Chapter 71
“Fortune Awaits” was stunned.
As part of the strategy team, this news was nothing short of a bolt from the blue.
Instead of immediately refuting its host’s claim, it followed his line of thought and asked, “So, you’re saying… he only did this because he’s confident it’ll work?”
Sang Chenhao finished his meal and grabbed a small cake from the fridge. “Based on my observations, yes.”
He clicked on the screen to replay the video. “Fu Xiuning operates like this—he doesn’t act without reason. And when he does, it usually results in a host being taken down.”
Locking eyes with Fu Xiuning’s steady gaze through the screen, he continued, “The events surrounding him are too surreal. He wouldn’t escalate things to this extent based on mere suspicion or conjecture.”
“Fortune Awaits” felt a chill and offered another possibility. “Could it be because of Xing Shi? He cares about him deeply, and the three incidents Xing Shi experienced were undeniably strange. Maybe Fu Xiuning couldn’t sit still anymore?”
Sang Chenhao slowly savored the cake and replied, “But his reaction was too fast, and his approach seems misaligned.”
“Fortune Awaits” mulled over this and found it made sense.
If Fu Xiuning were acting solely out of concern for Xing Shi, the second incident would have been a stretch to make it to trending topics. At the time, there was only the driver’s testimony, and the psychiatric patient’s autopsy report hadn’t even been released yet.
Even if Fu Xiuning had acted out of panic, his efforts should have leaned into supernatural explanations rather than exposing his own experiences for public scrutiny. After all, ghosts wouldn’t care about public opinion.
The fact that he made the situation so widely known suggested that he wanted the “right people” to see it—namely, systems and hosts.
“Fortune Awaits” grew more uneasy. “When did he figure it out? And how much does he know so far? It couldn’t have been because we slipped up, could it?”
Sang Chenhao murmured, “Mm.”
“Fortune Awaits” said, “I’ll report this to the Main System.”
Sang Chenhao asked, “Once the Main System confirms it, will it end the strategy or issue new orders? For example, forcing the hosts to team up and cooperate.”
“Fortune Awaits” hesitated. “I’m not sure.”
Sang Chenhao said, “Go ask.”
“Fortune Awaits” sent a message, asking what they should do if Fu Xiuning knew about the strategy. The reply was a curt four-character directive: [Follow orders.]
It relayed this to its host, speculating, “I don’t think the strategy will stop. It’s likely they’ll push for teamwork.”
Sang Chenhao typically didn’t care much about the other hosts’ situations. He relied on his system to relay group updates and occasionally made inferences but wasn’t particularly curious.
However, given the circumstances, he asked, “Any clues about the other two systems’ hosts?”
“Fortune Awaits” shared what it knew about “Face-Lover Forever” and the others, summarizing, “The goodwill value program doesn’t lie—they both hit -8 at one point. Beyond that, I’m not sure if there’s any acting involved. If not, their hosts probably aren’t easy to deal with.”
Sang Chenhao hummed in acknowledgment, offering no further opinion. After finishing his cake, he rinsed his mouth and returned to bed.
“Fortune Awaits” asked, “Should I report this?”
Sang Chenhao said, “Up to you.”
“Fortune Awaits” hesitated, reluctant to receive orders that might force it to cooperate with those two “teammates.”
It suggested, “Why don’t we figure out Fu Xiuning’s situation first? I can send the report afterward.”
Sang Chenhao, intrigued, agreed. “Sure.”
“Fortune Awaits” still couldn’t make sense of it. “When exactly did he figure it out?”
Sang Chenhao also wanted to know and decided to analyze Fu Xiuning’s background.
“Fortune Awaits” asked, “Where should we start?”
Sang Chenhao thought for a moment. “Start with those two who hit -8.”
“Fortune Awaits” began its recount. “The reason ‘Face-Lover Forever’ shared its goodwill values was because Lin Kecheng’s system made some snide remarks first. We suspect they were allied. Lin Kecheng’s host is also a Z University student…”
Meanwhile, Xing Shi was still awake.
The lights in the living room and dining area were all on, and the room was filled with people.
Director He and Qi Changyi hadn’t left, and Fu Pengfeng and Bian Nian had also arrived.
Earlier, Assistant Qin and several staff members had been present but had since gone home, leaving only the family members.
Bian Nian’s eyes were red—she had secretly cried in the bathroom.
When Xing Shi’s incident first trended online, she had tried to persuade him to move into the Fu residence, where bodyguards could protect him. Xing Shi had politely declined.
Now, her son’s experiences were trending too. Even though she had witnessed them firsthand over the years, seeing everything laid out so graphically still made her heart ache. Some of the revelations were things her son had kept from her, making it all the more painful. At one point, she had even lashed out at her husband, asking why he couldn’t protect their son.
It wasn’t until Fu Xiuning noticed them standing in the corner of the balcony that he gently took her phone and reassured her that everything was fine.
Now, sitting beside her son and holding his hand, Bian Nian was overwhelmed with sorrow and fear.
Fu Pengfeng, on the other hand, was watching Fu Xiuning with a serious expression.
Their son hadn’t informed them in advance about today’s events, but Fu Pengfeng knew his son well enough to trust he wouldn’t act recklessly.
He asked, “Who is it? Or rather, what is it?”
Fu Xiuning replied, “It’s just a hunch.”
Fu Pengfeng didn’t buy it and pressed, “Xiuning.”
Fu Xiuning said, “I’ll tell you more once I figure things out.”
Xing Shi stepped in to defuse the tension. “It’s getting late. Why don’t we all rest and talk tomorrow?”
The parents looked at the two of them.
Xing Shi and Fu Xiuning met their gazes calmly. The situation wasn’t complicated, but they didn’t know where to start explaining.
Understanding their children’s personalities, the parents knew pressing wouldn’t help. They only asked one question: “Is it dangerous?”
Xing Shi said, “No.”
Fu Xiuning echoed with a soft “Mm.”
It was indeed late, so the parents relented and decided to rest.
Worried about the two, they didn’t leave but stayed overnight. Fortunately, the house was large enough to accommodate everyone.
After settling the parents, Fu Xiuning held Xing Shi’s hand and led him back to the master bedroom.
Once the door was closed, Xing Shi instructed 99 to activate the shield.
99 couldn’t help but ask, “Do you two have something to discuss, or are you feeling bad for your brother after seeing everything online?”
Xing Shi retorted, “What do you think? Do you really have time for this nonsense right now?”
99 quieted down. “Fine, you two talk.”
It activated the shield and turned to “Green Bean Paste.” “Do you think when they get married in the future, the two families will come over for dinner and stay the night? Wouldn’t it look just like this?”
“Green Bean Paste” was horrified. “Huh?”
99 reflected, “I know it’s not the right time to ship them, but since I can’t see anything happening, I have to find joy where I can.”
“Green Bean Paste” tried to comfort it. “Darling, Xing Shi still needs you.”
99 sighed. “But someday, I’ll dissipate.”
It swayed a little, looking at peace. “No big deal. Every moment I get to ship them is a win~”
In the bedroom, Xing Shi stepped closer and hugged Fu Xiuning.
Fu Xiuning’s hand slid into his hair, pressing him gently against his chest. He lowered his gaze and asked, “What’s wrong?”
Xing Shi murmured, “I’m a little tired.”
He had seen the trending posts in their entirety. Although the system had provided him with textual summaries, the images hit harder than he expected—especially since he hadn’t known Fu Xiuning had kept photos.
Looking up, he said, “Brother, help me take a bath.”
Fu Xiuning’s eyes darkened slightly as he led him to the bathroom.
Leaving their phones outside, Xing Shi stood under the showerhead. Before his breath could grow unsteady, he asked, “Did you keep those photos to admire privately, or did you plan to use them in a situation like this?”
Fu Xiuning lightly bit his earlobe and answered honestly, “Both.”
By the time they emerged from the bathroom, it was past midnight.
Xing Shi glanced at his phone one last time. The trending topic was still up, and the comment section remained chaotic.
Fu Xiuning placed his hand over the screen, his voice still husky. “Stop looking. Go to sleep.”
Xing Shi had returned to the master bedroom earlier that day because he needed a quiet environment for his tasks. He hadn’t napped and was already exhausted. At Fu Xiuning’s suggestion, he turned off his phone and quickly fell into a deep sleep.
99 received Xing Shi’s signal the next morning.
It had spent the whole night shipping the couple and emerged from its mental “black room” excited. “Do you two have new developments?”
Xing Shi, still groggy, replied, “We talked late last night. I forgot about you.”
99 was skeptical. “Really?”
Xing Shi asked, “What else could it be?”
As he got up to wash, 99 observed him. Seeing that he moved freely and looked fine, it sighed and asked, “What’s the plan for today?”
Xing Shi replied, “Going to the company for training.”
System 99: “?”
At breakfast, the parents, hearing Xing Shi’s plans, were equally puzzled.
Director He thought he had misheard. “Training?”
Xing Shi answered matter-of-factly, “I only took one day off.”
Fu Pengfeng, unfamiliar with trainee schedules, asked, “Isn’t today Sunday?”
Xing Shi nodded. “Yes, we don’t get many days off.”
The parents all turned to Fu Xiuning.
Fu Xiuning said gently, “I’ll personally take him.”
Director He and the others: “?”
Is the issue really about who’s taking him? You two nearly broke the internet yesterday, and now you’re acting like nothing happened?
Director He suggested, “Why not rest for another day?”
Xing Shi declined. “I’ve already fallen behind on classes. I need to catch up.”
The parents exchanged complicated looks, unsure whether to admire his dedication.
With a set training schedule, Xing Shi and Fu Xiuning left after breakfast, leaving the others in silence. They began to suspect the two had deliberately used training as an excuse to escape.
Xing Shi did go to train.
However, Fu Xiuning didn’t return home after dropping him off. Instead, he participated in a live-streamed interview.
Given how explosive the events of the previous day had been, countless viewers rushed into the livestream as soon as it started.
The host, sticking to prearranged questions, asked Fu Xiuning for his thoughts on the matter.
Fu Xiuning admitted candidly, “What I said during yesterday’s livestream was impulsive. It was because Xing Shi was in danger.”
The host followed up, “Do you think these incidents are connected?”
Fu Xiuning fell silent.
The audience watched him closely. With the previous night’s trending topics abruptly disappearing by morning, many suspected the interview was damage control.
After a moment, Fu Xiuning said, “This is just my speculation—it’s not scientific.”
Viewers assumed he was indeed trying to backtrack, possibly after receiving a warning from higher-ups.
Then Fu Xiuning changed his tone. “But sometimes, I genuinely wonder if the people I’ve encountered are part of the same mysterious organization. Maybe this organization selects suitable individuals for brainwashing or hypnosis, causing them to behave similarly—becoming extreme and ruthless. If you look closely, their backgrounds are strikingly similar: introverted personalities, low presence, average family conditions, and simple social connections. Perhaps such people are easier to manipulate.”
The audience collectively gasped. Many broke out in goosebumps.
Fu Xiuning looked directly into the camera. “Of course, this is just my guess without concrete evidence. I want to uncover the truth, and I imagine you’re just as curious.”
He spoke unhurriedly. “Starting today, let’s observe together and see if anyone like this appears around me again.”
The interview concluded, and the video quickly shot to the top of trending topics again.
During a break, Xing Shi used “Green Bean Paste’s” account to cry in the group chat several times. He also sent a message to the Main System and instructed 99 to submit a report.
If their theory was correct—that the world’s consciousness wasn’t inert—then strengthening collective awareness might have some positive impact.
Xing Shi patiently waited two days but received no response from the Main System. Clicking his tongue, he said, “Are these systems useless or what?”
99 processed this and asked, “You think it’s just us two reporting to the Main System?”
Xing Shi replied, “Not sure.”
99 asked, “Could it be that the other two systems also reported, but the Main System is still strategizing?”
Xing Shi said, “Maybe.”
But he wasn’t willing to wait.
“I’ll take down another system,” he declared. “Let’s push it further.”
“Green Bean Paste,” silently listening to their conversation, suddenly sensed energy converging around it.
It screamed in panic, “Darling, what are you doing?”
Xing Shi said, “I’ve been enjoying using your account lately.”
Sensing trouble, “Green Bean Paste” cautiously asked, “S-so?”
Xing Shi said, “I’ll give you a chance to leave some last words.”
“Green Bean Paste”: “…”
