Chapter Forty-One: Have You Had Enough Fun?

Xu Nuo grew even more perplexed. “Confident about what?”

007: [I don’t know either. Unable to detect specific content.]

“Come on, let’s follow,” Sheng Ming said. After figuring some things out, his presence grew even more formidable; even his stride seemed to carry the wind.

Sheng Ming cleared the tunnel Xu Nuo and Gu Xingze had previously dug. Luckily, it hadn’t caved in, and they followed its length, but unfortunately, the exit was blocked. They couldn’t leave for the time being.

Suddenly, Sheng Ming thought of something. “We could have used the main entrance, so why did you dig a tunnel?”

Xu Nuo hesitated. “Well, because I only realized there was a door after I’d already dug my way in…” In truth, it was because the audience found it more exciting this way, more immersive.

“And besides, it’s not a thief’s tunnel. How can you call it that? I came in fair and square.”

After a long day, both of them were tired and sleepy.

Sheng Ming’s lips were parched, but pride kept him from speaking up. He was used to having servants attend to him and never carried food or water himself. Now, with only Xu Nuo for company, he couldn’t help but work faster at clearing the blocked exit.

Xu Nuo didn’t join in, instead sitting down to rest and regain her strength.

The enticing aroma drifted over again. Young Master Sheng pressed his lips together, his expression stern, determined not to be swayed.

“Sheng Ming, you must be tired too. Why not take a break?” Xu Nuo offered spicy strips and jerky, more than enough to tempt anyone.

“Tch.” Sheng Ming turned away. “I wouldn’t eat that sort of thing.” Did this woman think to curry favor with him with such cheap, trashy snacks? He wouldn’t even spare them a glance.

“Well, if you won’t, I will,” Xu Nuo said, munching away with relish.

While Xu Nuo enjoyed her snacks, Sheng Ming stubbornly worked on the exit, hungry and thirsty. The scene was almost criminal, and even 007 couldn’t help but comment: [Host, is this really okay?]

The barrage scrolled by, righteous: [Why not? This brat is always giving our Queen Xu the cold shoulder—he’s just ungrateful!]

[Exactly! Our Queen offers him food, and he dares refuse? Who does he think he is!]

[He’s not even fit to be a consort—demote him to a palace maid.]

007: [You all are so dramatic.] Watching the host act every day, have you all learned to be troublemakers too? Not that the audience was ever that wholesome to begin with…

“Cough, cough…” Sheng Ming accidentally inhaled dust, and his already dry throat suffered even more. He coughed painfully, nearly tearing his lungs.

“Here’s some water—drink slowly,” Xu Nuo offered.

The sweet water at his lips soothed his coughing. When Sheng Ming recovered, he saw Xu Nuo holding a bottle of juice with garish packaging—visibly cheap, and his mouth was still tingling with the taste of artificial sweetener.

“You actually gave me something like this to drink?” Sheng Ming’s face darkened instinctively.

“Drink it or don’t,” Xu Nuo huffed. She had her own temper; who wanted to wait on a spoiled young master?

“You—” Sheng Ming turned away, saying nothing more.

[He’s so pretentious! Our Queen Xu doesn’t need a man like that—let him stew!]

[Send him to the cold palace, send him to the cold palace.]

[I mean, our Queen Xu has been working so hard, so why hasn’t his affection score gone up?]

[Our Queen is doing him a favor by trying to win him over, and he still acts up?]

A bit of sugar revived his strength, but Sheng Ming prided himself on his dignity and principles. He would never stoop to accept such demeaning food from Xu Nuo.

Xu Nuo watched Sheng Ming’s performance in amusement. “Young Master Sheng, you look a little weak. Why not eat something before you go on? There’s no rush.”

“Shut up.” Sheng Ming shot her a warning glare.

Xu Nuo replied righteously, “If I shut up, how can I eat? Unlike you, I can’t go without food.”

Sheng Ming: … He held his tongue. No point arguing with someone like her. Save his strength for more important matters—no, he really couldn’t take it anymore!

“Hey, what are you doing?” Xu Nuo looked on in horror as Sheng Ming approached, face cold, full of menace.

“Have you eaten your fill?” Sheng Ming demanded.

Xu Nuo clutched her stuffed belly. “Yes, I have.”

Sheng Ming grinned threateningly. “Then hand over all those trashy snacks.”

Xu Nuo: “??”

Frightened, she handed over her small stash. “Here… for you.”

“That’s all?” Sheng Ming asked.

“That’s all,” Xu Nuo replied cautiously. “Isn’t that enough for you, Young Master Sheng?”

“Heh.” Sheng Ming stashed all the snacks away. “Don’t let me see you eating expired junk food again.”

Xu Nuo asked pitifully, “What about those that aren’t expired?”

“None of it is allowed,” Sheng Ming replied mercilessly.

Xu Nuo whimpered.

Deprived of her snacks, Xu Nuo idled closer, wanting to help, but Sheng Ming drove her away. “You’re a woman—just rest here. Leave this to me.”

“Oh, all right.”

[Tsk tsk, this guy has a CEO complex, always posturing. When will our Queen teach him a lesson?]

[Sigh, with all this Sheng Ming on the screen, who still remembers Gu Xingze and Lin Qisheng by Daming Lake?]

[Those two? I bet Queen Xu has lost interest in them already.]

[I think Gu Xingze is great—he can cook, he’s strong, and he’s loyal. Isn’t that the perfect loyal dog type?]

[Lin Qisheng is good too, a cute and mischievous little wolf.]

[Only Sheng Ming is truly ungrateful, even confiscating our Queen’s snacks. Send him away!]

[So none of you like Sheng Ming? I think he’s all right—he’s the classic domineering CEO.]

While the barrage buzzed with lively debate, Sheng Ming, the subject of their complaints, had almost cleared the exit. Through the cracks, he could tell it was deep night.

Outside, there were faint sounds of activity, but far away, and the surface was noisy. Xu Nuo tried calling out a few times, but no one noticed them.

Having worked until exhaustion, Sheng Ming was at his limit, yet he never uttered a word of complaint. As the Sheng family’s heir, he could never show weakness.

“Rest a while,” Xu Nuo said, supporting Sheng Ming. “I’m here.”

“You…” Sheng Ming, half-conscious, murmured, “Don’t use your dirty…”

Don’t touch Young Master with your filthy hands that’ve just handled greasy chips—unfortunately, before he could finish, sleep overcame him, and he collapsed onto Xu Nuo.

“Whew, heavy.” Xu Nuo laid him on a cushion. “And burning up, too?”

No doubt, Sheng Ming had a high fever.

As a romance live-stream system, 007 cheered instinctively: [Host, this is a perfect chance to win him over—use your gentleness to melt his defenses, your care to unlock his heart!]

Xu Nuo retorted, “He’s unconscious—how will he notice my gentleness?”

007 considered: [He probably won’t. But doing so will create a romantic atmosphere.]

“Everyone, our target has fallen ill and needs cold medicine,” Xu Nuo addressed her viewers with practiced ease. “What’s your choice? Press 1 to do nothing and let him fend for himself. Press 2 to send medicine as a reward.”

[666]

[I’ll press 999]

[11111, definitely option 1]

Most of the barrage was unserious, but a few viewers did send medicine. That was enough.

Xu Nuo gave Sheng Ming the cold medicine. According to 007’s scan, he needed food for energy, so she fed him a bit as well.

There was no proper food, naturally, only spicy strips and potato chips soaked in juice. The taste needed no description, but it was calories nonetheless. Even with all this fuss, Sheng Ming didn’t wake, showing just how ill and weary he was.

After tending to Sheng Ming, Xu Nuo took over clearing the exit, working until dawn.

Sheng Ming awoke in the morning light, sunbeams filtering through the cracks and falling on his dazed eyes. It took him a while to remember what had happened—that he and Xu Nuo had been trapped and he’d passed out…

Now, he saw a head of seaweed-like hair, a girl’s delicate hand clawing at the earth, and he was being helped upward.

“Put me down,” Sheng Ming jerked free as soon as he realized the situation.

“You’re awake? Feeling better?” Xu Nuo looked at him with concern.

“Yes.” Had she taken care of him last night? Sheng Ming instinctively checked himself—everything was still there, his storage device on his wrist untouched.

“Let’s get out of here quickly, then. Can you walk on your own?” Xu Nuo asked.

“Of course.” With a few movements, Sheng Ming leaped from the pit and, standing at the edge, offered Xu Nuo his hand. “Grab on, I’ll pull you up.”

After all their struggles, they finally escaped the ruins and found the ancient treasures.

Sheng Ming was in a sorry state, a far cry from his usual elegance. Servants rushed to prepare a bath and fussed over him.

Amid the clamor, Sheng Ming’s gaze slipped elsewhere—Xu Nuo, equally disheveled, emerged alone, calmly dusting herself off, her serene composure out of place amid the chaos.

“Don’t just fuss over me—take care of Miss Xu,” Sheng Ming ordered.

“Yes, Young Master.”

Upon his return, Sheng Ming scrubbed himself several times, as if he could wash away the filth and the odd taste lingering in his mouth.

He didn’t know what Xu Nuo had fed him while he was feverish, but the taste was bizarre—spicy and sweet, almost nauseating. And her identity and powers needed to be clarified; he couldn’t let her keep deceiving him.

“How is Miss Xu now?” Sheng Ming asked after his bath.

The servant replied, “Miss Xu has already gone to bed, sir.”

Fine, he’d wait until she woke to question her.

But Sheng Ming hadn’t expected Xu Nuo to sleep so soundly.

When Xu Nuo awoke, she was already in the return car.

“You’re much more interesting when you’re not pretending to be foolish,” Sheng Ming remarked—the first thing he said upon her waking.

“Hm?” Xu Nuo tilted her head. “What do you mean?”

“Don’t play dumb.” Sheng Ming’s head throbbed at her expression. “Just tell me—are you a spatial ability user?”

Xu Nuo shook her head honestly. “I’m not.”

“Heh.” Sheng Ming was used to her lies. What did it matter if she denied it? No amount of pretending would conceal the fact.

Although her personality and behavior weren’t to his taste, Young Master Sheng considered himself magnanimous. Given that she’d come to rescue him, he’d barely allow her to stay by his side.

“I already understand your intentions. Don’t beat around the bush—I don’t have time for your games,” Sheng Ming said.

“What are you talking about?” Xu Nuo’s confusion was genuine. “What intentions?”

“Still pretending?” Sheng Ming said coolly. “Fine, keep it up. Let’s see how long you can act. But don’t think your little tricks will work on me.”

Xu Nuo’s heart skipped. She asked the system, “Does he see through my act?”

007: [Is it really that hard to see through you?]

“Hmm…” Xu Nuo pondered. Something felt off. Judging by Sheng Ming’s attitude, she’d been seen through, but not in the way she expected.

.

After this trip, Sheng Ming’s attitude toward her softened—a little. At least, when she deliberately sold swords afterward, he wasn’t truly enraged. Instead, he watched her with a complicated, confident gaze.

As if to say: “I’ve already seen through you. I know everything.”

Whenever she met that gaze, Xu Nuo felt a jolt, as if shocked from afar.

007 mimicked a romantic tone: [That’s the electromagnetic wave of love~]

“No, it feels more like a lightning strike,” Xu Nuo replied.

The old butler was pleased by the change in their young master’s attitude, convinced that feelings grew with time. Miss Xu wasn’t as uncouth as Young Master Sheng claimed; they could get along just fine.

“Vulgar! It’s too vulgar!” Sheng Ming exclaimed. It was the first time he’d seen someone squat and eat like that—the posture, the way she ate, utterly indecent!

“Oh dear, why am I vulgar again?” Xu Nuo squatted with her shaved ice, a small fan at her feet, enjoying the cool.

“It’s filthy,” Sheng Ming said. All that dirt and dust, and the fan blowing on her—he couldn’t imagine how contaminated that shaved ice was.

“I’m just an ordinary person—I can’t be so particular,” Xu Nuo said. If the young master had a cleanliness obsession, he shouldn’t make things hard for her.

“You’re my person now, and I forbid it,” Sheng Ming said.

“Pfft—” Xu Nuo nearly spat out her ice, glancing at Sheng Ming, who looked perfectly natural, seemingly unaware of the impact of his words.

007 waited expectantly: [Affection score, affection score, affection score…]

Normally, this would be when the score soared!

But nothing happened.

Xu Nuo and Sheng Ming began a new round of bickering, with no change to the affection score.

007 was incredulous: [How can this be? Didn’t he just say you’re his?]

“Men’s words mean nothing,” Xu Nuo said, unsurprised.

007 sighed: [This target is tough—no wonder he was saved for last.]

With her expert feigned ignorance, Xu Nuo successfully infuriated Sheng Ming and returned to her fan and shaved ice.

“Miss Xu,” the old butler, ever the peacemaker, came to mediate after their argument. “The young master truly means no harm—he’s only concerned for you.”

“Oh? Is this what concern looks like?” Xu Nuo asked.

“Contact with dirt and bacteria can easily make you ill,” the butler said.

Xu Nuo didn’t care. “People aren’t that fragile. I rolled in the mud as a kid and was just fine.”

They were speaking at cross purposes; the butler had rarely succeeded in resolving their disputes.

“Miss Xu, there’s news of your brother,” the butler shifted the topic.

“My brother? Where is he now?”

As expected, Miss Xu reacted strongly.

“Yesterday, he was spotted near the old central park, but our people couldn’t catch up with him,” the butler said.

“That’s great! I knew he was fine!” Xu Nuo was glad, though a little disappointed. “But why hasn’t he come to find me?”

“Perhaps he’s lost his way. The bombardment was so intense that remembering directions would be difficult,” the butler consoled.

“Mm, probably,” Xu Nuo replied, playing the part of a hopeful but naïve sister while chatting with her system.

007: [I thought you’d forgotten about your other targets.]

“Of course not. Am I the type to abandon someone after maxing their affection?” Xu Nuo retorted.

007 was skeptical: [Aren’t you?]

Her brother’s appearance gave Xu Nuo an excuse to go out. The butler thoughtfully arranged for her to join an expedition team.

The military’s permission for the Sheng family to enter the city wasn’t just for collecting museum artifacts—they were also to assist in providing post-war data. For the powerful Sheng family, this was no trouble, just a few extra days. Having their young master personally oversee it was a bit much.

“Why are you coming along?” Xu Nuo asked.

“Can’t I?” Sheng Ming replied imperiously.

“Whatever, just don’t follow me around.” Xu Nuo ran off, annoyed.

“I’m not following you,” Sheng Ming insisted, but his gaze lingered on her back. He couldn’t explain why he’d come himself—maybe cabin fever, or curiosity. It definitely wasn’t that he’d heard about Xu Nuo’s brother and was worried she’d run off with him.

After the bombardment, traces of life were rare in the city, making any sign stand out. Xu Nuo found signs of her brother—footprints, scorched earth, and food scraps.

“Did you find him?” Sheng Ming suddenly appeared.

“No! Are you trying to scare me to death?” Xu Nuo snapped.

“I just wanted to see if the fire ability user could be recruited,” Sheng Ming said.

“Dream on! My brother would never listen to you. We’re family—we won’t be separated.”

“Oh?” Sheng Ming caught a key point. “So you don’t plan to stay with me?”

“Why would I? To be scolded every day?” Xu Nuo shot back.

Who’s making whom angry here? This woman was far more infuriating in conversation. He couldn’t exchange two sentences without losing his composure, a blow to his dignity.

“I’m going to find my brother. Don’t follow me!” Xu Nuo ran off in a huff.

007 congratulated her: [But what will you do if you run into your other targets?]

Juggling three men was no easy feat. 007 had seen many hosts, and most would only pursue one or two targets per game; going for all was extremely difficult. Once you started pursuing a target, you couldn’t stop—success was necessary to clear the game, and failure meant losing everything.

007 explained the risks, earnestly cautioning its host.

“Hmm?” Xu Nuo caught something odd. “Once I start pursuing someone, I can’t stop? But when I first met Sheng Ming, didn’t you say I could quickly complete the task review?”

007 sounded guilty: [Did I? You must be mistaken. That was before you met Sheng Ming, and what I said wasn’t the same as what you’re saying now.]

Xu Nuo’s tone was all suspicion. “Really?”

007 trembled, relieved when Xu Nuo dropped the issue.

It made a silent vow—never again would it cheat the system, no matter what. If the main brain found out, it’d be finished.

Was Xu Nuo really looking for her brother?

Of course not.

After pretending to search for a while, she managed to get separated from her group.

007 asked, naively: [Host, how did you get lost?]

“Um, I just walked too far,” Xu Nuo replied.

Sheng Ming was the first to notice her absence. “Where is she? Where did she go?”

“You mean Miss Xu? She was just here—how did she disappear so quickly?”

After asking around, Sheng Ming was sure she’d run off.

“Damn it. Up to her tricks again?”

.

Xu Nuo sat atop a pile of rubble, hoping someone would find her soon.

“Xu Nuo.”

Sure enough, someone came quickly.

“Oh, it’s you, Young Master Sheng,” Xu Nuo said.

Sheng Ming’s tone was cold. “Shall I drag you down, or will you come down yourself?”

“I have legs—I’ll walk down myself,” Xu Nuo replied, calmly climbing down.

“Come back with me,” Sheng Ming said, gripping her wrist with authority.

Caught off guard, Xu Nuo was dragged along like a doll.

“What are you doing? Let me go!” She struggled, but couldn’t break free. She was annoyed—her strength was no match for Sheng Ming’s.

Sheng Ming dragged her back, growing angrier and more impatient with every struggle.

“That’s enough. The game’s over—this should satisfy you, right?” He let go of her wrist.

“Satisfy me? What are you talking about?” Xu Nuo asked, rubbing her aching wrist.

“Isn’t this what you wanted? Pretending to get lost so I’d come looking for you myself?”

Xu Nuo was dumbfounded. “…Huh?”