Watching Xie Yuyan, fully equipped, disappear into the distance from the manor, Li Mucheng's eyes were filled with concern.
"Young Mistress, should we send someone to protect her?" Ah Fu asked quietly from the side.
"No need. Doing so might only make Xie Yuyan misunderstand. Since she insists on searching for clues alone, let her go. I trust her."
Only when Xie Yuyan's figure vanished completely did Li Mucheng finally loosen her tightly clenched hands. She turned and walked back into the manor.
......
Feeling the warmth beside him, Ye Feng gazed at Shen Mengli, who lay beside him, sharing his bed. His heart swelled with emotion. He hadn’t expected that even after everything he’d said, Shen Mengli would still refuse to leave his side.
"Mengli, since you’ve prepared yourself mentally... I’ll tell you now, alright?"
"Mm."
Shen Mengli tightly grasped Ye Feng’s hands, giving him an encouraging look.
"It’s alright, Xiao Feng. Just say it. I’ll stand by you through thick and thin, never leaving you."
"Mengli..."
Ye Feng gently stroked Shen Mengli’s silky hair. Though countless words swirled in his mind, they all condensed into one.
"Okay."
"Mengli, have you ever read any sci-fi books?"
"Sci-fi books? Xiao Feng, why are you suddenly asking that? Don’t tell me... you have the power to change the world!"
"No, no, of course not—nothing that outrageous."
Ye Feng chuckled, pinching Shen Mengli’s soft cheeks. The tender sensation was something he could never grow tired of, even after a whole day.
"My ability is... a bit unusual. It’s like there’s a system inside my mind."
After saying this, Ye Feng paused deliberately, as if gauging whether his words would trigger some punishment from the system.
"A... system? What does that mean?"
"Mengli, you might not be familiar with the term. Let me explain what this 'system' actually is."
After Ye Feng’s detailed explanation, Shen Mengli gradually grasped the concept—though the hand clutching his sleeve only tightened further.
"Xiao Feng, are you saying there’s something in your mind that forces you to complete tasks you don’t want to do?"
"That’s the gist of it. Meeting all of you, even kidnapping you... those were tasks it forced on me. If I don’t complete them..."
Shen Mengli’s heart clenched at his words. Trembling, she whispered, "What... what happens?"
"I’d probably... disappear."
Ye Feng phrased the consequence of defying the system as gently as possible, offering a helpless smile.
"H-how could that be?! W-why... why would that happen?!"
Hearing Ye Feng’s answer shattered Shen Mengli’s composure like an invisible hammer. Even though he’d warned her to brace herself, the thought of him leaving was enough to strip away all her rationality.
"No! Absolutely not! I won’t let you leave me, Xiao Feng! I won’t let you disappear!"
Without hesitation, Shen Mengli threw herself into Ye Feng’s arms, desperately clinging to him as if only his presence could soothe her frantic heart.
"I’m sorry, Mengli. I originally planned to keep this secret buried forever..."
"Wuu... no... Xiao Feng, don’t leave me..."
As Shen Mengli’s sobs filled the room, Ye Feng lowered his head, gently patting her back. The reality was unavoidable, and there was no escaping it.
"It’s alright, Mengli. Didn’t I promise? I’ll stay by your side."
"Why... why?"
"Mengli?"
"Why didn’t you tell me sooner?! Why didn’t you confess the truth from the start?!"
Shen Mengli lifted her head, her swollen eyes locking onto Ye Feng’s with an almost desperate intensity.
"Because I didn’t want you to bear pain that was never meant for you. Without the system... we might never have even met."
Ye Feng loosened his embrace, intending to tuck the disheveled blankets around her—only for Shen Mengli to seize his wrist in a death grip.
"Mengli?"
"D-don’t leave me..."
"Mengli, I’m not leaving. I’m just fixing the blankets—"
"No no no no no!"
Shen Mengli buried her face against Ye Feng’s neck, tears still streaming down her cheeks.
"Xiao Feng, don’t leave me... please... I’m sorry for how I acted. I just... I can’t lose you."
"Mengli, calm down first, okay?"
Faced with her despair, Ye Feng did his best to console her—yet no words seemed to reach her. Finally, he sighed softly, waiting for her emotions to settle.
"......"
"Wuu... sniff..."
As her sobs gradually quieted, Shen Mengli realized Ye Feng hadn’t spoken at all. Startled, she looked up—only to find him still tenderly wiping the tears from her face.
"Feeling better?"
"Wuu... Xiao Feng..."
"It’s alright, Mengli. In situations like this, the best we can do is face them head-on. Honestly, I’ve come to terms with it. Before, I might’ve done anything to complete the system’s tasks—no matter the cost. But these days with you... they’ve made me realize that chasing after missions isn’t worth sacrificing the life I truly want."
"But... but you said you’d disappear..."
"So what? I’ve already lived the life I wanted. Even if I abandoned everything for the tasks, wouldn’t I still leave this world in the end?"
Ye Feng took a deep breath, intertwining his fingers with Shen Mengli’s limp hand.
"So now, my only wish is to live the rest of my days well. Mengli... you’ll stay with me, won’t you?"
"Mm... as long as you don’t hate me..."
"How could I ever hate you? You’re the one who showed me the answer I was searching for. If anything, I should be thanking you."
"Xiao Feng... earlier, when you mentioned redemption... were you talking about kidnapping us?"
"Ah, that..."
Ye Feng didn’t hide it, nodding in confirmation.
"Yes. The system’s task was to kidnap all of you. But I’m not some heartless villain—of course I didn’t want to do it. Back then, though, I was just a desperate pawn under the system’s control. To survive, I carried out those missions. But deep down, I knew kidnapping was unforgivable. To make up for it, I wanted to compensate you all by getting closer to you. Yet somehow... things ended up like this instead."
e, Immortal Body, Transmigration, System, Progression Fantasy, Academy Setting, Third-Person Perspective. Alternate Title: Transmigrating into a High Martial World and Reading Live Comments. Bad news: I transmigrated. This is a terrifying high-martial world, and my original, pathetically weak body fell into a coma and never woke up. Good news: I got a Popularity Points system upon arrival. I can see live comments and even create an unkillable alternate identity. Starting out, the alternate identity has all stats at 1. The system tells me that to grow stronger, I must participate in the plot, gain popularity points to allocate stats and grow stronger, and ultimately awaken my original body. And so, carrying my original body on my back, I officially entered Huaqing Academy, where the story's protagonist resides. From that moment on, Chen Guan kicked the original plot to pieces. Live Comments: [Doesn't anyone find this mysterious coffin guy creepy? He can summon indescribable grey misty hands.] [Is this guy a hero or a villain? What kind of onion became a spirit?] [By the way, does anyone know who's in the coffin? Shouldn't the debt for saving his life be repaid by now?] [According to unofficial histories, the person in the coffin was Chen Guan's first love. Their love was once passionate and earth-shattering, but they were separated by life and death due to worldly circumstances. What a star-crossed pair.] ... Years later, the world knew of a demon god born from a coffin, shrouded in grey mist, impossible to gaze upon directly. His foremost divine emissary often wielded a scythe, reaping lives like the god of death. As war approached, facing former friends and a boundless sea of enemies, Chen Guan merely raised his scythe. "Would you like to dance as well?"
rowess are unmatched, commanding a million-strong army! Yet, the Emperor wants to depose him for the sake of a false prince? Hold on, are you throwing me into some female-oriented romance plot? How can I tolerate this? With a grand wave of his hand—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! Slander the Emperor? Very well, all of you shall die! ... The False Prince: "Although I am not the biological son, Father and Mother love me more. The throne should be mine!" The Female Lead: "Qin Xiao, you are the Emperor, and I am a commoner. If you wish to marry me, you must abdicate. Otherwise, you will never have me!" The Empress: "After we divorce, you must give me half the empire!" The Transmigrator Consort: "You worthless Emperor, why should I kneel to you? All men are equal—I advise you to be kind!" The Great General: "The enemy general is my childhood sweetheart. For her sake, I willingly abandon the frontier defenses!" The Retired Emperor: "Although Yu'er was adopted, I prefer him. Qin Xiao, you should abdicate and let him become Emperor!" ... Very well! So this is how you want to play? Facing this twisted world of female-oriented tropes, Qin Xiao grins and raises his hand to unleash—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! I am the Emperor. Why would I bother reasoning with you? Seal the gates! Leave none alive!
ine. During your journey, you save an abandoned baby girl and become her elder brother】 【You rely on each other, becoming each other's support】 【At the end of the simulation, you shield the now-grown girl with your life, sacrificing yourself to block numerous demonic cultivators. You die, and the light in the girl's eyes fades】 …… 【Second Simulation: You are transported to a world where steam and magic coexist】 【You immerse yourself in the study of magic, obsessed with its research. One day, while out, you encounter a half-blooded demon girl wandering the streets. You take her in as your student】 【You teach the demoness what it means to be human, show her the beauty of the world, and nurture her into a miracle that surpasses even the gods】 【At the end of the simulation, you die of old age in front of the nearly immortal demoness due to your mortal lifespan】 …… One simulation after another, one encounter after another. Xu Xi suddenly felt something was off: "Wait, you said you're coming to the real world to find me?"
young master of the Shen family—a figure of immense power and wealth beyond measure—and awakened the "Destined Ultimate Villain System"! His starting scenario? Running into his icy fiancée who shows up with a mountain-descending divine doctor to break off their engagement. The divine doctor arrogantly taunts: "What does your Shen family have besides a bit of stinking money? You're not even worthy of tying Qingxue's shoelaces!" Shen Fei just smiled. He completely defied the usual script: "Fine, I agree to break off the engagement. Also, notify the finance department to withdraw all investments from the Su family." Minutes later, with its capital chain severed, the Su Group teetered on the brink of bankruptcy! The once aloof and proud ice queen CEO was thrown into utter panic. That very night, she went to Shen Fei's villa, casting aside all dignity to beg and plead desperately... From then on, in this world teeming with Sons of Destiny, Shen Fei embarked on a path of extreme dimensional suppression! A mountain-descending divine doctor? Peerless medical skills? Shen Fei: "Reporting you for practicing medicine without a license! I'll gladly take your ancient medicinal cauldron and twin sister assassins." The Crooked-Smiling Dragon King? Commanding a hundred thousand soldiers with a single order? Shen Fei: "Illegal assembly and suspected treason! Let a fleet of attack helicopters sanitize the area and teach you what the state apparatus really means!" A reborn tycoon? Knows all the golden opportunities of the next decade? Shen Fei: "A trillion in capital to reverse and pump the stock market, making you blow your margin and jump on the very first day of your rebirth!" What Chosen Ones? What bearers of Heavenly Fortune? In Shen Fei's eyes, they're all just chives (i.e., suckers/marks) waiting to be harvested! Shen Fei: "Sorry, but as the Destined Ultimate Villain, I don't play by the rules of honor. I only play the game of dimensional suppression."
