The Capital, fourth month. Spring spread in full splendor across the terraces; willows swayed in soft green strands.
Left Tutor Shen Zhiheng had rendered meritorious service in instructing the Crown Prince and was promoted to Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, with prospects of entering the Grand Secretariat. Friends and relatives came to offer congratulations; guests filled the halls in celebration.
The wife of Vice Minister Shen, Madam Jiang, was twenty-four years old. Well read and sensible, dignified and virtuous, she also enjoyed a fine reputation for talent. Rarer still, she was adept at managing household affairs. Throughout the day she oversaw the banquet, receiving and seeing off guests without a single mistake. Every visitor praised her openly, arriving in high spirits and leaving fully satisfied.
"Zhiheng is fortunate to have married you."
At the main gate, Shen Zhiheng’s elder sister held Madam Jiang’s hand, sparing no effort in praising her younger brother’s wife.
Madam Jiang responded with modesty, smiling as she watched her board the carriage.
With this last guest sent off, the long, busy day finally came to an end.
Madam Jiang had spent the day giving out a basketful of pleasantries and receiving a cartload of praise in return. Her tongue felt stiff, her waist sore. She had not yet taken a moment’s rest when the maid Chunxiang came to report that her mother-in-law urgently wished to see her.
Madam Jiang stepped into Rongshou Hall and was met with a sharp rebuke.
"Kneel!"
Before she could react, a cane lashed across her calf. Her legs gave way instantly. A hand pressed down on her shoulder, forcing her forehead to the ground as she fell into a humiliating kneel.
Madam Jiang lifted her head. Seated in the place of honor was her mother-in-law, her expression dark. To the side sat her husband, Shen Zhiheng. The way they looked at her was identical—disgust and contempt, as though she were filth that stank before one even drew near.
Outside, the courtyard was filled with festivity, the sky glowing red with evening light. Inside, the hall was crowded with the shadows of dusk, like a hell plunged into night.
The old nanny beside her mother-in-law stepped forward, cane in hand, and demanded, "You wretched woman, Madam Jiang—will you not confess your crime?"
Madam Jiang pushed herself upright, straightened her back, and knelt properly. The poise ingrained in her bones revealed itself, firm as a pine, unyielding. Even in such a situation, her voice remained gentle and unhurried as she shook her head.
"I do not know what fault I have committed to be treated in this way."
Her mother-in-law hurled a cup of hot tea at her and cursed, "Shameless woman! You have committed adultery with a servant, disgracing the family and corrupting all decency. A crime worthy of death!"
Madam Jiang turned her head to avoid it. The teacup shattered on the ground, hot liquid splashing over her shoes and stockings, scalding her skin. Yet she seemed not to feel the pain, nor did she glance down, only saying calmly,
"I have done no such thing."
Her mother-in-law gave a cold laugh and swept the items from the table onto the floor. A sachet and an undergarment fell in silence; only the hairpins and ornaments rang out sharply, their harsh clatter echoing like a lament beneath the old woman’s stream of abuse.
"These were found on your lover. They are your personal belongings, and Second Miss Jiang herself serves as witness. How dare you deny it? As the elder sister, letting your younger sister discover such disgrace—if I were you, I would die of shame!"
Only then did Madam Jiang notice that her younger half-sister was present in the hall. Among their mother’s children—two sons and one daughter—she alone was the legitimate daughter. This Second Miss Jiang, born of a concubine, was delicate in temperament and never close to her.
Yet as the elder sister, she had obeyed her parents’ wishes, bringing her half-sister to the Capital to reside temporarily and arranging a good marriage for her. It was her duty—there had been no reason to refuse.
Why, then, would her half-sister frame her?
Second Miss Jiang trembled as if afraid, but a trace of satisfaction flickered in her eyes, and her words were clear and steady.
"Sister, I saw it with my own eyes. I dared not conceal such a grave matter from Brother-in-law. I only hope that, by setting aside a young lady’s modesty and confronting you here, I can help you turn back in time and mend your ways. From now on, devote yourself wholeheartedly to serving your husband…"
"I cannot tolerate even a grain of sand in my eye."
Shen Zhiheng struck the table and rose abruptly. His sleeves flared as he strode toward the hall’s exit. When he reached Madam Jiang’s side, her soft "Husband" made him pause. He looked down at her from above.
Their eyes met. On his wife’s face, Shen Zhiheng saw only composure—no fear, no panic. His narrow eyes narrowed further as he bent down and seized her chin.
"The evidence is conclusive, yet you still look at me like this. Your father is nothing more than a minor local official. On what grounds do you hold yourself so aloof, as though nothing in this world is worthy of your regard?"
Madam Jiang said, "I did not do it. I am innocent."
"Would your own sister falsely accuse you?"
Shen Zhiheng’s tone was cold. "There is no need for further argument. Face your death with composure and preserve what dignity you can."
Madam Jiang’s gaze remained clear, like a mirror that allowed no darkness to hide. She studied the man before her for a long moment, then spoke.
"Husband, such a clumsy accusation—I do not believe you cannot see through it."
She did not voice the question why, yet the silent demand carried more force than words.
Under her gaze, Shen Zhiheng’s face twitched as if seized by a spasm. He stumbled back two steps, turned abruptly, and hurried away, his pace quickening as though something terrifying pursued him. He even staggered slightly.
For a young statesman praised as a jade-like gentleman, it was a grave loss of composure.
After he left, Madam Jiang was taken away and locked in the woodshed.
That night, a pot of Poisoned Wine was delivered. It was forced down her throat in its entirety.
……
【You died.】
【Game Over】
The glaring red words startled Miss Player upon her return. She had stepped away for a moment and enabled auto-play, never expecting to come back to an abrupt death. A tragic end indeed.
Simulated Life was the world’s first full-immersion holographic game. Not long ago, the developers had randomly distributed two thousand accounts along with corresponding headsets to domestic pre-registered players for the final closed beta before official launch.
Miss Player was one of the lucky few selected.
The game claimed "high freedom," "rich random elements," "deep emotional interaction," and "realistic restoration of ancient life," aiming to give players a second life.
The actual experience far exceeded the promotional claims.
At its core was the Task System, which was also the focus of this beta test.
Whether for publicity or to encourage players to explore the game world, the developers had offered a grand prize of tens of millions to the first player to clear the game.
It was no easy reward. One had to complete every task issued by the system.
Miss Player had begun her first life with the goal of clearing the game and winning the prize. Yet as time passed, she became immersed, investing genuine emotions into the clearly fictional NPCs. She had even worried that many people would be heartbroken upon learning of her death.
【Would you like to review your life?】
Miss Player selected "Yes."
【Age 0: You are born, a girl. Your grandmother dislikes you and, using your gender as justification, grants a maid at her side to your father as a concubine. Your mother is deeply saddened.】
【Age 1: You live in Cuixi County. Your father serves as County Deputy Magistrate; your mother is the daughter of a merchant.】
【Age 2: You fall gravely ill. The family spends a considerable sum on your treatment. Your grandmother’s dislike for you +5. In the end, under your mother’s careful care, you recover without lasting illness.】
【Age 3: Your first half-sister is born.】
【Age 4: Your second half-sister is born.】
【Age 5: You begin your studies. This year, you choose to learn "calligraphy." Talent +10.】
【Age 6: This year, you choose to learn "painting." Talent +10.】
【Age 7: This year, you choose to learn "zither." Talent +10. Your mother gives birth again, and you gain a younger brother from the same mother. Your mother has less time to devote to you, but fortunately, you can now care for yourself.】
【Age 8: This year, you choose to learn "chess." Talent +10.】
【Age 9: You study household management, making wise decisions and acting with fairness. Everyone in the household praises you, even your grandmother’s attitude softens, while your half-sisters secretly grow jealous.】
【Age 10: You accidentally uncover a human trafficking case and rescue numerous children. Merit +19.】
【Age 11: Chaos erupts in Shu Province. You shelter refugees on your estate, saving countless lives. Merit +60.】
【Age 12: Life returns to normal. Your father is promoted, and the family relocates to the prefectural city.】
【Age 13: Your reputation for talent spreads far and wide. Your family begins arranging a marriage for you.】
【Age 14: You help an elderly woman cross the road. Merit +1. Your total Merit exceeds 80, triggering a special encounter. The elderly woman is the wife of a retired sixth-rank official in the Capital and wishes to take you as her eldest grandson’s wife. You gain a fiancé.】
【Age 15: When your fiancé visits, your half-sister falls in love with him at first sight.】
【Age 16: You marry your fiancé. The wedding is held in Cuixi County.】
【Age 17: Your husband takes the autumn examination and ranks first, becoming the Provincial Top Scholar. You become the wife of a successful scholar and follow him to the Capital.】
【Age 18: Your husband takes the spring examination, ranks first as Metropolitan Top Scholar, and is personally selected as Imperial Top Scholar at the palace examination, becoming the first candidate in this dynasty to achieve all three top honors. His fame soars. Yet your life does not improve, as your mother-in-law continues to dislike you.】
【Age 19: You become pregnant and give birth to a son.】
【Age 20: You gradually adapt to life in the Capital, actively forming connections with officials’ families. Connections +66. Your mother-in-law’s arrogance diminishes, and you gradually gain control over the inner household.】
【Age 21: Your husband’s younger brother develops unusual feelings toward you. After your husband discovers this, he arranges for him to be transferred out of the Capital through the Ministry of Personnel.】
【Age 22: During the Lantern Festival, you are harassed by a rogue, unaware that a dangerous royal relative has fallen in love with your husband at first sight.】
【Age 23: Your half-sister, Second Miss Jiang, comes to the Capital seeking marriage prospects and resides in your home. This year, your husband is busy with official duties and rarely returns. Your instincts tell you he is deliberately avoiding you, but you cannot find the reason.】
【Age 24: On the night of your husband’s promotion banquet, you are poisoned to death with a cup of Poisoned Wine. In exchange for your husband taking Second Miss Jiang as a concubine, your natal family chooses to compromise, accepting your "adultery" as fact.】
【Years later: Your husband rises to dominate the court, wielding imperial authority as Regent Prince. Your name is recorded in history as the original consort of the Regent Prince. No one knows your body was never buried in your family’s ancestral grave, nor claimed by your kin, but left exposed in the wilderness, your soul wandering without rest.】
Miss Player: "…"
Her own parents and brother could accept her wrongful death—that alone was bad enough. But they did not even retrieve her body?
The ancients believed in the existence of the soul. To be denied burial meant never finding peace, never entering the cycle of rebirth.
Only now did she realize—forget that scoundrel husband. Her family had never loved her at all.
She had made a fool of herself for the sake of feelings.
Miss Player opened the game forum and posted a screenshot:
[If I fulfilled every expectation my family had of me, why didn’t I receive the love I deserved? Do NPCs not have real emotions?]
While "virtue, appearance, speech, and skill—flawless in all; mastery of music, chess, calligraphy, and painting" had been task requirements, her drive to grind skill proficiency came not only from the lure of the prize but also from her family’s encouragement.
Beyond tasks, she had always been the pride of her family. As a granddaughter, a daughter, and in every role within the household, she had done everything to perfection.
First reply, Old Monk Has Money: [The world is fake, but emotions must be real. You died because your favorability wasn’t high enough.]
Second reply, Old Monk Has Money: [If you think it was enough, then you’re blinded by being in the middle of it.]
Miss Player suspected the NPCs had set her up.
But that was not the point. She had posted not to complain, but to attract attention and find a solution.
Accounts in Simulated Life functioned like blind boxes. Likely to enhance immersion, the developers ensured that before logging in, all personal attributes were unknown. Only after starting the game would one learn their birthplace, family background, and even gender.
You might be born as an emperor’s son and enjoy endless wealth and privilege—or be born in a brothel, trained from childhood for that life, with no way to change it. Those who enjoyed such settings might even laugh and stream it under a title like "Rebirth: Working Security at the Pleasure House," earning a fortune in the process.
Yes—this game did not even allow players to choose their gender. One female tester had lamented on the forum that she wanted a male account but drew a female one instead, forcing her down a predetermined path.
With such highly individualized characters, each player’s tasks were naturally different.
The tasks Miss Player received had all been geared toward shaping her into a perfect noble lady. If she started over, she might choose a different husband and avoid her poisoned fate—but first, she had no desire to once again be the perfect daughter, sister, and granddaughter. Even if she forced herself for the sake of clearing the game, she might not perform flawlessly.
Second, she had noticed something: her task completion rate had been decreasing year by year.
Miss Player keenly realized that this was not something effort alone could fix. Restarting would not lead to major changes—it likely had to do with character development limits.
In her case, having only one path—"a noble lady who marries"—was far too restrictive.
The forum was highly active. Skimming rapidly, she finally found a useful reply.
71st floor, Expert: [Try lowering your Morality. It determines task freedom.]
72nd floor, Expert: [For example, I was born into a family of civil officials. In my first run, with Morality at 8, my task path was "enter officialdom through examinations." In my second run, I lowered Morality to 5, and at age 5 I got the option "abandon the brush and take up arms." I’m currently on the frontlines fighting rebels.]
73rd floor, Expert: [If you still have Free Points to allocate, save some for Morality.]
Miss Player had that opportunity. She intended to reply, but the thread’s popularity surged, and the "Expert" was already arguing with others. Anything she said would likely go unnoticed.
From the later replies, the conclusion was clear—lower Morality meant greater task freedom.
Miss Player closed the forum and opened her personal panel.
Appearance 6
Intelligence 5
Constitution 3
Morality 5 (+/-)
【Free Points available: 6. Allocation chances: 1】
Beta accounts started with total points between 14 and 20, randomly distributed across the four base attributes.
Her account had 19 points—above average and well balanced.
Each player received 6 freely allocatable points, with two chances to assign them.
Each new life consumed one chance, and the final allocation became fixed. In her first run, she had allocated: Appearance 8, Intelligence 5, Constitution 3, Morality 8.
She had been naïve, associating Morality with luck. Many players likely thought the same.
As it turned out, the two were unrelated.
Six points in Appearance were sufficient. Intelligence and Constitution could be improved later. Freedom mattered most.
With a single thought, Miss Player reduced her Morality to zero—then to negative one.
All six points were spent on decreasing Morality. No points remained.
Wait—could a stat even be negative?
Though surprised, she did not dwell on it and entered the game.
She expected to be born instantly—but instead, darkness filled her vision. Lines of glowing code appeared, then multiplied like a virus, rapidly duplicating until the entire screen scrolled endlessly.
What was happening?
Startled, Miss Player was about to exit and relaunch when lines of universal system text appeared:
Warning! Warning! System Bug!
This account’s values are abnormal. Character will 100% suffer Instant Death on Spawn.
Allocation chances exhausted. Unable to modify underlying code.
Searching for corrective measures…
Running intelligent calculation…
Calculation 1%…13%…55%…100%…
Calculation complete.
To maintain game balance, only one base attribute will be increased.
Compensation measure—current Appearance ×3.