Going to the City, Going to the City (28)

Yan Chen had no idea he was about to face a storm of misfortune.

The reason? He had just endured the system’s electric shock punishment, and the pain was so intense he nearly blacked out.

"But there’s still one person left—her energy is incredibly rich," the system’s electronic voice was colder than usual, but Yan Chen couldn’t dwell on that.

When the system spoke like this, it meant redemption was within reach.

"Who?" Yan Chen asked urgently.

"That person is An Xiaowei. Right now, her energy is purple tinged with red."

Yan Chen had heard the system’s explanations before: white and blue represented the luck and energy of ordinary people—white for average, blue for decent. Black meant the person was going through a rough patch. For celebrities or high-profile individuals, their energy usually glowed purple or red, with red being the most auspicious.

An Wan’s energy, for instance, was a deep, vibrant red.

If he could get close to An Wan, the system would transfer her energy to him, and his wealth and fortune would skyrocket.

Yan Chen saw no issue with this. Once he was rich, wouldn’t it be easy to treat An Wan well?

Once she became his wife, why would she still need to act?

Absolutely not. He despised women who flaunted themselves in public.

"But system, are you suggesting I seduce An Xiaowei?" Yan Chen nearly dropped his jaw in disbelief.

"Seduce? Don’t be ridiculous. An Xiaowei is about to graduate. With her qualifications, she’ll undoubtedly rise to great heights—but we can’t wait that long."

"Lure her to a secluded place, and then… I’ll devour her." The system’s voice was chillingly indifferent, as if discussing a casual lunch.

"Murder? Is… is that really possible?" Yan Chen felt a twinge of unease.

It wasn’t that he had moral qualms—he was just afraid that if An Xiaowei went missing, suspicion might fall on him.

He was still young. Prison was the last place he wanted to be.

As for An Xiaowei? If she died, so be it. He found her existence annoying anyway.

"Of course. Don’t you trust me? Not a single trace will remain. All you need to do is bring her out."

"Once it’s done, I’ll even restore all your previous mission rewards."

The temptation was irresistible.

Yan Chen gulped.

"I’ll do it."

With that kind of money, he could have any woman he wanted—just like those harem protagonists in novels.

The immersion was so strong, he already felt like the male lead.

Thanks to Li Jiaojiao’s influence, Yan Chen’s mindset had long shifted. Monogamy? What a joke.

A day or two later, Yan Chen finally sent a message to An Xiaowei.

"Some of your sister’s things are still with me. Come take them back."

An Xiaowei had just finished showering when she saw the message. Instantly, her brows furrowed.

What kind of scheme was this bastard plotting?

Based on the novel’s plot, Yan Chen was a ruthless and cunning man. An Xiaowei knew better than to underestimate him.

But modern society was relatively safe. Surely nothing too extreme would happen…

After a moment’s thought, An Xiaowei rummaged through An Wan’s room and found something useful.

Pepper spray.

An Wan’s room was cluttered with all sorts of things, most of which she never used.

"Just throw those things away," An Xiaowei replied, still unwilling to take the bait.

Yan Chen wasn’t worried. Her reaction alone confirmed how much she cared about her sister.

"That thing is your sister’s most treasured possession. It’s not something to just discard."

So he was determined to make her go, huh?

An Xiaowei had seen through Yan Chen’s game.

She didn’t care whether he had a system or not. Her mission was to protect her sister’s bright future—for the original An Xiaowei’s sake.

"Fine. Send me the address." Her voice was icy.

Yan Chen smirked in triumph. The moment An Xiaowei agreed, he could already envision the immense wealth within his grasp.

The beachside villa would finally be his.

When she received the address, An Xiaowei forwarded it to Lin Zixuan.

"Bring my sister here in about half an hour."

Lin Zixuan didn’t ask questions. He simply replied with an "ok."

An Wan had been staying at the family’s old residence these past few days. She was sentimental by nature, and after finally reuniting with her grandfather, she wanted to spend as much time with him as possible. Once her work picked up, visits would become rare.

Lin Zixuan was filial too, treating An Wan’s grandfather with great respect, which naturally raised An Wan’s opinion of him.

Still, their relationship remained purely platonic—just friends for now.

An Xiaowei slung her bag over her shoulder, hopped on her bicycle, and left the villa district.

She hailed a cab to the address Yan Chen had given.

To avoid raising suspicion, Yan Chen hadn’t chosen an overly remote location. What he didn’t know was that An Xiaowei had always been aware of his system.

"Si, what do you think the male lead wants with me in this godforsaken place?"

An Xiaowei glanced around. The area was lined with old, soon-to-be-demolished residential buildings, nearly deserted.

A few small shops dotted the street, their signs coated in dust.

The moment An Xiaowei arrived, Yan Chen appeared right behind her.

They stood at the mouth of a narrow alley between two complexes. Yan Chen looked at her, an uncharacteristically friendly smile on his face.

"Little Xiaowei, you finally came."

The term of endearment sent shivers down her spine.

You disgusting piece of trash. Get lost.

She wanted nothing more than to slap him, but she held back.

"Where’s the stuff?" Her tone was frosty.

If she were physically stronger, she’d have made him grovel at her feet.

"No rush. Why don’t we chat a bit? After all… life is fleeting." Yan Chen’s voice was light, his lips curling into a sinister grin.

"Did you forget to get vaccinated or something?" An Xiaowei was convinced he’d lost his mind.

To her surprise, Yan Chen didn’t react. Instead, he stepped closer.

He reached out, intending to pinch her cheek, but An Xiaowei whipped out the pepper spray and blasted it straight into his face.

"Ah—!"

Yan Chen howled in agony, clutching his eyes as his body convulsed in pain. He crumpled to the ground, writhing like a wounded animal.

"Idiot."

A beam of red light suddenly shot out from the top of Yan Chen’s head.

Was that…

His system?

An Xiaowei froze, but before she could ask Si, the red light darted toward her and plunged straight into her forehead.

What the hell?

She hadn’t expected this turn of events.

The system, too, was caught off guard. It had assumed An Xiaowei’s body would be brimming with energy, making possession difficult. But to its shock, there was barely any resistance—just a faint speck of light.

It charged forward with all its might.

Yet the moment it entered, the system was stunned.

The milky-white space before it felt eerily familiar. The wispy, cloud-like veil gave it the sensation of a country bumpkin stepping into a metropolis.

It had heard rumors from fellow systems—high-tier corporate systems had spaces like this.

Wait…

An Xiaowei already had a system?

But a single world could only sustain one system. Otherwise, chaos would ensue.

It heard a voice, cool and gentle, like a mountain stream flowing with a soothing murmur.

"Oh? Such a pleasant surprise?"