Chapter 1: The Villainous Prince's Cheat Code
The soft blue glow of multiple monitors was the only thing keeping the darkness of the room at bay.
Xu Yanluo leaned back, his fingers twitching over the mechanical keyboard. On the screen was the final, pre-release build of Immortal Ascension—the xianxia RPG he'd poured his soul into as lead developer.
His eyes lingered on a character model that was, frankly, a work of art.
> [Character Profile: Xu Yanluo]
> Title: Second Prince of the Immortal Dynasty
> Visuals: Long white hair, crimson eyes, aristocratic elegance.
> Role: Mid-Game Villain / Stepping Stone.
> Fate: Heart crushed by the Protagonist; Harem confiscated; Clan annihilated.
>
"What a waste of top-tier assets," Yanluo muttered, a cynical smirk tugging at his lips. "I gave this guy the best character design in the game just to make him a loot box for a protagonist with a generic bowl-cut?"
As a dev, he couldn't help himself. He opened the console command one last time.
Defense values? Buffed. Elemental affinities? Maxed. Physique? Evolved to 'Primordial Chaos' tier.
"I'm not making him a God," he whispered to the empty room. "I'm just making sure he doesn't die like a moron."
CRACK.
A bolt of lightning tore through the city sky, striking the building's transformer. The monitors exploded into a blinding white void, and the last thing Xu Yanluo felt was the smell of ozone and the sensation of his soul being pulled through a straw.
[System Initializing...]
[Host Identity Confirmed: Xu Yanluo]
[Current Status: Alive (Barely)]
The first thing Yanluo felt wasn't pain. It was... warmth. Extreme, silk-covered, fragrant warmth.
He opened his eyes to see a ceiling made of solid white jade, etched with gold dragons that seemed to swim in the spiritual mist.
"This is..."
[Welcome, Host,] a mocking, feminine voice echoed in his skull. [I am 'Ling,' your System Spirit. Congratulations on escaping your virgin corporate life to become a villainous prince with a 100% chance of being assassinated. You're welcome.]
Yanluo ignored the snarky AI. He was too busy looking down.
A woman was draped across his chest. Her skin was like polished ivory, her black hair cascading over his pale skin like a river of ink.
[Target Identified: Yao Qingxue]
[Role: Former Regent Consort (Taboo Heroine)]
[Affection: 95/100 (Deeply Obsessed)]
"Mm... you're awake?" Qingxue murmured, her voice a sultry velvet that vibrated against his ribs. She lifted her head, her phoenix eyes narrowed with playful malice. "Did you enjoy last night, my shameless prince? Or were you so overwhelmed you've forgotten your own name?"
Yanluo's modern brain short-circuited for exactly one second. Then, his "Villain" instincts took over. He reached out, his fingers sliding into her hair, and pulled her into a lingering, possessive kiss.
Qingxue gasped, her eyes widening before she melted into him, laughing against his lips. "Oh? Someone woke up with a lion's appetite. And here I thought I had squeezed you dry."
"I have... a lot of pent-up energy," Yanluo replied, his voice coming out deeper and more melodic than he ever imagined.
As she rose to drape a translucent robe over her curves, the doors to the bedchamber slid open.
"Your Highness," a cold, melodious voice rang out.
Mu Qinglan, the elegant daughter of a fallen clan, stood there with a tray of spiritual tea. Her green hair was tied back, but her eyes lingered on the disheveled bed with a flash of hidden desire.
Before she could speak, a blur of red fur and silk tackled the side of the bed.
"Liar! You promised to visit the Fox Pavilion first!" Hu Ruyan, the Fox Clan Princess, pouted as she pressed her forehead against Yanluo's. Her fluffy ears twitched in agitation. "I can smell that Regent woman all over you. It's disgusting! I want a turn!"
"Ruyan, behave," a calm, saintly voice followed. Ling Yuechan, the Immortal Fairy Princess, entered the room like a walking sunbeam. She looked pure, holy, and utterly terrifyingly loyal.
Yanluo sat up, his long white hair flowing over his shoulders. He looked at the four legendary beauties in his room—women players would spend thousands of dollars to "pull" in the gacha—and a slow, dangerous smile spread across his face.
'Ling,' he thought. 'Show me my hidden stats.'
[Opening Developer-Modified Interface...]
[Physique: Primordial Chaos (Rank SSS)]
[Cultivation: Dao Seeking Realm (Initial)]
[Hidden Passive: 'Author's Authority' – Logic yields to your whims.]
Suddenly, a massive pressure rippled through the capital city. A golden light descended from the sky, shaking the palace foundations.
"The Holy Sect Messenger has arrived!" a guard shouted from outside. "He demands the Second Prince come out and kowtow to receive the Decree!"
Qingxue's face darkened. "The Holy Sect? They treat the Royal Family like dogs."
Yanluo stood up. He didn't put on a robe. He simply beckoned with his hand, and his regal, midnight-blue attire flew from the rack, dressing him in an instant through sheer telekinetic force.
"Kowtow?" Yanluo's red eyes glowed with a faint, predatory light.
He walked to the balcony, looking down at the "Messenger" hovering in the sky on a golden sword. To everyone else, the Messenger was a God. To Yanluo, he was a bug with a visible health bar.
[Enemy Spotted: Level 45 Trash.]
[Would you like to use 'One-Finger Obliteration'?]
"No," Yanluo whispered, his voice carrying across the entire capital, silencing the crowds. "I want to see the look on his face when I break his sword with my bare hands."
He stepped off the balcony, walking on thin air as if stepping on glass.
"Ling, start the music," Yanluo smirked. "The villain is taking over the script."