Chapter 1.2: Rebirth and Reckoning

Night had completely fallen.

The streets were bustling with cars and people, alive with energy. Shi Mu wandered alone along the sidewalk. When she passed a clothing store, she paused.

The girl reflected in the mirror appeared to be about sixteen or seventeen, around 163 cm tall, with her hair done in dreadlocks. Her makeup was heavy, and she wore tight shorts that revealed her long legs—she looked like a rebellious teenager.

Staring at her reflection, Shi Mu felt disoriented.

Had she really time-traveled?

Shi Mu was 21 before she died. A graduate of a prestigious university, she had once lived a promising life. But a sudden tragedy struck her family, and unable to cope, she became numb and detached from reality. Eventually, an accident claimed her young life.

Even after death, her consciousness persisted. Her soul drifted through the human world, watching the bustling streets and unreachable sunlight. That's when she realized the beauty of life.

One day, a voice suddenly echoed in her mind. It claimed to be from the Space-Time Administration Bureau, responsible for correcting timelines corrupted by distorted values and wrong worldviews. The voice offered her a second chance—if she agreed to complete a mission.

Shi Mu accepted.

At first, she thought it was just a dream. But then—

[Memory import begins in 3...2...1...]

A sharp pain flashed through her mind, followed by countless images rushing past like a kaleidoscope.

The body she now inhabited shared her name—Shi Mu. This Shi Mu was just over seventeen. Her mother was from the Miaojiang Li ethnic group, descended from powerful sorceresses said to drive corpses, cast spells, and exorcise spirits.

When Shi Mu was born, flowers within ten miles withered, and it rained for two straight weeks. Her twin brother, Shi Li, was rushed to the ICU at birth, but she emerged healthy and energetic.

After recovery, her brother's health remained fragile. Her grandfather from Miaojiang came to visit and, upon seeing the baby, immediately knew something was wrong. The infant girl bore a strange aura—since the womb, she had drained her brother's vitality to sustain her own.

She was born with a charm insect—a spiritual parasite that fed on life essence. Her gaze could pierce into the spirit world.

Naturally, she couldn't grow up with her brother. Her grandfather took her in. Her parents, relieved and somewhat afraid of their daughter, did not object. A year later, they had another daughter and completely forgot about Shi Mu.

Despite her lack of parental care, her life in Miaojiang was happy. Her grandfather taught her spiritual arts and gave her a talisman to suppress the charm insect. Still, she was young and never mastered the skills.

After her grandfather passed away, she was brought back to the city.

But she couldn't adapt. Her classmates mocked her for being a "country bumpkin." At home, her siblings outshone her in everything. When she made mistakes, her parents compared her unfavorably to her younger sister.

Resentful and rebellious, Shi Mu began skipping school, fighting, and mixing with delinquents.

Just the day before, she had made a bet to donate blood for Fu Yunrui. She tricked him into coming to the hotel under the pretense of tutoring.

Now, standing in this new body, everything clicked.

This is the world of "Dark Night Chronicles."

It was a horror-suspense manga centered around a male protagonist solving mysteries and defeating villains. The female characters were alluring and dangerous.

She had been tricked into reading it by a friend—because the main female villain shared her name.

The villain was seductive, powerful, and dangerous. Men were drawn to her, only to find out too late that she used them as life fuel to remain young and beautiful.

Eventually, the villain fell for Fu Yunshen, the male lead's nemesis. But Fu Yunshen rejected her, and in retaliation, she murdered his twin brother—Fu Yunrui.

Thinking of that ending made Shi Mu shudder.

"You never said I'd land in this kind of world. Are you kidding me?" she snapped at the system.

She was still young, but soon, her charm would only grow. Men would be irresistibly drawn to her.

The system responded weakly:

[Still better than being a wandering ghost forever, right?]

"…Maybe not."

"Can I quit?"

[Yes.]

Shi Mu sighed in relief—until the system continued:

[According to Article 888 of the contract, voluntary termination will result in sudden death and eternal torment in the soul cycle.]

"…I was joking."

[You may now choose one of two missions:]

Option 1: Make Fu Yunshen your slave—body and soul.Option 2: Become good friends with Fu Yunshen and work together toward a shared goal of peace.

Shi Mu didn't hesitate. "Option 2."

[Are you sure you don't want to reconsider?]

"Absolutely not."

In the manga, even the temptress villain couldn't sway Fu Yunshen. She certainly couldn't seduce him either—not that she wanted to. Besides, if she remembered correctly, Fu Yunshen suffered from mental trauma and disliked interacting with women.

[Congratulations. Your mission has been accepted.]

"Wait—how do I know when it's complete?"

[Check the Task Panel.]

A blue screen flashed before her eyes, revealing:

Main Task: Become sworn brothers with Fu Yunshen. Kowtow to him.Brotherhood Value: 0 / 1,000,000

Shi Mu frowned.

One million points?

She scratched her head, feeling the weight of her situation settle in.

Just then, a sleek black car pulled up beside her. The tinted window rolled down, revealing a familiar face.

"Get in," the boy said coldly.

Shi Mu turned in surprise—it was Shi Li, her twin brother.

The driver opened the back door. Wordlessly, she got in.

The car merged into the busy traffic. Shi Mu sat stiffly, glancing sideways at Shi Li.

He was pale and slender, with distant eyes and a quiet air.

He noticed her gaze and turned toward her with a cold smirk. "I heard you checked into a hotel with someone."

Shi Mu froze.How did he know?

"Who told you that?" she asked cautiously.

Shi Li sneered. "It's already the talk of the house. Hard not to know."

"…"

What else had she gotten herself into?