Beyond Chaos - A DiceRPG - 3. The Test II

“Hot Noodles request to add you as a friend.”An inexplicable friend request, a non-existent contact.Claiming to be a message from herself in the future, intimately knowledgeable about her past.Fang Xiaocao was utterly numb.Hot Noodles: Danger, do not go home tonight.“Is this some kind of joke?”Staring at the WeChat message, Fang Xiaocao rolled her eyes and opened the anti-theft door.Hot Noodles: At midnight, when the knocking starts, don't turn on the light if you don't want to die.In the early morning: 00:00:00Fang Xiaocao was woken by the knocking sound. She was just about to turn on the bedside lamp when she remembered that bizarre message.She pulled back her hand and stayed put until dawn, only to know her neighbor next door, a woman living alone just like her was murdered at midnight...Fang Xiaocao was suddenly covered in a cold sweat.Hot Noodles: To celebrate our narrow escape from death, go to the flea market before three in the afternoon, stall number 7, and buy the seventh inkstone on the left-hand side. The seller's bottom price is 80, but the inkstone is worth 8 million.After last night's ordeal, Fang Xiaocao inexplicably chose to believe.She successfully bought an inkstone for a hundred dollars, and later discover it was indeed a imperial inkstone from the Qing Qianlong era, worthing 8 million!Fang Xiaocao stood there, dumbfounded!Following the message's instructions, she bought a second-hand car.But little did she know, the guidance was linking her into a series of events that dragged out a murder case and a fortune worth two small goals.Who on earth sent her the messages?It's really her future self?Or it's some kind of bizarre game?

Qin Mian opened his eyes and found himself lying in a leaky thatched room. The problem was that he was still in his family’s villa beforehand! What’s more, there was another man lying next to his leg in the quilt!

“You, you, who are you?”

The man sat up quietly, his upper body exposed as looked at Qin Mian for a moment before he carried a worn out bowl with a cracked corner from the low table at the head of the bed. The man said in a muffled voice, “Wife, drink water.”

Qin Mian’s eyes rolled backwards and he passed out.

—
TN:
Title explanation: 勉为其男 [miǎn wéi qí nán] have the same sound as 勉为其难 [miǎn wéi qí nán] which means to do something reluctantly. 勉 [miǎn] is also part of MC’s name: Qin Mian.  Also, 其[qí ] sounds the same as 妻 [qi] means wife. So, there are words plays. Basically, Qin Mian reluctantly becomes someone’s man [wife] after he transmigrated.

In a world where failure is almost guaranteed, the game I now find myself in has a staggering 99.9% chance of defeat. Every choice brings chaos, and every road leads to disaster. No one has ever beaten it—it's infamous for being impossible to clear. But somehow, against all odds, I've transmigrated into this cursed game.Worse yet, I've taken over the body of Max, a minor character whose role is insignificant in the grand scheme of things. In the original story, Max is destined to die—nothing more than a forgettable extra lost in the background, a mere footnote in the epic tale of others.Frustration hit me hard as I realized I was trapped in this dead-end character. My doom felt inevitable, and every instinct told me to give up. What hope did I have in a world where even the strongest could barely survive?But just as despair was about to swallow me whole, a System suddenly activated, turning everything on its head. Along with the System came a peculiar ability:[Charm]It wasn't some overpowered skill designed for combat or survival. No, it was something entirely different, yet equally powerful in its own right.[Charm: Increase favorability as more women are captivated by your presence.]This was my key to survival.Through this strange, almost ridiculous skill, I realized that I could change my fate. The powerful female characters, once unreachable in the original storyline, could now be influenced. If I could make them favor me, their strength, influence, and protection would be mine.But it wouldn’t be easy. Each of these women had their own complex personalities, histories, and goals. They were dangerous, capable of crushing me in an instant if I misstepped. But with charm on my side, I might just be able to win them over—and in doing so, alter my destiny.What was once a game of certain death had now become a gamble of life and affection. Every conversation, every interaction, would determine whether I live or die. My charm was my weapon, and it would be the only thing standing between me and the grim fate that awaited Max.Now, with my new plan in motion, I’ll have to navigate the intricate web of relationships and alliances while avoiding the countless threats looming over me. The odds are still stacked against me, but for the first time since I arrived, I can see a glimmer of hope.If I can make the right moves, charm the right people, and avoid the pitfalls, I might just survive this nightmare.Or better yet, thrive.This is my one chance at life in a world of inevitable ruin, and I’ll do whatever it takes to change my story.