The twilight’s lingering chill deepened into a desolate night. The snow on the ground was pitted and uneven, as if stained with blood. A crow perched on a branch, preening its inky feathers, its occasional mournful cries perfectly mirroring the bleak scene.

Lin Suisui slowly opened her eyes to utter darkness. Around her lay a chaotic jumble of vines and unfamiliar plants scattered on the ground. The night was punctuated by strange animal sounds, adding to the eerie atmosphere.

Lin Suisui jolted upright, a cold sweat breaking out on her back.

What was going on? Wasn’t she in the library? How did she end up in this hellish place?!

A staunch materialist, Lin Suisui trembled, pinching herself hard. The pain brought tears to her eyes, but nothing changed.

“When did I start sleeping so soundly?” she wondered, just as she was about to slap herself, she heard a voice:

【You have successfully acquired the plot of “Forever and Always, Only You.” Please refrain from self-harm, and complete the task to return to the real world.】

Lin Suisui: “…” Who’s self-harming?

Her mind clearing somewhat, Lin Suisui finally accepted the utterly unscientific fact that she had transmigrated into a book.

Speaking of the book, it was the most ridiculous plot she had ever encountered in her nineteen years. The female lead, Yin Manlin, disguised herself as a man, changing her name to Yin Xinghe, to infiltrate the army and avenge her family, who had been oppressed to death by the king’s unreasonable policies. She repeatedly achieved military merit, earning the king’s trust.

Later, a war broke out between two countries. Yin Manlin’s army fought bravely, quickly ending the conflict. The male lead, Pei Zhiheng, the only prince of the enemy country, was forced into a political marriage, leading to his first meeting with the female lead.

Following typical novel tropes, Pei Zhiheng instantly recognized Yin Manlin as a woman and inexplicably fell in love at first sight. They secretly colluded, overthrew the court, and Yin Manlin successfully ascended to the throne as Empress. Pei Zhiheng married the woman of his dreams.

After their marriage, Pei Zhiheng’s infatuation was fully displayed. He unconditionally provided Yin Manlin with his country’s military intelligence, surrendered his military power to her, ultimately leading to the downfall of his nation and his own death at Yin Manlin’s hand.

At the end of the book, Pei Zhiheng, given the title of Emperor Consort, sacrificed himself for love, while Yin Manlin’s trusted general, Wei Huaiyuan, successfully seized power and lived happily ever after with the Empress.

Essentially, the male lead was just a titular tool.

“No, I understand the author’s desire to write a powerful female lead story, but couldn’t they have created a male lead who wasn’t so brainless as a stepping stone?” Lin Suisui thought resentfully. Every character in the book should be fleshed out, not a mere NPC created to highlight someone else.

And the female lead? Yin Manlin, from beginning to end, only cared about achieving her ambition, ruthlessly using everyone around her, causing countless innocent people to suffer.