Chapter 158: Taking risks and gains

“Awake, awake.” Yun Ruoxi smiled gently, though only she knew the helplessness in her heart.

Ever since Aili started following her, she hadn’t even had time for immersive binge-watching.

After all, everyone thought that whenever she spaced out, it was because she was being brainwashed.

But only she knew the truth.

When she zoned out, it was indeed the effect of the mental branding… But the key point was, she wasn’t affected at all!

In fact, Yun Ruoxi hadn’t originally planned to take the blame for Lin Zhen.

After all, in the original plot, after Lin Zhen was caught by Behemoth, Dr. Forefinger had used his authority to forcibly protect him.

He hadn’t been brainwashed, just fitted with an even more powerful collar to prevent his escape.

There was no need for her to risk herself.

But four months ago, on the day she returned from Shengyuxing.

Standing in the plaza, seeing the terrified, trembling Lin Zhen, Yun Ruoxi suddenly realized—

This incident was actually a perfect opportunity to max out Lin Zhen and the main group’s favorability, absorb a huge wave of popularity, ruthlessly torment her fans, and even logically insert Aili into the main cast.

And if she took the fall for Lin Zhen, he wouldn’t be restrained by the collar anymore.

The escape journey would go more smoothly than in the original, and with the unpredictable factor of Aili, their chances of success would increase.

So after much consideration, she decided that while taking the blame had its risks, with the system’s help, the benefits were tremendous—so she’d take the gamble.

Thus, after stepping forward for Lin Zhen and being escorted away, she opened her system and immediately exchanged for the skill she’d chosen long ago, originally planning to redeem it at the end of season one: [Advanced Brain Domain Isolation].

This skill cost 400,000 popularity and was quite powerful.

It allowed her to isolate a part of her brain domain, storing anything that might harm her mind—

Such as mental illness, inner demons from deviation, mental brands used for brainwashing, or seeds of warped values; all of these could be stored inside, completely isolating the danger and allowing her to delete or restart them at will.

Hmm, in simpler terms—it was like she’d installed a virtual machine in her own brain!

Letting her completely ignore the effects of brainwashing.

After all, they were only brainwashing the “Virtual Yun Ruoxi”—what did that have to do with the real Yun Ruoxi?

Of course.

Isolating a brain domain would inevitably take up some of Yun Ruoxi’s processing power, but there was no way around it.

The system did have skills that could directly nullify the effects of brainwashing, making it impossible to even plant a mental brand.

But she had to make the Saints’ Hand Society believe she’d been brainwashed, so she could only choose this skill, which was only average in cost-performance.

“Xiao Ai, it’s late, let’s sleep for now.”

Yun Ruoxi still wanted to summarize the popularity increase from episode nine, so she didn’t have the energy to deal with Aili for the moment.

She planned to use sleep as an excuse to enter the system space, so Aili wouldn’t interrupt her again.

Besides, it really was getting late.

“Mm.”

Aili nodded obediently and turned off the lights with a voice command.

Then she slipped into Yun Ruoxi’s blanket, reaching out to hug her and pressing her head, like a kitten, against Yun Ruoxi’s barely-curved chest.

That warm, slightly pressing sensation made Yun Ruoxi’s face flush faintly.

She pinched Aili’s cheek in annoyance, scolding, “You’re already thirteen, why do you still act like a little kid?”

“Hehe, even if I’m thirty, I’m still your little sister.”

Aili giggled, choosing to play cute.

Yun Ruoxi had no choice but to let her be, closing her eyes and entering the system space.

The darkness behind her eyelids was immediately replaced by a field of pure white.

When Yun Ruoxi entered the system space again, the drama window at the top right corner suddenly lit up.

[Episode Ten, I’ll eat first!]

[Hurry, hurry, hurry, hurry]

[Lazy production team, it’s already episode ten and still no new OP]

[Be glad there’s even an OP, or you’ll end up “watching the sea” again]

“Episode ten has started airing… Come to think of it, there’s less than three months until the final assessment.”

Yun Ruoxi pursed her lips.

Though she knew the time for her and Lin Zhen, and Aili, to part ways was drawing near.

But only when episode ten started airing in the top right corner.

Did she suddenly realize—was there really only three months left?

“I’d thought that even though there were only four episodes left, at least I’d get to spend a year with them…

But I never expected that after taking the blame, brainwashing would take four whole months.

“This really messed up all my plans!”

Yun Ruoxi shook her head, eyes full of reluctance, but that feeling was quickly replaced by resolve.

Lin Zhen and the others were destined to leave the training camp.

But she could not.

Not just for her own sake—to perfect her highlight moments and use the Saints’ Hand Society’s resources to grow stronger quickly.

It was also for Lin Zhen and the others’ sake.

If she left the training camp, the Overlord wouldn’t let her go, and would continue hunting Lin Zhen and the others.

The main group was still too weak now.

Far from being a match for the Overlord, king of the star pirates.

But even if they parted for now, as long as season two aired, they’d meet again.

So there was no need to feel sad.

“Parting is for an even better reunion!”

Yun Ruoxi recited the words she’d told Aili to herself, then summoned her system panel.

[Name: Yun Ruoxi Yelan]

[Age: 13]

[Reputation: Fallen Fragrant Jade (Empire), Strongest Trainee in the Camp (Pandora-35 Planet Exclusive)]

[Role: Female No.2 (Villain)]

[Stellar Energy Index: 169]

[Potential: A+ (???)]

[Bloodline: Grade A Bloodline (Perfect Awakening), Unknown Bloodline (Unawakened)]

[Attributes: Strength C, Agility C, Willpower S, Constitution B+, Mental Power S, Brain Domain Processing Power S, Stellar Energy Control S]

[Current Skills:
Sensory Field (Current self-developed progress: 82%), Level 1 Brain Domain Development, Level 1 Stellar Energy Control, Primary Telekinesis Development (collapsed), Advanced Brain Domain Isolation (2 mental brands currently isolated)]

[Current Star Art: A-grade Secret Art—Full Circulation (Stable Version)]

[Popularity: 680,000 – 400,000 + 520,000 = 800,000]

[Outstanding Popularity Debt: 100,000]

“Hm? 520,000? Seriously?”

Staring at the string of zeros after her popularity score, Yun Ruoxi was stunned. She rubbed her eyes and looked again, finally confirming she wasn’t mistaken.

It really was 520,000!

It seemed her decision to take the fall for Lin Zhen in episode nine was right!

Tormenting the fans was the way to go!

Such a self-sacrificing act for the one she cared about, coupled with the crazy plot twists that followed her appearance, probably pushed the audience’s emotions to the limit, sending them up and down like a roller coaster.

That was how she got this jaw-dropping 520,000 in popularity.

“I’d thought that as long as I could make up half the loss in popularity, it would be enough—didn’t expect to actually make a surplus of 120,000. What a pleasant surprise.”

Yun Ruoxi’s face was full of joy.

She couldn’t help wishing for more opportunities like episode nine.

But she also knew these chances were rare.

After all, she’d basically stolen an entire episode’s spotlight that rightfully belonged to Lin Zhen—essentially acting as the “main character” for one whole episode.