I Transmigrated into a Novel as a Villain, and My System Refreshes Randomly - Chapter 15:

Chapter 15: A Desperate Gamble!

Under the flashing neon sign of the “Dream Talk” bar, a sports car with a badly dented front end from a severe collision stopped crookedly at the roadside, attracting frequent sidelong glances from passersby.

The car door opened, and Qin Xiao stumbled out in a disheveled state. His expensive custom suit was splattered with mud and grass, torn in several places to reveal the inner lining. His hair was messy, and there were faint scratches on his face. He looked as if he had just rolled through a muddy field.

“Yun Yiyi, explain to me, this [Total Failure] system… it even controls my driving?” Qin Xiao’s voice carried a restrained hint of annoyance as it echoed in his mind. He had checked the car thoroughly before leaving, and his route had been perfectly planned. Yet along the way, he suffered a flat tire, nearly rear-ended someone, and finally crashed inexplicably into a roadside greenbelt, ending up in such a miserable state.

[Host… I’m sorry…] Yun Yiyi’s voice came through, pitiful and tinged with a sob. [The [Total Failure] system judges ‘active actions,’ and driving counts as one of your active actions… so… so the failure rate greatly increases…]

Qin Xiao took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to complain. This broken system truly lived up to its name—fair to all, no exceptions.

[Failure +1.] The system’s cold prompt rang in his ears.

Looking toward the sound, Qin Xiao saw two gaudily dressed street punks not far away, pointing at him and laughing openly.

“Whoa, bro, look at that guy—driving a beat-up sports car and ending up like this. Country bumpkin in the city?” one of them said.

“Hahaha, that outfit with those mud spots is priceless. What is this, performance art?” the other jeered.

Instead of getting angry, Qin Xiao’s lips curled into a barely noticeable smirk. Failure? Mockery? Perfect. The bigger the scene, the better it would suit his plan.

He straightened his tattered collar, ignored the mocking looks, and walked directly toward the entrance of the “Dream Talk” bar.

Inside, the lighting was dim, the pounding beat of heavy metal music thumped against the chest, and the air was thick with a mix of alcohol and perfume. On the dance floor, figures twisted wildly, while people in the booths clinked glasses amid the noisy chaos.

Qin Xiao’s appearance was like a drop of cold water into boiling oil. His utterly out-of-place “failure” look instantly drew many eyes—some curious, some disdainful, and some simply amused.

He ignored the stares, scanning the room sharply until his gaze locked onto the corner of the bar—where a stunning woman with a cold, aloof aura sat alone.

Gu Siqing.

She wore a fitted black business suit and, even in this noisy environment, maintained an air of composed detachment. It was as if an invisible barrier kept the chaos at bay. At the moment, she was frowning slightly, staring at the amber liquid in her glass, seemingly lost in thought.

Before long, two flamboyantly dressed young men swaggered over with smirks. One of them carried a glass of wine and, under the guise of adjusting his position, discreetly flicked his fingers. A pinch of white powder slipped into the glass in front of Gu Siqing.

The move was subtle, but Qin Xiao saw it clearly.

Here it was—the classic setup from the original plotline, the prelude to the “hero saving the beauty.”

Gu Siqing seemed not to notice, or perhaps she was already accustomed to this kind of approach. She merely glanced up coldly and didn’t respond. The two lechers kept talking in a playful tone, trying to catch her attention.

Gu Siqing lifted her glass, as if intending to finish her drink and leave this unpleasant atmosphere. She brought it to her lips and took a small sip.

Qin Xiao’s chest tightened. He knew this was inevitable in the plot, but watching it happen still stirred a strange tension.

Soon, Gu Siqing’s gaze became unfocused. She shook her head in an effort to stay clear, but the drug was strong. Her body went limp, and she slumped onto the bar, unconscious.

“Hehehe, we got her!” one of the men whispered, reaching out to grab her.

At that moment, a loud, “righteous” shout cut through the air.

“Let go of that girl!”

Ye Chen appeared as if on cue, just as the script demanded. His face was filled with “indignant heroism” as he strode forward and shoved the two men aside. “In broad daylight, you dare assault a woman? You’re asking for death!”

The so-called thugs—Ye Chen’s hired actors—immediately put on their fiercest expressions and surrounded him.

A staged “fierce” fight began. Ye Chen’s punches and kicks looked forceful but stopped just short of real harm. The men cried out theatrically, rolling on the floor to make the act convincing.

The commotion startled the surrounding patrons, who backed away to give them space, watching the “brave hero” with admiration and curiosity.

Soon, the thugs were “beaten” into retreat, running off with bruised faces. Ye Chen straightened his clothes, a righteous smile on his face, and turned to pick up the unconscious Gu Siqing.

Perfect script—hero saves beauty, wins the beauty’s heart.

But just as his hand was about to touch her, an untimely voice sounded.

“Stop.”

The word wasn’t loud, but it carried clearly to everyone’s ears.

Ye Chen froze and turned sharply.

Standing a short distance away was the mud-covered “country bumpkin,” looking at him calmly.

“Put the girl down,” Qin Xiao said evenly, taking a step forward.

Then—thud!—he tripped and fell flat on his face.

[Failure +1.] The system prompt rang again.

Laughter erupted around them.

“Is this guy here to be funny?”

“That fall was brutal, hahaha!”

Ye Chen’s face darkened instantly, veins bulging at his temples. His carefully staged performance had been ruined by this sudden fool. The sting on his pride was worsened by the reminder of a past humiliation Qin Xiao had caused him.

Rage boiled in him. “Who the hell do you think you are? You dare meddle in my business?”

With a roar, he gathered his inner strength and charged toward the still-prone Qin Xiao, his fist cutting through the air with force. He wanted to make this idiot pay.

Lying on the ground, Qin Xiao’s lips curved into a knowing smile.

“Yun Yiyi,” he commanded in his mind, his tone calm and decisive, “[Activate the [Desperate Gamble] system. Adjust the Rebound damage ratio to the minimum—10%… no, 5% will do.]”

[Host, what… what are you planning? We finally have a Rebound skill, and now…] Yun Yiyi’s voice trembled with confusion.

“I’m going to get beaten,” Qin Xiao replied without hesitation. “And I’m going to lose repeatedly.”

He slowly lifted his head, looking through messy strands of hair at the raging Ye Chen charging like a beast. In his eyes burned a mix of madness and calculation.

[Total Failure] ensured every active move of his would fail.

[Desperate Gamble] ensured the more defeats he suffered, the greater his final reward.

Ye Chen’s fury… would become his stepping stone.