Chapter Two: Forget it, I Might as Well Die.
A strange mechanical voice suddenly echoed in her mind.
Wen Yan’s body instantly tensed, every hair standing on end. Like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, she jumped on the spot and launched a series of military-style punches and kicks, nearly staggering herself.
Those around her stopped in their tracks, watching this odd display.
Then she heard the voice again, mocking her:
“Host, with your skills, it’s a shame you’re not acting in a wartime propaganda drama. Your aim’s a bit off though — I suggest enrolling in a senior university’s Tai Chi class to improve your accuracy.”
Judging by the reactions of the people nearby, she realized that only she could hear this voice.
Noticing the curious glances aimed her way, she quickly covered her face and darted into a small alley, lowering her voice and gritting her teeth:
“Who are you? What are you?”
“I’m the system! I’m inside your head, dear. I summoned you here to give you a chance at rebirth~” the system’s voice chimed again.
Wen Yan retorted in a low voice:
“Did you know I just died suddenly? Five years of undergrad, three years of grad school, two years of grueling residency — I worked myself to the bone. I finally got into a PhD program but hadn’t even finished my studies yet. I didn’t even get to enjoy the benefits of my degree before I collapsed in the operating room!”
“And now you want to drag me here?! Secondary trauma!”
“I don’t care! I want to go home and fix my grandmother’s dentures. I’m not going to be the female lead in some tragic drama!” She was on the verge of throwing a tantrum on the ground.
“Wait, wait!” The system sounded as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.
“There are benefits! You’ve been bound to the Revenge System. As long as you help the female protagonist take revenge and reach 100% reward points, the mission is complete, and you can be reborn and return!”
Wen Yan hesitated, her gaze softening slightly.
Seizing the moment, the system pressed on: “Besides, you know the plot! Who’s good, who’s bad — you’re clear on all that. It’s basically an open-book exam!”
“How am I supposed to know who to take revenge on, who to punish?” Wen Yan was still confused.
“Here~” The system presented a large screen before her eyes, displaying the degree of resentment the female lead held against every character in the story. The entire screen was painted red; not a single character was liked by the protagonist. From the main cast to minor NPCs appearing for mere minutes, every one was hated, their resentment levels maxed out.
“Are you saying I have to take revenge on everyone? Even random NPCs on the street?” She scrolled down.
“No, you can choose a few from among them. As long as you accumulate 100% revenge reward points, you’re good.”
“You just need to exact revenge based on the plot. The system will score the severity of the revenge, and your progress will increase gradually. Once you hit 100%, the mission is complete, and you can go home.”
Wen Yan summarized, “So basically, I can take revenge on whoever I want, however I want, as long as I pick some unlucky souls from this list and grind enough revenge points, I get to return and be reborn. That’s it?”
“Yes!” The system responded happily.
“And what if I fail?”
The system faltered for half a second, then stammered, “...You’ll be trapped here until the plot resets, and then you’ll be erased.”
“Under what circumstances does the plot reset?” Wen Yan asked suspiciously.
“If both the male and female leads die, the story will restart to repair the plot.”
“Oh, don’t be scared~” Seeing her complicated expression, the system began to cajole.
“Think about it, you’re already dead. Why not give it a shot? If you succeed, you get to go home and fix your grandmother’s dentures. If you fail, well, you’re already dead, so just consider it an immersive role-playing game.”
Wen Yan ground her teeth, then chuckled bitterly, “True enough. I’ve got nothing to lose, might as well take a gamble.”
“Then I want rewards, I want money!” Her determined eyes gleamed as if she were about to join a cause.
After all, if she returned broke, she’d just have to work herself to death again — and possibly die suddenly once more.
The system was speechless, puzzled: “Aren’t you a highly educated doctor? How could you still be so short on money on Earth?”
Wen Yan sat down angrily, drawing circles on the ground as she cursed the system: “Enough, don’t say anymore!”
She felt like crying but had no tears: “I’d rate your powers an 8.4, but after listening to you, I’m down to 1.4,” she muttered, still crouching by the roadside.
She had devoted her entire life to studying just to earn money, no time for love or fun. Just as she was about to start specialized training and earn a high salary, she died suddenly.
“Advising people to study medicine is like asking for a lightning strike. I must be broken to waste so much time, earn no money, and live such a bitter life,” she thought, feeling even less motivated to complete the mission. Returning would only mean a poor, miserable life.
The system, out of options, finally responded after a long search: “Alright, as long as you complete the mission, all the assets under your name in this world will be yours as a reward!”
“You know your husband’s status. Soon you'll be taken to the Qiao family. Your husband controls assets worth billions. If you play your cards right, you can swindle a lot of money. Even if the ending is divorce and revenge, you’ll walk away with a fortune!” This was the system’s grandest reward.
“Fine! I’ll take the mission! Who would say no to money?” Wen Yan quickly reassured herself and accepted.
The original story’s scumbag never intended to divorce the female lead. If she endured and didn’t file for divorce, acted obediently to drain him, and took revenge in secret, she could siphon off a lot of money—and get close enough for personal vengeance to complete the mission.
With that, she hurried home.
“This marriage can’t end in divorce. Dear husband, please be locked to me—let me drain you dry!”
“Every cause has its effect; your comeuppance is me!!!”
Back home, she dragged her tired body under the covers and drifted off to sleep.
The next morning, seeing Wen Yan still asleep past noon, the system could only loop the song “Love Like Fire” in her mind to wake her and remind her of the task progress.
“Host, get up! You need to hurry with your revenge to earn points!”
The system seemed even more anxious than Wen Yan.
But she coaxed herself for half an hour, turning this way and that, dragging her feet, before finally abandoning the warmth of her bed.
“Host, your rookie period has 48 hours left. If you don’t complete 10% of the mission within 48 hours to pass the newbie test, you’ll be deleted!” the system warned.
“What? Why didn’t you say that yesterday?” Wen Yan sat up, ready to slap the system’s face.
“Didn’t want to disturb your peace for the night. But if you pass the rookie test, you’ll stay, and I can double your rewards as compensation. Besides, you’re already dead, so this little test is nothing...” The system’s excuse sounded half-hearted, trying to manipulate her.
“For every 10% of revenge progress you complete, you can open a blind box containing: money, tools, and various lucky rewards—all very helpful for your mission,” the system tried to entice her with rewards.
Wen Yan’s eyes snapped open. Hearing there was money to be earned, her fatigue vanished. She jumped up and began to get ready.
Suddenly curious, she asked, “What’s my current progress?”
“About 7%. Here, take a look.” A bright screen appeared before her eyes.
1. Revenge on Wang Qingqing — Reward: 0.5% mission progress
2. Revenge on Liu Yanyan — Reward: 0.5% mission progress
3. Revenge on Wang Xiulian — Reward: 3% mission progress
4. Revenge on Li Jingyan — Reward: 4% mission progress...
Wen Yan seemed to have found a good way to grind points. Verbal attacks earned too few points; she realized she needed to deal more physical damage!
The system seemed to sense her thoughts and responded, “As long as the damage is maximized, the more important the character, the higher the points.”
Heeding the system’s advice, she began selecting targets on the screen. Her finger stopped on Wang Xiulian’s avatar. “It’s her.”
The system admired Wen Yan’s acceptance—most people would resist for a while after transmigrating, but she quickly embraced the mission.
Only Wen Yan knew she truly had no other choice.
She opened her phone to find her mother-in-law had nearly exploded it with 25 voice messages on WeChat, like a relentless Mary Kay salesperson—just looking at them made her irritated.
Wen Yan closed her eyes, pretending not to see. As long as she didn’t open the messages, they couldn’t scold her.
She smirked and ordered from a group-buying app: lotus leaf chicken and four packs of instant noodles—chicken stew with mushrooms flavor. She also ordered several boxes of compound polyethylene glycol electrolyte powder—colon cleansing medicine—and then took a shower.
Afterward, the delivery arrived. She ate heartily, then leisurely prepared her mother-in-law’s chicken soup:
Boiling water, four instant noodle seasoning packets, a few leftover chicken bones, and a symbolic sprinkle of goji berries, scallions, ginger, and garlic, all shaken evenly in a thermal lunch box.
“Smells delicious~”
A nutritious and tasty chicken soup was ready.
Since her mother-in-law loved to feign paralysis and mess herself, Wen Yan planned to fulfill her wish. She dissolved two packs of the electrolyte powder in warm water and mixed it into the soup.
“Host, this stuff makes you uncontrollably… explosive before a colonoscopy if you drink one pack, and you’re putting two in? That’s harsh,” the system thought, wary of provoking a doctor.
Wen Yan didn’t reply. She blinked and grinned slyly. If she weren’t worried the old witch might taste it, she’d mix in the whole box, but the medicine was too strong.
Holding the “fountain catalyst” in her hand, she said mischievously, “Such a delicacy is naturally for my mother-in-law. Being a filial daughter-in-law starts with Wen Yan.”
She threw on some casual clothes and headed to the hospital.