Slaughtering all sides
At exactly nine o'clock in the morning, the system's electronic alarm clock went off in Qu Shiyao's mind right on time, comparable to an air raid siren.
[Host! Wake up! Urgent military intelligence! Yesterday's plot rating is out! Fresh and hot reader feedback! It concerns our crucial upgrade of privileges! Check it out immediately!!!]
The electronic sound is extremely penetrating, carrying a sense of urgency that "if you don't get up, the world will be destroyed."
Qu Shiyao struggled hard in the soft quilt like a fish out of water.
Her eyes were tightly closed, her brows furrowed, and a muffled groan escaped her nose. She slowly rolled over, burying her face deeper into the pillow, and mumbled, "One minute... just one minute... let me... do it again..."
system:【……】
It silently activated the virtual stopwatch, the red numbers ticking relentlessly.
59…58…57……
The instant the timer resets to zero, the system launches another attack!
[Host! One minute has elapsed, down to the millisecond! Please wake up immediately! Accept reader feedback!]
Qu Shiyao remained completely still, as if she had become one with the mattress.
Just when the system thought she was going to play dead, a fair hand slowly emerged from under the covers, fingers spread, as if performing some kind of mysterious ritual.
"Five minutes..." Her muffled voice came from deep within the pillow, heavy with sleep, "Just five minutes... I... have awakened... and soon... I will... reign supreme..."
system:【……? ? ? 】
"Was that supposed to wake you up? You didn't even lift your eyelids!" It resignedly restarted the stopwatch.
The agonizing 300 seconds passed.
[Host! Five minutes! A full three hundred seconds! A single cell could divide several times in that time! Please proceed!]
The system's electronic voice was already hinting at a potential breakdown.
The response was a series of breaths that gradually became even, long, and even a little snore-like...
After promising to "get up in five minutes," Qu Shiyao successfully used those precious five minutes to plunge into a deep sleep once again! She slept so peacefully!
system:【……】
If it had a physical body, it would probably be floating in the sea of data by now, pinching its own philtrum.
I'm not human, but you, host, must be a dog! A purebred! Like a husky!
---
At ten o'clock in the morning, abundant sunlight filtered through the gaps in the curtains, casting a warm glow on Qu Shiyao's face.
She stretched with contentment, and her joints made a crackling sound, like a dormant machine finally being recharged.
"Ah~~ That feels so good!" She rubbed her eyes and sat up, her groggy mind slowly recalling something. She turned to look at the system, "Hmm? Did you call me this morning? What's up?"
System: [...] A massive torrent of data, described as "frustration," instantly overwhelmed its core logic.
If it were breathing, it would have suffocated to death by now. Cause of death: its data became disordered due to anger caused by the host.
It used up its last bit of power and emitted a weak, erratic electronic sound: [Master... The results... came out... at 9:00 AM... Rating... 8.6... Reviews... Exploded...]
"Oh? 8.6?" Qu Shiyao instantly perked up, the drowsiness from just waking up vanishing, her eyes shining like searchlights. "Not bad! A great start! But..."
She stroked her chin, a critical expression on her face, as if touting the readers of this generation. "My brilliant physical salvation and the elimination of evil only saw a 0.1 point increase? Was it the original fans who brought it down?"
According to our analysis, the percentage of fans of the original work giving low scores is indeed relatively high.
The system is working to smooth out data fluctuations.
Want to see the 'battlefield replay'? I secretly registered a new account; I can put you in the game as an alias!
"Bring it on!" Qu Shiyao said with great enthusiasm, rolling up her sleeves and preparing to unleash her tirade.
The system immediately unfolded a virtual screen in front of her, listing several "low-scoring negative reviews" that had been pushed to the front:
[Looking out from the city wall: Came here with high expectations, only to be utterly disappointed! Where is the gentle, resilient, and innocent heroine I was promised? What kind of rewrite is this?! She's a complete shrew! Where is my pure and kind Yao Yao? Give me back my Yao Yao!!! (1 star)]
Qu Shiyao (Niu Hulu, Sister Qu): Darling~ The "pure and kind Yao Yao" you called for has jumped into the sea and is no longer in service. Now serving you is Niu Hulu, Qu Shiyao, professional physical exorcism, specializing in dealing with all kinds of scum! Also, to correct you, this isn't called a shrew, this is called swift and decisive self-defense! I suggest you thoroughly study the Criminal Law~ (smile.jpg)
【Chengcheng, Love Me Again: Ugh, I'm so angry! Who the hell rewrote this?! My heart aches! How could the female lead treat Sicheng like this?! What if he catches a cold or fever?! Such a perfect man! (1 star)】
Qu Shiyao frowned: Has this brain been marinated with the flavor of an old-fashioned domineering CEO?
Qu Shiyao (Niu Hulu, Sister Qu): My dear, I suggest you calmly consider a few philosophical questions first: 1. Why would your "perfect" man be at a bar late at night and get precisely drugged? 2. How can an adult male be considered perfect if he can't even protect himself and respect himself? 3. The harsh realities of society are an inevitable part of a scumbag's growth! The female lead is helping him reshape his worldview and values! She's doing this with good intentions, don't you understand? (pats shoulder.jpg)
[A passerby: First time reading it, I feel the rewriting is just so-so, there's too much forced hype, I don't understand how it got a high score. (2 stars)]
Qu Shiyao's Fiery Eyes: Pretend! Keep pretending! This familiar formula, original fans pretend to be passers-by!
Qu Shiyao (Niu Hulu, Sister Qu): Honey~ A sincere suggestion! If you don't like the style of this drama, check out the authentic "The Domineering CEO's Fierce Love" next door, it's more to your liking! Friendly reminder: Bring your own lightning rod for better results~ After watching it, come back and you'll find a whole new world open up for you! Absolutely worth the money! (Heart emoji)
[Looking at each other from afar: If you can't change it, don't force it! You've destroyed the core conflict! If the female lead doesn't have a relationship with the male lead, how will the subsequent tragic love story, the substitute trope, and the wife-chasing-after-the-cry drama unfold? Without that physical bond between them, where is the foundation of their relationship? Forced changes ruin the character development! Bad review! (1 star)]
Qu Shiyao laughed in exasperation: What the hell?! Bonds are the foundation of feelings!
Qu Shiyao (Niu Hulu, Sister Qu): Has this person's worldview been slammed shut? No relationship means no feelings can develop? That's called attempted rape! What normal person would fall in love with a perpetrator who tried to assault them? Would you? (Sincerely asking.jpg) Besides, who says relationships can only develop through sex? The female lead's profound lesson with that bottle of wine will surely be etched in the male lead's memory! Isn't this bond deep enough? Isn't it unforgettable? Isn't it enough to unfold into another 800 chapters of love-hate relationship? (Nuclear-smiling.jpg)
Qu Shiyao's fingers flew, and she was invincible in the comment section.
The system was trembling as it watched the data flow from the side. Its initial worry about the host being scolded and crying quickly turned into worrying that its own newly registered account would be exposed online by angry fans of the original novel and its data would evaporate!
After an hour of exhausting “cleaning up” the comment section, Qu Shiyao felt refreshed, as if she had received a full-body SPA, and the last bit of sleepiness disappeared.
She stretched and was about to plan her journey to conquer the domineering company of "Niuhulu Qu Dajie" when her cell phone dinged, notifying her of a new email.
From: Human Resources Department, CAQ Group.
Subject: Employment Notice - Assistant to General Manager Position.
Oh wow! In the original novel, the heroine got the job through her own abilities!
Qu Shiyao opened the email and looked at the formal and official wording. Her previous defiant and aggressive demeanor suddenly weakened.
She poked the system, her tone unusually uncertain: "System, what exactly does this general manager's assistant do? Serving tea, pouring water, printing documents? Or is it handling billions of dollars worth of business for the CEO? Can I... handle it?"
After all, she was a programmer in her previous life, and the profession of "assistant to the CEO" was completely different from her.
[Relax, host!]
The system immediately reassured them.
[A mere assistant? Nothing to brag about! With your incredible resourcefulness and the ability to dismantle a Gundam with your bare hands, you're more than capable! The initial tasks will likely be basic: printing, photocopying, booking flights, serving tea and water, acting as a doorman—you'll definitely have experienced staff to guide you! Go for it!]
As Qu Shiyao listened, her tense nerves had just relaxed a little when a thought struck her mind like lightning.
She sat bolt upright, her eyes gleaming: "Wait! System! You're saying that if we don't deliberately modify certain plot points, but only tweak minor details, then the overall direction of the original work... won't basically remain unchanged? For example... I'm destined not to be easily fired?"
system:【……】
That familiar, ominous premonition instantly seized it.
[Theoretically, that's how it is... As long as the core conflict and the network of relationships remain... What do you want to do, host?!]
"Hehe!" Qu Shiyao's face broke into an extremely bright smile. She stood up abruptly, rushed to the balcony, put her hands on her hips, and faced the bright morning sun with great pride.
"It's fate! So, isn't it perfectly reasonable for me to strategically preserve my strength? Anyway, I won't get fired! I'll still get my salary!"
The sunlight shone on her, as if gilding her with a golden glow that seemed to say, "I want to lie down."
Just as the system was about to use "professional ethics" and "plot requirements" to awaken the host's fighting spirit, a sudden inspiration struck! It remembered a crucial piece of information that the host might have overlooked!
【Host! 】
The system subtly reminded you in a tone that seemed to ask, "Have you forgotten about the gold and silver mountains?"
[There's a little thing... do you remember? There was a clause in our agreement... that once you've successfully retired and returned to the real world, all your legal income earned here will be converted into your real-world currency at a 100:1 exchange rate... The ratio might be low, but every little bit helps! Think about it: the high salary at that top-tier company! The year-end bonus! The overtime pay! Little by little, it adds up to a huge sum when you get back! Financial freedom is just around the corner!]
The system paused, then unleashed its ultimate weapon, asking in a seductive electronic voice: "Could it be... host... you don't love money?"
money!
This word was like a bolt of black thunder from the sky, striking Qu Shiyao's crown with precision!
The "light of giving up" on her face froze instantly, and was then replaced by a flame mixed with enlightenment, regret, and a raging fire called "making money"!
Oh right! How could she forget that! Why did she die suddenly? Wasn't it all for that pittance?
Now there's a legal way to take the humiliation money back! This is like a windfall!
"No! This won't do—!"
Qu Shiyao blurted out excitedly, her voice particularly loud in the quiet morning neighborhood, "Capitalists who dare to deduct my money! They don't deserve to live—!!!"
Clang!
A sudden creaking sound came from the balcony next door.
Qu Shiyao's impassioned "anti-capital declaration" came to an abrupt end, like a rooster being choked.
She turned her head stiffly, little by little.
Then, the door to the balcony next door, which had been empty all along, was pushed open, and a young man wearing a crisp white sports vest, revealing his beautiful tanned skin and smooth arm lines, walked out.
He seemed to have just finished his morning exercise; fine beads of sweat still clung to his forehead, reflecting a healthy glow in the sunlight.
At this moment, he was wiping his sweat with a towel in one hand and holding a mug in the other, looking at the source of the sound with surprise in his eyes.
Their eyes met.
The air was deathly still.
An awkward situation known as a "massive social death scene" instantly filled the entire balcony, like a thick fog.
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