As Gu Jia Li remembered the details of her death, she ground her teeth in anger.
Why? How was this fair?
After a moment to compose herself, she turned her gaze toward the small figure floating before her—a chubby, androgynous baby with glowing eyes and a smug expression, hovering in midair like it belonged there.
"So, what's your deal?" she asked flatly.
The baby clapped its tiny hands together, grinning like it had just been handed candy.
"Host! Welcome to the Amorous and Seductive Beauty System, also known as ASB-419!"
Jia Li raised a brow. The name sounded like a scam. The chibi form made it worse.
Unbothered by her expression, the baby floated a little higher and continued proudly.
"Your primary function, Host, is to fulfill the Unresolved Wish of the soul fragment you inhabit in each world. These aren't simple errands—they're emotionally charged regrets: unspoken desires, broken dreams, buried injustices. You must resolve them completely to receive full mission points."
"Points?" Jia Li repeated.
"Yes! Mission Points are the currency of this system. With every successfully completed mission, you'll earn points based on emotional impact, narrative difficulty, and how much you interfere with the original plot. Side objectives—like enhancing your host body's reputation, gaining power, seducing male leads, or altering the fate of key characters—will also earn you bonus points."
Jia Li crossed her arms. "And the points are for…?"
"They unlock the System Mall—where you can purchase a variety of upgrades!" A glowing panel unfurled in the air beside her, showing flickering icons: Beauty Enhancements, Combat Skills, Ancient Techniques, Cultural Proficiency, Spiritual Artifacts, and Emotional Detachment Protocols.
"You may exchange points for physical transformations—yes, body sculpting, facial optimization, even genetic edits—elite training, and charm packages. All upgrades are permanent and persist across missions."
Jia Li's expression didn't waver.
"And the goal?"
The baby's eyes gleamed. "To earn enough points to reconstruct your original spiritual body. Then, Host, you will be fully resurrected in Small World 1432 as a system-enhanced being, reborn to rewrite your fate."
Jia Li's expression remained composed, but her mind was spinning.
Her world… Small World 1432.
"What do you mean, 'small world'?" she asked.
The system didn't hesitate. "Host comes from Small World 1432—a novel-style world with a fixed narrative pattern. Your world was created to center around Wang Meilin, the designated female protagonist. The story follows her daily misadventures and her will-they-won't-they romance with the male lead."
Jia Li's face darkened.
"System… what role was I?"
"Host was background character No. 56."
A nobody.
It turns out Wang Meilin had grown up in the countryside due to a birth switch. When she turned sixteen, it was revealed she was the real daughter of the city's wealthiest man. Her biological father, overwhelmed with emotion, brought her back and poured resources into her, determined to shape her into a refined heiress.
But Wang Meilin had no interest in studying or improving herself. She preferred to flirt, party, and collect male leads like trading cards. When the college entrance exams arrived and her results were pitiful, her loving father did what any morally bankrupt rich man might—he swapped her scores with someone else's.
That someone… was Gu Jia Li.
Wang Meilin knew immediately her score was a lie. But instead of confessing, she took the glory. And when Jia Li began investigating the truth, Meilin got angry.
After all, she'd suffered so much. Couldn't Jia Li just bear this one grievance?
To silence her, Meilin subtly crushed her in the corporate world. She didn't even have to lift a finger—lapdogs and sycophants did the job for her, eager to please the golden daughter of the wealthiest man in the city. Meilin simply smiled and washed her hands of the matter.
Jia Li's fists clenched. Her vision tinged red.
The floating baby, as if sensing her resolve, chimed again. "Also! The space you're currently in is a personalized dimension. Time here is frozen. You can use it to rest, store items, train, or browse the mall. It functions as your mobile headquarters and can be accessed at any time, just by thinking about it."
Jia Li narrowed her eyes. "And if I fail a mission?"
The cheerful tone dimmed.
"Failure results in point deduction, skill loss, and potential host-body collapse. Three consecutive mission failures will result in soul fragmentation and permanent erasure."
A cold silence followed.
Jia Li let it sink in. Then, slowly, a bitter smile curled on her lips. "Sounds fair."