Reborn As A Doomsday Villainess
Chapter 66: Are you kidding me?

Chapter 66: Are you kidding me?

Yeah. In the apocalypse, where he was running for his life. Not on an empty street with nothing chasing him. His motivation back then had been fear and desperation. Right now, he had none of that.

[Lotus: You’re moving like an elderly man on his way to buy vegetables.]

Haoyu wheezed. "Shut—up—"

[Lotus: No. In fact, let me make this worse for you.]

A new notification popped up.

⸻

[Optional Challenge: Race Against Time]

• Complete the run within 20 minutes

• Penalty for failure: Embarrassment and shame

• Bonus reward: +1 Agility, +100 Survival Points

⸻

Haoyu stared at the screen, horrified. "Are you kidding me?!"

[Lotus: Either you finish in time, or you accept the fact that you’re a disgrace to humanity.]

Haoyu groaned but forced himself to push harder. His legs screamed in protest, his breath came out ragged, but he refused to fail.

He passed by a few early risers—some joggers, an old man walking his dog, a couple having breakfast at a café. A few people threw him weird looks when they saw how much he was struggling.

"Don’t look at me like that," he muttered under his breath. "I’m fighting for my life out here."

[Lotus: No, you’re fighting against your own bad decisions and lack of stamina.]

He ignored that.

The second kilometer was pure suffering. Every muscle in his legs burned, and his brain screamed at him to stop. But the thought of failing and having Lotus mock him for it was worse.

"Just one more—just one more—"

By the time he neared the end, he was running on sheer stubbornness. His breath was ragged, his arms pumped uselessly at his sides, and he was pretty sure he had stopped running properly and started flailing.

[Lotus: Congratulations. You look like a dying fish.] frёewebnoѵēl.com

"Lotus—I swear—"

[Lotus: Don’t stop now. You have 40 seconds left.]

Haoyu cursed, gritted his teeth, and forced his legs to keep moving.

The moment his fitness tracker beeped to indicate he had hit three kilometers, he nearly collapsed onto the pavement.

"Done—" he gasped. "I—"

[Lotus: Challenge Completed. You live to suffer another day.]

A new notification appeared.

⸻

[+1 Agility, +1 strength, +1 stamina, +300 Survival Points]

Haoyu laid on the ground, chest heaving. "I hate you."

[Lotus: No, you hate running.]

"Same thing."

Despite the pain, a small part of him felt... accomplished. He hadn’t been sure he could finish, but he did.

"Alright," he muttered, slowly sitting up. "What’s next?"

His legs ached, but it was a good kind of soreness—the type that reminded him he was making progress. Still, his throat was parched, and the sun wasn’t doing him any favors.

Spotting a small vendor stand selling fresh coconuts, he wasted no time in grabbing one. The cool, mildly sweet liquid soothed his throat instantly. He sighed, rolling his shoulders as he finished the drink.

The moment of peace didn’t last long. The system chimed again, pulling up his next task.

[Task 2: Weapon Familiarization (Self-Defense Basics)]

• Practice knife handling for 30 minutes

• Basic combat drills

Rewards: +1 Dexterity, +100 Survival Points

Haoyu glanced around. There was no way he was about to whip out a knife in the middle of the city—not unless he wanted to be mistaken for some lunatic.

He needed somewhere more isolated.

After walking for a while, he finally found an ideal spot—a secluded, overgrown lot at the edge of an abandoned construction site. The place was quiet, shielded by a half-built wall and rusted metal fencing. Weeds grew between the cracks in the pavement, and there were no security cameras, no wandering pedestrians.

This was perfect.

As soon as he stepped into the space, his system interface flickered. A familiar weight settled into his grip as the training knife materialized in his hand.

Testing the balance, he adjusted his stance. It wasn’t just about gripping a weapon—it was about knowing how to use it efficiently. He had a long way to go, but if he wanted to survive, he’d start by mastering the basics.

Haoyu twirled the knife between his fingers, testing its weight. The blade wasn’t sharp—it was a training weapon, after all—but it had enough weight to simulate a real one.

Before he could start fumbling through random movements, Lotus’s voice rang in his head.

[Lotus: Try not to embarrass yourself too much. Follow these steps.]

A translucent blue interface popped up in front of him, displaying a set of basic knife-handling drills.

⸻

Step 1: Proper Grip

• Hold the knife firmly but not too tight.

• Thumb rests on the side, not over the grip.

Step 2: Basic Slashes

• Practice downward diagonal slashes.

• Keep your wrist flexible.

Step 3: Reverse Grip Transition

• Flip the knife into a reverse grip smoothly.

• No fumbling, no hesitation.

Step 4: Targeted Stabs

• Aim for imaginary vital points.

• Quick and controlled.

⸻

Haoyu exhaled, adjusting his grip. "Alright, let’s do this."

He started slow, making sure his fingers weren’t too stiff. The first few slashes felt awkward—his movements were clunky, and he nearly fumbled the transition into a reverse grip.

[Lotus: You look like a child trying to use chopsticks for the first time.]

Haoyu scowled. "Can you not?"

[Lotus: I’m just setting expectations.]

Ignoring the system’s sarcasm, he focused on repeating the drills. Slash, grip transition, stab—again and again. The more he practiced, the more natural it felt. His muscles adjusted, movements becoming sharper.

Lotus remained silent for a while, watching.

[Lotus: ...At least you’re learning. Try increasing your speed now.]

Haoyu nodded, tightening his stance. This time, he moved faster, pushing himself to keep up with the flow of attacks. The imaginary opponent in his mind shifted and dodged, forcing him to react accordingly.

His breath came a little heavier, his grip steady.

By the time the thirty minutes were up, a notification popped up.

[Task 2 Complete!]

• Rewards: +1 Dexterity, +100 Survival Points

Haoyu exhaled, stretching his fingers. His hands weren’t shaking anymore. The knife twirled smoothly between his fingers now, his grip instinctive.

Maybe he wasn’t completely useless after all.

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