Ruyi awoke to find herself back in her spatial realm, her hands throbbing with pain. The sharp sting reminded her of the recent battle and its near-fatal conclusion.
"I was bitten... Am I going to turn into one of those things?" she muttered, panic rising in her voice.
"The virus is pitifully weak. It's only because of your fragile mortal body that it has such devastating effects. However, thanks to my trials, your body is now resilient enough to resist it," the Sovereign's icy voice replied, devoid of any reassurance. "And congratulations. It seems you've awakened a so-called 'ability.'"
"An ability? You mean I've got powers now?" Ruyi stared in disbelief at her hands, where the wounds were already beginning to close. As a secondary antagonist, was she even allowed this kind of upgrade? What kind of ability could it be?
"You almost died," the Sovereign reminded her coldly, his tone like a bucket of ice water over her excitement.
"Yes, and it was because of that wretched Wen Xinyu," Ruyi growled, anger flaring. She couldn't understand why Wen Xinyu had tried to kill her.
In the original novel, Ruyi had been an annoying pest, relentlessly chasing after Lian Zichen and trying to sabotage Wen Xinyu at every turn. Her ultimate demise had seemed fitting for her role. But now, she had consciously avoided Lian Zichen, distanced herself from trouble, and done nothing to antagonize Wen Xinyu. The betrayal made no sense.
"It doesn't matter why. What matters is that she has developed the intent to kill you. Your priority now should be growing stronger," the Sovereign declared.
Ruyi hesitated. "What happens if I die before I can stop her?"
"You will never reincarnate," he replied, his tone devoid of sympathy.
"W-what?" Ruyi stammered, the words striking fear into her heart. "But I've tried to kill myself before, and nothing happened! I thought I was safe until the plot dictated my death..."
"You're delusional if you think you can cheat destiny," the Sovereign interrupted, his voice dripping with disdain. "You believed dying might send you back to your original world, didn't you? Or that avoiding her entirely would spare you? Let me tell you this—your fate is tied to hers. You were meant to die by her hands, and should that happen, your existence will be erased. Permanently."
Ruyi felt cold sweat trickling down her spine.
"So, my only option is to kill her first?" she asked, trembling. "But if she's the protagonist, isn't she the cornerstone of this world? If I kill her, won't the world collapse? What happens to me then?"
"Precisely why you must become stronger," the Sovereign replied curtly. "Until you've gathered enough energy to restore my power and I can send you home, don't even think about letting her kill you. When the time comes, you'll have the freedom to kill her without consequence."
"And if she dies before I gather the energy you need?" Ruyi pressed, her voice tinged with desperation.
"Then you'll have to keep her alive yourself," the Sovereign said, his voice laced with mockery.
Ruyi nearly choked on her frustration. "Are you kidding me?!"
"Foolish," he snapped. "The world will protect its linchpin. She won't die unless someone like you—an anomaly—interferes. Her death is your responsibility alone."
Reluctantly, Ruyi began to calm down. It was a strange kind of relief to know that only she held the power to end Wen Xinyu's life. The thought filled her with an ironic sense of purpose.
"Fine, but Sovereign, what exactly is this energy you need? Why the secrecy? It's giving me an ulcer!"
"You're denser than I thought," he scoffed. "Where did you find me? That should give you a clue."
Ruyi's brows furrowed as she racked her brain. The answer eluded her until, with a flash of realization, she gasped. "Wait… it couldn't be that, could it?"
The Sovereign's silence was confirmation enough.
"Where am I supposed to find something like that? The whole novel only gave it to Wen Xinyu as part of her cheat-level golden finger. Spatial springs aren't exactly growing on trees!"
The Sovereign's tone turned condescending. "An author's focus is on their protagonist, their narrative scope limited to what serves the plot. But you live in this world now, a fully realized existence. The shopkeeper who repaired your bracelet, the merchants selling vegetables on the street—every single one is a part of this world. What makes you think the protagonist's gifts are unique?"
Ruyi's jaw dropped. The Sovereign's words painted an overwhelming picture. If there were countless other spaces like Wen Xinyu's, why hadn't she encountered them yet?
"The energy I consumed to awaken was from the spatial energy within that bracelet. Combined with your blood, it catalyzed my revival," the Sovereign continued, his tone laced with a rare hint of satisfaction.
"So... spatial powers, huh?" Ruyi muttered. "And what about this 'Sage' you mentioned before? Could Wen Xinyu have inherited that?"
"Impossible," the Sovereign said firmly. "The Sage only chooses those with pure hearts and untainted souls. That woman's manipulative nature would never pass its scrutiny."
"Well, that's a relief."
"Enough talk," he snapped. "Return to your trials."
Ruyi groaned but complied. Leaving the space, she surveyed her surroundings. Scattered zombies loitered around the gas station, and the stench of the mangled monster's remains still lingered. She carefully transferred the creature's corpse into her space for further study.
The memory of her desperate battle lingered. She recalled the biting frustration of being unable to access her space because of the psychic assault. When escape seemed impossible, she had resorted to using the grenades stored in her space. That last-ditch effort had cost her dearly, leaving her barely alive as she was finally able to retreat.
She stared at the now-empty gas station, her resolve hardening. If Wen Xinyu thought she could walk away unscathed, she was gravely mistaken.
"I'll wait, but when the time comes, Wen Xinyu, you'll pay back everything I've endured—tenfold."