Chapter 1: Just staying alive is enough

“You know, a book works like this every character is assigned a predetermined background, personality, and life path.

Even if you’re just an insignificant extra, one whose name never even appears, you still have an initial setting.”

“But unlike a program, humans grow after birth.

As they experience life and make choices, they develop independent consciousness.

It’s not uncommon for them to stray from their original design.”

“Just like that mutated mushroom in your room it was supposed to”

“I have a question.

Why does this mushroom have so many mouths?

One in the front, one in the back, another on the cap…

It can’t even talk or keep me company.”

“…Hey, are you even listening?”

Half-asleep, Sang Miao heard the raspy voice of what sounded like a chatty teenage boy going through puberty.

It sounded human, but with a faint mechanical, electronic quality and it was loud.

Not wanting to argue with a kid, she responded half-heartedly, “Mm-hmm,” to show she was listening.

Whether she actually made a sound, she wasn’t sure.

The robotic voice returned to its original topic books.

“Ahem, of course, there are loopholes.

Sometimes, major accidents happen.

Like you your consciousness detached from your body and ended up in this eerie place.”

“But don’t worry, the version of you over there is still functioning.

Technically… it still counts as half of you!”

Sang Miao thought, Half? What nonsense.

She felt like she was about to shatter, frozen solid like glass.

She was about to break apart!

Was she hallucinating from the cold?

Had she become some kind of modern-day matchstick girl?

The extreme cold had persisted for days, wiping out most mutated plants and animals—let alone humans.

A frozen world.

Good news: The zombies were completely gone.

Bad news: Even her camper, which had previously withstood extreme temperatures, was now struggling.

Frost crept along the interior walls, sending waves of cold air into the vehicle.

The heating system had inexplicably failed and was still under repair.

If she could just endure a few more days, she

Sang Miao’s consciousness stuttered.

Wait… she wasn’t cold anymore.

The voice continued speaking, but Sang Miao didn’t care.

She felt warm.

A long-lost warmth.

She wanted to sink into it forever.

When she finally woke up, she stared at an unfamiliar, brightly lit ceiling for a second.

Her gaze sharpened instantly.

She sat up abruptly from the sofa, instinctively scanning her surroundings.

The room was neither too big nor too small, lavishly decorated.

Clothes and bags were casually placed on the tables and sofa, likely belonging to multiple people.

Empty spaces along the walls and floor were cluttered with leftover decorations.

Despite the abundance of items, the room wasn’t messy—it seemed to be a lounge.

Through the window, she saw a lush garden outside.

It wasn’t the vast, icy wasteland she had come to know.

That noisy voice…

So, it hadn’t been a death hallucination.

From the corner of her eye, she spotted a reflective surface on a nearby cabinet.

She walked over and looked at her current appearance.

Same face, same height but different styling.

Her once short, sharp bob had become long, wavy, and a muted brown.

She wore jewelry earrings and a necklace things she never would have owned in the past.

But the biggest difference was her skin.

It was flawless.

Unlike before, there were no scars from battles or frostbite.

She lifted her sleeve.

Her arm, smooth and delicate, lacked any trace of old wounds.

Only faint calluses from writing remained on her fingertips.

So, it was true.

She had returned to her original world.

Not quite reality, but as the voice had said this world was a novel.

Its plot had nothing to do with her.

She was just an NPC, a side character casually thrown in by the creator.

And it was a high school romance novel.

The male and female leads were still teenagers.

The only character of significance that she recognized was her younger sister.

Her sister…

Yes, she had a sister two years younger than her.

Apparently, this character was a troublesome, villainous supporting role.

A villain, sure.

But the twist?

This villain wasn’t in love with the male lead.

Nor was she the female lead’s rival.

Instead she was the young stepmother of the male protagonist.

How did a girl so young end up as a stepmother?

Sang Miao didn’t remember much about the novel’s plot.

She only knew that something happened later on.

Her sister’s marriage ended in a messy divorce, and she didn’t have a happy ending.

She tried recalling more details about Sang Rui, her sister, but her current body and mind were still merging.

Memories came in fragmented flashes, too jumbled for her to control.

She let it go maybe they would settle in time.

For the longest time, she had thought she would die in that other world.

She had arrived in the apocalypse at eighteen.

From the very beginning, her memories of her original life had been weak like trying to see through fog.

Even when she did remember, survival had always been her priority.

Her past life became nothing more than footprints in the sand, slowly covered and erased by time.

It felt like a different lifetime.

Here, she was twenty-five.

She had been gone for seven years.

And now, for some reason, she was back.

What kind of messed-up world was this?

Couldn’t she ever just stay in one place?

A phone ringtone cut through the confusion of her fragmented memories.

Sang Miao glanced at the caller ID, hesitated for a few seconds, then picked up.

A female voice came through: “Miaomiao, where did you go? The event is almost over.”

The caller was Zhou Yun, a colleague from Gurfa, a top-tier fashion magazine where Sang Miao had worked for the past two years since graduating.

Tonight was Gurfa’s annual charity gala one of the most high-profile events in the entertainment industry.

The event was being held at a prestigious hotel, and while the lively red carpet had long ended and the banquet was winding down, there was still no time for staff to relax.

Understanding the situation, Sang Miao responded nonchalantly: “Nothing, I’ll be right there.”

Years of surviving in extreme conditions had ingrained in her an instinct observe, adapt quickly, and always be ready for potential danger.

She would endure as long as she could.

At least, in this world, there was no imminent life-threatening crisis.

Other problems? They didn’t matter.

A Different World of Status and Facades

Back in the banquet hall, the stars were gathering for their final group photo.

The stage was crowded with celebrities elegantly dressed, glowing under the spotlights, but each with their own hidden agenda.

The air was thick with superficial smiles, silent rivalries, and a meticulously maintained hierarchy.

Sang Miao found this glamorous world completely foreign.

Scanning the stage, her gaze landed on Sang Rui, positioned second row, left side.

Dressed in an ashen-blue gown, Sang Rui smiled politely while conversing with others, but her fleeting impatience was barely concealed before she smoothed it over.

“I’m exhausted.”

A voice came from behind, followed by a familiar weight settling on Sang Miao’s shoulders.

Zhou Yun had slumped against her for support, sighing dramatically.

She, too, looked toward the stage and let out a knowing sigh.

“The entertainment industry is ruthless.”

Sang Miao turned her head, curious about what prompted this sudden remark.

Zhou Yun lowered her voice and murmured:

“You remember when Sang Rui first entered the industry, right? A rich heiress her debut was bigger than anyone’s.

She landed a major magazine cover straight away, and everyone was envious.

But not long after… the Sang family ran into trouble.”

“Now? She barely gets the same treatment as a third-tier celebrity at these events.”

Her tone carried a hint of pity.

Sang Miao remained expressionless.

Clearly, Zhou Yun had no idea that she was also a member of the Sang family.

Not surprising she and Sang Rui didn’t look alike.

Besides, she had deliberately kept her personal background private.

Apart from the editor-in-chief, no one at the company knew about her connection to the Sang family.

From the fragmented memories flashing through her mind, the Sang family’s situation in recent years was indeed bleak.

She wondered how her family was faring.

Still, she wasn’t too worried about her own future.

Compared to the apocalypse, at least this world had food, clothing, and safety.

There were no zombies pounding at your door.

No giant mutant plants swallowing people whole car and all.

Life here? Survivable.

And if she died? Well, that was fine too.

But if she got eaten by zombies? Absolutely not.

Limbs severed, flesh ripped apart disgusting.

Following the charity gala was an exclusive private gathering.

Top executives, elite VIPs, and high-profile guests would all be attending.

As part of Gurfa, Sang Rui naturally stayed behind.

She shared a dressing room with two other rising actresses:

One of them was An Ying, a popular rising starlet in the industry.

An Ying had already changed into a more relaxed evening dress, still chatting with her junior from the same agency.

“I checked online Ying-jie, your red carpet look went viral tonight!

Way better than those top-tier celebrities.”

An Ying smiled modestly.

“Well, it’s not like I was wearing high-luxury couture like them I just aimed for something visually striking.”

“This brand is really trending lately.

Honestly, it’s not much different from top couture houses.”

“Their designs are great far better than the dresses C-brand sent me.”

“Ugh, C-brand is getting worse.

At this rate, no one will wear their designs anymore.”

Sang Rui’s expression darkened.

She was currently wearing a C-brand gown.

Clearly, they were deliberately mocking her.

Before she could respond, An Ying linked arms with her junior, smiling.

“Alright, let’s go.

Lin always waits for us.”

On her way out, she gave Sang Rui a perfunctory, insincere smile the kind meant purely for show.

It was public knowledge that the Sang family’s Yun’an Corporation had suffered a major financial crisis.

Their key investments collapsed, and with massive debt piling up, the company had suspended trading months ago.

If they failed to resolve their financial problems, their only option would be selling off assets to repay debt.

Sang Rui and An Ying were rivals, both competing for resources.

With such a perfect opportunity to belittle her, how could An Ying resist?

A few years ago, when she was a VIP client of those high-end fashion brands, she never had to borrow couture she simply bought them outright.

Now?

Her old gowns were outdated, new couture was beyond reach, and with her current industry ranking, she could only borrow what little she could get.

A fallen tiger, bullied by stray dogs.

Sang Rui’s face darkened.

Under normal circumstances, she wouldn’t even waste time on someone like An Ying.

But the humiliation still stung.

How dare that woman think she could step on her?

Sang Rui had assumed the Sang family was doomed.

Even with the Meng family’s support, she thought their future would merely be survival, not success.

But she knew better.

She had lived through this once before.

Yun’an Corporation would rise again stronger than ever.

Their current hardships wouldn’t last forever.

She adjusted her gown elegant and understated, perfect for the private gathering.

With a quick touch-up, she left the dressing room.

The afterparty was held in another banquet hall within the hotel.

As she made her way through the hallway, she caught sight of a group of elite guests.

Among them was the young heir of the world’s largest media conglomerate, a French aristocrat who was accompanying the CEO of Gurfa’s parent company.

Surrounding them were A-list actresses and top-tier influencers, all drawn to the sheer power he represented.

They had gathered outside the VIP elevator, seemingly engaged in conversation.

Several other actors slowed their pace, noticing someone unusual among the group.

Among them stood a man exuding absolute dominance.

He wore a cool gray dress shirt under a tailored black suit.

His posture was upright and powerful, his sharp features exuding an effortless authority.

Even the brightest stars paled in comparison.

Unlike the frivolous, indulgent atmosphere around him, his presence was accompanied by well-dressed assistants and subordinates, embodying precision and discipline.

A Western businessman greeted him warmly, clapping him on the shoulder.

“Meng, long time no see.”

Sang Rui froze.

She instinctively reached up to fix her hair only to realize…

She was no longer his wife.