"Lan Yue? Lan Yue, can you hear me?"

A voice echoed faintly, tugging her back from the darkness. Bethany groaned, her eyelids heavy as if glued shut. She felt someone shaking her shoulders, and after what felt like forever, she finally managed to force her eyes open.

Her vision was hazy at first. Everything looked like shadows blending into light. She blinked a few times, squinting to bring the world into focus.

Two unfamiliar faces hovered above her, their expressions filled with concern.

"Are you alright?" One of them asked gently.

Bethany stared at them in confusion. The first thing she noticed was their clothing, flowing robes, neatly tied sashes, and embroidered patterns that looked like they belonged in a historical costume drama.

She frowned. What the heck were they wearing? Cosplay? Some kind of themed party?

Her head throbbed as she sat up with a groan. "Where am I? Who are you?" she asked, her voice raspy.

Her mind spun as fragmented memories returned.

The last thing she remembered was betrayal. The face of the man she had trusted the most, the one she had actually handed her heart to. Her right hand, her so-called best friend, standing there with cold eyes as they pushed her toward a pack of ravenous zombies.

Her comrades had turned away. People she had fought beside, bled beside… not one lifted a hand to save her. They abandoned her without hesitation.

The memory was so sharp she could almost hear the snarls, feel the bite of teeth closing in.

Bethany clutched at her chest, her breath uneven. So that's how I died? Thrown away like trash?

It really was a world where everyone only looked out for themselves. In the face of life and death, things like trust, friendship, and loyalty meant nothing.

When survival was on the line, they didn't even hesitate... They threw her away like she was nothing.

They sacrificed her. Just to live another day.

Bethany should have died. She clearly remembered the sharp claws, the burning pain, and the cold dread as those monsters tore into her flesh. The agony. The fear. The betrayal.

She should be dead.

So why… was she alive?

She blinked, confused, as her surroundings slowly came into focus. The two girls in strange outfits were whispering nearby.

One of them leaned closer, concern in her eyes. "Should we inform the mistress?"

The taller one nodded slightly. "Go ahead. I'll stay with her."

The first girl left quietly.

And the moment she was gone, the taller girl's expression changed like flipping a switch.

The kindness vanished.

In its place was something cruel and cold. She looked down at Bethany with pure contempt.

"Why are you still alive?" she spat. "You should have died. Just die already."

Bethany, "..."

She tilted her head slightly, keeping her tone innocent. "Excuse me… do I know you?"

That simple question made the girl's face twist in anger. A vein popped on her forehead.

"Keep pretending! Just wait, don't think you'll survive for long!"

Bethany raised an eyebrow, eyes narrowing slightly. The taller servant girl in front of her was practically radiating hatred. There was a dangerous glint in her eyes, and her tone was filled with venom.

But the strange thing was… Bethany had no idea who this girl was.

She was sure of it.

Before she could ask more or figure out what was going on, the other servant returned. This time with someone else.

A girl walked in, elegant and composed, with a cold and unreadable expression on her face. Her presence immediately changed the atmosphere in the room.

"Get up and greet the mistress!" the taller servant snapped, glaring at Bethany like she'd committed a grave sin by sitting there.

Mistress?

Bethany stayed seated, confused and unwilling to move. What mistress?

The cold girl waved a hand dismissively. "It's fine," she said, her tone emotionless. Then she turned to Bethany, eyes sharp and calculating.

"Do you remember what happened before you lost consciousness?"

Bethany blinked. Her voice was calm when she answered, "I was… eaten by zombies."

The room fell silent.

"Zombies?" one of the servant girls echoed, puzzled. "What's that?"

Bethany stared at her. Was she serious?

The taller servant quickly spoke up, "My lady, it seems she must have lost her memory when she hit her head. She's speaking nonsense."

The girl referred to as 'mistress' looked thoughtful, then sighed. "If she can't remember, then we won't be able to figure out who the killer was."

Killer?

Bethany's head spun. Killer? Mistress? Ancient clothes? No one knows what zombies are?

What in the actual hell was happening?

Her gaze wandered around the room for the first time. The space was dim and cramped, the walls damp with age. The air smelled faintly of mold and herbal medicine. Furniture was sparse—an old wooden bed, a rough bench, a small table with a single flickering candle. No humming machines, no neon lights, no scraps of technology. Everything looked… ancient.

Bethany's lips parted in disbelief. Don't tell me… did I really travel through time?

Now that she thought about it more carefully, something about this scene felt oddly familiar.

Bethany squinted, her eyes landing on the girl everyone kept calling 'mistress'. There was something about her. Something she couldn't shake.

Tall and elegant, with a waterfall of long black hair. Her eyes were cold, dark, and unreadable like deep pools of ink that had drowned countless secrets. There was calculation in the way she looked at people, every glance sharp as a blade.

Even though she wore plain robes that looked almost too simple for her supposed status, the aura around her was undeniable. That quiet, commanding presence… the kind that made people lower their heads without even realizing it.

Yes, she was beautiful, breathtakingly so but not in the soft, delicate way of pampered ladies. Hers was the kind of beauty edged with frost and danger, the kind that promised she would rise above anyone who tried to step on her.

Bethany's heart skipped a beat. Wait a minute. She… she looks exactly like...

Her eyes widened.

Don't tell me. I transmigrated into my favorite xianxia novel?!

The title flashed in her mind like a slap: "Crimson Blossoms Under Heaven."

And if she remembered correctly. This girl, this cold beauty before her, could only be one person.

Zhao Lingxi.

The infamous heroine of the novel.

Born as the seventh daughter of the powerful and feared General Zhao, she should have lived a life of luxury, pampered as a noble young miss. But fate had been cruel. She was the child of an unwanted concubine, despised by the main wife, neglected by her father, and treated as nothing more than a stain in the grand Zhao household.

No status. No backing. No love.

Her life had never been easy.

Her mother passed away shortly after giving birth to her younger brother. From that moment on, the two siblings were left to fend for themselves in a household that never wanted them in the first place.

Their father, General Zhao, was a man focused only on power and legacy. He had many children, but only paid attention to the ones who showed promise—the talented ones who could bring him pride or political benefit. As for Zhao Lingxi and her younger brother, they were nothing more than burdens in his eyes.

They were ignored at best, mistreated at worst.

The concubines in the manor gave them a hard time, especially the more favored ones. The first wife, proud and harsh, saw their presence as a stain on the household's name. She made sure their lives were miserable. Their older siblings weren't any better—mocking them openly, turning servants against them, stealing their food and clothes when no one was watching.

In a place like that, kindness was rare.

That's why Zhao Lingxi cherished her second sister—the second daughter of the Zhao family.

Unlike the others, she treated Zhao Lingxi and her little brother with a gentle smile. She secretly brought them food when they were hungry, smuggled warm blankets into their cold, cramped room during the winter, and even bandaged Zhao Lingxi's bruises once when she had been punished unfairly.

To a young girl starving for affection, that kindness felt like a lifeline.

Over time, Zhao Lingxi's heart softened. She trusted her second sister completely. She thought, maybe… not everyone in this house was cruel. Maybe she finally had someone on her side.

But she was wrong.

Beneath that gentle smile hid deep ambition.

The second sister had never cared. All her kindness was a mask. What she truly wanted was the hidden inheritance left behind by Zhao Lingxi's mother. Something even Zhao Lingxi didn't know existed at the time.

And when Zhao Lingxi finally found someone she thought she could love, when she was engaged to the eldest son of the prestigious Qin family, her second sister struck.

On what should have been the happiest night of her life, her wedding night, Zhao Lingxi was dragged into a nightmare.

She was framed for something she didn't do. Accused of adultery, humiliated in front of everyone, and before she could even explain, her newlywed husband—yes, the same man she once loved with all her heart—strangled her with his own hands.

She died in pain, confusion, and betrayal.

Her body was secretly buried, dumped like trash, and quickly forgotten by everyone. No mourning. No justice. No one in the Zhao family cared. Not even her powerful father.

The only person who cried for her, the only one who cared, was her younger brother.

But even he wasn't spared.

Afraid that he might speak the truth, those two scumbags, her so-called husband and her fake 'sister,' got rid of him too. Silenced him forever.

After that, they took the inheritance that Zhao Lingxi's mother had hidden away and used it for themselves. Greedy and heartless.

But fate wasn't finished with Zhao Lingxi.

Anguished, full of regret and fury, Zhao Lingxi was given a second chance. She was reborn.

This time, her heart carried only one word—revenge.

Every single person who had mocked her, humiliated her, abandoned her, or harmed her brother would pay in blood. Step by step, she clawed her way back from nothing, her cold beauty turning sharper, her will unbreakable. Her brilliance could no longer be ignored.

She sharpened her mind, trained her body, and grew powerful in both strength and influence. Those who once looked down on her were forced to look up, powerless before the person they had trampled underfoot.

And in the end, her determination drew the gaze of the Crown Prince himself—the proud and powerful man who was the true male lead of the story. With his backing and her ruthless resolve, Zhao Lingxi would rise above them all.

In short, it was a tale of blood and betrayal, of growth and revenge. The heroine's journey from the ashes to glory.

Bethany squinted as she pieced everything together.

If that icy beauty was the heroine, and the two girls in plain uniforms were her servants… then who was she?

Her lips twitched as the answer sank in.

Lan Yue.

The loyal servant. The best friend. The one who, blinded by jealousy, would one day betray her mistress and pay for it with her life at Zhao Lingxi's hands.

Bethany's face went blank.

…You've got to be kidding me. Out of all the roles in the story, I landed the cannon fodder best friend?

Just her luck.

She survived an apocalypse, fought zombies, became a leader, only to die a cruel death and transmigrate… into this nonsense? And not even as the heroine, or at least a powerful villain, but a tragic little side character who didn't even make it past halfway in the novel!

Lan Yue's ending had been miserable—beaten, humiliated, and then executed by the very mistress she had once loyally served. Bethany shuddered just thinking about it.

"Nope. Absolutely not," she muttered under her breath. "I'm not playing this game."

If the script wanted her to be a cannon fodder, then she would tear up the script and write her own.

She wasn't about to waste her second life being someone else's stepping stone.

Food, comfort, and a peaceful life—that was all she wanted. As far as she was concerned, revenge, betrayal, and bloody drama could stay far, far away from her.

Her eyes darted toward Zhao Lingxi, the cold, domineering heroine whose story this world revolved around.

Yup, she wasn't going to do that.

Zhao Lingxi stared at her for a long moment, her cold dark eyes unreadable. Then, with a slight wave of her hand, she said calmly, "Let her rest for now." Without another word, she turned and walked out, the two servant girls quickly following after her.

The room fell silent.

Bethany slowly released a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. Her shoulders slumped against the rough bedding as she stared at the cracked wooden ceiling.

She had died once. Betrayed by those she trusted the most, people she fought beside, protected, and even considered family. When she closed her eyes that day, she never expected to open them again.

Heaven? She knew she didn't deserve that. Not with the number of lives she had taken to survive. But waking up here… in a strange world with no zombies, no bloodshed, no desperate battles for food. It was unexpected.

Was this her punishment? Or a second chance?

Whatever it was, it felt a little easier than her past life. If she could just avoid the main plot, lay low, and not attract attention, maybe she could live a quiet, peaceful life this time.

No more responsibilities. No more sacrifices.

Bethany took a deep breath, then slowly closed her eyes.

Maybe... just maybe...

She focused her mind, reaching inward, searching for the familiar feeling she hadn't felt since waking up in this strange world.

And then...

Whoosh.

When she opened her eyes again, everything around her had changed.

She was standing in a dark, enclosed space filled with floating glimmers of soft blue light, like fireflies frozen in time. The air here was still, quiet, and slightly cold. Her personal dimension, her space was still intact.

But it was... smaller?

Bethany looked around with a slight frown. What once stretched as wide as a small warehouse now looked more like a cramped storage room. Still, it was hers. She spotted a few metal shelves in the corner, holding what little remained of her precious supplies from the apocalypse. Energy bars, canned food, purified water, spare clothes, and a few weapons. Some of the more advanced tech items flickered faintly, their energy cores unstable in this foreign world.

So she had transmigrated with her abilities.

Bethany exhaled a breath she didn't realize she was holding and smiled faintly.

Good. That meant she wasn't completely helpless.

Here, in a world ruled by cultivation and spiritual strength, she might actually have a chance at survival.

Because Bethany wasn't just an ordinary awakened.

She was a rare dual-ability user with control over spatial manipulation and the terrifying Spirit Devouring ability, one of the deadliest powers known in her world. An SSS-ranked anomaly feared by allies and enemies alike.

Bethany exited her space and opened her eyes back in the dim little room. Just then, she heard faint voices outside. There was some kind of commotion near the entrance of the small courtyard.

Curious, she walked over quietly, peeking through the worn wooden screen.

Two servant girls dressed in refined robes stood just beyond the gate. They looked nothing like the maids who'd been attending Zhao Lingxi earlier. Their expressions were calm, but their posture was arrogant, shoulders straight, eyes filled with disdain as they looked around.

One of them held a scroll sealed with a crimson wax stamp.

Soon, Zhao Lingxi stepped out from her room, her face as composed as ever. "What is it?" she asked coldly.

The servant holding the scroll stepped forward and bowed stiffly.

"Miss Zhao Lingxi, we were sent by the General's residence," she said. "The master sent a message."

She handed over the scroll.

Zhao Lingxi opened it and quickly read through the contents. Her hand trembled ever so slightly, but her face remained unreadable.

Bethany could just make out the words on the letter from where she stood:

"You must have reflected on your mistakes over the past ten years. In two days, someone will come to bring you back to the Zhao residence."

Zhao Lingxi stared at the letter for a long moment, then calmly folded it. "I understand. You may go."

The servants bowed again, though it was clear they didn't respect her in the slightest, before turning and leaving.

As the gate creaked shut behind them, an odd silence settled over the courtyard.

Bethany glanced at Zhao Lingxi, whose eyes were fixed on the cloudy sky.

Something about her posture looked tense… but not weak.

Bethany's eyes dimmed as she recognized the scene unfolding before her.

This moment… it was straight out of the novel.

When Zhao Lingxi was just ten years old, she was framed for a terrible crime, the murder of one of her father's favored concubines' unborn child. The fifth concubine, Madam Hua, had accused Zhao Lingxi of pushing her down a flight of stairs during a minor quarrel.

Even though there was no proof, and Zhao Lingxi had always been quiet and obedient, the entire Zhao household turned on her. Her father, General Zhao, never once questioned the truth. After all, in his eyes, a daughter born from a lowly concubine was hardly worth defending.

She was branded insane, accused of jealousy and cruelty, and hidden away from the capital like a shameful secret.

Banished to the cold countryside as punishment, separated from her younger brother, never allowed to see him again. Left to survive in a ruined courtyard with harsh winters, little food, and no protection.

Zhao Lingxi's spirit power was been pitiful—only three shattered spirit roots, the weakest foundation any cultivator could have. With such a broken base, her cultivation speed was slower than ordinary servants. Even if she wanted to defend herself, she simply couldn't.

Ten years of suffering. Ten years of being forgotten.

And now, after all that, they dared to send a letter?

Zhao Lingxi's fingers clenched around the parchment, crumpling it in her hand.

"Young Miss!" Liu Ruyan, the taller maid, stepped forward with genuine joy in her eyes. "The Master has finally forgiven you! You can finally return home!"

Zhao Lingxi laughed softly. It wasn't warm. It was sharp, bitter, mocking.

"Forgiven me?" Her lips curled into a cold smile as her dark eyes glinted. "But I never did anything wrong. Do you also believe I'm a murderer?"

Her voice was calm, but the weight behind it made the air heavy.

The two servants stiffened. For a moment, neither dared to answer. Finally, they exchanged awkward looks and forced smiles.

"Of course not," one of them said quickly.

But the way their eyes shifted away told another story entirely.

Huh, even her own servants didn't believe in her.