Chapter 1: Popularity System

Over ten thousand years ago.

Humanity stepped out of the solar system for the first time and successfully established contact with intelligent civilizations from other star systems.

They discovered they were not alone.

Over a thousand years ago.

The cosmic human empire, which had already been established and become the Overlord of the universe, engaged in a war with the Tianyan Clan from the Negative Universe.

The superpower system known as Star Energy was noticed by the forces of the Positive Universe for the first time.

During the five hundred years of brutal war, the Star Energy extraordinary system rapidly developed and flourished throughout the Positive Universe.

The fierce war and the power brought by extraordinary abilities accelerated the strength of the human empire.

Although the human empire won the war at an enormous cost, it lost a great deal of technological foundation.

Various separatist forces began to emerge throughout the Positive Universe, and the human empire gradually became a name in name only.

Over a hundred years ago.

An Expedition Team from Origin Earth successfully conquered the Sita Star System located on the frontier and discovered an economically and strategically valuable species within the system — the Yelan.

The Expedition Team purchased the Sita Star System, took Yelan as their family name, and became the rulers of the system.

During a century of development, they amassed vast wealth and ranked among the top ten families of the human empire.

Ten years ago.

A soul descended from beyond the Positive and Negative Universes and was born as the daughter of the main branch of the Yelan Family.

She was naturally beautiful, obedient, and dearly loved.

At six years old, she was detected to have a terrifying Star Energy talent, almost unanimously recognized as the next heir of the Yelan Family.

On her ninth birthday, her father, the clan leader, gifted her an entire planet.

Ten hours ago.

A group of unidentified Star Pirates hacked the Domain Stringwave Alarm and secretly infiltrated the territory of the Sita Star System.

The Yelan Family dispatched guards to intercept them.

Within an hour, the guard signals disappeared, and the Star Pirates landed on the planet where the Yelan Family’s main branch resided.

That day was the tenth birthday of the Yelan Little Princess.

Ten minutes ago.

The entire main branch of the Yelan Family was slaughtered by the pirates.

Only the young girl survived, escaping by piloting a spaceship under the desperate cover of her parents.

And ten seconds ago.

At the critical moment of faster-than-light escape, the ship malfunctioned and was destroyed by the pursuing Star Pirates.

The girl fought desperately, trying to use her own Star Energy to kill the pirates before her.

Even at the brink of life and death, her sudden burst of power was no match for the vast gap in age and Star Energy levels.

She was easily knocked to the ground, her waist-length blue hair grabbed like dragging cargo, as the pirates walked over the corpses laid out by her family.

Her valuable pale blue dress was stained with blood.

At this moment, the dream that had lasted ten years for the transmigrator named Yun Ruoxi was utterly shattered.

“This is the last one, Overlord.”

The ruthless Star Pirates threw the girl aside and bowed their heads respectfully before a towering man.

Their eyes burned with fervent admiration.

“The Yelan Family’s Little Princess…”

The three-meter-tall giant, wearing an iron mask, gripped the girl’s neck and slowly lifted her to eye level.

The huge size difference made it seem as if he was holding a fragile porcelain vase.

“Even in the Negative Universe, I’ve heard of your fame — an unmatched genius, a peerless beauty.”

“Guh… I… will kill you.”

Yun Ruoxi struggled, flailing and kicking at the giant before her.

She already knew everything was hopeless.

But having lived as a man for two decades, she understood that some things were more terrifying than death.

So now,

She only sought to enrage him, hoping for a swift death.

Perhaps… in this universe filled with extraordinary elements, heaven and hell were not illusions.

There, she would reunite with her family.

“Do you want to die that badly?” the Overlord’s voice rumbled.

“I just want to kill you,” Yun Ruoxi hissed through gritted teeth.

“Hahaha!” The Overlord’s laughter echoed chillingly beneath the iron mask.

“The Yelan Family is audacious enough to harbor… that bloodline. If I hadn’t come today, this secret might have truly remained hidden.”

“Don’t worry…”

His thick fingers curved slightly, his rough knuckles gently stroking the girl’s delicate cheek.

She shivered violently, goosebumps rising.

“I won’t kill you. I’ll let you experience the hell I once went through.”

Bang!

The girl was thrown like a ragdoll into the sea of corpses and blood, her forehead hitting some heavy object and bleeding.

She turned her head, and in front of her was a familiar face.

“Uncle…”

Yun Ruoxi stretched out her right hand toward the head, two lines of unwilling blood tears slowly streaming from her crimson pupils.

If she could live again…

“Someone, extract her Star Energy bloodline and send her to the Battle Camp in the Asha Star Domain. And inform the Commandant to take good care of this Little Princess,” the Overlord ordered.

But as soon as he finished, one of the pirates stepped forward, seemingly objecting to the Overlord’s decision.

“Overlord, she is the only witness to this matter! With the big plan ahead, it’s best not to complicate things!”

“Oh?” White steam leaked from the iron mask’s edges as the Overlord slowly approached the man and crouched down, lightly pressing his right index finger against his forehead.

“Are you questioning me?”

His tone was calm, as if it were a simple question.

But the man suddenly trembled like a sieve, his back instantly soaked in sweat.

“I dare not!” He lowered his head.

“I know you don’t.”

The Overlord chuckled softly, patted his shoulder, then stood and passed by him, looking at the other pirates.

“The Battle Camp is a gathering place for madmen. She won’t get out. If she really escapes, I’ll kill her myself! If the empire learns what I’ve done, then I’ll strike to sink this broken giant ship called the empire! After all, I am the Overlord!”

The Overlord clenched his fist, the sound shattering the ground and crushing nearby corpses into pulp.

“Don’t you want to see the once-proud daughter of heaven, the noble clan scion, struggling in the mud pit, writhing in agony but unable to break free?”

“I want to see!”

Someone shouted loudly, followed by a chorus of cheers rolling like waves, causing ripples in the blood puddles on the ground.

“Haha!”

The Overlord laughed triumphantly and waved his hand.

“Everyone, celebrate here for two days. The Imperial Security Bureau won’t arrive for at least three days.”

“Long live the boss!”

“Party time!”

“Hahaha, all those treasures are mine!”

Amidst the cheers, the flames burning everything flared even higher.

Two pirates stepped out from the crowd and, one on each side, carried the badly injured girl toward the spaceship.

Her toes scraped the ground, forced to hop over rubble and corpses.

It looked like the family dance she learned as a child.

Though her eyes were blurred with blood, seeing nothing clearly, the girl stared fiercely at the chaotic scene before her, trying to memorize every face.

Live!

“Shh!”

The cryogenic pod opened, cold air flowing out, and the girl was roughly shoved inside.

The cryo-freeze liquid sprayed out in mist.

The world before her began to collapse as a strong drowsiness slowly pulled down her eyelids.

“Have a good sleep, Yelan Family’s Little Princess. This is the last time you can sleep peacefully. From now on, you only deserve to scrape by in hell.”

“Damn, this little princess is pretty, such a pity to send her to the Battle Camp.”

“How about sending you along with her?”

“Better not, haha, I’m not done living yet!”

Laughter gradually faded as the cargo bay door closed.

Just as Yun Ruoxi was about to close her eyes, she suddenly opened them wide and punched the observation glass of the cryogenic pod, eyes nearly bursting.

Hell?

I will crawl out. Just wait!

Then I… will kill you all, one by one, leaving none alive!

Before that, none of you shall die…

Her right hand weakly dropped, sinking downward.

Just as she was about to enter full hibernation, a cold mechanical voice suddenly rang in her ear.

Ding, plot deviation node detected, Two-World Anchor Point confirmed, binding in progress.

“What… what’s that sound?”

Detection of the Hyperdimensional Anime has begun broadcasting. The host is about to enter long-term unconsciousness; temporary awakening procedure initiated to ensure plot deviation alert.

Zzzzt!

An electric current flashed through Yun Ruoxi’s mind.

Among the hundreds of cryo pods in the large cargo ship’s hold, one suddenly emitted a brief blue light and played an emotionless voice.

“Awakening detected… zzzzt, no activity detected, returning to hibernation mode.”

The next second, the girl, floating in the cryo liquid with tears of blood, suddenly opened her eyes wide.

“I fell asleep? No, why am I awake? What just happened? Why am I in a cryo pod?”

The cryogenic liquid suppressed brain activity, and the girl’s mind was a mess upon awakening.

But soon, the painful memories of everything that had just happened began to stir in her mind.

“My parents, my family…”

She painfully covered her mouth, tears slowly flowing down, mixing with the cryo liquid.

[Detected excessive emotional fluctuation in the host; initiating temporary pacification program.]

Zzzzt!

Another electric current flashed, and the girl’s expression gradually calmed.

[There is still a chance to change.]

[Please remain calm for now and listen to the beginner tutorial.]

“Change?” Yun Ruoxi whispered softly. “The dead cannot come back to life. What change? I only want revenge!”

[Host, as long as you have enough Popularity Value, the resurrection of the dead is not impossible.]

“Popularity Value? What is Popularity Value?!”

In this era of advanced technology, resurrection remained an unsolved challenge, yet for some reason, the girl instinctively believed this unknown system.

[Yes, you have already bound to the Popularity System. Popularity Value can help you obtain everything you desire.]

“Popularity Value? How do I earn it?” the girl asked in her calm state.

[By performing well in the Hyperdimensional Anime and winning the favor of the hyperdimensional audience, you can earn Popularity.]