Chapter Thirty-Four: Do You Have Any Other Way to Escape With Your Life?

He no longer had the right to cook for Xu Nuo. In the past, he had been as confident in his culinary skills as in his strength, believing he could win Xu Nuo over with both his prowess and his cooking. The facts proved that his pride, which had lasted for so many years, had finally been toppled from its peak.

“I’m not the strongest anymore.”

“Miss Xu, what a pity.”

Lin Qisheng, crestfallen and dejected, was a far cry from his former arrogance. 007 watched him, uneasy, thinking, “What’s wrong with him? Has he retreated into himself after being defeated? But he doesn’t seem to dislike you at all.” Only after speaking did 007 realize it was pointless—how could a target with a hundred heart points towards its beloved host possibly dislike her? The love had reached the point of life and death. Though, admittedly, Lin Qisheng had just been beaten half to death by the host as well.

But what did Lin Qisheng really feel for the host? Even with years of experience in romance games, 007 couldn’t figure it out. He seemed devoted, willing to cook for her every day to hone his skills, never discouraged even when she rejected his food. Yet he also placed her in danger, leading her into a city swarming with zombies. Lin Qisheng’s behavior was contradictory and confusing, leaving the system at a loss.

Clearly, there was no answer to be found in this target, whose character was already shattered. 007 couldn’t help but ask its host, “Master, how did you manage to max out his heart points for you so quickly?”

“I’m not really sure. I did this and that, and the points just increased,” Xu Nuo replied. “I’ve told you before, he’s quite arrogant. As a player, my job isn’t to please him or act obedient.”

007: So you chose to crush Lin Qisheng?

“Exactly. By destroying the world he built for himself, pulling him down from the position of ‘number one,’ and stepping over him to ascend…”

007 shivered: “That sounds terrifying.” No wonder Lin Qisheng’s character had collapsed so thoroughly.

Xu Nuo continued her slow analysis for the system.

Lin Qisheng’s past victories had given him immense confidence, swelling his ego. His self-assurance wasn’t built on belittling others, but on genuine, undeniable strength. He prided himself on being undefeated, living a lonely life at the top. Thus, Lin Qisheng was always drawn to the strong, preferring to challenge them or admire them as peers.

Xu Nuo had always presented herself to him as a proud, disdainful strong opponent, not as the obedient delicate flower the system recommended. Even when she treated him coldly or unfriendly, Lin Qisheng never disliked her. Instead, her attitude fueled his pursuit, like dangling a carrot in front of a donkey—he didn’t feel manipulated, only more determined to catch that carrot.

Moreover, his excessive pride allowed him to act without psychological burden, whether pretending to be gentle or experimenting with dark cuisine. For him, it was all insignificant trial and error; his strength gave him the freedom to play as he pleased. His confidence alone was enough to support his whims.

But at heart, he was still a young man, of college age, yet untouched by the complexities of society beyond the ivory tower. So at times, his behavior was childish and naive. Xu Nuo found this childishness easy to handle.

To conquer a proud, thrill-seeking young man who never knows restraint, one must defeat him mercilessly, subdue him with overwhelming strength. Only then would he obediently become yours…

Today’s battle was pivotal, Lin Qisheng’s ultimatum: either leave with him, or be fed to the zombies. The idea was extreme and straightforward—easily solved by simply fighting.

007 listened, stunned, unable to recover. It had never considered any of this. When had the host analyzed so much and carried out her strategy without leaving a trace? All along, the host had seemed indifferent towards Lin Qisheng; were there so many details it never noticed?

“Host, you’re incredible!”

Thinking of this, 007 felt a pang of guilt. It had mistakenly believed its host acted only on whim, never realizing there was a plan all along, calm and confident. Wait, it felt as if it had forgotten something… what was it?

Xu Nuo basked in 007’s adoring, starry-eyed admiration.

“You lost,” Xu Nuo said to Lin Qisheng.

The impact of hearing those words from the one who defeated him was immense. He had lost, and not just any battle, but one he never thought he would lose, against someone he was certain he would defeat.

“You’re the first person to beat me. I admit you’re strong,” Lin Qisheng’s damp eyes fixed on Xu Nuo. “Miss Xu, it’s a pity—I can’t cook for you anymore.”

Xu Nuo smiled calmly. “No need for regret; I never ate your food anyway.”

Lin Qisheng quietly clutched his chest.

Sword in hand, Xu Nuo cut through the surrounding zombies and turned to leave.

“Miss Xu, um…” Lin Qisheng’s face was shy, hesitant. “Will we meet again?”

“I don’t know,” Xu Nuo replied. “Let fate decide.”

“There’s one more thing,” Lin Qisheng hesitated, then finally resolved himself. “You asked me before if I’d fallen in love with you. Now I understand—I think I really have. No one’s ever beaten me in my own domain. You’re the first, and the most special in my heart.”

Xu Nuo tilted her head. “Hmm?”

Lin Qisheng said, “I want…”

Suddenly, a thunderous crash shook the earth. The abandoned skyscrapers around them trembled, clouds of dust and smoke engulfing everything in an instant. Sight and sound vanished at the same moment.

007 finally remembered, shouting desperately, “Host, run! This place is about to explode!”

“Whew…” Xu Nuo wiped sweat from her brow, striving to stay balanced in midair. Her only foothold now was her longsword.

Sword flight sounded cool, but for an ordinary person with no experience, it was rather difficult to manage.

“Little Seven, next time, please pick an easier escape tool for me.”

007 stared at the chaos below, still shaken. It thought, “There definitely won’t be a next time.”

“Is Lin Qisheng still alive?”

“Let me check… Yes, he’s alive.”

“Does he need help?” Xu Nuo, always humanitarian, still wanted to save Lin Qisheng.

“Host, you’d better save yourself first—your armor’s shield isn’t enough to withstand this blast.”

“Huh?” Xu Nuo was puzzled, when suddenly the sword trembled, sending her plummeting toward the ground.

“What’s happening?” she asked.

007 finished its explanation: “Also, this world has no spiritual energy. The sword’s power is exhausted; it can’t be used any longer.”

“Such a scam!”

007 was silent. Something was better than nothing, and it had taken effort to get even this.

Below, artillery fire raged like molten lava, dangerous and terrifying, spewing deadly flames.

Xu Nuo struggled to control the faltering flying sword, unable to find a safe landing spot.

007 screamed, “Ahhh, we’re doomed!” It fell with her straight into the fire, feeling a strange sense of relief.

Xu Nuo’s tone suddenly relaxed. “It’s not over yet. Little Seven, don’t panic.”

“Have you thought of a way out?”

“I want to ask, does the shop sell resurrection armor?”

“…It does, but it won’t help you now. Do you have any other ways to escape?”