Xie Yunxie, that scum, has clearly gone mad.
“You are saying I was hit by a car and died? And the only way to stay alive is to work for this ‘Butterfly Effect’ Villain System of yours?”
In a room decorated in a cold, minimalist style of black, white, and gray, Xie Yunxie leaned against the headboard. A soft satin quilt was draped over his waist. He directed a skeptical look at the empty air. “Why do I have to play the part? If you have the power to pull me over here, shouldn’t resurrecting that scumbag be a piece of cake?”
The Villain Role-Play System: [The system cannot perform resurrection operations on major characters within the book.]
Xie Yunxie let out a dry laugh. “So, what you are saying is you cannot manipulate the characters inside the book, but you can manipulate people from outside of it, right?”
[You could understand it that way.]
Xie Yunxie reluctantly accepted the explanation. “Fine. Tell me, what do I need to do?”
At this, the system’s electronic voice fluctuated with excitement: [You need to play the villain and correctly drive the plot forward!]
A transparent interface popped up in front of Xie Yunxie, listing three categories: Cruelty Rating, Plot Completion, and Protagonist Satisfaction.
[Cruelty Rating: The villain contributes many bloody and violent scenes in the text. This rating represents the malicious standard the host must reach. Methods include, but are not limited to: physical assault, verbal abuse, hiring people to cause harm, intimidation, and sexual violence.]
[Plot Completion: As the name suggests, to prevent the world line from deviating, the plot at every key node must be completed properly.]
[Protagonist Satisfaction: The villain exists to serve as a stepping stone for the protagonist, to highlight the protagonist’s true beauty and goodness, and to push the romance progress bar between the main couple. The host only needs to play the villain well. Each time a requirement is met, the Protagonist’s Satisfaction will increase.]
Xie Yunxie narrowed his eyes. “Give me more details.”
[Based on the villain’s character setting, the host must reach 100 Cruelty points per day.] [Plot Completion is judged by the system. The closer you stick to the original work, the higher the completion.] [Protagonist Satisfaction includes mandatory items and extra credit items. The host only needs to complete the mandatory ones.] [Once Plot Completion reaches 100%, the host can be resurrected in their original world.]
“Sounds like a fair deal,” Xie Yunxie mused for a moment and quickly made his decision. “Fine, I agree. What is next?”
The Villain Role-Play System quickly refreshed with a new task.
[Short-term task: According to the original plot, continue to abuse the vicious cannon fodder, Ming Yi.]
Before the task finished refreshing, Xie Yunxie’s pupils dilated in shock. “Wait! Who did you say I have to abuse?”
The system did not understand his sudden agitation: [The vicious cannon fodder, Ming Yi.]
Xie Yunxie was speechless for a moment. “The protagonist of this world, his name would not happen to be Yan An, would it?”
[Exactly.]
Xie Yunxie cursed under his breath. He never expected such a ridiculous coincidence.
Before his car accident, he had been reading this very “group-pampering” novel titled Infinite Adoration. He had only opened it out of boredom while stuck in traffic, but he had been infuriated by the very beginning.
The “real” young master, Ming Yi, was clearly so hardworking and talented. How could everyone hate him? Was the author out of their mind?
Xie Yunxie had read the story from Ming Yi’s perspective. He originally thought Ming Yi was the protagonist, believing that after fourteen years of suffering, everything would get better once he returned home. But then he realized the protagonist was not Ming Yi; it was the “fake” young master, Yan An.
Nothing got better. Because of some baseless scandal, Ming Yi was boycotted by the entertainment industry. Lacking support from his family, he was forced into an arranged marriage, only to end up with the wrong person. The villain, who shared the same name as Xie Yunxie, abused Ming Yi every single day, which had disgusted Xie Yunxie to his core.
Furthermore, the author seemed to have a personal grudge against Ming Yi. The painful days Ming Yi spent at the Xie house were described in agonizing detail: how he was beaten until he was black and blue, how he was stuffed into a suitcase to be drowned in the sea. It was all written with horrifying clarity.
Xie Yunxie had been so angry and anxious, feeling the helplessness of being unable to reach into the book and slap the villain. He could not bear to keep reading, so he went to the comments section to vent his rage in a long essay, saved a bunch of fan art of Ming Yi, and finally turned off his screen while still fuming.
Then the accident happened, and he died.
A sudden realization struck him. If this was the world of Infinite Adoration, where was Ming Yi right now?
Xie Yunxie threw off the covers and got out of bed. To hide his urgency, he asked with forced calmness, “Where is the victim now?”
[In the suitcase.]
His calmness vanished instantly. Xie Yunxie barked, “Why the hell did you not say so sooner!”
“Why is he in a suitcase? Is the drowning scene not still a month away?”
The system sounded aggrieved: [Once the villain died, the world line shifted, and many plot points became a mess. That is why the host is needed to fix the plot and get the world line back on track.]
Xie Yunxie rushed toward the door. He reached the threshold before the system’s reminder forced him to remember his character. He stiffened his face and shouted for a butler. “Where is Ming Yi?”
The accidental death of the original Xie Yunxie had caused a severe deviation. While the system could not resurrect major villains, it could modify the memories of minor side characters. All those who witnessed his death had their memories replaced. In their minds, Xie Yunxie had only suffered a minor injury.
At the mention of Ming Yi, the old butler immediately showed a look of bitter, petty resentment. “He was so disrespectful to you, Young Master, so I locked him in the trunk to let him reflect on his actions.”
Suppressing the urge to punch the old man, Xie Yunxie said with a dark expression, “He is my pet. Did I give you permission to touch him?”
[Ding: Cruelty Rating +5]
The old butler noticed something was wrong with Xie Yunxie’s demeanor and shut his mouth.
In a pitch-black room, Xie Yunxie found Ming Yi stuffed inside a suitcase.
Unable to wait for the butler’s slow movements, Xie Yunxie shoved him aside, crouched down, and quickly unzipped the bag. When he saw the sight inside, his brow furrowed deeply.
A pale, thin young man lay on his side in a fetal position inside the cramped space, his arms twisted in front of his chest. He looked like an infant in the womb, his eyelashes clumped together by tears, his breath shallow and weak.
Though Ming Yi was slender, he was still an adult. How suffocating and painful must it have been to be forced into such a small suitcase?
“Go and call a doctor,” Xie Yunxie ordered without looking back, carefully lifting Ming Yi out of the suitcase.
The stiff, cold body in his arms was terrifyingly light. Xie Yunxie froze as fragments of the original plot flashed through his mind. He gritted his teeth.
He remembered now. That scumbag Xie in the book did not even feed him.
Ming Yi’s head rested limply on Xie Yunxie’s shoulder. He seemed to wake up from the movement, and Xie Yunxie leaned in to hear his faint sobbing.
“Mom.”
Ming Yi was having a very, very good dream.
He dreamed of the year he was fourteen, the year he returned home. With a heart full of trepidation, he hesitated to step through the luxurious gates. This time, he was not met with coldness, but with a warm embrace.
“My baby, my baby is finally home.” His mother held him tightly, ignoring his tattered, faded clothes, crying and laughing at the same time. “Did you have a hard time out there? Do not be afraid. My baby will never suffer again.”
Ming Yi felt a long-overdue sense of happiness. He smiled shyly, opened his palm, and offered the grass-woven grasshopper he had been clutching the whole way.
His family did not despise the cheap gift. Instead, they praised his craftsmanship. His brother teased him for being childish, but still placed the grasshopper on his nightstand.
Amidst the aroma of hot food, his bowl was piled high with food by his family. Ming Yi stuffed his face like a hamster, but the food never seemed to run out. The bright lights fell on him, chasing away the chill until he felt warm all over.
It was so warm.
Suddenly, the light dimmed. His smiling family was swallowed by darkness. A relentless chill surged back, forcibly dragging Ming Yi from his warm dream back to reality.
Ming Yi’s head throbbed, and he heard blurred voices.
“A high fever of 38.9. He is on an IV drip now. It is best to let him rest quietly.” “Are there any other injuries on him?”
The familiar voice was like a sharp blade, cutting through his chaotic thoughts.
Ming Yi’s heart jolted. He remembered clearly how he had used a steak knife to rip open that scumbag’s abdomen. So why was Xie Yunxie still alive?
Was this a hallucination before death? Or was he already dead, and this was the underworld?
On the other side, the doctor tried to gauge Xie Yunxie’s attitude. After a moment of hesitation, he suggested diplomatically, “It would be best to take him to the hospital for a thorough check-up.”
Xie Yunxie was feeling frustrated. When he was unhappy, he wanted everyone else to be unhappy too. He began to act out his madness in front of everyone. “If you do not cure him, I will have all of you buried with him!”
[Ding: Cruelty Rating +5]
Xie Yunxie’s heart jumped. It worked. As long as he said some trashy dialogue consistent with the character, he could earn points. Verbal abuse was the mildest form of violence, hence only 5 points. Physical assault would likely increase it faster.
To test his theory, Xie Yunxie turned around and punched the old butler. “Who gave you the right to abuse him on your own? You old fossil, did I give you too much face?”
The old butler deserved that punch. This old man was wicked. He not only turned a blind eye to the villain’s crimes but actively encouraged them. Since he loved watching people get beaten so much, he could taste a fist himself.
The butler never expected the Young Master to suddenly turn on him. Being old, the punch nearly sent him sprawling. He tremblingly held onto the foot of the bed, covering his face as he looked at his grim-faced master in disbelief. “Young Master, you, how could you?”
It was fine to hit others, but how could he hit him? He had watched the Young Master grow up! The Young Master had a temper, but he had never laid a hand on him before today.
Xie Yunxie looked at him expressionlessly, as if looking at a dead man. “Butler Liu, I think you have truly gone senile. You have forgotten your place.”
Meeting his gaze, the old butler felt a sudden, inexplicable chill. He instinctively looked away, no longer daring to complain. “It, it was my fault. I should not have handled Young Master Yan without your permission.”
“As long as you know.” Xie Yunxie nonchalantly wiped the back of his hand, satisfied to hear the system’s announcement.
[Ding: Cruelty Rating +30]
One punch was worth 30 points. Xie Yunxie began listing the names of other perpetrators in his head, ready to go on a point-farming spree. Transmigrating into a book was great after all. It made up for the regret of not being able to slap these idiots back in his own world.
The system finally seemed to realize something was wrong and let out a sharp electronic shriek: [Host, what are you doing!]
“Doing the task,” Xie Yunxie replied earnestly in his mind. “Did you not say I need 100 Cruelty points a day? I am following your orders strictly.”
System: [But you cannot hit the old butler! He is the villain’s confidant! The villain has never laid a hand on him!]
“Just because it has always been that way, does that make it right?” Xie Yunxie countered calmly. “The villain is clearly a volatile ‘super Alpha’ type. This kind of person is moody and can go crazy at any moment. Why would he show mercy to an old man? Am I right?”
The system was momentarily confused by his logic: [But]
“No ‘buts.’ Think about it. If he can even strike his own confidant, does that not highlight his coldness and cruelty even more?” Xie Yunxie interrupted, coaxing the system. “Besides, why do you care so much? As long as the Cruelty points are banked, is that not enough? Tell me, am I playing the villain well or not?”
The system hesitated: [It is quite good. You are just as crazy as the original villain.]
“Then we are good,” Xie Yunxie said. “The butler is just a minor character. I am hitting him in private. He will not go around reporting it and affecting the world line.”
The system found this reasonable. The host was indeed working hard to be a villain. It should not be too harsh on him from the start. Having been startled by the host’s actions, the system dropped its initial cold facade.
[I will let it slide this time. But you must abuse the vicious cannon fodder properly from now on.]
Xie Yunxie was easy-going: “Of course.”
Everyone else was kicked out. Xie Yunxie sat by the bed, planning to organize his thoughts while keeping an eye on Ming Yi’s IV drip. In the quiet room, a tired, hoarse voice suddenly spoke:
“So, dreams really are the opposite of reality.”
Xie Yunxie looked down from the IV bag and saw that Ming Yi had woken up at some point. He was looking at him with half-open, hollow eyes.
Xie Yunxie was slightly stunned.
Ming Yi was undeniably beautiful. Every piece of fan art had been exquisite, and even in this state, his face possessed a fragile, pale beauty. The original text never mentioned his pheromone scent, but Xie Yunxie guessed it would be some kind of resilient plant fragrance.
Xie Yunxie instinctively sniffed the air but was surprised to find no scent of an Omega. There was no suppression patch on the back of Ming Yi’s neck. Meaning, Ming Yi was not an Omega? He was a Beta?
Things had been too chaotic earlier for Xie Yunxie to notice, but now he realized everyone he had met since arriving here seemed to be a Beta.
He voiced his doubt to the system. The system replied: [Because this is a novel without an ABO worldview. Therefore, everyone in this world is a Beta.]
What! A world full of Betas?
Xie Yunxie felt like he had been struck by lightning. No wonder the text never described Ming Yi’s scent.
With a complicated mood, he brought over a glass of water. “Are you thirsty? Have some water.”
[Ding: Warning! Host’s behavior is inconsistent with the character. One electric shock punishment!]
A surge of electricity hit him. Xie Yunxie jolted, unable to hold the glass. With a shatter, the glass broke into pieces, and water splashed everywhere.
Ming Yi’s gaze followed the broken glass. There was no light in his eyes.
Xie Yunxie’s abdomen was not wounded. He thought he had killed Xie Yunxie, but that too had been a beautiful dream. But it did not matter. He could turn the dream into reality.
Before Xie Yunxie could recover from the shock, Ming Yi moved. He suddenly flipped over, reached out to grab a shard of glass from the floor, and, without a second’s hesitation, stabbed it toward Xie Yunxie’s carotid artery.
The system was caught off guard and shrieked again.
[Again!!!] If the host died too, where would it find someone who looked so much like the villain to play the part!
The sharp glass, inches from Xie Yunxie’s neck, was narrowly caught by a hand.
Xie Yunxie gripped the shard tightly, ignoring the blood seeping from his palm. He spoke urgently: “Calm down! You might not believe this, but I am actually an Alpha from another world! I am really not the real Xie Yunxie!”
Hearing this, only a faint sense of mockery rose in Ming Yi’s heart.
Xie Yunxie, this scum, has finally lost his mind.