How Could a Delicate Girl Like Me Be the God of Demon-Slaying

Ma Xiaobian transmigrates into a world where a global horror game has descended, forcing humans into deadly "Ghost Realms" to survive. Upon arriving in a new body, she inherits a dilapidated paper effigy shop on South Street, burdened by a crushing annual rent of 150,000 yuan. With only fifty yuan to her name and no viable employment options, she decides to leverage her background in psychology to sell "blessed" talismans and funeral goods to the superstitious populace. Her first customer is a polite, tentacled monster who mistakes her for a kind human. When she touches him, she discovers she possesses a unique, innate ability to purify mental corruption and harm ghosts through physical contact, while the monster suffers severe pain from her touch. This revelation transforms her shop into a sanctuary of pure light in a dark, corrupted world.

The horror game mechanics revolve around "Mental Corruption," a metric that rises when players encounter ghosts or break rules. High corruption leads to mutation and death. Players are ranked globally, and survival depends on managing this corruption through expensive stabilizers or powerful spiritual artifacts. Ma Xiaobian’s shop, glowing with protective light, attracts a team of players led by Chen Ping, whose corruption levels are critically high. Unaware of the supernatural danger, Ma Xiaobian mistakes them for poor, superstitious customers. She sells them hand-drawn talismans for exorbitant prices, which instantly lower their corruption and heal their mutations. The players view her as a divine master, while she views them as wealthy marks, establishing a mutually beneficial but misunderstood relationship.

As the game progresses, Ma Xiaobian enters the "First Food Hall" Ghost Realm, where she encounters Xu Shengsheng, the ghostly owner of the restaurant. Xu Shengsheng is tasked with finding her lost necklace, which her twin sister stole ten years prior. Ma Xiaobian’s unique nature allows her to interact with the ghosts without suffering mental corruption; in fact, her touch heals them. She befriends Xu Shengsheng, who invites her to Pulings Manor to investigate the mystery of the necklace. Ma Xiaobian brings along Wu Lin and Lin Sheng, two players she has already befriended and sold talismans to, turning the investigation into a business opportunity.

At Pulings Manor, Ma Xiaobian navigates the complex dynamics between the twin sisters and their uncle. She discovers that the "necklace" is not merely a piece of jewelry but a key to the Ghost Realm’s core secrets. Her presence disrupts the established rules of the horror game, as she is immune to the psychological attacks that torment other players. Ghosts that would normally kill on sight are subdued or healed by her touch, causing confusion among the entities and fear among the other players who view her as either a savior or a threat. A serial killer named Flathead Brother, who entered the game to indulge his violent impulses, targets Ma Xiaobian’s shop, hoping to steal her powerful artifacts. However, his attempt ends in failure as her innate energy repels him, forcing him to flee in agony.

The story shifts from simple survival to a deeper exploration of the horror game’s origins. Ma Xiaobian’s ability to purify corruption suggests she is an anomaly in this system, possibly a player designed to dismantle the game from within. As she delves deeper into the mystery of the lost necklace, she uncovers connections between the Ghost Realms and the spiritual artifacts she sells. Her business empire expands as more players seek her out for protection and talismans, but this attention also draws the ire of high-ranking entities and rival players who wish to control or eliminate her. The narrative culminates in Ma Xiaobian realizing that her shop is not just a business but a pivotal node in the horror game’s structure, and her actions will determine the fate of all players trapped within it.

Throughout the chapters, Ma Xiaobian maintains her persona as a shrewd but kind-hearted shopkeeper, oblivious to the true extent of her power. She continues to sell talismans, treat ghosts as customers, and navigate the deadly game with a mix of luck and innate ability. The contrast between her mundane commercial interests and the lethal supernatural environment creates a unique tone, blending horror with comedy. As she prepares to confront the truth behind the Lost Necklace, the boundaries between player, ghost, and master begin to blur, setting the stage for a larger conflict that will challenge the very rules of the horror game.