Reborn As A Doomsday Villainess-Chapter 32

Lingquan ignored their complaints entirely. [All I’m saying is, Qingran, you’ve already given up on the hero role. So why not embrace the anti-hero instead? Do what you want. Survive however you see fit. And if that means playing the villain in someone else’s story? So be it.]

Qingran stared at the sky, her expression unreadable.

Villainess, anti-hero, survivor.

Did it even matter?

All she knew was that the world had only twenty-two days left.

And she wasn’t planning on being a casualty.

Qingran didn’t respond right away. She let Lingquan’s words settle, the weight of them pressing against the remnants of her earlier thoughts.

An anti-hero. A villainess.

Maybe she really was.

Feng Yizhou watched her carefully, his eyes dark under the moonlight. He didn’t rush her for an answer, didn’t ask what was going on in her mind. He simply walked beside her, his presence steady, unshaken.

The wind was cool, rustling through the tall grass lining the dirt path. The sky above them stretched endlessly, scattered with rolling clouds that passed over the moon, casting shadows along the fields. It was beautiful in an eerie, dreamlike way—like a scene from a world on the brink of collapse.

Qingran sighed, the tension in her shoulders easing ever so slightly. "I suppose there’s no point regretting things now."

Lingquan perked up. [That’s the spirit.]

Feng Yizhou glanced at her. "Are you done sulking?"

She shot him a glare. "I wasn’t sulking."

He hummed, unconvinced.

Qingran rolled her eyes and kept walking. The earth was firm beneath her steps, grounding her. The apocalypse was coming. The world would fall apart.

And she was going to survive it.

As if sensing her shift in mindset, Feng Yizhou slowed his pace just slightly to match hers.

"Good," he said simply. "Regret won’t help you now."

She gave a short laugh. "That’s a rather heartless thing to say."

Feng Yizhou didn’t deny it. "The world isn’t going to wait for you to grieve your choices Qingran."

Qingran exhaled sharply but didn’t argue. He was right.

Lingquan, however, took the opportunity to chime in. [Ah, so cold. So ruthless. Yizhou, are you sure you aren’t the villain?]

Feng Yizhou’s system, Caocao, sighed. [Must you be so dramatic?]

[Yes.]

Qingran shook her head. At least their bickering had lightened the mood.

The wind picked up slightly, sending a chill through the air. Feng Yizhou noticed and unwrapped the scarf from his neck, handing it to her without a word.

Qingran blinked at the offering. "You—"

"Take it."

She hesitated but eventually took it, wrapping it around herself. The warmth lingered from his body heat, the scent of faint cologne clinging to the fabric.

Feng Yizhou didn’t comment.

Lingquan, however, absolutely did.

[Oh? Oh? What’s this? Are we having a moment?]

Feng Yizhou’s system groaned. [Lingquan, shut up.]

Qingran sighed.

Even at the end of the world, her system refused to let her have peace.

—

Not long after, their systems chimed at the same time.

[Mission completed!]

A translucent screen flickered before Qingran’s eyes, showing her reward details.

[Bonus Reward: Choose a Form for Lingquan.]

She raised an eyebrow at the options. There were three categories: Emote, Shape, and Animal.

Qingran didn’t hesitate, and picked animal.

Lingquan’s delighted laugh echoed in her mind.

Meanwhile, beside her, Feng Yizhou was going through the same thing. His mission wasn’t the same, but he still received a reward for assisting her.

[Bonus Reward: Choose a Form for Caocao.]

Like Qingran, he skimmed over the options and selected Animal.

A soft glow surrounded them, and then—

Two small figures appeared.

Qingran blinked as a sleek black cat with blue eyes landed gracefully on her shoulder, its tail curling around her neck.

At the same time, a pristine white cat with sharp blue eyes stretched on Feng Yizhou’s arms, flicking its tail in amusement.

A heavy silence stretched between them.

Lingquan purred smugly. [Hah, look at that. We’re both cats.]

Caocao flicked her tail with an air of superiority. [It seems fate has a sense of humor.]

Qingran pressed her fingers to her temple. "You picked a cat too?"

Feng Yizhou exhaled. "...Apparently."

Another long pause.

Then, suddenly, Lingquan and Caocao burst into laughter, their soft feline bodies shaking with amusement.

[You two really are something else.]

Qingran groaned. "...I don’t know if this is a blessing or a curse."

Feng Yizhou, for once, had no answer. Cause he had a feeling it was both.

Qingran pinched the bridge of her nose, exhaling slowly. "You’re enjoying this way too much, Lingquan."

Lingquan, now comfortably perched on her shoulder, flicked his tail smugly. [Of course I am. I’ve upgraded from the voice in your head to a majestic creature of the night.]

Qingran gave him a flat look. "You’re a cat."

[A majestic cat,] he corrected. [And clearly, I’m not the only one.]

Her gaze shifted to the white feline stretching lazily on Feng Yizhou’s arms. Caocao licked a paw with an air of elegance before casting a knowing glance at Lingquan.

[I suppose this form is fitting,] she mused. [Now, I can observe Yizhou’s every move properly.]

Feng Yizhou raised an eyebrow. "You were already doing that."

Caocao’s tail flicked. [Yes, but now I can judge you with my eyes.]

Lingquan snickered. [Excellent. We can judge them together.]

Qingran groaned. "This was a mistake."

Feng Yizhou didn’t argue. He simply lifted Caocao by the scruff, holding her at eye level. "Are you staying like this permanently?"

Caocao blinked slowly. [That depends. Do you find my presence unbearable?]

Feng Yizhou sighed and set her down. "I suppose it doesn’t matter."

The night air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of damp earth. The rolling hills surrounding them were quiet, untouched by the chaos that would soon consume the world. Qingran took a deep breath, letting the cool air settle her mind.

Feng Yizhou studied her for a moment before speaking. "You still look exhausted."

"I wonder why," she muttered, rubbing her temple. "It’s not like I just discovered I accidentally helped start the apocalypse or anything."

Lingquan stretched, unbothered. [Still stuck on that? You should embrace it. You’re the doomsday villainess, not some tragic protagonist.]

Caocao nodded in agreement. [Lingquan is right. You didn’t cause the apocalypse; you were merely a catalyst. The outcome was inevitable.]

Qingran scoffed. "You two are oddly supportive of my villain arc."

Lingquan grinned. [That’s because it suits you. And let’s be real, you were not planning on saving the world, are you? You wanted to survive]

Qingran didn’t answer immediately. She turned her gaze toward the sky, the stars barely visible through the shifting clouds.

No. She wasn’t planning on stopping the apocalypse.

She was planning to survive it.

Feng Yizhou seemed to understand her silence. He tucked his hands into his pockets and glanced toward the distant horizon. "What’s next?"

Qingran finally looked at him. "We head back to the hotel, not much to do in Xi’an now."

Feng Yizhou gave a small nod. "Weapons can be gotten easily here. Do you want to get some tomorrow?"

Qingran nodded, they were very important!

Lingquan and Caocao exchanged amused looks before settling into their respective places.

[Wonder what we’ll see as we journey through Xi’an] Lingquan purred.

[Indeed ]Caocao agreed[The world may be ending, but at least we’ll be entertained.]

Qingran sighed, already regretting giving her system a physical form.