Ye Fan. Just thinking about him made my blood pressure spike. For some bullshit reason, he had stumbled upon a grandmaster who inexplicably took a liking to him and decided to teach him all his knowledge. Bruh. I nearly vomited just recalling that plot convenience. His strength was at Dark Peak, and his knowledge was supposedly unparalleled—all thanks to a bracelet that served as his cheat item. The only problem? The core of that bracelet was missing. Without it, he was merely cultivating at Dark Early, which was considered genius-level for his age.
In this world, cultivators wielded something called Dark Power—a versatile energy that could strengthen attacks, be projected as projectiles, and even deliver mental strikes. Of course, once you reached Dark Gold, things got truly ridiculous. But Ye Fan wasn't a genius; he was just pretending to be one, coasting on borrowed power and protagonist privileges.
Now, I could beat the shit out of him in a fair fight. But fair fights didn't exist when it came to protagonists. He had that damn Protagonist Halo, which meant he could escape any dangerous situation through sheer luck and turn any defeat into a power-up through even more bullshit reasoning.
"System," I called out, "buy me a Villain Halo that can withstand the Protagonist Halo."
[Villain Halo {1/4} – 250 million yuan]
[Villain Halo {half} – 1 billion yuan]
[Villain Halo {complete} – 10 billion yuan]
[Purchase Complete: Villain Halo {1/4}]
[Effect: Can barely withstand the power of Protagonist Halo.]
[IQ and EQ debuff reduced by 90%]
[Can weaken Protagonist Halo luck by 5%]
How bullshit is this? At least I wouldn't become a complete idiot now. I checked my remaining balance: 50 million yuan. Just a few days ago, having a thousand yuan made me cry tears of joy. Now I was spending millions like they were pocket change. The irony wasn't lost on me.
I needed to weaken the Protagonist Halo before Ye Fan even descended from the mountain. The best way to do that? Take away his helpers. And his helpers were, of course, the heroines. If I could steal his harem, I'd cripple his support system and weaken his plot armor.
I'll make a harem using their harem, I thought, a grin spreading across my face. Sounds fun. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
Ahem. No, no. This was for survival, not for building a harem. I wasn't a villain at all—in fact, I was a righteous person who would save them from misery. Yes, that was totally it.
First target: Yu Lingling.
---
Yu Lingling was the second heroine of Ye Fan's story. The author described her as an innocent girl, but that description was... misleading. In truth, she was submissive—she craved a domineering man. When Ye Fan saved her in the original plot, she fell for him almost immediately because he projected that exact aura of dominance.
Tsk, tsk. The author had a sick brain too. Fortunately for Yu Lingling, I was now in this world, and I would sacrifice myself for the greater good. Ehmm. I got lost in the way of life again.
Yu Lingling became the second heroine because she possessed a necklace that contained the missing core Ye Fan needed for his bracelet. As for why she had it? It was a fucking heirloom. Her family had fallen into debt because her mother had fallen into a coma, and of course, in true cliché fashion, Ye Fan would save her mother, the family would become indebted to him, and then—naturally—they'd hand over the heirloom like it was nothing.
Seriously? It's your heirloom, and you give it away like there's another one lying around?
Not on my watch.
---
I began my investigation into Yu Lingling's situation. It didn't take long. Her mother was indeed in a coma, being treated at a modest hospital on the outskirts of the city. The medical bills were piling up, and the family was drowning in debt. Loan sharks were circling like vultures, and Yu Lingling was running out of options.
This was where Ye Fan would typically swoop in, save the day, and earn her undying gratitude—and her necklace.
But I was going to get there first.
I arrived at the hospital early the next morning, dressed in a sharp suit that I'd purchased with some of my remaining funds. First impressions mattered. I found Yu Lingling sitting in the waiting room outside her mother's room, her head bowed, her shoulders trembling with silent sobs.
She was beautiful—there was no denying that. Long, silky black hair cascaded over her shoulders, and even with red-rimmed eyes and a tired expression, she radiated an innocent charm that would make any man want to protect her. But I knew better than to underestimate her. Beneath that fragile exterior was a woman who had endured hardship and was desperate for someone strong to lean on.
"Miss Yu?" I said softly, approaching her with measured steps.
She looked up, startled. "Yes? Do I... know you?"
"No, but I know of you," I replied, offering a warm smile. "I heard about your mother's condition. I'm a businessman with some... unique resources. I think I can help."
Her eyes widened with cautious hope. "Help? How?"
"I have access to a medicine that can heal your mother," I said, keeping my voice calm and reassuring. "Completely. No side effects."
She stared at me, her expression a mixture of disbelief and desperate longing. "That's... that's impossible. The doctors said there's no cure. They said she might never wake up."
"Normal doctors don't have what I have," I said simply. "But there's a condition."
She tensed, her guard rising. "What condition?"
I pulled out a small pouch from my pocket, letting it dangle between my fingers. "Your necklace. I need it."
Her hand instinctively flew to her throat, clutching the pendant hidden beneath her blouse. "This? But this is a family heirloom. It's the only thing I have left of my grandmother."
"I understand," I said, my voice softening. "I'm not asking you to give it to me for free. I'll save your mother's life in exchange. A fair trade, don't you think? A life for an object."
She hesitated, her fingers trembling against the necklace. I could see the war raging within her—the weight of her mother's life against the sentimental value of the heirloom.
"Please," she whispered, tears streaming down her cheeks. "You're not lying to me, are you?"
I met her gaze, my expression sincere. "I never lie when it comes to life and death."
It was a lie, of course. But she didn't need to know that.
---
The medicine worked exactly as promised. Within hours of administering it, Yu Lingling's mother opened her eyes, confused but alive. The doctors were baffled. They ran tests, checked her vitals, and confirmed the impossible: she had made a full recovery.
Yu Lingling burst into tears of joy, clutching her mother's hand and sobbing uncontrollably. When she finally composed herself, she turned to me with gratitude shining in her eyes.
"Thank you," she said, her voice breaking. "Thank you so much. I don't know how I'll ever repay you."
I smiled gently. "You already have. The necklace is enough."
She reached up, unclasped the pendant, and pressed it into my palm. Her fingers lingered for just a moment, and I could feel the warmth of her skin against mine.
"Take it," she said softly. "It's yours now."
I slipped the necklace into my pocket, the missing core of Ye Fan's bracelet now safely in my possession. The Protagonist Halo's power flickered, weakened by just a fraction.
One down, I thought, a satisfied smile curling at the corner of my lips. Three more to go.