Chapter 4: System Big Brother
“Daddy… I’m scared… Daddy!”
The huffing sound right beside her made Mibao cry out in terror. She thought that in the next second her head would be inside the monster’s foul-smelling mouth—but the expected pain never came.
Cautiously, Mibao lifted her head from the crook of her arm, only to see a zombie with a mouth smeared in blood right in front of her.
“Ah!”
She screamed in fright, scrambling backward on both hands and feet, but there was nowhere to retreat to. All she could do was cry and shout.
“Go away! Wuuuh… go away! Daddy… Waaah… Daddy…”
After wailing for a long while, Mibao realized she could only hear her own voice. She slowly quieted down, staring blankly at the zombie in front of her.
That was when she noticed—the terrifying creature in front of her seemed unable to move.
And not just this one; the ones outside the van were frozen too.
Mibao stared dully at her surroundings, then looked down at her own little hands.
“Did I… do this? Could it be… I have magic?”
[Ding! Binding successful!]
The sudden electronic chime in her head startled her so much she curled up into a little ball again.
“Wh-who’s there?”
[Hello, Mibao. I’m the system that’s bound to you.]
A warm, gentle voice spoke up.
Mibao’s eyes went wide as she looked all around—left, right—but there wasn’t a single living person in sight.
[No need to look. I’m in your head.]
“In… in my head!?”
Mibao’s eyes went wide, and she cupped her own head with her small hands.
“Who are you? Why are you in my head? Am I sick or something?”
[No, Mibao, you’re not sick. You’ve just been bound to a system.]
Mibao’s face was full of puzzlement. “What’s a system?”
[……]
Well… that was a bit hard to explain.
[A system is… well, in short, I’m here to help you.]
“But Daddy says there’s no such thing as free candy. If you help me, what do you want me to do for you?”
[Mibao, you’re so smart! I’m actually a Star-Making System. To gain energy, I need my host to complete daily tasks, but you’re obviously not suited for those…
So I thought it over, and we can switch it up—you improve your abilities so I can get energy, and then I’ll use that energy to trade with my colleagues for the survival supplies you need.]
After hearing this long explanation, Mibao just looked blank.
She… didn’t really get it.
The system clearly noticed this too, so it gave a little cough and simplified things.
[Simply put, if you learn to sing and dance, I can protect you.]
That, Mibao understood. She nodded eagerly. “Okay! System Uncle!”
[……]
[Mibao, you can call me big brother.]
Mibao paused, then lowered her head, suddenly looking a little downcast. “My big brother died before he was even born… Daddy said it was because I stole his nutrition that my brother and Mommy died.”
The warm, gentle voice paused for a moment.
[Mibao, this isn’t your fault. What your dad said isn’t true.]
“But Daddy—”
[Mibao, I’m your big brother. I came back just for you.]
Mibao’s eyes instantly widened, and she lifted her head high.
“B-Big brother!? Really?”
Her eyes sparkled, filled with disbelief yet brimming with hope.
[Mm.]
The system wasn’t lying—he really had come for Mibao.
Back when they were in their mother’s womb, the one who should have been miscarried was actually Mibao.
But the tiny him had willingly given all his nutrients to his younger sister, so Mibao was born safely while he died.
Perhaps his fate wasn’t meant to end there—though his body perished, his soul was taken to the System Headquarters, where he became one of them.
Because he was so young, all the older brothers, sisters, uncles, and aunts there had doted on him.
He had accompanied various hosts through many different worlds, until one day—while returning from completing a mission in a small world—he overheard two senior systems talking about the world he had originally come from.
And he accidentally learned that this world was about to enter the apocalypse.
So this time, he snuck out and bound himself to Mibao.
Thankfully…
Thankfully, he made it in time.
Mibao was only five years old; she hadn’t even had the chance to truly experience the world. She shouldn’t have to die at such an age.
He hadn’t originally planned to reveal himself to Mibao, but after hearing what she had just said…
He couldn’t hold it in any longer.
The words slipped out before he could stop himself.
“Then… then I have a big brother now?” Mibao suddenly brightened up, completely forgetting her surroundings. “Mibao has a big brother! Is big brother also five years old this year? Why doesn’t big brother’s voice sound like he’s five?”
[……]
[Big brother is… hmm… yes, just like Mibao, five years old.]
…More like, multiplied by three or four.
After all, time flowed differently in different worlds.
[Alright, Mibao, we can’t keep chatting.]
[Big brother can only stop time for a limited while. You need to get out of the car right now and find a safe place to hide.]
“Okay!”
Mibao didn’t ask why her brother could stop time. She quickly wiped her tears, glanced fearfully at the monster only an arm’s length away, then hurriedly opened the van’s back door and jumped out.
Since the van was a bit high, she stumbled when she landed, scraping the skin on her knee.
But she didn’t dare waste any time. With teary eyes, she scrambled to her feet and started running.
[Mibao, don’t rush. You still have one minute.]
[Run to that clothing store up ahead. There are no zombies inside.]
Her system brother directed.
Mibao nodded and huffed her way to the shop entrance, struggling to push open the glass door before squeezing herself inside.
[You won’t be able to close the door properly, so first pull the curtains shut, then wedge the mop handle between the door handles.]
Mibao tugged hard at the curtains, and by the time she finally got them closed… the time-stop had already run out.
Mibao quickly tiptoed into the store’s restroom and came back out hugging a big mop.
She didn’t dare pull the curtain open all the way—just parted it slightly to peek outside. After making sure there were no zombies nearby, she quickly wedged the mop handle between the door handles.
Once that was done, Mibao ran into the clothing store’s fitting room. Her small body slumped against the wall, finally letting herself relax.
“Big brother, how can you make those monsters stop? Do you have magic?”
She asked in a small voice.
[That was a newbie gift pack—it can only be used once. From now on, you’ll have to rely on yourself.]
Mibao obediently nodded.
But then she couldn’t help thinking about the convenience store big sister. The joy of reuniting with her brother slowly faded, replaced by creeping sadness.
[Mibao, don’t be too sad. The big sister from the convenience store, she’s just…]
Mibao’s heart lit up with hope. “Did she turn into a system like you, big brother?”
[…Mm, yes.]
Mibao immediately broke into a smile.
“That’s great!”