This system is hiding something...
That woman must be some hidden big shot of great importance to the plot. And now she's interested in me and will probably start stalking me.
"Meh!"
I'm overthinking it. I'm not even the protagonist, so why would important women fall for me wherever I go?
Better focus on something more tangible, like the rewards for my first mission.
"System, where are my rewards?"
[They have already been claimed.]
[20 Affection points have been added. The User also received a Regeneration Skill.]
"Regeneration?... Where are my soldier skills?!"
[The host's condition was critical. The knife pierced the lung and the aorta, causing death in less than five minutes. The reward was exchanged to guarantee the host's survival.]
At what messed-up angle did that knife enter to just pierce the largest artery in the human body?!
It's frustrating to know I lost the chance to fix my weakness — my lack of combat experience.
But in exchange, I gained a regeneration ability that might be on the same level or even better.
"It was worth it."
[...]
"System... why aren't you responding?"
[The regeneration ability received was single-use and was used to heal that artery. But look on the bright side, you're alive.]
So I take a damn stab wound and get nothing out of it?
But the worst part is that the system's logic actually made sense. I really wouldn't be alive if it hadn't regenerated my artery.
Still… there was one small detail I couldn't understand.
"System, originally Gu Sheng was the one who was supposed to get stabbed… so why would he survive and I wouldn't?"
[The host forgot something important. Gu Sheng is the protagonist. You are not. Everyone else can die — even the heroines — but he never will.]
"Protagonist or not, he's still human. Logically, having the largest artery in his body pierced would kill him."
[Correct. But who said the knife would hit any artery? What if it enters at an impossible angle and misses every vital point?]
[Do you understand now? There are countless reasons why a protagonist can survive.]
[And even if there aren't, the world can simply invent one. Remember, this is a novel world. It doesn't need logic. It doesn't need to make sense.]
My mind froze at that information.
I finally understood why directly confronting the protagonist was suicide.
But if he can't be killed… does that mean he's invincible?!
"System, are you seriously telling me to face an immortal monster?"
[The truly immortal ones are protagonists from novels tagged "Invincible." You could detonate a nuclear bomb in their face and they'd survive somehow.]
Reading that, I started rethinking my life choices.
Is this even worth it?
I'm still young. I don't want to die.
"System… say something useful for once in your life."
[Breaking the heroines can help you deal with the protagonists.]
Haha — I felt like laughing out loud.
The relief I felt couldn't be put into words.
It was like a man in the desert finally finding his oasis.
I almost cried.
"Wait! How will breaking the heroines help me?"
[It would be boring if I gave you the answer now. Figure it out yourself.]
My hopes were crushed without mercy.
They gave me a glimpse of heaven, only to make me taste hell.
The future is bleak. I see a path full of thorns and fire.
[Turn your fear into fuel to motivate yourself to break the heroines. Everything will be resolved once you break them.]
The system is right. I can't let fear hold me back. I have to do whatever it takes to achieve my goal.
I want to live.
That's why I accepted this second chance.
"Thank you, System… that calmed me down a bit."
But then I remembered something important.
I don't know how to break the heroine.
Yes, it's strange. Ever since I arrived here, all I've been doing is trying to manipulate and exploit Bai Xue's vulnerability.
But… what if I'm wrong?
What if the system doesn't want me to break the heroine's mind?
What if there's a deeper, more philosophical meaning behind it?
"System, what does it mean to 'break' the heroine?"
[I thought you'd never ask. I was already planning to see how far you'd go without this information.]
[To break the heroine, you simply need to raise both Affection and Corruption to 100.]
[Simple. Isn't it?]
Definitely not simple.
If it were that simple, the me who chose to become the Badboy NTR wouldn't have died in three years.
"You're lying to me."
[Of course not. Trust me :)]
It said that in a very suspicious way — with a little happy face at the end.
Confirmed. It's not simple.
As for why? I'll find out later.
"System, what other functions do you have?"
[Level 1 System can offer missions and rewards for breaking heroines.]
"What else?"
[I can also display the heroines' Affection and Corruption stats.]
"And?"
[That's all.]
"What do you mean that's all?! You're telling me you don't even have a shop?!"
[The shop unlocks at Level 5.]
"And how do I level up the system?"
[By breaking heroines. Or did you think it was called Heroine Breaker for nothing?]
I honestly want a refund, but I'm not sure that's possible.
At least the system can level up. That means it won't be this limited forever.
"Just show me the Affection and Corruption stats."
____
Bai Xue Affection: 60 (Emotional Attachment)
Bai Xue Corruption: 20 (Curiosity)
____
???
Why is it so high?
I can understand why the Affection is high — after all, I almost died trying to protect her.
But why did Corruption increase?
I could ask the system.
But I'm tired.
My body aches.
My head hurts.
Ever since I got here, I've spent most of my time thinking.
So many questions, so many answers — but only one can be right.
Why can't things be simpler?
Like, why can't I just steal the heroine and leave?
Without breaking anyone, without exhausting my brain thinking about a thousand different things.
At least I'm having fun…
Bai Xue thinks I'm asleep. Maybe I really should just sleep.
...
*POV Bai Xue*
I watched Ryuu sleep for hours.
His face looked so cute — thin brows slightly furrowed, rosy lips slightly parted.
Even the catheter in his nose looked cute.
But a knock on the door interrupted my moment of contemplation.
KNOCK! — KNOCK! — KNOCK!
I stood up immediately, ready to have my disguise exposed. But the voice from the other side made me relax at once.
"Miss Bai? May I come in?"
It was one of the nurses. Judging by the respect in her voice, it didn't seem like I had been discovered.
I felt relieved, but outwardly I made my expression as miserable as possible.
"You may come in."
Without wasting time, the nurse walked over to Ryuu's bedside.
"It's just a routine check, don't worry, Miss."
I nodded.
She was just doing her job. But I didn't like seeing her touch my Ryuu so casually.
Suppressing my dissatisfaction, I asked in a low, almost pleading voice:
"He's okay? Please… tell me he's okay…"
"He's doing great, ma'am!" The nurse gave a reassuring smile. "Your brother has a strong body. He'll recover in a few weeks."
"That's good."
I wiped away the tears that began forming in my eyes.
I knew he had a strong body — of course I did. It's just that I always get emotional knowing he's okay.
Only God knows how worried I was during the surgery.
If Ryuu dies, what will become of me?
"The check-up is finished. I'll take my leave for now."
I smiled gratefully and waved the nurse goodbye.
The smile vanished immediately after she left. Then I turned to Ryuu and gently stroked his hair.
"You heard that? You're recovering well."
He didn't respond, but that was fine. As long as he's listening, that's enough for me.
More hours passed. My body begged for rest after staying awake for so long.
But I can't sleep yet.
What if my Ryuu wakes up and I'm not awake to attend to him?
KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!
Another knock came at the door, but unlike before, it was slower and more deliberate.
Who could it be?
"Bai Xue, aren't you going to open the door for your dear sister?"
I recognized that voice immediately.
How could I not recognize the voice of the person who ruined me? The monster who haunts my nightmares?
"Well, if that's how it is, I'll open it myself."
The door clicked open and she stepped inside.
Her expression was completely pure and innocent. If I hadn't been ruined by that face before, even I might have believed it.
I positioned myself in front of my Ryuu, shielding him from that snake's gaze.
"What are you doing here?"
I asked through clenched teeth.
She merely smiled and walked past me casually, as if I were nothing more than air.
"Can't I visit my dear brother in the hospital?"
When I saw her try to touch Ryuu, a wave of rage surged through me and I grabbed her hand.
"Don't touch him!"
To my surprise — and horror — she easily shook off my grip. Then she placed a hand over her chest and murmured in feigned pain.
"I can't even touch him? How cruel, sister."
Cruel?
I'm just protecting him.
"Don't pretend you care about him. You don't care about anyone but yourself."
Her eyes filled with tears, and she looked as if she were about to cry.
"Is that what you think of me?"
She bit her lip, as though suppressing a sob.
Anyone else would have rushed to comfort that beautiful face. But watching that performance, all I felt was disgust.
How can someone so fake even exist? Does she feel no guilt or shame for what she's done?
"Why do you do this? Do you enjoy playing with people? Are you happy destroying their lives?"
She tilted her head slightly, eyes blinking in confusion. But her true nature soon revealed itself, and a wide smile spread across her lips.
"What do you mean, sister? Why wouldn't it be fun? Why wouldn't I be happy seeing the pain I cause?"
The room fell into silence.
I was in shock at her answer and took a step back. Seeing this side of her sent a chill down my spine.
"You… you're a monster." My voice faltered.
"And you're an amateur," Yue shot back, slowly circling the bed. "Using my name to get what you want? How cute. Have you finally realized that as 'Bai Xue,' you're nothing? Disposable trash even Gu Sheng wouldn't bother touching?"
She stopped beside Ryuu's head and leaned over him.
Her long fingers traced the line of his jaw, drifting dangerously toward the bandages on his chest.
"He's different from what I imagined," Yue murmured. "His scent… it doesn't reek of desperation like yours. He smells like… hidden danger."
She pressed her nose to Ryuu's neck and inhaled deeply.
That was enough to make me explode.
"Take… your hands… off him!"
I lunged forward, grabbing her shoulder with strength I didn't know I had.
Bai Yue's eyes widened in surprise before narrowing.
"Or what?" She turned her face toward me, that smile still playing on her lips. "Are you going to push me down the stairs for real this time? Show the world who the real villain is?"
"If it's to protect him from you, I'll do anything!"
Bai Yue let out a melodious laugh that didn't reach her cold eyes.
"Xue, dear… If I had wanted him dead, the surgeon would have 'slipped' with the scalpel four hours ago." Her voice dropped to a velvety, dangerous whisper. "I saved his life by not interfering with your little farce. So technically, he belongs to me just as much as he belongs to you."
My body trembled with hatred and helplessness.
It hurt to admit it, but that snake was telling the truth.
In the world of power and influence we live in, Bai Yue's benevolence was the only reason Ryuu was still breathing.
"What do you want?"
Bai Yue smiled at my question.
She sat on the edge of the bed, ignoring hospital protocol, and ran her hand over Ryuu's bandaged chest.
"I want to see how far that 'darkness' I saw in his eyes can go," Bai Yue murmured softly.
Then she looked at me, a manic glint in her eyes.
"And I want to watch you try to keep him. I want to see you crawl, lie, and become everything you claim to hate about me — just to keep that boy by your side."
*End of POV*