Seized by the System

Chapter 8: There’s No Problem That Imagination Cannot Fix

Translator: J_Squared, Zenobys Editor: J_Squared, Zenobys

A week later, a space of around ten square meters was rented for the breakfast restaurant. Once the documents were done and submitted, the restaurant officially opened.

And so, Fang Ning quit his job and led a good life of working during the day and staying together at night with his gorgeous roommate, Zhao Ying…

Which was impossible. Because he still had to spend his nights catching criminals with The System.

As for the problems of safety which would crop up during its vigilante sprees that Fang Ning had thought up, the System had discussed them thoroughly with Fang Ning.

In the end, both had agreed to a win-win situation where they could co-exist with no repercussions to the other, which came up after much exchanging of opinions (imagination). This was enough to prove that discussion was always better than conflict; that communication would always be better than argument.

As long as the both of them maintained this constant discussion and communication, their win-win situation would also remain intact.

As for the problems of safety, it was just what Fang Ning had said previously: the problem of fingerprints, DNA, and the fact that the exercise routes of both Fang Ning’s true identity and vigilante identity were overlapping. If any of these problems were to be left unsolved, their vigilante identity would be exposed and Fang Ning would suffer the consequences.

The System had told Fang Ning not to worry in regards to fingerprints, as whenever The System went on a justice spree, it would always activate the body’s vital energy to form an automated protective layer around the body. This meant that whenever the System touched something, the hands would always be behind a protective layer.

This was actually the System’s way of avoiding touching poisonous enemies so that it wouldn’t die accidentally.

After all, substances that could transmit poison through touching the skin were quite abundant before, so it’s safe to say that there were more now, especially after the Flame Meteor.

As for the possibility of being identified by DNA, the System did not have a solution. If it changed Fang Ning’s DNA every time it disguised itself, Fang Ning himself would die, as his cells would be fighting each other.

The System could only try its best to ensure that Fang Ning’s body would not be injured, mind it’s saliva, as well as keep its hair from falling. (This was highly difficult, unless Fang Ning became a monk)…

Fang Ning had no hope of actually fulfilling those requirements, cause in the heat of a fight, there really was no guarantee his body would come out intact.

In the end, it all depended on Fang Ning’s imagination. After asking the System thoroughly on what capabilities it possessed, Fang Ning finally came up with a plan to avoid his DNA being analyzed.

The System was equipped with an abundance of mantras for internal strength, with a majority of those being fire-based mantras. These mantras produced fire-based vital energy when activated, which was powerful enough to burn a person.

The System could also convert fire-based vital energy to automatic body care vital energy. The System would be able to know, in advance, if any tissue from Fang Ning’s body was about to break away due to its high-speed thinking and comprehensive perspective. It could, therefore, activate the fire-based vital energy flowing through the body, so that the tissue can be incinerated to destruction immediately upon breakaway.

This would seem difficult to do, for even a Wuxia Master, who in the end, was still human and would make mistakes, but to the System, it was just one more way of monitoring the body in real-time. Of course this meant that the System would be constantly multitasking.

Now that this could be done, even if a strand of Fang Ning’s hair were to fall, it would be incinerated to dust even before it left his scalp. DNA can’t exactly be obtained from dust now, can it?

It would be the same for blood or spit or whatever. In conclusion, Fang Ning’s DNA was now under protection, and would never be found in a random place anywhere.

Hearing its host’s imaginative plan, the System couldn’t help but admit that there was an obvious difference in intelligence between the two of them. It also accepted that its host’s brain was an important part of what made up Fang Ning.

Although this plan would restrict the System to constantly using fire-based vital energy to protect its body, at least there was no longer a risk of being exposed, which was completely acceptable.

If worst came to worst and the System had no choice but to switch mantras, the System would just have to run away. No matter how stupid this System was, it probably isn’t stupid enough to give itself a task that could get itself killed…

Now that the problem of fingerprints and DNA being left behind has been solved, the two most concrete sources the identity of the vigilante running around catching criminals would have been eliminated.

There was still the problem Fang Ning’s actual identity and vigilante identity having the same exercise routes, though. Fang Ning really couldn’t figure out a solution to this problem, and told the System that unless it could somehow create a clone of Fang Ning, it would largely remain unsolved.

What Fang Ning didn’t expect was for the System to actually create a clone…

“Is, is this guy reliable?” Fang Ning stared at the clone that had suddenly appeared in the System Space.

The clone’s appearance had given him a fright as Fang Ning could not see even a sliver of difference between himself and his clone. How did this Wuxia-based System manage to create something that needed science? How was this possible?

When a notification finally appeared, Fang Ning’s confusion dissipated.

(Low-level mechanical puppet: possesses carpentry abilities, 700 experience points, is able to craft items using externally-looted wood and leather. Current skills: simple conversation, basic mimicry of movements.)

After looking at the mechanical puppet’s functions, Fang Ning sized it up once again before nodding his head approvingly.

“Alright, I’ve always been a homebody so I don’t usually move around a lot; therefore having it just cooped up at home wouldn’t be much of a difference. Even if somebody attacked me straight-up or something, I can cook up some reason to deal with it, so nobody would think I’m the vigilante at all.”

……

With all three problems solved, the System could finally continue catching criminals.

Fang Ning was also enjoying good business with his breakfast restaurant as well.

The restaurant got popular quickly. After all, the food industry relied on word-of-mouth and regular customers.

Once an excellent restaurant was set up, there wasn’t even a need for advertising. With the power of social networking and sharing among friends, the restaurant’s fame grew quickly. The need to eat manifests in every human being, and it was never good to look down on the power of foodies as well.

With only a week of business behind it, the breakfast restaurant already had a line that snaked towards the opposite.

There were even expensive cars seen stopping at the breakfast restaurant. Lots of people would even ask the workers there if lunch and dinner were provided, or if delivery services were catered.

With circumstances such as this, Fang Ning really had no choice but to hire more people. Of course, he himself was too lazy to care about managing so many people, so the responsibility was pushed onto Zhao Ying instead. As for Zhao Ying herself, with a raise and a promotion to being the manager of the restaurant, was on the way to the peak of her life, finally taking her first step into being the perfect woman.

Fang Ning, on the other hand, had started suffering from blessed worries.

“Boss, what do you think of my outfit today? Do I look good?”

On this particular morning, the now slightly famous “Breakfast Beauty”– Zhao Ying, was dressed in a blue and white sailor’s outfit. She had on light makeup, and looked absolutely adorable. As business had slowed down for a bit, she had run to the kitchen to flirt with the busy “Fang Ning”.

“Fang Ning” stared blankly at Zhao Ying and nodded his head, “Yeah, you look nice.”

Zhao Ying smiled and twirled herself around before resting herself against Fang Ning’s side, her hand lightly brushing his side. With hooded eyes, she continued, “Then why is your reaction so subdued? Is it because I don’t look pretty enough?”

“What reaction do you want exactly?” “Fang Ning” stilled in his movements briefly before coming to realization exaggeratedly, nodding his head and saying, “Oh, I know now.”

Right after saying that, Fang Ning set down his spatula. He started clapping his hands loudly, all the while going “That’s great!”.

Zhao Ying was stunned. After regaining herself, she rolled her eyes and left the kitchen with a “Hmph! You blockhead! How boring!”

(Haha, you’ve guessed right. The System was controlling my body and out of the dialogue options he gave me, that was the best choice for you to save some face. If I had chosen anything else, you would’ve died of embarrassment. You better be thankful.) Fang Ning continued laughing in the System Space. He was peacefully playing a video game in the Internet café when the System had suddenly presented him with dialogue options.

The other options were: “Don’t waste my time. If you were as pretty as the beauties of ancient times, maybe I would’ve cared more.” and “There’s no point in showing me. If you can pull more customers in, then maybe you’ll be even slightly useful.”

If he had chosen either choice, Zhao Ying would’ve created a fuss. Although it was easy to hire replacements in this age, Fang Ning was at least familiar with Zhao Ying, so making her angry really wasn’t worth the hassle of finding a new manager. To a serious procrastinator, doing anything extra was just too difficult.

Other than the fact that Zhao Ying was always on the lookout for a man to depend on, she was actually quite dependable herself. She was quite a perfectionist, always doing her best in welcoming customers and overlooking the accounts of the restaurant. She also oversaw the ordering of ingredients. She didn’t play favorites too. All in all, Zhao Ying was excellent at her job.

With a boss who only cooked two hours per day and never cared for anything else, Zhao Ying played an important role in ensuring the restaurant ran smoothly, what with the restaurant expanding steadily in size and customer base.

Other than Zhao Ying’s occasional attempts at flirting with Fang Ning, it was quite peaceful in the restaurant.

Within a few weeks, Fang Ning’s income from the restaurant rolled in like waves. Just when he was considering expanding the restaurant properly to a bigger one that offered all three meals and delivery services, the System revolted.

“No, using two hours every day to cook is more than enough. Using more time is not permitted, and should be used instead for training.”

What a headache. Although he did know that the restaurant’s immense popularity was due to the System’s hard work at cooking while Fang Ning enjoyed the results, and also due to the System using his body and energy. The System really didn’t need to do any worrying about the restaurant at all.

Fang Ning felt that the only way to continue bluffing the System was to use his imagination again.