I’m having a dream. I stand in the middle of a room painted completely white. The only other thing in the room is a holographic computer suspended in midair, which is currently shut off. I look down and realize I’m wearing the clothes I was wearing long ago, when the cultists came and sent me to the other dimension. I look at my reflection on the glossy walls, and I realize that I’m in my actual body. Did I go back to the real world? Maybe the computer will tell me, if I can figure out how to turn it on. Walking toward the computer, I poke it to see if anything happens.

“Ow! Don’t poke me!” a robotic voice issues out of nowhere. I jump back for a second before I realize it’s coming from the computer. 

“Well, this is a really weird dream,” I say out loud. 

“This isn’t a dream,” the robot says. “I have brought you here to give you a quest.”

“A quest?” I frown. 

“Yes. In order to leave this world and return to Earth, you must complete the quest shown below.”

Letters suddenly swirl onto the computer screen, moving around aimlessly until they finally settle into a sentence. A photo of me in my actual body, Lin Hu, and Ma Lisu also flies in.

“Quest: in the body of Lin Hu, help Ma Lisu achieve the highest rank in wugong cultivation, and subsequently use her god powers to defeat the Demon God King and the Vindicta Society of the Westlands.” 

“What? So you want me to make Mary Sue a god?” I splutter. “And who is the Demon God King?”

“Yes, you must give Ma Lisu godlike powers. The Demon God King is the God King of the Demons.”

“That doesn’t answer any questions!”

“Very well, I will give you some context. Originally, there was supposed to be a hero who defeated these villains-” at this point, the screen shifts to an Anglian boy with brown hair and hazel eyes. “But we have run into complications and he is currently indisposed.”

“Our next option was this girl-” an Anglian girl flashes on screen. “But again we have run into complications and she is currently indisposed.”

“Our next option was this girl-” another face flashes on the screen.

“But you have run into complications and she is currently indisposed,” I deadpan.

“Correct. We have realized that having the hero come from the Westlands is impossible, as there is an unknown force interfering with them there. Thus, we gave powers to an unassuming girl living on the border between Anglia and the Jun Dynasty, so she could become the hero.”

“Wait, China borders England in this world?” I ask, extremely confused.

“Yes. Shall I show you a map?”

“No, just go on. Who is she supposed to defeat?”

“The original main villain was supposed to be the Demon God King, and it still is. However, a new foe has arisen that you will need to take care of first.

A photo of a boy with dark eyes and a brooding smirk comes on next. “This is Gideon Draven, leader of the Vindicta Society. He rose to power after brutally murdering his father, the previous leader. Originally, the Vindicta Society was a minor evil organization that the protagonist destroys early on in his journey; however this was when Gideon’s father was in charge. The Vindicta Society’s sudden change in power has disrupted the canon flow of events.”

“So you admit I’m in a light novel?” I ask in disbelief.

“I do not understand the term ‘light novel'. Gideon Draven has changed the Vindicta Society from a small organization dabbling in illegal magic to a powerhouse aiming to colonize the entire world. Right now, the Demon God King is concentrating his forces on making sure the Vindicta Society doesn’t take over the demons and thus the Vindicta Society is the main threat. However, I will give you some information on the Demon God King as you requested.”

A dark shadowy creature with a crown on its head, which I assume is the Demon God King, flashes by the screen next, followed by four demons. One demon is surrounded by black jewels, and one of its eyes has been replaced by a black gemstone. Another demon is encased by hissing pythons; its hair is made up entirely of snakes. The last two demons are shadows like the Demon God King, with one being obscured by swirling hurricanes, and the other just a pitch-black shadow, without any eyes or defining features. 

“These are the four children of the Demon God King: the Obsidian Prince, the Medusa Reincarnate, the Typhoon Conqueror, and Eternal Darkness.”

“Seriously? These are their names? All of them sound ridiculous and pretentious,” I say. 

The computer continues on as if it has not heard my comment. “Luckily, the second strongest demon, the Obsidian Prince,  is currently absent and has given up on his mantle for the time being. So you will have one less demon to defeat.”

“Let me guess. Eternal Darkness is the strongest.”

“You are correct. These demons have reign over the east, west, south, and north of the Westlands, and each of their castles holds a piece of a sword that can be used to defeat the Demon God King. You will have to find these pieces and defeat the demons. You will most likely face the Medusa Reincarnate on your way to defeat the Vindicta Society, as she reigns over the East.”

I hold up my hand. “Hang on, that’s too much info dumping. And what if I just ignore the quest and go on living my life here?”

“Then you will die.”

I groan, realizing I have no way out of this plot. “Why now? You didn’t contact me when I met Lisu the first time.”

“That was when we still had options. We are unable to interfere with the reincarnates in the Westlands now, due to some magical barrier.”

“Who’s ‘we’? Did my classmates also get reincarnated into this world? And what are you even doing this for? Is this an actual light novel?”

“I can’t answer any of these questions. Good luck on your quest.”

Then my vision blacks out and I fall asleep for real.