Zhao Lian wasn't at all excited when she found herself in a new place.
Her face was anything but eager, more like someone who had died and unwillingly resurrected.
As she stirred, her head throbbed dully. It took longer than expected to fight off the fog in her mind, and when she finally pushed herself upright, her surroundings struck her as… wrong.
Not just wrong. Utterly misplaced.
First was the robe she wore—not her usual office blazer and pencil skirt, but a long flowing robe of pale silk. A sash the color of sky blue was tied neatly around her waist, its ends fluttering with an elegance she would never have chosen.
Second was the place itself. The room was ancient, candlelight flickering against wooden panels, the faint scent of sandalwood lingering in the air. The air was too still, too serene.
Her stomach knotted.
Am I hallucinating?
But then her gaze landed on a bronze mirror propped against the wall. She staggered forward, staring.
The reflection showed a thinner, slighter version of herself, as though she hadn't eaten for weeks. Her cheekbones were sharper, her jaw more delicate. But there was something else—a mischief carved into her features, like the world itself expected her to stir trouble.
"Is… this me?" she whispered, touching her face. The reflection copied her movements, right down to the hesitant blink.
Her lips curved. "Refined. Cute… but mischievous."
The thought startled her. That was never how she saw herself in her previous life. In the Zhao household, she had been the overlooked one. At the company, she was the pushover. Never once did she dare grin like a villainess.
And then it happened.
A shimmer sounded above her head, like chimes striking metal.
[System initializing…]
[Registered Name: Zhao Lian]
[Username: fit@up]
[Congratulations. You have successfully entered the game — Up Miss Bratz.]
Her breath caught.
"Up… Miss Bratz?"
She knew that name. How could she not?
Memories flashed—her colleague bringing the game proposal to their manager, only for him to scoff and toss it aside. Zhao Lian had backed her colleague, but the arrogant manager had dismissed her as lacking foresight. Days later, the game exploded into the number one ranked sensation in the country. Everyone praised its brilliance, and in the twisted way fate worked, Zhao Lian was blamed for not "supporting innovation."
Her elder sister, Zhao Mei, had basked in the glow of that game's fame. Some even credited her for its meteoric success. But Zhao Lian knew better. It wasn't Zhao Mei's genius—it was the vision of the developers who created it.
And now—now she was in the game?
Her heart drummed in her chest.
[Welcome, Player Zhao Lian.]
[System Reminder: To advance, you must complete quests.]
[Your role: Mischievous Player. Designation: Heroine of Chaos.]
She tilted her head, lips quirking into a smile she'd never worn in real life. "Heroine of chaos… eh? That actually sounds fun."
But then her eyes widened at the next screen.
[Death Counter: 0/1000]
[Warning: If limit is exceeded, permanent death will occur.]
Her smile dropped. "Wait. Permanent?"
Her body shivered before she could stop it.
The mechanical voice continued, unbothered:
[First Quest: Deal with the arrogant elder sister.]
[Reward: 10 taels of silver. Sufficient to advance to the next stage.]
Her brow furrowed. "By… humiliating her?"
[Clarification: By proving her wrong.]
"And if I don't?"
[Penalty: A deduction will occur from the sole untouched asset you possess.]
Her mouth went dry. "…What asset?"
The system's pause was deliberate, chilling.
[Life.]
Her expression twisted. "You dare not."
[Then complete your missions properly.]
"Damn it." She raked her fingers through her hair, glaring at the green holographic interface that hovered mockingly above her.
And then the voice announced:
[Target approaching.]
Her head snapped toward the door.
Before she could process, the panel slid open and three figures stormed in.
The sound of footsteps echoed—and then—
SLAP!
A sharp pain flared across her cheek.
"Ungrateful child!" a woman's furious voice cracked through the silence. "How dare you push your sister? She is older than you, smarter than you—yet you let jealousy drive you to violence?"
Zhao Lian's face stung, but her eyes narrowed.
The matriarch of the Zhao family stood there, her mother in this world. The same scowl, the same eyes filled with disdain.
Zhao Lian tilted her head. Figures. Even in another world, I get the same treatment.
She muttered under her breath, "Hey, system. How the hell do you expect me to deal with something I wasn't even aware of? In my world at least, I knew what I was being scolded for. You should at least give me context before slapping quests on me."
[Explanation: Incident triggered when "favoritism" was discussed. Accusation: You pushed Elder Sister Zhao Yue into the pond. Task: Prove her false.]
Insane. This was insane.
Her mother's rage hadn't abated. "Speak, Zhao Lian! Do you have nothing to say for yourself? Always silent when accused—truly a disappointment."
Time seemed frozen for a beat.
She saw it now: none of them moved except her. This was the system's doing. Only she existed in this strange limbo of control.
And when time snapped back into motion, her father's voice thundered, "Are—"
It cut off when Zhao Lian raised her hand lazily, as though swatting aside the world's judgment.
Her eyes fixed on her so-called elder sister.
"So," she said, her voice smooth, dangerous. "I pushed you?"
Zhao Yue blinked, startled by her younger sister's boldness. "You… you don't have to apologize, Lian. I understand—"
"Shut up."
The command ripped through the room.
Everyone stiffened. This was not the Zhao Lian they knew.
Her father's brows knitted. Her mother's lips parted in shock. Zhao Yue herself shrank, unused to that sharp glare.
"Aren't you the older one?" Zhao Lian continued, her scowl deepening. "Shouldn't you protect me, rather than frame me? You've never liked me, Yue. But shouldn't you at least try to be less pathetic?"
Her words sliced like a blade.
"Y-You…" Zhao Yue stammered.
"Mother," Zhao Lian turned smoothly, "since I allegedly pushed her, I should apologize, right? I'll take responsibility."
There was a tone to her voice that unsettled everyone present.
"What are you planning?" Zhao Yue whispered, a tinge of fear creeping in.
Zhao Lian smiled, lips curling with mischief. "What? Let's go. I'll apologize properly."
She seized her sister's wrist, dragging her toward the courtyard. Past the tiled corridors, past startled servants, until they reached the pond in the eastern gardens.
The pond glittered under the morning light, ringed with carved stone lotus patterns. It was called the Mirror Lotus Pool, famed for its clear water and graceful koi swimming beneath the surface. But beneath its beauty, the water was deceptively deep.
Zhao Lian's grin widened.
"See, everyone? I'll apologize here."
Before anyone could stop her, she shoved Zhao Yue into the water.
A splash echoed, koi scattering in fright.
The elder sister flailed instantly. She sucked at swimming—her limbs thrashing uselessly as she gasped and choked.
Zhao Lian clasped her hands, clapping as if entertained by a performance.
"Save yourself, sister. What's wrong? Can't?"
The onlookers gaped. Her mother shrieked, her father froze in shock, and Zhao Yue sputtered desperately in the pond.
Above Zhao Lian's head, the system flickered:
[Task Progress: 70%]
[Additional Reward Unlocked: +5 Charisma for decisive confrontation.]
Her grin sharpened.
For the first time in both lives, Zhao Lian felt… untouchable and proud.