As a landscape designer who had worked overtime year-round, her life philosophy had always been simple: eat well, drink well, and survive to the end. But now, let alone surviving to the end, she did not even know how she was supposed to live through thirty days of an apocalypse!
“The world within this book has suffered excessive energy due to the male protagonist destroying it. The Heavenly Dao of this small world and the main system have requested assistance, which is why we have this mission,” the system’s voice sounded at just the right moment. “The Host’s task is to warm the male protagonist, prevent him from destroying the world, and save the apocalypse—completing this will earn a reward of ten million. Creating a new era—completing this will earn a reward of twenty million, and you may also take one item from this world with you, not limited to people, objects, or abilities!”
Cheng Lin’s breathing instantly quickened.
Ten million had already tempted her. Twenty million, plus the benefit of taking anything she wanted away, was practically a windfall from heaven!
Money could make even the devil turn the millstone—let alone someone like her, a worn-out 996 office worker. Besides, refusing meant certain death anyway. Rather than waiting to die, she might as well take the initiative. Who knew? She might even fight her way into wealth and glory.
The calculations in Cheng Lin’s mind grew louder, but she did not forget—after reading novels for so many years, she knew that cheats and beginner gift packs were standard for protagonists. She absolutely could not let the system swallow them privately. As the saying went, a deal offered too eagerly was no deal at all—she had to bargain and squeeze out more benefits.
She cleared her throat and asked calmly, “Heheda, I’ll be putting in all the effort to complete the mission—what about you? What do I get, and what do you get?”
“The Host can receive a beginner gift pack, with a 98% chance of unlocking a cheat ability!” The system’s voice grew noticeably more cheerful. “This system can also stay online at all times to chat with you and help resolve your troubles!”
“That’s it?” Cheng Lin raised an eyebrow. “Where’s the system space? The spiritual spring? The trading planes? Your gift pack and cheat are even bundled together—are you some kind of miser like Grandet?”
“The Host’s task completion level contributes to Heheda’s rating!” The system’s voice carried a hint of grievance. “The system also undergoes KPI evaluations every three months. If the rating is high, more functions will be unlocked to better assist the Host in completing the mission!”
Cheng Lin twitched her lips. Even six ellipses would not be enough to express her speechlessness toward this stingy system.
Fine. Resistance was futile—she could only accept it.
“Heheda, claim the beginner gift pack.”
“Ding! Congratulations, Host, for obtaining three marrow-cleansing pills, three beauty pills, five fitness pills, and three rejuvenation pills. There is also one lucky draw opportunity on the big wheel every Monday at 8 a.m., and chances can be accumulated!”
Looking at the list of pills appearing in her mind, Cheng Lin nodded in satisfaction. The marrow-cleansing pills could improve her constitution, the fitness pills could enhance her strength, and the rejuvenation pills could save her life. These items were practically tailor-made for the apocalypse!
However, she did not dare take them immediately. After reading so many novels, she knew that taking such pills would expel a large amount of impurities from the body. She was currently in the dormitory, surrounded by roommates—it was simply not convenient.
Today was Wednesday; there were still several days before Monday’s lottery. For now, the system matter was temporarily settled, and Cheng Lin’s gaze fell onto her phone screen.
She unlocked it and opened the messages. The pinned contact at the top was unmistakably “Jiang Yi.”
The latest message was the breakup text the Original Owner had sent three days ago: “Long-distance relationships are meaningless. Don’t contact me anymore.”
Cheng Lin was so frightened that her soul nearly left her body; even her hands trembled.
Who was Jiang Yi? He was the future zombie emperor! The ruthless man who would destroy the world directly because of the Original Owner’s tragic death!
Now that she had transmigrated into the Original Owner, if Jiang Yi harbored resentment toward her, then when the apocalypse arrived in thirty days, she would probably be the first to be devoured by zombies, not even leaving bones behind!
Cling to the thigh! She had to cling to the thigh!
As someone weak in both mind and body, her self-awareness made the urge to cling to a powerful supporter extremely urgent.
Cheng Lin’s fingers flew across the screen, typing, deleting, revising, and deleting again. Finally, she took a deep breath and pressed send: “Dear, I was joking! Jiang Yi, let’s not break up!”
The moment the message was successfully sent, Cheng Lin felt as if the twenty-million reward was already beckoning to her.
She lay back on the bed and let out a long sigh.
Apocalypse? Zombie emperor? Gene laboratory?
From this day forward, she, Cheng Lin, was determined not to be a white moonlight, not to be a walking blood bag—only to be a survivor who clung to the strongest support!
She casually placed her phone on the bedside table. The screen dimmed abruptly, reflecting none of the emotions in her eyes. Without the slightest hesitation, she slipped straight under the covers. The moment the soft blanket wrapped around her body, drowsiness surged over her like a tide.
She was not worried at all that Jiang Yi would refuse to reconcile. After all, that was Jiang Yi.
From high school onward, he had always followed behind her, treating her words as if they were sacred decrees. In the Original Owner’s memories, the boy was always dressed in a faded school uniform, slender in figure, yet carrying a stubborn gentleness between his brows. If she wanted roasted sweet potatoes from outside the school gate, he would queue for half an hour in the biting cold wind; if she casually mentioned a limited-edition art album she liked, he would scrimp and save for two months to present it to her brand new; even when it came to college applications, he had unhesitatingly given up better options just to follow her to this not-so-top-tier university.
Everyone who knew them said Jiang Yi was Cheng Lin’s “loyal dog,” an incurable “bootlicker.” The Original Owner had once taken this devotion for granted, even considering it only natural. Yet no one had expected that when it came to post-graduation plans, Jiang Yi would, for the first time, go against her wishes.
Cheng Lin had wanted to stay at the university, remain in this familiar city, secure a stable government job, and live a nine-to-five life. She had repeated it more than once in front of Jiang Yi—how she hated instability and wanted to hold onto everything familiar. But what about Jiang Yi? He had only remained silent, saying over and over again, “Lin Lin, wait a little longer. Let me give you a better life.”
He had wanted to go to S City, to the company that had bought the small game he developed in high school. Cheng Lin had known about that company—she knew they had offered Jiang Yi a generous salary. It was Jiang Yi’s dream, and also the future he wanted to give her. But the Original Owner had not understood. She had only felt that Jiang Yi was abandoning her for the sake of his career.
Thus, after a fierce argument, the Original Owner had impulsively pressed send and sent that message: “Let’s break up.”
She had thought Jiang Yi would be like all the countless times before—calling immediately, coaxing her in a low voice, apologizing, and then compromising. But she had waited an entire day. Her phone had remained silent—no calls, no messages, not even a single notification.
At that moment, the Original Owner’s world had completely collapsed.
She had begun to overthink—had Jiang Yi already grown tired of her? Had his determination to go to S City become so firm that he could abandon her without hesitation? During those days, the Original Owner had lost her appetite and sleep, clutching her phone all day as she waited. The light in her eyes had gradually dimmed, and her body had weakened day by day. Like a vine stripped of sunlight, she had withered rapidly, until she eventually faded away without a sound.
Cheng Lin turned over under the covers, a complicated smile tugging at her lips. It was hard to say whether Jiang Yi had been an indirect culprit, or whether the Original Owner had simply trapped herself in her own cocoon.
With her eyes closed, fragments of Jiang Yi from the Original Owner’s memories surfaced with striking clarity.
The Original Owner had actually known a little about Jiang Yi’s background. He was the illegitimate son of a high-ranking official in B City—something Jiang Yi had revealed once when he was drunk.
Jiang Yi’s mother had been Father Jiang’s secretary in her youth. Affection had grown between them over time, and after an unexpected incident, Jiang Yi had been conceived. However, the Jiang Family was a deeply rooted and prestigious clan, with rigid views on status. How could they possibly tolerate a secretary of ordinary background entering their household? The elders of the Jiang Family had opposed it fiercely and resolutely. Even if Father Jiang had been willing, he had been powerless to resist.
In the end, Mother Jiang had taken the still-young Jiang Yi and left B City decisively, disappearing without a trace from then on.