I Became the Villainess So I Struck First Chapter 01

I Became the Villainess So I Struck First Chapter 01

The day the apocalypse arrived, that world-hopper ripped the ancestral pendant from my neck, and the spatial dimension instantly recognized her as its master.

From then on, she became the savior here—unlimited supplies, unstoppable.

As for me? I was met with betrayal by my childhood sweetheart, abandonment to a horde of zombies, and finally, being torn apart alive.

She was the destined heroine of a transmigration power fantasy; I was the villainous extra in the original story.

But I refused to accept fate.

This time, I bit my finger and pressed it to the pendant, determined to make it mine before the end of the world.

Yet when the blood dripped, nothing happened.

Refusing to believe it was hopeless, I tried another finger, biting it and dripping the blood again.

Still, no response.

Desperation took hold—I bit all ten fingers, the pain searing through every nerve, but the pendant didn’t even flicker with light.

I clenched it so tight my knuckles whitened, my body trembling uncontrollably.

Why?

In my last life, when Elena had snatched it from me, a bright flash of light had confirmed the bond instantly.

Spatial storage, a spiritual spring, endless resources—she had everything. She became a savior, revered by thousands. But this was mine by right! Why wouldn’t it recognize me?

On the TV, the news anchor spoke in a crisp, professional tone: “In recent days, hospitals across the city have admitted patients with unexplained fevers. Some have exhibited aggressive behavior. Citizens are advised to take precautions—wear masks and avoid crowded areas…”

It was identical.

Exactly the same news as last life.

At midnight tonight, a global earthquake would strike. The ground would split, buildings would crumble, and societal order would collapse. Then those “fever patients” would turn fully into zombies—the apocalypse would begin.

I glanced at the clock on the wall.

3:17 PM.

Eight hours and forty-three minutes until the earthquake.

Was this truly an unchangeable fate?

I stared at the pendant in my hand, suddenly recalling the moment before my childhood sweetheart Ethan pushed me into the zombie horde last life. Elena had leaned against him, smiling softly—

“Don’t worry, Lila. I’ll take good care of Ethan.” “Oh, and I forgot to tell you—you’re the villainess in the original story. You were always meant to die. It’s destiny, so don’t blame me.”

Because I was the villain, and she was the heroine.

So I deserved to lose everything, to be thrown to the zombies, to be torn apart.

This pendant was her destiny, not mine.

I clenched the pendant fiercely, my knuckles turning white and my joints cracking audibly.

Had I done anything wrong? Did I deserve to be the villain?

I stared at the pale jade pendant in my palm, then laughed—a bitter, tearful laugh.

Last life, I’d lived kindly and still met that end. So this time, I’d embrace the role of the villainous extra.

I stood, raised the pendant high, and smashed it hard against the marble floor—

“Crack!”

It shattered into four or five pieces, scattering across the ground, refracting tiny glimmers of afternoon light.

What I couldn’t have, no one else would get!

“Ha—”

I let out a wild laugh, grabbed my phone, and dialed the number burned into my memory. The call connected almost instantly.

“Lila?” Ethan’s voice came through, tinged with surprise. “What’s wrong?”

His voice was still as pleasant as ever—deep, lazy, like a cello’s melody.

Last life, I’d loved hearing him say my name.

Now it only filled me with disgust.

But when I spoke, my voice trembled, laced with sobs and feigned helplessness: “Ethan… I’m hurt, it hurts so bad…”

“What? How? Is it serious?” His tone sharpened with urgency, wind rustling in the background as if he were walking fast. “Are you at home? I’ll be right there.”

“At home.” I sniffled. “Hurry, I’m so scared…”

“Don’t be afraid. I’m coming. Wait for me.”

The call ended, and my sobs cut off abruptly.

I stood up, face blank, and walked to the bathroom to splash water on my face. I rubbed my eyes and the tip of my nose vigorously until they reddened, then admired my handiwork in the mirror—red-rimmed eyes and a reddened nose. It looked convincingly like I’d just been crying.

Perfect.

To prepare for my plan, I bandaged the wounds on my hands carefully, then grabbed a boning knife from the kitchen and hid it up my sleeve.

Then I returned to the living room, picked up the pendant fragments one by one, wrapped them in a tissue, and slipped the bundle into my coat pocket.

I couldn’t just throw them away. What if Elena stumbled upon the pieces by some “fortuitous coincidence”? What if this damn pendant could still bond with someone even in pieces?

After wiping away all traces of the shards, I heard hurried footsteps outside, followed by a sharp knock on the door.

“Lila! Open up!”