Late at night.
After attending the celebration banquet, Lin Muci was picked up by Uncle Li.
Ms. Lin Cuiping was waiting to celebrate with her beloved daughter.
Ling Qianhe was also going to go, but he was stopped by Lin Muci.
One could imagine –
Ms. Lin Cuiping must have found him extremely displeasing right now.
Proposing marriage at a globally broadcast awards ceremony, wasn't it?
Had he asked for Ms. Lin Cuiping's opinion, his mother-in-law?
Ms. Lin Cuiping was very angry, and it was understandable.
So Ling Qianhe could only return home alone. The award ceremony was still being replayed in the room. He looked with satisfaction at how the camera faithfully captured Lin Muci's blushing face. He thought to himself that he had to take a screenshot and set it as his phone wallpaper.
The night was already deep.
The tree shadows swayed outside the villa, but Ling Qianhe had no intention of sleeping at all. He didn't even feel the slightest bit drowsy. He stared at the awards ceremony, and suddenly a strange and indistinct voice sounded in his ear.
"You thought this was the end?"
"You thought – this world could continue to be this beautiful forever?"
"You thought you could truly embrace her and make her your bride."
Ling Qianhe smiled. The top star with a handsome face, a faint smile on the corner of his lips, appearing and disappearing. Then Ling Qianhe calmly and coolly retorted.
"Why not? What, you want to cause trouble?"
Ling Qianhe asked directly. The other party was actually momentarily choked, and after a while, let out a roar filled with anger.
"Don't think I can't do anything to you! I don't have to rely on you to destroy this world. Besides you, there are other candidates... your friend Franklin is a mad ambitionist. He will definitely be very interested in my proposal..."
And facing the other party's hysterical rage.
Ling Qianhe just stretched.
"You want to instigate Franklin to achieve your goal? Whatever you want."
"As long as you don't provoke Lin Muci, I don't care what happens to this world."
The voice in his mind was clearly a bit exasperated. After a moment, the voice lowered.
"Ling Qianhe... she will really leave. Don't you know that you are her target for攻略 (gōnglüè -攻略), and once she achieves the攻略, she will leave without looking back? She has always done this..."
"As a task-taker, she could never fall in love with someone from a task world."
"In her heart, you are just a mission objective, like a string of code in an electronic world, worthless..."
"She was just putting on an act, and you took it seriously."
"Don't you think you are very ridiculous?"
Ling Qianhe listened quietly to the delirious muttering of the voice in his mind.
It was as if it came from the abyss, like a devil, chattering in his ear. Then the corner of his lips lifted slightly, and he asked.
"Oh? If that's the case –"
"Tell me, what should I do to keep her?"
The tone of the voice in his mind immediately became serious.
"What to do... abuse her, torment her! Make her unable to feel your love, mislead her system, make her system think that your love for her simply doesn't exist. This way, as long as her mission is not completed, she can stay in this world forever..."
"Believe me, I won't harm you!"
The other party's voice carried a strong sense of seduction.
Upon hearing this, Ling Qianhe maintained his half-smile.
"Torment her?"
"Abuse her?"
He stroked his chin.
"It sounds quite stimulating."
The other party's voice became more excited.
"I will absolutely not harm you. Only by using such methods can she stay in this world forever. And I can also teach you how to form a blood pact with her, so that even if she leaves this world in the future, you can find her..."
"As long as you destroy this world, you will gain the power I infuse into you, and you can freely travel to other task worlds. No matter where she goes, you can find her!"
Ling Qianhe slowly nodded.
"This sounds like a truly tempting offer."
"How about you tell me the method of forming the blood pact first, and then I'll agree to destroy the world?"
In the darkness.
A light surged in his eyes.
The other party was momentarily speechless.
"This..."
"No. Moreover, the blood pact requires sufficient dark power... your current dark power is not enough."
Ling Qianhe laughed.
"Not enough dark power, is it?"
"Don't worry. I will prove to you – my dark power."
...
Lin Muci was unaware of Ling Qianhe's conversation with the dark world consciousness in the villa.
Ms. Lin Cuiping held her and spoke ill of Ling Qianhe to her ear!
"He's truly too bold! Proposing? If you break up with him in the future, won't you be gossiped about? Who agreed to him! Our Xiaoci is still young, how can she agree to him so easily!"
"He made such a big fuss... it's simply reckless!"
Lin Muci sighed.
"Everyone already knows we are a couple... no one would be surprised."
Ms. Lin Cuiping was still very upset.
"Hmph! It's precisely because Xiaoci won the Best Actress award that he lost confidence, worried that better people would appear around you, so he rushed to tie you down! I knew it, Ling Qianhe is a calculating villain!"
She was angry, so Lin Muci could only coax her slowly. Ms. Lin Cuiping pondered for a moment, then suddenly looked up at Lin Muci.
"By the way, Xiaoci, Yang Lanyan said he wanted to see you. Did he call?"
Lin Muci was startled.
"Huh?"
"No."
"Did he call me? I didn't have time to check my phone."
Just as she was about to take out her phone.
The doorbell suddenly rang. Lin Muci walked to the door and saw two handsome men standing outside.
It was Yang Lanyan.
And another person, which surprised Lin Muci a bit.
It was Yan Wenwen from the Wu Minlong film crew!
But why was he with Yang Lanyan?
She opened the door in confusion, and Yang Lanyan smiled and extended his hand.
"Congratulations, Xiaoci. I saw you win Best Actress, and I knew that with your excellence, it was only a matter of time."
Yan Wenwen spoke.
"I've come to congratulate you on behalf of the school."
It wasn't right to have people standing at the door, so Lin Muci invited them in. Ms. Lin Cuiping's face lit up with a smile.
From her expression, Lin Muci could guess her subtext.
[See, Xiaoci, your suitors have hurried over, haven't they?]
These two people.
They were both the type who were handsome and refined, with a scholarly air.
They indeed pleased elders.
Ms. Lin Cuiping asked them to sit down.
She went to the kitchen to cut fruit for them, and Yang Lanyan smiled and said.
"Xiaoci, you're amazing. You've brought honor to the country."
Lin Muci's cheeks flushed slightly.
"Not really. Not that amazing."
Outside, she was a confident and flamboyant idol queen, but here, she was a well-behaved young girl. Yang Lanyan handed her an envelope.
"This is my congratulatory gift for you, Xiaoci. I have other matters to attend to, so I'll be leaving now."
He nodded and immediately turned to leave, leaving only Yan Wenwen. Yan Wenwen also handed her an envelope, it was indeed a coincidence.
"Xiaoci, you must be very tired from flying back from overseas. I won't disturb your rest."
Both stood up and walked towards the exit.
When Ms. Lin Cuiping finished cutting the fruit, she was stunned to find that both young men had left.
"Huh? They're leaving already?"
Lin Muci nodded.
"Yes, Mommy, I want to go upstairs and rest!"
Ms. Lin Cuiping immediately affectionately stroked her head.
"Tired? If you're tired, go and rest."
Lin Muci responded obediently and immediately went upstairs. After closing the door, Lin Muci hesitated before choosing to open Yang Lanyan's envelope.
Inside was a magnetic card?
She was a little confused, and there was also a letter.
She unfolded the letter, and her expression gradually became serious.
A slightly cold system prompt sounded in her ear.
[Warning! Due to unknown factors, this world may increase in difficulty...]
[The world's origin consciousness may choose a new villain to attack the host...]
[Please be careful!]
[Due to restrictions from the world's origin consciousness, system warnings and reminders will be suspended for a period of time.]
Lin Muci gasped and tried to call the little system in her mind.
[Are you there?]
After a while, she heard a familiar voice, but it was a little weak.
[Wuwuwu, I'm here. Sob sob sob, it's too scary!]
[I can't contact the main system, sob sob sob, we're on our own now!]
[Host, you say, will something happen to the main system? I'm not receiving any messages from its side anymore... We're like we're disconnected from the internet, only able to play offline, sob sob sob...]
Lin Muci was a little surprised.
[If you can't contact him, then we can't leave this world either?]
The little system shook its head.
[Display is not possible. I can only settle your points now, but I can't issue rewards... Fortunately, the reward for Ling Qianhe has already been issued. I guess the reward we gave Ling Qianhe was too large, causing some butterfly effect.]
[It broke the world's balance... sob sob sob.]
[What do we do now? I can't find the main system, I'm going to die!]
The little system instantly turned into a whimpering monster.
Lin Muci rubbed her temples, feeling a headache.
"Don't cry yet. There will definitely be a way to handle this. Don't worry too much."
The little system was still aggrieved.
[What do we do now? Are you going to continue doing tasks for world popularity? But even if it reaches full value, I might not be able to let you leave...]
[Your current world popularity has exceeded fifty percent.]
Lin Muci calmed down.
[The current world popularity is only fifty percent, and it's still some time before it reaches over ninety percent. Let's take it slow, no need to rush, there's still time.]
[No matter how the contest between your main system and the world consciousness goes, let's accumulate points first, is that okay?]
The little system hesitated, then mumbled and nodded.
[O-okay.]
[Then let's leave it at that. I believe in you.]
But – is this really related to Ling Qianhe?
Lin Muci couldn't help but fall into thought! After hesitating for a moment, she remembered the letter Yang Lanyan had given her. She hesitated, then unfolded the letter. It was written in a few lines.
"Making a deal with the devil requires a painful price."
"But to achieve what's in my heart, I wouldn't hesitate to make a deal with the devil."
This is –
What does it mean?
She was stunned, and then there was an address below.
"I know where Madam Ling hid Ling Qianhe's mother's ashes."
"Xiaoci, I'll wait for you to find me. I'm in the laboratory."
"The magnetic card is the access credential."
The little system hesitated and asked her hesitantly.
"Is he crazy from being stimulated by Ling Qianhe's proposal? I can't go online now and can't see his blackening value... Host, I'm so panicked."
Lin Muci took a deep breath.
She put aside Yang Lanyan's note and opened the gift from Yan Wenwen. Inside was a beautiful greeting card, congratulating her on winning Best Actress. Similarly, there was also a letter inside.
"Xiaoci, please don't accept Ling Qianhe's proposal."
"I am willing to take you away from the entertainment industry."
"This circle is too corrupt, it doesn't deserve you. Xiaoci, my family has great influence in the capital. Believe me, you can live a very, very good life."
So, is this his intention to snatch someone and pursue her?
She felt a bit of a headache.
Having too many suitors was really a very troublesome matter!
However... let's proceed in order. First, go to meet Yang Lanyan's appointment, and solving the problem is the most important thing!
Thinking this, Lin Muci immediately made up her mind.
She glanced at the address again, then looked up. Outside, a full moon hung high in the sky.
The little system still lacked confidence.
[Host... don't go find Yang Lanyan, I'm scared... And I don't have support from the main system now, so I can't see his blackening value anymore.]
[Now that Ling Qianhe has proposed to you, he might feel he has no chance anymore. What if he completely blackens, imprisons you, kidnaps you, and does things to you?]
[His blackening is no less than Ling Qianhe's.]
Lin Muci paused, then asked the little system.
[So you mean, you want me not to go?]
The little system eagerly affirmed her.
[Of course! If you go, it's like a lamb walking into a tiger's mouth!]
Lin Muci was silent for a moment, then she thought and asked the little system.
[Then where is Ling Qianhe's mother's ashes hidden? Tell me. You can't contact the main system anyway, he won't bother you...]
The little system was indignant.
[Host, are you even human? This is taking advantage of someone's misfortune!]
But Lin Muci hummed, and the little system immediately became submissive. The little system was silent for a while, then it said.
[I don't know, sob sob sob... Only the main system has the authority to check this matter...]
[He didn't tell me.]
Lin Muci knew it would be like this... this unreliable little fellow.
[Then I can only go. You shut up, I'll handle it myself!]
It's just Yang Lanyan.
Could he swallow her whole?
She wouldn't be afraid!
If she was afraid, she wouldn't be Lin Muci!