A System That Only Shows Results
Shin Yung was lying on his bed when the world ended.
There was no dramatic lightning strike, no ominous chant from the heavens. Just the faint hum of his cheap desk lamp flickering once, twice—then everything went silent.
Too silent.
Shin Yung frowned and reached out to grab his phone.
His hand passed through it.
“…Huh?”
Before confusion could fully bloom, the room itself began to twist. The walls bent inward like reflections on disturbed water. Gravity lost its meaning, and his body felt strangely light, as if his existence were being peeled away layer by layer.
Shin Yung had exactly enough time to think—
So this is how it happens after all.
Then the light swallowed him whole.
When he regained consciousness, the first thing he noticed was the smell of earth.
Not dust. Not mold.
But something ancient—soil that had never known concrete or steel.
His back ached as he lay on hard ground. Above him stretched a sky painted in deep azure, with clouds drifting slowly like immortal beasts at rest. Towering trees surrounded him, their trunks thick and old, their leaves shimmering faintly as if infused with unseen energy.
Shin Yung blinked.
Once.
Twice.
“This isn’t Seoul,” he muttered in Korean.
He sat up abruptly.
Long black hair spilled over his shoulders, brushing against his chest. His hands were slender, unfamiliar. He was wearing flowing white robes embroidered with pale silver patterns that resembled clouds and flowing rivers.
“…You’ve got to be kidding me.”
He didn’t need a mirror to know the truth.
This wasn’t his body.
Before panic could fully set in, a clear mechanical sound echoed inside his mind.
[Ding!]
- Welcome, Host.
Shin Yung froze.
“…System?”
A translucent panel unfolded before his eyes, floating calmly in the air.
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Name: Shin Yung
Origin: Earth (Korea)
Status: Transmigrator
World: Azure Vast Cultivation Realm
System Bound: Illusory Effect System
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Shin Yung stared at the words.
Illusory Effect System.
The name alone made his stomach tighten.
“…Explain,” he said cautiously.
The panel refreshed.
- This system does NOT grant real power.
- This system manifests ONLY observable effects.
“…What does that mean?”
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Effects include:
– Cultivation Level Effect
– Attack Effect
– Defense Effect
– Other Effects (Unlocked Progressively)
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Silence followed.
Shin Yung processed that information slowly.
“So,” he began carefully, “no actual cultivation?”
- Correct.
“No physical enhancement?”
- Correct.
“No hidden godly bloodline or immortal physique?”
- Correct.
“…I can die?”
- Very easily.
He closed his eyes.
Took a deep breath.
Then opened them again.
“…You’re saying I’m in a cultivation world,” he said calmly, far too calmly, “where people can split mountains with a finger, and my system is basically… special effects?”
– An accurate summary.
For several seconds, Shin Yung said nothing.
Then—
“Who designed you?”
- Unknown.
“Can I complain?”
- No.
He laughed softly, pressing a hand to his forehead.
“Unbelievable.”
In countless novels, systems were cheat codes. They turned trash into geniuses, beggars into emperors.
But his?
Only shows the result.
No cause.
No process.
No power.
Just the appearance.
“…If someone attacks me,” Shin Yung asked, “can I block it?”
- Without a Defense Effect active: No.
“If I activate an Attack Effect?”
- Visual manifestation only. Damage: Zero.
“…So if I swing a sword—”
- You will swing like a mortal.
“Then what’s the point of cultivation effects?”
The panel paused for a fraction of a second before updating.
- To deceive perception.
That answer made Shin Yung’s eyes narrow.
“…Meaning?”
- Cultivators judge strength through aura, pressure, resonance, and phenomenon. This system manipulates all four.
A chill crept up his spine.
He understood immediately.
In this world, strength wasn’t always measured by action.
It was measured by presence.
Before he could ask more, a new notification appeared.
[Ding!]
- Welcome Pack Available.
Shin Yung stiffened.
“…What’s inside?”
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Beginner Effects Package:
– Cultivation Level Effect (Selectable Realm)
– Basic Attack Effect
Note: Effects are non-lethal unless misunderstood by observers.
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“…That last part sounds dangerous.”
– Misunderstanding is a core survival strategy.
Shin Yung exhaled slowly.
“So you’re not even hiding it anymore.”
– The system is transparent.
“Too transparent,” he muttered.
He looked around the forest again. The air here was thick with spiritual energy. Even breathing felt different, heavier somehow.
“This world,” he said quietly, “will kill someone like me in minutes.”
– Statistical probability: 97.4%.
“…Unless,” he continued, eyes sharpening, “they believe I’m someone they shouldn’t provoke.”
– Conclusion: Optimal.
A faint smile tugged at his lips.
“Alright,” Shin Yung said, standing up and adjusting his robes. “Let’s talk rules.”
– Listening.
“I don’t want random activation,” he said. “No effects unless I say so.”
– Accepted.
“No exaggeration beyond what’s reasonable,” he added. “I want to look strong, not suspicious.”
– Cultivation worlds often equate mystery with strength.
“…Point taken.”
“And one more thing,” Shin Yung said after a pause. “No surprises that’ll get me killed.”
– The system does not wish for the host’s termination.
“Good,” he replied. “Because if I die, you’re useless too.”
– Correct.
For the first time since arriving, Shin Yung felt something resembling control.
Not power.
But direction.
A faint breeze passed through the forest, carrying distant sounds—voices.
Human voices.
Shin Yung’s body stiffened instantly.
He hadn’t activated any effect yet.
Right now, he was just a normal young man in strange robes, standing alone in a cultivation world.
Vulnerable.
“…System,” he whispered internally.
– Yes.
“Don’t activate anything yet.”
– Understood.
Footsteps approached.
Multiple.
Judging by the rhythm, trained ones.
Shin Yung straightened his posture, his expression calm and detached. He clasped his hands behind his back, mimicking the demeanor of aloof experts he had seen countless times in novels.
Inside, his heart was pounding.
Please don’t notice me.
Please don’t test me.
Please believe I belong here.
The voices grew clearer.
“…Did you feel that earlier?”
“No, but this place has strong spiritual veins.”
“Be careful. There might be a senior nearby.”
Senior.
The word echoed in Shin Yung’s mind.
His lips curved ever so slightly.
Good.
In this world, misunderstanding wasn’t a problem.
It was his only weapon.
And the system behind him—
Was more than happy to let others draw the wrong conclusions.
