THIP Chapter 9

Mu Liuyin lay on the soft, lush green grass, closing her eyes in exhaustion.

This was the internal space of the “Perfect Life System.” The moment she completed her mission, her soul was transported here.

Contrary to her expectations of a cold, sterile void, the system’s space was bathed in warm sunlight, with a grassy field, a small lake, and a wooden cabin—almost like a miniature world of its own.

Noticing its half-transparent host, a tiny, snow-white kitten padded over cautiously, rubbing its face against Mu Liuyin’s cheek before letting out a soft “meow.”

Without opening her eyes, Mu Liuyin reached out and scooped up the fluffy little creature, pressing it gently against her chest.

The kitten, obedient and docile, made no attempt to struggle and simply nestled into her embrace.

After an unknown amount of time, Mu Liuyin’s long lashes quivered slightly before she slowly opened her eyes. A fleeting trace of confusion crossed her gaze, but as soon as she heard the kitten’s cry, she fully awakened.

Lifting the kitten by the scruff, she heard its tearful complaint:

“Host, why did you throw yourself onto the blade like that?”

With your strength, you could have easily saved Lin Xi without getting hurt! But no, you had to go and get yourself killed! QAQ

Hearing the familiar childish voice mixed with sobs, Mu Liuyin twitched the corner of her mouth. “Xiao Jiu?”

“It’s Xiao Jiu, Host! QAQ” The kitten nodded its tiny head and asked again, “So why did you choose to die, Host? QAQ”

Hearing its pitiful whimpers, Mu Liuyin couldn’t help but chuckle. She said, “I had no intention of staying in that world to face revenge.”

And death was the best way to escape it.

Xiao Jiu tilted its head in confusion, its heterochromatic eyes full of bewilderment.

“But how could you be so sure that dying would complete the mission?” it asked.

Mu Liuyin simply patted the kitten’s head without answering.

She let out a quiet sigh in her heart. Just thinking about what Lin Xi had done to her sent chills down her spine. She had originally assumed that after setting her up and crippling her, Lin Xi would simply kill her.

She had never imagined things would take such a turn.

A woman from an ancient era, yet bold enough to do something like that to her…

It was beyond words.

To ensure she never had to endure such a thing again, she had to end the mission as quickly as possible. So, when Su Biyan stabbed at Lin Xi, Mu Liuyin deliberately stepped into the blade’s path.

The system prohibited suicide, but being killed? That was fair game.

Of course, she couldn’t be entirely certain that dying would trigger mission completion. But even if it didn’t, she would simply restart from the beginning. With that prior knowledge, she wouldn’t allow herself to fall into Lin Xi’s hands again.

Fortunately, the mission was completed.

As for why her last words to Lin Xi had been “I love you”—that was just a theory she had after hearing Lin Xi murmur, after everything, that she no longer wanted to kill her.

Perhaps Lin Xi still loved her.

Otherwise, why do that to her?

But Lin Xi’s hatred outweighed her love, which was why she committed such acts.

Mu Liuyin had never been in love before. She was cautious when it came to matters of the heart and couldn’t be certain if her guess was correct.

Not that it mattered in the end.

Xiao Jiu, seeing its host lost in thought, let out another soft “meow” before speaking again.

“Host, do you want to know what happened in that world after you left?”

Mu Liuyin blinked, then slowly nodded.

Above them, the mission panel suddenly expanded. The text on it rippled outward like waves on water before fading away, transforming into an oval-shaped mirror.

After her death, Su Biyan was imprisoned by Lin Xi for murder. With the intervention of Yin Yu, who had already become the crown prince, Su Biyan was swiftly sentenced to execution. Even the Duke’s manor was unable to save her.

A few months later, the emperor’s eldest son launched a coup, leading to the emperor’s demise. However, Yin Yu had long been prepared. The moment the emperor died, he surrounded the rebels and captured them alive, ordering their execution by beheading. With the ministers’ support, Yin Yu ascended the throne.

Mu Liuyin stared at the scene in shock before clicking her tongue. “Now, this is how you properly stage a rebellion.”

As for the deposed crown prince, Yin Xiu, he had already perished in the inferno that consumed the Eastern Palace.

However, after Yin Yu took the throne, Lin Xi did not marry him. Instead, she feigned illness and staged her death. Yin Yu went along with the act, posthumously naming her empress. But in reality, their relationship had always been one of mere cooperation.

On the very day Yin Yu bestowed on her the title of empress, Lin Xi appeared alone at the Temple of National Protection.

There, she once again met the esteemed abbot who had once prophesied that she was destined for greatness.

Lin Xi said, “Master, I wish to become a nun.”

The abbot looked at her with a sorrowful gaze. “Benefactor, you regret it.”

Lin Xi silently shook her head.

The past cannot be erased. No matter how many times she lived again, what had happened remained undeniable. She was no longer the same Lin Xi from before—her very bones were etched with hatred. She could not forget, nor did she dare to.

She let out a quiet, bitter laugh. Only she alone knew this hatred, only she alone carried its weight. She had wanted to destroy the one responsible for her family’s downfall. Yet that person had framed Su Biyan for her sake, sought out an entire field of flowers just to make her smile, and even died saving her—dying with the words I love you on their lips.

How ironic.

Lin Xi raised a hand, covering her beautiful eyes, hiding the tears slipping down her face.

Was that person truly the one who had destroyed her family in her past life?

If she had never been reborn…

“Why was Lin Xi reborn?” Mu Liuyin asked Xiao Jiu, her gaze complicated. “If she hadn’t, she wouldn’t have had to go this far for revenge.”

Xiao Jiu replied, “Because the Supreme God fell into slumber, the stability of the small worlds was compromised.”

“The Supreme God?” Mu Liuyin turned to look at Xiao Jiu.

She was met with the sight of the tiny, fluffy kitten hurriedly covering its mouth with its paws.

Mu Liuyin: “…”

Ha.

Thinking about Lin Xi’s final fate, she reached out and flicked the kitten on the head. “And you call this the Perfect Life System? Lin Xi ended up like that, and you still consider it a perfect life?”

Xiao Jiu tumbled onto the grass, its wide, teary cat eyes staring at her. “That was the mission target’s own choice.”

Mu Liuyin chuckled. Perhaps.

She silently gazed at Lin Xi—someone who had always been cold and distant, yet now her beautiful eyes shimmered with unshed tears. In the end, this was still a better outcome than what had happened in the original storyline.

Seeing Mu Liuyin lost in thought, Xiao Jiu tentatively called out, “Host…”

“I’m fine,” Mu Liuyin said. “Xiao Jiu, do you have a way to erase my memories of each mission world?”

Xiao Jiu answered, “There’s an emotional cleansing potion. It won’t erase your memories, but after using it, you’ll lose all emotional ties to the mission world once a task is completed, including any lingering psychological discomfort.”

Mu Liuyin let out a quiet sigh. “Then use it.”

The kitten meowed softly, and in the next moment, a small test tube of pale blue liquid appeared before Mu Liuyin—a strikingly beautiful color.

After drinking it, she immediately felt an emptiness in her heart, as if some emotions had been forcefully expelled.

Watching her drink the potion, the little kitten looked up at her eagerly. “Host, do you want to start the next mission?”

Mu Liuyin raised an eyebrow. “The next mission won’t have another accident, will it?”

Xiao Jiu gave an awkward chuckle. “Of course not, Host! No more accidents, I promise!”

Mu Liuyin let out a light laugh but said nothing.

She walked to the edge of the small lake. The water reflected her translucent form—a delicate and beautiful young woman.

Her true self.

She stared at the reflection for a moment, then said, “Start the next mission.”