The Vixen's Gambit: Tonight We Hunt

Li Bei was crossing the street after work when he saved a little girl from being hit by a truck. The System really wanted to say that's how he got isekai'd, but it wasn't.

After shoving the girl out of the way, Li Bei faced the oncoming truck. With a slick slide, he went right under it, emerging unscathed. Then, he brushed himself off and walked away, his heroic deed unremarked.

Later, when faced with armed robbers, Li Bei bravely stepped forward... and promptly moved out of the way, letting the robbers pass.

On his continued journey home, glowing, suspicious-looking magic circles suddenly appeared on the ground. Without a second thought, Li Bei changed his route, avoiding these stereotypical isekai summoning traps.

After skillfully navigating several more perilous "opportunities," Li Bei finally returned to his modest 800 square meter home. He expertly booted up his computer, dismissed the pop-up questioning the meaning of life, played a bit of a soon-to-be-sunsetted game before uninstalling it preemptively, and called it a day. 

With a satisfied sigh, he enjoyed a warm glass of milk and prepared for bed.

Ah, another busy and fulfilling day~

"You're a tough nut to crack!" Having failed to tempt Li Bei, the System found itself truly stumped. "I set up so many chances for you to get isekai'd along the way, and you dodged every single one!"

"Hah, why would I want to get isekai'd?" Li Bei scoffed at the System that had appeared out of nowhere, constantly trying to whisk him away to another world.

"After you get isekai'd, you can reach the pinnacle of life with my help!"

"Is it possible," Li Bei drawled, "that I'm already there?"

"Impossible! You don't even have a job! I can make you richer than any billionaire!"

"As it happens," Li Bei smirked, "I won the lottery a few days ago. A cool 2 billion. It'll do." [2 billion Chinese Yuan is roughly equivalent to 280 million USD.]

"Uh..." The System stuttered, then finally managed, "Well, I can help you meet tons of beautiful girls!"

"Ever since winning that 2 billion, I've been meeting at least ten beautiful girls who want to date me every time I go for a walk!"

"..."

"Anything else?" Li Bei leisurely warmed up another glass of milk. "If not, goodbye. I need my beauty sleep."

"So you really don't want to get isekai'd?" Despite the setbacks, the System persisted, "I can't go into details for various reasons, but trust me, getting isekai'd is really the better option."

"Absolutely not!" Li Bei declared without hesitation. "I've just achieved financial freedom! All I want is a peaceful life!"

"I still recommend you reconsider, my dude."

"Isekai? Not a chance. Not in this lifetime."

"Alright, your choice, champ," the System sighed dramatically. "Just don't come crying to me when you regret it."

Suddenly, a cold, mechanical voice echoed: "System binding complete."

Li Bei: "???"

"What are you doing?! I said I don't want to get isekai'd!"

The disembodied voice didn't answer. Everything was silent. Li Bei was still in his luxurious bed, seemingly in his own world.

Whatever, he thought. As long as this doesn't interfere with my peaceful life, I don't care.

---

The next day, Li Bei stared down at the unconscious girl he'd just beaten up in an alley. He wasn't a violent person, but she'd attacked him like a rabid dog, her strength unnatural. He'd had no choice but to defend himself.

What bothered him wasn't hitting a girl, but how familiar she looked. Grayish-white skin, blood-red eyes, an icy body, and a massive scythe…

Isn't this a Honkai Zombie?!

"System, what the hell is going on?!"

"Told you so. I offered you isekai, but you refused…" the System gloated. "As a distinguished graduate of the Hedgehog(Ciweimao) Novel System Academy, with exchange program experience at the Qidian System College, I offered you excellent advice, but your desire to stay on this doomed Earth was just too strong." [Qidian is another Chinese online novel platform]

"Now's not the time for that!" Li Bei angrily nudged the Zombie with his foot. "Where did this thing even come from?!"

"That's precisely why I suggested isekai! Your Earth's dimensional walls are unstable. Other worlds are merging with yours. Eventually, they might completely combine." The System delivered this alarming news with sickeningly sweet politeness.

"Things like Honkai Zombies, Cthulhu monsters, Black Doors, Sirens, Pamyat, demons, abyssal tigers, angels, apostles, and G-virus outbreaks might spill into this world~"

"With Earth's ongoing spiritual awakening, I highly recommend abandoning your unrealistic dream of peace and quiet. Start cultivating, prepare for battle, and brace yourself for the coming crisis~"

"For those stubborn souls who refuse Isekai, the best way to survive on this soon-to-be-dangerous Earth is to embrace the grind. Level up, fight monsters, fight stronger monsters, fight even stronger monsters... an endless cycle of battle until you break through the heavens, just like those Qidian protagonists~"

"You... you—" Li Bei was speechless. His 2 billion, barely touched, was about to become worthless?!

Forget the money! What about his dream?! He just wanted to live a life of leisure, a peaceful, carefree existence! A life of constant fighting, like those Qidian protagonists, was his worst nightmare!

He'd trained his body and mind since childhood, fighting lions and climbing snowy mountains, all to prepare for a life of peaceful luxury.

And now he was told: Your dream is over. Go back to the grind.

No way!

"Why didn't you tell me this sooner?!"

"Couldn't. Regulations. World-altering news is classified until after system binding." The System sounded utterly innocent. "I could have moved you to another world, but you refused. Now that you're bound, you're stuck here."

"System, there has to be another way," Li Bei gritted his teeth. "I want to isekai! I want a peaceful life!"

"Too late for a peaceful Isekai~" the System was about to continue its gloating, but seeing Li Bei's reddening eyes and grinding teeth, it relented. "However… there is one way you could achieve your dream of a peaceful life…"

"And what, System, is the price?"

"Price? Heh, no price. It's just... accelerating your power growth. Making you grind more. Becoming the ultimate grinder."

The System chuckled. "If you become strong enough, spiritual awakenings and dimensional invasions won't bother you. You could crush them before they even start. Your world will be peaceful. Your life will be tranquil."

"All you have to do is grind a little harder now~"

"Think about it: grind now for a peaceful future, or relax now and face endless troubles later?"

Li Bei considered the System's words. Finally, he looked up. "Then there's only one answer..."

"I pledge allegiance to the peaceful life!!!"