This Was Supposed to Be a Survival Story, So Why Is It a Battle Royale?!

[The previous story wasn't coming to me, so I'm switching to this one. The heroine is adored by everyone, with lots of romantic rivalry.]

Zhao Zhao has a prophetic dream in which she is an obscure cannon-fodder passerby in a male-oriented global survival story.

A pretty college student in the prime of her youth, with a family that's fairly well-off and a monthly allowance of 8,000.

Other than that, she has no golden finger whatsoever.

After global survival challenge instances arrive, she dies miserably before even making it through the beginner stage.

She wakes from the dream, dazed.

There are only 40 hours left until the survival challenge instances begin.

Zhao Zhao looks at her classmates in the tiered lecture hall, discussing group assignments during the break. She turns to look at the original male lead, not far ahead, talking with their professor about their research topic. To her right, the second male lead smiles as he assigns tasks to his group members. Finally, to her left, the refined third male lead adjusts his glasses and asks if she'd like to join his group.

Zhao Zhao: ...

With no time to think, she nods in a daze. A thought flashes through her mind: The third male lead is the kindest and most easygoing member of the protagonist group in this male-oriented infinite-instance novel. As long as she gets along with him and stays close to the group... she should, probably, maybe, survive, right?

Of course, she cannot rely entirely on the protagonist group to survive.

Clutching her bank card, Zhao Zhao decides to rent a place near the university district and stock up on supplies according to a list: water, food, power banks, all kinds of essentials! Just in case!

·

Global survival officially begins. Zhao Zhao sits in her rented apartment and watches the entire university district fall into a beginner instance, completely cut off from the outside world and transformed into a silent, lifeless city.

She knows the protagonist group will be among the few people to survive this instance.

Zhao Zhao plans to get through the beginner instance by living off her stockpile, then show up near the end and humbly beg the protagonist group to take her with them when they leave the instance... Anyway, that is the plan!

On the first day of the global instances, she is eating self-heating hotpot when suddenly there is a knock at the door.

Peering through the peephole, Zhao Zhao is astonished to find the protagonist group outside.

"Y-you guys, what are you doing here?"

The male lead raises his eyes, his gaze falling on her red, slightly swollen lips, stinging from the spice. The second male lead greets her with a friendly smile, acting as if they are old friends. The third male lead wipes his lenses before saying, "You're in my group. I couldn't very well leave you behind."

Zhao Zhao, who had planned to stock up and sit out the beginner survival instance, joins the protagonist group in a daze.

She thought she'd have to flatter the protagonist group and tread carefully around them to stay alive. But how come the moment she says she's hungry, the male lead offers her chocolate? When she says she's cold, the second male lead takes off his jacket and gives it to her. And why does the third male lead keep staring at her so possessively?

·

Reader advisory:

The heroine is sweet, timid, and as cowardly as a mouse; adored by everyone; male-on-male rivalry for her affection; multiple instances.

Blurb screenshotted on September 30, 2026.

Theme: Creating a beautiful life.