In the villa’s living room, Yun Yiyi watched Gu Siqing’s desolate back as she left, her little face full of confusion. She floated lightly to Qin Xiao’s side, her voice carrying a childlike puzzlement. [Host, why did you tell Sister Gu that? She clearly took the initiative to say she wanted to be with you. Wouldn’t it be better if you just agreed?]
Qin Xiao leaned lazily against the soft sofa, his gaze drifting toward the window. Gu Siqing’s figure was long gone, only the lazy morning sunlight spilling across the lawn remained. He withdrew his gaze, his tone calm, revealing little emotion. “Yiyi, she has the right to know the truth of this world, to know the fate originally set for her.”
He paused, a faint note of mockery in his voice. “If I meet every female lead predetermined in the book and use every means to possess her, deceiving her with lies, then how am I any different from that Ye Chen, who only thinks with his lower body and fills his head with filthy thoughts?”
His voice was quiet but carried an unshakable resolve, as if drawing a clear line for himself. Even as a villain, he would not become the kind of person he despised most.
Yun Yiyi tilted her head, nodding as if she half understood. Although her host’s thoughts were always complicated and hard to read, she instinctively felt that what he was doing had its reason.
Qin Xiao didn’t dwell on it. He turned his head, his sharp gaze landing on the black-clad girl in the corner clutching a bag of chips, watching him warily like a frightened little animal.
“Mo Meigui.”
Mo Meigui’s body instantly tensed. The chips slipped from her hand onto the expensive carpet with a soft thud, unnoticed. Her eyes, like ice-tempered daggers, locked on Qin Xiao. “What?”
The corner of Qin Xiao’s mouth curved in a meaningful, teasing smile. “You’re pretty capable. Think you can do me a favor?”
Mo Meigui immediately crossed her arms and stepped back half a pace, her whole expression saying “No” and “Stay away.” “What are you plotting? I’m warning you—just because your cooking’s good doesn’t mean I’ll help you!”
Her tone was fierce, masking her wavering inside. But her disobedient eyes still flicked toward the kitchen, as if recalling last night’s meal that nearly made her swallow her tongue.
Qin Xiao acted as though he hadn’t noticed her thoughts and spoke slowly, his voice tempting. “Follow Gu Siqing for me. Wherever she goes, whatever she does, report to me at once.”
He paused, like an experienced hunter revealing bait. “When it’s done, I’ll take you to ‘Haitian Feast,’ the most famous seafood buffet in the capital. Eat all you want, no limits.”
Mo Meigui’s throat bobbed involuntarily, her eyes loosening as though she could already see king crabs and Boston lobsters waving at her.
Qin Xiao noted her reaction and upped the ante, his tone even more tempting. “And add the unlimited A5 wagyu set from ‘Xuelong Garden.’ Melt-in-your-mouth quality.”
Top-grade wagyu… unlimited…
Forgive me, Hall Master! It’s not that your subordinate is disloyal—this man is just offering too much! He’s too cunning, using sweet bribes to corrode my revolutionary spirit! Despicable!
No… this is for the future of Dragon King Hall… no! It’s to ultimately eat him into bankruptcy, leaving him to starve! That’s the true fate of the Hall Master’s enemy!
She took a deep breath, forcing her expression to stay cold, so she wouldn’t look easily bought. “Hmph, seeing you’re so sincere, I’ll reluctantly agree just this once.” She added stiffly, as if to save face, “Remember your promise.”
Qin Xiao nodded in satisfaction, knowing the fish had taken the hook. “Don’t worry—a gentleman’s word is as good as gold.”
Night fell silently over the capital like a great swath of black velvet. Neon lights flickered, making the city look like a dream, hiding countless secrets in the dark.
Qin Xiao’s phone vibrated. On the screen, a message from “Mo Meigui” appeared.
[Target has entered ‘Dream Talk’ Bar.]
Looking at the short message, a glimmer of understanding flashed in his deep eyes. Everything was going as expected. “Looks like I was right.” His voice was low, tinged with quiet resignation. “No matter how much I change, the inertia of the plot will try to pull events back to the original track, making the male and female leads meet at a set time, place, and in a set way.”
Yun Yiyi leaned over for a look and wrinkled her nose in disgust. [Host, you really are spot-on! I checked—the original novel’s Chapter 15 has Gu Siqing, feeling upset, going to ‘Dream Talk’ Bar to drink. She gets drugged, then Ye Chen conveniently shows up, playing the hero to save the beauty… and then ‘detoxifies’ her with his body…]
She shuddered, as if recalling something unbearable. [So disgusting! That Ye Chen is just a walking mutt in heat!]
Qin Xiao’s eyes turned icy, like frost in the dead of winter. Detoxify her with his body? That was nothing more than filth dressed as heroics.
“Let’s go save her.” He grabbed his car keys from the entryway and stood, his tall frame casting a shadow in the light. “Yiyi, refresh a few useful system skills for me.”
Yun Yiyi hurried to comply. The virtual system panel unfolded before him, three skill slots spinning rapidly like a slot machine, flashing strange lights.
The first refresh results popped up.
[Silver: Mild Cold (immediately catch a cold, lasts 24 hours)]
[Silver: Trip on Flat Ground (next three walks guaranteed to trip)]
[Gold: Social Mastery Syndrome (temporarily gain strong social skills, but prone to saying the wrong thing and socially killing yourself)]
The slots spun again.
[Silver: Food Stuck in Teeth (next five drinks guaranteed to get food stuck in teeth)]
[Gold: Bargain Master (random discount on any purchase, with a chance of angering the seller)]
[Prismatic: Meteor Strike (summon a small meteor to hit a chosen area, range and power random, cooldown 72 hours)]
Meteor Strike sounded powerful, but with random range and power, it could hit the wrong person—or miss Ye Chen entirely.
He glanced at the refresh counter. “How many refreshes left?”
Yun Yiyi’s voice carried a trace of worry. [Host, counting this one, you’ve only got one refresh left.]
Qin Xiao’s gaze drifted over all the system skills previously labeled “trash” by Yun Yiyi. In his eyes, even useless junk could shine under the right light.
Finally, his eyes landed on one plain silver skill.
[Silver: All Are Failures (for the next three hours, all your active actions will fail)]
The corners of his mouth curled into a sly smile, a glint of cunning in his eyes. “Yiyi, I’ll take this ‘All Are Failures.’”
Yun Yiyi was stunned. [Huh? Host, are you sure? This is pure negative effect! If you take it, you won’t be able to do anything for three hours—you’ll just have to watch Sister Gu get…]
“Choose it.” His tone left no room for argument, full of control and confidence. “This last refresh has to give me something that works perfectly with it.”
Though she didn’t understand, Yun Yiyi obeyed. She stared at the final roll, silently praying for a miracle.
Ding!
The crisp sound chimed, and the final skill slot stopped. A golden system skill shone before Qin Xiao’s eyes.
He looked at it, a sharp glint flashing in his gaze, the corner of his mouth lifting in a smile of certain victory. “That’s the one.”