Chapter 1 - 1 .The Supporting Character Wakes

The moment Liang Chen opened his eyes, he knew something was wrong, not because of the unfamiliar carved wooden ceiling above him or the faint scent of sandalwood lingering in the air, but because of the cold, mechanical voice echoing in his mind, a voice that carried neither emotion nor warmth, yet spoke with an authority that allowed no resistance: "Host successfully bound. Welcome to the Male Supporting Character Counterattack System. Mission begins now." Liang Chen blinked slowly, his thoughts still tangled between the memory of his previous life—an overworked office employee who had collapsed at his desk after yet another sleepless night—and the sudden intrusion of this surreal situation, and before he could even question his sanity, a flood of foreign memories surged into his mind, nearly making him cry out in pain, images and emotions intertwining until he could no longer distinguish which belonged to him and which belonged to the body he now occupied, a body that, as he quickly realized, belonged to a man named Gu Yichen, the infamous second young master of the Gu family, known throughout the capital as a spoiled, arrogant, and ultimately tragic supporting character in a story that revolved entirely around someone else's glory; Liang Chen—no, Gu Yichen now—pressed a hand to his forehead as the system continued in its indifferent tone, "Current world: 'The Emperor's Beloved Consort.' Host identity: Male Supporting Character Number Three, Gu Yichen. Ending in original plot: crippled, abandoned, dies alone. Primary mission: reverse fate, counterattack, and surpass the protagonist. Rewards granted upon success. Penalties enforced upon failure." The words hung heavily in his mind, and for a moment, Liang Chen almost laughed, a hollow, incredulous sound trapped in his throat, because of course, just his luck, even after death he couldn't escape being overworked, now forced into some bizarre transmigration scenario where survival depended on outperforming a fictional protagonist, yet as the initial shock faded, something else began to take root within him, something colder, sharper, a quiet determination that he himself barely recognized, because if this was truly his new reality, then he refused to remain a stepping stone in someone else's story; the memories settled enough for him to piece together the situation, and what he learned made his expression darken slightly, because Gu Yichen, despite his noble background, was destined to fall precisely because of his blind obsession with the female lead, the emperor's future beloved consort, a woman who never once returned his affection and instead used him repeatedly as a pawn, while the male protagonist, the emperor himself, rose to power and crushed all opposition, including the Gu family, leaving Gu Yichen broken both physically and mentally before his eventual miserable death, and as Liang Chen absorbed this narrative, a faint smirk tugged at his lips, because unlike the original Gu Yichen, he had no interest in chasing after a woman who would only lead him to ruin, nor did he intend to challenge the protagonist head-on like some reckless fool; instead, he would rewrite the rules entirely, and if the system wanted a counterattack, then he would give it one so thorough that even the so-called protagonist would become nothing more than a background figure in his rise; "System," Liang Chen said silently, testing the connection, "what resources do I have?" There was a brief pause before the voice responded, "Beginner's gift package available. Would you like to open it?" Liang Chen didn't hesitate. "Open it." A faint chime echoed, followed by a series of notifications that appeared in his mind like translucent screens: "Congratulations, host has obtained: Observation Skill (Intermediate), Acting Skill (Intermediate), Plot Awareness (Partial), and 100 Counterattack Points." Liang Chen's eyes narrowed slightly as he processed the information, particularly the Plot Awareness, which allowed him glimpses of future events tied to the original storyline, though incomplete, it was more than enough to give him an advantage, and as he sat up slowly, feeling the unfamiliar weight of his new body, he began to plan, because the first rule of survival in any story like this was simple—avoid the protagonist's spotlight until you were strong enough to seize it; a knock on the door interrupted his thoughts, followed by a cautious voice, "Second Young Master, the banquet is about to begin. The young miss from the Lin family has arrived." Liang Chen paused, and then a faint smile appeared, because if his memory served him correctly, this banquet was the turning point where Gu Yichen publicly humiliated himself trying to impress the female lead, only to be coldly rejected, setting the stage for his downfall, and as he rose to his feet, adjusting the elegant robes draped over his body, his reflection in the bronze mirror revealed a face that was undeniably handsome, sharp features softened by an air of arrogance that he now consciously suppressed, replacing it with a calm, almost indifferent expression; "Tell them I'll be there shortly," he said, his voice steady, and as the servant retreated, Liang Chen—Gu Yichen—took a deep breath, feeling a strange mix of anticipation and excitement, because this would be his first step in rewriting the script, and unlike the original, he had no intention of becoming a clown for others' amusement; the banquet hall was already bustling with nobles and officials when he arrived, the air filled with laughter and polite conversation, yet beneath it all was the subtle tension of political maneuvering, and Liang Chen's gaze swept across the room until it landed on the central figures—the female lead, Lin Qingya, dressed in flowing white, her beauty ethereal yet distant, and beside her, the man who would one day become emperor, currently just a prince, his presence commanding even in silence; in the original plot, this was the moment Gu Yichen would approach Lin Qingya with an extravagant gift, only to be politely but firmly rejected, earning the ridicule of the entire hall, but Liang Chen simply observed from a distance, his expression unreadable, and when a few curious gazes turned toward him, expecting the usual display, he merely raised a cup of wine and took a slow sip, as if nothing in the room concerned him, and this subtle deviation did not go unnoticed, particularly by the prince, whose eyes flickered briefly with interest before returning to his conversation; "Host has altered key plot point. Counterattack Points +20," the system chimed softly, and Liang Chen suppressed a smile, because this confirmed his suspicion—he didn't need to create dramatic changes immediately, even small deviations from the original storyline could accumulate advantages, and as the evening progressed, he maintained his composed demeanor, engaging in light conversation when necessary but never drawing too much attention, carefully observing the interactions around him, analyzing alliances, rivalries, and hidden intentions, because knowledge, in this world, was just as valuable as power; however, just as he began to think the night would pass without incident, a voice called out, dripping with mockery, "Second Young Master Gu, are you feeling unwell today? Why aren't you fawning over Miss Lin as usual?" The speaker was another noble, one who had often ridiculed Gu Yichen in the past, and all eyes turned toward him, anticipation gleaming in their expressions, waiting for the familiar outburst, but Liang Chen merely set his cup down and looked at the man calmly, his gaze sharp yet devoid of anger, and after a brief pause, he spoke, his tone light yet carrying an undercurrent of quiet confidence, "I simply realized that there are more important things in this world than chasing after someone who has no interest in me," and the simplicity of his response, combined with the complete absence of his usual desperation, left the room momentarily silent, even Lin Qingya seemed slightly taken aback, her brows knitting faintly as she studied him, as if seeing him for the first time, and the prince's lips curved almost imperceptibly, amused by this unexpected development; "Host has successfully shifted character perception. Counterattack Points +50," the system announced, and Liang Chen felt a flicker of satisfaction, because this was only the beginning, and as the banquet continued, the narrative that once dictated his fate began to unravel, thread by thread, replaced by a new story—his story—one where the so-called supporting character would rise, not through reckless defiance, but through calculated precision, patience, and an unyielding refusal to remain in the shadows, and as the night deepened, Liang Chen stood at the edge of the hall, watching the interplay of power and ambition with a steady gaze, already several steps ahead in a game that no one else even realized had begun.