With her suspicions confirmed, Ruyi began observing Wen Xinyu closely over the following days. True to her intuition, Wen Xinyu started stockpiling food, explaining it as a precaution with all the recent outbreaks and unrest. Her mother, Qiao Huixin, was fully supportive, even offering funds, which Wen Xinyu declined with charming modesty.
The unfairness of it all gnawed at Ruyi. She stormed upstairs, slipping into her "temporary" space—she refused to call it her own. What was she here, anyway? A guest? A renter?
"It's not jealousy," she insisted, muttering to herself, "Jealousy's for the weak, and I refuse to stoop to her level." Yet, no matter how she tried to rationalize it, Ruyi couldn't stop the urge to slap Wen Xinyu.
"Focus on what matters," came the Sovereign's cold, echoing voice. "Wen Xinyu is the protagonist, the cornerstone of this realm. Everything here aligns with her needs. Your task is to grow stronger if you wish to survive the imminent changes in this world. For the next few days, you must remain here until you've acquired the skill to clear the first-level trial."
Shouldn't this have been explained before the trial started? Why the delayed instructions? Ruyi sulked inwardly.
"Spare me your complaints. I allowed you a taste first so you'd take it seriously," the Sovereign retorted.
With nothing else to do but accept her circumstances, Ruyi confined herself to her room, entering her space daily to undergo the trials. Despite her grumbling, her endurance and reflexes noticeably improved. Each session ended with her "Little Red" ritual—Ruyi's nickname for the blood-soaked space—enduring the brutal shifts between fire and ice that slowly altered her physique.
The Sovereign admitted he was still weak from his recent awakening and could only accelerate time at a 4:1 ratio within the space, meaning four days here equaled just one in the outside world. On her twelfth day inside—three days outside—Ruyi finally managed to endure the first-level, two-star trial, lasting half an hour in total darkness without a single hit.
Bursting with impatience, she demanded the promised first four chapters. But what she read left her seething.
The novel began with her entry into the Wen household as Qiao Huixin's greedy, domineering stepdaughter, desperately trying to snatch away the affections of Lian Zichen, the noble protagonist. During a birthday party, she received an exquisite jade bracelet from her stepmother, granting her access to a mysterious space.
Ruyi found herself enviously drooling over Wen Xinyu's description of her space. It was an idyllic, self-contained world—a vast sky, lush greenery, and sweet spring water that revitalized anyone who drank it. An enchanting cabin covered in delicate flowers held the space's secrets, filled with life-sustaining pills and ancient scrolls left by the previous owner, all foreshadowing the apocalypse.
With this knowledge, Wen Xinyu began preparing.
Ruyi grudgingly gave the real-life Tong Yinyin a point for plotting consistency; at least she justified Wen Xinyu's status as a wealthy heiress, making it plausible for her to clear out every supermarket and department store in her city in preparation.
The chapters had a predictable structure: one setting up Ruyi as the despicable antagonist, another praising Wen Xinyu's virtue and beauty, a third glorifying her magical space and opulent hoard, and finally, the fourth where the apocalypse began. Wen Xinyu, with the help of her space, awakened powerful lightning abilities, while her childhood love, Lian Zichen, gained ice powers. They immediately set out to escape with their families.
Ruyi found herself conspicuously absent until the fourth chapter's cliffhanger, where, as the malicious supporting character, she resisted following Wen Xinyu's orders, only to encounter a gang of unsavory men—just as she was about to face certain horror, the story left her hanging.
Ruyi clenched her teeth in frustration. "So… did I escape? Did they actually…" The Sovereign, however, dismissed her request to see the next chapter, denying her any further insight.
Irritated, Ruyi wandered downstairs just in time for dinner, her face dark with displeasure. If she was to play the role of "vile stepdaughter," why bother concealing her bitterness?
Qiao Huixin couldn't stop sighing, mentioning the strange, worsening illness plaguing the city and the recent behavior of Tong Yinyin, a name Ruyi had nearly forgotten. Tong Yinyin, it seemed, had awoken shortly after Ruyi's discharge from the hospital, only to insist on visiting Mount Yun'an, despite the widespread outbreak.
Mount Yun'an was days away, by train or car. But it struck Ruyi as oddly familiar.
Just then, a terrified scream from the Chen family's daughter pierced through the walls, echoing through the Wen household's dining room.
Wen Liguo, Wen Xinyu's father, reacted first, but instead of rushing out to investigate, he slumped back into his chair with a thud, unconscious.
Ruyi's heart raced. In these precarious times, Wen Liguo collapsing like this could only mean one thing—he might already be infected.
"Liguo! What's wrong?" Qiao Huixin cried in alarm, glancing at Wen Xinyu. "Xinyu, call for an ambulance now!"
Yet Wen Xinyu seemed oblivious, nervously glancing at her phone, then toward the door, as if waiting for someone. Ruyi, brow furrowed, pulled out her own phone, well aware it might be a futile attempt.
As expected, all lines were busy.
"Alright then, we'll have to get him to the hospital ourselves!" she declared.
Watching Qiao Huixin's panicked face and Wen Liguo's already paling features, Ruyi hesitated. Of course, she now understood why she'd been feeling so uneasy. According to the novel, today marked the beginning of the apocalypse. In her frustration over the fourth chapter's cliffhanger, she'd completely overlooked the bigger picture.
Her mind whirled, considering her next move. Should she tell them outright about the zombie-like plague already emerging outside? Or that Wen Liguo likely had no chance of recovery?
Across the room, Wen Xinyu continued glancing anxiously at the door and fidgeting with her phone. Ruyi observed her carefully, thinking, Doesn't she have some miracle spring water in that space of hers to neutralize the virus? This is her own father!
But, of course, Ruyi couldn't say that aloud. Wen Xinyu had no idea that Ruyi knew about her space. With this opponent's supernatural edge, she couldn't risk any premature confrontations. Just as she wrestled with these thoughts, Qiao Huixin's patience shattered.
"Ruyi! Why are you standing there? Hurry up and get the car! Your Uncle Wen has always been kind to you; don't be so cold-hearted!"
Ruyi resisted the urge to scoff. Even in this moment, she can't help but find fault with me. She was on the verge of saying something when the loud slamming of the front door and frantic calls of Lian Zichen broke the tension.
Wen Xinyu's reaction was swift, bolting to open the door like a dog catching the scent of a bone.
With a heavy sigh, Ruyi approached Wen Liguo, whose pulse was no longer detectable. "Mom, he's… gone. It would be best to change him into something clean so he can depart with dignity."
"W-What did you say?" Qiao Huixin's eyes flashed with fury as she raised her hand to strike. Thanks to her recent trials, Ruyi's reflexes had sharpened considerably. She avoided the blow effortlessly, but it struck her in a way no slap could.
Qiao Huixin had just called her own daughter a "wicked harlot."
For a moment, Ruyi was stunned. This was her own mother.
She managed a cold smile. The benevolent mask had finally cracked. Whether in reality or this twisted novel, she had always been a convenient accessory in her mother's life—a reflection of Qiao Huixin's supposed kindness and moral virtue.
To everyone else, she was a helpless stray that Qiao Huixin had taken in and "raised into an upstanding young woman." Qiao Huixin's concern for her only extended as far as the image it projected. She had never been anything more than an obedient pet, useful for proving Qiao Huixin's righteousness.
Her musings were interrupted by the commotion at the door. Lian Zichen entered, supporting an elegant but disheveled woman, trailed by two other bedraggled figures, including a familiar face—Dr. An Yang.
Qiao Huixin's face paled. "What happened to you all?"
Lian Zichen caught his breath. "It's a long story," he replied, before recounting the horror they'd just witnessed.
When the chaos erupted, An Yang had been at Lian's family home performing a routine check-up. Suddenly, they heard a girl screaming next door and rushed over to find Mr. Xu, bloodied and deranged, chasing two terrified girls. Realizing that Mr. Xu had lost all sense, they managed to lock the house from the outside and ran. But the girls described how Mr. Xu had first collapsed, unconscious, before reawakening with strange, grayish skin and claws instead of hands. An Yang, fearing the worst, ushered everyone away as quickly as possible.
As Lian Zichen wrapped up the story, one of the girls began screaming hysterically, her voice breaking with terror. "Quick! Tie that man up! He'll become a monster just like Mr. Xu did!"
Ruyi stole a glance at Wen Liguo's still form, feeling a pang of sorrow. Even in his last moments, his own family had turned a blind eye, too absorbed in their own stories to acknowledge his suffering.
Just then, Qiao Huixin seemed to remember her husband lying on the floor and rushed toward him in tears, only for Wen Xinyu to intercept her.
"Mom, don't! He's already… He'll turn into a monster too. You can't get close; being bitten or scratched will infect you." Her words slipped out too smoothly, the factual certainty too suspicious for this early in the outbreak.
Ruyi gave a derisive snort, though no one seemed to notice the glaring flaw in Wen Xinyu's explanation. How do you know he'll turn into a monster? The virus just started spreading; no one should know that yet. Ah, another plot oversight.
She couldn't help but feel a grudging awe at how Wen Xinyu's tears captivated her audience. Lian Zichen gathered her close, his arms wrapped protectively around her trembling form.
"You still have me, Xinyu. I'll be by your side, even if the world comes crashing down," he murmured, pressing a tender kiss to her forehead.
"Pfft!" The sound escaped Ruyi's lips before she could stop it. Everyone turned to glare as she quickly stifled a cough, retreating to the nearest corner.
Please, believe me, I didn't mean to ruin the mood! she silently begged.