[Ruan Mei keeps a low profile, deliberately hiding her genius to avoid drawing attention like you and Herta have.]
[But after enrolling in the world's top university, her intelligence can't stay hidden for long. She's soon recognized as a third prodigy, just below you and Herta.]
[Even with an IQ no less than yours or Herta's, Ruan Mei only quietly excels in the fields she loves and is good at, never seeking the spotlight.]
Jing Ye gave a mental thumbs-up. Ruan Mei was absolutely that type.
Judging from his earlier death in the simulation, her approach was probably the wise one.
Stand out too much and you only invite disaster—like how the Herta family had decided to hurl him from a plane after she lost to him.
[To your surprise, Ruan Mei and Herta become close friends.]
[Their personalities don't exactly match, and they seem to argue a lot. But a deep sympathy between geniuses keeps them working together. On a soul level, their connection is something you can't hope to match.]
[For friendless Herta, Ruan Mei—a girl with a mind as sharp as her own—is a rare treasure.]
[In a sense, the one who should be inseparable from Herta, bound by mutual understanding… should have been you.]
[Your possessiveness toward Herta grows, and your gaze toward Ruan Mei turns jealous.]
[Driven by your desire to monopolize Herta—and perhaps by jealousy that Ruan Mei has grown close to her—you decide to take revenge on them both.]
[You decide to approach Ruan Mei.]
[Your choices:]
[1. Show Ruan Mei the trophy wall full of things stolen from Herta, and use it to threaten her.]
[2. Use (1) to threaten Herta instead, coercing her into agreeing to any condition you name.]
Jing Ye stared at the options and didn't like either of them.
It wasn't that he didn't want to get back at Herta. It was just…
Weren't these choices a little weak?
This was supposed to be a Villain Simulator?
Simple brute-force blackmail like this was entry-level stuff.
Sure, using Herta's precious friend to force concessions out of her was a nice start…
But psychologically? It was still far from enough.
He didn't want to just pressure Herta into obedience.
He wanted her to walk to him of her own free will, begging him not to hurt Ruan Mei.
Simply forcing her to hand over "everything" with a threat?
And this was supposed to fit "Villainy Overflowing"?
Could this simulator even do its job?
Apparently it hadn't expected his hesitation to come from its options not being evil enough.
Faced with his doubtful gaze, the simulator fell silent for a moment, then metaphorically gave him a big thumbs-up:
[As expected of the host—a natural-born villain.]
[Please wait a moment.]
Either you can or you can't, what was with the "wait a moment"?
Under his skeptical stare, the simulator seemed a bit flustered, determined to redeem its reputation.
After a brief shudder, it recalculated his choices:
[Host perk "Villainy Overflowing" – SS+ triggered. Options recalculated. Objective: shatter Herta's psyche.]
[Toward the best-friend duo of Herta and Ruan Mei, you choose—]
[To hide your villainy and secretly grow close to Ruan Mei. When your relationship has progressed far enough under Herta's nose, you'll let Herta discover the truth herself and come to you, begging you not to harm Ruan Mei.]
Now that was more like it.
Just threatening Herta with a photo would've been too boring.
No, he'd infiltrate her only friend's life, win her over, then let Herta realize—too late—that he'd sunk his claws into Ruan Mei.
Then Herta would have to swallow her pride and come kneel at his feet.
It sounded… very pleasing.
As for maintaining some sense of "I'm a good person"… whatever.
Under Jing Ye's "this kid can be taught" approval, the simulator continued:
[You hide your cruel side, knowing that revealing it too early will only push Ruan Mei toward Herta and unite them against you.]
[You disguise yourself as a warm, kind, good man to win Ruan Mei's trust so she can't tell whether Herta's description of you or the man in front of her is the real you.]
[Watching Ruan Mei's daily life, you seize the moment when she's stuck on a problem to make your move.]
[Patiently, you explain every concept she doesn't understand, mixing in wit and humor until she can't help laughing.]
[At this time, Ruan Mei's parents are still alive. She is only a pure, innocent teenage girl and doesn't sense the malice in your eyes when you approach her.]
[To ensure you're assigned to the same project group, you even help your professor take his child to kindergarten, snapping a picture along the way.]
[Moved by your "kindness" in helping with his kid, the professor is deeply impressed. People as selfless as you are rare in this world.]
[Under your subtle pressure, the professor puts you and Ruan Mei in the same group.]
[With the excuse of working together, your academic discussions and easy banter quickly draw you and Ruan Mei closer.]
[With her parents still alive, Ruan Mei is far from emotionally detached. Her feelings for you grow by the day.]
[She still doesn't realize the abyss you've prepared for her behind your smile.]
[As your relationship with Ruan Mei grows increasingly ambiguous, you begin occasionally belittling her.]
[Whenever she fails an experiment without your help, you mockingly tell her she's nothing without you.]
[Repeated failures erode her confidence. She gradually becomes dependent on you.]
[One day, Ruan Mei brings Herta along to introduce you.]
[Herta has long noticed Ruan Mei's recent gloom. She didn't expect to find you at the center of it.]
[The instant Ruan Mei introduces you, Herta understands you're the one behind it all.]
[Her face turns frosty at once. She urgently demands Ruan Mei cut ties with you. Ruan Mei doesn't understand why.]
[After all your careful performance, the man Ruan Mei sees is a gentle, witty gentleman. She can't understand Herta's prejudice, and the two end up in a heated argument.]
[They argue from noon till night and eventually part on bad terms.]
[Herta still can't bring herself to tell Ruan Mei what you did to her.]
[That night, Herta storms over to demand an explanation.]
Watching Herta walk right into his net, Jing Ye finally let out a quiet laugh.
Young Herta really was easy to handle. Poke the right nerve and she rushed in headfirst.
"Four Breaks in One Second" had pinpointed her weak spot perfectly—anything involving Ruan Mei would make her lose her cool.
He hadn't worried she wouldn't come. He'd worried she wouldn't come soon enough.
Now that she was here, demanding answers…
She was no different from a fish that had bitten the hook—
All that was left was to reel her in, watch her thrash and twist, until she exhausted herself and lay still on the chopping block.
And this time, he wouldn't be satisfied with just snatching clothes.
What did she think this was, a public restroom—come and go as she pleased?
No. He wanted… to make this pampered young lady personally shatter the image she cherished most—right in front of her best friend.
Thinking of Big Herta, who had just led him around like a dog on a leash, staring at him like prey, he ground his teeth.
Out there, he couldn't touch her.
But inside this simulator?
There was nothing stopping him from going as far as he wanted.
Even if it was "just a simulation," he would leave Herta with a memory so deep and unforgettable she'd never be free of him—
Even if Big Herta tried to take revenge afterward.
So in the simulation, when Herta confronted him, he didn't hesitate:
["If you want to protect your friend, you'll have to pay the corresponding price."]
["Not just your clothes, not just your reputation—but your body. Everything you have."]
[You lean close to Herta's fresh, youthful face, so near your breath brushes her skin.]
[Before she can react, you seize her chin and kiss her.]
["Mm—mmph?!"]
[Herta hadn't expected such a blatant demand, nor that you'd dare touch her so boldly.]
[You gasp as you pull back. Your lip, bitten by Herta, oozes bright red blood.]
The simulator even fed a ghost of sensation back to him. His lip smarted as though freshly bitten, and he could almost feel clinging warmth and softness lingering there.
The taste of iron and something sweet spread in his mouth. Licking his lips, Jing Ye felt the fire of revenge burn hotter in his chest.
["Y-You shameless, filthy, vile—!"]
[Herta's face goes pale with fury, and she swings for your cheek again—but this time you catch her wrist.]
[In the past, you tolerated her slaps. This time, you won't indulge her tantrums.]
[For someone she hates, "indulgence" is hardly the right word. But you relish treating Herta like a toy.]
[Pet? Plaything? In your heart, there's little difference.]
[To have a noble lady, born and bred, dancing in the palm of your hand—it's intoxicating.]
[You savor the thrill of revenge, remembering how her family killed you in an earlier timeline, remembering Big Herta's humiliations.]
[Stunned by your boldness, Herta's expression twists into even deeper disgust.]
[You clamp down on her delicate hand, fingers idly stroking her soft palm.]
[Your crooked smile only makes her loathing more intense. In a rage, she spits in your face.]
[But when you show her a photograph, all of Herta's resistance goes still.]
[The picture is of your trophy wall, covered with everything you've taken from her.]
[You don't need to explain. Knowing you as she does, she understands at once: if she refuses you, you'll make this humiliation public.]
[Especially to Ruan Mei.]
[In the end, Herta falls silent. Only a single tear slides down her cheek.]
["Enter immersion mode?"]
Jing Ye stared at the prompt, stunned.
The simulator could do that?
How could he possibly say no? Just reading text on a screen would be no better than a glorified chat bot.
Immersion mode—start.
-------
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