The dazzling stage lights poured down, enveloping Lâm Thanh Bạch who stood at the center of the grand auditorium. He wore a white suit trimmed with silver, his platinum hair softly styled, and his porcelain skin so flawless it reminded people of an angel who accidentally stepped into showbiz.
"Thank you all for coming to my annual fan meeting~! Even though it's raining today, seeing all these familiar faces really moves me so, sooo much~!"
His sweet, slightly playful voice, paired with a professional lilt, expressive gestures, and an eye-smile that curved like a crescent moon, sent the crowd below into a frenzy. Right on cue, a long banner dropped from the second floor:
"ADORABLE FAIRY PRINCESS – OUR BELOVED LÂM THANH BẠCH!!"
Lâm Thanh Bạch: "..."
(Fairy princess, seriously? I'm obviously a handsome heartthrob =_=)
Still, he smiled, walking toward the edge of the stage and waving. His eyes scanned the fans holding up lightsticks and signs. This scene had repeated itself for three years now.
Three years of rising from a no-name trainee to the nation's sweetheart idol—he had endured hardship, scandals, public pressure, and even... betrayal.
Today was his birthday. But like every birthday, it was scheduled with a show, and today was a "mandatory performance" pushed by none other than his manager—Trình Phong. The man who always wore a smile saying, "It's all for your own good," while hiding behind him stacks of exploitative contracts and secret deals Lâm Thanh Bạch was never allowed to refuse.
He sat down in the chair at center stage. A large gift box was brought out. The MC beamed with excitement, "A special present from Manager Trình Phong to our dear Lâm Thanh Bạch! Open it up!"
The audience screamed:
"Woa!!"
"Proposal incoming!!!"
"Anh Phong, get on stage~!!"
Lâm Thanh Bạch gave an awkward smile and pulled the red ribbon.
Click.
The sound of a lock releasing.
Bang!
No one had time to react.
A small explosion. A puff of smoke. In a split second, the stage went dark. Screams echoed. The LED screen flickered. Lâm Thanh Bạch staggered to his feet—his stomach was bleeding.
He looked down. A syringe had shot out from the gift box, stabbing into his stomach. Blood bloomed across his pristine white suit.
His voice trembled, "Poison…?"
The MC froze. Manager Trình Phong rushed forward, shouting for help, beginning CPR—yet in that moment, a glint flashed in Trình Phong's eyes—cold, calculating.
He understood now. It was him.
His vision blurred. Cold seeped into his body. The noise faded. Everything… turned white.
A vast whiteness. No gravity. No sense of time.
"Player ID 012890, please confirm revival~! Press 1 to vomit, press 2 to faint again!"
Lâm Thanh Bạch: "...What?"
"Press 3 for a soft and fluffy resurrection experience~!"
A candy-pink interface popped up in front of him. On it was a cute little fox boy with pink hair, big sparkly eyes, and two twitching pink ears on top of his head.
"Hi hi sweetie~! I'm System Lý Sáo~! Pleased to serve you on this cross-dimensional horror survival journey – crybabies not allowed~!"
"…"
Lâm Thanh Bạch blinked. "Am I dead?"
"Yup yup, physically deceased. But now you're a soul-type player~ So you can keep playing! Isn't that fun?"
"No."
Lý Sáo widened his eyes: "Wait what, why?"
"I got poisoned on my birthday. People usually die in bathrooms or something, I died in front of thousands of fans. It's embarrassing."
"…Sweetie, you're cooler than a fridge."
Lâm Thanh Bạch wiped his face: "Alright, so what can this system of yours do?"
Lý Sáo twirled midair, sparkles flying like a magical girl transformation. "You've been selected to enter a survival game! Each instance is a different horror world. Your tasks? Survive, complete missions, climb the leaderboard, and earn points to redeem for... resurrection or god-tier status!"
"Can I choose not to play?"
"You can! But you'll have your memories permanently erased and get reset into a soulless plush bunny~ kept in a glass jar by an NPC."
"…When does the first level start?"
Lý Sáo danced: "Right now~! First instance: The Dormitory No One Dares Mention! Difficulty: F+! Survival rate: 17%!"
"That low?"
"Oh don't worry, it gets lower~! Go go sweetie, sing it loud! Player Lâm Thanh Bạch is now being transmitted…"
The sound of clinking metal rang in his ears.
A burst of white light. Just before vanishing, he managed to say:
"…Let me bring my mic."
"Sure thing sweetie~! Granting you your exclusive weapon: Bae-Karaaa~!"
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Author's Corner:
"Hi everyone! This is my first time writing on here, so if there are any mistakes, please don't hesitate to give me your honest feedback. I really appreciate everyone's support and help."
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