Chapter 1: The System That Turns Lies Into Reality

In early July, the sun scorched every person traversing the steel and concrete of Mingzhu City. It was two o’clock in the afternoon, the day’s hottest hour. Compared to the office workers basking in air-conditioned rooms, the laborers sweating under the open sky suffered much more.

On the outskirts of Mingzhu, at the third phase construction site of Yaohui Mansion, several bricklayers lounged beneath scattered patches of shade, chatting idly as they waited for the three o’clock shift to begin. Some gathered to play cards, their laughter and banter adding brightness to the stifling heat.

Beneath a maple poplar tree, a few familiar workers watched with amusement as a man sat against the trunk, meticulously shaving his beard. Their eyes brimmed with curiosity.

"Xie, you’ve been with us for two months already, but none of us have ever seen you clean-shaven! Finally decided to trim it, huh?" joked Li Dongfeng, teasing Xie Yunze as he worked the razor. Despite spending his days carrying bricks and cement like everyone else, Xie Yunze had strikingly fair skin—his exposed arms pale and unmarred by the sun. Yet his hygiene left much to be desired; in two months, he’d neither cut his hair nor shaved, presenting a disheveled appearance.

"Li, give it a rest. Xie’s busy. Don’t scare him into cutting himself," chimed in Shi Hongju, a cigarette dangling temptingly from his lips. He was trying to quit, at his daughter’s insistence, so he could only chew on the stub for comfort.

Xie Yunze, leaning against the tree, was both amused and exasperated. In his left hand, he held a plastic mirror; in his right, an eight-yuan razor bought from the corner shop at noon. His beard, unshaven for months, was a mess, but his hand was steady—no sign of any accidental cuts.

As Xie Yunze focused on his task, a young man jogged over from the sun-drenched distance, carrying a pack of bottled water. He set it down beneath the tree and wiped sweat from his brow with his towel, his face darkened to a chocolaty shade by the sun, looking rustic and easy to bully.

"Brother Xie, I’ve bought the water," he announced.

Though tall, this boy was only eighteen, barely an adult. Poverty had brought him here to work alongside his fellow villagers, but they’d moved to another site, leaving Kong Miao behind under everyone’s care. Besides his labor, he ran errands for the group.

Kong Miao opened the pack, twisted the cap off a bottle, and handed it to Xie Yunze, who finally spoke.

"Kong, pour me some water. I need to wash my face."

His beard now gone, foam still clung to his cheeks. Kong Miao hurried to help, rinsing the lather away until Xie Yunze’s refined features emerged—features that didn’t match the rough world of bricklaying.

Kong Miao stared, momentarily stunned. He thought Brother Xie was truly handsome, like the elegant gentlemen described in books, soft-spoken and scholarly.

The surrounding workers glanced over as well, surprised to see Xie Yunze’s clean face. Who would have guessed the usually unkempt Xie possessed such delicate looks? Too bad he kept himself dirty most days; it was a waste of a good face.

Unaware of their thoughts, Xie Yunze finished wiping his face, raised his mirror, and examined himself. Without the tangled, grimy beard, his face exuded a gentle resilience, as if softened by hardship. He arched his brow, inwardly approving of his residence in this body.

As a member of the Traversal Division, Xie Yunze had entered this world to retrieve a "golden finger."

Now, that golden finger was bound within his current body. Complete the necessary tasks, and once deeply bonded, he could take it with him upon departure.

Here, the golden finger he sought was the "Truth-from-Lies System," and the original owner was its chosen host.

The original Xie Yunze, thirty-eight, hailed from a small coastal village in the south. Besides his parents, he had an older brother and sister. When he was eight, his brother was swept away while gathering seafood, disappearing forever. From then on, the remaining children became the family’s treasures.

Thirty years ago, after finding their eldest son’s shoes at the shore, Xie’s parents were devastated. They forbade their daughter and younger son from approaching the sea; Xie’s father even sold his boat, and the family moved to the city.

Because the elder brother died in an accident, Xie’s parents doted on the surviving children. They settled near a police family, leveraging their knowledge of seafood to run a local stall, raising their daughter Xie Yujiao and son Xie Yunze.

Perhaps due to the loss, their only wish was for their children to grow up healthy. The daughter excelled in studies, was beautiful and gentle, and after graduating from the teachers’ college, became a high school teacher—her parents’ pride.

But their son, Xie Yunze, was a headache. Unlike his obedient sister, he was mediocre in both academics and health. He often fell ill, and his intelligence was lacking. Fortunately, the neighbor girl was gifted in both looks and studies, and childhood friends with Xie Yunze, helping him graduate high school peacefully.

That neighbor girl—his wife, Wei Jiajia—was herself unlucky. Xie’s parents had moved next to a police family to avoid repeating their tragedy, but three years after settling in, their neighbor’s promising police son died in a special assignment. The family was left with an elderly couple and a young daughter.

At eleven, Xie Yunze, the same age as the girl, decided to be her “big brother” for life, vowing to protect her. The families grew close, imagining their children’s eventual union.

The Xie couple cared for their neighbors, and Xie Yunze walked to school with Wei Jiajia every day. Even when he threw tantrums, she calmed him, cementing their families’ approval of the childhood sweethearts.

But fate intervened when Wei Jiajia turned eighteen. Her brother was said to have died on a special mission, but in truth, he was an undercover narcotics officer. Seven years after his death, drug traffickers discovered his identity and kidnapped Wei Jiajia at school. Xie Yunze, present at the scene, tried to rescue her but was captured as well.

The incident shocked the city: two newly adult teenagers kidnapped in retaliation for a fallen narcotics officer. A special task force was formed, rescuing them the same day and dismantling the drug den.

Both families, tearfully reunited with their children, thought survival was enough. But soon a more shocking truth emerged.

The traffickers, seeking revenge, intended to torment Wei Jiajia, but Xie Yunze’s unexpected presence changed their plans. At eighteen, he was full of youthful fervor, defending her even after his left arm was broken. His bravado inspired a cruel game; the traffickers beat Xie Yunze mercilessly, then offered Wei Jiajia a single chance to save him. She, unwilling to see him die, agreed, and together, they endured, forming a bond that went beyond mere survival.

After their rescue, the families learned what happened. Given the ordeal and the fact that the children had acted only to protect each other, they had no choice but to accept the consequences.

Xie Yunze spent three months recovering in the hospital, cared for by both families. Wei Jiajia, slightly improved, also tended to him, but unexpectedly fainted one day and was diagnosed as pregnant.

No one had anticipated this. Despite plans to have the children engaged and married after coming of age, such an event was unimaginable.

The families gathered to discuss Wei Jiajia’s education. It seemed best not to keep the child, but the doctor delivered another blow: Xie Yunze, having been drugged during the ordeal, might suffer infertility in the future. This forced them to reconsider.

No one wanted to gamble with Xie Yunze’s future. They held a village-style feast, planning to formalize the marriage after the child’s birth. Both children were innocent, and neither deserved further harm.

Thus, after sharing life and death, the two teenagers became husband and wife. A year later, Wei Jiajia gave birth to twins: a son named Xie Minghao and a daughter named Xie Mingyu. The families rejoiced, but soon, the original Xie Yunze began to change.

Yes, after the kidnapping, the beatings, and the drugs, he realized upon discharge that he was “not normal.” A young mind, overwhelmed by his heroism, now faced endless regret. Especially after seeing his parents shower affection on his “son” and “daughter,” his mood darkened further.

He grew resentful of his twins, though outwardly normal. The bond between Wei Jiajia and Xie Yunze had shifted—from childhood sweethearts to survivors, now bound as parents.

Wei Jiajia noticed his change, comforting him in private and encouraging treatment after he confided about his condition.

Though not officially married, the feast counted as a wedding. The families cared for the twins while Wei Jiajia pursued her studies. Xie Yunze, beset by his ailments, became increasingly reckless—neglecting school, abusing medication. Ironically, his health problems eventually resolved through this reckless self-medication.

Wei Jiajia, feeling guilty for the kidnapping, indulged him. A year and a half after the twins’ birth, she became pregnant again. This time, she was less resistant, seeing Xie Yunze’s joy and deciding to keep the child.

This sparked fierce arguments among the families—Wei Jiajia was at a critical stage in her education. But seeing Xie Yunze’s desperation, they relented.

If things had ended here, it might have been a happy conclusion. His illness cured, another child on the way, life seemed hopeful.

But fate had other plans. Days after giving birth, when both families were in the hospital, Xie Yunze, delighted to prove his manhood with his newborn son, turned away for a moment—and the child vanished.

Yes, while Wei Jiajia recovered, the twins caught the flu. Four elders couldn’t manage everything, and amidst the chaos—the baby was lost.

Afterward, Xie Yunze nearly lost his mind. He blamed his parents, in-laws, and even his twins, insisting that if they hadn’t fallen ill, or if the elders had watched better, the child wouldn’t have disappeared.

The loss devastated Wei Jiajia, who had to endure her husband’s accusations. Both families were overcome with grief, but despite police investigation, the child was never found.

At this point, the original Xie Yunze left home. He asked his parents for money to search for the child. Wracked with guilt, they handed over their retirement savings, and he departed, never to return.

Initially, he left in anger, but once in another city, he was seduced by the world’s temptations. He "searched" for his child, spending his family’s money without a thought for those left behind—only his own pleasure mattered.

Under the pretense of searching, he drifted through cities, traveling the country with photos of the lost child. When funds ran low, he called his parents or in-laws for more. This "search" lasted eighteen years, never once considering a return or the twins now grown.

Xie’s parents and in-laws were consumed by guilt, as was Wei Jiajia, bound by their shared ordeal. Neither pressured him, letting him search in vain for years.

Though he received money, he occasionally worked at construction sites when funds were scarce, living day by day. It was this man—useless, searching for his child for eighteen years—who gained the "Truth-from-Lies System."

As the name suggests, the "Truth-from-Lies System" allows a lie to become reality if enough people believe it.

Upon acquiring it, the original Xie Yunze told strangers he was the world’s richest man—but who would believe him?

After three failed activation attempts, the system went dormant, and he faded once more into obscurity.

Yet, after eighteen years of searching, the "lost" son was found.

After being stolen, the child fell ill and was abandoned on a train, rescued by a couple who reported it to police. The investigation led nowhere, and the child was adopted by the couple, named Chu Yiming. They raised him lovingly, and he grew up outstanding.

His striking features and expressive eyes made him stand out. Encouraged by classmates, he entered a talent show, earning a place among 101 competitors. He debuted in the boy group SevenKing; within a year, SK became the hottest act in the entertainment industry.

With fame came scrutiny. Someone discovered Chu Yiming wasn’t a biological child, traced his origins, and found Xie Yunze working at a construction site. They arranged for the superstar to meet his "real father" on a show, shattering fans’ dreams of a happy family.

Xie Yunze, learning his son was now a star, reveled in the attention, boasting of his years spent searching and accusing Chu Yiming’s adoptive parents of being the original buyers, causing a public uproar.

Eventually, as he aged, Xie Yunze hinted at wanting cars, houses, and villas from his successful son. Chu Yiming, believing his father had searched for him for eighteen years, felt guilty and indulged him.

But as Xie Yunze grew more reckless, he was lured into gambling, losing the gifts from his son. Manipulated further, he drugged Chu Yiming, ultimately ruining him.

In short—Xie Yunze was certain this body belonged to a scoundrel, good for nothing but its handsome face.

The face reflected in the plastic mirror was indeed impressive. Clean-shaven, his skin was pale, nose high and sharp, eyes slightly upturned. Though his long, unkempt hair hung past his ears, it gave him an artistic, almost bohemian air—handsome, with a trace of sophistication.

"Anyone have a hair tie?" he asked, noticing the stares.

Kong Miao shook his head; men here all sported crew cuts, except for Xie Yunze, who finally washed his hair today.

"I do! Here, my daughter left it in my pocket," Shi Hongju replied, producing a black elastic adorned with a red strawberry, girlish in its charm.

"Thanks, Hongju. I’ll buy Yingying a new one next time," Xie Yunze said, accepting the tie.

He took the mirror, handed it to Kong Miao, and deftly tied a small ponytail at the nape of his neck. With a quick tousle, his broad forehead was revealed, his face now exuding artistic flair, distinctly out of place among the laborers.

"Brother Xie, you’re really good-looking!" Kong Miao exclaimed, and several older men gathered around.

"Well now, Xie, maybe you avoid shaving and washing so the rich ladies won’t spot you? With that face, why are you moving bricks here? You could make money doing anything," teased Zhang Liang, seeing Xie Yunze so clean for the first time.

"Yeah, Xie, we’ve never seen your true face before. Quite handsome—not like a laborer at all," another chimed in.

Xie Yunze took the teasing in stride, smiling.

"That’s right. I’m actually a young master from a wealthy family, forced to hide here after being framed by villains. Send me fifty yuan, and I’ll tell you my revenge story!"

Everyone burst out laughing, except Kong Miao, whose eyes sparkled with admiration.

Xie Yunze didn’t dwell on it, asking Kong Miao to distribute the water, and soon it was three o’clock. The trucks arrived with bricks and cement, and the workers donned yellow vests and got to work. Kong Miao stuck close to Xie Yunze, and together they moved bricks.

For Xie Yunze, the physical labor was no trouble. In a couple of hours, sweat soaked them both, and the day’s work was done. The workers dispersed, seeking cool spots to rest. Xie Yunze returned to the makeshift dorms, grabbed a hose, and washed himself with cold water.

"Brother Xie!" he heard, looking up to see Kong Miao rushing over with boxed meals.

"I got you lunch, and there’s a chicken leg today!"

Young and often bullied by older workers, Kong Miao had found a protector in Xie Yunze, who had stood up for him and let him tag along. Now the boy was inseparable.

"You eat it—I’m not hungry," Xie Yunze replied. It was only his second day in this world; though tired and hungry, he had little appetite.

"Okay, I’ll eat." Kong Miao, oblivious to the subtleties, squatted nearby, occasionally stealing glances at Xie Yunze’s face.

After his shower, Xie Yunze changed into a black T-shirt and pants, bought by Kong Miao the day before, noticing the boy still watching him.

"What are you looking at?" Xie Yunze asked, ruffling Kong Miao’s prickly crew cut.

Kong Miao grinned, squatting like a puppy, and said, "Brother Xie, I know you’re telling the truth. You’re definitely not short of money. You’re just here for fun, right? Like on TV, you know—experiencing life?"

He’d spent the afternoon pondering this, convinced that Brother Xie was full of mysterious stories, like the enigmatic masters he’d read about in online novels.

"You kid…"

[Ding! Kong Miao’s trust value +100.]

The Truth-from-Lies System’s sudden notification startled Xie Yunze, but then inspiration struck.

‘System, activate the beginner’s quest!’

The system’s mechanical voice responded at once.

[Ding! Welcome, host, to the Truth-from-Lies System. Your beginner’s quest is now active!]

[Beep! When enough people believe your lie, it will become reality. Please, within 24 hours, state your first lie and gain one person’s full trust. Countdown: 23:59:59…]

Kong Miao, at eighteen, was the perfect mark—young, trusting, and reliant on Xie Yunze. Even before the quest began, he’d provided 100 trust points, proof of his pure heart.

Accepting the quest, Xie Yunze smiled mysteriously, leaned down, and whispered in Kong Miao’s ear:

"Kong, you’ve managed to see through the masses of ordinary people and recognize my true identity at a glance. I won’t hide it from you. Though I’m working here now, outside the site, my steward and a team of bodyguards are secretly protecting me. At my command, they’ll appear before you. Do you believe me?"