Chapter 65 Part 1

Finally, with enough energy to log into the world, 001 stared at the line reading “100%” trailing the Villain Blackening Value. Its pupils began to shake.

What was this situation? The Redemption Value was already at 100%. Shouldn’t the Blackening Value be 0%?

Gazing at that 100%, 001 felt like it was on the verge of breaking out in a cold sweat. It couldn’t help but recall the terror of being utterly dominated by the villain.

Long ago, this novel world under its charge had developed a bug. The villain’s obsession in the story had been so intense that she gained self-consciousness, causing the world line to collapse and restart. After the restart, the fully blackened villain destroyed the entire world.

As a system, 001 couldn’t enter the world on its own to alter its course.

The restart had been inevitable, but as the system responsible for this Small World, it had ten opportunities to rewind time. This latest rewind left nine chances remaining. It could seek out a host to undertake missions and change the ending where the 【villain destroys the world】. However, if it exhausted all rewind chances and the world was utterly destroyed, 001 would vanish into nothingness along with it.

The first few hosts that 001 found were all ruthless types. Without a word, they logged in intent on killing Li Jia—only to be counter-killed without exception.

The world line collapsed.

Later hosts arrived aiming to redeem the villain, but for some reason, Li Jia saw right through every one of them.

“Your acting skills are truly abysmal. The fear and disgust are practically spilling out of your eyes. At least try to make it convincing,” Li Jia said with a smile as her knife flashed down.

The world line collapsed once more.

Again and again, the world line crumbled. Again and again, 001 rewound it.

By the time it snapped back to reality, 001 realized it had only one rewind opportunity left.

In theory, with just this final chance, it should have chosen the next host with utmost care and caution. But after the string of disastrously botched missions from previous hosts, 001 had simply given up. Transforming into a cat, it lounged in the world where it usually sought hosts for binding, basking in the sun and dozing lazily. Its good days were numbered anyway—might as well sleep until the end.

But even a nap hadn’t spared it. It got hit by a car, and the driver fled the scene. 001 figured it was lucky it wasn’t a real cat; otherwise, that impact would have been fatal. It planned to slink off to a quiet corner and clear the injury data, but before it could reach one, gentle hands scooped it up. Then it was whisked away to a pet hospital.

Eavesdropping on the conversations, it learned that the woman who had brought it was surnamed Ye—a doctor at a nearby hospital.

Once its wounds were healed and the care proved exceptionally attentive, the disheartened 001 upgraded from napping in street corners to napping in this woman’s home.

The world line was beyond saving at this point. Sleeping here was far more comfortable than outside. 001 only hoped that when the Small World finally collapsed and took it with it, this woman named Ye Chengxing wouldn’t grieve too deeply.

But 001 hadn’t anticipated that she would be the first to die.

Upon learning of Ye Chengxing’s sudden death from overwork during surgery, 001 reverted to its system form and rushed to the hospital.

It gazed at the lead apron she still wore in her final moments. Human life was so fragile… yet so profoundly resilient.

Had this happened before the Small World went haywire, 001 would have had the energy to revive her. But now, with its own end looming…

There was still one way, at least.

It could bind Ye Chengxing as its host and send her on the world line missions. That way, she wouldn’t have to die.

001 reflected on the gruesome fates of its previous hosts and couldn’t suppress a mutter. “Am I helping you or dooming you? Then again, with you… maybe this mission could actually succeed.”

It brought her to the Small World and watched as she opened her eyes anew.

Systems weren’t supposed to have emotional fluctuations, but in that instant, 001 felt as if it had come alive alongside her. It modulated its electronic voice to sound as warm and gentle as possible—though nerves caused it to glitch slightly—

“Hello, Host… Please allow me a belated introduction. I am System 001, your accompanying system for this mission.”

Ye Chengxing had no idea that the system was, at this very moment, questioning its own existence over the villain’s 100% Blackening Value.

She had long anticipated the mission’s completion, so when the premonition turned to reality, she felt only a quiet sense of inevitability.

She noticed that 001 fell silent after mentioning the villain’s Blackening Value, but she didn’t dwell on it. After all, with the Redemption Value at 100% as the system had said, the Blackening Value should be zero—or at worst, negligible.

The mission was complete…

A few questions lingered in her mind for the system, but Ye Chengxing decided the current setting wasn’t suitable.

Masking her emotions, she met Li Jia’s gaze with her usual smile. “Shall we take another look there?”

After all, she had no idea when—or even if—she’d come here with Li Jia again.

Li Jia’s eyes never left her. At those words, the Omega curved her lips. “Sure.”

…

Night deepened.

Stars hazed across the velvet sky, moonlight spilling down like water to cast shimmering silver across the ground.

Gourmet Street was drawing to a close for the evening.

Though most shops here centered on food, there were other varieties as well. When Ye Chengxing had renovated the street, numerous inquiries had poured in from people eager to rent spots—everything imaginable. Diversifying the offerings seemed like a good idea, a way to enrich the experience, so she had leased out some spaces.

Now, her gaze fell on a nearby stall named “See Words as Face to Face,” and something stirred in her heart. “Xiao Li, how about we check out that stall?” she suggested.

Li Jia lifted her eyes, following Ye Chengxing’s indication. Behind the name was a succinct line in smaller script: 【Got words for them? Write them down—we’ll deliver in three months.】

She had no objections, of course. Only…

“Who’s Sister writing for?” Li Jia asked with a smile.

Unlike the bustling stalls around it, this one was eerily deserted. It made sense, really—three months before delivery was hardly practical.

The stall owner had been on the verge of packing up when these late-night customers arrived, lifting his spirits considerably. He welcomed them effusively, set out his materials with enthusiasm, and began explaining the process step by step.

At Li Jia’s question, Ye Chengxing paused. She turned, eyes crinkling in a smile. “It’s a secret.”

With that, she took the items from the owner and began to write.

Li Jia’s movements stilled at the reply.

See Words as Face to Face. Delivery in three months…

Had she not known about Ye Chengxing’s circumstances, Li Jia might have dismissed it as a whim. But now, armed with that knowledge, every gesture carried deeper significance.

Was she already planning her departure? Preparing for what came after?

Li Jia watched silently as Ye Chengxing wrote. A few strands of the Alpha’s long hair loosened with the angle of her posture, framing her face. Her brows were softly knit, her lips bearing a faint, tender smile. She didn’t look like she was leaving a message—she looked like she was penning a love letter to her beloved.

She wrote so much. What words did she have for whom? Wen Qingxi? Xi Yue? Someone else she knew?

Would any of it… be for her?

How much?

A flurry of speculations raced through Li Jia’s mind. Realizing the direction of her thoughts, she curved her lips in a wry, self-mocking smile.

It didn’t matter in the end whether any letters were for her. She simply wouldn’t allow Ye Chengxing to leave her side.

Even so, a sliver of secret hope persisted in her heart.

Perhaps Ye Chengxing had no intention of leaving at all.

If she stayed, Li Jia could afford to take it slow.

The night breeze had turned chilly by now. Afraid Li Jia might catch cold from waiting, Ye Chengxing set down her pen after jotting a few lines.

Her gaze lingered on the papers.

She had thought there would be endless unfinished words to pour out before setting pen to paper. Yet in the moment, hesitation gripped her.

Still, this would have to suffice.

After paying the stall owner in Star Coins and filling in the recipient details, Ye Chengxing approached and took Li Jia’s hand. “I’m done. Let’s head back.”

Fine snow began to drift from the sky. Li Jia felt the warmth from their touching skin and tightened her grip ever so slightly.

The home they returned to was, naturally, the one where Li Jia had asked Ye Chengxing to stay for a few days.

Her earlier mention of “a few days” had been a casual estimate of a short stay. But in truth, regardless of any timeline, it wouldn’t be long now.

After exchanging goodnights as usual, Ye Chengxing entered her room and securely closed the door.

Though conversations with the system occurred in her mind and couldn’t be overheard, from an outsider’s perspective, her expression would resemble absent-minded staring. For safety’s sake, it was best to speak with the system alone.

“001, are you there?” Ye Chengxing paused. She wasn’t entirely sure how to summon the system—their connection felt tenuous. In all the time since transmigrating to this world, she’d only heard its voice at the mission’s start and upon its completion today.

001 responded promptly. “Yes, Host, I’m here.”

Ye Chengxing wasn’t the only one with words for 001. The system had plenty to say to her as well—

Such as: Mission successful—detach from the world immediately.

Energy shortages had forced it into full passive dormancy after the mission began. Still, drawing from analyses of prior missions, it had ruled out all factors that could blacken the villain. This world line appeared free of them now.