“Uh… hmm…”

Xu Xue tapped her short fingers on the table. “Do you understand what I mean?”

“Of course, I understood. It was a warning from this world’s protagonist.” Sang Manman was on the verge of losing it. Before this verbal warning, she’d already been physically warned—she couldn’t jump off the building no matter how hard she tried.

In a CEO romance novel, the CEO belonged to the female lead, and Sang Manman, an outsider, dared to toy with the CEO. So she effectively hit an iron wall: the female lead, who was protected by the will of the world. 

By defying the world’s will, Sang Manman had no chance of leaving—not even by jumping off the building!

Desperate, Sang Manman asked the system, [System, what do I do?]

System: [I’ve never encountered a situation like this before.]

The system, slightly calmer than Sang Manman, proposed a solution: [Perhaps you can honestly explain your situation to the female lead and negotiate her agreement to let you continue your mission with Zheng Yu?]

Reluctantly, Sang Manman took the plunge. “May I ask your name?”

“Xu Xue.”

“Ah Xue sister, so many CEOs already adore you. Surely you don’t need Zheng Yu, right?”

Xu Xue: “Honestly, I’m troubled by his attention.”

“That’s great!” Sang Manman’s hope reignited. “Ah Xue, let me be upfront. I’m a quick-transmigration operative.”

Xu Xue nodded calmly.

Her lack of surprise unsettled Sang Manman, further highlighting Xu Xue’s terrifying composure. Sang Manman didn’t dare lie.

“My mission is to win over Zheng Yu. Could you allow me some time to complete it? Once I finish, I’ll leave immediately.” Sang Manman asked cautiously.

Xu Xue: “……”

Originally, Xu Xue had intended to let her complete the mission and leave, but her Captain had other plans. And, well, Sang Manman had chosen to jump off a building in full public view—what else could she expect?

Seeing Xu Xue hesitate, Sang Manman quickly added, “Of course, I won’t do this for free. I’ve accumulated some great items from previous worlds—things that improve skin, promote hair growth, or aid weight loss. I also have one-time-use tools, though some are restricted to my use. But the ones I can share, you can have.”

After a moment of silence, Xu Xue handed her a piece of paper. “Write down everything you own. We’ll negotiate a fair trade to let you leave.”

Sang Manman obediently listed everything, not daring to hide anything.

As she wrote, Xu Xue watched closely, occasionally asking questions.

“How many worlds have you been to?”

“Sixteen. This is the seventeenth.”

“How long does each mission take?”

“Some last a few months; others take several years.”

Having cleared 16 worlds, Sang Manman had amassed an impressive collection. The list filled an entire sheet of paper, including items like teleportation cards, invisibility cards, single-use filters like the Battle-Damaged Beauty Filter and Saintly Aura Filter, as well as pills and beauty elixirs.

She meticulously labeled which items were restricted to her and which could be shared. Most rewards were exclusive to help her complete missions, with few that could be gifted.

“I have an idea,” Xu Xue said after reviewing the list, returning to her seat.

“Anything you want, you can have!” Sang Manman exclaimed eagerly. She genuinely didn’t mind giving them away. With just one world left, she wouldn’t need most of the items.

“Work at our department for five years, and we’ll let you complete your mission with Zheng Yu and leave this world without obstacles,” Xu Xue proposed.

“Her items were immensely valuable, especially for dangerous assignments. This arrangement would benefit our team immensely, giving our Captain a chance to rest more often.”

Sang Manman: ???

She instinctively wanted to argue but realized it wasn’t an unreasonable demand. 

Working in a modern-world setting wasn’t particularly challenging compared to the high-difficulty worlds she’d survived for five or six years.

The critical issue was that Xu Xue’s consent was essential. Without it, Sang Manman could never leave this world. Refusal wasn’t an option.

Resigned to her fate, Sang Manman cautiously asked, “What kind of department are you? And what if I’m bad at the job?”

“Don’t worry. We provide onboarding training and assign experienced colleagues to guide you. You’ll be helping maintain societal order and safety.”

Xu Xue handed over a standard agreement from the Novel Crisis Management Bureau. “If you agree, sign this.”

“No problem.” Sang Manman quickly consulted her system, and together they accepted the terms.

Taking the agreement, Sang Manman looked down at the title.

“Mutual Non-Mockery Contract Between Novels”

Sang Manman: ???

Why did she recognize every word, but not the meaning when they were strung together? Was this even Chinese?

Sang Manman and her system, utterly baffled, began reading the agreement. The more they read, the more confused they became.

Two minutes later.

Sang Manman quietly asked, “Excuse me, what kind of world is this?”

Xu Xue sighed, thinking about their constantly novel-invaded world. “Ours is a broken world.”

“Broken world, my foot!”

“What kind of broken world was this terrifying?!”

Finally understanding the situation, Sang Manman, along with her system, cursed it for several minutes.

Three minutes later, Xu Xue emerged from the meeting room with a resigned Sang Manman. She handed Sang Manman’s carefully written list of tools and skills to Duan Chunshui.

Duan Chunshui skimmed the list, raised his eyebrows slightly, and said, “Welcome aboard.”

Xiao Xu took the lead, clapping enthusiastically, followed by the rest.

Sang Manman: “……”

“Thanks, but after everything, I am now allergic to applause.”

As the applause echoed, Jiang Nian gave Xu Xue a thumbs up. Xu Xue giggled and glanced at Duan Chunshui, whose satisfied expression made her grin even wider.

She asked, “Captain, which department should she register with?”

Working with Team Three didn’t require formal registration, like her own case. However, since they had promised training, Xu Xue decided Sang Manman should go to the Protagonist Re-Education Center to fulfill that commitment.

“Where else? Of course, the Love-struck Brain Department.” Duan Chunshui gave Sang Manman a sidelong glance. His long, narrow eyes, with their thin lids, naturally conveyed a faint disdain whenever he looked down.

Sang Manman felt insulted, though she still didn’t understand the department structure. “Why would I go to the Love-struck Brain Department? I’m not a love-struck brain!”

The original Sang Manman of this world was the true love-struck brain. She despised such behavior—how could she possibly be one?

“That car accident—you orchestrated it, right? Then you tried suicide,” Duan Chunshui said, lifting his gaze. 

His deep, beautiful eyes stared at her. “Using self-harm and suicide to manipulate someone’s love and guilt… What could that be if not the epitome of being a love-struck brain person?”

Sang Manman froze.

Then, Duan Chunshui quickly resumed his lazy demeanor. “Your head isn’t right. Hmm, maybe it’s a psychological issue. Go to the Love-struck Brain Department and study some psychology for self-help.”

“You—your head’s the one that isn’t right…”

Sang Manman’s retort was muffled by Xu Xue covering her mouth. Xu Xue whispered, “Don’t mess with the Captain.”

Li Heng, who had just left the meeting room, chimed in, “Cut him some slack; he just got demoted for punching a protagonist.”

Xiao Xu offered comforting words, “Don’t mind our Captain’s cold face. He actually cares about you. He’s the one who caught you and brought you back up every time you jumped.”

Sang Manman: “……”

Reluctantly, she went to the first-floor registration hall, where she obediently registered with the Love-struck Brain Department. She was then led by Xu Xue to the department’s dormitory.

The Novel Crisis Management Bureau provided single rooms for protagonists undergoing re-education and detachment from novel control. The Love-struck Brain Department dormitory was on the fourth floor.