The system’s voice remained calm, but Xie Ling felt as if she had just been struck by lightning.
“What did you say? The plot has deviated?” Xie Ling stared at the screen, her voice trembling slightly. “Are you kidding me? I just started!”
Little Anti remained indifferent: “The female lead’s favorability toward you has exceeded the baseline, and her rejection of the male lead, Lin Man, is significantly stronger than in the original script. This is a severe deviation.”
Xie Ling felt a wave of dizziness. “So, what happens now?”
“The system is currently assessing the impact. You are required to restore the plot immediately. Failure to do so will result in an immediate penalty: a full-body electric shock simulation for thirty minutes.”
“Thirty minutes?” Xie Ling’s eyes widened. She knew exactly what that meant; the pain was enough to make her wish for death. She frantically grabbed her hair, trying to think of a way out. “Wait, let me think. How can I fix this? Should I go and apologize to Lin Man? Or should I try to force Ji Xue to like her?”
“The method is up to you, but the result must be a return to the main plot line.”
Xie Ling slumped into her chair, feeling utterly defeated. She had thought that by keeping a distance from Ji Xue, she could avoid the “scum” behavior and eventually finish the story peacefully. She never imagined that just by being “decent” and helping her out, she would accidentally trigger a butterfly effect that ruined everything.
“Fine,” Xie Ling muttered, clenching her teeth. “If I want to fix this, I have to make Ji Xue hate me, or at least make her fall for Lin Man again. But how?”
Just then, her phone buzzed. It was a message from Lin Man.
Lin Man: “Xie Ling, I know what you did. You think you can steal her from me? Don’t be naive. She does not even know who you really are.”
Xie Ling sneered. She typed back quickly: “If she does not know, then why are you so afraid? Lin Man, maybe you should look in the mirror before you blame others for your own shortcomings.”
After sending the message, Xie Ling felt a strange sense of relief. At least for a moment, she could be herself, not the character she was forced to play.
“Warning! Your response deviates from the character’s persona,” Little Anti interrupted. “Your Frustration Index is dropping.”
“Shut up!” Xie Ling snapped. “If you want me to follow the script, then give me a script that makes sense!”
The room fell silent. Xie Ling stood up and walked to the window, looking down at the bustling city below. The lights flickered like distant stars, beautiful yet unreachable. She had been here for a while, and she was starting to forget what her original life felt like. Was she just an actor in a poorly written drama, or was she becoming the person she was forced to act as?
She sighed, reaching for her bag. She needed to get out, maybe go to a bar or somewhere loud where she could drown out the system’s nagging voice.
“You are planning to go out, are you not?” Little Anti sensed her intentions. “I advise you to stay and focus on the mission. If you miss the upcoming turning point in the plot, the punishment will be doubled.”
Xie Ling did not listen. She grabbed her coat and headed for the door. “Double it then. I do not care anymore.”
She walked out into the cool night air. The city was alive with noise, and for a few hours, she felt free. She did not want to think about Ji Xue, Lin Man, or the Little Anti system. She just wanted to be Xie Ling, even if that name no longer belonged to her.
But as she walked, she could not help but think of Ji Xue’s teary eyes. Why did that image haunt her? Was it because she saw herself in that girl? Both of them were struggling in a world they did not choose.
She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. She reached a small bar, pushed the door open, and stepped into the dim, music-filled space. She found a seat at the corner and ordered a drink.
She took a sip, letting the cold liquid calm her nerves. “Maybe,” she whispered to herself, “maybe there is a way to change the ending without hurting anyone.”
“That is impossible,” a familiar voice spoke.
Xie Ling looked up. Lin Man was standing there, her eyes cold and piercing.
“You think you can play games with me, Xie Ling? You are nothing but a spoiled child playing with other people’s lives.”
Xie Ling set her drink down and looked Lin Man in the eye. “Maybe I am. But you, Lin Man, you are a coward who cannot even keep the person you claim to love.”
Lin Man’s face twisted in rage, and for a second, Xie Ling thought she was going to attack her. But instead, Lin Man turned around and walked out of the bar, leaving Xie Ling sitting alone in the dark.
Xie Ling watched her go, a bitter smile on her lips. The plot was deviating, and she had no idea how it would end. But for the first time, she felt like she was the one in control.
“Little Anti,” she whispered, “are you watching? This is how I play the game now.”
There was no reply from the system. Xie Ling finished her drink, stood up, and walked out into the night. The path ahead was dark, but for the first time, she was not afraid.
She walked toward the bus stop, ready to face whatever came next. Whether it was the original script or her own new reality, she would see it through to the very end.