Dying Is Not an Option—Tell That to My System!

The rain pounded against the roof, a relentless drumbeat in the dark. Wind howled through the trees, shaking the wooden walls of Chunhe's cabin. The air smelled of damp earth and storm-charged energy.

Big D's growl was low, a rumbling warning that sent shivers down Chunhe's spine. The dog's shaggy fur bristled as he stood like a guardian before the door, his amber eyes locked on the entrance.

Another knock. This time, softer. Hesitant.

Chunhe exhaled slowly.

This wasn't the banging of bandits or the arrogant demand of a wandering cultivator. Whoever was outside wasn't here to fight.

Still, caution was second nature.

He reached out, activating [Appraisal].

A translucent screen flickered in his vision.

[Unknown Individual Detected][Status: Injured, Weak Qi Flow][Affiliation: None][Danger Level: Low]

A wounded cultivator, then. Maybe a desperate rogue.

But then—

[Warning! High-tier Lifeform Detected!][Race: Flower Demon (Unknown Variant)][Threat Level: ???][Current Status: Injured, Drained, Vulnerable]

Chunhe stiffened.

A demon.

His first instinct was to close the door.

This was trouble. Big trouble.

Demons didn't just wander alone. If one was weak and desperate enough to knock on a mortal's door, it meant something worse was coming. A pursuer. A predator. A disaster he wanted no part of.

His fingers twitched over the handle of his farming knife. His grip tightened.

Then he saw her.

Pink hair clung to her rain-soaked face, cascading in loose waves down her back. Her eyes—deep pink, almost glowing—locked onto his, wide with a mixture of exhaustion and desperation.

She was breathtaking. Otherworldly, like something out of a dream. Delicate, yet unnatural. Her soft features contrasted sharply with the raw power barely flickering beneath her skin.

She shouldn't be here. She shouldn't be weak. She shouldn't be alone.

And yet, she was.

Big D's growl rumbled like distant thunder. He stepped forward, muscles tense, his golden eyes locked on the intruder. Chunhe felt the fur on the dog's back bristle, a primal warning.

The demon flinched but didn't step back. She swayed, her legs trembling, barely able to stand.

She was running.

From whom?

Chunhe's jaw clenched.

This wasn't his problem.

This couldn't be his problem.

He should shut the door. Right now.

A sane man would turn her away, pretend he saw nothing, and go back to his peaceful, farming life.

He almost did.

Then—

Her legs gave out.

Her knees buckled, her delicate frame collapsing forward.

Chunhe reached out.

It was instinct. He had no choice.

His arms caught her just before she hit the wooden porch, the sudden weight pressing against his chest.

Soft. She was so soft.

She smelled like flowers, even through the rain. Not perfumed—natural, wild, intoxicating.

A breath escaped her lips, barely a whisper.

"…peerless immortal…"

Chunhe choked.

What?

He looked down at himself—at his simple, earth-stained robes, at his calloused hands, at the reflection of his own ordinary face in the rainwater.

Who the hell is she looking at?!

His peerless ass was just a farmer with a system!

He should let go. He should set her down. He should walk away.

But…

Her eyelashes trembled. Her soft lips parted slightly. Even unconscious, she looked… at peace. As if she had fallen into a dream.

The way she clung to him, even in sleep… as if she had found safety.

Something in his chest twisted.

Chunhe's fingers tightened around her.

No.

No, no, no.

This was exactly how it started. First, you let in a stray. Next thing you know, you're fighting sect wars over some ancient blood feud.

He still had a choice. He could still stop this.

But then—

HE SAW HER FACE, and something in him awakened.

Ding!

[New Quest Acquired: Shelter the Lost Bloom][Warning: Unknown Consequences Await]

Chunhe barely glanced at the notification.

His fate was already sealed.

Thunder rumbled overhead.

Big D, watching from the side, let out the longest sigh in canine history.

Chunhe lifted his head to the stormy sky, rain dripping down his face.

He laughed. Breathless. Bitter.

"Oh, merciful heavens! After years of loneliness, of cold nights and empty arms, have you finally taken pity on me? Have you granted this humble farmer a chance to hold a beauty in his arms?!"

The wind howled. The heavens said nothing.

He clutched the unconscious flower demon closer, feeling the warmth of her soft body against his chest. His heart pounded—not from fear, but from something far more fragile.

Hope.

Chunhe's lips curled into a laugh.

"All these years… no one looked my way. No childhood sweetheart, no arranged marriage where only people with purpose wanted to exploit me, not even a pity flirt from a drunk widow! I was destined to be alone, my only legacy the vegetables in my field!" His voice trembled, rain washing over his face like tears. "But now! The heavens have heard my suffering! Fate has opened a door—

—and thrown this jade-like beauty into my arms! Even the system took my side for once!"

Thunder boomed.

I will not hesitate!

"I won't waste this blessing! I swear, I, Chunhe, will not die a boy—I'll die a man!"

Thunder rumbled ominously.

Big D glanced at the heavens, then back at Chunhe. If a dog could roll his eyes, he just did. With a huff, he plopped onto the floor, resting his head on his paws.

"This is why you're still single."

Chunhe ignored him. He was too far gone.

He stepped inside, shutting the door behind him.

The storm raged outside, but inside, the fate of a farmer—and the world—had already changed.