In the world of anime with the power to stop time.

Lin Ye's eyes reflected the image of a black-haired woman with shoulder-length hair waving at him. As he gazed at her smiling cheeks, he couldn't help but wonder about Haruno's intentions.

She chose to stay here instead of going home with her sister, which must mean that her 'purpose for staying' was more important than 'staying by her sister Yukino's side.'

What could it be?

Lin Ye had a guess.

The strange and vicious dog, the Tosa Inu, although its body didn't show obvious signs of mutation or unnatural features, the sudden swelling and bulging of its body before it died, even after deflating significantly post-death, still made it vastly different from a normal Tosa Inu.

Moreover, official institutions have detection methods.

As long as professionals use the relevant equipment to investigate, they can basically confirm that the Tosa Inu had mutated.

And could an ordinary person deal with a mutated Tosa Inu and kill it?

Yes, but the possibility is extremely slim.

Compared to ordinary people, it's more likely that the killer is a player.

Therefore,

It wouldn't be too difficult to trace this clue back to him by investigating Yukinoshita Yukino's emergency call.

And it's highly likely that Yukinoshita Haruno has already thought of this, which is why she chose to stay and wait for this moment when he was alone.

Lin Ye quickly made a decision, stopped, turned around, and immediately started walking away, leaving only a retreating figure.

Under the neon lights of the Chiba Mall, Lin Ye's figure gradually faded into the distance.

'Tap tap tap...'

A series of hurried footsteps sounded.

"Wait,"

"Lin-kun, wait."

Haruno started running, calling out for Lin Ye to stop.

But Lin Ye ignored her, walking on his own as if he hadn't heard Haruno's calls at all.

'Tap tap tap...'

Haruno ran faster,

The short-haired woman with shoulder-length black hair, now panting, quickly caught up to Lin Ye. She placed her hands on her knees, raised her eyes, and looked at him with a hint of resentment.

"Lin, Lin-kun... didn't you hear your beautiful sister calling you?"

"Yukinoshita-san,"

Lin Ye feigned surprise,

"I'm sorry, I was lost in thought just now and didn't hear you."

Believe it?

Definitely not.

Haruno was certain that Lin Ye had seen her.

"Really, Lin-kun, if you can't even hear your sister calling you, girls will dislike you!"

"So Yukinoshita-san dislikes me now, what a pity. I won't stay here any longer to affect Yukinoshita-san's mood."

After saying that,

Lin Ye made as if to leave, but Haruno moved a step to block his path again. She realized that Lin Ye was a bit difficult to deal with, completely different from the men she usually encountered who fawned over her because of her looks and status.

"How could your sister dislike Lin-kun! I like you too much!"

"You like me!"

"Yes, I like you!"

"How surprising, there are girls who like me too, but Yukinoshita-san, you're a good person. I already have someone I like, we're not suitable, goodbye."

Haruno was stunned,

It seemed she had been rejected, handed a 'good person' card.

凸(艹皿艹),

She, Yukinoshita Haruno, since childhood, had countless suitors. It was always her rejecting men's advances and confessions, handing out 'good person' cards to men. But now, she had been rejected by a man she had known for less than two days.

You... are indeed interesting, Lin Ye-kun.

"Lin Ye-kun, why are you in such a hurry to leave? I'm not a devil who will eat you. Of course, if you're going on a date with a girl to enjoy a wonderful nightlife, I certainly won't stop you."

Haruno grabbed Lin Ye's wrist, saying with a smile.

"You guessed right, as expected of Yukinoshita-san."

She chuckled inwardly, her smile on her face even brighter.

She had already looked into Lin Ye; at Soubu High, Lin Ye had always been alone, without any close classmates, let alone female friends. In fact, it could be said that her sister Yukino was the closest girl to Lin Ye.

"If you wanted to date your sister, you should have said so earlier! For Lin Ye-kun's sake, your sister can agree!"

Haruno, with a beaming smile, her navy blue eyes filled with satisfaction, took a natural step to Lin Ye's side, smoothly linking arms with him, as intimate as a girlfriend, without a trace of unfamiliarity or coldness.

If this scene were seen by Haruno's former suitors, many would be shocked, showing expressions of disbelief.

Lin Ye glanced at the woman smiling faintly beside him, feeling the soft touch of her delicate body, the enveloping sensation was indeed different.

Compared to Yukinoshita's meager figure, it was a completely different feeling.

They're sisters, how can the difference be so big!

"Let's start our date! Your sister will treat you to something delicious."

Lin Ye took another look,

"Is the dessert you, Yukinoshita-san?"

"Ahahaha, Lin Ye-kun is so direct! If Yukino knew, she would be angry! You might not be able to pursue Yukino in the future."

Haruno didn't show any sign of disgust, instead, she hugged even tighter.

She knew Lin Ye wanted her to back off, but how could Yukinoshita Haruno possibly retreat because of Lin Ye's few teasing words!

Facing difficulties head-on was her style! The more Lin Ye resisted, the more interested she became.

"She's already a woman I liked in the past."

"Yukino would really be heartbroken."

"I don't think I've ever seen her heartbroken."

"..."

Haruno was speechless, this guy was impervious to all approaches. Could it be that because Yukino rejected his confessions a few times, he really let go of his feelings for Yukino?

Arm in arm with Lin Ye, Haruno led him into the Chiba Mall, entering the nearest elevator.

'Ding dong...'

The elevator stopped at the top floor.

This was the most high-end restaurant in the Chiba Mall, with prices so high that ordinary people wouldn't choose to dine here.

"Let's go!"

At this point,

Lin Ye had no intention of leaving anymore. Feeling the soft touch of the beautiful girl, Lin Ye, led by Haruno, headed towards a luxuriously decorated Wagyu restaurant.

"Hello! Yukinoshita-san."

The waitress outside immediately recognized Yukinoshita Haruno, although she was also very curious about the relationship between Lin Ye beside her and Yukinoshita Haruno. Having worked here for so long, it was the first time she had seen Yukinoshita Haruno come here for a meal with a man, arm in arm.

Could he be her boyfriend?

The waitress couldn't help but think.

"Same as before."

"This way, please."

The waitress politely led the way.

Soon,

Lin Ye and Haruno entered a very private room.

The small room, with its dark golden tones, was understatedly luxurious. The decorative lights emitted a soft yellow glow, rendering the room with a sense of tranquility and elegance.

The waitress respectfully handed over the menu, and after Haruno's indication, the menu was passed to Lin Ye.

Lin Ye unceremoniously took the menu.

The waitress bowed and left the room, leaving only the sound of paper rubbing as Lin Ye flipped through the menu.

Looking at the prices on the menu, compared to the high-end Wagyu cuisine Nanase Ren had treated him to, the prices here were at least five times higher.

This is the life of the rich! So unpretentious.

"Lin-kun, how about it? Do you need my recommendation?"

"Then I'll leave it to Yukinoshita-san."

Haruno proactively got up and sat next to Lin Ye, her slender fingers pointing at the menu,

"How about this steak? A5 grade Wagyu, I can guarantee the Kobe beef here is absolutely authentic."

"Sure."

Haruno ordered two servings of Kobe Wagyu, one sushi, one sukiyaki, and a bottle of sake.

"Well, your sister will drink the sake, Lin-kun can have juice."

"I'd rather have milk."

But this made Haruno immediately notice Lin Ye's gaze quickly sweeping over her body, his desire undisguised.

He's pretending, trying to scare her off.

"No problem, your sister will order a bottle of fresh milk for you."

Haruno called the waitress waiting outside, confirmed the order, and then returned to her seat.

She faced Lin Ye, one hand propping up her chin, her cheeks still wearing a gentle smile.

"Actually, Lin-kun, you don't need to be so wary of me. This time, treating you to a meal is just my way of expressing my gratitude."

Expressing gratitude requires holding his hand, intimately coming to a high-end Wagyu restaurant?

Lin Ye didn't believe it.

If it were just to thank him for saving Yukinoshita, Haruno wouldn't need to go this far, even if Yukinoshita Yukino was the most important person to this sister-con.

"Yukinoshita-san's gratitude, I accept. I don't have many pursuits in life, good food is one of them."

"So Lin-kun likes good food! Yukino's cooking is quite good, the kind you wouldn't get tired of eating for a lifetime."

"Compared to Yukinoshita-san's cooking, I'm more looking forward to yours."

"My cooking can't compare to Yukino's."

"If Yukinoshita-san doesn't want to say it directly, that's fine, no need to hold back. I have a good mindset, having endured various blows before. If you reject me outright, I'd actually think you're a good person, at least you wouldn't intentionally lead me on."

In his previous life, although Lin Ye remained single until the day he crossed over, during his four years of university and three years of high school, he had encountered girls he was attracted to.

He had tried to take the initiative, but the result? His initiative was of no use. Not handsome, not rich, and not good at sweet talk, how could he possibly win the favor of the girls he liked?

"Yukino wouldn't lead people on either, she's always refused."

"Yeah, so I was rejected."

"Try again, you might succeed. After all, Lin-kun has now become a member of Yukino's club, something that would have been impossible before."

Although there was an element of Hiratsuka-sensei's request involved, it also signified that Yukino had allowed Lin Ye to enter her private domain. Coupled with today's 'attack' incident, Haruno was certain that her sister Yukino's attitude and perception of Lin Ye had significantly changed.

"Yukinoshita-senpai probably wants to kill me now!"

"Haha, that's not a funny joke. Yukino is more than grateful to you; how could she possibly want to kill you?"

Haruno covered her mouth as she laughed.

At that moment,

The waitress arrived with the dishes.

Sake, fresh milk, six pieces of sushi, and four pieces of tempura shrimp.

"The beef will be ready soon, please wait a moment,"

The waitress bowed and left again.

Haruno picked up the milk, slightly stood up, and poured the white milk into Lin Ye's glass.

"Here, let your sister pour you some fresh milk. Not a single drop is to be left."

'Splash splash...'

The pure white milk gradually filled the glass.

Lin Ye tasted it; the flavor was surprisingly good.

"Here, try the tempura; it's also quite good."

Haruno proactively picked up a piece of tempura for Lin Ye, showcasing her initiative and enthusiasm.

The feeling was completely different from when Nanase Ren proactively served him food.

Nanase Ren's actions came from genuine feelings, without much interest or purpose, whereas Haruno, no matter how enthusiastic, Lin Ye knew her actions were driven by a certain goal.

"The taste is indeed good."

Lin Ye started eating, using his chopsticks to pick up a piece of sushi and put it into his mouth.

At this hour, he was indeed a bit hungry.

Sitting across from him, Haruno smiled, using her chopsticks to pick up a piece of sushi and eat it in small bites, displaying the good upbringing of a young lady.

However, when she tasted the sake, she slightly revealed a relaxed demeanor.

'Sizzle sizzle...'

The Kobe beef was served on the table.

Lin Ye tasted a piece; the tender beef melted in his mouth, a faint milky aroma spreading on the tip of his tongue, the meat's texture continuously impacting his taste buds. This was even better than the beef Nanase Ren had treated him to before.

Haruno's smiling gaze fell on Lin Ye, while her hand used a fork to place a piece of beef into her mouth.

"Lin-kun, what do you think of Yuigahama-san?"

"Pretty."

"Compared to Yukino?"

"Bigger."

"Haha..."

Haruno covered her mouth as she laughed, having to admire Lin Ye's directness. A normal man wouldn't say such things in front of her.

But this made her find Lin Ye even more interesting. Compared to the dullness of other men, Lin Ye brought her a fresher and more curious experience, making her wish to continuously delve deeper into Lin Ye's deliberately disguised true heart.

"Yukino is very cute. Don't be fooled by her cold demeanor; she's actually very gentle with those she's close to. As long as Lin-kun enters Yukino's heart, you can taste the gentleness she opens up only for you."

"It's too hard. How about you, Yukinoshita-san? I think you're quite nice, more gentle, kind, beautiful, and understanding of men's hearts than Yukinoshita-san."

"Hahaha, I'm not gentle, not kind, I can't. I don't want to steal Yukino's boyfriend. If Yukino found out, she'd hate me to death."

Haruno waved her hand in refusal.

"What a pity."

Lin Ye shrugged, his tone not showing any disappointment, as if the answer had no effect on him.

The small room returned to silence, the two eating Wagyu, their gazes intersecting, but neither spoke.

Soon, Haruno spoke again,

"Almost forgot, there's something I forgot to tell Lin-kun. The owner of the Tosa Inu that Lin Ye killed also appeared at the scene. She was shouting for Lin-kun to take responsibility, to pay with your life."

"What a pity,"

"What's a pity?"

"If she had been at the scene, I wouldn't have minded giving her a couple of whacks too."

"How interesting. If Yukino heard that, she'd be even happier, though she'd definitely say you shouldn't do that."

At this moment, Yukinoshita Haruno felt a bit nervous; she was about to bring up the real purpose of inviting Lin Ye.

"Actually, the Chiba police said there's something off about that Tosa Inu,"

"Its size is much larger than a normal Tosa Inu. Judging by the battle scars left at the alley scene, the destruction couldn't have been caused by an ordinary Tosa Inu."

At the scene, the walls and cement ground of the alley had varying degrees of cracks, even obvious dents.

How could an ordinary dog cause such destruction? Impossible.

Yukino hadn't realized this issue, but she had, and so had the Chiba police.

"Is that so? It was an emergency at the time, I didn't notice. I thought that Tosa Inu was just rabid."

A look of surprise appeared on Lin Ye's face, as if he hadn't noticed at all.

"But hearing Yukinoshita-san say that, that dog really did have a bit of a problem. A normal dog wouldn't dare attack people in broad daylight! It makes me wonder if there are too many stray dogs in Chiba lately, starving and daring to attack people during the day."

"Haha, there aren't many stray dogs in Chiba. That Tosa Inu wasn't a stray either; it just got lost a few days ago and was wandering outside. For some reason, it became that ferocious. I was thinking Lin-kun might know the reason."

"I don't know."

Haruno's eyes moved, clearly sensing Lin Ye's attitude.

Should she continue?

She was eighty percent sure he was a 'Mystery Game' player, and he clearly wanted to hide his identity.

So, should she stop here, or continue to express her attitude and friendliness, to make him trust her?

Haruno pondered deeply.

"Hey hey, Lin Ye can trust me more. I've already had the Chiba police keep it confidential. The relevant information has been handled and won't be passed on to the Special Operations Division of the Public Security Bureau."

When she arrived at the scene and determined it was likely a 'Mystery Creature' related incident, she used her family's connections to immediately have the Chiba police in charge keep it confidential, treating the incident as a regular 'dog attack' public safety incident.

Her goal was simple: to establish a friendly relationship with Lin Ye.

Mystery Game players are extremely rare, and any one of them could die in a 'Mystery Game' at any time. But every player is precious, their own strength, as well as the items and skills obtained from the 'Mystery Game,' are things countless forces and families in reality crave.

The world has changed, a new revolution has emerged.

Whether for herself, her family, or her sister, the moment she realized someone close was a 'Mystery Game player,' she didn't want to miss the opportunity.

Haruno opened her wallet and placed a black bank card in front of Lin Ye.

"There's 100 million yen in this card, almost all the money in my little treasury. The password is Yukino's birthday. Lin-kun, use it first."

"Yukinoshita-san, are you trying to keep me? I'm not that kind of man."

The rich lady's approach is different! Directly dealing in units of 100 million, although it's yen, 100 million yen is still a lot, at least more than one percent of his total assets.

"It's funding you."

She said seriously,

"Lin-kun will definitely need a lot of money in the future. This is my support for you. If Lin-kun ever runs short of money in the future, just tell me, or if you need some special items or equipment, I can help you get what you need using the Yukinoshita family's name."

"The Yukinoshita family isn't considered a big family in all of Japan, but in Chiba, we can still have a say, and we have some connections that can make things easier for Lin-kun."

This was almost laying all cards on the table,

Yukinoshita Haruno's intentions were very clear.

She wanted to establish a cooperative relationship with him.

Deny? His denial wouldn't change Yukinoshita Haruno's judgment and conviction of his identity as a Mystery Game player. If he denied, Haruno's actions like today would only increase in the future.

Unless she found a new target.

But for now, Haruno hadn't come into contact with any other Mystery Game players. Clearly, the number of Mystery Game players in Japan, and the world, is still very small.

The Yukinoshita family, not a notable name in Japan, wanting to come into contact with 'Mystery Game players' who have already been exposed to official views and even joined the official ranks, is completely impossible.

But clearly, Haruno, knowing about the 'Mystery Game,' has realized the importance of 'Mystery Game players' to the changing world and future landscape.

Now, befriending him in advance, using money to win him over, is a highly profitable investment. If it fails, at most some money is lost, but if it succeeds, the future benefits are only going to be greater.

The wave of the new era has come, and to board the ship to the future era, 'Mystery Game players' are indispensable.

"Yukinoshita-san."

"Lin-kun, go ahead."

Yukinoshita Haruno waited for Lin Ye's response, feeling a bit nervous inside.

"Why bother?"

"You're making it hard for me."

Lin Ye pretended to be troubled.

"This is my sincerity, and the sincerity of the Yukinoshita family."

But suddenly,

Yukinoshita Haruno found that Lin Ye, who had been sitting in front of her, had disappeared, and her neck immediately felt the cold blade of a knife, the one used to cut steak.

"Don't move."

The calm voice coming from behind made Yukinoshita Haruno freeze, her heart couldn't help but hang, her breathing quickened a bit.

"Lin-kun, you..."

"Some things, when said too clearly, make people feel insecure. Actually, stopping just now would have been fine, right?"

His voice was somewhat cold,

Yukinoshita Haruno couldn't help but glance back, but she couldn't see Lin Ye behind her at all.

The next moment, she felt Lin Ye's left thumb touch her left cheek, gently rubbing, as if savoring the feel of her skin.

Haruno didn't dare to move at all.

"Compared to cooperating with Haruno-san, trusting Haruno-san, I think making Haruno-san disappear from this world forever is a more reassuring thing."

Haruno's heart immediately sank to the bottom.

A mistake, perhaps she should have brought Yukino along, that would have been the right choice. No, she couldn't bring Yukino, she couldn't put Yukino in danger.

Just as Haruno was about to speak, Lin Ye's finger suddenly pressed against Haruno's red lips, gently caressing.

Haruno didn't dare to move even more.

"Rest assured, I will deal with everyone involved, one by one tonight, ensuring no one has the possibility of leaking my identity."

A murderer, completely indifferent to human life.

"Gulp..."

Haruno couldn't help but swallow hard, the cold blade pressing even tighter against her skin.

She realized she had made a serious misjudgment about Lin Ye. Based on the information she had gathered, Lin Ye was supposed to be an introverted, silent, and kind young man.

She had analyzed and concluded that Lin Ye must be a player who hadn't been involved in the 'Mystery Game' for long, still holding onto the ideals and kindness of peaceful times.

As long as she showed sincerity and friendliness, and leveraged her relationship with Yukino, she could gain Lin Ye's trust.

But... she was wrong. It was all his disguise.

"Too many people have died; the authorities won't give up the investigation."

"If they can trace it back to me, they're good,"

"You'll be arrested and lose your freedom. The authorities have many players, and they're very strong."

"Miss Haruno, aren't you well aware? I might lose my freedom, but you'll lose your lives."

For every Mystery Game player, no matter how tough the official stance is, unless it's absolutely necessary like a player deliberately causing large-scale panic and murder they won't resort to killing.

Players are too precious to simply 'kill' and waste.

"I can return to my country; I believe the official institutions of my homeland would welcome a player like me."

Lin Ye's left hand continued to gently caress, his voice low and slightly hoarse as he spoke.

He felt he was somewhat qualified to play the role of a villain.

Dealing with Yukinoshita Haruno, he must not accept the olive branch she offered, nor follow her rhythm into a passive cooperation. Once a relationship starts this way, he would fall into a passive position in the future.

He needed to make Yukinoshita Haruno feel the cold deterrence and fear of death he brought, to let her know he possessed the power to take her life or what she valued at any moment.

He needed to instill this fear of him deep into her heart, making it impossible to erase.

Every time she saw him, Haruno would remember the cold, suffocating fear of death he brought at this moment.

Only then would Yukinoshita Haruno be obedient and stable. And he would hold the initiative.

"Yukino would be sad. Our sisterly relationship might seem ordinary, but Yukino really likes me. If I die, she would definitely be sad."

Playing the emotional card now,

Haruno didn't have many cards left to play.

"I just said I really wanted to see Yukinoshita-senpai's sad expression."

Haruno's eyes twitched; Lin Ye really had said that!

"I sincerely hope Lin-kun can become my brother-in-law."

"I do have thoughts of becoming Yukinoshita-senpai's... brother-in-law!"

Hinting?

Yukinoshita Haruno's heart tightened, her hands instinctively gripping the chair. If she could have treated Lin Ye's similar words as jokes before, she couldn't afford to think that way now.

Did he want her to serve him?

The rubbing sensation on her face continuously stimulated her nerves, teasing her heart.

What to do?

What should she do?

What was she to do?

Since childhood, facing men, Yukinoshita Haruno had always firmly controlled the initiative and rhythm. No man could refuse her. But now, at this moment, she was completely passive, her life entirely in the hands of the man behind her.

And she had no way to persuade him to abandon his killing intent.

"Actually, Miss Yukinoshita, your luck is quite good."

"I don't think my luck is good. If it were, Lin-kun should have agreed to cooperate with me, and we would have become close companions. Maybe in the future, you could even become my brother-in-law, and we would be family."

'Clack...'

The blade left her neck, and shortly after, Haruno heard a sound from the table.

She looked up and saw an item.

"A prop I recently acquired, a collar. Guess what its full name is?"

Lin Ye's voice sounded in her ear again, his tone suppressing laughter, raising Haruno's bad premonition to the highest.

"Bitch collar."

Haruno trembled all over,

"The effect is to put it around the target's neck, and you can sign a master-servant contract with her. So I said Miss Yukinoshita, your luck is quite good. This is a great way for me to completely trust you!"

Haruno was dumbfounded,

There's such a prop?

She didn't want to believe it, but if it were just an ordinary collar, why would Lin Ye carry it around?

Lin Ye felt the girl's slight trembling and suppressed his laughter.

He must have scared Haruno!

The effect was full, but the chance was extremely low.

Lin Ye was just using it to scare Haruno.

Not to mention the collar couldn't succeed, even if it did, his relationship with Yukinoshita Haruno would officially be over. Someday, for freedom and revenge, Yukinoshita Haruno would definitely dare to raise a rebellious blade against him.

Moreover, he had a use for this collar.

"Lin-kun, don't scare me, your sister can't withstand your intimidation!"

She was forcing herself to stay calm.

"Really, truer than gold. If you don't believe me, why not try it on and see?"

Yukinoshita Haruno's gaze fell on the black collar on the table. She swallowed hard, staring at it intently.

Was she supposed to put that collar around her neck and become Lin Ye's servant?

She had thought about running away, thought about screaming for help, but it was useless.

She clearly remembered the moment before Lin Ye turned hostile, how he had appeared behind her without her noticing.

Facing Lin Ye, she was too powerless.

At this moment,

Lin Ye's caressing left hand moved down from her cheek to Haruno's neck, still gently touching, feeling the smoothness and delicacy of her fair neck.

He had occasionally wondered about the feel of Yukinoshita Yukino's skin when he looked at her body.

And now, the skin of her sister Haruno should feel similar to Yukinoshita Yukino's.

It felt really nice.

He was becoming more and more qualified as a villain.

"My dear Miss Haruno, you wouldn't want your sister Yukino to wear this collar, would you?"

The eerie voice, cold as ice, made Yukinoshita Haruno grit her teeth, her whole body trembling.

"Should Yukinoshita-senpai wear it, or you... one of you sisters has to wear it. Otherwise, I really can't feel at ease."

Lin Ye's right hand, holding a phone, extended in front of Haruno. On the screen was Yukinoshita Yukino's contact number.

His finger pressed the call button on the screen at an extremely slow speed.

"Don't..."

Haruno grabbed Lin Ye's right hand,

"I'll wear it, I'll wear it."

She closed her eyes and gave up struggling.

The consequences of all her actions today, she needed to bear the responsibility alone.

She had been impulsive, choosing to show goodwill and reveal her intentions without fully investigating Lin Ye's true nature, leading herself into a passive situation. Now, she might even lose her freedom.

Yukinoshita Haruno admitted her defeat, accepted her loss.

But...

Someday in the future, she would definitely seek an opportunity to retaliate, to make Lin Ye pay tenfold, a hundredfold.

Until then, she would choose to submit, to comply, to use every method to satisfy and lower the man's guard, at any cost.

Yukinoshita Haruno opened her eyes, reached out, and took the collar. The moment she touched it, the cold texture transmitted from her fingers to the depths of her heart.

Her heart was as cold as ice.

"Lin-kun, if you wanted your sister to be your bitch, you should have said so earlier! It's not impossible, you know?"

Her playful tone showed no trace of anger.

As expected of Yukinoshita Haruno, her ability to control her emotions was truly impressive.

"But after your sister becomes your pet, you can't have any thoughts about Yukino anymore. I hope you can agree to this request of mine."

"Miss Yukinoshita really cares for her sister."

"After all, Yukino is the cutest sister in the world, don't you think so, Lin-kun?"

"She is indeed very cute."

"Hmm."

She unfastened the collar, took a deep breath, and closed her eyes.

But the moment she was about to put it on, Haruno suddenly felt a force. She opened her eyes to see Lin Ye's hand tightly gripping the collar.

"Alright, Miss Yukinoshita, this was just a little joke I played on you."

At the sound of his words, Haruno realized Lin Ye had no intention of controlling her with the collar.

Wait, could the collar's function be fake?

She couldn't help but doubt again.

"Your sister really wants to be your pet! A beautiful pet, don't you want that?"

Now relaxed and eased, Haruno's words carried a hint of jest, both a probe and a way to lighten the mood.

"I'm afraid that one day, when we're having fun, my little brother might get bitten off,"

"Hahaha, your sister wouldn't dare."

Haruno laughed,

"Rather than a beautiful pet, I now prefer a cooperative partner. I wonder if Miss Haruno is willing?"

Lin Ye patted Haruno's shoulder and returned to his seat.

He smiled, but at this moment, Lin Ye's image in Haruno's heart had completely changed. He was no longer just a simple, innocent male student, but a 'villainous character' hiding a dark self.

Haruno didn't want to cooperate with Lin Ye anymore, truly didn't want to. If she could choose again, she would never want to have more contact with Lin Ye.

Lin Ye was dangerous.

But she knew it was all too late.

This cooperation wasn't something she could refuse just because she didn't want to.

"It would be my pleasure, an honor for your sister."

Haruno proactively stood up and extended her hand towards Lin Ye,

Lin Ye shook it, feeling not only the soft and delicate touch but also the moist sweat from her palm, sweat from being scared earlier.

"Pleasure working with you!"

"Pleasure working with you."

Lin Ye knew his goal had been achieved.

An unexpected development, but the result wasn't bad.

Seeing Haruno scared and sweating was also a rare sight.

"By the way, Miss Yukinoshita, are you free this weekend?"

Weekend? Was he asking her out?

Haruno's pressure skyrocketed, but she still nodded.

Sacrificing herself to protect her family and clan, she found no issue with that. As the eldest daughter of the Yukinoshita family, her existence was meant for the sacrifice of the family.