Shengxiu Academy, before the school gates.
Students rushing to and fro slowed their pace as they reached the entrance, their gazes involuntarily drifting to one side.
At the end of their line of sight, a girl with cherry-blossom pink hair stood under a tree.
She wore the senior uniform of Shengxiu Academy, and the proud curves of her chest were incredibly eye-catching.
The girl stood gracefully by the roadside, demurely holding her handbag with both hands.
She offered a gentle smile to every student who glanced her way.
Her face, as beautiful as an elf’s, wore a smile that could heal hearts.
Her refined aura caused passing students to slow down, each hoping to leave a good impression on her.
“That senior is so beautiful. She’s just like an elf!”
“She smiled at me! Oh no, my heart is beating so fast!”
Every passing student was deeply impressed by the pink-haired girl.
Her moving features, approachable aura, and dignified manners all proved that she was a rare lady.
However, beneath that smile—one beautiful enough to make spring flowers bloom—lay a secret known to no one.
A gentle breeze brushed past, causing the girl’s hair to flutter slightly.
She reached out to tuck a stray strand behind her ear, returning “sincere” greetings to the students who came to say hello.
Encouraged by her smile, a younger student plucked up her courage and approached.
“Senior, may I ask your name?”
Yuriko looked at her, once again revealing that intoxicating smile.
“Of course. My name is Ruri Yuriko.”
“Thank you, Senior Ruri!”
The junior bowed excitedly in gratitude before running off to join her companions, eagerly sharing her successful encounter.
Watching the group of chattering young girls, the corner of Yuriko’s mouth quirked up in an almost imperceptible curve.
‘My disguise is truly perfect. This girl was completely fooled by the act I put on. If she knew the person standing before her was the leader of the largest gang in Pilgrimage City, she’d probably go running home to find her mother.’
The expression on Yuriko’s face remained as gentle as water, but her inner thoughts were the exact opposite of her appearance.
If anyone could hear her heart, they would likely doubt their own ears.
‘Don’t forget why we came to Shengxiu Academy. If your identity as a gangster is exposed, you’ll have no chance of becoming the Academy Star.’
A cold female voice echoed in Yuriko’s mind.
The voice belonged to the black cat perched on Yuriko’s shoulder.
The cat was slender and elegant, its long tail swaying lazily.
Its name was Hwanling. It had appeared by Yuriko’s side after she transmigrated, claiming she possessed an extraordinary fate, and had remained with her ever since.
After Yuriko’s transmigration, Hwanling had taught her a great deal and would even protect her in dangerous moments.
It was essentially Yuriko’s “cheat” in this other world.
‘Of course I haven’t forgotten. I’m the man who’s going to become the Academy Star. If my gang identity gets outed and keeps me from that goal, won’t my special training these last few days have been for nothing?’
‘A correction: you are the woman who is going to become the Academy Star, meow.’
‘Tsk, don’t ruin the mood, okay?’
Yuriko sighed deeply in her heart.
The black cat’s words reminded her of the reason she had come to Shengxiu Academy in the first place.
“Boss, we failed you!”
“Boss, let me take the fall!”
Radia (Yuriko) was surrounded by her subordinates.
Behind her stood dozens of fully armed Peacekeepers.
Looking at these emotional underlings, some of whom were even trying to snatch her away from the Peacekeepers, Radia smiled helplessly.
“Stop talking nonsense. After I’m gone, leave this place. Find a proper job somewhere else.”
The Bone-Cracker Gang was a rising gang led by a young girl.
They had risen through Pilgrimage City like a hot knife through butter.
Despite their small numbers, they ruled the entire North District.
Because Radia broke the bones of her enemies every time she fought, her methods were deemed too aggressive and brutal, earning them the name “Bone-Cracker Gang.”
Radia herself had earned the title “Crimson Bone-Cracker Princess.”
But precisely because her strikes were so cruel, leaving no way out for her opponents, the gangs that opposed them suffered devastating blows.
This also meant they had an extraordinary number of enemies.
After receiving countless reports from other gangs, the Peacekeepers finally couldn’t sit idly by.
They decided to arrest the villain known as Radia.
As the gang’s strongest fighter and their spiritual pillar, Radia knew exactly what kind of retaliation her remaining men would face once she was gone.
Her enemies would likely gather the very next day to wipe them out.
Without her there to hold the fort, her few subordinates wouldn’t be able to stop the revenge.
The gang members were all in tears.
If Radia hadn’t ordered them not to resist, they really might have tried to take her back from the Peacekeepers.
“We’re sorry! We’re the ones holding you back, Boss!”
The men wiped their tears, hating their own weakness.
If they had been more capable, they wouldn’t have to watch their leader be taken away.
“Stop dallying! Move it!”
A Peacekeeper had seen enough.
He shoved Radia toward the transport vehicle.
Under the guard of the Peacekeepers, Radia was sent to the central headquarters in the city.
She was confined in a reinforced detention room, her limbs and torso locked in metal restraints, leaving her unable to move.
‘Hwanling, how many years do you think they’ll give me?’ Radia asked the black cat in the corner.
The black cat had been following her, but the Peacekeepers ignored it as if it didn’t exist.
‘I have no knowledge of human laws, but according to my calculations, you will likely be sentenced to more than ten years.’
‘Ten years, huh? I wonder how they’ll be by the time I get out.’
Radia stayed in the detention room for a full day.
During that time, many Peacekeepers questioned her.
Their attitudes weren’t friendly; they even forced her to drink a truth serum potion to make her talk.
‘Sigh, how much longer do I have to stay here? Being locked up like this is miserable.’
Radia wanted to simply rip the shackles apart, but doing so would undoubtedly alert the headquarters.
She’d probably get a beating and then be shackled all over again.
Radia whistled to pass the time.
Just then, the door to the detention room opened once more.
This time, the fawning voice of a Peacekeeper came from outside:
“My lady, the person you’re looking for is right here. Rest assured, we absolutely did not use violent means to extract a confession, nor did we entice her!”
A woman with purple hair walked in.
Following her was a red-haired girl about Radia’s age.
She looked quite lively and had been staring at Radia’s face since the moment she entered.
Radia’s attention landed on the purple-haired woman.
It wasn’t because of how beautiful she was—though she was indeed stunning—but because of the woman’s striking resemblance to herself.
For a moment, Radia thought she was looking into a mirror.
The red-haired girl tugged at the woman’s hem and said in a vibrant tone, “Master, Master! She’s your sister, right? She’s so cute~”
“Who are you calling cute!”
Hearing the word “cute,” Radia sat up straight as if she’d been shocked and bared her teeth at the red-haired girl.
“Eek, she’s angry!” The red-haired girl hid behind the woman.
The woman patted the red-haired girl’s head before bringing her to sit opposite Radia.
She looked at Radia, and seeing that she hadn’t spoken, she ventured a call: “Yuriko?”
Radia looked up at her.
Confirming the woman was talking to her, she said irritably: “Are you talking to me? My name is Radia, not Yuriko. At least get the name right before an interrogation.”
The woman fell silent for a moment, seemingly thinking Radia was just being difficult.
She continued: “I know you hate me for not showing up sooner, but I’ve been investigating the truth of what happened back then all these years. I only learned you were still alive a short while ago…”
Before the woman could finish, Radia impatiently interrupted her.
“What are you talking about? I don’t know you at all. I’ve always been an orphan. I don’t have anything like family!”
Radia didn’t remember having any family.
From the moment she had transmigrated into this body, she had been a loner without any memories of the past.
The woman was taken aback by Radia’s answer.
She had imagined many scenarios for their reunion, but she never expected Radia wouldn’t recognize her.
“You… well, it’s been many years. It’s normal for you to forget me.”
The woman looked a bit dejected.
Realizing that the sister she had searched so hard for had completely forgotten her was heartbreaking.
“But I still remember you, Yuriko… Let’s start over. My name is Yun Jianlan. I am your biological older sister. Like you, I am a daughter of the Ruri family.”
Hearing this, Radia wasn’t entirely surprised.
The woman really did look just like her; anyone could see they were sisters at a glance.
“I don’t need a sister.”
Yun Jianlan looked hurt by Radia’s words but said nothing.
However, the red-haired girl beside her couldn’t take it anymore and shouted at Radia: “Do you have any idea how much effort Master put into finding you? She—”
“Enough. There’s no need for that,” Yun Jianlan interrupted, stopping the girl from continuing.
Yun Jianlan picked up Radia’s file, her brow furrowing as she looked over the list of charges.
“Participating in 107 gang brawls, causing serious injury to 500 people, using illegal means for profit…”
She looked up, meeting Radia’s eyes again.
“And you’re a member of the underworld?”
“To be precise, I’m the leader,” Radia replied, tilting her chin up proudly.
“Sigh…”
Yun Jianlan rubbed her forehead.
“Do you know how they plan to punish you?”
“Probably just prison and a fine. What else could it be?”
Radia said dismissively.
The prison benefits in Pilgrimage City were actually quite good.
Maybe she could even become the boss of the prison.
“It’s the death penalty.”
“!”
Radia suddenly perked up.
“No way! My crimes aren’t that bad, are they? Do people get executed for fighting these days?”
Granted, she had beaten up a lot of people, but just for that?
Surely… probably… it shouldn’t lead to the death penalty, right?
“Because you are also charged with another crime: murder. And the evidence is conclusive.”
Those words reminded Radia of something from 6 years ago, right after she had transmigrated—the incident that had forced her onto the path of the underworld.
“Heh, so they actually found out,” Radia said, leaning back lazily in her chair.
“You admit you did it?”
“I admit it. Why wouldn’t I? Not only do I admit it, I’ll tell you right now—I don’t regret it at all.”
“This is the main reason you’re being sentenced to death. Aren’t you afraid to die at all?”
“Hmph! A real man stands tall! 18 years from now, I’ll be a hero again. What is there to fear!”
Radia held her head high, acting like a figure of righteous sacrifice, as if she were a man of iron will.
“Then why are your legs shaking?”
Radia looked down at her legs.
They were indeed shaking.
“I have epilepsy.”
“…”
Yun Jianlan sighed and stopped looking at Radia.
“It seems she doesn’t need us. Let’s go.”
Yun Jianlan made a move to leave with the red-haired girl.
“Wait! Don’t! I was just faking! I’m actually terrified!”
“But you just said a real man stands tall, and 18 years later—”
“That was just tough talk! In my line of work, you can lack anything else, but you must never lose your momentum!”
Yun Jianlan looked at Radia again, her expression somewhat disgusted.
“But why should I help you? You won’t even acknowledge me as your sister. I have no reason to help, do I?”
Radia immediately lowered her head, nearly banging it against the table.
“Sister! Big Sister! Please help me!”
Don’t be ridiculous—that was the death penalty!
If there was a way to live, who would want to die?
Hearing Radia call her sister, Yun Jianlan’s expression softened.
She seemed to be getting a feel for the personality of her long-lost sister.
She smiled and asked Radia, “Before I help you, you need to answer one question.”
“What question?”
“What was your purpose in doing all those things?”
Yun Jianlan stared into Radia’s eyes, her expression becoming solemn.
Radia realized this was a crucial question.
If she didn’t answer correctly, this “sister” of hers might not help.
Normally, she would have said something boastful or cool-sounding nonsense, but this clearly wasn’t the time for that.
She met Yun Jianlan’s gaze, the answer already in her heart.
“To survive.”
Yun Jianlan’s expression flickered for a moment.
Radia knew it was the emotion of heartache.
After a brief moment, Yun Jianlan regained her composure.
She studied Radia’s expression carefully and realized she wasn’t lying.
Thus, her attitude softened.
“As long as I’m here, you won’t have to do those things anymore.”
Radia blinked.