【Aaaaah! Host, wake up! Someone’s trying to steal home base!】
Ye Ran opened her eyes.
In the darkness, a hand grabbed her ankle. Then a rather lecherous face appeared before her, growing larger by the second.
“Little sister, you smell so good.” That disgusting face kept drawing closer, obsession mixed with a hint of excitement. “Your elder brother will take good care of you.”
“Take care of your grandpa!”
Ye Ran slammed her fist into the man’s face.
Clearly not expecting Ye Ran to fight back, the man reeled backward. Ye Ran seized the opportunity to get up, jump through the window, and flee.
Her pale yellow figure darted swiftly through the forest, a streak of white in hot pursuit behind her.
After a moment, Ye Ran stopped and turned to face her pursuer.
The man halted five meters away, then sauntered closer with an air of leisurely confidence.
“Little sister, didn’t I tell you? You can’t run. You might as well surrender to me willingly.”
“Senior Brother Li, you really are—”
Ye Ran curved her lips into a smile.
The man’s eyes reflected a radiant, smiling face.
His breathing quickened, and so did his pace. Just as he reached out to grab Ye Ran, he suddenly crashed straight to the ground.
A rope—seemingly from nowhere—had bound his feet. Before he could react, it dragged him upside down and hoisted him into a tree, where his writhing body bore an uncanny resemblance to something unspeakable in a latrine.
Ye Ran wiped the smile off her face, stepped forward, and slapped the man across the cheek.
“You toad lusting after swan meat!”
The man stopped squirming and stared blankly at Ye Ran. The next moment, his face twisted with rage.
“Ye Ran! Just you wait! I’ll make you—”
“Smack!”
Another slap landed on his face.
Ye Ran met his furious glare. Just as he opened his mouth to speak again, she swiftly delivered another slap.
After several rounds, the man’s face was swollen like a pig’s head, and he could no longer utter a single word.
Only then did Ye Ran feel satisfied.
“System, my hand hurts from all that hitting. Don’t forget to file that under workplace injury.”
Rubbing her reddened palm, Ye Ran walked away under the moonlight, ignoring the murderous glare boring into her back.
Ye Ran had transmigrated into this world two months ago.
Back then, she had been in a car accident on her way to her hometown to pay respects at her grandmother’s and older sister’s graves. Just as her consciousness was about to fade, a system found her and told her it could bring her back to life—but she would have to transmigrate into a novel and complete missions.
When she first learned she would be entering a restrictive novel as the female lead, she eagerly declared she was up for the task. No matter how many handsome men, she would gladly welcome them all.
But the system dealt her a crushing blow.
It said its name was the “Green Jiang System.”
Ha. Green Jiang.
Even a dog would shake its head at that.
True to form, the system told her their mission was to turn this restrictive novel into a “clean” (non-explicit) version, freeing the female lead from her fate of being a cauldron body.
At first, Ye Ran felt a tiny pang of regret. But after absorbing the plot, she was deeply relieved.
Thank goodness they were going the clean route. Otherwise, all those “infant arms,” attacks from both front and back, various role-plays, and those bizarre objects—wine pots, writing brushes, and stranger things—just thinking about them made her legs weak with fear.
The original female lead, who shared Ye Ran’s name, was a disciple of the Ten Thousand Immortals Sect, the number one cultivation sect in the cultivation world.
The female lead was beautiful and gentle, which quickly caught the attention of the male lead. After an unexpected, passionate encounter, her ultimate cauldron physique was exposed.
From that point on, the male lead became obsessed with her. As the female lead became entangled with him, she continuously encountered various side characters and had explicit encounters with them as well.
In the end, she gathered the male lead and all the side characters into her harem.
The ending seemed pretty good on the surface, but in Ye Ran’s view, the female lead was nothing more than a tool—more precisely, a plaything for the male lead and his entourage.
No one in the novel cared about the female lead’s thoughts. At the slightest provocation, explicit scenes followed. Her physique only served to increase the cultivation of the men around her, offering little benefit to herself.
Fortunately, by the time Ye Ran transmigrated in, the male and female leads hadn’t met yet, and her physique hadn’t been exposed. Everything could still be changed.
Still, the female lead’s looks were outstanding, so even without her cauldron physique being known, she still attracted some suitors.
Li Tianyou, the man Ye Ran had just strung up, was one of them.
In the months since Ye Ran had entered the book, Li Tianyou had constantly harassed her. She had long been planning to teach him a lesson.
But a few days ago, the sect leader of the Xuanji Sect celebrated his one-thousandth birthday. In recent years, the Xuanji Sect and the Ten Thousand Immortals Sect had grown close, so the sect leader placed great importance on the occasion, leading a large group of disciples to offer congratulations. Ye Ran was among them.
Now that the birthday celebration was over and everyone was on their way back to the Ten Thousand Immortals Sect, she hadn’t expected Li Tianyou to try sneaking into her bed.
Luckily, Ye Ran had specially commissioned an Immortal-Binding Rope.
Given Li Tianyou’s cultivation level, there was absolutely no way he could break free.
Li Tianyou was a very prideful man. Tomorrow, when everyone set off again, they would inevitably pass by the spot where he was hanging upside down, and his disheveled, humiliated state would be on full display for all to see.
If word of this spread through the sect, Li Tianyou’s pride would surely make him retreat into his shell like a turtle hiding its head.
【Host, the request has been submitted. Headquarters approved another hundred thousand spirit stones for us.]
The system’s voice rang out in her mind, pulling Ye Ran back from her thoughts.
At the mention of a hundred thousand spirit stones, her bright, lively eyes lit up—only to quickly narrow with a hint of suspicion.
“Why does headquarters approve it so easily every time?” she asked. “Their generosity is starting to make me nervous.”
In the two months since she’d transmigrated into the book, every time Ye Ran requested spirit stones, headquarters approved it without hesitation—even for absurd reasons like “nightmare-induced emotional distress.”
If this were her company back in the real world, accounting would’ve thrown her out by now.
【Well… it’s actually all compensation for the host’s emotional damages.]
“Oh, I see.” Ye Ran nodded thoughtfully. “That makes sense, then.”
Lately, she’d been harassed by Li Tianyou, and her mental state had suffered a severe blow. Of course she deserved a little compensation for emotional damages.
As the night grew darker, drowsiness began washing over her.
Ye Ran yawned and continued walking toward where the flying vessel was docked.
But after only a few steps, the moon was suddenly swallowed by black clouds, plunging her surroundings into pitch-black darkness.
Ye Ran stopped in her tracks. Silence fell around her, broken only by the rustle of leaves.
A dark, windy night—perfect for murder and arson.
The thought flashed through her mind, sending a slight chill down her spine.
【Hey, System, it’s way too quiet. Say something, would you?]
Ye Ran called out to the system in her mind, hoping to have it keep her company and boost her courage.
【Host, please don’t talk. Just walk faster. I’m scared.]
The voice in her mind was already trembling—clearly even more cowardly than she was.
Ye Ran sighed helplessly and was about to hurry on her way when a faint, elusive scent of blood drifted through the air.
Surely she wasn’t about to stumble onto a murder scene, was she?
Ye Ran didn’t think she could be that unlucky. But the smell of blood grew stronger and stronger, too strong to ignore.
Then, a faint sound followed close behind. Before her brain could react, her body had already moved, quickly ducking behind a tree.
By the time she came to her senses, she was already peeking out cautiously from behind the trunk.
The dark clouds drifted and slowly thinned. Moonlight seeped through the thinning clouds, spilling back across the forest and illuminating the scene hidden in darkness.
Several corpses lay scattered haphazardly across the forest floor. Their still-flowing blood pooled into a large, glistening stain of crimson.
Following the trail of blood forward, Ye Ran saw a snow-white figure standing among the trees. Long silver hair swayed gently with the movement of his robes. The sword in his hand glinted coldly in the darkness, remnants of blood dripping slowly from its tip.
Suddenly, the figure stirred and walked slowly forward. His tall silhouette moved like a ghost.
“So there you are.”
The low voice carried a hint of amusement, like someone making casual conversation—deeply hypnotic.
But the moment the words left his mouth, a flash of sword light followed. The person hiding in the bushes collapsed instantly.
Ye Ran hadn’t even seen him make a move. By the time she registered what had happened, another body lay dead on the ground.
The figure among the trees pulled out a handkerchief and began wiping his sword, unhurried and composed.
The black clouds scattered completely, and moonlight stretched his shadow long. Finally, Ye Ran could see his face clearly.
It was an exquisite profile.
But the high-bridged nose, the slightly upturned thin lips, the narrow phoenix eyes—every feature was achingly familiar to Ye Ran.
It was the great villain, Lu Li!
Lu Li was a direct disciple of the sect leader and the renowned senior martial brother of the Ten Thousand Immortals Sect.
He possessed the rare Heavenly Sword Bone. In just ten years since joining the sect, he had mastered the ninth level of the Wind-Control Sword Technique—a feat not even the sect leader could fully comprehend.
Every time they went out to subdue demons, as long as Lu Li was present, nothing ever went wrong.
Moreover, Lu Li was gentle and polite to everyone and looked after his junior martial siblings with great care, earning deep respect from all the disciples.
But only Ye Ran, having absorbed the plot, knew that Lu Li was actually the deeply hidden great villain of this restrictive novel.
While the female lead and male lead were busy with their explicit escapades, Lu Li was quietly and ruthlessly killing in the shadows. While the female lead and various side characters engaged in all sorts of humiliating intimate acts, Lu Li was still quietly killing in the shadows.
Once he started killing, he went mad and forgot all restraint. If Lu Li wanted someone dead, no one survived.
If this novel hadn’t botched its ending, Ye Ran half-suspected that even the male and female leads would have met their end at Lu Li’s hands.
That was why, ever since transmigrating into the book, Ye Ran had stayed as far away from Lu Li as possible unless absolutely necessary. She was terrified he would get annoyed one day and send her straight to the afterlife.
And now she had just stumbled upon Lu Li in the middle of a killing spree.
Ye Ran’s body went rigid. Her heartbeat quickened. Nervous, she couldn’t help swallowing hard.
But that tiny movement made Lu Li turn and look directly at her.
A warning bell went off in Ye Ran’s head. She immediately ducked back behind the tree.
She clutched her pounding heart, not daring to breathe too loudly.
The surroundings were still deathly quiet, as if nothing had happened—but the thick smell of blood lingering in the air was impossible to ignore.
After a few breaths, Ye Ran gathered her courage and cautiously peeked out again.
The white figure in the forest had vanished, leaving only a few corpses lying silently on the ground.
Ye Ran breathed a sigh of relief and was about to hurry away, but the moment she turned, she found herself face-to-face with a pair of dark, deep-set eyes.
“S-Senior Brother Lu!”
Ye Ran’s legs went weak. She collapsed to the ground in a heap.
“What brings little sister here so late?”
Lu Li’s voice was pleasant, giving off a warm, jade-like impression—like a clear spring flowing through a mountain stream, sending a pleasant tingle to the ears.
In the novel, this was precisely how he maintained his harmless facade while slaughtering behind the scenes. From beginning to end, no one ever suspected him.
If Ye Ran didn’t know the plot, even she might have been fooled by Lu Li’s appearance.
“I… I couldn’t sleep tonight, so I decided to take a walk.”
Ye Ran’s voice trembled. Her eyes remained locked tightly on Lu Li.
But Lu Li was exceptionally skilled at hiding his emotions. Even though he’d been caught killing, his expression remained warm and easygoing, as if he had just happened to pass by on a casual stroll.
Ye Ran grew more and more nervous. She frantically called out to the system in her mind, but the system—usually always responsive—had seemingly vanished, giving her no reply.
“The dew grows heavy this deep into the night,” Lu Li said. “Let me walk you back, little sister.”
A hand with distinct, well-defined knuckles appeared before Ye Ran.
Ye Ran stopped calling for the system and stared blankly at the hand.
Lu Li’s hands were beautiful—fair and slender. They were practically textbook anime hands.
But just moments ago, those very hands had been drenched in blood. Now they were suddenly right in front of her face. Ye Ran’s heart couldn’t help but tremble.
Lu Li seemed to have endless patience. His hand remained outstretched before Ye Ran, not withdrawing at all.
The two stayed frozen like that for a moment. In the end, Ye Ran’s resolve crumbled. Hesitantly, she reached out and placed her hand in his.
Lu Li’s palm was very cold—cold as ice.
The moment they touched, Ye Ran instinctively tried to pull her hand back. But before she could pull away, his hand suddenly tightened.
The coldness seeped through her palm, making Ye Ran’s breath catch.
When she came to her senses, she was already standing steadily on her feet. Lu Li’s hand had long since withdrawn, but the icy touch still lingered on her palm.
“It’s dangerous at night,” Lu Li said, his tone still gentle. He turned slightly, gesturing for Ye Ran to walk ahead.
Ye Ran didn’t dare make any rash moves. A breeze carried the thick scent of blood toward her, making her instinctively glance toward the corpses not far away.
To look in that direction right now would be to openly tell Lu Li that she had witnessed his killing.
Ye Ran immediately averted her gaze and looked back at Lu Li.
But it was already too late.
Lu Li was following her line of sight, looking straight toward the bodies.
Ye Ran’s heart sank. She hesitated, wondering whether she should run. But then Lu Li had already turned back, meeting her eyes with a slight curl of his lips.
“I just dealt with a few people who were tailing our group,” he said. “Did I frighten you, little sister?”
“N-No…”
Yes. Yes, you terrified me.
“Then let’s go.”
Lu Li remained standing where he was, waiting for Ye Ran. Clearly, he was determined to escort her back.
Ye Ran had no choice but to walk with Lu Li toward where the flying vessels were docked.
The entire way there, Ye Ran was on edge. She kept glancing sideways at Lu Li beside her, afraid he might decide to kill her.
But Lu Li genuinely seemed intent only on walking her back. No matter how fast or slow she walked, he maintained a steady distance of two steps.
Soon, they arrived at the docked vessels. Only then did Ye Ran finally feel safe.
She and Lu Li weren’t staying on the same vessel, yet Lu Li still walked her all the way to her own vessel and stopped only at its base.
“We’re here,” he said. “Rest well, little sister.”
“Thank you so much, Senior Brother. You should also rest well.”
With that, Ye Ran turned and hurriedly boarded the vessel.
But Lu Li remained standing where he was.
After a moment, he slowly raised his hand and lightly rubbed his fingers together.
A faint, delicate fragrance drifted to his nose.
This was the hand that had touched Ye Ran moments ago.
For an instant, Lu Li seemed dazed. But the daze was quickly replaced by irritation, and his fingers clenched tightly.
His expression dark, he pulled out a handkerchief and wiped his fingers almost roughly, trying to erase the scent.
Only when his fingertips had turned red from rubbing did he finally stop.
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