Chapter Forty-Eight: Is This Cheating?

Xu Nuo’s eyes wandered guiltily. “Uh… well, it’s a bit complicated to explain…”

“Young master!” The servant crouched at the bedside cried out in terror, “There’s someone under the bed! A man!”

Sheng Ming watched in disbelief as another man emerged from beneath Xu Nuo’s bed. The newcomer moved with ease, his expression calm, dressed in the base’s chef uniform. His first glance was for Xu Nuo, completely disregarding Sheng Ming’s existence.

“Heh… well, very well!!” Sheng Ming was so furious he laughed, never expecting Xu Nuo would surprise him so greatly—twice over.

The air was thick with an awkwardness that refused to dissipate.

Sheng Ming drew a deep breath, his face eerily composed. “Is this also your brother?”

Xu Nuo replied, “No, I call him brother.”

“Your actual brother?”

Xu Nuo shook her head honestly. “No.”

Sheng Ming’s suspicious gaze shifted to Lin Qisheng. “Is this your actual younger brother?”

Xu Nuo shook her head again. “Also no.”

The calm on Sheng Ming’s face nearly cracked.

Xu Nuo explained, “We have the same mother but different fathers. My surname is Xu, after my mother, his is Lin, after his father.”

“Young master, please calm yourself, there may be some misunderstanding here…” The old steward arrived late, intending to halt Sheng Ming’s rage, only to find the room unusually silent—dead silent.

“Miss Xu?” The steward wiped his eyes, looked at Xu Nuo, then at the two men flanking her, unable to make sense of the situation or what to say.

“Perfect timing, steward.” Sheng Ming sneered. “We’ve discovered two outsiders trespassing in the base with ill intent, and Miss Xu aiding them secretly. Take them away and arrange for interrogation.”

“But young master, perhaps there’s some misunderstanding…” The steward’s unfinished protest was swallowed under Sheng Ming’s murderous glare.

Anyone could see that Sheng Ming was truly furious this time.

The once pampered Miss Xu, who had repeatedly crossed Sheng Ming’s boundaries yet was always treated with indulgence, was escorted back to the narrow interrogation room, where she was confined for an entire night.

The two men of unclear identity, reportedly Xu Nuo’s “brother and younger brother,” were locked in another interrogation room.

“Why didn’t you run?” Xu Nuo held a communicator, her voice distorted through the wall.

“I said I’d stay to help you.” Lin Qisheng huddled in the corner, using his fingertip flame to burn away spider webs, his tone frustrated and helpless.

Gu Xingze said, “Wherever you are, I am.”

The bullet screen, usually filled with heated arguments, was now in rare harmony, openly declaring the two men fit to be crowned consorts—Gu consort in the Eastern Palace, Lin consort in the Western Palace.

007 felt despair, believing its host might not have a future after all.

This time, the setback was absolute.

Who could tolerate their woman cheating on them—and not just once, but twice? Especially someone as proud as Sheng Ming.

Indeed, Sheng Ming was nearly driven mad with rage.

How could a woman who liked him, who schemed to stay by his side and attract his attention, secretly consort with other men? There was only one possibility—Xu Nuo never loved him…

Had he been played? Completely and utterly?

The old steward tried to counsel him, frowning, “Young master, please calm yourself, let me say a few words…”

“How am I supposed to calm down? I thought, after all, she was different.” Sheng Ming slumped into his office chair, as if all his strength had drained away.

“Perhaps,” the steward hesitated, finally saying, “it really is just a misunderstanding? Miss Xu may not have that kind of relationship with them.”

“Do you take me for a fool?!” Sheng Ming swept the desk clear with a vicious motion.

Meanwhile, 007 relayed Sheng Ming’s reaction to Xu Nuo.

At the same time, Sheng Ming’s affection points toward her were dropping at an alarming rate.

[Sheng Ming, affection points -1… -2… -6]

007: [Host, say something!]

Xu Nuo replied, “Say what? I’m a bit tired now.”

She wore thin clothing, her hair disheveled, the interrogation room cramped and dim, filled with an unpleasant stench. Xu Nuo curled up in the corner, her expression dazed, her beautiful face having lost some of its radiance.

[Heh, Sheng Ming really dares to act out, treating our Emperor Xu this way.]

[Emperor Xu should go out and give him a few punches.]

007, watching, couldn’t help but feel a twinge of sympathy and anger. [This is truly too much!]

[Exactly, forget about wooing him, just beat him up and show him who’s boss.]

“Stop arguing,” Xu Nuo yawned, “let me rest quietly for a bit, will you?”

[How can you sleep right now? There's not even a bed. You should break down the door and slap Sheng Ming hard.]

Xu Nuo said, “It’s not entirely Sheng Ming’s fault that things went wrong this time.”

007: [What?] The host was actually defending Sheng Ming—was she, like Lin Qisheng, a masochist? After a moment’s thought, 007 understood.

This disaster was mostly due to Lin Qisheng and Gu Xingze, the two unexpected guests. After finishing their storylines, they shouldn’t have appeared during Sheng Ming’s arc.

Xu Nuo explained, “Tonight’s developments were beyond my plan—I didn’t prepare properly.” Lin Qisheng and Gu Xingze weren’t supposed to be present.

007 was silent for a moment. [Dear host, based on the current plot analysis, your chance of successfully wooing Sheng Ming is five percent.]

Xu Nuo: “So I’m doomed to fail?”

[Not necessarily, just the odds are high.] 007 sounded disheartened. This was Xu Nuo’s first game world; was it really going to watch its host fail?

Though this host was unreliable, often doing crazy things, ignoring her system, and… well, better not count the flaws—she certainly had plenty.

[Host,] 007 whispered, [I can help you complete the task without wooing Sheng Ming.]

“Hmm?” Xu Nuo raised her brows. “How would you help?”

[It’s hard to explain, but as long as you behave and follow the main plot, you’ll finish the task—leave the rest to me.] 007 puffed out its chest proudly.

Xu Nuo replied with a meaningful “Oh—”, whispering back, “Are you going to cheat?”

[What cheating!] 007 reacted strongly, quickly blocking her words. [I’m not—just making reasonable use of some main system loopholes. Don’t speak nonsense if you don’t understand!]

Xu Nuo nodded solemnly. “I understand.”

At that moment, the door opened, harsh light streaming in from the crack. It turned out morning had already come.

The servant barked rudely, “Why are you still sitting there? The young master wants to see you.”