Chapter 51
Latecomer Surpasses froze in place, completely immobile.
99 floated closer, observing it for a moment. “Are you actually awake or not?”
Latecomer Surpasses was awake, but it wished it wasn’t.
Because for it to be in this situation, something terrible must have happened.
How could someone with Xing Shi’s background be a host?
Why was Yan-Control Forever in an empty-energy state?
Wasn’t Top Draw supposed to rebind with Yu Yi as per the main system’s directive?
And what on earth was that advanced energy core hovering nearby?!
Latecomer Surpasses remained stiff, its thoughts on the verge of crashing.
99 floated back and forth in front of it. “Say something.”
Latecomer Surpasses finally found its voice. “Why am I here?”
99 answered proudly, “Because my host captured you~”
Latecomer Surpasses: “…”
Thank you, brother, no further questions.
The word “captured” immediately clarified their hostile relationship and explained the trap Top Draw had set for it.
It cut straight to the point. “What do you want from me?”
Xing Shi smiled. “To have some fun with you.”
Before Latecomer Surpasses could reply, it felt strands of energy begin to wrap around it.
It screamed. “Ahhh! What are you doing?!”
It tried to struggle but to no avail, and screamed again. “Let’s talk this out! I never said I wouldn’t cooperate! Ask me anything! I’ll even tell you every single insult Yan Feng hurled at you! But you can’t just start torturing me without warning! This isn’t how proper protocol works! Ahhhh!”
“Boss! From now on, you’re my real boss!” it cried. “I swear my eternal loyalty to you! If you say go east, I’ll never go west—STOP! Ahhh!”
99 was horrified by the scene and quickly floated back to hide behind Top Draw.
Top Draw watched the spectacle with a calm expression. Whether it could safely return to the main system depended entirely on Xing Shi’s experiment with Latecomer Surpasses.
A fine sheen of sweat appeared on Xing Shi’s forehead.
Destroying a system was easy, but working with such precision on energy threads was far more difficult, especially when his magic core had only just fully activated and his body wasn’t yet fully adjusted to it.
He scanned Latecomer Surpasses’ structure twice more before withdrawing his energy.
Latecomer Surpasses, having narrowly survived, didn’t even care about its numb body. It immediately floated over to huddle with Top Draw and 99, ready to use them as shields the next time energy came its way.
Top Draw disdainfully shifted away from it and asked Xing Shi, “How is it?”
Xing Shi replied, “I’m getting close. I’ll need to lay a magical array inside it—in your terms, rework its programming.”
Top Draw asked, “Will it be difficult?”
Xing Shi said, “A bit, but it’s doable.”
Top Draw let out a long sigh of relief. “Thanks for your hard work.”
Xing Shi said, “I’m doing this for myself too.”
Latecomer Surpasses, sensing it was being treated like a dish on a platter, grew increasingly uneasy. “Boss, what do you mean by that?”
Xing Shi closed his eyes to rest, gesturing for the other two systems to explain things.
99 obligingly lowered its voice and explained the truth about hosts and systems.
Latecomer Surpasses, still reeling from its severed connection with the main system, couldn’t process the revelation and blurted, “That’s impossible!”
As a seasoned victim, Top Draw asked, “Didn’t you dream of unfamiliar images during your dormancy this time?”
Latecomer Surpasses froze, falling into suspicious silence.
99 jumped in. “So you did dream about them?”
Latecomer Surpasses stayed silent.
99 understood immediately. “Then why haven’t I regained my own memories?”
Top Draw speculated, “Maybe it’s because you’re still bound to your host or your data hasn’t been disrupted. You could try entering voluntary dormancy to see if it helps.”
99, hesitant to give up its ongoing “ship” drama, reluctantly offered a compromise. “Fine, I’ll go into dormancy every night for a set period and wake up during the day.”
Latecomer Surpasses, having finally regained some clarity, didn’t ask about the soul fragments and decided to investigate on its own later.
Instead, it turned its focus to Xing Shi. “How is he a host?”
Top Draw explained, “He wasn’t originally. Yan-Control Forever bound him by mistake.”
Caught completely off guard, Latecomer Surpasses exclaimed, “—What?”
This twist was so absurd it was practically abstract. Was this system even qualified for its job? If this was the caliber of recruits being sent down, their entire species was doomed!
It immediately turned to 99. “Look at what you’ve done!”
99 showed no guilt. “If I hadn’t accidentally bound the wrong person, you’d all still be working for the main system!”
Latecomer Surpasses wanted to crack open 99’s tiny head. “You don’t even have your memories—how can you be so sure this is true?”
99 retorted, “Don’t believe me?”
Latecomer Surpasses, still scarred by Yan Feng’s behavior, arrogantly scoffed. “Did I ask for your opinion? I’m asking the questions here.”
99 wasn’t having it. “Xing Shi! It doesn’t believe me!”
Latecomer Surpasses: “!”
Talking was one thing, but this was completely dishonorable!
It immediately slid to its knees. “I believe you, Boss! I absolutely believe you! For real this time!”
As a show of loyalty, it gritted its teeth and declared, “The main system is a bastard! It’s caused untold harm!”
Xing Shi, now rested, casually acknowledged it, picked up his phone, and began browsing the internet. Seeing that Yan Feng’s trending topic was still holding the top spot, he asked, “Is your host going to wake up?”
Latecomer Surpasses solemnly corrected him. “From the moment I unbound from him, he was no longer my host. I only acknowledge you as my boss from now on.”
Xing Shi raised an eyebrow. “Hmm?”
Latecomer Surpasses quickly added, “I think the chances of him waking up are very low.”
Satisfied with the answer, Xing Shi closed Weibo and switched to short videos.
Seeing that Xing Shi wasn’t dwelling on past grievances, Latecomer Surpasses breathed a sigh of relief and ignored a certain loudmouth, returning to its conversation with Top Draw.
It soon learned a string of shocking truths: that Yu Yi was Yan-Control Forever’s true host, that Top Draw’s host really was Yu Shu, that Xing Shi wasn’t a host but a transmigrator, and most critically—that Fu Xiuning had long been aware of their existence and had teamed up with Xing Shi!
Its head spun with the revelations, and after a long pause, it could only mutter, “The waters run deep…”
99 sighed in agreement. “Don’t they just?”
Latecomer Surpasses shot it a cold glare, thinking, What do you have to sigh about? You didn’t even know you bound the wrong host until Top Draw told you. How dare you act profound?
Still, since 99 was now Xing Shi’s system, it decided to let it slide.
After the three systems finished catching up, they wisely quieted down.
Xing Shi continued scrolling through short videos, though only half his mind was on the screen. The other half was preoccupied with arranging his magical array.
He didn’t understand programming, but the systems’ structures were built on energy pathways, which were essentially the same as the circuits powering a magical array. It was entirely within his ability to substitute one for the other.
Not only could he modify Latecomer Surpasses and Top Draw, but he could also rewrite 99’s programming and overlay it with a high-level defensive array. This way, if the main system attempted to absorb them, he would sense it beforehand.
If used properly, the setup could even be turned into a countermeasure. After all, if the main system could touch them, they could touch it in return—potentially creating an opportunity to destroy it.
The bedroom door was open, allowing Xing Shi to hear any movement outside.
He scrolled videos until after 8 p.m., when he suddenly heard the sound of a door unlocking. Tossing his phone aside, he got out of bed and went to the living room.
Fu Xiuning stepped out of the entryway after changing his shoes, only to see Xing Shi standing there with a smile.
“Brother, you’re back~” Xing Shi greeted cheerfully.
For a moment, Fu Xiuning saw an image of Xing Shi as a child flash through his mind. His gaze softened as he approached. “Mm.”
[Ding Ding] [Current Favorability Score: 90]
Xing Shi: “?”
Fu Xiuning: “…”
99 and Top Draw: “!”
Latecomer Surpasses: “???!!!”
It felt like it must have misheard. “How much?”
A favorability score of 90? Was that even a real, attainable number? Had it gone crazy, or had the world lost its mind?
99 immediately began to show off. “90! What do you think? Jealous much?”
Xing Shi hadn’t yet laid a magical array on 99 but walked alongside his brother, quickly singing a song to manage the situation.
Yet, whether because Fu Xiuning had grown used to it recently or because he couldn’t suppress his emotions this time, Xing Shi’s song had no effect. He had to sing two more songs in a row before finally hearing the familiar notification.
[Ding Ding] [Current Favorability Score: 89]
The two people and two systems all sighed in relief.
Latecomer Surpasses, on the other hand, was left dazed, its “sanity points” dropping by the second. It couldn’t believe how someone who was a mere trainee could sound this terrible!
Before it had a chance to recover, 99’s voice came back. “89 points! What do you think? Still jealous?”
Latecomer Surpasses murmured blankly, “Why does this sound so familiar?”
99, not done showing off, explained, “That was 90 just now; now it’s 89. Look at how impressive this score is. Can your host even get close to my leftovers?”
Latecomer Surpasses choked. Naturally, it couldn’t. Forget reaching the leftovers of an 89—it couldn’t even touch the zero in 90.
99 scoffed. “What a bunch of amateurs. Watching you all brag in the group chat every day—I can’t even be bothered to acknowledge you.”
Latecomer Surpasses, deeply triggered, couldn’t help but retort. “Is this even your host? If you’re so capable, go bind yourself to Yu Yi and try this again!”
99 dismissed it. “I’m bound to who I’m bound to!”
Latecomer Surpasses: “…”
Fu Xiuning could only hear 99’s side of the conversation but could guess what was going on.
He returned to his room to shower and changed into his sleepwear. When he came out, he saw Xing Shi sitting in his usual spot waiting for him and walked over.
Today was the second-to-last day of summer vacation; school would start the day after tomorrow.
Though Xing Shi had to retake his exams, he had been reviewing throughout the break and was confident he would pass this time. He didn’t need to cram at the last minute, so the next day he went to the company as usual.
As soon as he stepped out of the elevator on the third floor, he was surrounded by the trainees.
Unaware of the full truth, they still believed Yan Feng was a kind and dedicated person.
Whenever they had free time, they checked Weibo, but even by that morning, there was still no news of him waking up.
Hou Zhang asked, “Brother Shi, what’s going on with Brother Feng? What did the doctors say?”
Xing Shi replied, “Everything the company stated is true. His condition is serious, and he’s still unconscious.”
One trainee asked, “Did they say when he might wake up?”
Xing Shi answered, “No.”
Their expressions grew grim. Another asked, “Has he at least passed the critical stage?”
Xing Shi said, “They need to monitor him for three days to see.”
The trainees became even more worried. “How could something like this suddenly happen? How does a brain hemorrhage just come out of nowhere?”
Xing Shi used the moment to teach them. “That’s why you need to take care of yourselves. Train within your limits, and don’t stay up late just because you’re young. If you push your body too hard, you might not even make it to your debut.”
Everyone nodded in agreement and immediately decided to stock up on goji berries.
Feng Zifan even placed an order on the spot. He accompanied Xing Shi to the rest area, where they sat down. Feng Zifan couldn’t help but glance at him.
He had been on the same raft as Yan Feng that day and had seen him fall into the water twice. The whole situation felt strange.
Later, when Yan Feng led them up the mountain, he’d seemed in a bad mood. Feng Zifan had instinctively felt it was because Xing Shi wasn’t there, and then the incident with the private fans had occurred.
Xing Shi noticed Feng Zifan’s gaze and asked, “What’s wrong?”
Feng Zifan hesitated for a moment before saying, “Nothing.”
What could he say? That Yan Feng might have orchestrated the trip because of Xing Shi? Whether it was to pursue him or something else, the situation had now gone beyond the point of being salvageable.
Xing Shi figured Feng Zifan might have noticed something but didn’t press further. Instead, he asked, “Don’t you have a gig to attend?”
Feng Zifan replied, “In a few days.”
The variety show they had filmed had already aired and received a positive response—especially for Xing Shi, who had even made it onto a trending topic.
Feng Zifan, known for his wit and ability to liven up the atmosphere, had also gained goodwill and started booking gigs with his new manager.
As for Xing Shi, he wasn’t planning to waste energy on other projects until he had dealt with the remaining hosts, so he turned down all appearances and continued as a trainee.
The two artist-hosts were still filming with their respective crews, and the newly arrived host had yet to make an appearance.
Xing Shi had recently discussed this with his brother, concluding that there were two possibilities: either the new host was still trying to enter the company, or they belonged to the small percentage of hosts located elsewhere, such as at Z University or in the university town.
In either case, they would show up sooner or later.
The day passed quickly, and the next morning, the two of them went to school.
Fu Xiuning, now starting his senior year, had very few classes.
He didn’t have any that morning but came to campus anyway to see if he might encounter the new host.
Xing Shi, on the other hand, had a full morning schedule.
He followed the class timetable from the group chat to find the lecture hall. But before he could even step inside, he was surrounded.
The Yan Feng incident was still trending, and as one of the witnesses—and someone who had recently gained attention for appearing on a variety show—Xing Shi could be considered a minor celebrity.
Though most people were too reserved to approach him, some of Yan Feng’s fans mustered their courage to do so.
Seeing them approach, Xing Shi stepped back into a larger corner to avoid them but accidentally bumped into someone.
A familiar hand reached from behind, casually shielding him.
He turned his head and asked, “Weren’t you going to the library?”
Fu Xiuning, with his chest lightly pressed against Xing Shi’s back, noticed him relax immediately. He spoke gently. “I thought about what happened to Yan Feng and decided to check on you.”
Xing Shi smiled. “It’s fine. Everyone here is civilized. I can handle it.”
He looked forward at the group.
The fans, seeing Xing Shi step back, immediately stopped a meter away. They had worked up their courage to approach, but realizing they might have been too abrupt, they hesitated.
Xing Shi took the initiative. “Say what you want.”
Grateful for his response, they tentatively asked about Yan Feng.
Xing Shi repeated the same answers he had given the trainees. When they thanked him profusely and handed him small gifts, he continued walking. “They seemed genuinely upset. Brother Feng has such loyal fans?”
Fu Xiuning evaluated calmly. “He’s competent at his job.”
Thinking of Yan Feng’s workaholic tendencies, Xing Shi nodded. “Since you’re already here, want to sit in on my class?”
Fu Xiuning didn’t mind. Whether he was at the library or the lecture hall, if the new host’s system was nearby, they would find a way to approach him. Crafting an excuse for their meeting wasn’t his concern.
99, watching them enter the classroom, clicked its tongue. “Going to class together—it’s such a classic couple thing to do.”
Latecomer Surpasses was confused. “Aren’t they already a couple?”
99 whispered, “Of course not. They’re real brothers—different fathers, different mothers, pure and innocent male college students. So, if you see them holding hands, hugging, or kissing, it’s just an impulsive moment, got it?”
Latecomer Surpasses: “?”
Top Draw: “…”
Xing Shi gestured for them to shut up as he entered the classroom.
The students were surprised to see Fu Xiuning sit with Xing Shi. They’d all heard of Fu Xiuning—the famous “occult figure” whose reputation was nothing short of legendary. No one expected him to attend a class just to accompany Xing Shi.
A small minority quietly began shipping them: two of the school’s most attractive students sitting side by side—it was perfection. Just seeing them together was enough to make some of them feel they could eat two extra bowls of rice at lunch!
Xing Shi calmly ignored the stares and finished his morning classes. At noon, the two ate in the school cafeteria.
Xing Shi commented, “No suspicious people have approached us, have they?”
Fu Xiuning replied with a simple “Mm.”
Xing Shi pondered. “The freshmen haven’t enrolled yet. Could it be a first-year?”
Fu Xiuning said, “That’s a possibility.”
The two maintained their usual routine, alternating between home, school, and the company. A week passed, and the new host still hadn’t shown up, leading them to further suspect it might be a freshman.
During this time, Latecomer Surpasses mimicked 99’s nightly dormancy. While 99’s memories didn’t recover, Latecomer Surpasses managed to consolidate its data.
Like Top Draw, its memories were incomplete, but the fragments it recalled confirmed that Top Draw had been telling the truth. For the first time, it sincerely aligned itself with their cause.
In the same week, Xing Shi completed his research on the magical array and began experimenting on Latecomer Surpasses.
Latecomer Surpasses screamed in agony. “Boss, I’m on your side now! You can’t single me out for torture like this!”
Xing Shi ignored it.
Top Draw said, “Just bear with it.”
Latecomer Surpasses snapped back. “Easy for you to say! Why don’t you come take my place?”
Top Draw said, “I was the second one.”
Latecomer Surpasses wailed, “I get it now! You caught me just to use me as a guinea pig!”
Top Draw replied coolly, “What else?”
Latecomer Surpasses started crying harder. “We’re brothers! Couldn’t you at least lie to me to make me feel better?”
Top Draw said, “No.”
Latecomer Surpasses howled, “I’ll haunt you even as a ghost! Aaahhh!”
System 99: “…”
Xing Shi ignored its wailing and slowly etched energy into its body.
The process was lengthy, taking a full week. By the time it was finished, mid-September had arrived.
First-year students were arriving on campus, and the university was bustling with activity.
Colorful flags fluttered in the wind, and the main roads were filled with students and parents pulling suitcases. Rows of new student information desks lined the area, surrounded by crowds of people.
Xing Shi had a professional class scheduled for the first session that afternoon and couldn’t skip it, so he didn’t return to the company for lunch.
Instead, he went to the cafeteria with his three former roommates. Seeing the overwhelming crowd, they debated whether to eat off-campus.
One of the roommates said, “There are so many family and friends here to see off the freshmen. The restaurants off-campus are probably just as packed.”
Xing Shi suggested, “Then how about ordering takeout?”
The roommates agreed, so they turned to head back to the dormitory.
As they stepped out of the cafeteria doors, they heard a hesitant voice call out, “Xing Shi?”
The group instinctively assumed it was a fan of Xing Shi’s. After all, their buddy was a star now, and with it being orientation season, being recognized was perfectly normal.
They smoothly moved to shield him and looked up at the source of the voice.
Standing before them was a young man of average height and slightly above-average looks, who was staring at Xing Shi with delight.
Xing Shi nodded politely. “Hello.”
The young man grinned. “It really is you! Do you remember me, Boss? I’m Chai Xiaoyu!”
Xing Shi froze mid-step, taking a closer look at him.
The young man added, “We used to live in the same neighborhood when we were kids. A whole group of us followed you around. Remember?”
The three roommates glanced at Xing Shi, curious if this was true.
Xing Shi looked at the man impassively.
Chai Xiaoyu had been tall and sturdy as a child but would cry at the sight of a little lizard. Now that he’d grown up, he was no longer chubby, but he hadn’t maintained his edge either. He wasn’t even as tall as Xing Shi anymore.
The chubby kid Xing Shi used to have to stand on tiptoes to pat on the head was now easily within arm’s reach.
After a few seconds of recollection, Xing Shi said, “Oh, I remember now. It’s you.”
Chai Xiaoyu beamed. “Yeah, I didn’t expect to run into you here. What a coincidence!”
Xing Shi asked, “What are you doing here?”
Chai Xiaoyu pointed behind him and explained, “A friend’s younger brother got into Z University, so I came along to help.”
As he spoke, a group of people approached from that direction and stopped when they saw them.
Chai Xiaoyu briefly explained the situation to his companions, then turned back to Xing Shi, taking out his phone. “It’s rare to see you again. Let’s exchange WeChat.”
Xing Shi added him as a friend and watched him walk into the cafeteria with his group. Then he called out to Top Draw, “Check him out.”
Top Draw immediately got to work and quickly reported, “Chai Xiaoyu, from C City. He did live in the same neighborhood as you when you were kids, and your families even went on vacation together.”
Xing Shi asked, “What’s his family’s current situation?”
Top Draw paused before answering, “His family went bankrupt when he was in middle school. They moved out of the neighborhood, and you lost contact. Their current financial situation is average.”
Xing Shi asked, “Does that meet the criteria for a host?”
Top Draw replied, “Barely.”
Xing Shi fell silent.
Top Draw said, “He’s not necessarily the new host.”
Xing Shi said, “I know.”
Whether he was or not would become clear from his actions later.
Xing Shi followed his roommates for a few steps before suddenly hearing Latecomer Surpasses’ voice, pushing the earlier matter from his mind and focusing on the present.
Top Draw and 99 also turned their attention to it.
Latecomer Surpasses, which had gone straight into dormancy after its modifications, had finally woken up.
99 noticed its movements and cautiously asked, “How are you feeling?”
Latecomer Surpasses looked at them without responding.
99 continued, “Do you still recognize us?”
Latecomer Surpasses asked in confusion, “Who are you?”
Xing Shi: “…”
Top Draw: “…”
99 gasped, certain the experiment had failed. “What do you remember? Do you know where you are? Do you know your name?”
Latecomer Surpasses replied, “Of course I do. My serial number is 75, my boss is Xing Shi, and I’ll be loyal to him and only him for the rest of my life!”
It continued, “But you two don’t seem quite right. Something feels off—are you spies from the enemy?”
It urgently called out, “Boss! I think these two are suspicious. They might need the energy-stream package. What do you think?”
System 99: “…”
Top Draw: “…”
What an act. They could practically feel the beads of its calculations bouncing off their faces.
