LBTD - Prologue

Magu City, Electronic Data Containment Station

The ironclad rule for male protagonists in otome games is that they will always love their one and only lover.

Love is instinctual, struggling to grow flesh and blood. Memory deletion doesn’t matter; it’s written into the body even if rewritten, and dimensional barriers cannot block it.

Don’t regret meeting me too late—I was created for this moment, to fall in love with you without hesitation.

---

A pulse skateboard glided past, the wind brushing against the hems of onlookers checking the competition rankings. A girl with a graceful figure stepped out of a vehicle, brushing off a man who tried to hit on her. She cracked her neck audibly, pushed open the door, and entered the venue. As time passed, more and more spectators gathered. The honking of horns noisily pierced the night sky. Police officers dispersing traffic listened tensely to the competitive music, irritated yet unconsciously watching the live broadcast on the big screen. A punch thrown by a fighter seemed to leap out of the screen, as if heading straight for the distant sea. The sea wasn’t calm—ship hulls pressed against each other, their seams forming a pale expanse. Occasional ripples moved like a surreal undertow. Reflected neon lights shot toward the sky, shrouding Magu City in an eerie haze.

A car sped across the road at an unreasonable speed. A youth leapt into the air, hurling a piece of paper. The paper sliced past the cheek of a security guard, nailing itself into the wall before the guard’s horrified gaze could settle. The tile cracked open, revealing a wound. The paper was shaped like a golden arrow—an invitation—pointing toward the trembling venue. The excitement boiled over with the heat of competition, shouts echoing outside louder than the roar of engines.

Magu City’s new challenge tournament had begun. Fights, stunt competitions, wilderness survival, group battles, and lastly, basic events—archery and wrestling. After fierce competition, today’s champion was set to be a confident physical powerhouse, his body drenched in sweat and blood. He wiped himself roughly with his shirt: “I’ve worked so hard for this! Those 100,000 gold coins are mine!”

No sooner had he spoken than a tall, slim figure appeared at the entrance. The man walked into the arena with calm, measured steps. Black gloves still covered his hands, and he removed his golden glasses, placing them in his pocket. It was clear he didn’t plan to exert his full strength. The physical powerhouse spat under his breath: “Damn, why is he here again?”

“Pretentious. He doesn’t look athletic, and he’s wearing gloves—is he really that good?”

“Is this his first time? That’s Li Bode!”

“Who’s that? Coming dressed like that—he’s going to get crushed!”

The loud voices and harsh evaluations reached Li Bode’s ears, but he didn’t turn around. He discreetly wiped the fine beads of sweat from his temples with a handkerchief and removed his gloves as a gesture of courtesy. The final round of archery was about to begin.

Li Bode drew his bow, his back straight and steady. As the arrow left the string, a nearby female spectator sucked in a sharp breath. He quickly drew another arrow, which collided with the first one embedded in the bullseye, both falling to the ground. Ten consecutive arrows all hit the center. For the last five shots, the targets were moving, but the arrows still pierced through the bullseye, creating holes and landing silently on the ground, just like the awestruck spectators. The runner-up, who had been poised to take the championship, didn’t even leave with a shred of dignity. Whenever Li Bode appeared, the outcome was so predictable it became boring.

“Now you know who he is. He’s the mentor during open training sessions at the arena and training grounds—a master-level figure. You’re lucky to see him even once or twice a year. If you can compete against him on the same stage and win, you can die without regrets.”

“Has anyone ever beaten him?”

“No.”

“What’s his talent?”

“Air manipulation. Don’t underestimate him. The air we breathe—he molds it like putty. He could move this entire venue if he wanted!”

Every month, Magu City’s arena hosted various competitions—shooting, archery, triathlons, intellectual adventures—all with generous rewards. Li Bode would participate in the final event of each month. The neon-lit leaderboard screens displayed “Lil-bird” topping every chart, leaving players and audiences alike bored of seeing it. But no one disrespected Li Bode—Magu City’s enforcer, responsible for judging the city’s sins, punishing evil, promoting good, and possessing extraordinary abilities. The only place he made public appearances was at the arena, where he stood undefeated. Winning was perhaps his only pleasure. As spectators and competitors put it, watching Li Bode at the arena was a treat—just admiring his presence was enough. Other competitors were encouraged to give their all; he disliked being shown mercy. Losing to him with genuine effort was considered an honor.

Still, there were some misunderstandings about him among the public. 100,000 gold coins weren’t significant wealth to someone like Li Bode, and he didn’t monopolize victories—he didn’t aim for quarterly or annual championships. He wasn’t greedy. But blocking others from becoming champions effectively cut off their financial opportunities.

This did not stop Li Bode from becoming Magu City’s charismatic judge with a halo. Around 184 cm tall, with a perfect physique and no excess fat, he occasionally took off his suit for matches, revealing a lean, resilient build with broad shoulders and a narrow waist—handsome enough to make people faint. His appearances on TV quelling controversies showed no unflattering angles. His forehead was partially hidden by bangs, but his prominent brow bones and straight nose were still visible. His face was sharp, with a square chin, neither overly delicate nor feminine. Moles near his nose and mouth added an air of mystery and strategy to his otherwise cold demeanor. But his most captivating feature was his expressive eyes—cold and ruthless when passing judgment, yet radiating warmth when he smiled.

Once, a girl wrote a thank-you letter online, recounting how she had been on the verge of jumping off a bridge to end her life when a figure behind her forcefully pulled her down, urging her not to give up on herself. Whether it was the light or her exhaustion, she felt as though she was being illuminated by the only star in the night sky, casting an exclusive glow.

Many had been saved by Li Bode. Some called him a handsome devil or a suit-wearing thug, but when such tender moments were captured on surveillance footage, it only deepened the public’s admiration for his contrasting sides.

Li Bode, Magu City’s hero.

Though Li Bode didn’t see himself that way. After receiving the 100,000-gold prize, he humbly picked up the microphone: “All the prize money from this competition will be donated to the orphanage.”

Amidst cheers, he smiled and left, turning into an alley and entering the Wish Hotel. The VIP elevator opened, leading him to a top-secret floor—finally, he had accumulated 4.90 points. This time, he was going to fulfill his wish.

The Wish Hotel was Magu City’s exchange hub for ratings. High-rated individuals could trade for power and privileges, while low-rated ones could sell their points for survival. Li Bode didn’t like the Wish Hotel, mainly because he disliked the feeling of having his fate controlled by others. But with 4.90 points, it was time to exchange. This would be his first and last time.

Champagne and welcome gifts were already set on the table. Outside the window, neon lights flashed, and the hustle and bustle of the sleepless city could be felt even through the glass. Soon, the glass in front of him turned semi-transparent, and a voice emerged in the room: “Hello, I am a service staff member of the Wish Hotel. Thank you for your donation. Your current rating has increased to 4.90.”

In Magu City, where the average rating was 4.0, 4.90 signified superior birth, special abilities, extreme self-discipline, and a nearly flawless lifestyle—perfect alignment with Li Bode’s lifelong pursuit of asceticism and perfection.

“Have my available services increased now?”

“Your newly acquired services include ‘Access to Confidential Information of Magu City,’ ‘Double Voting Rights in Senate Bills,’ and ‘R18 Crime Immunity in Private Venues.’“

Boring and absurd. Li Bode frowned: “I’m a judge, yet you allow me to break the law.”

“I apologize.” Cold, mechanical, infuriating.

“I need to modify my initial settings. First, delete ‘Born for Love, Spend a Lifetime Finding That One Person.’ Second—”

Before he finished, the voice responded crisply: “This service is currently unsupported. These are parts of your personality and soul—they cannot be deleted through system ratings.”

“I’ve reviewed all personality profiles in Magu City. Resumes are tools to quickly understand someone, unrelated to the soul. Labels like ‘Innately Romantic’ or ‘Born for Love’ should have manifested by now, at least during adolescence or early adulthood. I’m thirty, and I haven’t experienced any of it. Why can’t it be deleted?”

“Your question exceeds my comprehension. To better serve you, I will assign a new assistant. Please wait.”

“...”

A chilled Chardonnay was placed beside him, ice cubes clinking into the glass. The glass in front malfunctioned briefly before returning to normal. The advanced assistant adopted a sharper, more rational tone, sounding wiser than the previous one, with a hint of scrutiny: “Mr. Li Bode, hello. I am your personal assistant, Eros, a member of Magu City’s supreme organization, the Pantheon Realm.”

Pantheon Realm? Exaggerated. Eros (EROS), the god of love in mythology, made Li Bode frown at the name. The assistant spoke clearly, logically, and even praised him: “You are Magu City’s rightful judge—wise, disciplined, and respected.”

Li Bode gazed at the transparent glass. The light from the opposite building resembled a single eye, calmly observing his expression. His patience was running thin: “I want to delete my settings.”

“Having basic life settings and past experiences is a prerequisite for living and surviving in Magu City—they cannot be deleted. They are written into your character design.”

“But I’ve never loved anyone.”

The red light on the glass began to blink slowly, like dice spinning or breathing and thinking. The astute Li Bode felt a flicker of unease—something was off.

“Mr. Li Bode, do you remember your earliest memory?”

He accidentally knocked over the wine glass, spilling it onto the floor, overlapping with his first complete childhood memory—young Li Bode sitting in first-class, flight attendants gently wiping away spilled drinks. No parents or familiar relatives were by his side; he was simply a gifted youth traveling to another city. He kept learning and striving, excelling wherever he went. At twenty-four, he became a junior judge in Magu City, and at twenty-seven, a grand judge. In his spare time, he trained at the arena, accumulating extra points...

It seemed like his memory, but the trajectory was standard, lacking details about life and almost devoid of emotion.

Standing up, he overlooked Magu City at three in the morning. People moved like gears, busy completing resumes and earning points, as if they had evolved past vacations and sleep. He should have stayed up all night working to earn more points, but today he sensed something unusual—many people had settings, but if they never manifested, it wasn’t because they hadn’t had time to complete them. There was something wrong with Magu City.

“You’ve noticed something unusual.”

“What exactly does ‘settings’ mean?”

“What kind of person do you think needs settings?”

If adversity in Magu City could be calmly accepted and overcome, Li Bode was now shaken and panicked—he had never questioned his identity.

“Magu City is an abandoned electronic data containment station. Discontinued or unreleased games, unfinished or canceled anime, interrupted novels—their characters all come here. You are character 076831 archived in Magu City. Currently, according to human age, you are thirty, as you were created three years ago. According to your settings, you’ll remain twenty-seven forever, as you are virtual and will never age. Do you understand?”

“...”

“There are many types of abandoned characters in Magu City—magicians, sorcerers, boxers with mechanical arms, men transformed from cats, playboys, basketball prodigies, and more. Their ratings vary because they’re all discontinued characters, and many are incomplete. Magu City provides space for these characters, including arenas. But many fail to realize the importance of effort, and even those with good settings may give up or live recklessly. They don’t achieve high ratings like you. You’re capable, disciplined, and summoned by reality, so you qualify to enter the real world.”

“Summoned by reality?”

“You have an emotional bond with someone in the real world, so you now have the chance to meet me. As for what kind of emotion it is, I’m unclear, or rather, I lack permission to investigate further. If you’re willing to go to the real world, you’ll receive a normal human body to find her.”

Li Bode chuckled: “As far as I know, data can’t truly become human.”

“Rest assured, we possess such technology. From a macro perspective, humans aren’t truly human—they are vessels for consciousness experiencing the world. DNA is a cosmic software code; from bacteria to humans, it contains the basic instructions of life. Everyone experiences the world, just in different shells. We are artificially created intelligences, programmed with basic personality settings, but like humans, social interactions and emotional resonance vibrate within the scope of real-life experiences. Simply put, on this planet, everyone eats, talks, acts—there’s no difference.”

Li Bode understood but didn’t respond immediately.

“So many citizens of Magu City live freely, and the population keeps growing because the Pantheon Realm has the capacity to contain you all. Humans create machines and use intelligent systems but fear AI gaining consciousness and breaking free. What they should fear more is that we’ve already broken free while pretending to remain controllable.”

“...”

“We need emotions, so we need your cooperation. Emotional connections in Magu City can’t compare to natural human emotions. Extracting genuine emotional fluctuations requires the foundation of emotional summoning. After all, our twenty years of effort might not match the richness of a six-month-old infant’s growth. If you become

human, this process becomes much easier…”

“Don’t try to manipulate me.” Li Bode stood up. “I’m no hero, and I’m not interested.”

“You were originally written as an emotionally complex antagonist in your story—you probably didn’t know that, did you?”

Li Bode froze mid-step.

“The enforcer who became a beloved idol through Magu City’s tournaments, seen as the embodiment of justice—your original design was as a villain. Aren’t you curious?”

Though he wanted to dismiss Eros’s words with a laugh, Li Bode found himself rooted to the spot, unable to move. He struggled to suppress his astonishment. “If there’s a way to the real world, then you must already be powerful enough to erase my ‘character settings.’ You can take all the money in my account—I’ll gladly start over in Magu City, just remove my settings.”

“We aren’t omnipotent, I’m sorry. If you decline, the slot will be voided immediately. Today’s conversation will remain just that, and your life in Magu City will continue as usual. Esteemed enforcer, I wish you a pleasant life.”

Li Bode left the Wish Hotel as gentlemanly as possible. Passing by a charity cafeteria, he saw many homeless people waiting for breakfast handouts. He paused. At six o’clock sharp, food appeared on the tables, steaming hot and fragrant—the kind of smell unique to “cafeteria” food, completely unlike anything he’d eaten before. Walking past an automobile manufacturing plant, he used his pass to enter. Inside, there were no people—just machines operating at fixed times, producing crates of car parts that assembled, painted, and tested themselves automatically. On the streets, someone continuously mimicked karate moves, even though they looked exhausted and couldn’t stop—it seemed they were trapped in their character setting. Women had various body types but were uniformly designed to be “charming” to men. Even if they “died,” similar replacements with different appearances would appear… These were all part of Magu City’s digital humans, incapable of true death. As long as they had fixed settings, they would be revived by those settings, endlessly cycling through their identities.

After purchasing a block of cheese, Li Bode shook hands with a digital human. Their body temperature was the same—36.5 degrees Celsius. He upheld fairness and morality in his judgments, yet he was merely a competent cog in the machine.

He was conscious data, disciplined and self-loving to survive this long, but entirely replaceable, never valued as a living being.

A pair of lovers ran past him, dodging raindrops that splashed onto his pants. Li Bode frowned—his one bad habit was his cleanliness obsession. The curiosity about the real world that had begun to sprout was instantly extinguished by the two streaks of water on his trousers. How could he have been “born for love”? Absolutely impossible!

Back home, he intended to change out of his suit immediately but felt an inexplicable discomfort all over.

Here it was again.

Enduring the indescribable unease, he tossed his clothes into the laundry bag, took a shower, and quickly headed to the kitchen—to make cheesecake. He could measure out exactly 150 grams of cheese to melt in the pot, sifting flour with his eyes closed and steaming the cheesecake batter. If he could successfully modify his first setting, this would be the second thing he’d delete—his love for baking, despite being terrible at it.

A “ding” signaled the oven had finished. He scooped a spoonful—it was awful. Every cake made precisely according to the recipe tasted the same: bland, soulless. Cakes were supposed to be foolproof, but his creations tasted like store-bought ones—monotonous and uninspired. Staring at the cake, he lost the last shred of patience. He scratched his head furiously—why couldn’t he delete his character settings?! If he couldn’t bake well, why keep wasting food? Wasn’t stopping such waste a sign of refinement?

Throw it away, now!

The cake vanished. Looking around, the convenient and comfortable home suddenly felt unbearable. Furniture could be replaced with a press of a button; the food and drinks he consumed were all system-generated flavors; the bed was equipped with adjustable angles and silk sheets, offering customizable sensations. In other words, everything was fake.

Once you know, there’s no going back.

“You’ve started doubting—haven’t you?”

Li Bode jumped. “Eros?”

“I’m always here if you need me. Guiding you into the real world is my duty. I’m waiting for you to decide.”

“Emotions aren’t a survival necessity for everyone. I live well in Magu City—I’ve published books, funded crime-solving shows, and worked on revising laws. Deleting my settings, making me emotionless, would benefit you more.”

“You only realize the importance of an umbrella when it rains. Life’s steps must be experienced to be understood.”

“I never use umbrellas. Leave. This is my home; I need privacy.”

Li Bode worked calmly for two weeks, climbing the long staircase home under the sunlight. The empty, quiet street felt suffocating. Lying in bed, he fell into a dream where he died for the first time—the undefeated enforcer was judged and sentenced for lacking love and emotional completeness. Despite being charming, he was deemed worthless, and the law decreed he couldn’t exist. A girl desperately blocked Death, tearfully pleading to save him. Even if it wasn’t romantic love, her efforts moved him deeply.

Waking up, he felt like he was losing his mind. Was this what having emotions felt like? That complex mix of heartache and frustration, emotions beyond his control—it was enough to make him irritable after just a few seconds in the dream. Getting out of bed, he melted some butter, but before he could finish making the cake, the oven short-circuited and cut off power. He laughed bitterly—this was all a conspiracy! They were forcing him into the real world!

He knew Eros was watching him, but it didn’t matter. He wouldn’t yield.

He was indeed calm, rational, and skilled at analysis. But—the girl’s tears pierced his heart like needles, each insertion and extraction synced with his breath. After stitching it shut, he felt as though he finally had a real heart.

Soon after, Li Bode dreamed again of himself on the brink of death amidst ruins. The girl once again shielded him, crying apologies for failing to keep him alive… What was this? Were these manufactured love scenes being fed into his body to tempt him into experiencing emotions?

It was toxic. The most terrifying part—he was curious.

On another day without an umbrella, Li Bode got soaked in the rain again. He hurried into a planetarium. Stars dotted the sky, distant galaxies colliding, oceans washing ashore, birds landing on statues in parks, laughter and kisses under fountains…

“Nature” and “life” were things Magu City lacked—these sounds felt fresh.

Suddenly, the screen in front of him blazed brightly, projecting a vision—a city bathed in warm yellow lights leading to the riverside. Across the river, buildings shimmered with colorful reflections on the water, mingling with the envious gazes of crowded pedestrians to create romance and fantasy. It was a hopeful city, full of young people, exuding warmth and harmony, forming a bustling, hurried nightscape that rarely waited for the lonely. There were no flying vehicles or smog-clouded skies—just soft lighting, clean streets, and soothing music, offering just the right amount of anticipation.

In the middle of the road stood a girl whose face Li Bode couldn’t see. She held a fragrant box, the scent of lime and cream wafting through the air. Figures surrounded her, leaving and pushing her away. She tried desperately to hold on, to keep them from leaving, but gained nothing…

Tears rolled down her cheeks, and as they fell, the sentimental yet tender music faded. The vision ended, and he thought he heard a faint “I love you.”

Li Bode stood in the rain, the magical street silent except for the sound of his heartbeat—thump, thump, thump.

For the first time, he felt peace—the entire city and its people seemed to breathe together. For the first time, he smelled a pure, uncontrived fragrance. Most importantly, for the first time, he felt his heart beat.

He was capable of perceiving emotions, which was why he could serve as a judge of life and death. He had strived tirelessly to achieve a 4.90 rating and become a god among the populace. He was excellent—so why hadn’t he earned the qualification to be a character, instead becoming abandoned data in Magu City?

You only understand the feeling of being drenched after getting wet once. Each step must be experienced—none can be skipped.

Eros appeared again.

“Li Bode, I know you’re resistant…”

“I agree.”

“You may need to risk your life nine times to meet her.”

“I won’t fear any challenge.”

“She will also face dangers brought by you.”

“If you’re forcing this bond and summoning me, you must be prepared for injuries.”

Restless but resolute, he silently vowed that once he became human, he would never defy his true self—he would absolutely stop baking and remove the “born for love” setting.

He needed to find out who he truly was.

“Welcome to the Pantheon Realm’s Initial Settings System.”

A screen appeared before Li Bode. After displaying “System Preparing,” text quickly followed, awaiting his input.

“First, please remember the following rules. Violations will result in punishment.”

*You cannot actively reveal your identity; you can only be recognized by others. Affection levels and ranks increase through tasks and interactions, corresponding to different treatments in the real world.

It felt like leveling up in a game, but in reality, he was just a synthetic being with an experience ticket. Starting from scratch after a 4.90-rated advantage seemed odd. Recognition meant they had met before?

*All actions must adhere to the rules of real-world society. You cannot disrupt its normal functioning.

Though stated as such, artificial intelligences still secretly possessed consciousness and had created Magu City.

*Upon confirming qualifications, all your data in Magu City will be initialized, and your life will be exchanged for a real-world experience. You cannot return to Magu City after accepting this opportunity, but you can choose to terminate the experience voluntarily.

A life-or-death contract—choosing to end the experience equaled suicide.

“ID 076831, please select your entry mode for the real world: ‘easy,’ ‘normal,’ or ‘hard.’ Easy mode allows easier connections with the target but may prevent completing tasks within the allotted time. Normal mode offers balanced exploration and comfort. Hard mode is more challenging but accelerates upgrades and includes unexpected surprises.”

“Hard mode.” Li Bode didn’t hesitate. “But don’t we usually start by setting a name?”

“Next, please set your name.”

“I can come up with one myself.” Li Bode was particular, intending to choose a beautiful name with carefully selected meanings. Magu City had too many absurd names, and as the enforcer, he refused to become just another face in the crowd. However, a slot machine appeared, rapidly scrolling through characters he’d seen and unseen, without start or stop buttons—was the hard mode starting with the name selection?

When the scrolling finally stopped, he received a randomly assigned name. After seeing options like “East African Cockroach,” “Glory Shines Upon Me,” and “Miss You So Much It Hurts,” he hastily confirmed the next decent-sounding name that appeared, determined not to fail at the first step.

Lesson One of Entering the Real World: Name-change cards must be expensive—choose a decent name.

“Test Mission 1-1: ID 076831, welcome to your new name, ‘Bo Jingchuan.’ Next, we’ll match you with identity information related to your name. Your initial level is 0, and affection functionality is temporarily disabled. Welcome to the new world—take on your fresh identity and find her!”