According to the original novel, the male lead Murong Han hadn't thought much of this game at first. But while running a dungeon, he encountered the female lead. Her healer skills completely won him over, and coupled with her pure and kind demeanor, he immediately wanted to pursue her.
Since ancient times, the ways males chase females have always followed the same path.
Once he realized his feelings, Murong Han flared his metaphorical peacock tail and began grinding levels with all his might.
After all, he was the male lead—rich, handsome, free, and backed by the author's favoritism. Reaching the top of the rankings was effortless.
Naturally, the unlucky person he pushed down received no attention at all.
—By the later stages, even the third spot on the leaderboard was taken by the male supporting character.
Sheng Sheng racked her brain for a long time but still couldn't recall anyone named [Proud Dragon Supreme] appearing in the original novel. Clearly, this person was a background cannon fodder among cannon fodder—possibly even more miserable than her, a female side character who didn't survive past early chapters.
In the original story, at least "Sheng Sheng" had several dozen words describing her appearance—though only to contrast the female lead.
"We're all miserable souls crushed by the male and female leads," Sheng Sheng sighed.
Kaedelin City was surrounded on all sides by leveling zones, so many quests required players to leave the city to gather items. After three days, more and more players had reached level ten.
On her way back to the city, Sheng Sheng occasionally saw groups of players grinding monsters together.
—Solo play could never compare to party efficiency.
Forced to grind alone for three days straight, Sheng Sheng felt envious.
Ashen Forest wasn't far from Kaedelin City. Moving at a decent pace, Sheng Sheng soon saw the outline of the west city gate. Barring surprises, she'd be able to return and turn in her quest shortly.
But for reasons unknown, whenever a protagonist was about to reach their destination, someone always jumped out to block the way.
"Excuse me… could you wait a moment?"
The girl in white priest robes lowered her head slightly. Her side profile was soft and delicate, her entire demeanor pitiful and fragile, like a lily swaying in the wind.
In this game, players weren't allowed to alter their appearances upon entering. Whatever they looked like in reality, that's how they appeared in-game—effectively eliminating catfishing.
This girl's pure beauty easily evoked the feeling of a first love.
Sheng Sheng saw several male players nearby secretly glancing at her.
Unfortunately, whatever faint sympathy Sheng Sheng might have felt vanished the instant she saw the girl's game ID.
[Sugar Ball] — real name Tang Wanwan, class: Priest.
An utterly ordinary ID. Ordinary name. Ordinary class.
But her other identity—
Sheng Sheng: "..."
The female lead of the original novel. The author's precious daughter.
Sheng Sheng felt her thoughts grow chaotic.
Tang Wanwan didn't notice her reaction at all. Still lowering her head shyly, she softly said, "Sorry to bother you, but may I ask you something…?"
Sheng Sheng instantly steadied herself and replied expressionlessly, "Loved before. Not dating. Blue Sky Vocational School. Save the baby. Save my mom."
Tang Wanwan: "..."
Tang Wanwan: "???"
Sheng Sheng silently sucked in a breath.
She never imagined she'd encounter the original female lead Tang Wanwan here.
—This plot never existed in the original novel!
In the book, cannon fodder Sheng Sheng only met Tang Wanwan after the male and female leads had already developed some ambiguity. But now Murong Han hadn't even appeared, and she'd already run into her?
This unexpected development disrupted Sheng Sheng's thoughts, but her mind also began racing.
If new, unseen plotlines were emerging, did that mean her transmigration had caused a butterfly effect—and that this world would no longer strictly follow the original story?
Sheng Sheng half-lowered her eyes as several unsettling thoughts rapidly formed.
Tang Wanwan had no idea what the dusty female player before her was thinking. She only felt the woman suddenly become strange. For a split second, a cold glint seemed to flash through her slightly upturned eyes.
But when she looked again, there was nothing—just indifference.
Tang Wanwan shivered and hurriedly said, "Um… your staff is very beautiful. May I ask where you obtained it?"
Hearing this, Sheng Sheng's expression turned odd. She glanced at the weapon in Tang Wanwan's hand—it was indeed a magic staff.
Magic staves used by mages and priests looked similar, but functionally they were entirely different. A priest using a mage's staff couldn't activate its attributes at all—it was no better than a fire poker.
However, obtaining profession-appropriate weapons at this stage was extremely difficult, so it wasn't surprising Tang Wanwan had set her sights on Sheng Sheng's staff.
Sheng Sheng replied calmly, "If I heard you correctly, you want the method to obtain my staff?"
Though Tang Wanwan phrased it gently, that was indeed her intent. After a moment's thought, she tacitly agreed.
Sheng Sheng couldn't help laughing. "Trying to get a guide for free—just as expected of…" the novel's female lead.
In the original story, Tang Wanwan's fragile appearance and gentle, nurturing personality won her countless admirers. Many things came to her without even needing to ask.
Unfortunately, Sheng Sheng didn't buy into that.
Seeing Sheng Sheng's cold gaze, Tang Wanwan hesitated. "I can pay."
"Sorry," Sheng Sheng replied decisively. "Not for sale."
The Preli Priest Apprentice Set had an acquisition method too sensitive to reveal, and it was deeply tied to her future class advancement. Let alone Tang Wanwan, someone bound to conflict with her—even her own parents wouldn't get a word.
"If there's nothing else, move aside. I'm in a hurry," Sheng Sheng said flatly.
After some thought, Sheng Sheng decided to shelve her earlier ideas.
She had originally planned to take advantage of this encounter to interfere with Tang Wanwan and influence future plot developments.
—If she could break the plot, it would prove that "Sheng Sheng" didn't only have one ending: death.
But none of those plans were stable.
In the novel, Sheng Sheng's death was closely tied to both Murong Han and Tang Wanwan. With Murong Han not yet appearing and the story barely begun, provoking Tang Wanwan too early could bring unknown danger.
She would act against Tang Wanwan—but not now.
When it came to her own life, Sheng Sheng was extremely cautious.
However, Sheng Sheng letting Tang Wanwan go didn't mean Tang Wanwan's people would do the same.
"Apologize! Sugar Ball spoke to you politely—what kind of attitude is that?! Don't you have any manners?"
Compared to gentle Tang Wanwan, this speaker was far more hot-tempered, practically pointing at Sheng Sheng's forehead.
Sheng Sheng: "?"
Once she processed it, Sheng Sheng couldn't help laughing.
She ignored the rant entirely and instead looked with interest at the game IDs behind Tang Wanwan.
As expected, they were all familiar.
—They were the female lead's tool-person friends from the original novel.
Three people total: two women and one man.
IDs: [Bei Mu City Song], [Cute Snow Sweetheart], [Fallen Dead Spirit].
[Bei Mu City Song] was a Gunner.
[Cute Snow Sweetheart] was a Mage.
[Fallen Dead Spirit] was an Archer.
The one who had just jumped out was [Fallen Dead Spirit].
In the novel, these three had fully embraced their roles as tools, contributing countless assists to the male and female lead's romance.
Sheng Sheng even suspected they were the ones who tipped Murong Han off about "Sheng Sheng" harassing the female lead.
She didn't plan to touch Tang Wanwan—but letting this go still felt stifling. And it would be unfair to all the people she'd disciplined in past games.
Besides, the original Sheng Sheng's death was very likely tied to them.
Sheng Sheng narrowed her eyes and curled her lips.
—She might not continue chasing Murong Han, but revenge was still on the table.
Sheng Sheng raised her pale hand and said seriously, "Justice-minded friend, I really am busy. Apologizing is impossible. But beating you up instead—can you accept that?"
Fallen Dead Spirit: "W-what?"
"I'm going to PK you," Sheng Sheng said patiently. "You know what PK means, right?"
PK—Player Killing.
Anyone who had played games should know the term.
"Of course I do!" Fallen Dead Spirit snapped.
"I don't have time to argue," Sheng Sheng said calmly. "Let's fight. If I win, you kneel and shout 'Dad, I was wrong' ten times. If you win, I'll apologize to Miss… Sugar. Deal?"
"That's unfair!" Fallen Dead Spirit rejected.
Sheng Sheng was surprised he still had some rationality and was about to push further when he angrily added, "If you lose, you kneel and apologize to Sugar Ball!"
Sheng Sheng raised an eyebrow and agreed.
The duel was set—no one could stop it.
Fallen Dead Spirit even assured Tang Wanwan, "Don't worry, Sugar Ball! I'll make her kneel and apologize!"
Overflowing with confidence.
Sheng Sheng almost laughed.
But it wasn't strange he was so confident.
Fallen Dead Spirit was an archer, while Sheng Sheng wielded a book and staff—clearly a short-legged priest.
For the most agile class, fighting a slow priest was trivial.
"I can kite her to death," he declared.
Hearing this, even the female lead and her companions stopped trying to dissuade him. They didn't like Sheng Sheng's attitude either—seeing her slapped in the face would be satisfying.
Sheng Sheng stood to the side, smiling the entire time.
TL:
Regarding -> Sheng Sheng instantly steadied herself and replied expressionlessly, "Loved before. Not dating. Blue Sky Vocational School. Save the baby. Save my mom."
Means "I'm rejecting you, disengaging completely, and refusing to take this interaction seriously."
->
"Loved before."
爱过
Meme shorthand meaning: "I've already experienced romance."
Implies emotional detachment / burnout.
Subtext: I'm not interested anymore.
"Not dating."
不约
Common blunt rejection in online chats.
Means: Don't pursue me / I'm not available.
"Blue Sky Vocational School."
蓝翔
Refers to Lanxiang Vocational School, a famous Chinese meme school.
Used jokingly as a non-sequitur answer.
Meme meaning: I'm dodging your question / this conversation is going nowhere.
"Save the baby. Save my mom."
保大 / 救我妈
Parodies a classic soap-opera hospital question:
"If you can only save one, the mother or the baby?"
Internet meme response = escalating nonsense.
Meaning: This conversation is ridiculous; I'm ending it.