Seaside residential building, 6th floor room.
Receiving the explosive news from netizens, Hibiscus nearly jumped three feet high, never expecting she'd already had encounters with the protagonist.
Something was off—so what did these friends constantly mention as the original plot?
Not just her, the entire main thread's popularity rose another level, with thorough analysis revolving around the photo segments she'd just published of her interactions with Jin Ruochu. Initially shocked by the storyline changes, their topic quickly turned to admiration:
【Too faithful a recreation—never seen such similar Manjusaka cosplay】
【Why is the OP not only a beautiful girl herself but always able to find actors matching the character's temperament? Could this be kindred spirits recognizing each other? Absolutely envious】
【Perfect! Even this period's naive, tender, foolish Jin Ruochu was portrayed. Good review】
【All living beings praise, floating fairy dances】
【Previously I always felt the main thread was just fooling around, but now it's completely overturned my preconceived impressions. The OP is very serious—from interactions, filming videos, finding actors to playing Hyacinth, it's a masterwork integrating everything, injecting so much effort. If we don't respond seriously, that would be truly heartbreaking】
Too exaggerated.
Hibiscus didn't want everyone to give her likes, shares, or praise—just effective information would do. No need for thanks; mutual benefit.
At the same time she was slightly lost in thought, having to consider one serious matter: how to view Manjusaka?
Bluntly speaking, they were enemies. Not only because of the future storyline netizens mentioned and those dreams of hers—ultimately she remained bitter about failure. Who could easily let go? The culprit behind all this was still tender, while Hibiscus surged forward as currently the only and strongest magical girl. Eliminating you would be easy—she could set out now to infiltrate Changfeng Financial Group headquarters.
Direct combat was still insufficient, but for infiltration definitely no problem. Time stop was enough to come and go freely; assassination would be a piece of cake.
What relationship did she have with things that hadn't happened? What relationship with Jin Ruochu?
Hibiscus was unwilling to massacre for such ethereal reasons.
Taking a step back, future path divergences could be resolved later. The original Hyacinth didn't have a persuasion system—she'd walked a different route from the beginning...
【Are you going to kill her?】
"I won't. Why don't I ask everyone much about the original storyline? Because many things are different from the starting point—no need to care. Plus you've given me broader vision and thinking. Regardless of how the other me was, I'll definitely do better than her."
Hibiscus not only answered the netizens' questions but also clarified her own heart. The path was gradually forming—at least not bound by the past.
【This woman is damn charming. She spoke too well. Are we cultivating a complete-form great villain stronger than the original? I see you—golden scales are not things of the pond; encountering wind and clouds, they transform into dragons】
【What original? I'm watching the authentic version here】
【As everyone knows, original Hyacinth achieved 2nd place in the "Hyacinth Imitation Contest"】
【Good good good. If you choose not to oppose Jin Ruochu and simply turn enemies into friends, we'll help you strategize "100 Ways to Court Manjusaka"—guaranteed success. Everyone definitely wants to see the worldline where Manjusaka and Hyacinth are affectionate. Nothing's better than enemies turning from mutual killing to mutual love】
【After so many years, the Wenfeng Party finally stands up. Everyone charge with me】
【Date A Live, activate】
Watching the system refresh with various courtship suggestions, Hibiscus was speechless. Could they be more serious? Talk properly—why send images at every turn? Too much!
She witnessed certain images and blushed, seeing herself with silver hair and red pupils together with pink-haired, pink-eyed Jin Ruochu positioned front-up and back-down, both fallen together on a bed with blankets and pillows thrown about. Their elaborate, gorgeous dresses were undone and drooping off shoulders, skin pressed close together, especially foreheads touching intimately. Though faces were flushed, they gazed steadily at each other.
Beep!
——This image violated regulations and was deleted by community administrators. This immediately drew netizens' complaints, saying they were too slow to save it or requesting private messages.
Well done, justice executed!
For the first time, Hibiscus thanked some unknown administrator. Otherwise, continuing to see such inexplicably romantic atmosphere images would be too strange—she took an avoidant attitude toward that aspect.
She was pondering how to resolve the Great Catastrophe's first round of omens. Everything else could take a back seat—she still had to consider national survival as everyone's responsibility.
Really troublesome. Since Ningfeng Harbor would face Disaster Beast attacks in August, didn't that leave only two weeks? She couldn't stay out of it—knowing too much was itself a major responsibility. Honestly, her first thought was to flee—airplane, train, ship, anything would do, just fly far away. But practically speaking, she'd live here for college—couldn't leave.
The so-called strength in numbers—why not gather magical girls in advance? For instance, the magical girl Manjusaka who could defeat the big boss must be amazing, perhaps capable of independent responsibility.
Possessing the strongest causality magic should allow great achievements.
Hibiscus enthusiastically shared this idea with netizens but was doused with cold water, because the protagonist was typically weak early, high ceiling late—bringing her out now would be completely inadequate. Plus who could guarantee awakening? How long would it take? How to stimulate it? Full of uncertainties.
【Manjusaka's path to strength is full of twists. Others start from zero, she starts from negative numbers. Early combat ability is quite poor】
【She seems lively and active but actually hides being sickly and weak, and is actually lonely inside, always closing herself off—actually the hardest type to communicate with】
【From the timeline, Jin Ruochu should accept modification surgery to become the world's first perfect modified body】
【Perfect? Too ugly】
【Indeed, the first round of surgery only solved congenital physical lesions. Appearance compared to monsters isn't much better either. Had to undergo a second surgery and coincidentally encountered Disaster Beast attacks, awakening as a magical girl to succeed. From subsequent plot, surgical failure and incompleteness were blamed on poor isolation effects against remains infection. Just be careful】
【Meaningless. No technology existed then to completely dispel infection】
【@Hyacinth, since you have contact, why not visit and comfort her? Perhaps you could help her through difficulties, striving for one surgery to solve everything. Who knows, might really become quite useful】
Beep!
[You have received new advice: Provide Pre-Surgery Care For Jin Ruochu. Reward: Small Enhancement Potion ×1, 300 Exchange Points]
Hibiscus considered it quite generous, especially exchange points as all-purpose currency, enough to buy potions or attribute points.
The system never forced anything—after all, advice depended entirely on whether to adopt it. Honestly quite tempting, but what "Pre-Surgery Care" meant was completely unclear—too vague. She could ask netizens where Jin Ruochu was now and basic location intelligence, but couldn't make herself into a psychologist. To maximize benefits, not just care was needed—ensuring smooth first-round surgery. But that was impossible; deep Disaster Beast infection couldn't even be handled with healing techniques.
So should she adopt the advice and act?