[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-this-life-i-will-be-the-protagonist":3,"chapter-this-life-i-will-be-the-protagonist-this-life-i-will-be-the-protagonist-chapter-625":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","This Life, I Will Be the Protagonist",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1532682,1991,"Chapter 625: 625: Divine Game – Chaotic Blocks16","this-life-i-will-be-the-protagonist-chapter-625",625,"\u003Cp>Time was short, and Rita wasn't in the mood to joke with Nivalis. She rushed back to the control console and started searching for the Doll she'd marked earlier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She didn't bother mentioning that grabbing a Doll cost game tokens — Nivalis was already at Machine #2, clearly on her second round as a Doll Buyer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wait… if Nivalis knew it cost Blocks to buy game tokens, why hadn't she warned her?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something was off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While tracking her target with the claw, Rita asked in the group chat:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Did you get a prompt to buy game tokens when you grabbed a Doll?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nivalis: \"Nope. I didn't pay anything??\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rita: \"You didn't need to buy game tokens with Blocks?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nivalis: \"Not at all!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rita frowned. Could it be tied to the role a player had before becoming Doll Buyer?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She didn't think Nivalis had been an Overstocked Doll, but she asked just in case:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Before you became a Doll Buyer, were you a Hot-Selling Doll or an Overstocked one?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nivalis: \"Hot-Selling.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rita acknowledged the info with a simple \"got it\" and said no more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both of them were fully focused now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the machine, players were still unlocking items and curios. Rita wasn't greedy; she ignored the shimmering item numbers and focused entirely on the joystick, chasing the Doll she'd had her eye on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This particular one was easy to spot — Rita had killed them twice back when she was a Hot-Selling Doll.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first time she got the kill, nothing changed in the machine. No reaction at all — meaning no shift in the Usage Instructions. So at that moment, the target definitely hadn't been an Overstocked Doll.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But just as she pressed the Grab button, the Doll's appearance shifted — into someone Rita had long suspected was an Overstocked Doll!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had undone their disguise skill? Just like she had before?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Out of the corner of her eye, Rita spotted the original Doll she'd targeted standing in a corner of the machine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A switch?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No — skill use was still on cooldown during this phase.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No time to think it through. Once the button was pressed, the claw couldn't be retracted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She yanked the joystick, trying to redirect it away — but the Doll jumped up, voluntarily diving into the claw's grip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The claw closed around the target.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rita's chest tightened. She instinctively clutched her head and shouted aloud:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No, I did nothing wrong!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Pride Undying] — the title skill: [Stubborn Mule]!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In that moment, her mind flashed through every action she'd taken in the last five minutes, like a film reel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She chose to retract her grab attempt — and the skill succeeded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The claw released the Doll.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rita was drenched in cold sweat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over at the neighboring machine, Nivalis silently watched the whole meltdown unfold:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"….\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She vaguely remembered Rita's new title being something like… Whatever-Doesn't-Die?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rita didn't pause. The moment she recovered, she cast [Repay] on the Overstocked Doll she'd almost grabbed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She didn't care what skill it was — she just needed to borrow it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, she immediately swung the claw back around to pursue her backup target — another Hot-Selling Doll she had marked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She'd paid the price already — no way she was wasting those three grabs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By now, the 10-second no-skill window from the machine shake had ended. The arena once again exploded in a storm of colors and effects.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was practically impossible to see clearly. The lights were blinding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rita gave up on precision and just aimed the claw into the heart of the most chaotic skirmish — the hardest-fought zone in the machine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had a backup plan in mind: if this Doll turned out to be a trap too, she'd immediately cast [Yes, I'm Fish Belly, what about it?] — a skill that would let her forcibly use [Stubborn Mule] even while it was still on cooldown.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The claw rose, gripping a Doll. As soon as Rita could clearly see the Block structure — she relaxed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was legit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moments later, the Hot-Selling Doll was tossed onto the control platform.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fifteen Blocks floated from their body and drifted toward Rita, then dropped to the floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She rushed forward and began collecting them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike when she'd collected Blocks from the previous Doll Buyer, these Blocks now had timers hovering above them — likely tied to the Doll's return window to the machine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She crouched, swept all the Blocks into a pile, then threw her arms around them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three seconds later, in the weirdest pose possible, she forcibly attached the Blocks to herself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Almost immediately, another claw extended from above, grabbed her, and flung her back into Machine #3.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now holding 242 Blocks, Rita automatically regained Overstocked Doll status.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She didn't bother setting a new Usage Instruction right away. Instead, she confidently sat in a corner and began organizing her Blocks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her hands flew — nothing fancy, just fast and functional. Time was of the essence. After all, her [Spring Scenery & Flowers] and [Fourfold Spring] buffs were still active.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She multitasked, skimming through the description of the skill she'd just borrowed from the previous Overstocked Doll.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Substitute] (Item Skill):\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Select a target. Swap appearance and profile with them. Core identity is unchanged. This disguise cannot be detected by identification skills below SSS-tier. Duration: 5 minutes. Mana Cost: 3000. Cooldown: 30 minutes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was perfect for Nivalis.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if she got caught, it wouldn't matter. But more importantly, this could reduce the chances of her getting targeted in the first place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, that was assuming Nivalis failed a claw attempt and landed in Machine #3.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as she was thinking that, a message came through the group chat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nivalis: \"I caught a Doll! I'm back in Machine #2.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rita: \"Congrats. What about 913?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>B8017913: \"Still in Machine #1. I've earned 17 Blocks so far. I've used up 90% of my internal battery. If I keep fighting, I'll have to tap into my power banks. Should I continue?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rita: \"As long as you can last until the game ends, that's all that matters.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>B8017913: \"Got it. I'll hold out.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By now, Rita had finished sorting the 30 Blocks she'd earned as a Doll Buyer. She sent a message:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Nivalis, I've got a disguise skill that lets us swap appearances. If you take it, you'll become an Overstocked Doll — meaning you won't get grabbed. But I do suspect there's a hidden penalty for Overstocked Dolls. It's up to you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since [Substitute] only swapped the outer appearance and info, not the essence, any Block loss would still come from the original owner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was now 2:48 AM — only 12 minutes left before Dolls could leave after 30 minutes of play.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The risk was small.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And even if there was a penalty, it was far safer for Nivalis to take that hit than Rita. Nivalis had no rare items or curios, and Machine #2 had milder punishments than Machine #3.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rita laid out the pros and cons clearly, leaving the final choice to Nivalis.\u003C\u002Fp>",1174,"2026-06-06T06:15:13.778Z",1,"novelbin.me","ef67cd5009b6b61afef286baf89c4891e57432e4e6cb436c3b9fa85ed9925857","this-life-i-will-be-the-protagonist-chapter-626","this-life-i-will-be-the-protagonist-chapter-624",1404,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthis-life-i-will-be-the-protagonist-cover.jpg"]