Chapter 52
Xing Shi followed his three roommates back to the dormitory. After ordering takeout, he pretended to play on his phone while seriously examining Latecomer Surpasses.
The magic array had been laid out smoothly, and Latecomer Surpasses hadn’t lost its memory. It was currently running well.
He input some energy into it, instructed it to gather information, and confirmed that the external programs were functioning smoothly. He estimated that there shouldn’t be any major issues.
The next step was to reassign another host. After absorbing the energy, he would disguise it on the system and return it to the main system.
99 questioned after a moment of skepticism, “If you put it back like this, won’t it betray us again?”
Xing Shi remained calm. “No worries. It can’t sell me out.”
Both 99 and Top Draw instantly understood that some programming adjustments had been made. They felt reassured.
This time, Latecomer Surpasses didn’t falter and responded solemnly, “Boss, I’ll go back.”
99 stared at it. “You’ll die, you know.”
“I know,” Latecomer Surpasses replied.
But there were some things in this world that you simply couldn’t back down from.
Ever since regaining its memory and figuring out how it had turned into a system, it had decided to return—if for no other reason than to demand an explanation for itself.
Its tone was relaxed. “I’ve already died once. Staying with you doesn’t help much. At most, I’m just a mascot here. Wouldn’t revenge be much more satisfying?”
99 was silent for a few seconds before saying, “You’re right.”
Top Draw also hummed in agreement.
Latecomer Surpasses grew excited. “So, Boss, is it their turn next?”
Xing Shi replied, “Almost.”
Relieved, Latecomer Surpasses exclaimed, “Finally!”
99 frowned. “… Don’t you think your attitude shifts a bit too fast? It’s kind of ugly.”
This time, Latecomer Surpasses was no longer afraid of it and let out a scoff. “Watch your tone. I’m the boss’s closest ally now, while you’re just a hostile system stuck with the wrong host. Got it, little brother?”
System 99: “…”
Top Draw: “…”
After fiddling with his phone for a bit longer, Xing Shi suddenly remembered something and asked, “If I assign you back to Yan Feng, can you absorb his soul energy?”
Latecomer Surpasses froze. “Maybe?”
Xing Shi asked, “If you absorbed him, would he still retain consciousness?”
Latecomer Surpasses thought for a moment. “Maybe? But for these transmigrated hosts, we always drain their energy before separating. They enter an energy pool directly—pure energy flow without a carrier. Even if they’re dissatisfied, we wouldn’t hear it. But honestly, most of them are just fragments of souls at this point. Amid a massive energy flow, they’re insignificant. Even if they had awareness, it’d likely be hazy and unfocused.”
Xing Shi followed up, “If he goes back to the main system, will he report you?”
Latecomer Surpasses hesitated. “I’m not sure. Transmigrated hosts are handled by the main system. We don’t know the exact process. All I know is that the strategy logs are in our system. The main system analyzes these logs for future reference. Don’t worry, Boss—I’ve already gained control and will delete all relevant content.”
Xing Shi asked, “Did the main system ever explain what happens to transmigrated hosts after they’re sent back?”
“No,” Latecomer Surpasses said. “Its orders are simple: if energy is insufficient, devour their soul energy as a supplement. It promises to compensate them afterward. Whatever happens, our return takes priority. It told us not to concern ourselves with the hosts’ fate.”
Xing Shi pondered. “Can you differentiate their soul fragments?”
All three systems responded in unison, “Yes.”
Latecomer Surpasses explained, “They emit soul fluctuations. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have mistaken them for humans. The truth would’ve been obvious long ago.”
Xing Shi felt reassured and asked, “If I send you now, can you handle it?”
“Of course! You’re my boss, after all!” Latecomer Surpasses replied without hesitation.
Xing Shi praised, “Good.”
Latecomer Surpasses immediately flaunted its success in front of the other two systems.
System 99: “!”
Top Draw: “…”
Having been repeatedly provoked, 99 grew annoyed and snapped, “Xing Shi, I’ll go next!”
Xing Shi replied, “No rush. You’re third.”
The magic array Xing Shi had set up for 99 was different from the one for Top Draw and Latecomer Surpasses. It required more experience to complete.
Right now, his Brother’s favorability value remained steady at 88–90. They could lay low for a while longer. Once 99 was fully reconfigured, Xing Shi wouldn’t need to hold back as much.
Moments later, the takeout arrived.
Xing Shi unpacked the meal and began eating. Halfway through, his phone buzzed with a message from Chai Xiaoyu.
Chai Xiaoyu: [Boss, I’ll be free after dropping my brother off at school. I’ll be in Z City for about five days. Are you free tonight? Want to grab dinner together?]
Xing Shi: [Sure, I’ll pick the place.]
Chai Xiaoyu: [Let me handle it this time. You always paid when we were kids. Now that we’re grown, it’s my turn! ?]
Xing Shi: [You don’t come to Z City often. I’ll treat this time, and you can treat me next time.]
Chai Xiaoyu: [Alright, I won’t argue then~]
Xing Shi: [I’ll send you the restaurant location once I book it.]
Chai Xiaoyu: [Okay~]
Xing Shi put down his phone and called Top Draw.
They had only talked briefly earlier but had been interrupted by the matter with Latecomer Surpasses. There were still other things left to discuss.
He asked, “Which city is he mainly active in now?”
“C City,” Top Draw replied.
“Is he studying or working?” Xing Shi asked.
“Studying. His grades are average; he’s attending a vocational college,” Top Draw answered.
Xing Shi recalled that Chai Xiaoyu was a year older than him. If he was in his third year, he should be preparing to find a job soon.
Xing Shi hummed in acknowledgment and asked, “When did he meet that friend of his?”
“They attended the same high school. Based on chat records, they often played games together,” Top Draw replied.
Xing Shi picked up a piece of green vegetable, ate it, and then asked after a moment of silence, “Any other notable details?”
“None,” Top Draw said.
Xing Shi deduced that Top Draw hadn’t uncovered the childhood encounter between Chai Xiaoyu and Fu Xiuning.
Understandable—events from over a decade ago would be hard to trace.
He asked, “How did you know our families went on a trip together?”
“He mentioned it in a recent chat with his mom. They brought it up because you made headlines recently,” Top Draw explained.
It paused, recalling the dream Xing Shi had told Fu Xiuning about. Although it wanted to think positively, it couldn’t help but add, “They also mentioned meeting another kid during the trip. The three of you played together for several days.”
Xing Shi hummed in acknowledgment, asked no further questions, finished his meal, rested briefly, and then headed to the teaching building.
He had only one professional course that afternoon. After class, he went straight to the company, headed to Fu Xiuning’s office, and told him he wanted to borrow the car for the evening.
Fu Xiuning asked, “Where are you heading?”
Xing Shi replied, “Having dinner with someone. I ran into a childhood friend at school today. He was here dropping off his friend’s younger brother, happened to see me, and recognized me.”
He glanced at Fu Xiuning. “Our families used to go to the beach together on vacations.”
Fu Xiuning’s hand holding the documents suddenly paused. He looked up at Xing Shi and said, “I’ll drive you there after work.”
Xing Shi said, “Alright.”
He went downstairs to train, using the break time to pick a restaurant and send the address to Chai Xiaoyu.
At 5:30 p.m., he met Fu Xiuning in the parking lot and got into the passenger seat.
Fu Xiuning opened the navigation app and input the destination, finding it to be a local specialty restaurant. There were similar places nearby, close to Z University as well.
He asked, “Why this place? Is their hotel nearby?”
Xing Shi replied, “I didn’t ask where they’re staying. I chose this one because it’s the most convenient route.”
Hearing this, Fu Xiuning zoomed out on the navigation map, saw the hospital where Yan Feng was staying, and glanced at Xing Shi.
Xing Shi said, “Some things shouldn’t go to waste.”
Fu Xiuning, aware that Xing Shi was working on modifying Latecomer Surpasses, immediately understood. Without saying more, he started the car and left the company.
During the evening rush hour, the area around the hospital was a congested mess. Xing Shi got out halfway, wearing a baseball cap, and headed into the hospital, where he found the assistant on duty.
Yan Feng didn’t have a good relationship with his family. This had made headlines before, when Yan Feng publicly posted his will, stating that upon his death, all his money would be donated to society.
After this latest incident, his family hadn’t dared to show up to capitalize on the attention. The company staff had been the ones standing by his side.
The assistant was surprised to see him. “Brother Shi, what brings you here?”
Xing Shi said, “Just passing by and needed a restroom. Thought I’d drop in to check on Brother Feng. How is he?”
The assistant sighed. “Still the same.”
Xing Shi sent a bit more energy to Latecomer Surpasses to ensure it could make the trip back and forth, then released it.
He asked, “Have you eaten?”
The assistant replied, “Yeah, I’ve eaten.”
Xing Shi nodded, chatted briefly, and noticed that Latecomer Surpasses had returned, so he took his leave.
“I left him a bit of energy as you instructed,” Latecomer Surpasses reported. “It should last another day or two.”
Xing Shi praised it, and Latecomer Surpasses beamed. “Boss, do you want this energy?”
Xing Shi said, “I do.”
His magic core had only been activated but wasn’t fully charged yet. Plus, he’d recently consumed a portion, so he needed to replenish it.
He had Latecomer Surpasses first extract Yan Feng’s soul fragment, then he reached into its energy pool to absorb some energy, leaving half for it.
99, watching this, suddenly grew reluctant, thinking of their plan. “It… Is it really leaving?”
“Yes,” Latecomer Surpasses said firmly. “I’m ready.”
Xing Shi said, “No rush. Let’s wait until the news about Yan Feng settles down.”
If Latecomer Surpasses went offline now, and Yan Feng’s death was announced in a few days, other systems would think Yan Feng had been a native host. They would assume that Latecomer Surpasses had left because it noticed his deteriorating health and didn’t want to linger.
Coupled with the previous incident when Top Draw’s host went berserk, the systems would immediately identify Yu Yi as Top Draw’s current host. If any host got curious and contacted Yu Yi, they might realize Yu Yi didn’t have a system.
This gap in timing was necessary. The more confusing the information, the harder it would be for those systems and hosts to draw clear conclusions.
99 sighed in relief. “Good.”
Latecomer Surpasses, moved, said to it, “Didn’t expect a hostile system like you to have so much emotion. You’re not worried about me going back to deal with your master, are you?”
99 snapped angrily, “Get lost already!”
Latecomer Surpasses laughed. “I’m joking.”
99 ignored it, huffing and floating away.
Latecomer Surpasses chased after it for two steps but caught sight of Yan Feng’s soul fragment wrapped in energy out of the corner of its eye. It suddenly felt a chill, worried the fragment might start roaring at any moment. “Boss, this… I mean, Yan Feng—what are we going to do with him?”
Xing Shi replied, “Let’s see if he wakes up.”
With that, he left the inpatient wing.
Fu Xiuning had driven past the hospital and found a spot to park further ahead. When Xing Shi returned, he merged back into the main road.
Twenty minutes later, they arrived at the restaurant.
Fu Xiuning parked the car and followed him inside.
Chai Xiaoyu had already arrived and stood up to wave as soon as he saw Xing Shi.
Fu Xiuning glanced at him calmly. Though the man was no longer as chubby as in the photos, traces of his childhood self were still visible—the naive and silly little chubby kid of the past.
As they approached, a familiar notification sound rang in Fu Xiuning’s ears.
[Ding Ding] [Current favorability: -5]
His expression remained unchanged as he continued walking.
[Ding Ding] [Current favorability: -6?]
[Ding Ding] [Current favorability: -7]
[Ding Ding] [Current favorability: -8]
Fu Xiuning stopped in front of him.
Chai Xiaoyu: “…”
The system panicked. “Why?!”
It was set to a lively female voice, now sounding completely baffled and aggrieved.
Chai Xiaoyu tried to console it, then turned to Xing Shi and asked, “Who’s this?”
Xing Shi introduced him. “My Brother.”
He explained, “Sometimes I get recognized when I go out, so he brought me here. The traffic’s bad, and if he heads back now, he’ll have to eat late, so he decided to stay and eat here too. Don’t worry—he won’t sit with us. He’ll have his own table, and we’ll eat separately.”
Chai Xiaoyu quickly said, “That’s too much trouble. I saw there’s a waitlist outside. Why not just eat together?”
Xing Shi looked at Fu Xiuning for his opinion.
Fu Xiuning met his gaze. “Sure, I don’t mind.”
The emotion in Xing Shi’s eyes deepened momentarily, but he quickly concealed it, pulling out a chair to sit down.
This was Chai Xiaoyu’s first time in Z City, so he deferred to his hosts. Xing Shi took the initiative to order, submitted the order, and then started chatting with him.
Chai Xiaoyu said, “This is my friend’s first time in Z City too. We planned a little sightseeing itinerary. Boss, do you have any recommendations?”
Xing Shi said, “I haven’t explored much myself. Brother, you take this one.”
Fu Xiuning listed a few popular spots, all worth visiting.
Chai Xiaoyu thanked him with a smile and turned back to Xing Shi, asking about their recent lives.
He mentioned that his vocational college program was three years long. This year, he could take classes while interning, but he wasn’t sure if he wanted to stay in C City.
“I’ve been in C City my whole life,” he said. “I’m thinking about moving to a new city. Boss, are you planning to stay in Z City for good?”
Xing Shi replied, “Probably.”
Chai Xiaoyu said, “If I don’t have much luck in C City, I’ll try my luck in Z City.”
Xing Shi smiled. “Sounds good.”
Chai Xiaoyu looked at him. “If I do find a job in Z City, I’ll treat you to dinner.”
Xing Shi nodded.
The three systems, with nothing better to do, stared at each other.
99 said, “He snuck a few glances at Fu Xiuning—I caught him!”
“Given his family situation and his interest in moving to Z City, plus being one of Boss’s old followers, he’s definitely a host,” Latecomer Surpasses concluded.
Top Draw remained silent.
99 sneered, “But Xing Shi is a transmigrator. Past connections mean nothing to him. Just take him out!”
“Agreed,” Latecomer Surpasses chimed in. “No one can beat the Boss! The Boss is invincible!”
99 said, “Right!”
Top Draw: “…”
As they spoke, the dishes arrived, and the three began eating and chatting.
Chai Xiaoyu said, “You were so good-looking even as a kid. Everyone in the neighborhood liked you. My parents used to say you’d become a star someday, and you really did.”
He asked curiously, “I thought you’d just star in your uncle’s movies. Why did you become a trainee first?”
Xing Shi replied, “I wanted to learn more. How are your parents doing?”
Chai Xiaoyu said, “They’re doing well. Come back to C City for a meal at my house when you’re free. During the summer when you were trending online, my mom even mentioned you.”
Xing Shi replied, “Alright.”
Chai Xiaoyu took a sip of juice, secretly glancing at Fu Xiuning again, and sighed internally: “Fu Xiuning… he really is different from before.”
He was a year older than Xing Shi and hadn’t forgotten what had happened back then. Once the system reminded him, he recalled it all.
He felt a pang of sadness. “You don’t understand. He used to be such a good person. He’d play with us, buy us snacks, and even teach us how to swim. When Boss almost drowned, he was the one who saved him.”
The system’s tone still carried traces of grievance as it said, “We know. That’s exactly why we don’t want to see him continue down this path of darkness. That’s why we sought you out.”
Chai Xiaoyu said, “But he seems to value my boss a lot. Would he really harm him?”
“Of course, dear,” the system replied. “You’ve read Fu Xiuning’s profile. Everyone around him ends up in trouble. And don’t forget, he’s already been diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder. The more he values someone, the more unpredictable he becomes. You heard his favorability score—it’s at -8!”
Chai Xiaoyu argued, “But it’s not his fault he became like this. He’s just been through too much.”
“That’s just fate. What can we do about it? The only thing we can do is intervene and fix it,” the system said.
Chai Xiaoyu fell silent.
“So,” the system continued, “can you make a decision now? Your boss is in danger at any moment. You’ll save him, right? Fu Xiuning once saved you. You’ll return the favor, won’t you?”
Chai Xiaoyu didn’t hesitate. “Yes!”
But… he wasn’t very smart.
Since he was a child, he’d never been clever. He only knew how to follow the boss around, eating and playing. Even as he grew up, he hadn’t improved much. How was he supposed to protect the boss and turn Fu Xiuning back into a good person?
Gripping his cup tightly, he asked, “What should I do?”
“Don’t worry, dear. We’ll help you,” the system reassured him.
It continued, “Don’t bring up your childhood connection with Fu Xiuning to him directly. It’s best if he remembers it himself. Otherwise, he might suspect your intentions. And under no circumstances should you tell Xing Shi about Fu Xiuning. After all, you haven’t seen him for years, and right now, he trusts Fu Xiuning more than you. If he accidentally mentions it to Fu Xiuning, it might trigger him to hurt Xing Shi immediately.”
Chai Xiaoyu quickly said, “Got it, I understand.”
“Stick to the original plan,” the system said. “Find a job in Z City, strengthen your bond with Xing Shi, and use that connection to get closer to Fu Xiuning.”
Chai Xiaoyu asked, “During this time, he won’t harm my boss, right?”
“Uncertain,” the system admitted. “That’s why you need to act quickly, dear.”
Chai Xiaoyu took a deep breath. “Alright.”
Fu Xiuning listened quietly, his expression calm and unchanging.
The meal was harmonious enough. During the conversation, they learned that Chai Xiaoyu was staying near Z University. After dinner, Fu Xiuning offered to drop him off on the way.
Chai Xiaoyu got out of the car, took one last look at Xing Shi, and waved. “Goodbye, Boss!”
Xing Shi said, “Enjoy your time in Z City. If you run into any trouble, call me.”
Chai Xiaoyu smiled. “Alright.”
Xing Shi watched him walk into the hotel, then turned his gaze back and returned home with Fu Xiuning.
After entering the house and changing his shoes, Xing Shi, as usual, headed to take a shower.
But before he could take two steps, his wrist was grabbed. Startled, he turned back to look at Fu Xiuning.
Fu Xiuning studied his expression seriously, his grip tightening slightly.
A heavy feeling settled in Xing Shi’s chest as he immediately understood what Fu Xiuning was thinking.
Fu Xiuning was reflecting on how his existence had affected Xing Shi’s childhood friend.
This had happened now, but it could happen again in the future.
If they were lucky, the person would be a native of this world. If not, they’d be replaced by the main system’s energy, ultimately meeting their end.
And incidents like these were something Fu Xiuning had grown accustomed to over the years.
Classmates he used to know would suddenly become strangers. People he’d met only once or twice would reappear one day, harboring ill intentions.
Fu Xiuning was used to it by now, but he was worried about Xing Shi.
He didn’t want Xing Shi to feel upset.
And more than that… he felt guilty.
Xing Shi called out, “Brother.”
Fu Xiuning softly responded, “Mm.”
Xing Shi walked over and hugged him tightly.
Fu Xiuning’s gaze darkened as he pressed Xing Shi’s head firmly into his embrace.
[Ding Ding] [Current favorability: 90]
[Ding Ding] [Current favorability: 91]
Xing Shi abruptly pulled away, grabbed Fu Xiuning’s hand, and began singing passionately to him.
Fu Xiuning: “…”
The three systems: “…”
The favorability notifications stopped there, freezing at 91.
Interrupted by the sudden performance, Fu Xiuning’s emotions dissipated. “Go take your shower.”
Xing Shi grinned and hugged him again. “Let’s talk later.”
Fu Xiuning watched him leave, only heading to his bedroom after Xing Shi disappeared from sight.
99 stared at the favorability score, feeling conflicted. “That score’s way too high, but I can’t help shipping them.”
It clicked its tongue. “If he hadn’t interrupted with that singing, who knows how high the score would’ve gone after such pure emotional collision between two young men.”
Top Draw remained silent but objectively commented, “The higher the favorability, the slower it rises.”
“Exactly,” Latecomer Surpasses agreed. “The later stages make it much harder to increase. That’s why it stopped so quickly this time.”
“Nonsense,” 99 argued. “You don’t understand. When two pure-hearted young men lose control of their emotions, things escalate quickly. First, they used to share pure bites; now, they share pure hugs. Pure interactions like that can spike the score instantly. No wonder they’re practically siblings from different parents.”
Xing Shi stood under the shower, processing his emotions from earlier. He asked, “Thinking of rebelling?”
99 immediately muted itself.
Latecomer Surpasses perked up. “Outrageous! As a system, how can you mock your host like that? Do you even have professional ethics? Do you still respect the Boss? Typical of a hostile system—no class at all!”
System 99: “?”
Top Draw: “…”
Latecomer Surpasses sighed dramatically. “Boss, without rules, there’s no order. Doesn’t this deserve a good beating with an energy stream?”
System 99: “!”
Top Draw: “…”
