The air in Mo Chen's office crackled with a new kind of tension. The dread in his eyes, the shock on his face, was a stark mirror of Qingxue's own turmoil. "A rival company… a near-identical model… they're claiming we stole their design." His words echoed in her mind.
It was déjà vu. A cold, unsettling ripple of memory from the original novel. In the book, this exact scenario had played out.
The rival company, 'Starlight Innovations,' had launched a product that was a spitting image of Mo Corporation's unreleased prototype.
It had crippled Mo Chen's company, sent stock prices plummeting, and left him a target for both corporate and public scorn.
The plot twist was that the original Qin Rourou had been manipulated into leaking the design, believing it would help Mo Chen, only to be betrayed and exposed.
It was the low point of the villainess's arc, the moment that pushed her towards utter psychotic breakdown and get more hate from readers and Mo Chen.
And who had saved the day? The pure, kind, and brilliant heroine, Ye Wan. She had heroically exposed Starlight Innovations' CEO, secured new funding, and won Mo Chen's heart for good.
Qingxue's heart sank. She had been so focused on disrupting the small-scale narrative, the day-to-day interactions, the personal relationships—that she had forgotten about the main plot points.
Was the story so ingrained in this world that it would continue, no matter how much she twisted the threads? Would the novel still demand its final act?
"Mo Chen," she said, her voice softer than she intended. "What is this rival company called?"
He looked up from his phone, his gaze clouded with dread. "Starlight Innovations."
The name hit her with the force of a physical blow. It was the same. The same company, the same plot point, the same inescapable fate. It was a cold, cruel reminder that she was a guest in a story that had a mind of its own.
She cleared her throat, forcing a nonchalant tone. "Well, that's a problem for the legal team, isn't it? Corporate espionage is a serious crime. We can easily prove it was our design first."
Mo Chen shook his head, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "It's not that simple. They've already filed a lawsuit and leaked the news to the press. They're claiming we stole the design from them months ago. It's a smear campaign. By the time we prove our innocence, the damage will already be done."
Qingxue bit her lip. She knew the truth. Starlight Innovations' CEO was a greedy man, but a brilliant one. He had copied the designs from a hacked server and would have a team of lawyers ready to twist the facts. In the novel, the only way Mo Chen was saved was because Ye Wan used her protagonist's halo to uncover a hidden digital trail, a feat that no one else could replicate.
"I need to go," she said suddenly, pushing herself to her feet. The sofa felt too soft, too safe. She had to move, to think.
Mo Chen's eyes narrowed. "Where are you going? You need to rest."
"I'm going to work," she replied, her voice firm. "You handle the corporate war. I'll handle the personal one. You just said it yourself." She gave him a small, weary smile. "I'm going to find a solution to your problem. After all, I am your wife, aren't I?"
Mo Chen stared at her, caught off guard by her determination. He watched her walk to the door, her shoulders held straight despite her fatigue, her mind already miles away.
For a brief moment, the old Qin Rourou, the spoiled brat who only cared about her own comfort, vanished completely.
In her place was a woman of fierce resolve, a woman who had just offered to fight for him. He wanted to call her back, to tell her to stay put, to let him handle it. But he couldn't. Something in her gaze told him she wouldn't listen.
The moment the door closed behind her, a small, pink dumpling-shaped ball materialized next to her.
"Host! Host! This is a disaster!" Baozi's voice was a high-pitched shriek of pure panic. "The novel's plot! It's still following the main storyline! I thought we were changing the course, but it's just... redirecting!"
Qingxue didn't reply, her mind a whirlwind of thought. "Baozi," she said finally, her voice low. "Tell me. Did I contact Starlight Innovations before transmigrating?"
"No! Of course not, Host! You've been with Mo Chen this entire time! Your communication logs are clean!" Baozi bounced anxiously.
Just then, her phone buzzed. A new message. An unknown number. She opened it, her fingers trembling slightly.
The text was short and chillingly familiar." Our plan is On. Thankyou so much Miss Qin for giving me the details. I promise I'll pay you back some day."
The sender's name flashed above the message. Mr. CEO of Starlight Innovations.
Qingxue froze. "I... I never contacted him. How?"
The two of them stood in the middle of the hallway, their world suddenly silent.
The air, which had been buzzing with the low hum of office activity, went still. The low drone of conversations vanished.
The rhythmic tapping of a keyboard across the hall stopped abruptly.
An employee walking by with a stack of papers was frozen in mid-stride, one foot in the air, a look of mild surprise on his face. The entire world had stopped. It was as if someone had pressed pause on a movie.
"What's happening?" Qingxue whispered, her eyes wide with shock. "Is this… the system? Is it collapsing the world?"
She didn't wait for Baozi to answer. She ran. Her heart was in her throat, a cold knot of dread. She ran back to Mo Chen's office, pushing open the glass door. He was frozen, too. His hand was on the phone, his face a mask of concern. Mr. Zhang was at his side, his mouth open as if in mid-sentence. They were all statues.
"Mo Chen!" she called out, but no sound came from his lips. He was completely unresponsive.
Suddenly, a digital portal shimmered into existence in the center of the office. It was a glowing screen, a window into a different reality. The words on the screen were stark, chillingly clear: "THE WORLD IS LIVE NOW. WHATEVER HAPPENS IN THIS WORLD WILL REACH THE READERS WITHOUT EDITING."
Baozi zipped forward, his pink form quivering. "This is... this is a direct transmission! A live feed!"
From the portal, a small, sleek robot, no bigger than a teacup, flew out. Its metallic wings hummed softly as it hovered in the air, its single optical lens glowing with a faint blue light.
"Designation: N-R-P. Narrative Repair Protocol. Reporting to Host Shen Qingxue," the robot's voice was a flat, synthesized monotone.
"The Headquarters has been alerted to a critical anomaly in your current world. Please standby for new mission parameters."
Qingxue stared at the robot, dumbfounded. "A critical anomaly? What are you talking about?"
"Our data shows a severe drop in reader interest," the robot replied. "The audience is confused. The original Villainess, Qin Rourou, is showing signs of positive character development, a deviation from her core personality. This has led to a softening of the Male Lead's affection, which is causing a significant decline in the Heroine's popularity. The readers' primary interest lies in the downfall of the villainess and the triumphant love story of the heroine. Your current behavior is, to put it bluntly, boring them."
A new screen appeared in the air, a live feed of a comment section.
User: @Novel_Lover22
What's up with this? The villainess is suddenly nice? And the CEO is actually worried about her? Where's the drama?! I want to see Ye Wan's heroic rise, not this weird character development for some spoiled brat!
User: @A_Bitter_Grumble
Right? The last few chapters have been so slow. The male and female lead barely even have scenes together anymore. Are they going to get together or what? #giveusourmaincouple
User: @Drama_Queen_55
LOL, at least the villainess is funny now. 'I won't let you die so easily,' he said! I mean, I'm supposed to hate her, but their banter is better than the main couple's cheesy dialogues. Don't tell anyone I said this but… #TeamRouRou?
Qingxue's face burned. They were watching her. Her entire life, her entire struggle, was just a show for a group of bored readers in another world. And they were bored.
"Your new mission," the robot continued, unfazed, "is to not only win the Male Lead's affection but also the readers' affection. You must give the character of 'Qin Rourou' a believable and compelling character arc, transitioning her from a Villainess to a sympathetic Anti-Hero who changed for love."
Qingxue's mind reeled. "Wait, wait, wait. You're saying I have to get the readers to like me?"
"Correct," the robot said. "Your character, 'Qin Rourou', is destined to die at the end of this novel. If you fail to win the readers' sympathy and secure the Male Lead's affection, your fate will remain unchanged. The original plot, which dictated Qin Rourou's death, will be re-established. Director Bai's orders are clear: You have one chance to rewrite your destiny. If not, this arc will fail and you won't get any credit points."
Qingxue's heart hammered in her chest. A cold wave of despair washed over her. This wasn't just about a mission anymore. It was about her life.
"Wait a second," she said, her voice now sharp with purpose. "My mission to save this world is being compromised by a rogue, blacklisted System. The one possessing Ye Wan. It's trying to collapse the world, to ruin the main storyline! That's a huge violation of the Bureau's rules! Why isn't Headquarters doing anything about it?"
The robot's single glowing eye blinked. "That particular System is a Class-A anomaly. It has possessed the body of the world's Female Lead, 'Ye Wan'. To remove the System would require extracting the Female Lead's core, which would cause a critical, irrecoverable collapse of the world's narrative structure. We cannot risk the integrity of the world."
"So you're telling me I'm on my own?" Qingxue's voice was incredulous. "I have to fight a rogue System, a vengeful Female Lead, and a fixed plot line all by myself? And now I have to impress an audience on top of it?"
"Correct," the robot confirmed. "Your mission is unique and highly demanding. The rogue System's power is linked to the Male Lead and the Female Lead. As long as the novel is ongoing and the world remains stable, it will not be able to leave Ye Wan's body. Therefore, your mission's completion is our only viable path to containing the anomaly."
With that, the robot's light dimmed, its wings whirred once, and it zipped back into the digital portal. The screen flickered, a final message flashing before the portal disappeared completely:
"LIVE BROADCAST RESUMING IN 3… 2… 1…"
Qingxue stood in the deafening silence, her mind reeling. Baozi, who had been quiet this whole time, now let out a low, mournful whimper.
"Host, this... this is a nightmare."
Qingxue didn't respond. She looked at Mo Chen, frozen in time, his hand outstretched, his face a perfect mask of concern.
She looked at the office around her, the silent, unmoving figures. A corporate war. A vengeful system. A demanding audience. She was a villainess in a world that wanted her to die, fighting a protagonist who wanted to ruin her, all while trying to win over a love interest and a live-streaming audience she couldn't even see.
She clenched her fists, a new fire igniting in her eyes. "A nightmare, Baozi? No. This isn't a nightmare…"
She looked back at Mo Chen, her gaze settling on the concern in his face. It was the only real thing in this whole manufactured world. That, and the mission in her heart.
"This is a challenge," she whispered, a fierce, determined smile touching her lips. "And I've never backed down from a challenge in my life. Let's give them a show they'll never forget. Let's steal the female lead's halo."