In the evening, on the bustling streets of the Imperial Capital of the Dragon Nation, vehicles flowed endlessly.
Workers, tired from a day's labor, yawned as they were stuck on their way home.
Inside a building in the Imperial Capital, a woman with delicate light makeup was writing something at her desk. She had smooth, shoulder-length hair, and her beautiful eyes were like deep lakes, revealing a mysterious and inviolable sacredness. Below her small, exquisite nose was a pair of slightly parted, full red lips. Her lips were as vibrant as fire, with a perfectly sculpted, sexy outline, every detail exuding unique charm. Her features, which individually would make others envious, combined on her oval face, made her appear even more stunning.
But even with such a perfect face, one that made women jealous and men feel inferior, she now carried a hint of vexation, her willow-leaf eyebrows slightly furrowed, as if she had encountered some trouble.
She wore a fitted coffee-colored suit with a pure white inner shirt, but her proud figure caused her a little trouble; the buttons on her chest were taut, seemingly ready to give up their mission at any moment. Following her slender waist downwards, her curves abruptly widened, her exaggerated waist-to-hip ratio far surpassing countless highly photoshopped selfies of internet celebrities.
The hem of her jacket just covered her hip curve, resting on her long, straight suit pants of the same color.
Her fair ankles were exposed at the cuffs of her pants, and her delicate feet were clad in white high heels.
The woman looked only around 30 years old, but no one would have guessed that she already had a son attending university.
She put down her pen, crossed her hands, and stretched above her head.
This simple action caused a ripple; the button on her chest finally gave way, flying off with a 'whoosh'.
"Tsk."
The woman immediately sat up straight, somewhat annoyed, and smoothed her chest. The mischievous button rolled all the way to the door before wobbling and falling still.
The sound of high heels scraping the floor came from outside, then a knock on the door.
"Please come in." The woman tidied her clothing, making the shirt, now missing a button, look less obvious.
The door opened, and a pretty young woman entered, carrying documents. Her gaze fell on the button on the floor, then she knelt down to pick it up.
"Chairwoman Bai, your shirt button flew off again?" The young woman's tone was light, seemingly not particularly afraid of the sole Power of the company.
"Hmm, I need to get a size bigger… By the way, Joanna, aren't you off work yet?"
Joanna walked over to Bai Shuyao with the button, placed the documents on her desk, and held the button in her palm: "You haven't left yet, how could I leave first? Please change into another shirt, I'll sew this one for you."
"Thank you for your trouble."
"No, it's my duty."
Joanna's smile held a hint of playfulness, and combined with her slightly curly long hair, she exuded vitality.
She went to the nearby cabinet, took out a shirt, handed it to Bai Shuyao, then helped her take off her jacket, took the changed shirt, and sat on a nearby sofa, skillfully sewing the button back on.
Bai Shuyao looked at the serious-faced Joanna, feeling even more satisfied with her.
If it were Xiao Yun, he would probably quietly go and buy me a new set of clothes, right?
Thinking of her son, Bai Shuyao's slightly relaxed brow furrowed again. After all, she probably couldn't go home tonight again. Always hands-on, she was extremely cautious with important documents that determined the company's direction. Tonight, she might have to work until the early hours of the morning.
The telephone rang abruptly, startling Joanna on the sofa.
Bai Shuyao picked up her phone. After seeing the name in the caller ID, her cold, beautiful face melted like spring snow, blooming with a different kind of charm.
"Hello, Xiao Yun?"
"Mom, are you coming home for dinner tonight?"
"Sorry, Xiao Yun, I'm probably working overtime again…"
"You've only come home once this week."
The young man's tone sounded a bit displeased. Bai Shuyao's heart twinged slightly, and she apologized: "I'm sorry, Xiao Yun, I'll definitely be back tomorrow night!"
"You said that yesterday too."
"I…"
"Alright, alright, I know you're busy, but your health is more important." The young man's tone shifted, "Speaking of which, you're the Chairwoman of the group, you've hired so many people, there's no need to do everything yourself, is there?"
"I'm used to it." Bai Shuyao chuckled, chatted with him for a while longer, then reluctantly hung up the phone.
Joanna, who had been hesitant for a long time, saw her put down her phone and quickly walked over, returning the shirt to her.
"Chairwoman Bai, the button is sewn on."
"Joanna, your hands are truly skillful." Bai Shuyao looked at her meaningfully, "How about you come to my house for dinner this weekend, when you have time off?"
"Ah?"
Joanna thought of the tall and handsome young man, her earlobes slightly flushed. She touched her neck, a little embarrassed: "That might not be appropriate…"
"It's fine, it's just a meal. You wouldn't refuse, would you?"
Joanna tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, "My mother might be coming this weekend…"
Bai Shuyao no longer insisted, crossing her arms and leaning back: "If you're busy, then forget it. It's not easy for your mother to come to the Imperial Capital, you should spend good time with her."
"Mm."
"Go home first, don't overwork yourself. Young people should enjoy life more."
"Goodbye, Chairwoman Bai!"
Joanna breathed a sigh of relief, turned around, and slowly left the office.
As the door closed again, Bai Shuyao unlocked her phone, saw the photo with the young man she had just spoken to, and felt much of her fatigue dissipate, then plunged back into her work…
The Bai family of the Imperial Capital, as founding heroes in the Early Stage of the nation, had long been deeply rooted in the Imperial Capital over the years, becoming a colossal entity lurking within.
After Old Master Bai passed away, his daughter, Bai Lan, as a woman, developed the Bai family to its current state, enduring immense pressure in this polygamous world.
Now, Bai Lan is nearing 60, but due to her skill in maintaining her appearance, she looks only about 40 years old.
And relying on the Dragon Nation's top biotechnology, she gave birth to three daughters through surgery, and they have all made their mark in the Imperial Capital.
The eldest daughter, Bai You, currently holds a high position, supporting the Bai family in official circles. The second daughter, Bai Shuyao, has founded a publicly listed group with a market value of hundreds of billions. The third daughter, Bai Yiyi, due to her Heaven-Defying Aptitude, has made rapid progress in martial arts cultivation and was invited by the military to be stationed as an instructor.
All three daughters are unmarried, but the second daughter, Bai Shuyao, has a son, cherished as a treasure by the Bai family.
What surprised the outside world was that this young man did not have the surname Bai, but Ling, named Ling Yun.
The outside world speculated about who the Bai family's second son-in-law was, but no matter how other forces searched, they could not find a single clue.
At this moment, this mysteriously born young man silently put down his phone at home.
"Sigh, Mom's not coming home again tonight."
Ling Yun tossed his phone onto the sofa and turned to walk towards the kitchen.
Through the transparent glass sliding door, a graceful figure in a maid outfit was busy inside.
"Xiao Hui Jie, no need to prepare Mom's dishes!"
Ling Yun pulled open the sliding door and said to the woman.
"Ah?"
The sound of the range hood was loud, and the woman seemed not to have heard clearly. She turned her head, curiously looking at Ling Shao: "Ling Shao, what did you just say?"
"I said, my mom isn't coming home for dinner."
"Oh, oh, alright."
Ye Hui nodded, feeling a sudden sense of relief.
Good, good, the madam isn't coming home tonight, otherwise, if she saw me in a maid outfit, she'd probably laugh at me…
She stir-fried the dishes in the pot, feeling a fiery gaze on her back. She turned her head and saw the young man leaning against the door, his eyes fixed on her long, beautiful legs encased in black suspender stockings.
"Ling Shao~"
This coquettish sound was more teasing. Ling Shao laughed heartily, stroking his smooth chin: "Xiao Hui Jie, this maid outfit looks really good on you. Next time you lose a bet, you'll wear it again."
"Alright, you go out first, I'm busy!"
Only when she was alone with Ling Shao would Ye Hui display such a demeanor. She waved her spatula, urging Ling Shao to leave the kitchen.
Ling Shao shook his head. His own mother would never have guessed that Xiao Hui Jie, who seemed docile and even a bit reserved on the surface, was actually quite cheerful at heart, but only he got to enjoy that side of her.
He sat back on the sofa, took out his phone, and was about to scroll through videos when he suddenly heard a strange sound.
[Detection complete, System has been bound!]
He froze for a moment, thinking it was the sound from a video on his phone. He rewound the progress bar to the beginning, wanting to listen again to see if it was his imagination.
[Oh, no need to look, it's me!]
Ling Shao was now certain; this voice was coming from inside his head!
He was 20 years old this year and had watched many TV shows and read many books, so he was very familiar with Systems.
He hadn't expected that his life, which had started so perfectly, would actually activate a System. How were other people supposed to live?
"System?"
Ling Shao asked in his mind, and quickly received a response from the other party.
[I am the System Guide, you can call me Xiao Xi~]
Xiao Xi's voice was very clear and a bit playful. Ling Shao quickly envisioned a cute young girl in his mind.
[Congratulations on successfully activating the Villain System. Before officially starting, please choose how I address you~]
Villain System?
Ling Shao hadn't expected to activate this kind of System. The word "villain" was often not a good term; in TV shows, even if they weren't cannon fodder villains, villains who survived until the end would die horribly.
Recalling his prominent family background, and then thinking about the status and position of his grandmother, aunt, and maternal aunt, Ling Shao's expression was subtle.
While he was lost in thought, Xiao Xi interrupted his musings.
[Are you still there?]
"I'm still here." Ling Shao rubbed his temples, his thoughts changing in an instant, finally saying in a deep voice, "Call me Gege. I'm the youngest at home, so I want to experience what it's like to have a little sister."
[Hehe, Gege!]
Ling Shao's many complex thoughts were scattered by that one word, Gege.
That's right, with such a strong background and now a System, even if there were those Heaven-Defying, unreasonable "Protagonists," he would never be afraid of them!
Why should your grassroots counterattack overturn my four generations of prominent family background? There's no reason!
Of course, this was just talk for now. Didn't that fierce man he admired the most rise up step by step back then?
[Because Gege is activating the System for the first time, a special talent is hereby awarded—Inquiry!]
[This function can query the other party's detailed information, so that Gege can distinguish the "Protagonists" and heroines in the crowd, and can see the "Protagonists'" recent Opportunities.]
"So, I really am a villain?"
Ling Shao sat on the sofa and gave a self-deprecating smile. These 20 years of life made him mistakenly believe he was a Protagonist blessed by destiny, but he turned out to be a villain.
[That's right, but with me here, Gege can definitely easily deal with those "Protagonists"! There are many "Protagonists" in the world Gege lives in. These "Protagonists," relying on the blessing of Heaven's Mandate, are like woodworms, devouring the Luck between heaven and earth. In the long run, the Qi of heaven and earth will be exhausted. If not dealt with in time, it will cause irreversible severe consequences!]
[This System Guide is to help Gege suppress these "Protagonists." You can weaken their Luck by intercepting Opportunities, plundering their treasures, snatching heroines, and other methods. Each Protagonist's Luck is different. When their Luck returns to zero, they lose their "Protagonist" status, and Gege will also receive additional rewards!]
Ling Shao crossed his legs, glanced at the busy figure in the kitchen, then turned his head, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath.
"Speaking of which, wouldn't it be easier to just kill them?"