The cold wind swept through the ridges of Black Cloud Mountain, carrying with it the scent of blood and rotting leaves. The moon hung low and pale like a grieving widow, casting a ghostly glow over the forest floor.
A girl staggered forward, her robes torn and stained crimson. Each breath she took was shallow, her chest heaving from pain. Her spiritual energy was in chaos — her meridians trembling, her core poisoned.
Shen Qingmei.
Once a noble daughter of the declining Shen Clan.
Now just another target for the Serpent Wind Bandits that prowled the wild borders of the empire.
She coughed blood onto her hand, her body trembling. In her half-blurred vision, she saw flickers of flame torches and heard laughter — cruel, eager.
"Run, little rabbit! The more you run, the more fun we'll have catching you."
Meanwhile…
Far above, on a cliff that overlooked the winding forest path, stood a young man cloaked in deep black-gold robes. His long hair drifted in the wind, and his eyes shone like obsidian lit by starfire.
Lin Xian.
The Villain Reincarnate.
He didn't smile. He didn't blink.
He simply observed, arms folded behind his back, as if he were watching a play. One written long before it ever began.
So this is the "Fated Encounter," huh? The future Core Heroine saved by a pitiful protagonist, then tied to his destiny like a loyal hound?
The corner of his lips lifted ever so slightly.
Not today.
[System Notification]
Detected: Fated Encounter Event
Shen Qingmei – Future Heroine
Hero: Mu Yihan
Outcome: Hero rescues her → Heals her → She teaches him secret Yin Technique → Becomes loyal sword
Luck Flow: +300 to Mu Yihan
Host Intervention Option: YES / NO
"Activate Intervention Protocol," Lin Xian murmured.
System Response: Intervention Set
Adjusting narrative thread…
Introducing "Villain Savior Variant Route"
He reached into his storage ring and pulled out a folded black talisman. Ancient runes shimmered along its edges, pulsing with quiet power.
I'll arrive just moments before Mu Yihan. Just enough to change the ending.
Not as the hero… but as the shadow that stands behind the curtain.
Forest Path – Ten Minutes Later
Shen Qingmei fell to her knees, her spirit nearly collapsing.
The bandits closed in around her. She could barely keep her eyes open.
One stepped forward, licking his lips. "Don't worry, pretty. I'll take real good care of you."
Suddenly—
A deep pulse swept through the forest.
Boom…
The trees trembled. The torches blew out.
A figure emerged from the shadows behind the bandits, silent as the grave.
"...Who—"
The first bandit's question was never finished. A black sword appeared, and his head rolled to the ground a breath later.
The rest screamed.
But the figure was already among them.
Silent. Precise. Terrifying.
When it was over, none of the bandits remained whole.
Shen Qingmei looked up, her vision spinning. Through her haze, she saw the outline of her savior.
The moon framed him in light — tall, regal, and distant. His golden robe carried a faint dragon pattern across the chest, and his eyes...
His eyes didn't show concern.
They were calm. Detached. As if saving her was never the point.
Who… is he?
She wanted to ask. But darkness swallowed her before she could speak.
[System Update]
Heroine: Shen Qingmei
Favorability: +18 (Gratitude – Unconscious Level)
Psychological Seed Planted: "Fear + Mystery = Obsession Potential"
Corruption Arc Unlocked: "From Grace to Dependency"
Hero Mu Yihan Arrival Delayed – Fate Thread Severed
Hero Luck Value: –120 (Subtle Loss)
Villain Luck Value: +120
Lin Xian stood over the unconscious girl, silent.
He didn't touch her again. He didn't need to.
Instead, he looked off into the distance, toward the direction from which the true "hero" would soon arrive.
A smirk tugged at the edge of his lips.
One encounter stolen. A thread snipped. A future rewritten.
Let's see how many of your heroines I can steal before you even realize you're bleeding, Mu Yihan.
As he turned and began walking away, a faint voice behind him whispered weakly:
"…wait…"
Shen Qingmei, half-conscious, reached toward the retreating shadow.
She didn't know why.
But something inside her refused to let him go.