I Became the Most Popular Character by Acting as a Villain in the Manga

Chapter 3

Over there, Bai Xuechao was already resting with his eyes closed.

He had only recently been successfully resuscitated under the system's influence, and his mental state was still somewhat fatigued.

When System Xiao 6 finally realized what it had just agreed to, the hand holding its code cigarette trembled slightly.

It asked with a trembling voice, “Host… is this really okay?”

Bai Xuechao still had his eyes closed. The setting sun fell upon his pale face through the window, his snow-white, slender eyelashes dyed a faint orange, casting shadows on his lower eyelids.

He chuckled lightly, asking knowingly, “What do you mean, ‘okay or not okay’?”

“It’s what you just said!” Xiao 6’s code was almost cracking; Bai Xuechao’s idea was simply horrifying for a system to hear. “If I only tell you what the male lead should accomplish, and you don’t do the villain's tasks, won’t the plot collapse even more easily? How is this any different from missing a character, wahhh!”

It began to wail, code tears flooding like a golden mountain.

My consciousness was linked to it; even with my eyes closed, I could see an overwhelming amount of code falling down, like rain.

However, even though Xiao 6 was wailing like this, it didn't threaten me to die immediately from illness.

It seemed the system either had to operate according to the contract, requiring two uncompleted tasks before it could allow me to die; or it didn't want to bind the next candidate to take over the villain's role, feeling that an 80% compatibility wasn’t high enough, especially since my compatibility was 99%.

Perhaps there were other reasons.

I guessed the system could only unbind after my death and then continue to bind the next person.

Even if I were to die, it would take time. In fact, if I wanted to be mischievous, I could drag out the system's tasks, only vaguely completing them at the deadline. The delayed time would be irrecoverable, and by the time I finally died due to two uncompleted tasks, and the system bound the next candidate to continue the villain's tasks, the plot might have already gone haywire.

In short, the system currently couldn't unbind from me, nor could it make me die immediately from illness.

After my brain quickly reached a conclusion, I slowly said, “Why not? There’s still a difference.”

I had turned the tables and gained control.

However, even if Xiao 6 really threatened me with death, I wouldn't have been scared or compromised.

Because I wanted to live well, but only for that person’s last wish. Actually, for myself, life and death were irrelevant; I didn't anticipate life, nor did I fear death.

Xiao 6 had never encountered someone so unyielding. It cried for half a day, only to get such an answer.

Its previously bound hosts would diligently complete tasks because the signed contract stated that two uncompleted tasks would result in death. How was it that with Bai Xuechao, the situation was different?

Xiao 6 had no choice but to cry and plead for pity with Bai Xuechao, trying to awaken his conscience: “Please save the child! I’ve already had three years of my year-end bonus deducted because I failed to fix nine worlds with collapsed plots. I’m just a child who left the factory a few years ago, living on basic wages for three years. I finally found a chance to get rich, so please take pity on me, wah wah wah wah—”

Upon hearing this, Bai Xuechao almost twitched at the corner of his mouth: “How many worlds have you fixed in total?”

Xiao 6: “Nine.”

Bai Xuechao: “…Nine worlds, all failed to fix?”

That’s a 0% success rate, right?

Xiao 6: “Ying, yes.”

I was truly shocked this time and couldn't understand: “Then how did you get this world?

Didn’t you say this was a great master’s work?”

How did a system with a 0% plot repair success rate get the job of maintaining a great master's work?

“Yes, it is.” System Xiao 6 wiped its tears with a code handkerchief, then scratched its little code hand, shyly saying, “Because my satisfaction rating is five stars.”

Bai Xuechao: “?”

Xiao 6 continued shyly, “It’s like this: our system has two rating systems. One is the success rate of fixing bugs and repairing plots, which is automatically calculated by the manga website’s system according to the author’s outline, counting how many buggy plot points were successfully fixed, and rewarding the author’s bounty based on the success rate. The other is the author’s satisfaction with the system’s work, which is personally rated by the author, with a maximum of five stars, and they can also write comments.”

“Perhaps I’m quite uniquely talented. Although the plots I fixed didn’t follow the outline, the authors were quite satisfied! For example, with the shoujo manga I mentioned where the male lead became bisexual, the author actually projected himself onto the male lead, thinking that his male lead, being so handsome, should have all the beauties. He was very satisfied after it became a harem manga and gave me five stars, praising me!”

Bai Xuechao: “6.”

That wasn't unique talent; that was incredible luck.

Xiao 6: “What did you call me?”

Bai Xuechao said, “Nothing, you can continue.”

“When the great master Bai Guzi was choosing a system to maintain and run a new work, they sorted by success rate and satisfaction, sending invitations to the top-ranked system in both categories.”

“The system with the highest success rate was the operating system for Bai Guzi’s previous work. Because the ending plot had a bug that couldn't be fixed and made the plot even worse, causing Bai Guzi to be fiercely criticized by readers, Bai Guzi angrily gave it one star and wrote a furious review. Furthermore, that work rarely had only one bug, yet it still failed to fix it, so the website system calculated its single success rate as 0%, and it only received a basic salary. That system’s work rating for both success rate and satisfaction was lowered, and its year-end bonus was also deducted.”

“That system had been reclusive for a long time because of this, so it declined the invitation this time, worried about failing to fix it again and losing money and points.”

Xiao 6 said gleefully, “As for the one with the highest satisfaction, that’s me, of course! I’m the only system on the entire site with a perfect satisfaction score! Seeing Bai Guzi’s invitation and the bounty, hesitating for even a second would be disrespecting the money! Go for it, transform a bicycle into a motorcycle! Even with a 10% success rate, I’d still make money!”

After all, its previous success rate was 0%, and the plot was running wild on the road to collapse.

Bai Xuechao: “…”

I had to admit, Xiao 6's luck was truly good; it completely stumbled into the job.

I recalled the information revealed in Xiao 6’s words just now and began, “Since you want to fix the plot to make money—”

Xiao 6 was incredibly excited, thinking that its plea for pity had succeeded and Bai Xuechao had promised not to cause any more trouble.

I slowly completed the second half of the sentence: “—then you should listen to me even more.”

Xiao 6 was bewildered: “Gak?”

I opened my eyes and looked at the ceiling, unhurriedly saying, “The day I, this background plate, die, and what other characters did when the male lead didn’t know, most of that wasn’t actually written in the outline. It should be part of a backstory or certain settings. The reason you know these things is because you can look up character settings, which is within your authority.”

The outline content I saw before didn't actually specify how the villain would appear.

All sentences where other characters appeared individually in the outline were because they encountered the male lead or were related to the male lead. This was enough to show that the outline revolved around the male lead.

So, I guessed that some of the characters’ affairs should be written in their settings, not necessarily triggered at a specific time, and not considered part of the outline’s plot.

Otherwise, after the system knew who I was, it shouldn’t have said, “You didn’t die, so the mid-to-late plot of this manga is going to collapse.” I believed the emphasis of that sentence was on “mid-to-late,” indicating that the outline mentioning me was positioned in the mid-to-late stages of the plot. Whether I died or not had no impact on the early plot.

Furthermore, the system also said, “important foreshadowing that was set up can’t be retrieved.” The word “setting” also indicated that it was most likely written in my character settings.

Xiao 6 was shocked by what Bai Xuechao said, its data almost crashing from lag. After a long while, it said in a terrified tone, “How did you know?!”

Indeed, after logging into the simulated world, it could see the settings written by the author.

Among them, a randomly named character marked as “Foreshadowing Background Plate” had a setting: Died of illness on September 29, 5027, according to Xia Calendar.

Because it didn't even have a customized face, Xiao 6 initially didn't connect Bai Xuechao with this character.

“I guessed it.” I confirmed my conjecture, slowly turned over, found a comfortable position, and closed my eyes again, saying languidly, “So, Bai Guzi’s outline basically states what the male lead did. If I just make sure the male lead does it, doesn’t that comply with the outline?”

I added, “Your system distributes rewards based on success rate, and the success rate is only calculated according to the author’s outline. As long as the outline is completed, are other plot details important?”

“Not, not important?” Xiao 6’s code turned into mosquito coil eyes; it was almost swayed by Bai Xuechao’s words.

It felt like it had been convinced by Bai Xuechao.

Yes, some character settings weren’t written in the outline, so even if Bai Xuechao did them, it wouldn't make money, would it?

No wonder its previously bound hosts diligently completed so many tasks, yet the plot kept diverging, causing it to only ever receive the basic salary from the website.

What Bai Xuechao said made so much sense!

“Yes, not important.” I asked with my eyes closed, “Do you have any other questions?”

Xiao 6: “No…”

Xiao 6 cyber-smoked, mentally preparing itself to face Bai Guzi’s wrath later.

It thought melancholically, this was the boldest decision it had made since leaving the factory. Was it really worth it, just for money? Well, it really was; it was so poor. And the reward Bai Guzi offered was truly high, slurp.

Xiao 6 was fantasizing about the scene of a huge reward entering its account when it suddenly realized something.

Wait, why was it listening to Bai Xuechao so much?

Just as it was about to speak to Bai Xuechao, it found that he was lying on his side and seemed to have fallen asleep, his snow-white bangs falling across his forehead with gravity, obscuring one eye. His breathing was faint but steady.

Never mind, it was better to let the host rest well.

As long as he could help it make money, it would even be okay for Bai Xuechao to be its system, boohoohoo!

…

I slept until nightfall.

When I opened my eyes, everything before me was deeply dark. The double-layered curtains of the hospital room completely blocked out all external light.

I called out, “Xiao 6.”

“You’re awake!” Xiao 6 noticed Bai Xuechao turning his head towards the window, thinking he wanted to ask why the curtains were drawn, and proactively explained, “At nine o’clock earlier, a pretty nurse sister came in and drew the curtains.”

“I know,” I said, rubbing my eyes and propping myself up on my arms to sit. “She’s someone the organization arranged to take care of me.”

Hearing that, Xiao 6 muttered, “Yikes, the Dark Organization truly lives up to its name as the most powerful illegal special ability organization in this work; it can even arrange people into someone else’s private hospital as nurses.”

The most powerful in this work? It seemed this was the setting for the Dark Organization.

My long, dense eyelashes drooped slightly.

But if I remembered correctly, the Dark Organization I was in was not yet the most powerful illegal special ability organization. At least I knew that in S City in the south, there was an illegal special ability organization that could overshadow their organization. Because the leader of that organization was a pervert, engaging in all sorts of shady businesses, and also had some influence abroad.

It seemed that organization would run into trouble in the future, or perhaps the Dark Organization's power grew stronger, maybe even absorbing that organization.

“Xiao 6.” I slowly got out of bed, holding onto the headboard.

Xiao 6 hadn’t realized it had spoken too freely: “What’s wrong?”

I walked towards the window in my slippers, saying, “You seem to have misunderstood something; this hospital belongs to our organization. We don’t need influence to arrange things here.”

Xiao 6 suddenly understood: “Oh, so there’s a hospital too!”

I pulled open the double-layered curtains of the hospital room.

Tonight was a crescent moon; only a slender silver hook hung in the night sky.

Every floor of the hospital was lit up, and the bright, white light streamed through the windowpanes, easily overpowering the faint moonlight.

I opened the window, wanting some fresh air, and at the same time, asked the system in a calm voice, “Don’t you know about the Dark Organization’s assets? This should be written in its settings, right?”

Xiao 6 explained, “The Dark Organization’s settings stated that the organization owned multiple legal and illegal businesses, with special mention of a pharmaceutical research and development center dedicated to researching longevity and immortality for the old leader.

What other specific businesses the organization had were all randomly filled in by the system during its operation.”

I understood: so the old leader’s pursuit of longevity was written in the settings.

A cool breeze blew in through the window, brushing against my cheek.

I guessed, “The pharmaceutical research and development center will appear in the outline’s plot, right?”

Xiao 6 was shocked: “How did you know again?”

“It’s not that hard, is it?” I chuckled lightly. “I understand Bai Guzi’s style of writing settings now: what can be used in the plot is detailed, and what can’t is only briefly mentioned.”

Xiao 6 nodded like a chicken pecking rice: “Yes, yes, the settings for several main characters are densely written, even including their preferences. The word count is the most detailed I’ve seen since I left the factory. But for unimportant supporting characters, only a few plot-relevant sentences are set, some aren’t even given names, cough, cough, cough… Uh, it’s so cool tonight, haha!”

It suddenly realized at the end that Bai Xuechao was precisely the type of character it described, one not even given a name!

Xiao 6: Ying, I was thoughtless; I brought up something I shouldn't have.

“It’s fine.” I didn’t really care; the fewer settings Bai Guzi gave me, the more freely I could live.

My life wasn't entirely controlled by an invisible hand. Every choice I made might have been from my own will, rather than being driven by settings.

After all, I only had two plot-related settings.

Thinking of this, I asked with some interest, “I’m a bit curious: what are those two plot-related settings about me?”

Xiao 6 didn't tell me, scratching its little code hand in distress: “I can’t tell you that; it might involve spoilers.”

I guessed to myself, “I remember you saying that my not dying would affect Duan Xingzhi’s ending. Could one of my settings be that I’m Duan Xingzhi’s friend?”

Xiao 6 tearfully said, “Don’t guess, don’t guess! I can’t tell you things too far in the future. If I accidentally spoil the future direction, I’ll be penalized, ying ying ying…”

I remained silent for a long time, then sighed, lowering my eyes and murmuring, “So, my good relationship with Duan Xingzhi was because of a setting.”

Seeing that Bai Xuechao looked somewhat sad, Xiao 6 couldn't help but tell me, “Whether your relationship with Duan Xingzhi is good or not isn’t in the settings. If it were in the settings, how would there be a bug where Duan Xingzhi, in a hurry to see you at the hospital, directly killed the villain blocking his way? Your good relationship is purely an accidental development randomly generated during system operation, unaffected by settings.”

I continued to sound dejected, “Then what are the settings on me related to Duan Xingzhi? Why can the foreshadowing only be retrieved if I die? Can’t it happen if I’m alive?”

“Actually, if you’re alive… perhaps, possibly, maybe it can be retrieved? But I can’t think of how it could be retrieved if you don’t die.” Xiao 6 finished speaking, then suddenly saw Bai Xuechao pressing his lips together, his expression as if he was trying to suppress a laugh. It quickly stopped the words it was about to say and began to whimper, “Were you just acting with me?”

“Yes, I was trying to act a bit to see,” I spread my hands. “It turns out you’re too easy to trick. I was afraid you’d really say too much and get penalized, so I gave you a hint.”

Xiao 6 foolishly held its code handkerchief, shedding tears like the waters of West Lake: “What if I couldn’t stop myself and told you everything?”

“Then I would have profited from knowing, right?” I tilted my head. “You would have been penalized, not me.”

Xiao 6: QAQ My dog host!

I leaned against the windowsill and said, “You can tell me the next thing the male lead needs to accomplish.”

Xiao 6 said quietly, “Not yet.”

I asked, “What’s wrong?”

Xiao 6 scratched its code head and chuckled twice, “Uh, main quests can only be issued one by one. You already have a ‘Villain’s First Appearance’ task now. I promised to only tell you what plot the male lead should accomplish in the future, but before that, you have to complete this one, otherwise, the task bar won’t be free…”

Seeing that Bai Xuechao didn't speak, Xiao 6 became a little flustered: “Host, why aren’t you speaking? You’re not planning to skip even this task, are you??”

“I am doing it. I was just thinking about how to make my entrance,” I said with a hint of helplessness in my tone. “You’re thinking too much. I wouldn't give up such a simple task and get a red card.”

Xiao 6 asked expectantly, “So, have you decided how to make your entrance?”

I leaned out the window, looked up, and asked Xiao 6, “What do you think of up there?”

Xiao 6 became even more excited, its code forming starry eyes that sparkled in my vision: “Where ‘up there’? Are you going to fly in the sky? So cool!”

Bai Xuechao: “…”

This system’s wiring was truly peculiar.

I said, “My point is, I’m too lazy to design it carefully; let’s just do it on the hospital rooftop.”

The rooftop was 'up there,' no problem.

This time, it was Xiao 6’s turn to display a row of ellipses.

I opened the door and walked out of the hospital room. All the lights above were on, illuminating the entire corridor.

I was wearing a blue and white striped hospital gown. Because of my slender and frail physique, the already somewhat loose gown appeared even emptier. My wrists and ankles, exposed beneath the cuffs and pant legs, were as delicate as bamboo stalks, looking as though they could snap with a little force.

I hadn't walked far when I saw the nurse sister, who was assigned to care for me, run out from the nurse's station and come towards me, smiling, “Mr. Bai, may I ask what you need?”

“The key to the rooftop,” I said.

The nurse sister didn't ask me what I wanted to do on the rooftop. She simply followed the order, ran back to the nurse's station, quickly found the key, and ran back, handing the key to me with both hands.

As I took the key, she whispered, “Your current physical condition is not suitable for being exposed to the wind. I suggest you return to your room to rest.”

“What if I insist on being exposed to the wind?” I shook the key in my hand. “Go ahead and report it to him if you want; I’ll wait for him to come.”

After saying that, I walked directly towards the stairwell.

Xiao 6 asked, “Who is ‘he’ you’re talking about?”

“Jiang Yunyi,” I said, stepping onto the staircase and walking. “That nurse belongs to Jiang Yunyi. Not just her, everyone sent to care for me around me belongs to Jiang Yunyi. His influence has really expanded now.”

Xiao 6 exclaimed excitedly, “Oh oh oh, Jiang Yunyi!”

Jiang Yunyi was the most powerful among the four cadres of the Dark Organization, deeply favored by the old leader. Nowadays, even the old leader's biological daughter couldn't compare to his standing in the organization.

“Why are you so excited?” I sensitively stopped, raising one eyebrow. “Does he have some setting that you really like? Are you shocked? Or very expectant?”

Xiao 6 was so flustered by the question that code started appearing all over its head. It stammered, “Ah, this, I, he… boohoohoo, please don’t ask.”

I nodded, “I get it, you’re afraid of saying too much by mistake and getting penalized?”

Xiao 6 nodded vigorously, “Yes, yes.”

I chuckled lightly, continued up the stairs, and said, “Understood. He’s going to do something major in the future outline plot that will shock you, right?”

My foolish system usually told me everything, only refusing to answer when it encountered content related to the future outline plot.

Xiao 6 felt as if it had been struck by lightning: QAQ My dog host tricked me again!

It clasped its hands together, frantically praying internally: "Waaaah, don't penalize me! I didn't say it directly! Please, please don't penalize me! My dog host was too smart and guessed it, ying ying ying! It has nothing to do with me!"

It waited quietly for ten seconds. Good, there was no penalty notification this time either.

Hearing Xiao 6 let out a sigh of relief in my mind, I asked, “No penalty?”

“No!” Xiao 6 replied gleefully.

I inserted the key into the keyhole of the rooftop door, saying as I unlocked it, “Then in the future, I can guess the future plot of the outline based on your reactions, and you won’t be penalized.”

Xiao 6 was stunned.

Was this exploiting a loophole in the system’s judgment? Right??

Without hearing Xiao 6 speak, I opened the door leading to the rooftop. The moment the door swung open, a cool breeze rushed through the gap, tousling my hair, and my loose hospital gown fluttered in the wind.

“Just kidding. How the outline plot develops in the future isn’t important to me,” I said casually, stepping onto the hospital rooftop. “But since you accidentally revealed it, wouldn’t I be losing out if I didn’t take the opportunity to guess the plot?”

Xiao 6: “Ying.”

I walked to the edge of the rooftop.

At the edge, there was a low wall that was a bit higher than the rooftop floor. I raised my hand and patted it: “Here will do.”

I used the low wall to hoist myself up, adjusted my posture, and sat on it with my legs dangling outside.

This private hospital building was constructed very high. My feet were suspended in the air, dozens of meters above the ground below.

I gazed forward, taking in the bustling city beneath my eyes.

Beneath the night sky, myriad lights twinkled. Buildings looked as if they were embedded with glowing square gems. Vehicles flowed incessantly on the wide roads, their headlights like moving specks of light. Streetlights stood on both sides, emitting a hazy glow. In the night, the scene was filled with brilliant radiance and dazzling lights.

The wind picked up, gently rustling the hem of my hospital gown.

I looked up at the night sky, raised my hand as if waving, and smiled, “Pleasure working with you.”

Xiao 6 was bewildered. It followed my gaze but saw no one, only the sky. It asked, trembling, “Host, who are you greeting…?”

Boohoohoo, this world doesn’t have ghosts in its settings!

I lowered my hand and said calmly, “Of course, I’m greeting the author of this world.”

Xiao 6 was even more confused: “Huh? How do you know Bai Guzi is watching now?”

“I don’t know,” I said. “But she’ll definitely be looking this way, especially since I’m about to make my debut as the villain.”

I thought for a moment, then asked, “The plot that has already unfolded in the simulated world should be viewable repeatedly, right? Authors need to find angles to ‘take photos,’ so it definitely can’t be done in one take.”

Xiao 6 answered, “Yes, the already run plot can be viewed repeatedly like watching a movie.

You can also pause, rewind, and fast-forward, which is convenient for authors to create.”

“I understand.” I looked at the sky again and said in a joking tone, “Author-sama, please help me find the most attractive angle. Thank you.”

Xiao 6 held its face with two little code hands, looking at Bai Xuechao with starry eyes.

Actually, the host looks handsome from any angle!

After speaking, I pulled out my phone from the pocket of my hospital gown, opened the browser, and asked, “Xiao 6, I don’t usually watch mangas or animations, so I don’t have many ideas. What kind of lines do you think I should say?”

Xiao 6 said without hesitation, “Hot-blooded shonen manga needs cheesy! And to be a B-king!”

I chose to take the system’s advice and readily typed “cheesy lines” into the search bar, looking for references.

The cheesy lines that came up were—

"Responding to the soul's mournful call, I have arrived."

"This despairing world, let it be destroyed."

"Hmph, humans are still so foolish."

"This world has been tainted by sin; I shall cleanse it."

"I shall overturn this world and rebuild a new one!"

…

—Hiss, my scalp tingled; I felt goosebumps emerging.

And why did they all refer to themselves as "Wú" and mention the "world" so frequently?

Was that the essence of cheesy lines?

I took a deep breath, quickly exited the browser, and put my phone away. Just one more glance and I felt my toes would undertake a major construction project.

I said, “I don’t think this will work.”

“No, it’s feasible!” Xiao 6 argued vehemently, pulling up lines from popular characters in high-dimensional world mangas and displaying them before Bai Xuechao. “Look, look, their lines are all super cheesy! Host, listen to me, a person who isn’t cheesy in their youth lives in vain! This is a manga! Any cheesy and awkward lines will have a filter for readers! Don’t be afraid!”

I glanced at the quote list before me and confirmed that cheesy lines had the same flavor no matter which dimension the world was in.

I said, “How about I just don’t say any lines?”

“QAQ Okay.” Xiao 6 put away the cheesy lines from before Bai Xuechao, its tone a little dejected.

I sat on the low wall for a while, then asked, “Is the task completed?”

“…No.” Xiao 6 displayed the task bar; the main quest was still “Villain’s First Appearance,” and the countdown was still decreasing. “It seems I still have to say a line!”

I tentatively said, “Hello?”

Xiao 6 showed a red cross: “Not completed.”

I thought for a moment and then said another line: “I’m here.”

Xiao 6: “No.”

I felt a bit of a headache and asked, “Didn’t you issue the task? Can’t you control its completion judgment?”

Xiao 6 picked up its code handkerchief: “After a task is issued, it will be judged as completed or not by the system built into me from the factory. I can’t control it, ying.”

“Alright.” I looked at the content on the task bar and thought, “The keyword is ‘villain’?”

Xiao 6 raised its code hands in agreement: “The host is right! It needs to have the vibe of a villain making an entrance! It really is cheesy, isn’t it!”

I made a last-ditch effort, “How did the original villain make his entrance?”

“He squatted on the rooftop, ambushing Duan Xingzhi.” Xiao 6 held up a white candle made of code. “After his attack missed, he still blocked him, saying in the coolest and most arrogant tone, ‘The strongest of the Dark Organization is nothing more than this,’ and then he immediately kicked the bucket.”

Bai Xuechao: “…”

Hiss, the lines did seem to have a hint of cheesy.

Xiao 6 seemed to remember something and added, “Oh, one of his character settings was: having a foul mouth and loving to mock others.”

I forced a smile, “There’s no one else on the rooftop for me to provoke now.”

Xiao 6: “So, it’s still cheesy! Just give it a try!”

I took a deep breath and began to mentally prepare myself.

I thought, since I was the only one on the rooftop right now, it wouldn’t hurt to be a little cheesy. No one would know about my embarrassing past. As for the manga readers, they weren’t even in the same world as me, so there was even less to worry about.

I said with a poker face, embracing the futility, “I’ve come to destroy the world.”

As a result, I heard a “ding” sound in my mind, and the main quest “Villain’s First Appearance” showed as completed.

My pupils dilated in shock: “!”

No! This line absolutely cannot be the one!!

I immediately said, “No, I need to change the line.”

Xiao 6 formed a “please” gesture with its code, and its soft, cute voice spoke words that sounded like a death sentence: “But which part Bai Guzi, as the creator, will cut out, is not something we can control. It’s entirely up to her personal will.”

Hearing that, I stiffly looked up at the sky. First, I made a scissors gesture with my right hand, then, after a thought, I raised my left hand, and slowly pressed my hands together.

Although I maintained a poker face throughout, one could almost taste a tragic and heroic flavor, both miserable and funny.

Xiao 6: Let me translate: Save the child.

Having composed myself, I readjusted my sitting posture.

My lips parted slightly, but nothing came out; I fell silent.

Xiao 6 loudly encouraged me, “Go, host! There won’t be any line worse than ‘I’ve come to destroy the world,’ anyway!”

Bai Xuechao: “…”

The desire to stab a system could not be hidden in my eyes.

I remained silent for a long time again before speaking, “I still need to find some kind of pretext, right? I can’t just come up here, sit down, and say cheesy lines. That would be too awkward.”

Xiao 6 cooperatively asked, “So, what pretext should we find?”

I thought for a moment and took out my phone again: “What the male lead did in the last chapter should have made the news, right?”

In the previous chapter, when the male lead and his teammates were dealing with mutated species on the coast of D City, they accidentally stumbled upon special ability users engaged in illegal transactions at sea. After a battle, they defeated and captured the opponents.

According to the timeline, this event happened early this morning.

One of the special ability users involved in the transactions at sea had some connection to the Dark Organization, so Duan Xingzhi should have gone to deal with this trouble this afternoon.

“Ow, it definitely made it!” Xiao 6 searched through the already unfolded plot. “It’s still on the trending list now!”

As it spoke, I also saw the trending list and took a deep breath.

“I’m ready, let’s do this.”

…

The sickly youth sat on the low wall at the edge of the hospital rooftop, his calves dangling outside the wall, his feet suspended in the air. His slender fingers held a mobile phone.

The light from the phone screen shone on his pale, beautiful face, reflecting two soft white glints in his ruby-red eyes, like pigeon's blood. The cool night wind blew against him, gently rustling the snow-white hair that fell beside his neck, and his blue and white striped hospital gown also swayed slightly with the wind.

On his phone screen, there were two adjacent trending topics.

#Suspected appearance of nuclear radiation mutated creatures in D City waters#

#Three university students heroically assisted police in arresting maritime smugglers#

A smile appeared in the youth’s eyes. He parted his lips and sighed softly, “This boring world finally has some fun.”

Three seconds of silence followed.

Xiao 6 clapped its hands wildly: “Yes, that’s the flavor!”

I immediately stopped smiling, stiffly pulled my legs back, and lay flat on the low wall, hands folded on my chest, adopting an expression of peaceful demise with closed eyes.

For this entrance, I had given too much.