I.
Xu Shici woke up in an unfamiliar continent, with a bizarre System beside her. The System told her that she had been reborn in a new world, one based on a novel that had nothing but an outline. Its worldbuilding was so flimsy that it could collapse at any moment. To stay alive for the long term, she had to find a way to flesh out the setting and fill in the plot.
The characters currently needed were:
A white-robed sword immortal, aloof and proud, whose sword techniques flowed like a rainbow.
An unpredictable, sinister, and mysterious supreme master of the demonic path.
A proud and peerless true emperor of the feathered race, brilliant as the blazing sun.
A mischievous master of medicine and poison who could decide whether someone lived or died with a wave of his hand.
A thousand-year-old demon spirit with the beauty of ice and jade, and peerless skill at playing the konghou.
The plotlines currently needed were:
Unrequited love, conflict between good and evil, love across the human and demon divide, trials across three lifetimes, a romance renewed through reincarnation, falling to the demonic path in a moment of weakness, proving one's path by cutting out one's heart...
Xu Shici, who had spent eighteen years reading all kinds of novels, manga, and watching TV and movies, was an expert at otome games, wrote in her spare time, and knew all the tropes, said there wouldn't be any problem.
She'd just treat it as an unusual roleplaying game.
So she asked, "Which character do I have to play?"
The answer: "Every single one."
II.
Xu Shici put on the secret identity of an insignificant disciple from the sect and persistently pursued the aloof sword immortal, going out of her way to please him. She climbed snowy mountains and plunged into icy lakes for him, and even got a claw mark on her back from a vicious beast, leaving a permanent scar.
Then she put on the sword immortal's secret identity and tossed the precious medicines and magical artifacts the insignificant disciple had painstakingly offered her onto the ground in front of everyone, not even bothering to look at them.
After the crowd dispersed, Xu Shici quietly ran back to pick up her precious treasures. Fortunately, her secret identity carried enough authority that no one dared take them. Some of these could fetch a lot of spirit stones!
More than ten years passed. She figured the "unrequited love" quota had been met, so she put on both secret identities again and staged a big scene on the edge of a cliff.
"I thought that even a stone would eventually warm up, but it seems I was too naive."
"Fine. From now on... I'll leave you alone."
A tear slid down the woman's cheek. She drew the sword at her waist and ran it across her neck, then fell backward into the chasm thousands of feet below before anyone could stop her.
That's a wrap!
[Congratulations, you have completed Unrequited Love (Mutual), Love You But Can't Say It, Tormented Romance, A Love Trial Too Difficult to Overcome, A Cold God Descending to the Mortal Realm for Love, Willingly Serving as Your Stepping Stone Without Regret...]
Wait, what is all this supposed to mean?
Let's watch the footage:
"Why is Uncle-Master so cold to Senior Sister Xu when she's right in front of him, but then picks up her gift as soon as she's gone and cradles it like some priceless treasure?"
"Sigh... He knows they can't have a happy ending, so he'd rather end this relationship before it even starts."
"What do you mean?"
"Have you ever seen the jade token Senior Xu wears? It's an immortal's possession. Junior Brother Yun may be known as a sword immortal, but right now, he's still a mortal."
"He's playing the stone beneath her feet, helping her get through this love trial..."
"After Senior Sister Xu fell off the cliff, Uncle-Master Yun coughed up blood..."
"Ah, love. I'm afraid it'll become a heart demon from now on. What a tragedy."
J-Jade token?
Xu Shici pulled out the smooth, gleaming jade pendant. It was her eighteenth birthday present.
An immortal's possession? It clearly came from the twenty-first century.
C-Coughed up blood?
Oh, because she hadn't gotten used to using two secret identities at once, her mental state had affected her other identities.
But you people have way too much imagination!!
Note: No-couple secret identity story. There are lots of secret identities, and none are exposed at any point.
The main romantic thread is between the heroine's various secret identities, largely thanks to the supporting characters' wild imaginations, and also includes one-sided crushes the supporting characters have on some of the identities. It's really a big, chaotic stew centered around the heroine, best enjoyed by people who relish morally chaotic fun.
Theme: Stay true to yourself
