This one simple trick unlocked the next level of obfuscation

src/normalize/normalize.mjs

@@ -2826,6 +2826,29 @@ export function phaseNormalize(fdata, fname, { allowEval = true }) {
                 }
               }
             }
+
+            if (!callee.computed && AST.isPrimitive(callee.object) && AST.getPrimitiveValue(callee.object) === '') {
+              // Property access on empty string... Some silly low hanging fruit cases.
+              if (ASSUME_BUILTINS) {
+                // Targeting a specific obfuscation: ``.replace(/^/, String)
+                if (callee.property.name === 'replace' && node.arguments[1].type === 'Identifier' && node.arguments[1].name === 'String') {
+                  // This will invariably return the empty string
+
+                  riskyRule('Calling .replace on an empty string with irrelevant function always results in empty string');
+                  example('"".replace(/$/, String)', '$coerce(/$/); ""');
+                  before(body[i]);
+
+                  const finalNode = AST.primitive('');
+                  const finalParent = wrapExpressionAs(wrapKind, varInitAssignKind, varInitAssignId, wrapLhs, varOrAssignKind, finalNode);
+                  body.splice(i, 1, AST.expressionStatement(AST.callExpression('$coerce', [node.arguments[1], AST.primitive('string')])), finalParent);
+
+                  after(body[i]);
+                  after(body[i + 1]);
+
+                  return true;
+                }
+              }
+            }
           }
 
           // Simple member expression is atomic callee. Can't break down further since the object can change the context.
@@ -3621,7 +3644,7 @@ export function phaseNormalize(fdata, fname, { allowEval = true }) {
           );
 
           const finalParent = wrapExpressionAs(wrapKind, varInitAssignKind, varInitAssignId, wrapLhs, varOrAssignKind, finalNode);
-          body.splice(i, 1, finalParent);
+          body[i] = finalParent;
 
           after(body[i]);
           return true;

tests/cases/builtins_cases/empty_string_replace.md

@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+# Preval test case
+
+# empty_string_replace.md
+
+> Builtins cases > Empty string replace
+>
+>
+
+## Input
+
+`````js filename=intro
+$(''.replace(/^/, String));
+`````
+
+## Pre Normal
+
+
+`````js filename=intro
+$(``.replace(/^/, String));
+`````
+
+## Normalized
+
+
+`````js filename=intro
+const tmpCallCallee = $;
+const tmpCalleeParam$1 = /^/;
+const tmpCalleeParam$3 = String;
+const tmpCalleeParam = ``.replace(tmpCalleeParam$1, tmpCalleeParam$3);
+tmpCallCallee(tmpCalleeParam);
+`````
+
+## Output
+
+
+`````js filename=intro
+$(``);
+`````
+
+## PST Output
+
+With rename=true
+
+`````js filename=intro
+$( "" );
+`````
+
+## Globals
+
+None
+
+## Result
+
+Should call `$` with:
+ - 1: ''
+ - eval returned: undefined
+
+Pre normalization calls: Same
+
+Normalized calls: Same
+
+Final output calls: Same