At midnight, the lights were still on in the top floor office of the CBD in the Magic City.

Chen Feng rubbed his sore neck, staring at the dense spreadsheets on the computer screen.

A month straight of 9 to 9, 6 days a week had left his eyes bloodshot.

"Another all-nighter."

He gave a bitter smile and glanced at the time, 3:30 a.m.

The coffee on the desk had long gone cold and in the instant noodle cup only a few strands of noodles remained, giving off an oily stench.

The life of a twenty-eight-year-old wage slave was being worn down bit by bit on nights like this.

His phone vibrated, another new message in the WeChat group.

Meeting tomorrow morning at 9, attendance is mandatory.

Chen Feng nearly threw his phone.

He almost typed back I just got off work, but deleted it.

Forget it, for that pitiful salary, he would endure.

At 4 a.m. Chen Feng finally shut down his computer.

In the elevator, he looked at his reflection in the metallic door—messy hair, scruffy beard, dark circles under his eyes.

Was this still the once high-spirited university graduate?

Walking out of the office building, the street was deserted.

Only a few taxis passed by now and then, stirring the night air.

Chen Feng didn’t take a cab, wanting to clear his head by walking.

It was only a ten-minute walk anyway.

At a traffic light, he took out his phone to check the time.

Suddenly, a sharp bell rang behind him.

"Move! Move!"

A young man on a bicycle sped toward him.

Chen Feng instinctively stepped aside.

But the rider’s skills were clearly poor. The handlebars tilted, slamming straight into Chen Feng.

Bang—

Weakened from overwork, Chen Feng lost balance from the collision.

His head smashed heavily against the curb.

Blood gushed instantly.

His vision blurred, ears buzzing.

The young cyclist panicked, abandoned the bike and bolted.

"Help… anyone…"

Chen Feng tried to call out, but only faint sounds left his throat.

The street was empty.

Blood pooled beneath him, spreading.

His consciousness dimmed.

"I’m dying like this? Not even anyone to say my last words to?"

His last thought flashed as darkness swallowed his world.

* * *

No idea how much time passed.

Chen Feng’s eyes snapped open.

Before him was not the white ceiling of a hospital, but the ragged thatched roof of a hut.

Crooked beams with cobwebs hung above.

"Where is this?"

He tried to sit up, but his body felt much lighter.

Looking down, he froze.

Slender arms, a chest rising with curves and long black hair draping over it.

"What the hell!"

He jumped up in shock, his sharp voice startling even himself—it sounded unexpectedly pleasant.

This wasn’t his voice!

Running to a cracked bronze mirror, he saw a delicate young girl’s face reflected back.

Willow brows, almond eyes, a small nose, soft pink lips.

Fourteen or fifteen, the bloom of youth.

Chen Feng touched his own face.

The girl in the mirror mirrored his movement.

"This is me? I became a girl?"

As he stood dumbfounded, a cold mechanical voice echoed in his mind.

[Supreme Empress Collection and Nurturing System activated!]

[Host: Lin Xi, Cultivation: Mortal, Spiritual Root: None]

[System binding… complete!]

Chen Feng’s eyes widened.

"A system? A cheat? Wait, I’m called Lin Xi now?"

[System introduction: This system assists the host in collecting and nurturing the supreme empresses across all realms, ultimately becoming ruler of the multiverse!]

[Progress: 0/∞]

Lin Xi twitched her lips.

"Collect empresses? I was a guy—no, now a girl—and I have to collect empresses? What kind of absurd setting is this?"

Before she could complain further, a thunderous sound split the sky.

Whoosh—

An icy blue streak of light plummeted, carrying a world-destroying aura.

Lin Xi instinctively looked up.

It hurtled straight toward her thatched hut!

"Crap! It’s going to hit me!"

She tried to run, but her legs felt like lead.

Boom—

The blast shattered the roof, wood and straw flying everywhere.

Through the smoke, a figure crashed heavily onto the ground.

The shockwave knocked Lin Xi back into the wall.

As the dust settled, she rubbed her aching arm and focused.

On the ground lay a breathtakingly beautiful woman.

She wore an ice-blue gauze dress, its layered folds rippling like water.

Her beauty was divine, her skin pale as snow, features sculpted as if by gods.

Silver-white hair spilled across the ground, glinting under sunlight.

But blood soaked her body, her face pale as paper.

Her eyes were closed, her breath so faint it was barely there.

Her chest was stained red and a deep wound marred her right shoulder.

[Emergency mission issued!]

The system’s voice rang urgently.

[Mission: Save and bind the first Supreme Empress—Luo Bingning!]

[Reward: Foundation Establishment stage cultivation, Heaven-grade Spiritual Root!]

[Failure: Erasure!]

[Countdown: 23:59:59]

Lin Xi stared at the word “Erasure,” twitching violently.

"Me, a freshly transmigrated mortal girl, save someone who looks like she could destroy worlds? Erasure? You think I’m a god?"

[System prompt: Novice gift pack delivered, please check!]

A light flashed. New items appeared in Lin Xi’s mind.

[‘Secret Manual of Empress Healing’ (Beginner)]

[Supreme Healing Pill ×1]

[Concealment Jade Pendant ×1]

[Special Constitution: Supreme Queen Body]

A warm flow coursed through her, her body subtly changing.

At the same time, an ancient medical book appeared in her mind.

On the first page, dense text unfolded.

“‘Secret Manual of Empress Healing,’ Chapter One: Identifying Types of Empress Injuries… Internal injuries include damaged meridians, ruptured dantian and soul trauma… External injuries include flesh wounds, bone fractures and organ damage…”

Lin Xi skimmed the knowledge, realizing she could understand it.

This was the system’s power?

She looked back at Luo Bingning.

According to the book, the empress had severe internal and external injuries.

External wounds aside, her meridians were almost entirely severed, her dantian cracked.

Without timely treatment, she would truly perish.

"Forget it, if I want to live, I have to risk it!"

Lin Xi gritted her teeth, squatting beside Luo Bingning.

Up close, the empress’s beauty was even more dazzling.

Even unconscious, she exuded an aloof, ethereal aura.

But now, her brows furrowed in pain.

Lin Xi cautiously stretched out her hand to examine her wounds.

Just as her fingers neared, Luo Bingning’s icy blue eyes snapped open.

In that instant, Lin Xi felt a chill pierce her soul.

Those eyes were frigid enough to freeze a person’s spirit.

Luo Bingning’s gaze lingered on Lin Xi a few seconds, emotionless.

Then slowly, she closed them again, falling back into unconsciousness.

Lin Xi’s hand froze midair, her heart pounding.

For a moment, she thought she would die under that gaze.

"This is the empress’s pressure? Even gravely wounded, still terrifying…"

She forced herself to calm down, squatting carefully beside Luo Bingning.

Following the manual’s instructions, she pressed trembling fingers to Luo Bingning’s pulse.

A searing cold rushed through her, nearly forcing her hand back.

"Damn, how low is this body temperature?"

She clenched her teeth, feeling out the empress’s condition.

Her pulse was so faint, her spiritual energy chaotic, meridians shattered, dantian cracked.

This wasn’t just critical—it was the end of the line!

[System alert: Target empress’s vitality rapidly fading, immediate rescue required!]

"I know, I know!"

Frantically, Lin Xi pulled the Supreme Healing Pill from her system space.

The pill glowed faint gold, its fragrance rich.

She pried open Luo Bingning’s lips, carefully feeding it in.

Her lips were icy soft, making Lin Xi’s heart race.

"Wait, what am I thinking? Focus on saving her!"

Snapping back, she followed the manual’s method, channeling her weak blood energy.

Though just a mortal, her Supreme Queen Body seemed innately attuned to empresses.

Warmth flowed from her palm into Luo Bingning.

The empress’s furrowed brows eased slightly, her complexion less deathly pale.

At that moment, noise rose from outside the hut.