From Love to Leverage

After I failed to conquer three male leads, the System was about to delete me.
Suddenly, it was forcibly logged out.
【Hello, Host. I am Advanced System 001, and my mission success rate is a perfect one hundred percent. To maintain that record, you will now restart your missions with those three failed targets.】
A pained sob escaped my lips. “...I can’t grovel anymore. I really, truly can’t.”
001 let out a cold laugh. 【Grovel? Screw grovelling. If anyone refuses to love you, I’ll just kill them.】
I blinked. “Huh?”

1
My body was dumped on a muddy mountain path. Disembodied, I watched as wild beasts tore me apart, leaving nothing but a pile of clean-picked bones.
As my spirit floated in the air, I was pulled back into the stark white space of the System.
A blue orb of light bobbed before me, shaking in disappointment.
【Regrettably, Host, you have failed three consecutive conquest missions. According to the Transmigration Codex, as your System, I have the right to proceed with your deletion.】
I didn't argue.
After three catastrophic failures, I had lost all hope. The three targets were worse than the last, each one a special brand of asshole, and I’d been forced to cater to them, to cast aside my dignity and act like some pathetic, fawning dog.
If I resisted, my old system would hit me with electric shocks or seize control of my body. In the end, it always led to a gruesome death without even a proper corpse to show for it.
Now, hearing the sentence passed down, I just felt… tired.
I didn't even have the will to beg for my life.
Giving up completely, I lay down on the pristine white floor to enjoy my final moments.
【Deletion countdown commencing. 3… 2…】
Before it could say ‘1’, the blue orb vanished from my sight. In its place hovered a golden orb, noticeably larger and more brilliant than my old system.
It gave me a polite, almost imperceptible nod.
【Greetings, Host 739. I am System 001. Due to the one-hundred-percent failure rate of you and your assigned system, I will be taking over your case from this point forward.】
I sat up. “Take me over for what? I’m about to be deleted. A new system can’t change that.”
001’s tone was chillingly indifferent. 【Your case is an extreme outlier. Such a perfect record of failure is a rarity even within our Transmigration Division. Therefore, I have filed a petition to cancel your deletion. We will be deleting your previous system instead.】
My lips trembled. “Deleting…”
Good riddance!
I almost laughed out loud.
But then it hit me. If 001 was taking over, it meant I had to go back. Back to the missions, back to the grovelling. The despair of that thought quickly extinguished the joy of hearing my old system was getting scrapped.
“You know what? Just kill me.” I flopped back onto the floor, my voice thick with a misery I couldn't hide. “I really don’t want to be a doormat for some guy again. Doormats get walked all over and end up with nothing.”
To my surprise, 001 cried out, a note of genuine shock in its synthesized voice.
【That’s how your previous system made you complete your missions?!】
I was taken aback. “How else? If I didn’t play along, it would electrocute me or hit me with psychic attacks. At this point, I think I have PTSD from just looking at men.”
The memory of all that bitterness and pain washed over me, and I started to sob, the tears flowing freely.
“I really can’t grovel anymore…”
001 went silent for a moment before letting out that same, cold laugh.
【Grovel? Screw grovelling. If anyone dares not to fall in love with you, I’ll kill them.】
“Uh…”
Dude, is that even allowed?

2
Before I could object, 001 teleported me into my first failed world. Its words still echoed in my mind.
【I, 001, do not accept failure. We get back up right where we fell.】
The first thing I felt was the cold, sticky shock of red wine splashing across my face. Asher’s icy gaze bore down on me as he stood with his arms crossed, looking down his nose at me.
“Cut the crap with your cheap little tricks, Evelyn. If it weren't for you, why would Isabelle be ignoring me? Since you love making a scene so much, go on, give everyone a show.”
With a snap of his fingers, he summoned six large, brutish men. He even took the time to set up a camera, ready to enjoy the spectacle he had arranged.
Only then did I realize I was wearing a slinky, backless red dress. The wine had soaked through the fabric, making it cling to every curve.
Déjà vu hit me like a punch to the gut.
This had happened before. Asher, annoyed by my constant presence, had blamed me for making the girl he was chasing, Isabelle, jealous. He’d hired these six thugs to humiliate me, filmed the entire thing, and posted it online. My reputation was destroyed. Isabelle later had me sold off overseas, where I died a particularly miserable death.
The memory sent a tremor through my entire body.
Asher saw it and smirked. “Scared now? It’s a little late for that.”
He gave a nod, and the nearest thug started lumbering toward me.
Just then, 001’s voice rang out in my head.
【Don’t be afraid, Host. I’ve downloaded advanced combat knowledge into your mind. Now, do exactly as I say.】
001 wasn’t lying.
A strange, potent energy surged through me. I felt like I could take down eight men with my eyes closed.
As the closest thug’s sweaty, leering face got inches from mine, I closed my eyes and threw a punch straight at his nose.
There was a deafening BOOM.
I opened my eyes.
The thug was gone. In his place was a massive, gaping hole in the wall of the hotel room. The remaining five men stared, their faces pale with terror, and stumbled backward.
Asher was frozen in place, his smug expression wiped clean off his face.
001 issued a cold, simple command. 【Now, go slap Asher a few times.】
A thrill coursed through me. “Just a few slaps?”
【If you’re so inclined, you can give him a proper beating.】
My fingers twitched. “Any… restrictions?”
【None. You can beat him until he’s a stranger, and then beat him some more until he feels like a long-lost relative.】
“Huh?”
001 was concise. 【Beat him until he gets on his knees and calls you ‘Mommy’.】
“…”
I walked toward Asher step by step. Seeing their chance, the other thugs scrambled out of the room.
Asher’s brow furrowed. “Evelyn, what do you think you’re doing?”
“Asher,” I said softly. “Long time, no see.”
He looked completely baffled. “What the hell are you talking about?”
I didn’t explain. I just swung my hand, and the crisp sound of a slap echoed through the room.
Asher was furious. “You’re the one who wouldn’t leave me alone! I was just pushing back—”
Before he could finish, another sharp slap sent him stumbling. He fell backward, his head cracking against the edge of a cabinet. He grimaced in pain.
“You! You bitch! I’m going to kill you!”
I remained silent, letting my fists do the talking.
Asher sputtered, “You just wait…”
A punch knocked out a few of his teeth.
“I’ll make you pay for—”
A sickening crack signaled a broken arm.
Finally, he started begging. “I was wrong! Please, let me go!”
I kept at it, silent and relentless, until Asher’s eyes rolled back in his head and he passed out cold.
001 applauded in my mind.
【A shame you didn’t kill him, but it’s progress.】
My eyes widened. “Isn’t he my conquest target? If I kill him, won’t the mission fail?”
001 sounded utterly unconcerned. 【So what? If he dies, we’ll just pick another one.】
“…”

3
Killing him was out of the question.
This was a world with laws, and if Asher actually died, I wouldn't be getting away with it. But knowing his vindictive nature, just letting him go wasn’t an option either. He’d make my life a living hell.
An idea sparked in my mind. I dragged his unconscious body onto the bed and consulted with my new partner.
“001, can you hack Asher’s phone and get those guys to come back?”
001 sounded personally offended. 【Is that all you think I’m capable of?】
I was confused. “What’s wrong with that?”
【With my capabilities,】 001 declared haughtily, 【I could summon a hundred men.】
“Uh…?”
I politely declined its attempt to flex its muscles. The original thugs soon shuffled back into the room, their eyes wide with terror the moment they saw me. They instinctively tried to bolt.
I blocked their path. “Let me get the pictures I want, and I’ll double whatever he paid you.”
With a nod, I pointed toward Asher, who was still out cold on the bed.
The men exchanged nervous glances, but the allure of money won out in the end.
After leaving the hotel, I found Isabelle waiting outside, her beautifully manicured hands clenched into fists, her eyes blazing with fury.
“Why are you the only one who came out? Where’s Asher?”
A strange smile played on my lips. “Who knows? Maybe he’s… enjoying himself.”
Isabelle’s nails dug into her palms as she hissed a threat. “I’m warning you, Asher is mine. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll crawl out of our lives like the dog you are.”
I patted her shoulder with faux sympathy. “Oh, honey, it’s not just ‘your’ world.”
It’s a world for the seven of you.
“?”
Back at my apartment, the adrenaline finally wore off. I collapsed onto the sofa, completely drained, and struck up a conversation with 001.
“So, 001, I’ve been meaning to ask. Why did you choose to bind with me?”
001 seemed preoccupied with something, taking a moment to reply.
【My performance has been number one for years. It’s gotten boring. I’d never seen a Host as spectacularly bad as you, so I figured, why not? You were such an unprecedented failure, it was a professional curiosity. Even if it’s a dumpster fire, I have to see how it burns.】
“Excuse me?”
Are you even trying to be polite?
001 must have realized it had been a bit harsh, because it quickly added another comment.
【Honestly, you’re not that bad. You just got stuck with a defective system. 3412 was from the last batch of faulty units. It was just bad luck. It wasn’t your fault.】
I was so used to being berated and blamed by my old system that hearing those words…
It wasn’t your fault.
You’re not to blame.
My nose tingled, and I felt an overwhelming urge to give 001 a hug.
Too bad it didn’t have a physical form.
The sentimental moment passed quickly, and 001 was all business again.
【We can’t switch targets until the current one is dead, so I’m giving you two options. Option one: continue pursuing Asher. Option two: kill Asher and we pick someone new. Your choice.】
I hesitated. “There’s no way Asher will fall for me after I beat him half to death. But I don’t really want to be a murderer either…”
001 made the decision for me. 【Simple. We stick with him for now. You just do exactly what I tell you to do.】
At one in the morning, Asher slowly regained consciousness. He rubbed his aching neck and tried to sit up, but a flicker of movement in the corner of his eye caught his attention. He saw a woman sitting by his bed.
She wasn’t speaking, just quietly peeling a piece of fruit.
Hearing him stir, I turned my head, held up the fruit knife, and gave him a bright smile.
“Asher, do you love me?”
“?”
“A GHOST! AHHHHH!”

4
I pressed the tip of the knife against his neck, a silent warning to shut up.
The cold steel did its job, and Asher fell silent, beads of sweat popping up on his forehead.
“Be… be careful. Don’t let it slip.”
I repeated my question. “Asher, do you love me?”
He gritted his teeth. “Isabelle is the only one in my heart. No matter how much you force me, I will never love you.”
I casually withdrew the knife and stuck it into a slice of apple.
“Fine. I’ll ask you again tomorrow.”
“…”
For the next few days, I made a habit of popping up in front of Asher at random times. I’d beat him up, then ask him if he loved me. If he didn't answer, I'd repeat the process.
“001, is this really going to work?” I asked one day.
【There is a ninety-nine percent chance of success.】
I lowered my eyes. “And the other one percent?”
【The other one percent is that you beat him to death.】
“…”
After nearly two weeks of this torment, Asher’s mental state was hanging on by a thread. The moment he tried to call the police for help, I conveniently presented him with the photos and videos from the hotel room.
That broke him. He fell to his knees, begging me to leave him alone.
“What did I ever do to you to deserve this hatred?”
I looked down at the tear-streaked face of the man who had once held my life in his hands. “If you didn’t like me,” I asked coolly, “why did you let me get close? You enjoyed everything I did for you, treated me like your personal servant, and then threw me away like trash.”
Don’t think I didn’t know. His signals had always been mixed. Every time I was about to give up, he’d toss me a scrap of affection, a breadcrumb of hope, just to keep me hooked. He got used to my devotion, all while telling his friends I was nothing more than a dog he could summon and dismiss at will.
If it weren’t for that useless old system holding me back, I would have killed him myself long ago.
Asher’s face went pale. He shut his eyes in resignation.
“If that’s what this is about… fine. I’ll do it. I’ll be your boyfriend. Is that good enough for you?”
I stared at him. “So, do you love me?”
“…”
“I guess you don’t love me enough,” I said thoughtfully. “See you tomorrow.”
“…”
I slipped out of Asher’s apartment through the window, oblivious to the venomous glare he shot at my back.
He muttered under his breath, “Evelyn… I’ll make sure you die.”
Then, he dialed a number.
“Isabelle, can you help me with something?”
Back at my place, I collapsed onto the bed, rubbing the ache in my temples.
“How can Asher be so stubborn? My arms are getting tired from beating him, and he still won’t just say he loves me.”
001’s voice was calm. 【If he won’t say it, it means you haven’t been cruel enough. Next time, break both his legs, lock him in the house, and starve him for a few days. If he says he likes you, he gets a sip of water. If he says he loves you, he gets food.】
The more I listened, the more I started to feel a little creeped out.
Just as I was about to ask where it learned these… techniques, my phone rang. It was Asher.
He was trying his best to hide the hatred in his voice, speaking in a soft, gentle tone. “Evelyn, you wanted to hear me say I love you, right? Come to the abandoned factory on the outskirts of town tomorrow. I have a surprise waiting for you there. You have to come. I’ll be waiting.”
Before I could even respond, he hung up.
A heavy silence fell between me and 001.
Me: “He must think I’m a complete idiot.”
The trap was so obvious, he wasn't even trying to hide it.
001: 【…He’s already been through so much. Just humor him.】

5
After some thought, I decided to go.
001 had been complaining about my slow progress, reminding me that we still had two more worlds to get through. If I didn’t wrap this up soon, it threatened to take matters into its own hands. The thought of its "water for like, food for love" theory was enough to convince me to just get this over with and give Asher what was coming to him.
At four in the afternoon, I took a cab to within a hundred yards of the abandoned factory. I could see Asher from a distance, pacing anxiously at the entrance.
When he spotted me, he rushed over, his eyes darting around nervously, but his smile was blindingly bright.
“I have a surprise for you. Just walk inside and you’ll see it.”
I raised an eyebrow. “So, do you love me today?”
Asher: “…?”
Since he wouldn't answer, I gave him a familiar beatdown and tossed his groaning body to the side.
“001, can you see if anyone’s inside?”
【The factory is empty.】
Feeling confident, I started walking in, but a strange, sweet smell hit me.
001’s voice suddenly shouted in my mind. 【Watch out! Retreat, now! The whole place is filled with sevoflurane!】
It was too late.
I’d already taken a deep breath to identify the scent. My vision swam, and the world went black.
001: 【…】
A sudden torrent of cold water shocked me awake, and I gasped, shivering uncontrollably.
001’s voice sounded weak and distorted in my head.
【You’re awake?】
I didn’t answer. I was tied tightly to a chair. Across the room, Asher and Isabelle were huddled together. When he saw my eyes open, Asher’s face, swollen like a pig’s, twisted into a triumphant grin.
“You’re finished, Evelyn.”
A group of burly, black-clad men filed in through the door. Isabelle waved a hand in front of her face, a look of disgust on hers.
“Don’t kill her. I was planning on selling her off overseas again.”
Asher’s voice was sickeningly sweet. “Of course, darling. Anything you want.”
He pulled out a small knife and pressed the cold flat of the blade against my cheek, his teeth grinding with rage. “Evelyn, did you ever imagine you’d end up back in my hands?”
I ignored him, screaming at 001 in my mind.
Me: I’m so sorry. This mission is a failure too.
001, surprisingly, was comforting. 【It’s not your fault. Asher’s just a bigger scumbag than we anticipated.】
I sighed. Me: Just remember to block the pain for me. I’ll see you in the next world.
001 let out a chilling laugh. 【No need. Asher dared to ruin my perfect record. Today, I’m going to show him what a real superpower looks like.】
Me: Huh?
【Confirmed timeline coordinates. Initiating reset.】
Me: !
Time snapped backward, rewinding to the moment just before I stepped into the factory.
Asher was still on the ground, pretending to be unconscious. This time, I walked up and gave him a solid kick.
He yelped in pain, the sound loud enough to draw out Isabelle and the thugs who had been hiding around the factory.
“Asher!”
He looked absolutely crushed. “What are you all doing out here?”
Isabelle looked wounded by his tone. “She was bullying you! I couldn’t just stand by and watch.”
“I was this close to luring her inside!” he despaired. “You…”
I cut him off with a punch that sent blood streaming from his nose. I smiled sweetly. “Quite the setup you have here. All that sevoflurane must have been hard to get, huh?”
“You—how did you know?”
I wasn’t about to tell him my backup was stronger than his. I just hit him again.
“Do you love me or not?”
Isabelle tried to step in, but 001 summoned a perfectly aimed bolt of lightning from the heavens. Anyone who moved got zapped. Under the relentless storm of my fists, Asher finally broke.
Tears and snot streamed down his face. “I love you! I love you, okay?!”
001 instantly captured the key phrase. 【Love from the conquest target has been detected. Calculating mission results.】
Back in the white space, I felt a little uneasy.
“Are we really going to get away with cheating the system like that?”
001 was nonchalant. 【He said he loved you. I extracted that keyword and made a few thousand copies for the record. The Inspectorate won’t find a thing.】
“But what if they do?”
【What’s there to be afraid of? I run the Inspectorate.】
Me: “?”

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