We Both Failed the Strategy Game

My father, Cameron Howard, and I are transported to an ancient world together. The system tells us that if we can each win over a target, we'll be able to return home. My mission is to win the heart of a ruthless princess, and Dad's mission is to conquer a hot-tempered queen. The princess breaks two of my ribs and ties me behind a horse that drags me for miles. The queen decides Dad isn't kneeling straight enough. So, she crushes his knees with iron tongs and forces burning charcoal into his mouth until he loses his voice. For three years, we live miserably. Just as the system announces "Mission failed", the princess standing before me suddenly smiles. She tears off the mask covering her face. The person underneath the mask is my wife, Abigail Finch. She walks over to the throne and pats the fierce queen on the shoulder. "Mom, haven't you had enough? Cameron and Oscar are almost dead from everything you've put them through." The queen removes her disguise and looks up. It's my mother, Elisha Sweeney. She claps her hands toward the officials filling the throne room. "Alright, everyone. You can get up now. That's a wrap." Dad and I exchange stunned looks. Mom gently squeezes my crippled hand and sighs. "Does it hurt, Oscar? You and your dad made Kenneth Ingram's life miserable every day. You even drove his son, Joel Ingram, into bankruptcy. You've suffered enough now. Consider the score settled." The officials throughout the court remove their wigs, revealing walkie-talkies and sweat-soaked T-shirts beneath their costumes. But none of them know that the transmigration is fake, but the system is real. In the final moments of our lives, Dad and I make a pact with the system. We offer up both of our souls as the sacrifice in exchange for a lifetime of wealth, peace, and happiness for them. Chapter 1 "The contract has taken effect. Your soul will now be extracted," the system said. The next moment, I felt a sudden sense of weightlessness, and my soul drifted out of my body. The entire royal court burst into laughter. "Ms. Finch is truly devoted. She spent three whole years setting things up just to marry Mr. Ingram." "Exactly. They really put on a convincing show. Oscar and Cameron were completely in the dark." Mom patted Abigail Finch on the shoulder and said with a smile, "Abigail, your plan was brilliant." I stood frozen in place as a chill ran through me. It turned out Dad and I had never actually traveled through time. All the grievances, pain, and torture we suffered over the past three years were never accidents; they were a punishment Abigail and Mom had deliberately put us through. I lowered my head and looked at my own body kneeling on the floor. Blood dripped from the corner of my mouth onto the ground, yet nobody noticed. Abigail frowned and said impatiently to my lifeless body, "Oscar Howard, are you still putting on an act? I only had them give you 50 lashes. Who are you trying to fool?" Mom walked over to Dad and said gently, "Cameron, stop making a scene. You and Oscar brought this on yourselves for bullying Kenneth back then. The punishment is over now. Let's go home." Just as Mom was about to bend down, Joel Ingram suddenly rushed over, looping his arm through hers while pulling Abigail with his other hand. He said with a hint of resignation, "Oscar and Mr. Howard must be sulking. Mom, Abby, it's all my fault. If only I hadn't been so petty back then—" The slight concern on Abigail's face vanished in an instant. "It's already been three years, and Oscar is still so good at acting. He caused you to break your leg three years ago, and Cameron made your dad so angry that he ended up in the hospital. This is merely a small punishment for them." Joel's eyes immediately filled with tears as he pleaded softly, "Abby, my dad and I let that go a long time ago." Abigail shot my body a vicious glare and said coldly, "Since they love acting so much, let them keep acting. Let's leave." With that, she turned and walked away without looking back, not even sparing my body another glance. I instinctively reached out to stop her, but my hand passed straight through her body. I spun around abruptly. The system had already gathered Dad's soul and was preparing to leave. Dad looked at me, his eyes filled with reluctance and heartache. I wanted to rush over, but an invisible force held me back. The system looked at me and said flatly, "Oscar, your attachment runs too deep. It is not yet your time to leave." Overwhelmed with despair, I could only drift beside Abigail alone. She and Joel had already gotten into the car. A label that read "Reserved for My Husband" was stuck to the back of the passenger seat. Once, Abigail had leaned against my chest and sworn that she would never let any other man sit there. Now, the label had long since faded. Joel pulled Abigail into his arms with practiced ease and said with a hint of hesitation, "Abby, are we really just going to leave? Doesn't that feel wrong? Oscar looked like he was in so much pain." Abigail let out a cold laugh, her tone flat and indifferent. "Oscar and his dad aren't children. What could possibly happen to them? I was too lenient with them before, and that's exactly why he became increasingly out of control." A trace of smugness flashed through Joel's eyes, though he still pretended to look troubled. "But—" Abigail scoffed, her voice dripping with disdain. "He's just gotten better at acting, nothing more. He's playing hard to get again. Don't worry. In a few days, he'll come home on his own to admit he was wrong." I drifted over the back seat, watching them cling to each other. Bitterness and despair washed over me in an instant. I parted my lips, my voice barely a whisper. "Abigail, I'll never be able to come home again." Chapter 2 After the spectacle ended, the people inside the old castle dispersed. No one remembered that Dad and I were still inside. Our corpses remained kneeling inside the grand hall, though our souls were already gone. A few days later, a foul, putrid odor drifted out and caught a security guard's attention. "What's that smell? Did the trash bin leak?" he muttered. He followed the smell, his flashlight trembling as his steps grew slower. The moment he pushed open the doors to the grand hall, the gruesome sight before him sent him stumbling backward in terror. Our corpses had become unbearable to look at. Our faces were a dark purplish blue, dried blood caked at the corners of our mouths, and our bodies were stiff and ice-cold. "Captain, something's wrong! Something terrible has happened!" the guard shouted. The police arrived soon afterward. Red and blue lights flashed across the stone walls of the old castle, casting them in alternating brightness and darkness. An officer crouched to examine Dad's and my faces, then said quietly, "Based on the initial assessment, this was likely caused by severe physical abuse." They found a wooden tag hidden in an inner pocket of my clothing. Carved into it were the words, "Oscar Howard, of Glenford, Ashvale". It was my identification tag. I had made it because I was afraid that if I stayed in that world too long, I might one day forget Abigail. Using the phone number on the tag, the officer called Abigail. "Is this Ms. Finch?" At that moment, Joel was trying on a wedding tuxedo in front of the mirror while Abigail stood beside him, her gaze full of affection. The officer said, "We've found the bodies of your husband, Oscar Howard, and your father-in-law, Cameron Howard. We need you to—" Before he could finish, Abigail scoffed, her voice full of contempt. "Oscar really went all out. How much did he pay you to pull off this act? He even cursed his own father to death for this stunt. Does he seriously think this is funny?" Without waiting for the officer to reply, Abigail hung up. Joel frowned and walked over to Abigail. "Abby, should we maybe put the wedding on hold? Oscar wouldn't go so far as to make up something like this, right?" Mom approached them and said confidently, "Cameron just used my supplementary card to spend 20 thousand dollars on a meal. How could anything have happened to him?" Joel then took out his phone and pulled up Instagram. On the screen was a photo of Dad and me at the beach. The caption read, "Staying away from toxic people and spending the rest of our days healing." The photo was clearly AI-generated, but they all fell for it without question. I hurriedly tried to speak up, but no one could hear me. Abigail turned and stood on her toes to kiss Joel on the cheek, her voice soft but leaving no room for argument. "Stop overthinking. I promised you I'd give you a perfect wedding before your stomach cancer gets worse." Joel pulled her tightly into his arms, a flicker of satisfaction crossing his expression. … The following day, the funeral home called Mom. "Hello, this is the city funeral home. We're calling regarding the cremation of your husband and son's remains. We need you to come in and sign the paperwork—" Mom immediately flew into a rage and shouted into the phone, "How dare you try to scam me? What's next? Are you going to mail me an urn?" She was so furious that she turned off her phone right away. Abigail sat across from her, pausing with her coffee cup in hand. "Mom, should we… perhaps go check it out?" Mom slammed her hand on the table. "Check what? Isn't it obvious? Just because I agreed to appear as Joel's mother at the wedding, Oscar and Cameron deliberately pulled this stunt to make us give in. Not a chance!" Abigail fell silent for a moment before nodding. "You're right. Once the wedding is over, everything will go back to normal." I drifted beside them, a hollow emptiness settling in my chest. It turned out that in their eyes, my grievances and sorrow had never even mattered. Chapter 3 A week passed, and Abigail didn't receive a single message from me. Her mood had grown increasingly dark. She couldn't hold it in any longer and asked the butler, Robin Galvan, "Has Oscar really not come home at all this week?" Robin answered nervously, "No, Ms. Finch. Perhaps you could give Mr. Howard a call. What do you say?" Abigail let out a mocking laugh, as if she had just heard the biggest joke in the world. "Me, call him? He deliberately set this trap to make me give in. He's absolutely out of his mind." She slammed her phone on the coffee table and walked restlessly into the living room. Suddenly, she stopped and stared at an oil painting hanging on the wall. Years ago, Abigail had spent six months painting it for me herself. In it, I stood in a field of golden flowers with a bright and carefree smile. Back then, she'd leaned against my chest, her eyes filled with tenderness. Below the painting were the words she wrote years ago. "Oscar, this painting will stay with us longer than the years and stronger than time itself." As her feelings for me faded over time, the painting became the only thing that still held a trace of what we'd once shared. I had continued to treasure it, dusting it carefully every single day. But now, it was nothing but an eyesore to Abigail. She suddenly stood up, grabbed the fruit knife from the table, and strode over to the painting before slashing at it. In the painting, my smiling face and hands were left in jagged, ugly gashes. I quietly watched from the side. Luckily, since I died, my heart could no longer feel any pain. Just then, Joel suddenly burst into the room and pulled Abigail into his arms, his voice tense. "Abby, Oscar used AI to fake intimate photos of me with a bunch of women just to stop our wedding. "He even threatened me, saying that if I didn't do what he said, those photos and videos would spread all over the internet and completely ruin me!" Abigail's expression darkened. She gently stroked Joel's cheek, her voice low and cold. "Joel, don't be scared. Since he dared to spread lies and make false accusations, he'll have to pay for his actions." She immediately took out her phone and sent me a voice message. "Oscar, you have one hour. Get home right now and apologize to Joel. Otherwise, you'll regret it!" I drifted beside her and looked at the message. All that remained inside me was endless bitterness. Second after second passed. Before long, the hour was up, but there was no way I could ever appear before her. Abigail stared at her phone, a cold smile forming at the corner of her mouth. "Oscar, you brought this on yourself." She stormed into the bedroom and dug out the wooden box I treasured. Inside was our wedding ring. I remembered getting down on one knee and gently slipping the ring onto her finger. Abigail had thrown herself into my arms and held me tightly, saying, "Oscar, I'm sticking with you for the rest of my life. I'll never let you go." But now, she raised her high heel and stomped down hard without hesitation, crushing the ring until it shattered. The second item in the box was a crystal pendant Dad had left me—a family heirloom passed down for generations. When Dad had placed it in my hands, he'd said solemnly, "Oscar, this pendant has been passed down in our family for generations. Someday, give it to the person you love most." With an indifferent expression, Abigail picked it up and hurled it to the floor. It instantly shattered into pieces. What broke me completely was her reaching for the protective charm Dad had risked his life to obtain for me. I was a sickly child. My father walked for days on his knees, praying at every shrine along the way, just to bring me this charm. Back then, he had pulled me into his arms with reddened eyes and said, "I don't ask for wealth or status for you. I only hope you stay safe and healthy your whole life." It was the most precious thing I had in this life, but Abigail showed no mercy. She twisted it apart with both hands, snapping it cleanly in two. I rushed forward frantically to stop her, but my hands passed through her and the charm again and again. All I could do was watch helplessly as everything was destroyed. After doing all this, Abigail sent me one final message, as though she were showing me mercy. "Oscar, this is what you get for spending all day outside and never coming home. Since that's the case, don't ever step into this house again!" Chapter 4 Another two weeks passed, and Abigail's patience had completely worn thin. To suppress the irritation inside her, she threw all her energy into preparing the wedding with Joel. She scouted venues, picked out gowns, and finalized schedules, keeping herself constantly occupied. Still, whenever she stopped and looked around the empty, quiet house, a strange sense of emptiness would flicker in her eyes. Every time that happened, Joel would move closer and cup her face in his hands while comforting her. "Abby, stop thinking about it. Oscar is just throwing a tantrum. Once our wedding is over, he'll definitely come back." Abigail listened quietly, pushing down the unease inside her and trying to reassure herself. She convinced herself that she was merely going through with the ceremony to fulfill Joel's wish. Once it was over, she would return fully to her family and settle down with me for good. … The wedding day arrived quickly. The ceremony was incredibly grand, with flowers and ribbons filling every corner of the hall. The venue was packed with guests, creating a lively atmosphere. Abigail wore a white wedding gown. Her makeup was flawless, and her long hair draped over her shoulders, making her look stunning yet distant. Joel wore a sharp suit and held her hand, looking exactly like a happy groom. Mom sat in the seat reserved for the groom's mother. Her hair was pinned up neatly and elegantly, and there was a warm, motherly smile on her face. Kenneth Ingram sat beside her. The two of them appeared comfortable and close, looking just like a loving couple who had been together for many years. As I watched all of this, my heart ached until I felt numb, yet I didn't even have the strength to cry out loud. Standing at the altar, Abigail kept glancing toward the entrance. She repeatedly reassured herself that it was fine, telling herself that I was simply hiding out of jealousy and would show up on my own once the wedding was over. The ceremony moved along step by step, and soon it was time for the vows. The officiant picked up the microphone and looked at Abigail with a smile. "Ms. Abigail Finch, do you take Mr. Joel Ingram to be your husband? Will you love and protect him for the rest of your life, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health?" The officiant finished speaking, but Abigail remained silent for a long moment. Just then, someone suddenly shoved the heavy banquet hall doors from outside. Several police officers walked in with grave expressions, their gazes sweeping over Abigail at the altar and Mom seated in the first row of the pew. One of the officers spoke in a deep voice. "Are you the family members of Oscar Howard and Cameron Howard?" Abigail froze in place for a moment, still not fully registering what was happening. Joel spoke up before she could respond, his tone laced with feigned concern. "Officers, did Oscar and Mr. Howard get into some kind of trouble? They've been out of contact for two weeks. We've been worried sick this whole time." As soon as he finished speaking, whatever little concern remained on Abigail's and Mom's faces gave way to irritation and contempt. Mom spoke up, her voice cold and her words sharp. "No wonder they didn't show up for two whole weeks. Turns out they've been out there causing trouble." Abigail's voice wasn't loud, but it carried across the entire hall. "It's my fault for being too lenient with them before. That's exactly why they've become so ungrateful." She paused briefly, her voice tinged with weariness and finality, as if she had finally shed a burden. "Officers, we won't bail them out. Just handle everything according to the law." The lead officer was visibly taken aback. He pulled out a stack of photos from the folder. In the photos, Dad's and my faces were black and blue with bruises, dried blood crusted at the corners of our mouths, and there was no trace of life left in us. He spoke slowly, his voice heavy. "Oscar Howard and Cameron Howard passed away two weeks ago."