*POV Bai Xue*
Pain was my only companion now.
Every muscle fiber burned as if it had been submerged in acid. My arms, my legs, my abdomen — everything screamed in unison, an orchestra of agony that gave me no respite.
But I didn't hate the pain.
I loved it.
Because every sting, every spasm, every inch of burning skin was physical proof of my love. It was evidence that I wasn't standing still. That I was fighting. That every second in that damned cell was being invested in a single purpose:
Him.
My Ryuu.
My breath came out in harsh gasps, the cold air of the cell burning my dry throat. I was sitting on the floor, my back pressed against the icy wall, my legs stretched out in front of me like two slabs of lead.
My hands trembled. Not from weakness — or maybe they were — but from pure exhaustion. My palms were covered in freshly formed calluses, the skin split in places, staining my fingers with a pale red.
I had trained all night.
No breaks. No rest. No mercy for myself.
One hundred push-ups. Two hundred squats. Three hundred sit-ups. And then I repeated it all again. And again. Until my muscles completely failed and I collapsed onto the floor like a puppet with its strings cut.
[Host, your body is in critical condition. Continuous exercise without proper rest can cause permanent muscle damage, kidney failure due to rhabdomyolysis, and in extreme cases, cardiac arrest.]
The system's voice echoed in my mind, carrying its usual tone of bored formality.
"Good."
[Good?]
"It means I'm pushing myself hard enough."
I closed my eyes, a weak laugh slipping from my cracked lips. My head tilted to the side, my aching neck refusing to hold its posture.
"If it hurts, it means it's working. If it burns, it means I'm getting stronger. And if I die…"
I slowly opened my eyes, staring at the TV screen mounted high on the wall. The grainy image showed Ryuu sleeping, his chest rising and falling in a gentle rhythm. Even in the dim hospital room, even with Bai Ning's filthy shadow hovering over him like a vulture… he was still the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.
"If I die, then it was for him. And that alone makes it worth it."
[Ding! +10 Love Points.]
[I'm not even going to comment.]
"No need."
I smiled, a tired and happy smile. The system was right about one thing: I was crazy. Completely, irreversibly, wonderfully crazy.
And I wouldn't trade that madness for anything in the world.
"Points," I murmured, running my tongue over my dry lips. "How many do I have now?"
[Total accumulated: 1257 Love Points.]
One thousand two hundred and fifty-seven.
The number danced in my mind like a flickering flame.
I could barely believe it. Days ago, I had nothing. I was just a pathetic girl crying on the floor, begging for a strength that would never come. But now…
Now I had power. I had a system. I had a path.
And every point was a drop of sweat, a tear, a silent prayer dedicated to him.
"Is that enough to buy something?"
I asked, but didn't wait for the system's answer before giving an order.
"Open the shop."
[Host, prices may vary, it would be wiser—]
"Open. The shop. Now."
An audible sigh echoed in my mind, and then a new screen materialized before me. It was larger than the status window, with rows upon rows of items organized into glowing categories.
Weapons. Skills. Potions. Equipment. Knowledge.
My eyes scanned the list with ravenous hunger, my heart racing with anticipation.
But then I saw the prices.
And my heart stopped.
The shop was… a nightmare.
The cheapest item was a Basic Healing Potion, a small and insignificant thing that promised only to "heal minor injuries and relieve fatigue."
Its price?
One thousand points.
One thousand.
Almost everything I had.
I felt the air leave my lungs. My hands, already trembling from exhaustion, began to shake with a new emotion.
Despair.
"One thousand points…" My voice came out as a broken whisper. "For a basic healing potion?"
[Prices are determined by the rarity and usefulness of the item relative to the host's world… That's why I didn't want to show you the shop.]
"But… but I spent the entire night… I practically killed myself training…"
My throat tightened. The tears I had suppressed for so long threatened to return.
All of it. Every push-up. Every squat. Every second of agony.
And I could barely afford the cheapest item in the shop.
How could I… how could I save Ryuu like this? How could I face Bai Ning, who was an absolute monster, if I couldn't even afford something decent?
The shop screen glowed coldly, indifferent to my anguish.
[Host, I recommend purchasing the Basic Healing Potion.]
"What?"
[Your body is on the verge of collapse. Your muscles have suffered extensive microtears, your electrolyte levels are dangerously low, and your heartbeat is irregular. If you pass out now, there is a significant chance you won't wake up again.]
The screen flickered.
[Buy the potion, and then survive. You can always continue tomorrow.]
My hand hovered over the screen, my fingers inches from the confirmation button.
One thousand points.
Everything I had.
For a cure that wouldn't make me stronger, wouldn't give me power, wouldn't help me face Bai Ning.
Just… keep me alive.
"No."
[Host—]
"I said no."
My voice came out firm, despite the tremor in my lips. I slowly lowered my hand, closing it into a fist over my lap.
"These points… every single one of them… was earned with my love for Ryuu. With my pain. With my tears. I'm not going to waste them on a potion that only heals me."
[You can't save him if you're dead.]
"I won't die."
I closed my eyes and forced my breathing to calm down.
"A few hours of sleep. That's all. My body can handle it. It's handled everything so far, hasn't it?"
The system fell silent for a long moment. When it spoke again, its voice was softer.
[You're stubborn.]
"I'm dedicated."
[Same thing.]
"It's not."
A tired laugh slipped from my lips. I leaned my head back against the cold wall of the cell, feeling the faint relief of the icy surface. My eyes grew heavy, and the world around me seemed to drift.
"One day," I murmured, "when I have Ryuu in my arms again… I'll remember this. Every point. Every pain. Every time I chose him instead of myself."
[Ding! +10 Love Points.]
[You're truly impossible.]
"Thank you."
I stayed silent for a moment, just listening to the hum of the ventilation and the pounding of my own heart.
"Hey, system."
[Yes?]
"Don't you have… I don't know… a starter pack? Like in games?"
[…]
"You went quiet."
[I'm processing.]
"Processing what?"
[Processing the fact that you didn't ask that earlier. Yes, host. You have a Starter Pack available. Three random rewards that can range from 'useful' to 'completely useless.']
"…" "…" "WHAT?!"
My voice exploded through the empty cell. I jumped to my feet, completely ignoring the agony that shot through my body with the sudden movement.
My eyes were wide, my hands trembling — and this time it wasn't from exhaustion.
"You're telling me I had a starter pack this whole time and you DIDN'T TELL ME?!"
[I tried, but you were too busy doing push-ups while whispering 'Ryuu, Ryuu, my Ryuu' and laughing to yourself.]
I felt my face burn.
"I… I wasn't—"
[You were. For three consecutive hours. It was embarrassing.]
My lips opened and closed without sound. My cheeks were so hot I could've fried an egg on them.
Because I remembered.
I remembered perfectly what I was thinking — or rather — fantasizing about during those three hours.
My fantasy began with me leaving that cell like a fairy tale hero. Not a fragile princess waiting to be rescued — no, I would be the knight. Shining white armor, a blazing sword, a pure and unshakable heart.
And Ryuu…
Ryuu would be the princess.
Not in a humiliating way, no.
He would be beautiful, wearing a silk dress that shimmered under the moonlight, his golden hair falling over his shoulders like a veil.
He would be locked in a tower (the Bai family mansion, in my imagination), and Bai Ning would be the dragon — a filthy, obsessive beast that needed to be destroyed.
I would storm the tower and face the dragon.
My sword would cut through the air, and Bai Ning would fall defeated at my feet. Then I would climb the stairs, open the door to the highest room, and there he would be.
My Ryuu.
My princess.
"You came," he would say, his blue eyes shining with tears of relief.
"I always come," I would reply, my voice hoarse and heroic. "Always."
Then I would carry him in my arms. He would be light, so light, and his body would fit perfectly against mine. I would take him away, to a home I would build just for the two of us.
His room would be exactly how he always wanted. No windows to the outside world. No distractions. Just me and him.
Then I would lay him on the bed, and—
BANG!
The crash echoed through the cell like thunder.
In an instant, my fantasy shattered into a thousand pieces.
"AHHH!"
I let out a frustrated scream, slamming my fist against the wall. Pain exploded through my fingers, but I didn't care.
"Not again! Not again!"
The cell trembled slightly, the echoes of the crash reverberating through the walls. The sound was muffled, distant, like something heavy colliding with the ground several floors below.
The night before, the same thing had happened.
Every time I reached the best part of my fantasy — every time I was about to imagine what I would do with Ryuu on that bed — the crash interrupted it.
I never found out the ending.
"AAAAHHH!"
I stomped my foot like a petulant child, tears of frustration welling in my eyes.
"What was I going to do with him?! I had so many ideas! So many plans! And now I'll NEVER know!"
[You could just imagine it again.]
"It's not the same! The moment's gone! The inspiration's gone!"
The system sighed audibly. I was starting to hate that sigh.
[You have issues, host.]
"Thanks for the useless information!"
I crossed my arms, huffing. Exhaustion and frustration blended into a haze of anger that clouded my thoughts.
"And there's this too," I growled, looking up at the ceiling. "Those crashes. Always at the worst possible time."
[Host, I would like to suggest that—]
"It's Bai Ning, isn't it?" I cut it off, my eyes narrowing. "It has to be her. That filthy cow found another way to torture me."
[Actually, the crashes don't seem to be artificial. Based on the vibrations and irregular pattern, I would say they are caused by—]
"It doesn't matter."
[Host—]
"It doesn't matter what's causing it." My voice came out cold, sharp. "Whether it's Bai Ning, an earthquake, or the ceiling collapsing. Nothing is going to stop me from continuing. Nothing will distract me from what truly matters."
I pointed at the TV screen, where Ryuu slept.
"Him. Only him. Always him."
[You're throwing a tantrum because you couldn't finish your erotic fantasy.]
"It wasn't erotic! It was… romantic."
[You were going to put him on a bed.]
"So what?"
[In a room with no windows.]
"To protect him!"
[In an isolated house.]
"It was a countryside home! Very well-ventilated!"
[You called him 'princess.']
"It was a metaphor!"
The system fell silent for a moment.
[Your heart rate indicates sexual arousal.]
"THAT'S NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!"
I covered my face with both hands, feeling my cheeks burn once again. My breathing was uneven, mixed with a hysterical laugh I couldn't contain.
I was tired, frustrated, sore, embarrassed, and absurdly aroused by a fantasy that never reached its end.
And somehow, despite all that…
I was happy.
Because every second of that torture was for him.
"Where's the starter pack?" I muttered, still hiding my face in my hands.
[Do you want to open it now?]
"Yes. Before I die of embarrassment or frustration. Just open it."
The system muttered something that sounded suspiciously like "you're only frustrated because your fantasies keep getting interrupted," but before I could protest, a new screen opened.
[Starter Pack — Opening in progress…]
Three spheres of light spun at the center of the screen.
The first glowed blue.
The second glowed white.
The third glowed crimson.
And then, with a chime, they burst.
[Reward 1: Teleportation Orb.]
[Description: Allows the user to teleport to any previously visited location. Single use, limit of 5 kilometers.]
[Reward 2: Mask of Change.]
[Description: When worn, this mask allows the user to take on the appearance of anyone they have seen at least once. Duration: 2 hours. Cooldown: 24 hours.]
[Reward 3: Skill — Emotive Language.]
[Description: Grants the user the ability to imbue their words with persuasive power. The more intense the emotion behind the words, the greater the effect on the listener.]
My eyes scanned the descriptions once, twice, three times.
And then, slowly, a smile began to form on my lips.
It wasn't a tired smile.
It wasn't a frustrated smile.
It was a smile of pure, radiant, manic happiness.
"This is… this is perfect."
The system fell silent.
"System?"
[So this is the power of a heroine…]
Its voice was different. Lower. Almost… impressed?
"What do you mean 'the power of a heroine'?"
[Nothing. It doesn't matter. Just… evaluate your rewards.]
I tilted my head, curious, but the bubbling happiness inside me was too strong to be held back by mere curiosity.
"Fine, keep your secrets."
I stood up, ignoring the agony that ran through my exhausted body, and walked to the center of the cell.
The teleportation orb glowed with blue light in my hands, like a small star.
One use.
That was all I had… but it was also all I needed.
"With this, I can get out of here," I whispered, my eyes fixed on the golden sphere. "I can go to Ryuu, and then take him out of that room, that hospital, out of that woman's grasp."
I closed my fingers around the orb, feeling its warmth pulse against my skin.
The mask, meanwhile, was a piece of white porcelain, smooth and cold. I could become anyone. A nurse, a doctor, an innocent visitor.
Or… Bai Ning herself.
I imagined the scene: me entering the hospital room with my mother's face, Ryuu looking at me in confusion, not recognizing me. And then I remove the mask, revealing my face, and say:
"I came to get you."
He would cry and embrace me. And then I—
BANG!
The crash came again, and the cell trembled.
But this time, I didn't get angry.
I simply caressed the Teleportation Orb in my hands, feeling its warmth at my fingertips.
"What I'm imagining isn't just a fantasy, because I'm going to make it real."
[Ding! +15 Love Points.]
[Again? You didn't even do anything!]
"Thinking about him is the most important action there is."
[In all my life in this line of work, this is the first time I've seen this.]
*End of POV.*