Chapter 78
The entire villa was brightly lit.
The proposal setup was complete, with a romantic trail stretching from the spacious front yard to the back.
Fu Xiuning stood alone in the backyard, adjusting a projector.
The Main System, controlling Feng Zifan’s body, walked over to this scene.
Its main body was still trying to track down the two escaping “ants,” and with the situation unclear, it had grown wary of everything.
Imitating Feng Zifan’s tone, it spoke with feigned surprise: “Why is the boss here all alone?”
Fu Xiuning replied calmly, “I don’t like being disturbed when I’m with Xing Shi, so I sent everyone else away.”
The Main System let out a polite chuckle, playing along as it waited for instructions.
Fu Xiuning had only a few finishing touches left to complete.
He had specifically called Feng Zifan over under the pretense of needing help with something, as he planned to spend the entire evening with Xing Shi and didn’t want to appear distracted. Of course, this was just a surface excuse meant to appease the Main System.
He didn’t go into too much detail, avoiding the risk of oversharing.
Once he finished adjusting the projector, Fu Xiuning pulled up a map on his tablet and gestured for Feng Zifan to come closer.
The Main System obediently stepped forward.
At that same moment, its main body, which had tracked the two rogue systems to the central zone, suddenly lost its lock on them.
Frowning inwardly, it cursed their audacity, beginning a new search as its split consciousness directed Feng Zifan’s body toward Fu Xiuning.
The surrounding area was dimly lit with decorative lights designed to create a romantic atmosphere.
Flower walls lined both sides of the backyard, and Xing Shi was quietly hidden behind one of them. Peering through a small gap, he held his breath, his entire presence suppressed and motionless, like a predator lying in wait.
99, who accompanied him, was so tense it was on the verge of crashing. Although it didn’t know the exact details of the plan, the current setup made it clear something was about to happen.
Fu Xiuning pointed to the map on the tablet, which displayed the surrounding area.
The map showed the route from the hot spring hotel, passing through the villa area, and ending at an observation deck further up the mountain.
His plan was to reunite with Xing Shi at the hotel later, where staff would distribute promotional flyers about a fireworks show at the observation deck that night. The two of them would then head up the mountain, and Fu Xiuning would use an excuse along the way to guide Xing Shi to this villa.
Originally, he had arranged for a different method, but since Feng Zifan and the others were here tonight, it would be more natural to use them to handle this step.
Fu Xiuning instructed Feng Zifan on what needed to be done. “Go back and tell Sang Chenhao and the others. When you see the flyers, suggest heading up to watch the fireworks together so Xing Shi won’t be suspicious.”
The Main System replied smoothly: “Okay.”
Fu Xiuning added, “You don’t need to stay long. Once Xing Shi enters the villa, you can all leave.”
The Main System sneered internally but replied again with a polite, “Understood.”
Fu Xiuning met its gaze. “After everything’s over, I’ll have your agent pick some scripts and variety shows for you.”
The Main System played along. “That’s unnecessary, boss. This is my responsibility.”
Fu Xiuning smiled faintly. “Consider it a thank-you gift.”
The Main System smiled back. “Thank you, boss. Wishing you a lifetime of happiness.”
Fu Xiuning responded with a mild “Hmm.”
Their initial encounter had been less than ideal, and Feng Zifan had always been a little intimidated by Fu Xiuning, never this casual around him.
Wrapped in energy now, the body exuded a faintly familiar vibe. Even though its eyes were subdued and disguised, they couldn’t fully mask the greed within.
So, the Main System had indeed taken over Feng Zifan’s body.
Fu Xiuning calmly put away the tablet and directed the Main System to do some chores.
It was just the two of them in a secluded villa at night, an opportune moment to act.
If they wanted to ensure success, the Main System would inevitably need to enhance the body’s physical capabilities, releasing energy in the process. That would be Xing Shi’s chance to strike.
The Main System studied Fu Xiuning closely, its greed briefly flashing in its eyes before it quickly suppressed it.
Every fully developed child of destiny was protected and favored by the world itself. Making a move against Fu Xiuning carried immense risks—one wrong step could lead to severe backlash.
The Main System had come down this time to take a gamble, only to discover an unexpected bonus.
Compared to Fu Xiuning, Xing Shi, who had not yet fully matured as a “child of the world,” was a much safer target.
Besides, after being frustrated for so long, how could just one Fu Xiuning suffice?
It intended to devour Xing Shi’s energy, take over his body, and then connect to Fu Xiuning’s goodwill line before Fu Xiuning could react. By absorbing Fu Xiuning’s goodwill, it would then consume his energy as well.
It wanted both of them.
Seeing that the Main System was dutifully working, Fu Xiuning narrowed his eyes slightly, his suspicions deepening. If it wasn’t making a move now, its target was likely Xing Shi.
The location was perfect. If it wouldn’t act, then they would.
The only issue was that it was using Feng Zifan’s body, and in a desperate situation, it might retaliate by leaving behind a corpse out of spite.
But delaying any longer was dangerous. The Main System carried a lot of energy this time, and the longer they waited, the slimmer Feng Zifan’s chances became.
Fu Xiuning’s gaze darkened. He was about to signal Xing Shi to act when a familiar voice suddenly interrupted.
Sang Chenhao stood at the door leading from the living room to the backyard, smiling. “Looks like I found the right place.”
Both Fu Xiuning and the Main System turned to look.
Fu Xiuning asked, “How did you find this?”
Sang Chenhao replied, “I heard from Xiao Feng about the proposal and knew it was somewhere in the mountains.”
Fu Xiuning asked, “What’s the matter?”
Sang Chenhao said, “I have something to discuss with Xiao Feng. It’s hard to explain over the phone, so I decided to come in person.”
He looked at Feng Zifan and tilted his head toward the door. “Can we talk alone?”
The Main System, still standing near the door, agreed immediately and walked toward him.
The thought of acting “right now” flickered in Fu Xiuning’s mind but was quickly suppressed.
If Sang Chenhao had noticed something wrong, he could have simply informed the Main System through his own system or brought more people to interfere instead of showing up alone.
He watched as the two walked away, subtly turned to retrieve something, and made a hand gesture toward Xing Shi, signaling that Feng Zifan’s body had already been taken over.
Xing Shi remained motionless and silent.
To avoid detection, his phone was left behind at the hotel. This area of the backyard, unlike where they’d previously discussed things, had more smart devices due to the scene setup, making it inconvenient to communicate.
99, still on edge, almost crashed from tension. “Why is he here?”
Xing Shi said, “I don’t know.”
Their interactions with Sang Chenhao had been limited, making it difficult to gauge his intentions.
At lunch, Xing Shi had deliberately tried to provoke him, but since transmigrators shared an energy source with the Main System, he wasn’t sure how much Sang Chenhao had absorbed.
99 worriedly asked, “Do you think he figured out you’re missing and came to check on us?”
Xing Shi asked, “Does my phone have any calls or messages from him?”
99 quickly checked. “No.”
Xing Shi concluded, “Then it’s unlikely. Go eavesdrop on their conversation.”
99 promptly replied, “On it!”
By now, Sang Chenhao and the Main System had reached the outside of the villa.
Sang Chenhao glanced up at the dark sky and muttered, “Do you think it’ll snow tonight?”
“Fortune Awaits” was baffled. “What are you trying to do?”
Sang Chenhao listened to the footsteps behind him, casually pulling a small cake from his pocket. Tearing off the wrapper, he took a bite and said, “I’m here to meet it.”
“Fortune Awaits” asked, “Is it the Main System or Feng Zifan?”
Sang Chenhao replied, “Of course, it’s the Main System.”
“Fortune Awaits” suggested, “Then let me send a message for you.”
Sang Chenhao smiled. “Wouldn’t that make me seem insincere?”
“Fortune Awaits,” somewhat familiar with his behavior, guessed, “Is this because of what happened at lunch? You’re suspicious now?”
Sang Chenhao shook his head. “Not because of that—something else.”
He slowly finished the cake in his hand, then turned to Feng Zifan and said, “I need to talk to the system.”
The Main System replied coldly, “I’m right here. I also have questions for you.”
It had initially intended to capture those two rogue ants and extract answers directly from them. However, its main body was too cumbersome, and those two were still managing to evade capture. For now, it could only extract some information here.
The group chat was out of the question—Yushu and Yan Feng’s incidents, Xing Shi’s presence during it all, and 99’s mistake in binding the wrong host—everything was far too coincidental.
Even it couldn’t bind Xing Shi, so logically speaking, 99 wouldn’t have been able to either. Unless, of course, the world consciousness had intervened.
After the public exposure at lunch, the Main System had drastically reduced its trust in these ants. But face-to-face conversations, at the very least, could reveal truths through body language.
It decided that once tonight’s affairs were over, it would destroy all their soul fragments entirely. It asked, “After Yushu and Yan Feng’s deaths, did their systems remain online?”
Sang Chenhao raised a brow. “They were hosts?”
“Fortune Awaits” exclaimed, “What?!”
The Main System confirmed, “Yes. Did their systems say anything after their hosts died?”
Sang Chenhao thought for a moment. “I think so. Let me ask my system to compile a report for you.”
The Main System nodded.
Sang Chenhao looked at it and said, “I have a question for you.”
The Main System replied, “Ask.”
Sang Chenhao said, “I’ve regained fragments of my past memories. I recall someone being by my side for a long time. Where is he now?”
The Main System’s expression flickered briefly with surprise.
Human emotions truly were fascinating.
Even after death, with his soul fractured and memories fragmented, Sang Chenhao could still recall the host who had once “targeted” him.
It replied, “He’s waiting for you in your original world.”
Sang Chenhao fell silent for two seconds before saying, “But the task wasn’t completed, and it doesn’t seem like it can progress now. Can I really return?”
The Main System reassured him, “As long as you cooperate with me, I’ll send you back.”
Sang Chenhao’s tense expression softened into a smile. “That’s good to hear. I was worried I’d be left behind.”
The Main System affirmed, “You won’t.”
Sang Chenhao said, “Then I won’t disturb you any further…”
He paused mid-sentence, his gaze shifting past the Main System to something behind it.
The Main System turned its head to look.
In the next instant, pain exploded in its thigh. Glancing down, it saw a knife deeply embedded there.
System and transmigrator energies both originated from the Main System, and this direct betrayal made it instantly furious. “You dare betray me?!”
“Fortune Awaits,” completely caught off guard, was stunned into silence.
It heard the Main System say “you” in plural and immediately protested, “I didn’t know he’d do this!”
Unfortunately, the Main System could no longer hear its words.
Sang Chenhao, watching the Main System’s face twist in fury, smiled. “You’re blaming the system unfairly. This folding knife? I’ve had it for ages. Anytime I’m in Z City, I carry it with me. Do you know why?”
He continued, “Because every time I saw Fu Xiuning, I couldn’t control the extreme emotions welling up in me. So, I bought a knife, thinking I’d use it to stab myself and snap out of it if necessary. That’s why I’ve kept my interactions with him minimal. At first, I thought it was my problem, but later, I realized it wasn’t.”
He looked at the Main System unblinkingly. “As the anomalies piled up, my system and subconscious would always come up with explanations. My emotions kept screaming at me to trust every word you said, but my reason and logic told me you were lying.”
The Main System gritted its teeth. “Ant.”
Sang Chenhao smiled faintly. “If tripping you up costs me everything, it’s still worth it. Feng Zifan’s thigh is injured, and if you forcefully enhance his physical functions, the blood will only flow faster. You won’t last long.”
The Main System sneered. “Do you know why I gathered you here?”
Before the words finished, it abruptly detached itself from Feng Zifan’s body, transferring all its energy into Sang Chenhao’s body.
Sang Chenhao’s consciousness immediately began to blur.
The Main System whispered, “You were asking where he was? Just like you now, his soul and energy have already been devoured by me.”
Sang Chenhao vaguely registered these words. With a faint sigh, he plunged into complete darkness.
The Main System glanced at Feng Zifan’s collapsed body, deliberating whether to go after Fu Xiuning or call Xing Shi directly, when its breathing suddenly became labored. After a few seconds, it growled, one word at a time: “What… did he… do?”
“Fortune Awaits,” still shaken by the rapid series of events, froze.
It wasn’t torn apart yet, but hearing this, it suddenly noticed something amiss. Its gaze darted to the discarded cake wrapper on the ground, and it stammered, “He… he ate a peanut-filled cake. He’s severely allergic to peanuts. It triggers anaphylaxis. This must be a new batch from the bakery. He eats cakes every day, and I didn’t pay attention to what he picked…”
The Main System growled, “Ants!”
Its energy quickly flowed through Sang Chenhao’s body, temporarily restoring his breathing.
But the allergic reaction persisted, accelerating the body’s collapse.
It had no time left.
The Main System made a snap decision, messaging Li Yu’s system to summon reinforcements while locating Xing Shi’s position, ready to strike immediately.
However, just as it stepped forward, a gust of wind roared past, yanking its consciousness out of Sang Chenhao’s body. Before it could react, a shimmering energy barrier appeared out of nowhere, trapping it inside.
It looked up, locking eyes with Xing Shi, who stood before it.
Simultaneously, its main body, outside the world’s boundaries, abruptly turned toward the dimensional intersection.
Sang Chenhao had betrayed it. And then what?
Why was its connection with the split consciousness severed?
The Main System’s fragment in the mortal realm also registered this anomaly.
Sensing the oppressive energy radiating from the barrier, its expression cracked for the first time as it stared at Xing Shi with unease. “You… what are you?”
