and his love interest. Escapes, pursuits, and an entangled romance.
The original host, coincidentally also named Shen Mu, was nothing more than a cannon fodder character. What’s more, he bore an uncanny resemblance to Shen Mu himself, explaining the high compatibility mentioned by the system.
Shen Mu was quite content with this. He rather liked his own pretty face.
The memories vividly portrayed the original host’s life from childhood to adulthood. Their personalities were similar, and Shen Mu’s exceptional acting skills ensured that he wouldn’t blow his cover. However, there were some differences between him and the original host.
The original host was naive in matters of the heart. While this might have been for the sake of the plot, those events did occur.
He had fallen for the protagonist, the “dominant” role, and pursued him tirelessly. But the protagonist’s heart belonged to the other love interest, the “submissive” role, and they played a game of chase. Thus, the original host’s one-sided affection was doomed to fail. Yet, the protagonist enjoyed the feeling of being pursued by the innocent young master and kept him hanging, neither accepting or rejecting him.
The original host remained quietly by the protagonist’s side, unwavering and steadfast, truly embodying the role of a “lapdog.” Whenever conflicts arose between the protagonist and the submissive role, the original host stood by, providing silent solace. Unfortunately, the submissive role disliked him, and after reconciling with the protagonist, would use eye drops on the original host, causing a rift between them.
After enduring such torment, the innocent young master, the original host, finally couldn’t bear it any longer and left the country, feeling disheartened.
“Tsk,” Shen Mu expressed his lack of understanding. What was there to hold onto with such a scumbag? Keeping someone hanging like that. If it were him, he would have given the person a reality check and left confidently. There are plenty of men in the world, nothing worth brooding over.
Shen Mu, who had never been in a relationship, held such matters in disdain.
“System, so what happened to the original host of this body?” Shen Mu asked. He had entered this body, but what became of the original host?
“…He regained consciousness, quit, and became a host at the System Bureau,” the system replied after a brief silence.
“Well, as long as he’s alright.” As long as the person was fine, Shen Mu had some peace of mind.
“Your task is to replace the original host and become cannon fodder in this world, completing the original plot,” the system announced the cruel task devoid of any emotions.
“You want me to be a lapdog and follow the plot? Why don’t you do it?” Shen Mu immediately voiced his discontent. He was not pleased with the task and didn’t want to do it.
“If you refuse the task, you’ll face death.” Ignoring Shen Mu’s dissatisfaction, the system continued, “This is the task progress chart. I won’t bother you most of the time, but at crucial points in the plot, you must complete the tasks.”
“When it reaches the point where the original host goes abroad, you must go as well. That will be your final task. Once completed, your mission will be considered finished. After that, I don’t care what you do.”
Shen Mu had intended to say more, but upon hearing the system’s words, he gasped. He looked at the task progress chart beside him, visible only to him and the system, which clearly outlined the tasks that needed to be completed. As he continued to read, his eyes lit up, and his quick-thinking mind started working.
“Are you saying I only need to complete the key plot points?” Shen Mu inquired.
“Yes.” The system’s reply was as cold as ever.
Shen Mu was highly satisfied. He believed he knew what to do now. How to survive without forcing himself to be a lapdog. A cryptic smile appeared on his beautiful face.
In the scorching summer, the system felt an eerie breeze, sensing that something was amiss.
However, the system didn’t pay much attention. After realizing that Shen Mu understood, it said, “Take your time to complete the tasks. I have other matters to attend to, so I’m leaving. I’ll occasionally come back to check on your progress.”
“Hey, system, you’re leaving so soon? At least stay with me for a while. I’ve just arrived in this strange world, all alone, in dire straits…” Shen Mu continued to babble, showcasing his superb acting skills, but the system remained silent.
“Leaving so quickly, just like that.” Shen Mu grumbled.
“Shen Mu! Get up!” Suddenly, a penetrating female voice echoed.
*********