The Cannon Fodder Character in Four Infinite Flow Novels
o0o
"You’re already dead."
Bai Jin heard this voice once again, confirming that he wasn’t dreaming. He opened his eyes and found himself lying in an unknown void, a space of complete darkness where the only things visible were himself and a floating ball of light in front of him.
So Bai Jin asked, "Who are you?"
"You died. I’m here to take you to reincarnation."
"How did I die?"
"Irregular eating habits, frequent late nights, which led to a heart attack."
Bai Jin fell silent for a moment before responding, "That sudden?"
Just a second ago, he had been lying in bed, staying up late reading a novel. His favorite author, Wu Xian, had just released a new book. Though the new work didn’t match Wu Xian’s usual style, Bai Jin had still struggled before finally opening it out of sheer admiration for the author.
Bai Jin was a true shut-in. As an illegitimate child who had never been welcomed by his family, he was actually quite content with the inheritance left behind after the old man’s death, enough to last him a lifetime.
After all, Bai Jin rarely went out. He spent his days holed up in his room, playing games, reading novels, watching anime, and indulging in all the typical hobbies of a hardcore otaku.
He wasn’t even into buying merchandise, figurines, cosplay, or attending conventions. His focus was more on mental stimulation than material desires, so his yearly expenses were minimal. That was why he considered the inheritance enough to let him laze around for the rest of his life.
And now, before he could finish Wu Xian’s latest update or spend all that inheritance, Bai Jin was dead.
"So what am I supposed to do now?"
His voice sounded hoarse from lack of use, he was a severe introvert who cherished silence. Like a snail, he preferred to hide in his little shell, avoiding social interactions as much as possible.
"I can take you to reincarnate."
"Then let’s go."
Bai Jin’s tone was eerily calm, as if this situation meant nothing to him. Even though he hadn’t spent all his money, finished the latest update, or seen the new episode of his favorite anime, he could only resign himself to reality with these words.
The ball of light spoke again. "There are different paths for reincarnation. For example, this one is the Animal Realm, and this one is—"
Listening carefully, Bai Jin pondered for a moment before lazily asking, "Can I become a pampered pet?"
His ideal next life was one where he could comfortably laze around without a care. Being a pet meant no more noisy people crowding around him. A short, worry-free life as a beloved companion, that was Bai Jin’s dream.
However, his request seemed to trouble the other party. The voice, which sounded like that of a young boy, soft and tender—hesitated before replying.
"But in this life, since you rarely left your home, you’ve accumulated very little merit. You might not even qualify for the Human Realm."
Bai Jin froze for a second. "Then what should I do?"
"Actually, that’s why I’m here. Since you didn’t do anything bad in this life, you can accumulate merit to choose your desired path, or even revive and extend your lifespan."
"How do I accumulate merit?"
"The only option here is for you to travel to different small worlds and play the role of missing characters to maintain the stability of these dimensions."
Play a role?
Bai Jin’s heart sank. As a socially anxious, reclusive person, the idea of not only interacting with people but also acting was terrifying. He had zero acting skills. So Bai Jin sighed.
"Too hard. Just send me to the Animal Realm."
"But if you become an animal, there’s no telling what might happen to you. You could be eaten, abused, or beaten."
Hearing this, Bai Jin exhaled deeply. "Forget it. I’m really scared of pain. Fine, I’ll go with the role-playing."
The little ball of light floated closer to Bai Jin. "Even though you don’t have much merit, because you’re kind-hearted, you’ve accumulated a tiny bit. That’s why I was assigned to guide you. I can accompany you to these small worlds. And—I’ve already picked worlds you’ll like!"
Bai Jin was curious. The little light orb bounced excitedly in front of him. "I know you love that author’s novels, so I’ll take you into the worlds of his books! You don’t have to play important roles—just minor characters who appear once or twice before dying. And since you said you’re scared of pain, I’ll turn off your pain perception! Oh, and since it’s trendy these days… you can call me System."
Bai Jin reached out and touched it. He could actually feel its warmth. A faint, gentle smile appeared on his pale face—a result of years without sunlight.
"So I have a System now."
The System hopped in his palm. "Yep! Let’s go!"
The glowing orb floated ahead, guiding Bai Jin forward. As they walked, the two chatted.
"But I can’t act."
"It’s fine! Just recite the lines from the book. The descriptions of your character are minimal—aside from delivering your lines, you can do whatever you want."
"Whatever I want?"
"If you’re bored, I can play movies for you."
"Can you show me the new anime I was following?"
"Of course!"
"But I remember..." Bai Jin hesitated. "Wu Xian’s books are all survival horror…"
Before he could finish, a blinding white light flashed before his eyes. When Bai Jin’s vision cleared, he realized he had already entered the small world. The little orb perched on his shoulder and whispered.
"We’re in. No turning back now. But don’t worry, I’ll stay with you the whole time."
Bai Jin looked around.
The place was crowded with people, all shackled at the hands and feet, silently marching in the same direction. Glancing down, Bai Jin saw identical restraints on his own wrists and ankles. He recognized this body as his own, there was a small mole on his palm, just like in real life.
Worried about being overheard, Bai Jin hesitated to speak aloud. Sensing his concern, the System reassured him.
"Don’t worry. You can talk to me in your mind. They can’t see or hear me."
"Is this my real body?"
"Yes. Since many background characters in the book have no detailed descriptions before dying, it was easier to just use your own appearance."
"But if I keep showing up with the same face, won’t the main characters notice something’s off?"
"They’re bound by the book’s rules. Minor characters who don’t join the main cast and disappear after their scenes won’t be remembered. Even if you reuse your appearance, their memories of you will be hazy. And once your role is over, they’ll forget you completely."
Bai Jin nodded, satisfied for now. He assessed his surroundings. The shackles gave it away—this was The Human Elimination Project.
In a world where rapid technological advancement had replaced countless jobs with AI, a new social class emerged: people who contributed nothing to society.
They weren’t exceptionally gifted, wealthy, or intelligent—just ordinary individuals deemed useless, living off social resources.
Those capable of contributing were called Citizens, while the 'useless' were labeled Waste. Meanwhile, humanity’s exploration of space accidentally connected their world to another—a parallel dimension plagued by disasters that threatened to spill over.
The solution? Sacrifices.
By sending people—Waste, criminals, or unlucky innocents into that world, they could either suppress the disasters or become nourishment to delay the inevitable. Those who succeeded could earn their freedom or even Citizenship.
But most only served as fuel for the other world’s horrors.
This policy was cheerfully dubbed the Human Elimination Project.
The novel’s protagonist, Jiang Yu, was one such victim, a man who had resisted the ruling faction, the Enlightenment Society, and was thrown into this nightmare as punishment.
Even in this crowd, Bai Jin spotted Jiang Yu immediately. That tall, straight-backed figure at the front could only be him.
The book described Jiang Yu like this:
"He never bowed his head. Even on the path to certain death, his spine remained unbroken, his gaze never faltering."
o0o