System: 【Congratulation to Host for completing the Main Mission—Promote to Senior Colonel within ten years.】
【You have completed a Main Mission, please receive your reward. Constitution +5, Memory +7, Spiritual Power +6, Beauty +5, Life Span +2. You can learn two additional skills.】
"Why did I not receive detain time in this world?" Shang Ke asked, confused.
【The moment you completed your main mission, you died. As long as you have so little as a single breath of life left in you, the System can give more time to perform an additional mission.】
Shang Ke: "...Okay, let me ask again, just what use is the reward of extra time? Is it only for the completion of additional missions?" Like, extending his life span to a hundred years or something to wait for a particular tree to bear fruit.
But reality proved that Shang Ke was overthinking it.
【No. The gift of lifespan is what's keeping you alive in the real world. The you in the real world is currently in a vegetative state, kept alive only by machines. The life span you obtain during missions is what is supporting it.】
Shang Ke made a soft sound of realization, then immediately was struck with something and asked in fear, "Wait, what would happen to me if I failed the mission from the first world?"
【The you in the real world would naturally die, and your soul would fall into an unlimited cycle of death and reincarnation. Never again would you have had the chance to return to reality.】
Shang Ke erupted in anger, "Why not tell me something so important earlier!"
【If Host's life value falls to dangerous levels, the System will actively notify you. This is also the reason why the first world gave such preferential treatment. It was to ensure the Host could continue on and complete the following missions.】
"Hehe." Shang Ke's lips twitched, thinking back to the 'mission that can be 100% completed even just by sitting'. It was also the only mission he completed that had satisfied all three additional missions.
Shang Ke grilled the System further before abating. He then clicked open the Skill Catalog, finding that there were two more new skills available, 【Medical Arts】 and 【Planting】. He thought a bit, then chose both of these skills and continued his 【Martial Arts】... after his selection, he walked with large, confident strides into the Hundred Training Space...
After his training, the System once more sent Shang Ke to start a brand new mission.
When he opened his eyes, he found himself floating in water. What was strange about this was that his breathing wasn't obstructed.
Because he had been turned into a dolphin.
A dolphin? Shang Ke gave himself a once-over. He was approximately two meters long with two triangular fins that were swaying in the water and a slender tail that was following the movement of the waves. He was a light gray with a white underbelly, unmarred but for a Flaming Red Sky Flower tattoo. It was not as bright red as it was before, now a much lighter vermillion It looked kind of cute.
Shang Ke felt a bit baffled. This tattoo seemed to follow him through certain worlds but disappear in others. What pattern does it follow?
System: 【Main Mission—Become human food.】
Shang Ke: "......"
......
......
"And?! The information of this world? The direction of the story line? Some clues on the climax? The 'Main Character'?"
【There is none. This time the world is a simple one. The System believes that the Host can complete it easily.】
Hehe. Truly, become human food. Such a simple and cruel mission. It really is 'easy'.
The problem was that the mission must reach the standard of "heroic"! Even by performing 108 extremely difficult dolphin tricks and taking the initiative to run in front of a human fishing boat and have them eat him, it was impossible to become a hero!!! Forget hero, it would be enough if he wasn't treated as a retarded dolphin.
Could it be that his bodily fluids have a special healing effect, and were capable of saving a group of incurably diseased patients and the mental illness that jeopardizes the world's population?
Just how much does he have to hate himself to 'sacrifice himself' at this level? Shang Ke felt the malice that comes from deep within the System.
Since he couldn't get any more information from the System, Shang Ke could only depend on himself.
He tried moving his new body, following the wave and heading to the surface, rushing and breaking through waves, splashing as an aftereffect. His line of sight broadened in an instant; the wide sky, the dark blue sea, and that huge island. He could vaguely make out large and tall buildings built in the center of the island. It looked like this was a modernized world.
Shang Ke fell back into the water and he kept his body straight as he began to formulate plans. He decided to run a few rounds around the island that humans resided in to start off with.
Right at that moment, a small dolphin shakingly swam to him from not too far off, a bit unbalanced in the water, then rubbed against his stomach. It let out weak cries, presumably scared and confused.
The little one appeared to be recently born and Shang Ke could tell that it was very hungry.
He looked around and felt that something was off. Dolphins are a pod oriented mammal and they cherished their children very much. Even if it's mother wasn't present, the other dolphins would carefully take care of and protect the small dolphin. Why couldn't he see the figures of any other dolphins around?
Shang Ke attempted to call out with sound waves but received no response.
The small dolphin leaned against Shang Ke, its movement speed growing slower and slower. Even its cries had stopped.
This was the first time Shang Ke had a dolphin so he has no experience. He also didn't have much of an understanding of this mammal in the first place, so he was really at a bit of a loss about what to do. If the small dolphin continues to not eat, it would die from starvation without a doubt. There's nothing else to be done about it, he could only lead the small dolphin near to the shore and try to think of something to do.
After he got closer, Shang Ke noticed that straight ahead was a building situated on the coastline. It was mostly white and gave off an eco-friendly aura. Through the glass windows near the ground, he could faintly make out a lawn and pool inside.
But what really made Shang Ke happy was that at the top of the building were a set of words—"Star Record Marine Life Rescue Base". Truly, the things you need come when you think of them.
Shang Ke poked his head out of the sea and whistled loudly at the building.
Not long after, a couple of people in uniforms walked out from within. When they saw Shang Ke, they all revealed an amazed expression.
"I'm not seeing things right? It's actually a dolphin?!" A blond man said in disbelief.
"Although dolphins disappeared over two hundred years ago, there was never any direct evidence that they were extinct." Another man with glasses stared at Shang Ke, his eyes shining brightly.
"How did it get here?" The only woman among them asked in confusion.
As she spoke, Shang Ke flipped over and returned to the water. Without giving the people on the shore a chance to react, he reemerged with the small dolphin lying motionless on his head. Then, he slowly swam toward them.
The group quit their exclamations at the sight and quickly squatted down. They could tell the small dolphin's situation wasn't right at first glance.
"Quick, open the water gate, bring them into the base." quickly the blond man gave the order and a loud rumble came from below the water as a passage appeared from below the base.
Everyone had thought they would need to use some form of lure to lead the dolphins into the base. They didn't expect that the big dolphin would swim inside of his own volition, with the smaller dolphin following tiredly.
The people gasped in shock: "Isn't it too smart?"
After a brief diagnosis, the rescuer quickly understood the small dolphin's situation and had a specialist configure nutritional milk to carefully feed to it.
Shang Ke remained in the pool swimming back and forth, occasionally breaking the surface and using his fins to support him on shore and get next to the rescuer to see how the small dolphin was doing.
This scene was recorded and everyone felt happy as they watched it.
"In the past, we could only learn about this mammal from historical documents. That we now have the chance to see a live one, we're really too fortunate." A staff member sighed in bliss.
"If it weren't for that terrible dolphin epidemic two hundred years ago, these cute creatures would not be so near extinction."
"Yeah, I saw some documentary on the dolphin epidemic before. The disease rate was high, infectiousness strong, and it was hereditary as well as contagious by physical contact. It didn't take thirty years for them to be almost completely eradicated. The experts still have not found the source of the epidemic."
"Pay close attention to the health of these two dolphins, we can't let such a tragedy happen again."
"K, send the video to Mr. Qin immediately. The dolphins that disappeared over two hundred years ago have resurfaced. I believe he would be willing to continue funding us once he hears that." Star Record Marine Life Rescue Base was classified as a non-profit environmental protection organization. They mainly relied on the donation of charities and public environmental protection figures for funds. Their Mr. Qin was their biggest financial supporter.
Because of the dolphins' arrivals, the base became abnormally lively. They established a dolphin medical group at the fastest speed possible, and a specialist in charge of taking care of the dolphins' food to take care of their everyday life and health.
Shang Ke only found out afterward that his worries from before were all superfluous. Not only were dolphins not hunted and killed by humans, but they were also set to enjoy the treatment of a national treasure. From Shang Ke's point of view, dolphins were a very commonly seen animal. This was the reason why he dared to enter human territory.
Shang Ke recalled the mission given by the System—Become human food.
Hehe, the System is really such a scammer! Who the f*ck would treat a national treasure as food! With the current situation, even if he washed himself clean, hopped into a bowl and posed nicely, no one would dare eat him!
Following that, Shang Ke and the small dolphin temporarily made their home at the base. There was a large pool in the base, enough for them to play around in.
Two days later, a private airplane arrived at the base and three men walked out from it. The one in the lead was a man around thirty, with a tall stature and handsome appearance. His face carried a trace of sharp coldness and an unapproachable aura.
"Lead us to the dolphins." The man did not beat about the bush with his demands.
"Yes Mr. Qin, please follow me." The supervisor of the base promptly led them to the pool.
"Suuu—" Following the sound of the whistle, two heads popped out from the water, staring at them with four gleaming eyes.
After observing them, Shang Ke led the small dolphin and swam over.
Only after approaching the group on shore did Shang Ke notice that there were new faces today. The one Shang Ke took the most note of was Mr. Qin. The kind of scummy aura that the man emitted was something he could not be more familiar with. If he has a mole on his palm, then he would be his man. If he doesn't, then he will closely observe him for a period before making his judgment.
Shang Ke raised his head and, with a swish, spurted water at him.
The man subconsciously raised his hand to block his face, revealing his palm. Immediately the small mole made its astonishing appearance.
It really is him! Shang Ke was both happy and distressed. Happy that he found the 'him' of this world, but distressed over the race difference that, this time, was a bit more difficult to bypass.
"Pu!" a strange sound came from his side and he looked over. The scene that met him was the small dolphin trying to copy he did just now, working hard at trying to spout water at the people on shore. But unfortunately, he was not too skilled at it yet so despite trying several times, he still couldn't manage it. He wore a very dispirited expression. It hadn't occurred to Shang Ke how strange it was that he could make out the expressions of a dolphin.
Shang Ke raised a flipper to pat his head in a comforting gesture.
The small dolphin blew out bubbles and raised his tail to splash a bit before gloomily submerging himself back into the water with a somersault.
The men ashore laughed and only Qin Yuan stayed silent. He towered above the water and stared at Shang Ke for a long while before he turned his head to speak to the supervisor, "I'll raise the funding to the base by another three million each month. I'll take care of the security. If there are any problems, report them to me immediately. Continue to take care of them."
The supervisor wore a face of delight, "No problem! Thank you very much Mr. Qin."
Qin Yuan squatted down and Shang Ke immediately moved closer, sticking up his dorsal fin and flippers and swimming in a circle as his eyes shone: Look, look, don't you feel I look familiar?
Qin Yuan: "......"
Someone beside him chuckled out, "Mr. Qin, it seems like this little guy really likes you."
Qin Yuan now took note of the Flaming Red Sky Flower on Shang Ke's belly and something stirred in his eyes. He softly spoke, "Flames. We'll call you 'Flames' from now on."