Happy Evil Heartbreaker [Modern LitRPG]

It must be said that Xanthia's self-directed and self-performed drama was replete with every element, filled with dramatic flair, and successfully achieved her initial goal.

Her objective was to complete a challenge in the school sports meet and upgrade the white “Health” attribute to the more powerful blue “Robust” attribute. ¹ref to Chapter 86

And she dared to make the competition process so dramatic and thrilling, even "soldiering on despite minor injuries," because she had her reasons—

As soon as she obtained the “Robust” attribute, her body’s recovery ability would be maximized. The minor injury on her knee would heal rapidly, leaving no scar, and even the new skin would be as tender as a baby’s.

Moreover, her strength attribute points would increase at a faster rate, and with the same amount of Joy Points, her point allocation efficiency would improve after unlocking the “Robust” attribute.

Currently, Xanthia’s most notable attribute was her physique, which was characterized by “tough skin and resilient flesh.” After all, the longer her health bar, the more secure she felt.

For seasoned players, a longer health bar meant a higher margin for error in operations, thus boosting their confidence during crucial moments.

For this 3000-meter long-distance run, she could have easily won by cheating, but for someone who loves the thrill, that would have been too dull!

This principle applied to any competitive sport: a complete domination was genuinely uninteresting.

She understood the art of creating dramatic moments perfectly. She knew that in competitive sports, what stirs the audience’s blood the most is nothing but the underdog triumphing over the strong, turning the tables in dire situations, and making a dramatic comeback.

From the beginning, Xanthia was seen as a “weaker girl” in everyone’s eyes. Throughout the competition, she was always in adversity, relying solely on immense “willpower” to persevere. Even at a critical moment, she fell, further leading everyone to despair about her.

This even triggered a significant amount of Pain coins, as the audience, who had high expectations for a miracle, were deeply affected when she fell. Naturally, those who empathized with her were hit hard with Pain value voins.

But no one expected that in such dire straits, Xanthia would demonstrate superhuman perseverance and ultimately stage a stunning comeback to win the competition, setting the entire venue ablaze with excitement!

Was this what they called “only playing well when near death”?

Her emotional control over the audience was masterful, making them bounce up and down in excitement!

In the process, Xanthia won immensely!

Originally, her Pain Value was nearly depleted due to redeeming the “Malicious Notebook,” but this melodramatic, deliberately created desperate comeback filled the empty “national treasury” in one go.

So she used “Stamina Potions” without hesitation to make the performance more realistic and to set up the final “killer move”!

Just as the entire audience was fervently chanting her name and celebrating her victory, she suddenly faced another emotional blow!

Although Xanthia won the championship, the “cost” she paid was incredibly severe!

Her stamina was completely exhausted, and at a critical moment, Elena’s “godsend assist” exposed the wound on her knee…

People like Luciel, Dionysius, Dematero, and others who cared about her were more deeply affected. They wished Xanthia hadn’t pushed herself so hard for the championship and had taken better care of her health!

The audience, although there weren’t many who cared about her, were profoundly moved by Xanthia’s empathy. In their silence, their hearts were naturally filled with countless emotions and stirred up—

“This girl, Xanthia, is far too dedicated; why make things so intense?”

“To endure such a serious abrasion on her knee and still make a comeback from the brink of defeat—oh for the love of God, I’m moved to tears! Her tenacity is simply astounding!”

“I’m utterly convinced. This girl might be physically weak, but mentally, she’s an absolute powerhouse!”

“I never imagined someone’s mental strength could be so formidable. I truly admire her…”

“I heard she was the top student and campus beauty with the spirit of ‘remaining steadfast in poverty without giving up on lofty aspirations,’ and today, she’s proven that her reputation is well-deserved. She’s a rare girl with immense perseverance and courage. If she were the protagonist of a novel, it would undoubtedly be a classic tale of a strong female lead—full of positive energy!”

...

Even Xanthia’s rival, Inane Bolt, who finished second, showed genuine admiration on her face upon witnessing such a scene. Losing to such a strong competitor, she accepted it with grace!

Inane Bolt, reflecting on her own experience, felt that if she had been injured during the long-distance run, she certainly wouldn’t have pushed herself like Xanthia did, let alone burn all her potential and stage a comeback. This was like a melodramatic novel plot, but it actually unfolded in reality!

As the audience and opponents were all struck by Xanthia’s incredibly inspiring performance in adversity, Hera La Andronikos, who thought she had successfully orchestrated everything from behind the scenes, covered her mouth and struggled to suppress her laughter!

Indeed, she was immensely proud!

Though Xanthia’s comeback victory surpassed her expectations, making her the hero of Year 1 Class 3 and the entire school, demonstrating an astonishing spirit, Hera viewed these things as trivial. Only physical health was tangible.

Xanthia paid such a high price for her vanity that she might end up with lasting health issues and frequent pain in the future. This naturally pleased Hera!

Moreover, Hera had witnessed all the pain and suffering Xanthia experienced during the competition, and her scheme had been a great success, raising her mood to the highest point!

Just as she was basking in her triumph, Hera’s dream boy, who had arrived first to Xanthia’s side, was none other than—Dionysius!

Hera was stunned. Why did Dionysius look so worried when Xanthia was in such a miserable state?

Could it be that Xanthia’s displayed “sportsmanship” had even moved the always aloof and the school's hearthrob?

If so, Hera couldn’t accept it. If her “scheme” had become their divine assistance, wouldn’t she be the biggest fool?

Dionysius even took out his phone to call an ambulance from his private hospital, using all available medical resources to ensure his sister’s safety as much as possible…

He was extremely angry, with blood boiling. He certainly wouldn’t blame Xanthia for being too stubborn and headstrong; that was part of her character. She didn’t want to have anything more to do with the Papadopoulos familia or benefit from them, precisely because of her stubbornness.

Dionysius even dared to cautiously approach Xanthia, not revealing their relationship, fearing that Xanthia might “hate the house and its dogs.”

He had worked diligently to normalize their relationship, even being able to spend time with her during the holidays. This was the result of his careful efforts.

To maintain and even improve his relationship with Xanthia, Dionysius, who paid great attention to details, would never introduce the “Papadopoulos familia” as a significant variable, risking her rejection and nullifying his previous efforts.

It must be said, the drama that Xanthia orchestrated and performed herself was a spectacle in every sense—filled with dramatic twists, heart-pounding moments, and a classic "no retreat even with minor injuries" scenario. She achieved her initial goal with flying colors.

Her goal was to complete a challenge in the school sports meet by winning a specific event and upgrade her "Healthy" white attribute to the stronger "Robust" blue attribute.

She dared to make the competition so tumultuous and intense, even going as far as to persist through minor injuries, knowing she had solid backing—

Once she acquired the "Robust" attribute, her body’s recovery abilities would be maximized. Minor injuries, like those on her knee, would heal quickly, leaving no scars. Her new skin would even be as tender as a baby’s.

Moreover, the speed at which her strength attribute points would increase would also improve. With the same amount of happiness points spent, the efficiency of adding points would be higher after activating the "Robust" attribute.

Xanthia’s most impressive attribute now was her physical constitution. She excelled in being tough and resilient—longer health bars meant greater safety.

For advanced players, a longer health bar naturally increased the margin for error during operations, providing greater confidence in showcasing skills at critical moments.

In the 3000-meter long-distance run, she could have easily won by using cheats, but for someone who enjoys creating a spectacle, that would have been far too mundane!

This principle applies to all competitive sports—dominating without challenge is simply not engaging.

Xanthia knew how to create an effect. She understood that in sports competitions, what ignites the audience’s passion are underdog victories, miraculous comebacks, and last-minute triumphs.

From the beginning, Xanthia was seen as a “weak girl” in everyone’s eyes. Throughout the competition, she faced adversity, persevering through sheer “willpower,” even taking a fall at a critical moment, which further deepened the audience's despair for her.

This even triggered a significant amount of pain value coins. People had high expectations for her to create a miracle, and her fall, while relatable, resulted in the audience’s empathy translating into pain value coins.

What a devil she was!

However, no one expected that Xanthia would turn things around in such dire circumstances, ultimately winning the competition and completely setting the stage on fire!

Was this the so-called “only when on the brink of defeat can one truly play”?

The audience’s emotions were tightly controlled by her, bouncing up and down in excitement!

During this process, Xanthia had won spectacularly!

Her pain value, which had been depleted from exchanging for the “Malicious Notebook,” was replenished by this dramatic, intentionally manufactured comeback. Her “national treasury” was refilled in a big way.

Thus, she used the “stamina potion” without hesitation, aiming to make the performance more convincing and to set up the final “kill shot”!

That was when, amidst the audience’s cheers and fervor for her victory, her emotional state was unexpectedly hit hard!

Xanthia had won the championship, but the “cost” she paid was severe!

Her stamina was completely depleted, and at a critical moment, Elena’s “divine assist” revealed the wound on her knee…

For those who cared about her, like Luciel, Dionysius, and Dematero, the impact was even greater. They wished Xanthia hadn’t pushed herself so hard for the championship, neglecting her own health!

The audience, was deeply empathetic towards Xanthia, their hearts moved and stirred:

“This girl Xanthia is truly relentless. Why did she push herself to this extent?”

“To have such severe abrasions on her knee and still stage a miraculous comeback, damn, I’m almost in tears! This resilience is incredible!”

“I’m thoroughly impressed. She might be physically weak, but in spirit, she’s definitely strong!”

“I never imagined someone’s willpower could be this strong. I truly admire her…”

“There are rumors that she’s the ‘scholar flower’ known for her perseverance despite hardships. Seeing her today, it’s clear she lives up to her reputation. She’s a rare girl with great willpower and courage. If she were the heroine in a novel, it would be a classic story of a strong female lead with an abundance of positive energy!”

…

Meanwhile, Hera, who orchestrated all this, felt like the ultimate fool!

She found that her elaborate scheming had led to the most painful result!

Xanthia’s stunning performance in the 3000-meter run had indeed caught the attention of the perfect god-like figure, Dionysius. He was genuinely concerned about Xanthia’s physical condition and even praised her, acknowledging her impact.

Why was this happening?

Why had Xanthia not only become a hero in the eyes of the entire school but even won Dionysius’s heart? All the benefits had gone to her!

If she had known this would be the outcome, Hera would have run the 3000 meters herself!

Hera’s previously high spirits collapsed instantly when Dionysius appeared by Xanthia’s side, seemingly conquered by her performance, and verbally acknowledged his admiration.

What a self-inflicted clown!

For Hera, despite her thick skin and indifference to public opinion, she had a fatal weakness—she cared too much about Dionysius. Perhaps she had always fantasized about him being her husband, and over time, her daydreams had become reality.

So, when her “husband” Dionysius “betrayed” her and turned completely towards Xanthia, a girl she despised, she was naturally devastated!

After so many days of plotting, aside from tormenting Xanthia’s body, there were no other results. Hera’s own mindset had been shattered by the unexpected appearance of Dionysius. What was the point?

The pain was excruciating!

Hera covered her face, heartbroken!

At this moment, Xanthia, finally regaining her strength, said weakly, “I’m feeling pretty good. It’s just that I overexerted myself. A bit of rest will be fine. There’s no need for an ambulance.”

Luciel, seeing Xanthia awake, no longer cared about Dionysius and quickly said, “Xanthia, don’t push yourself. Your health is the most important thing.”

Dionysius wanted to say something to Xanthia but was met with her determined gaze, so he said nothing. Observing Xanthia closely, he noticed that although she was physically exhausted, her mental state was still strong.

He couldn’t help but admire her even more. Xanthia’s mental willpower was indeed remarkable, a huge contrast to her outward appearance.

“Do you still need to go to the infirmary?” Elena asked.

Xanthia decisively shook her head. She had already received the reward for completing the challenge and directly activated the “Robust” attribute!

The effect of the attribute was immediate. She felt that completing this challenge was truly worth it!

With this, she certainly didn’t need to go to the infirmary, let alone a hospital. If she went for a full-body check, it would reveal her true strength.

Doctors would find that her seemingly frail body was actually incredibly robust and resilient. Even though she was exhausted, her recovery speed was too fast!

Xanthia didn’t want to overdo her performance and face a backlash. She had already earned enough pain value coins and was ready to stop.

The most gratifying thing for her was the coins she received from Hera’s scheme. If Hera enjoyed plotting, she’d face the consequences!

To this end, Xanthia gave Dionysius an appreciative look. The coin explosion process had gone perfectly with Dionysius’s cooperation, just as she had planned.

“I told you I’m great at long-distance running. You should believe me. My stamina recovers quickly,” Xanthia said proudly, completely different from her previously weak self!

To prove her condition, she gently freed herself from Luciel’s embrace and hopped a bit.

Unbeknownst to others, the bandaged area on her knee was healing rapidly, thanks to the “Robust” attribute!

“By the way, where’s the award ceremony? I need to get my gold medal. This should be the first gold medal for our class, right? Aren’t I amazing?” Fully rejuvenated, Xanthia asked the surrounding classmates.

The classmates were stunned. Wait, what just happened?

Why was Xanthia, who seemed on the brink of death earlier, now so cheerful and energetic?!

Could she really be a long-distance running genius?

Dionysius scratched his head. He liked to observe details. If his sister’s physical condition were really bad, she wouldn’t look so energetic. But anyway, he chose to believe her!

He quickly made another call to cancel the ambulance, clarifying it was a misunderstanding. It was clearly a happy ending for everyone!

The award ceremony for the women’s 3000-meter run proceeded smoothly. Xanthia happily received her gold medal, the first for Class 3 of the first year. She was undeniably the class hero!

Sports committee member Kenny also arrived at the award ceremony, still sporting bruises and a pained expression. The reason was simple: he had been beaten up by the frenzied Dematero again!

As for Hera, her suffering was even greater, mainly because she realized that Xanthia’s body seemed unaffected!

After restoring her strength, Xanthia was vibrant and full of energy. It was infuriating!

[ System notification: Pain value from Hera and Kenny +++ ]