Chapter 1: World One

The vast starry sky was inherently beautiful, mysterious, and serene.

But war had dyed it with fire and blood.

【Warning! Mecha damage level has reached 80%!】

【Warning! Mecha damage level has reached 80%!】

……

The defeated pilot’s mecha slid from the starry sky, like a flaming meteor.

The mecha was on the verge of total scrap, its final dregs of energy activating the passive defense system. This granted the woman—who was barely clinging to life amid the cockpit’s inferno—the ability to move.

She took a deep breath and lifted her head toward the control panel. Her face was pallid without a trace of color, strikingly beautiful yet so fragile that a mere touch might shatter her like a sheet of thin white paper.

Doom stared her in the face, yet she let go of the controls, abandoning any attempt to pilot the mecha.

She slumped back in her chair, seemingly surrendering to the struggle, content to let the sea of flames engulf her as she plummeted through the void.

【s863! This isn’t the time to space out! If you don’t take some remedial action, we’ll fail again! This is our last chance!】

An untimely mechanical voice shattered the mirage-like tranquility.

“We’ve already failed. Sorry about that, System—it looks like you and I are both getting scrapped together~” The woman known as s863 flashed a bizarre smile. The fragility from moments ago vanished in an instant, as if what awaited her wasn’t the Main System’s merciless erasure but some long-denied vacation.

The systems generally labeled people like her as mentally unstable or outright insane.

【Worthless trash!】

【We haven’t failed completely yet. The male lead and female lead haven’t…】

Before the system could finish speaking, an alarm blared in its receptors.

【Male Lead is about to die! Attention! Male Lead is about to die!】

“Pfft… hahaha! Talk about being a jinx~” The woman roared with laughter, showing the system no mercy whatsoever.

【We can still take out the antagonist now. Wait—the antagonist is closing in!】

The woman’s smile froze for a split second. She promptly projected the external view, zeroing in on the mecha hurtling toward her at breakneck speed.

The silver-white mecha cut across the heavens like a blinding meteor. s863 paused in momentary surprise, a faint trace of bitterness flickering in her smile—an emotion so fleeting it was gone in the blink of an eye. The next instant, she plastered on her usual carefree grin.

“Don’t worry, Goudan. This time, I’ll finish the mission come hell or high water!” The woman snapped upright in her seat, punched in a string of codes, and brought up a red button on the control panel. With a fierce swing of her pink fist, she smashed it—the Empire’s safeguard against capture, installed in every soldier’s mecha.

Her actions were lightning-fast, fast enough to make her hands shake.

【Idiot!!! You triggered it too soon!】

The last sounds she heard were the system’s frenzied howl and the thunderous roar of the mecha detonating.

But in a pocket untouched by the inferno, a shrill cry of utter desperation failed to pierce the deafening blast and reach her ears.

~~~

Being blown to bits hurt—hurt like hell. In petty revenge, the system hadn’t dialed down her pain sensitivity. When she staggered back into the System Space in disarray, she collapsed to the floor, clutching her arms as uncontrollable shivers wracked her body.

“Ha…” The woman suddenly let out a chuckle. Even as her body quaked, nothing could sour her buoyant mood.

It was over.

Even if the Main System uncovered her schemes at the eleventh hour, there was no reversing it now. It was doomed to perish alongside her.

Her body still trembled, her legs too feeble to support her. After a few futile attempts to rise, she simply stayed seated on the ground.

“Sorry, Main System. Did I accidentally set the record for most failures by any Executor?” The woman tilted her head up, her misty peach-blossom eyes brimming with feigned innocence as she gazed at the “light orb” form of the Main System, which had materialized without her noticing.

Sadly, the Main System either overlooked her ploy or deemed her antics beneath notice.

【System s-232’s failure count has reached its limit… Reports of violations by System s-232 in worlds including c319 have been verified. Penalty generation in progress… Complete: Immediate destruction.】

The judgment was instantly broadcast to every system by the Main System, a stark warning to all.

【Executor s863’s failure count has reached its limit. Penalty generation in progress… Beep, beep, beep…】

【Beep, beep, beep… Bee—】 The Main System emitted an odd stutter, like a tape caught in a loop, dragging on for several long beeps before continuing: 【Complete: Executor s863 is to proceed immediately to the failed mission world with a new system. Mission parameters altered, beep— s863 must redeem the anomalous character and avert the small world’s collapse…】

The woman’s smile locked rigid at the corners of her mouth. She was sure she’d misheard. “Main System, have you caught a virus?”

She’d botched missions across countless small worlds, dooming her own system to execution. How could the Main System possibly spare her? And redeem? What nonsense was that?

Her prior directive had been to eliminate the antagonist by any means necessary, neutralizing the overpowered glitch that threatened the male and female leads. Failure or not, she’d racked up every required kill and grudge along the way.

The Main System reiterated its verdict.

The smile slowly drained from the woman’s face.

“I refuse.” Her tone turned icy, her stare at the Main System laced with chilling menace. “Even rank-and-file Executors have the right to choose. I demand to file…”

Before she could complete the sentence, the Main System silenced her by force.

【System rematching… Match successful.】

【Mission world recalibrating… Recalibration complete.】

【Mission commencing…】

Offering no chance for retort or protest, the Main System ripped open the channel to the mission world and hurled her through.

Years of soul-crushing drudgery had eroded what little good temper she’d once possessed. With no intention of surviving anyway, she unleashed a torrent of profanity scavenged from myriad worlds upon the Main System—until it compelled her into mandatory hibernation.

~~~

In the enveloping darkness, the woman dreamed—a dream she’d all but forgotten.

“Zhi’an, Zhi’an…”

Who was that speaking?

“Year upon year, safe and secure. Such a wonderful name.” The voice was achingly tender, unfamiliar yet evoking an inexplicable urge to weep. “Even if I’m gone from your side one day, you must remain safe and sound…”

No!

Nian Zhi’an bolted upright in bed, only for a stab of pain and vertigo to slam into her skull.

Disinfectant hung thick in the air, the sterile white walls confirming she was in a hospital. The Main System had dumped her into the new mission world.

She’d fought her entire life, outlasting even her own system, yet she remained powerless against the Main System’s decree.

How pathetic.

She cradled her head, fingers brushing the bandages wound around it—and the tears streaking her face.

She stared, faintly stunned, at the damp trails on her hand.

Nian… Zhi’an…

She sounded out the name, one syllable at a time.

Ah, yes. That was her true name.

The woman’s name was Nian Zhi’an. After perishing in a freak accident, the system had conscripted her, launching her into endless servitude.

Here in the System Space, she was s863. In mission worlds, she wore the masks of bit players, nearly erasing her own identity in the process.

Strange—who else even knew that name?

Someone from… those buried memories?

Ugh…

Pushing deeper triggered agony in her head! Cold sweat beaded across Nian Zhi’an’s brow. After catching her breath, she turned toward the empty bedside.

“Get out.”

【H-H-Hello!】

A quavering, spineless voice replied. A pint-sized light orb timidly wriggled out from under the bed.

【I-I’m System a-3379. It’s a v-v-very great honor to serve you.】

“A? Systems prefixed with ‘a’ are from the Redemption Department, right? 3379… You’re not some fresh-out-of-the-factory newbie, are you?” Nian Zhi’an paused, then clamped her hand around its “head.”

The system jolted in terror. Crap! In their first meeting, the Great Demon King had pierced its facade clean through! What now—its seniors’ crash course had failed utterly!

“You’re terrified of me?”

【Terrified… N-N-No, no! It’s respect! Right, respect!】 Respect for this Great Demon King who’d offed its predecessor and might do the same to it—boo hoo hoo…

The Main System ruled with iron severity. Systems culled for grave offenses or mission flops were commonplace. System s-232’s demise hadn’t sparked alarm until a loose-lipped insider leaked the truth.

That system had been deliberately sabotaged by this very woman!

Word was, she loathed systems with a burning passion, always scheming ways to “kill” them—a true big demon head! Matching with her spelled doom across eight lifetimes. Bafflingly, the infallible Main System had spared her this time, unleashing her to torment more systems!

Boo hoo hoo…

And now that unlucky soul was it!

“Hey.”

This time when it set out, its companions had seen it off in an atmosphere as somber as a funeral procession. It didn’t want to go to the Destruction Field! It was still young; it had only just been created. Wuwuwu…

“Hey!”

[Ah!] The system let out a shrill scream in fright.

Perhaps when people were down on their luck, seeing something even more unfortunate could help balance their mood. At least, the new system’s foolish appearance made Nian Zhi’an a little less hostile toward it.

“You really are unlucky.”

[Ah?]

“A greenhorn system like you placed by the side of someone like me—the Main System must be using you as a sacrificial pawn.” Nian Zhi’an leaned against the hospital bed, coaxing the little system like the Big Bad Wolf in grandmother’s clothing.

A QAQ symbol appeared on the small light orb.

[I-I-I-I…]

“I hate systems that are useless and chatter nonstop, you know.”

The symbol on the system’s face turned into QxQ.

This little thing was far cuter than the previous one.

“Let me ask you—if another system deletes or tampers with the Executor’s memories, can you restore them?”

This…

The little system immediately pulled up its database and checked it meticulously from top to bottom. Finally, it arrived at the result.

[No.]

Upon hearing the answer she didn’t want, Nian Zhi’an’s smile turned into a disdainful look in an instant. “Then what good are you?”

[I-I may not be able to, but the Main System lord can! Don’t—don’t send me to the Destruction Field!] The little system was already scared to tears. Useless and chatty—it had landed squarely on the Great Demon King’s sore spots!

Main System?

[I’m—I’m gonna die! Loosen your grip!] The system suddenly felt the hands cradling it tighten abruptly. The strength was terrifyingly powerful, and somehow, it couldn’t break free from her iron grip!

As expected of the Great Demon King—so scary QAQ!

“Haha…” Nian Zhi’an’s face darkened, but then she suddenly laughed again, relaxing her grip and allowing the system to escape with its life.

Let her reform the antagonist, was it? Fine. Main System, don’t come crying later.

The light orb that had narrowly escaped death trembled even more violently. This Great Demon Head was far too unpredictable! Her face had been all sullen just moments ago, and now she was laughing to herself. She… she couldn’t actually have some mental issues, could she?

“Da-da-da…” Footsteps approached from afar outside. Someone was coming.

“Th-that—someone’s coming. I-I’m transmitting the details to you right now!” The Great Demon King still showed no reaction, and with the native of this small world about to arrive, the system mustered its courage, shoved the plot summary into Nian Zhi’an’s mind, and vanished on the spot.

“Urgh…” The massive influx of information piled onto her already concussed head like injury on insult. Nian Zhi’an’s expression twisted faintly.

“Ka…”

The door opened, and two people walked in. Seeing Nian Zhi’an looking somewhat pained, the secretary immediately fetched the doctor.

Nian Zhi’an was given a thorough checkup from head to toe. Once it was confirmed that nothing was seriously wrong, the young secretary accompanied the doctor out of the room, leaving the elegant and aloof woman to lock eyes with the weakened Nian Zhi’an on the bed.

Memories from the past surged up like ocean tides. After who knew how much time, the face that should have grown blurry had miraculously sharpened into crystal clarity, as if their parting from that girl back then had happened just a few days ago.

The girl, who had still carried a hint of youthful immaturity at the time, had matured with the passage of years. She was even more beautiful now, her demeanor colder and more reserved, without the sharp edges of her younger days.

The manic urge in her heart to destroy this world seemed to have calmed considerably.

Nian Zhi’an parted her lips, wanting very much to say: Long time no see.

But after years of fierce rivalry, even if she admired her deep down, the words that emerged from Nian Zhi’an’s mouth instinctively twisted into something else…

“Have you been busy lately?”

Mu Yixuan was momentarily stunned.

The girl was a college student she had sponsored—timid and deferential on normal days, never daring to raise her voice to her. Now, after the car accident, her courage had apparently grown a bit?

President Mu was swamped with endless duties; the only reason she could carve out time from her packed schedule was that the girl’s face bore a resemblance to someone.

The likeness was only about fifty or sixty percent, but that person would never have looked at her with such a timid, ingratiating expression. How proud she had been—even in death, she wouldn’t have bowed her head to her.

Yet in this moment, Mu Yixuan suddenly felt a flicker of similarity…

Mu Yixuan clenched her fist unconsciously. She pursed her lips, about to say “Not too bad,” when she heard the other woman add:

“You look a lot older.”

Nian Zhi’an watched her old rival storm out, slamming the door behind her. She tilted her head slightly, a touch puzzled.

That woman had always been cunning, sharp-tongued, and profoundly composed. Since when had she become so hot-tempered?

The system hiding under the bed reached out despairingly with its nonexistent little hands… Character setting! Please respect the character setting!