I transmigrated into a Naga Sorceress. The System told me to go after the male lead, but by the time I arrived at his estate, his entire family had been slaughtered, and he himself was cleaved in two. From beneath a weeping willow nearby, the villain, Lord Kaelen, fixed his hawk-like gaze on me. His voice, a deep, resonant timbre like an ancient melody, was laced with chilling command: “There’s another one. Erase her.” A warrior, sword drawn, strode towards me. Without a second thought, I dropped to my knees and bellowed, “Father!” 1 I was just a corporate drone from the 21st century, forcibly bound to a System. It had given me two lives, and I’d already squandered one. This was my second attempt at a “capture target.” After my first failure, my memories of that attempt were wiped, and I was granted a new identity. This was my last chance. By the time I arrived, the male lead, Julian, was already sprawled in a pool of his own blood, a blade piercing his left chest. He struggled, inching closer to the dark-robed figure, his eyes burning with fury. “This humiliation, I swear, I will repay it tenfold in time!” “Host, don’t panic. The male lead’s heart is on his right side.” I sighed in relief at the System’s words. I’d wait for Kaelen to leave, then I’d save him. The dark-robed figure, Lord Kaelen, didn’t even bother to lift an eyelid, utterly ignoring Julian’s threat. With a flick of his finger, a wave of immense arcane pressure erupted, tearing Julian’s body cleanly in two. Blood gushed forth in a sickening spray. Me: ? System: ? “Host, fret not. We merely need to reconstruct him with enchanted lotus roots…” The System’s words died in its throat as Kaelen conjured a pack of spectral hounds with his dark magic. The hounds descended upon Julian’s mangled form, devouring him until only bones remained in moments. “Re… recon…” The System’s half-formed instruction devolved into a furious curse. “Reconstruct what?! He’s beyond saving!” “What do I do then?” I stood there, stunned. Before the System could answer, a violent gust of wind seemed to sweep around me. The next second, a powerful hand clamped around my throat. The man before me had stark white hair and eyes like chips of obsidian, his handsome face frozen under a layer of ice. His captivating, almond-shaped eyes held an expression of utter disdain, his high-bridged nose and sharp jawline accentuated by the fresh blood smears on his cheek, giving him a dangerously alluring aura. He had to be the legendary antagonist, Lord Kaelen. Thump! He flung me, and I slammed directly into a tree, tears springing to my eyes from the pain. Oh, by the Elder Gods, he’s going to kill me! I tried to flee, but he casually split the ground before me with a single strike of his blade, leaving a sheer cliff face. “W-what… what are you doing?” I stammered, collapsing onto the ground, desperately scrambling backward, my hands scraping against the rough tree bark. Kaelen reached out, and I was lifted into the air, my legs dangling helplessly. “I don’t know him! I was just passing by! Please, spare my life!” I frantically hammered at his arm, trying to appeal to any shred of humanity he might possess. He looked at me, his eyes resolute, his voice like frost-laden iron. “I leave no loose ends.” Then, the hand around my throat tightened, unmistakably intending to kill. This Wyrm, he was rumored to have existed since the primordial chaos, rarely seen, cold-blooded by nature, bound by no Celestial Sovereign. Meaning, even if the High King of the Heavens descended, Kaelen would fight him if he pleased. A thought flashed through my mind. My very being was a treasure trove! As soon as the idea formed, I clutched his hand tightly and blurted out, “I am Yuan, the Abyssal Serpent, a spirit serpent thought extinct! My Heartstone is a supreme alchemical ingredient. If you nurture me well, once my Serpent’s Heart fully forms, you may extract it to bolster your arcane power!” “Ah!” The words barely left my lips before an invisible force seemed to clench, constricting me, making it impossible to breathe. CRACK! His sharp claws plunged directly through my chest without a word, tearing out my Serpent’s Gallbladder. Gasp! He dropped me. I retched a mouthful of fresh blood, writhing on the ground in agony, every bone in my body feeling shattered. He gazed at the blood-soaked gall in his hands, his expression frigid and merciless, his voice as cold as steel. “Indeed, it is Yuan!” “It is…” I clutched my abdomen. The Serpent’s Gallbladder was the clearest mark of a Naga’s true identity. He had simply torn it out just to confirm who I was. “You’ve taken my gall, so I am now yours, Father!” Ignoring my searing pain, I heavily kowtowed to him. At my words, his hand, wiping blood with a silk handkerchief, paused. He turned, his eyes glinting with icy light like twin blades piercing me. “What did you call this Lord?” “Father,” I repeated, looking up, my voice firm yet utterly cowed. “If you’re not satisfied, I can find another address…” He didn’t even wait for me to finish before striking me again. This time, I truly felt as though my internal organs had been pulverized. Blood endlessly spewed from my mouth, the pain spreading to every limb. That single strike had completely crippled my magical reserves. “Within three days, I expect you to grow a Serpent’s Heart,” Kaelen said, his eyes chillingly narrowed, words like whips gracefully falling from his beautiful lips. I froze. Spirit Serpents, like Yuan, were born without hearts. A true Serpent’s Heart only formed from immense love, and its power could save all of existence. According to the System’s plan, I was supposed to fall in love with the male lead, use my heart to save him, and then ensure his happy ending with the heroine. But even setting aside the fact that the male lead was now gone, a heart wasn’t something you just grew on demand! “I need to fall in love first before a heart can form,” I managed to sit up with difficulty, assuming he didn’t know, and tried to explain. He looked down at me, his eyes cold, answering my explanation with a question: “Three days. Not enough time for you to love someone?” “…” I fell silent, then simply threw my hands up in defeat, offering my neck. “Alright, here. Cut here.” I was going to die in three days anyway. What use was living these extra three days? Might as well die sooner. Love someone in three days? Was he even listening to himself? A flicker of killing intent crossed Kaelen’s narrow, phoenix-like eyes, but it was quickly hidden. He curled his lips, his expression unreadable. “You remind me so much of her, in this state.” “Who?” I asked, full of confusion. He ignored me, turning and walking towards the forest behind him. Ignoring my pain, I quickly followed. Before us, he had conjured a graceful bamboo hut, surrounded by an ethereal, serene landscape. He reclined on a low divan, leisurely sipping from a goblet. “You’re waiting for someone,” I observed. Kaelen looked at me, his obsidian eyes like chips of ice. He finally spoke, a rare utterance, but it was only a single word: “Hm.” I was a little curious. Who was he waiting for? A friend? Someone like him… he had friends? He said nothing further. I sat on the ground, waiting, growing drowsy. I don’t know how much time passed, but then I heard footsteps, followed by sobs. I blearily opened my eyes. Not far away, a slender woman was clutching a pile of bones on the ground, weeping. “Julian, I’m too late. I’m so sorry… so sorry…” “No!” A long sword whistled past me, then directly pierced her heart. Before the woman could even react, Kaelen flashed before her, deftly pulling the sword from her chest. I watched, dumbfounded. So all this time, he wasn’t leaving, he was waiting for the heroine? Well, there went that. Now both the male and female leads were dead. Utterly, completely gone. The System’s stunned roar echoed in my mind. “My gods, my dearest System, by all that’s holy! He really did a thorough job of wiping them out!” The heroine turned, clutching her chest, her crimson eyes wide with disbelief. “It was you. You killed my Julian!” “You’re next.” Kaelen wasted no words, plunging the sword into her left chest again. Gag! The heroine choked out a mouthful of blood, then burst into maniacal laughter. “If I die, then no one will ever know… do you not wish to know…?” “No,” he interrupted, then, with a practiced swing of his blade, he simply severed her head. Clinging to her last breath, the heroine seemed intent on a mutual destruction. A blinding light suddenly flared around her, imbued with a consuming, lethal intent. “Look out!” Seeing this, I instinctively lunged at Kaelen, shielding him from the fatal blow. A searing, bone-deep pain ripped through my entire being. My consciousness began to fray, my body growing numb from the agony. “Foolish.” His low, cold voice suddenly echoed in my ears. Just before I collapsed, a warm, powerful hand encircled my waist. I struggled to turn my head. The heroine had already been pulverized into dust under his immense power. “Are… are you alright?!” I asked, my voice trembling with feigned concern. The heroine was utterly decimated; she wasn’t going to pose a threat. Might as well butter Kaelen up. He looked at me, his handsome face veiled in a thin sheet of ice. At my question, he simply lifted his eyes coldly. “Even without you, ten of her wouldn’t harm this Lord.” I lowered my gaze. Of course I knew that. Was I not just trying to show my loyalty? He suddenly crouched down, his long, elegant fingers lifting my chin. “Your face, so unlike hers, yet so similar in so many ways.” “Who is she?” I looked up, my eyes probing. He didn’t answer. The next second, he simply released my hand. I swayed backward, desperately trying to grab onto something, but I only caught him. Attempting to steady myself, I lost my balance and tumbled forward, straight into him. Our eyes met, startled, and then my lips pressed against his. The next moment, a sharp pang shot through my chest. I saw a fleeting flicker of pain in his eyes too. Cough! He abruptly pushed me away, turning his head to vomit a mouthful of fresh blood, his body almost imperceptibly trembling. I quickly retreated, feigning innocence. “I didn’t do it!” His eyes, filled with murderous intent, swept coldly over me. Then he turned, a shimmering arcane barrier rising around him as he began to recuperate. Just now, when his heart had glowed, I noticed it seemed to be only half complete. Could he have given half of his heart to someone else? Who could possibly make such a cold, ruthless Dark Lord sacrifice half of his very essence? “Now! Kill him!” The System’s ancient voice suddenly boomed in my ear. I wondered if my ears were malfunctioning. Wait, it didn’t tell me I was in a grand heroine’s script when I arrived! The System urged again: “The male lead is dead. Why keep the villain alive? Now’s your chance! Kill him!” “Huh? Who? Me? Kill whom? You want me to build an airplane with a screwdriver’s wages?” I grumbled inwardly. After following me for so many years, didn’t the System know my capabilities? Who could I possibly kill? Even a common priest could fight me for three hundred rounds! Besides, the secondary mission was simply to survive for a thousand years. If I succeeded, I wouldn’t need to capture anyone else to stay in this world. Why would I risk so much? I pulled my thoughts back, my gaze falling on Kaelen. His figure, stretched long by the light, his profile hidden in shadow, I couldn’t quite make out. Only his slightly trembling eyelashes and sharp contours were clear. “Are you… in a lot of pain?” I cautiously approached, and since I couldn’t touch him, I poked the arcane barrier. “…” A profound silence. He ignored me. I didn’t take offense, obediently sitting down beside his barrier. “How about I tell you a story to distract you?” I pulled out a pulp fiction novel I’d bought earlier. “I heard there’s a Widow Elara on the western mountains, and she and Old Man Finn have nightly shenanigans… Oh, this is a bit explicit, it’s what I like to read. You probably won’t. Let me find another one!” Just as I was trying to decide which story to pick, I suddenly felt a pang of hunger. I was about to go forage when the air around me abruptly turned wild with strange energy. “Serpentine demon, today is your day of reckoning!” As the words fell, countless thorny vines lashed towards me. But before they could reach me, a surge of power erupted, shattering the vines into dust. Kaelen slowly lifted his gaze, his eyes falling on the Archons who had appeared, their presence radiating silent, inherent authority. The Archons, sensing this invisible pressure, summoned their courage to explain. “This Naga has committed numerous atrocities. We are here to act on behalf of the Celestial Order.” “Nonsense! You just want my Demonic Core!” I clutched my chest, shivering. I might have committed a few minor, impious misdeeds, and yes, enjoyed some risqué literature, but "numerous atrocities" was a stretch! The Archons finished speaking, seeing Kaelen remain silent, they assumed he acquiesced. Just as they were about to attack me, the arm of their leader was suddenly severed, blood spraying. The Archon collapsed, screaming, his face contorted in agony. “This serpent is a demon. Slaying demons and defending the righteous is the duty of the Divines! Even if you intend to protect her, you must offer some reason!” an elder Archon demanded, his eyes blazing with anger as he looked at Kaelen. Kaelen calmly swept his hand, slowly rising to his feet. Though his expression was languid, his eyes held a fierce glint that brooked no argument. Abyssal energy began to emanate from him. “He’s of the Abyssal Host!” one figure cried out in fear. “Such potent abyssal energy! He’s no ordinary being!” another, a lower-ranking Celestial, swallowed nervously at the dense aura. Kaelen’s eyes held a faint, chilling resolve. “No one dares obstruct what this Lord intends. Why should reason be required?” The Archon with the severed arm, seeing such potent abyssal energy, recoiled two steps, his eyes wide with shock and disbelief. “Just moments ago, he exuded pure Celestial energy! Now, how can he radiate abyssal power? Could it be…?” A single thought flashed through the minds of everyone present. Legend spoke of the ancient Dark Lord, the Abyssal Wyrm, who walked both the Celestial and Shadow Paths. Those who had not yet achieved true divinity were considered mere cultivators. The Celestial and Abyssal factions had long ceased open hostilities. If they were to attack Kaelen now, it would be a deliberate provocation, reigniting the war between the two realms. “Retreat, all of you!” The Celestials glared at me resentfully, their eyes filled with unyielding frustration. But ultimately, compelled by Kaelen’s immense aura, they bowed and departed. Silence returned to the area. I clutched my stomach, looking pitifully at Kaelen. “I’m hungry. I need to find something to eat.” He turned, glancing at me with a sidelong look. In an instant, a rabbit appeared in his hand. He disdainfully tossed it at my feet, his thin lips parting to issue a single word. “Eat.” I stared at the hopping rabbit on the ground, pausing before I spoke. “Is this… raw?” “Do serpents not eat raw?” he retorted, his gaze neither warm nor cold. Me: … I hadn’t eaten raw food in years; it upset my constitution. Resigned, I decided to go look for some fruit. But suddenly, the air stirred with chaotic energy again, and several more Celestials appeared before me. I immediately sensed trouble and quickly hid behind Kaelen. He turned and gave me a dismissive look, as if mocking my cowardice. “You wicked serpent! Today I will make a stew out of you!” one Celestial declared, rushing forward. Kaelen irritably raised his Blade of Reckoning to block him. The elder Archon frowned, looking at Kaelen, his tone authoritative. “Who are you, that you would protect her without regard for right or wrong?” “What has she done wrong?” Kaelen’s tone was unhurried, every word and gesture imbued with an inherent nobility that deterred casual offense. The elder Archon grew even more enraged. The next second, he revealed his true form – a mighty Gryphon, the bald spot on his head particularly noticeable. “She plucked my feathers! Plucked me bald! She’s not even a bird! Why did she pluck me?!” Kaelen listened to his outburst, then looked at me, a helpless expression in his eyes. “You have nothing better to do?” I rubbed my hands together, feeling a little guilty. “Making a nest! I need to hibernate, so it’s warmer.” “…” Kaelen took a deep breath. I could feel him forcibly suppressing his anger. Then, he simply tossed a high-grade Mystic Orb to the Gryphon. “We’re even.” It seemed he did have some sense of reason after all. But things were far from simple. Other elders who had accompanied the Gryphon, seeing the situation, also began to speak up. “She used my alchemical crucible for a barbecue, and it exploded!” “She made me a feather duster… using my own feathers! I am Lord Gryphon, the Sun-Strider!” “She played with my Sky-Soarer! Sent him all the way up to the heavens!” Kaelen frowned. “Is that also a crime?” “My name is Sky-Soarer!” “…” Kaelen tossed them a dozen more Mystic Orbs, and they left in high spirits. He turned back, his gaze like a knife, threatening to tear me to shreds. But in the end, he simply couldn’t be bothered, and turned to walk away. I scurried after him. “Listen to me, I can explain!” “No,” he refused curtly, without a hint of hesitation. “If you don’t listen, I’ll pluck your scales!” I tried to threaten. He stopped, glancing back at me, his gaze authoritative, like a warning. “Try it.” I instantly cowered, dropping my head. I grumbled reluctantly behind him, “You really are a wicked person.” “A good person would have joined them and executed you on the spot when the first one came for you,” he said, looking at me, his voice chillingly flat. I thought about it and realized he was right. Good thing he was a villain. If he were too righteous, he would have punished me long ago.
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