Mission Completed

The first day of the National Day holiday was especially bright and sunny. My name is Joshua Lowell. I was driving with my wife, Aurora Larsen, and our five-year-old son, Marcel, headed to a countryside resort for some relaxation. Aurora Larsen sat in the passenger seat, gently peeling an orange for Marcel, her laughter clear and bright like delicate wind chimes. Marcel lay sprawled on the back seat, clutching a toy car, excitedly planning what to do during the holiday. I gazed at my wife and son in the rearview mirror, my heart brimming with happiness, convinced that these days would last forever. But fate dealt me a devastating blow. At an intersection, a runaway heavy truck suddenly barreled toward us. I instinctively yanked the steering wheel, desperate to protect my wife and son, but the overwhelming force twisted the car in an instant. In the chaos, I heard Aurora Larsen's screams and Marcel's cries, then I lost consciousness. When I woke again, I was lying in a hospital bed, surrounded by stark white, the sharp smell of disinfectant unbearable. The doctor told me that Aurora Larsen and Marcel were too badly injured—they couldn't be saved. That news stabbed through my heart like a jagged dagger; I collapsed onto the bed, shattered, tears streaming uncontrollably. I hated myself for being useless, for failing to protect the ones I loved most. Just as I was sinking into despair, even considering joining my wife and son in death, a cold, mechanical voice echoed in my mind: "Strong obsession detected in the host, meeting the Redemption System's binding conditions. Bind now?" I was stunned, convinced I must be hallucinating. "Binding with the System grants you a chance to rewrite fate and save your wife and child, but you must complete assigned tasks." The mechanical voice sounded again. As long as I can bring Aurora Larsen and Marcel back to life, I am willing to do any task. Without hesitation, I replied, "Bind!" "System binding successful. Mission Objective: Win over Emma Zimmerman, the fake heiress impersonating Aurora Larsen's identity for the past twenty years, and raise the Strategy Value to 100." "Once the Strategy Value reaches 100, the ending of Aurora Larsen and Marcel's deaths can be rewritten." I was stunned. Aurora Larsen was actually the Zimmerman family's biological daughter? And there was a fake heiress? But now is not the time to dwell on these questions; saving my wife and son is what matters most. The system quickly assigned the first task: Transfer the downtown house and thirty million in assets to Emma Zimmerman to gain her trust and raise the initial Strategy Value. That house was bought after years of hard work by Aurora and me, and the thirty million was all our savings. But whenever I thought about the possibility of Aurora and Marcel still being alive, I gritted my teeth and agreed. I contacted a lawyer and handled the property transfer procedures. When Aurora found out about this, she looked at me in disbelief, her eyes full of confusion and pain. "Joshua, why are you doing this? That's our home, our money!" Aurora's voice trembled. I didn't dare to meet her eyes and could only lie: "The company is having some problems, so I had to temporarily transfer the property to Emma Zimmerman. Once everything's resolved, I'll get it back." Aurora Larsen clearly didn't believe it, but she didn't press any further. She just quietly lowered her head, her shoulders trembling slightly. What made me feel even more guilty was that the System demanded Aurora Larsen stay at home, serving as Emma Zimmerman's unpaid live-in nanny. Watching Aurora cautiously care for Emma's daily needs and handle all the household chores, my heart ached as if pierced by needles. But all I could tell myself was that this was all to save her and Marcel. Once the plan succeeds, I will make it up to them, no matter what.