Hua Qingqing scrambled to her feet and asked nervously.

"Second Sister, are you all right? Where are you hurt?"

Hua Manman remained lying on the ground, seemingly having fainted.

Hua Qingqing’s face turned pale with fright.

She looked around, but there was no one nearby. She had even sent away her personal palace maids.

All she could do was help Hua Manman up. She saw a cut on Hua Manman’s forehead with fresh blood trickling down her temple, a frightening sight.

Hua Qingqing called her name twice, but when she got no response, her panic grew.

"Wait here, I’ll go get help."

With that, Hua Qingqing gathered her skirts and hurried away.

The moment Hua Qingqing was gone, Hua Manman opened her eyes.

She hadn’t fainted at all.

She had deliberately feigned unconsciousness to get Hua Qingqing to leave.

Hua Manman reached for a nearby rock and asked slowly.

"When Hua Qingqing was in danger just now, you were so anxious. Her life must be very important to you, right?"

The system played dead and said nothing.

Hua Manman: "Do you think I can’t do anything to you just because you won’t admit it?"

She raised the rock, aimed it at the wound on her own forehead, and postured as if to smash it down.

The system shrieked, "What are you doing?"

Hua Manman said leisurely.

"Didn’t I tell you? I want to run an experiment to see if the heroine can truly affect your existence.

Judging from your reaction just now, my guess is almost certainly correct.

So next, I have to make you understand one thing."

The system had a bad feeling, but it braced itself and asked.

"Understand what?"

Hua Manman: "I have to make you understand that I can take the heroine Hua Qingqing’s life whenever I please."

The system warned sternly, "Harming the heroine Hua Qingqing will violate the rules. You will suffer the heart-pain punishment."

Hua Manman chuckled. "I can take her life without breaking any rules."

The system was scornful. "In your dreams!"

Then, the system heard her unhurried analysis.

"If I die here today, Hua Qingqing will surely think she killed me.

She will be overwhelmed with guilt and self-blame.

What do you think will happen when a pregnant woman is plunged into deep remorse? You can guess, can’t you?"

The system’s voice abruptly stopped.

Hua Manman: "If Prince Zhao finds out I died to save Hua Qingqing, he will definitely hold a grudge against her.

With his petty, vengeful, and murderous personality, he would undoubtedly kill Hua Qingqing at any cost."

The system: "You won’t do it. You don’t want to die."

Though it was a cold, mechanical voice, it was laced with a hint of gritted-teeth fury.

Hua Manman’s lips curved into a smirk. "Then let’s make a bet."

She smashed the rock hard against her forehead. The wound instantly deepened, and more blood flowed out.

Her vision swam.

She paused for a long while before picking up the rock, preparing to strike a second time.

The system could finally hold back no longer.

It cried out in a voice filled with disbelief.

"You’ll really die if you keep this up!"

The system might not care if she lived or died, but it could not ignore the life of the heroine, Hua Qingqing.

If Hua Manman really died here, given how much Hua Qingqing currently valued her sister, she would surely be tormented to death by guilt. And Prince Zhao, Li Ji, certainly wouldn’t let her off either.

Hua Manman was in excruciating pain.

But she struggled to remain calm and smashed the rock against her forehead once more.

The system thought, ’This woman is truly insane.’

’Who would dare test a system’s bottom line like this?’

But the system was utterly powerless against her.

If she had tried to harm the heroine, Hua Qingqing, the system could have intervened and punished her, stopping her from succeeding.

But right now, she was harming herself.

Within the system’s established rules, not a single one restricted the host from self-harm or suicide.

Therefore, Hua Manman’s actions were within the permissible scope of the rules.

The system couldn’t interfere; it could only watch, helpless.

At this point, it truly felt regret.

’There are so many two-legged humans out there. Why did I have to pick such a suicidal maniac?!’

Hua Manman’s hand, holding the rock, was trembling. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

She was in so much pain she could barely hold on.

’This goddamn system still won’t back down.’

’Am I really going to die here today?’

Just as Hua Manman raised the rock, preparing for one last, vicious blow, the system finally caved.

"Enough! You guessed right. The heroine Hua Qingqing’s safety is very important to me!"

Hua Manman froze, but her hand gripping the rock did not loosen.

The system was truly going insane with rage, its tone laced with killing intent.

"When we systems carry out transmigration missions, we need to find an anchor point in the target world beforehand.

Only after selecting an anchor point can the transmigration succeed.

The heroine, Hua Qingqing, is the anchor point I chose. She is the link connecting me to this world.

If anything happens to Hua Qingqing, the anchor point will disappear, and I will also vanish from this world.

So, Hua Qingqing absolutely cannot die.

Are you satisfied now?"

Due to her injuries, Hua Manman’s mind was dizzy and muddled. It was as if she understood, but also as if she didn’t.

Regardless, she was certain of at least one thing.

’The goddamn system finally chickened out!’

Hua Manman tossed aside the blood-stained rock, the corners of her mouth lifting into a victor’s smile.

By the time Hua Qingqing returned in a hurry with help, Hua Manman had completely passed out.

Princess Consort Zhao was carried back, her head covered in blood, frightening everyone.

Consort Liu quickly sent for an Imperial Physician, while also remembering to report the matter to the Emperor.

She knew Prince Zhao was the type to disown his own family when he went mad. If he found out his own princess consort had an accident at her tea party, he would likely redirect his anger onto her. She had to find the Emperor at once.

With the Emperor present, Prince Zhao should restrain himself a little... right?

When Li Ji heard the news of Manman’s injury, he rushed to the Imperial Hospital immediately.

He gave the Emperor a perfunctory bow before striding hastily to the bedside.

Seeing Hua Manman unconscious with her head wrapped in gauze, Li Ji’s gaze grew so cold it could have turned to ice.

A terrifying aura, like the calm before a storm, radiated from him.

Consort Liu’s heart pounded in fear. She quickly shrank back behind the Emperor, not forgetting to defend herself.

"Princess Consort Zhao was injured while saving Hua Jieyu. It has nothing to do with me."

Li Ji ignored her, looking directly at the Imperial Physician standing nearby and asking in a low voice.

"How is the Princess Consort?"

The Imperial Physician tremblingly rattled off a long-winded explanation.

Li Ji cut off his rambling.

"Get to the point!"

The Imperial Physician shivered involuntarily with fright and said quickly.

"The Princess Consort is severely injured. As for her specific condition, we still need to observe her further!"

Li Ji frowned. So many Imperial Physicians had been examining her for ages and still hadn’t figured out the patient’s condition. They were utterly useless.