Transmigrated as the Villain's Lackey, I can Sign in to the plot

"Damn! Did I just get transported into a novel? And... I'm not even the villain? Just his follower?!"

Ye Liuyun sat frozen in the lavishly decorated room, his face a mix of disbelief and panic. One moment, he had been an average guy living an ordinary life, and the next—bam! He found himself inside a world that felt eerily familiar.

Then, realization struck him like a bolt of lightning.

This was the world of a novel he had read in his past life.

Not just any novel, but one of those over-the-top urban power fantasies—"The Strongest Mercenary's Urban Beauty Hunting Record."

Just the title alone was enough to tell him everything he needed to know.

This was one of those cliché, wish-fulfillment stories where the protagonist starts weak, gets humiliated by rich young masters, and then rises up, slapping faces left and right until he becomes some untouchable powerhouse.

And Ye Liuyun?

Not the protagonist. Not even the villain.

Just some low-level follower of the first stepping-stone villain in the story!

"You've gotta be kidding me!"

Ye Liuyun clutched his forehead as his mind raced. The first villain in these kinds of stories? He was doomed from the start. A minor antagonist who existed only to be crushed by the main character. And as for his followers? Cannon fodder! They didn't even make it past a few chapters before being completely wiped out!

"Nope. Not happening. I need to quit—immediately."

The protagonist was set to make his grand entrance soon. If he stayed by the villain's side, he might enjoy a few days of luxury, but in the long run? A brutal, humiliating end awaited him.

"Yeah, I need to get out of here before the plot starts rolling."

Ye Liuyun's resolve hardened. He needed to resign as a follower, lay low, and use his knowledge of the story to build a comfortable life for himself.

But before he could make his move—

"Liuyun!" A voice came from outside the door. "The young master is calling for us!"

Ye Liuyun groaned internally. Just my luck.

"Coming!" He responded, forcing himself to his feet. Straightening his suit, he took a deep breath and walked out of the room.

Ye Liuyun stepped into the grand hall, where several other followers had already gathered.

At the center of the room stood Zhao Haoqian—the first villain of the story.

Tall, dressed in an expensive custom suit, and radiating confidence, Zhao Haoqian carried himself with the arrogance only a rich second-generation young master could. He wasn't a total idiot—he had been raised with proper etiquette and education—but like every other doomed villain, he had one fatal flaw.

He was a hopeless simp.

His fate was set in stone: he would fall head over heels for the heroine, act as her devoted lapdog, and in doing so, provoke the protagonist. From that moment on, it was only a matter of time before he was completely crushed and humiliated.

And I'm supposed to be his lackey? No thanks.

Zhao Haoqian glanced around, nodding in satisfaction as he saw his loyal followers assembled. Then, he clapped his hands together. "Alright, let's go to Yao Huaimeng's company!"

Ye Liuyun nearly facepalmed.

Yao Huaimeng. The first heroine of the novel.

This was the event that kicked off the story. Zhao Haoqian, blinded by infatuation, would shower her with expensive gifts, only to get ruthlessly ignored. And when the protagonist showed up?

Instant face-slapping.

Ye Liuyun had seen this scene play out a hundred times in these types of novels. It was a death flag waiting to happen.

He had to get out.

"Master!" Ye Liuyun spoke up suddenly, an idea forming in his mind.

Zhao Haoqian turned to him, slightly surprised. "What is it?"

Ye Liuyun quickly put on a respectful expression. "I just think it might be a bit insincere to visit Miss Yao empty-handed. Perhaps we should buy some flowers first?"

Zhao Haoqian raised an eyebrow. "Flowers? I've given her so many gifts already, and she barely acknowledges me. Will flowers make a difference?"

Ye Liuyun nodded sagely. "Girls like small gestures of sincerity. Even if it doesn't work, it still shows your good intentions."

Zhao Haoqian mulled it over for a moment before nodding. "Alright, that makes sense. Someone, go buy the best flowers available!"

Then, he turned back to Ye Liuyun and smirked. "That was a good idea. Your salary this month? Doubled."

Ye Liuyun's brain short-circuited for a second.

"Hiss—two hundred thousand?!"

In his previous life, he had worked himself half to death, grinding through 996 work hours (9 AM to 9 PM, 6 days a week) and barely having any savings to show for it. Now, he casually suggested buying flowers and just got a six-figure salary increase?!

At this moment, Ye Liuyun was forced to reconsider.

"Maybe... I should stay just a little longer?"

Sitting inside one of the luxury cars, Ye Liuyun pondered his next move. The convoy of vehicles was on its way to Yao Huaimeng's company, marking the official start of the plot.

"Maybe I'll just stick around for one month, get my paycheck, and then disappear. Just one month! That should be safe, right?"

Just as he solidified his plan—

A robotic voice echoed in his mind.

[Ding! Plot Sign-In System activating!]

Ye Liuyun's eyes widened.

A system?!

He had been hoping for something like this, but now that it was happening, he could barely contain his excitement. He quickly focused his thoughts. "System, what's your function?"

[As long as the host is present when a major plot event occurs, you can sign in for rewards.]

Ye Liuyun frowned slightly. "Wait, does that mean I have to follow the original storyline exactly?"

The system quickly responded.

[No. The host can change the plot however they wish. As long as they are present at key events, rewards will still be granted.]

Ye Liuyun exhaled in relief.

"So as long as I don't completely remove myself from the plot, I can still collect rewards?"

This was way better than expected!

With this system, he could grow stronger while staying far away from any actual danger. All he had to do was strategically position himself during important events.

A grin spread across Ye Liuyun's face.

"Alright then... let's see how much I can milk this world for!"