The system's voice grew somber. "Hopeless and in total despair, she walked towards the train station with a dazed, empty look in her eyes. She was broken. But fate had more cruel tricks to play on her. On the way, she got robbed by a pickpocket. All her money—even the train ticket—was stolen from her small bag. A fresh wave of panic and despair washed over her. She ran after the thief, her heart pounding with a fear she couldn't name. In her frantic state, not watching where she was going, she suffered a violent death after a harsh collision with a moving tram. It was a spot death. Instant. And no one in that big, busy city truly mourned for her."
Inside her mind, Ji Yu narrowed her eyes slightly. A cold, sharp light flashed deep within them. This would not be her fate.
She heard the little system say again, its voice now firm with purpose, "Host, your compulsory mission in this world is to make sure that Li Mingxuan and the female lead do not end up together. You must change the story. You must change your fate."
Ji Yu was quiet for a long moment after hearing the system's grim story. The tale of her own violent and meaningless death hung in the air. Finally, she spoke, her voice low and thoughtful. "I see.." she murmured. A practical question rose to the top of her mind. "Can I divorce him or not?"
The system's response was immediate and surprisingly cheerful. "Don't worry host! There's no OOC—that means Out Of Character—in the worlds generated by the Mirror World. The host is free to act as she pleases, as long as she completes the compulsory mission. You are not trapped by the original personality of Ji Yu. You can be bold, you can be clever, you can be anything you want! You can divorce him, you can stay married, whatever you choose. The only rule is that Li Mingxuan and the female lead cannot be together in the end."
A small, almost invisible smile touched Ji Yu's lips. This changed everything. She didn't have to act like a weak and meek girl. This would make her mission a lot easier.
She leaned back against the hard wooden headrest of the small bed in her cheap inn room. The journey had been exhausting, and the emotional weight of the story was heavy. She closed her eyes, not in defeat, but in deep thought. Pieces of a plan began to slowly form in her mind. She wouldn't charge in blindly tomorrow. She needed a strategy.
A wave of tiredness finally washed over her. The thinking could wait for a few hours. Right now, her body needed fuel. Her mind needed to be sharp.
"Anyway," she said to herself, her voice firm with new resolve, "I should get a little rest before tomorrow comes." She shifted on the thin mattress, making herself as comfortable as possible. She took one last deep breath, letting the fear and uncertainty of the original Ji Yu fade away, replaced by her own cool determination.
"After all," she whispered into the dark, quiet room, a hint of steel in her tone, "tomorrow is going to be a very busy day." With that final thought, she closed her eyes and willed herself to sleep, gathering her strength for the battle ahead.
…
…
Ji Yu woke up just as the first light of dawn began to color the sky. She had slept deeply, her body demanding rest after the long journey, but her mind was now clear and focused. She washed up with the small basin of water provided by the cheap inn, the cold water sharp against her skin, waking her up completely. She carefully folded the simple clothes she had—a well-worn blouse and a pair of dark trousers—and smoothed out the wrinkles as best she could.
She checked out of the hotel, handing over the key to the tired-looking man at the front desk. When she put her hand in her pocket, she found only three crumpled dollars left. She sighed, a soft sound of frustration. She was so poor. In this vast, intimidating city, three dollars felt like nothing. She knew she couldn't survive like this for long. A firm resolve settled in her heart: no matter what happened today, she must find a way to earn money in this world. She refused to live a hard life, scrounging for every penny.
Stepping out of the inn, she was immediately swallowed by the capital city. It was so much louder and busier than her quiet village. Cars honked, bicycles weaved through the crowds, and people rushed everywhere with urgent purpose. For a moment, she felt small and lost. But she straightened her shoulders and pushed the feeling down.
She needed to find the Li mansion. She didn't have an address, so she relied on the method she knew best: asking people. She approached a friendly-looking woman selling steamed buns from a cart. "Excuse me, elder sister," Ji Yu began, her voice polite. "Could you please tell me the way to the Li family mansion? The very wealthy Li family?"
The woman looked her up and down, curious but not unkind. "The Lis? Oh, everyone knows them. You keep walking straight this way," she said, pointing down the wide main road. "When you see the big bank building, turn left. You'll know you're close—the houses get bigger and bigger, and the streets get quieter. You can't miss it."
Ji Yu thanked her and started walking. She followed the directions, her eyes wide, taking in the changing cityscape. The noisy, crowded markets slowly gave way to wider, cleaner streets lined with trees. The buildings became grander, and soon she found herself in a neighborhood where every house was hidden behind high walls and large, imposing gates.
And then, she saw it. The Li mansion. It wasn't just a house; it was a fortress of wealth. The wall seemed to stretch on forever, and the main gate was made of heavy, ornate black iron, polished to a shine. It screamed money and power, designed to keep people like her out.
She walked straight up to the gate without much interest in all this display of wealth. Before she could even reach out to touch it, a guard stepped out from a small booth. He was dressed in a crisp uniform and held a long bayonet rifle, not pointing it at her, but holding it in a way that made its presence very clear. He looked at her simple clothes and her worn-out shoes with immediate suspicion.
He moved to block her path, his voice loud and demanding. "Stop right there! Who are you? State your business!" His tone said she didn't belong there, and that he was ready to make her leave.
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