Chapter 07

Clear water flowed around Ye Zheng’s fingertips, coiling lightly like a harmless little white snake.

Healing-type, attack-type, support-type… these crude classifications were invented by humans afterward, yet in turn they shackled the development of human abilities.

Ye Zheng had never liked placing limits on herself.

“You all stay here for now. I’ve already taken care of the monsters in the vicinity.”

“I’m going to deal with the core of this Aberrant Realm. Once the core is destroyed, you’ll be able to leave.”

The people Ye Zheng had rescued stood helplessly behind the sand dune, watching the gray-cloaked figure grow more distant with every step. They could only clasp their hands in silent prayer, hoping that this kind ability user would succeed in destroying the core.

The core of an Aberrant Realm was usually its most powerful monster. Once the core was destroyed, the entire realm would collapse and dissipate.

Ye Zheng had already caught the scent of the core monster.

『You can’t possibly destroy the core.』

“Why? Am I not strong enough? This Aberrant Realm is, at most, C-rank.”

『Because that moment is reserved for the male protagonist.』

“Oh. So it’s already been booked in advance.”

Ye Zheng tilted her head slightly.

“If I use action points, can I steal this highlight scene?”

『Wake up. This is a major male-lead manga.』

『With the action points you currently possess, you can only modify details that do not affect the main storyline.』

『If you want to steal the male protagonist’s spotlight, your popularity must surpass his and make you the absolute protagonist.』

The system spoke coldly, attempting to completely extinguish the female protagonist’s dangerous ambitions.

“That’s truly a pity. My popularity is still far behind, isn’t it?”

A faint trace of melancholy appeared between Ye Zheng’s brows and eyes.

『If we assume the male protagonist’s popularity is 100,000, then yours is 1.』

『So stop thinking about strange things. Be a perfect female protagonist who is independent and strong, yet supports the male protagonist.』

『By the way, having too much presence is also bad. It interferes with readers shipping the male-male CP. Recently, the author has been keen on selling BL to stir up hype.』

“Your requirements are remarkably contradictory.”

She was expected to be independent and strong, yet leave all the highlights to the male protagonist, and also avoid interfering with BL marketing.

By the way, what exactly did “selling BL” mean?

A faint doubt surfaced in the mind of the paper Saintess.

She lifted her gaze toward the endless desert, then suddenly narrowed her eyes. A trail of faint but adorable little footprints appeared in her field of vision.

A soft smile curved the girl’s lips. She followed the tiny tracks, climbed over a small sand dune, and caught a plump white cat crouched at its base.

“So it really is you.”

“I asked Wen Xin to take care of you, yet you ran away without a word. Do you really enjoy being a stray cat that much?”

In the lower district, stray cats and dogs were everywhere. Ye Zheng did not actively feed them. Excessive kindness could easily disrupt the balance.

However, this particular white cat was simply too clever. It seemed to have seen through her special status, always lingering nearby in an ambiguous way. Even the church guards assumed it was her pet and treated it with exaggerated respect.

Left with no choice, Ye Zheng had entrusted it to Wen Xin. Yet after only a few days, it slipped away and vanished. She skillfully scratched beneath the cat’s chin. The cat squinted comfortably, clearly enjoying itself.

『Wait. This cat couldn’t be…』

Ye Zheng nodded calmly.

“There was a white cat drawn in the manga. It’s probably this one.”

『Fine. Hurry and say your final goodbye. Don’t follow the original plot and end up getting the male protagonist injured while trying to save it.』

Ye Zheng let out a light scoff.

“The moment I made my decision, I was already prepared to take responsibility for my actions. Injury or death, I accept them willingly.”

“But if someone suddenly jumps in halfway, interferes under the banner of saving me, gets injured because of it, and then everyone turns around and blames me for dragging him down…”

『In the original setting, the male protagonist saved you out of goodwill.』

『Putting it that way makes you sound cold-hearted. Shouldn’t a normal person feel deeply moved?』

『You’re kind to insignificant people, yet harsh toward the male protagonist.』

“In my eyes, he is no different from those people you deem insignificant.”

“He is no more important than a cat.”

Ye Zheng held the white cat close, her expression gentle.

“I simply don’t care about him or admire him the way you all imagine. Because of that, you think I’m harsh.”

The system fell silent.

On closer consideration, everything Ye Zheng had done so far was flawless. Condemning her merely for her words was what was truly harsh.

Ye Zheng ignored the system. She lowered her gaze to the soft, fluffy cat in her arms, her eyes rippling with warmth.

So cute.

Surely even God would forgive prioritizing such a creature over a man’s life, right?

For a fleeting moment, the Saintess abandoned the impartiality she always upheld.

As her fingers stroked the cat’s long fur, Ye Zheng suddenly felt its body stiffen. Its smooth fur bristled sharply. The white cat leaped from her arms in an instant, claws flashing.

Enemy attack.

For residents of the lower district, encountering an Aberrant Realm while buying groceries was commonplace. Animals were no exception. Aberrant monsters had varied diets and were not picky about whether dinner was human or kitten.

A cat that could survive long enough to grow this plump was clearly a veteran survivor, its alertness far surpassing that of humans.

Ye Zheng turned around and saw the white cat viciously pinning a tender red branch into the sand. A towering tree with crimson branches had somehow appeared in the desert.

At first, the cat easily overpowered the soft branch, but its movements gradually weakened as the branch coiled tightly around its body.

“Poison.”

Ye Zheng observed calmly as she stepped closer.

“Desert plants are excellent at absorbing water. I can’t deal with it the same way I handled the lizard monsters.”

『This red tamarisk directly counters your ability. Using water against a plant is suicidal.』

The system’s voice carried a trace of schadenfreude.

『In the original plot, you fell into danger trying to save the cat, and the male protagonist was ambushed while saving you.』

『As long as you stay away and spend five action points to delete the cat-saving scene, neither of you will be injured.』

『His metal-type ability easily suppresses this mutated plant.』

“But even desert plants can drown.”

Ye Zheng acted as if she hadn’t heard a word.

She seized the branch wrapped around the cat. A sharp numbing sensation surged into her palm.

Water flowed from her fingertips, seeping seamlessly into the branch. The thin vine rapidly swelled, expanding as if it might burst apart.

Taking advantage of its softened grip, Ye Zheng scooped the white cat back into her arms and casually rubbed its head.

The distant red tamarisk seemed enraged. Its massive body swelled violently as countless branches lashed toward her.

『Enough. You’ve saved the cat. Run. Now.』

The system’s heart had already gone half-cold, but it had never expected her to succeed alone.

There was still time to retreat. She would not drag down the male protagonist. She would not be resented by his fans.

“Why run,” Ye Zheng said calmly, “when I can handle it?”

Branches wove into a dense net that blotted out the sky. Dark shadows engulfed the slender figure in gray. This must be the core monster.

Ye Zheng closed her eyes.

She sensed the tamarisk’s roots sprawling deep beneath the desert, and the immense reserves of water stored within its body.

Invisible streams converged beneath her feet. The sand began to sink, as though a colossal force were about to erupt. She would summon a curtain of purifying water over this wasteland.

The red tamarisk sensed the threat. Its branches lashed wildly.

“Careful!”

A low male voice rang out behind her.

Sword qi exploded. Ye Zheng was knocked aside, barely steadying herself. When she opened her eyes, the sky of branches lay shattered.

She turned her gaze indifferently toward the dazzling figure who seemed to glow under the sun. At the same time, she noticed movement.

As Pei Xi slashed through the remaining branches, a mutant beast silently emerged from the shadows. Ye Zheng tugged her cloak and brushed debris from her clothes, making no attempt to warn him.

Pei Xi sensed danger from his right, but realized someone stood behind him.

He couldn’t dodge.

His right arm transformed into a massive greatsword, blocking the gaping maw lunging toward him. But his other side was exposed.

A second beast clamped its jaws around his thigh.

“Pei Xi!”

The rest of the Cloud Soarers Team arrived at last. Abilities flared, sandstorms rose, and the two beasts were quickly eliminated. The system watched in numb silence.

The plot had not changed.

The female protagonist’s official appearance still resulted in the male protagonist’s injury.

No glory. Only backlash.

Its KPI was in ruins.

[T/N- Key Performance Indicator, it's roughly how much sales power/watchablity a product/persona/character have in Numbers.]

As the Aberrant Realm dissipated, Pei Xi turned toward the person he had saved. The gray-cloaked figure stood, a white cat nestled comfortably in their arms. The hood was tugged loose by the cat’s paw.

An exquisitely beautiful face was revealed.

Pei Xi’s pupils contracted.

'So beautiful it blurred gender itself.'

“Thank you for saving me.”

The voice was hoarse amid the wind and sand. Dust clung to the figure’s features, yet their brilliance was impossible to conceal.

Silence fell.

Even the system was stunned.

【Five action points deducted. Remaining: 0】

【Popularity increasing. Reader feedback loading.】

Ye Zheng brushed back her short, fragmented black hair and smiled gently.

“My name is Zhao Mei.. Thank you for saving me.”

This was the final card she had reserved.

If she couldn’t claim the spotlight as herself, she would borrow another identity. Ye Zheng had long realized that both the manga world and the real one were more tolerant toward men.

So what if she changed gender?

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Authors Note

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The cross-dressing arc will not last many chapters. Once popularity rises, the disguise will be removed.

This setting exists for irony: the same actions, yet when performed by a man, the entire world applauds.