C1 The System in the Toilet Was Activated

"Hmm... Hiss!" Lee Yu clutched the paper in his hand, his breath sinking deep into his abdomen.

"Bro, did you just scald your tongue or something?"

A sudden thud against the partition made Lee Yu jump.

Worse yet, the interruption had scattered the sensation he was just starting to savor.

"It's you who's scalded your tongue. Ever heard of blowing on your food first?" Lee Yu retorted with a raised eyebrow and a hint of irritation.

The public restroom fell silent for a beat. Then, from the stall next door, came the sounds of someone straining, likely wrapping up their business. A knock on the partition followed. "Enough chit-chat. I'm out of paper. Can you spare some?"

The stalls, though individual compartments, were separated by a gap of over ten centimeters at the bottom—clearly a design choice to facilitate such moments of neighborly assistance.

"Man, you've got a long life ahead of you."

Lee Yu eyed the hand reaching under the partition and, despite his annoyance, passed over the toilet paper.

"Thanks, dude," the hand withdrew, accompanied by a rustling sound. "Well, of course. They say the good die young, but troublemakers last a millennium."

Lee Yu was at a loss for words.

His brow furrowed, not from the elusive sense of relief he sought, but from the water sounds next door.

"Hey, where's the paper?" Lee Yu called out.

"Thump."

The water noise subsided, blending with the sound of the wooden door swinging shut.

"Damn it, dude!" Lee Yu called out in a rush, "Hey, don't go! You forgot to give back the paper!"

The footsteps receded, and Lee Yu realized that some people, once gone, never return.

"You better hope I don't find you!" Lee Yu muttered through gritted teeth.

The men's and women's restroom doors were diagonally opposite each other, separated by a partition wall. His stall was positioned just within sight, which is why Lee Yu hesitated to step out and confront the paper thief.

Resting his chin in his hand, Lee Yu had hoped to simply wait for a kindred spirit to come along.

Lee Yu planned to start with a casual, "Bro, that toilet paper smells amazing, what brand is it? Let me take a look," to secure the essentials he needed.

Regrettably, the restroom, once bustling with activity, had suddenly gone quiet, as if everyone had vanished into thin air. Not a single soul entered.

"No big deal, I'll just order delivery," Lee Yu said, pulling out his phone. "Find the cheapest one, place the order, and... add a note: 'Urgent situation, please include extra paper.'"

But as he was about to confirm payment, the screen went black.

A warning tone from his phone announced, "Battery low, shutting down."

Crap!

Lee Yu let out a cry of dismay. He was one digit away from completing his payment when the screen plunged into an icy darkness.

"Damn it."

Frustrated, Lee Yu stuffed his phone back into his pocket. After a long pause, his eyes slowly drifted to the trash can in the corner.

"Benefiting from the shade of trees planted by others," Lee Yu mused, "I hope there's some generosity to be found."

[Beep! System activation in progress. Please remain silent for thirty seconds.]

The electronic voice interrupted his thoughts. Lee Yu's hand froze mid-reach as he scanned the area, "Who's there?"

Was it that guy from earlier, making a surprise return to pull a prank on him?

He peeked under the stall dividers to both sides, but the neighboring cubicles were empty.

These squat toilets weren't like the ones in movies, where someone could simply tuck their feet up to evade detection.

"Nobody's here?" Lee Yu whispered to himself, then leaped up to take a quick look around.

"Really, no one... So what was that sound?" Lee Yu's brow furrowed. He hadn't seen anyone using the partition to play a trick on him.

As he pondered, the electronic voice came again.

The system is now fully activated. The newcomer's reward has been unlocked, and your needs are being scanned.

Lee Yu realized with a start that the voice was resonating inside his own head!

He frowned, puzzled. A system? Was he about to become the protagonist, destined to save the world from this day forward? It seemed he had to face adversity before unlocking his cheat code, just like the golden touch granted to the novel's hero.

"What kind of system is this?" Lee Yu mused with a hint of excitement. System-based novels had been all the rage lately.

After a brief pause, the electronic voice chimed in once more.

Ding! Your most pressing need has been identified. Congratulations, you've been awarded a roll of toilet paper.

Lee Yu stared blankly at the roll that materialized in his hand. Its brand was unknown, but the paper was pristine white, triple-ply, promising unparalleled softness.

But still...

Why hadn't he wished for something grand like immortality or invincibility? To think, when given the chance for a freebie, he'd only scored a roll of toilet paper.

How infuriating!

Suppressing the urge to toss it aside, Lee Yu used the toilet paper, tears welling in his eyes. The wiping was frictionless, almost like being caressed.

Truly a system's creation – top-notch quality!

Lee Yu sighed, then inquired in his thoughts, "Hey, System, are you there? What exactly do you do?"

The system consisted of two functions: one was daily check-ins, and the other was location-based sign-ins that granted specific rewards.

It reminded him of a game.

Lee Yu pondered. It was just like many mobile games with weekly check-ins and daily login rewards. The sign-in was akin to in-game events, offering rare rewards for meeting certain criteria.

As he was about to ask more, the system interjected.

Host, you forgot to flush the toilet.

Lee Yu glanced back, then sheepishly pushed the still-open door and hit the flush lever.

"System, let's skip the small talk in the future."

The system's voice was mechanical and detached as it complied.

Lee Yu nodded, pleased. Forgetting to flush was a minor oversight, unlikely to happen again... well, it wouldn't – this time was just a lapse due to distraction.

The electronic voice piped up again.

Ding! The sign-in location has been updated: Birthplace, third stall!

Lee Yu had just stepped outside when he turned back and retraced his steps, only to find the wooden door wouldn't budge. No matter how hard he pushed, it remained immovable.

"Is it jammed?"

As Lee Yu prepared to shoulder his way through, puzzled, a gruff voice called out from inside, "What's the matter with you? With all the other spots free, you have to hassle me?"

"Uh..."

Lee Yu scratched his head, recalling the moment he had left, when a fellow had entered the restroom. By some twist of fate, he had chosen the very stall Lee Yu had just vacated.

He ended up waiting outside for a good half-hour before the man with the northeastern accent finally emerged from the restroom.

"Man, talk about constipation!" Lee Yu muttered as he entered, only to be hit by an overwhelming odor that made him scrunch up his face in disgust. "Time to check in."

Holding his nose and mouth, Lee Yu silently recited the ritual.

Ding! Congratulations, host, for a successful check-in. You've triggered a newbie's lucky critical hit and earned a nine-star rare reward: the privilege of entering the Otherworld!

"System, can I change my birthplace? I'd prefer something more like home," Lee Yu said, gagging and hastily making his exit.

...

"Don't give me the silent treatment. Just think about it, being born in a restroom—if the other systems get wind of this, wouldn't they die laughing?" Lee Yu fumed.

The birthplace was updated.

Satisfied, Lee Yu nodded and stepped outside to take a deep breath of fresh air. "System, could you clarify what this 'right to enter the Otherworld' actually means?"