Chapter 2

My airway was almost completely closed. My breathing sounded like a broken accordion, yet I couldn't draw in any air.

I lay on the floor, barely conscious, hearing only hurried footsteps in the distance.

When Dad burst in, the first thing he did was slap me hard across the face. Twice.

"Always eating! So greedy! I must have owed you in a past life! Can't you give me one day of peace!"

Mom rummaged frantically across the table.

"Where's the EpiPen? Where did this stupid girl put something that could save her life?"

When I first got injured, emergency medication was stashed in every corner of the house.

At the slightest cough, Mom would nervously pat my back.

"Are you okay, Emma? Should I take you to the hospital?"

But as the incidents piled up, the concern in my parents' eyes turned to exhaustion.

Eventually, I dragged myself to follow-up appointments alone, limping out the door on my injured leg. Of course she had no idea where I kept the medication.

Dad's face darkened. He dumped the entire drawer onto the floor, his tone growing more irritated.

"Maybe it's better if we don't find it. Then we'd all be free."

Two minutes later, they finally found it in a cabinet. Mom's hands trembled as she jabbed the needle into my thigh.

The suffocation gradually faded, but the angry red hives covering my body still itched unbearably. My muscles ached so badly I couldn't move from where I lay on the floor.

Mom glanced at Dad, a flicker of guilt in her eyes.

"Maybe we should take her to the hospital to get checked out?"

Hesitation crossed Dad's face, but then he erupted again.

"Hospital? Every cent we make goes to her!"

"Lucas, next time your sister pulls another stunt, don't even bother telling us. Once she's gone, this family can finally live in peace."

He stormed out, slamming the door. Mom sighed and followed.

Lucas crouched by my ear and whispered with a soft laugh.

"Can't die, can't escape. Frustrating, isn't it?"

"Guess what new game I'll come up with next time?"

He left looking pleased with himself, so he didn't see the genuine smile on my face.

Finally. I'm the one who's truly free.

Back when I was severely ill and didn't want to burden my family, I jumped from the rooftop. That's when I heard the System's voice.

[Hello, Host. Survival instinct detected at less than 10%. Initiating Rebirth Redemption scenario.]

[If you complete the mission and return to the real world, your reward will be a healthy new life.]

My mission was to reform my born-evil brother, Lucas.

So from the day he was born, I devoted myself to caring for him, talking to him every day.

But on the very first night Lucas could speak, he suddenly looked at me with an eerie smile.

[You're the 99th host I've encountered. I killed all the others. Hope you're luckier.]

That's when I learned he was a corrupted transmigrator.

Lucas was experienced. Soon I was covered in injuries and had lost my parents' trust completely.

When I lay dying in a hospital bed from severe burns, the System's voice returned.

[Due to a critical bug in this world, the Host has unlocked a hidden ending.]

[Meeting the condition of 99 deaths also counts as successful mission completion.]

The truth is, every one of Lucas's attacks should have killed me. The System kept me alive—barely—all this time.

I gritted my teeth through over a decade of his torture, all for this moment.

[After 24 hours, the return portal will open. You need only experience Death #100 to successfully depart.]

I struggled to crawl back onto my bed. My finger accidentally pressed the emergency alarm on the headboard, triggering a loud buzz.

Hurried footsteps approached. The door was thrown open again.