“Oh? You can’t say it? That means something is restricting you—either an existence beyond modern technology or someone using hypnosis to control you. Hmm? Who are you talking to?”
Gu Hanfeng narrowed his eyes slightly, a sharp glint flashing within them. His words were so precise they nearly made Qiu Yunzheng and 288 want to cry.
“288, ahhh! What’s with this person? I’m almost exposed! Will I get killed because of you? Where’s the safety you promised?”
“Um, host, it’s fine, really. You have to believe me. 288’s confidentiality mechanism is active—you can’t reveal 288’s existence. And 288 will absolutely protect you.”
At this moment, Qiu Yunzheng just wanted to curse. Hearing 288 say it would protect her made her want to roll her eyes, but she didn’t dare—and couldn’t—because the man sitting across from her was utterly terrifying.
Yun Zheng had nowhere to vent her frustration. Screw your confidentiality mechanism! You’re already being stripped down to your underwear!
She hadn’t said anything—hadn’t uttered a word—yet he still figured it out. Just look: the moment she finished her evasive reply, Gu Hanfeng’s next sentence stunned her.
“No one! Just… you, ahaha. Have you been reading too many novels? There’s no one else here.”
Yun Zheng forced a laugh while thinking: Just as I expected…
“A soul? A system? Hmm, it’s a system. What are its conditions? Or what does it want? How did you two bind?When Gu Hanfeng mentioned “system,” he keenly noticed the shock and panic in the other person’s eyes, so he quickly focused on “system.””
Yun Zheng now looked utterly defeated. Of course—someone like her who hadn’t even truly experienced society, though she’d endured some hardships…
But really, how could she compare to this battle-hardened soldier? There was no hiding it.
Not that she intended to hide it, but still… she hadn’t expected to be discovered this quickly!
Gu Hanfeng watched as the girl before him instantly became listless, then closed her mouth, choosing neither to refute nor speak. A flicker of amusement passed through his eyes, and he withdrew his intimidating aura.
Just as I thought—still a child. Her face reveals everything. She must have recently bound with the system—a reckless kid, fearless about being tricked.
Probably driven to desperation by that Wang Wende, she considered reporting to the police but feared no one would believe her. So she planned to find the Ancient Tomb first before going to the police. A good idea, but rather rash.
If he hadn’t discovered her first and she had actually gone to the police… forget others, just Wang Wende with his connections and the Wang family behind him could have crushed her with a finger.
“Alright, I understand. You don’t need to say anything. I’ll take you somewhere later. Then you can tell me about your… system’s conditions.”
Gu Hanfeng didn’t press further. It was clear Qiu Yunzheng couldn’t reveal any information, and continuing would be a waste of time.
Without waiting for Yun Zheng’s response, he stood up and left the observation room.
After Gu Hanfeng departed, both Qiu Yunzheng and 288 couldn’t help but sigh in relief.
Qiu Yunzheng was terrified by Gu Hanfeng’s intimidating aura, while 288 finally understood the terrifying aspects of this planet and this country.
But there was no way out—it had already bound itself to the system, boarded this ship, and couldn’t get off now. All it could do was hug itself and tremble.
288: “Wuwuwu, Doctor, this place is so scary, so frightening! I want to go back to Interstellar space!”
Qiu Yunzheng: That man is utterly terrifying. I must stay far away from him in the future, definitely keep my distance. Wuwu, he’s too scary—there’s no hiding any little secrets around him. His wife must have it so hard, probably trembling like a quail in his presence.
Whatever, a man like that doesn’t need a wife anyway. He should just stay single and live alone his whole life.
And so, these two scaredy-cats who’d lost their natural predator began pecking at each other.
“You call yourself a System? I should just call you Little Scaredy-Cat from now on. Look at you—bragging about your confidentiality mechanism, but how many seconds did that actually last?”
“Host, no personal attacks! I-I-I am very useful too! Besides, besides, it’s clearly because the people in your country are too terrifying!”
“I haven’t even blamed you yet—it’s all because you were too obvious! Yes, it’s your fault! It has nothing to do with the System! You… you’re the… well, you’re the real scaredy-cat here!”
“Blah blah blah…”
Well, in this case, the pot really shouldn’t call the kettle black—both were equally pathetic.
If 288 had a physical form, the human and the System would probably have started fighting by now.
Thus, attempting to deceive a soldier like him—someone specially trained and experienced in dealing with cunning, treacherous villains—was nothing short of a pipe dream.
Soon, Qiu Yunzheng was transferred to a more concealed location with enhanced security measures, though she didn’t feel like she’d been moved very far.
This made her realize that the mission assigned by the System—the location of this Mausoleum—was right next to a government restricted zone. The thought made her sneer inwardly.
‘Hah, if I ever trust this System again, I’m a dog. The only reason I’m still alive is because this is China. If this were abroad, I’d probably have been shot in the head before I even got inside. I need to reflect on how I could be so stupid.’
Whether the System detected Qiu Yunzheng’s thoughts remained unknown, but 288 was currently working hard, using its matchstick-like arms to hug its round, rolling body.
‘Wuwu, Earth is so terrifying! Chinese people are so scary too! I feel like I’m going to be chopped into pieces! Thank goodness for the Doctor’s protection system.’
Upon arriving at the new observation room, Qiu Yunzheng ignored the trembling 288 and began surveying her surroundings, thinking she was being discreet.
It was a small, rectangular room containing only one table and two chairs—nothing else.
There wasn’t even space for more furniture. A bright light overhead shone on the pure white walls, making the room appear even more glaring.
Qiu Yunzheng found the light somewhat painful, causing her to instinctively squint.
“So this is the person bound to the System? She’s just a young girl, isn’t she?”
Outside the observation room, a soldier in military uniform asked Gu Hanfeng in a deep, resonant voice.
This soldier was likely a high-ranking officer, given the considerable respect Gu Hanfeng showed him.
The officer appeared to be around forty to fifty years old, with a robust build and a height slightly shorter than Gu Hanfeng standing beside him.
His jet-black crew cut was streaked with a few silver strands, making them stand out even more.
His square face bore the marks of time, yet it did not appear aged. A thick scar ran from his forehead to his temple, a testament to past dangers.
His pitch-black eyes, weathered by hardship, were as deep and terrifying as the abyssal sea. Unlike the cloudiness typical of his age, they seemed deceptively transparent at first glance, yet were in fact an unfathomable ocean.
This man was no ordinary individual. The honor medals adorning the shoulders and chest of his military uniform were his personal glories, revealing his esteemed status.
“Yes, Commander Yang, I did probe her. The information appears to be true, though she seems restricted from speaking about it. I inferred it from her expressions. Please take a look at this video.”
Gu Hanfeng handed Yang Jianshe the recorded video of his interrogation with Qiu Yunzheng.
Yang Jianshe took the tablet from Gu Hanfeng and examined it carefully. When Gu Hanfeng mentioned the “System,” Qiu Yunzheng froze completely, her face showing shock and panic.
Squinting slightly, Yang Jianshe paused the video on that frame and scrutinized it closely. Then, he set down the tablet and returned it to Gu Hanfeng.
He then turned his gaze to the delicate girl in the observation room. Her eyes were narrowed from the harsh lighting, and she lay weakly against the table, looking somewhat drained.
“First, ask about her needs and the System’s requirements. Also, find out what rewards she would receive upon completing tasks. If it’s confirmed she poses no threat to our country, we can consider agreeing to some of her conditions.”
“Yes, Commander Yang.”
Gu Hanfeng gave a solemn salute and entered the observation room.
“I hope… I hope you won’t pose a threat to China. Otherwise…”
Yang Jianshe murmured to himself, a faint glint flickering in his eyes—a chilling aura of killing intent.