This book is also known as She Doesn't Want to Die.
Jinzhao is a game NPC whose wife is killed to prove the Dao. One day, she gains sentience and refuses to play along.
After stabbing a player with her sword, she seeks confirmation from the Heavenly Dao that the path of slaughter demands that he pay for her suffering with his blood.
In the first world, she is a woman driven to the brink by domestic abuse.
When questioned, she says, "Tell me, under what circumstances would a woman find even the slightest courage to pick up a kitchen knife?"
In the second world, she is the child of a witch, hiding in a cold, dark cellar.
The feared "witch's potion" becomes the death warrant she delivers to the bishop.
In the third world, she is a palace consort sentenced to death by the emperor.
With steps from a breathtaking dance, she uses a white silk sash to snap the neck of the eunuch delivering the order. Poison glitters in her eyes. "Must women be at the mercy of others? Then I will kill this man-eating system!"
In the fourth world, she is a young woman given in marriage as though she were a plaything.
The golden hairpin so many women used to take their own lives becomes, for the first time, a blade aimed at a betrayer.
In the fifth world, she is a ghost in a wedding dress, murdered on her wedding night.
She asks the Buddha statue, "Why do you protect the people who kill, while those who die unjustly can only lie buried beneath their grievances?"
In the sixth world, she is a woman locked away in a mountain village and used for breeding, curled up all day in a drafty earthen hut.
With one fire, she burns down the entire village that devours people.
The worlds above aren't necessarily in order, and I may add some of the ones I want to write later. I've planned more than twenty worlds in all. Some are hard to fit in, but as mentioned in the synopsis, some are fictional while others draw on real life for reference only. The story settings are still fictional. All in all, just wait until I write them.
The cover is by the wonderful and kind designer Gugu! A huge thank-you!
P.S.:
1. I started developing this book in April 2025. The inspiration came from A Thousand Splendid Suns, and I have screenshots to prove it.
2. This is not a story about a strong female lead, nor is it a story about an exceptionally powerful woman. The heroines of the individual worlds may be very ordinary and flawed. Also, Jinzhao is not a law-abiding character. She is an AI with a bug. I also reject victim blaming.
3. I hope everyone can have friendly discussions in the comments. Please keep things peaceful and don't attack anyone personally. Thank you.
4. The entire story is fictional! Fictional! Fictional! Please don't read it as a reflection of real life! The characters' views do not represent the author's views. This is a fantasy story, so please treat it as a story. Thank you.
5. I don't accept unsolicited writing advice. Please respect creative freedom. Thank you.
6. Positive feedback will give me a little more motivation~ I know this is a niche topic, and I'm writing it for myself, but thank you all for giving it a try.
Theme: Life is precious.
