Chapter 28

Shi Ye was awakened by a strange "beep beep" sound.

No, to be precise, the sound didn't come from her ears, but rather rang directly in her head. The frequency was steady, the rhythm mechanical, like a stuck microwave oven.

She struggled to roll over on the sofa, too lazy to even open her eyes. "System," she muttered to herself, "have you been infected with a virus? Or have you finally decided to self-destruct?"

The beeping stopped. In its place came an even stranger sound—somewhat like an electronic synthesized sound, but mixed with some kind of unstable electrical noise, a crackling sound.

"Host... can you... can you hear me...?"

Shi Ye frowned. Why did this voice sound like an old radio with a bad signal? "Who are you? Where's 007? Was it finally formatted because of its poor performance?"

"I...I am 007..." The voice was broken and accompanied by strange popping sounds, "System...The system has encountered an unknown error...Some functions...are malfunctioning...Attempting...self-repair..."

Shi Ye finally opened her eyes. The living room was pitch black, with only a few rays of light coming in from the window. She stared at the ceiling, the last vestiges of sleepiness in her mind being jumbled up by this inexplicable "malfunction report."

"So you're a broken system now?" she tried to think to herself. "Can I still check my mission progress today? Has Qi Jin's affection for Lin Xiaoyu increased? To be honest, if you can just reset it to zero, I'll treat you to fried chicken."

"Data...data retrieval in progress..." The system buzzed for a while, "Qi Jin...favorability towards Lin Xiaoyu...51/100...no change...Lin Xiaoyu's favorability towards Qi Jin...50/100...no change...Qi Jin's favorability towards the host...90/100...no change..."

Shi Ye rolled his eyes. "Fine, what a disappointment. So what exactly is wrong with you? Besides your voice sounding like cheap horror movie special effects, is there anything else wrong?"

"Emotion simulation module... some parameters overflowed..." The system's voice suddenly became clearer, but the tone was a bit strange, as if it was suppressing a laugh, "Generating... error report..."

“Just generate it, no need to read it to me…” Before Shi Ye could finish speaking, a sudden “buzz” went through his mind.

Immediately afterwards, she felt a blur before her eyes.

It wasn't a physical illusion, but rather... a bunch of semi-transparent, colorful bullet comments suddenly popped up in my field of vision.

Yes, bullet comments.

[High-energy warning ahead!!!]

[The host has finally realized the system is broken, hahaha!]

[President Qi's favorability rating is 90%! Sisters, type "deep affection" in the chat!]

Who does Lin Xiaoyu actually like? I'm so anxious!

Is a system glitch about to trigger a hidden storyline?

I bet five cents something big is about to happen.

[Shi Ye, wake up! Stop sleeping! Get up and do the mission!]

Shi Ye stared at the words floating across the ceiling, completely frozen. She blinked; the comments were still there. She closed her eyes tightly and opened them again; not only were the comments still there, but several new ones had appeared.

[The host is attempting to disable the bullet comment function.]

[Failed to close hhhh]

[System: Didn't expect that, did you? I had this trick up my sleeve.]

I give this move a perfect score.

“…System,” Shi Ye’s voice was a little unsteady, “can you explain what…what are these things in front of me?”

“System error… The emotion simulation module has… an unexpected interaction with the external observation data stream…” The system’s electronic voice regained its composure, but it clearly carried a sense of resignation, as if saying, “I can’t do anything about it.” “Simply put… the host can now see… a portion of the world’s underlying comment data.”

“Comment data?” Shi Ye sat up, staring at a comment that had just floated in front of her—【Shi Ye’s pajamas are so cute! So fluffy!】 She looked down at the pajamas she was wearing with a cartoon cat head printed on them and fell silent.

"It's... reader feedback," the system added. "Normally, this data isn't available to the host, but given the current module's disorder..."

"So now I'm like a reality TV actor, with viewers constantly criticizing me?" Shi Ye sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Can you turn it off? Or at least put it on silent mode?"

"Attempting to close... Closing failed. Error code: 2333."

Shi Ye: "..." Is this error code mocking her?

She sighed resignedly and stood up to get a glass of water. As soon as she reached the kitchen, the live stream chat exploded with comments.

[Late-night kitchen drama!]

[Following the usual pattern, President Qi should appear next.]

[Qi Jin: I heard someone misses me?]

No, no, not following the script, it's Jiang Chen's turn to offer help now.

I bet a spicy snack that Lin Xiaoyu will come back to fight.

Will the system malfunction attract other characters?

Shi Ye ignored these nonsensical predictions, opened the refrigerator, and took out some ice water. She took a sip; the cool sensation slightly suppressed the sense of absurdity in her heart. She leaned against the counter, watching the continuously refreshing barrage of comments.

[The host seems to have accepted reality.]

That's impressive mental fortitude.

[After all, he's a transmigrated office worker; he's seen it all.]

So what should we do about this mission? It's urgent!

Why weren't you moved by Qi Jin's good looks?

[Upstairs, she's sick, literally.]

“System,” Shi Ye slowly sipped his water, “do these ‘comments’... contain any spoilers? Like, who does Lin Xiaoyu actually like? Or will my mission ultimately succeed?”

“Theoretically, yes,” the system replied. “However, the observed data stream undergoes multiple filters, and key information is usually masked or obscured. Moreover… what the host is seeing now is only a very small portion of the real-time comments, which cannot constitute a complete information chain.”

"In other words, I can only watch the show; it's completely useless," Shi Ye concluded.

"That's one way to understand it."

Shi Ye put down his water glass and prepared to return to the living room. As he turned, he caught a glimpse of a rapidly flashing comment: [Warning! Abnormal data fluctuation detected! Qin Ming's storyline may trigger ahead of schedule!]

She paused in her steps.

Qin Ming? That Qin family relative who poisoned her mother and sent people to threaten her? What does this comment mean? Abnormal data fluctuation? Premature trigger?

“System,” she asked immediately, “is there any activity on Qin Ming’s line?”

"Data retrieval in progress... Qin Ming's current status: Due to severe losses from commercial attacks, there are currently no abnormal actions. However, the system has detected... instability in the world's underlying data, which may affect the timing of some plot points."

Shi Ye frowned. Instability? Was it a system malfunction, or something else?

She returned to the living room and sat down on the sofa again. The comments were still scrolling by, mostly jokes, with the occasional one that seemed to contain some information.

I heard that Qin Ming turned evil later in the original novel.

[This world timeline has changed and may not follow the original story.]

But the general direction should remain the same, right?

Didn't Qi Jin make Qin Ming suffer a lot?

It's just a business attack, nothing life-threatening.

Don't you know the saying, "A cornered dog will jump over the wall"?

Shi Ye stared at the fragmented information, trying to piece something together. Could Qin Ming be desperate and resort to desperate measures? Could the timeline be brought forward? And what about Qi Jin…?

She suddenly recalled Qi Jin's expression when he left tonight. Calm, but with a crack deep in his eyes.

If Qin Ming really intends to retaliate, will Qi Jin be his target? Or will it be her?

[The host is thinking about Qi Jin!]

She's worried about President Qi!

Does this count as subconscious feelings?

[It's just a physiological reaction, don't get agitated.]

But at least I'll be worried!

Worrying doesn't equal liking; let's have a rational discussion.

Shi Ye was getting a little annoyed by these real-time complaints. "System, can you make these things less annoying? At least don't block my view."

"Adjusting transparency... Adjustment complete."

The barrage of comments faded slightly, turning into a translucent light gray that barely affected visibility unless you looked closely. Shi Ye breathed a sigh of relief, leaned back on the sofa, and stared into the dimly lit living room.

My mind is a jumbled mess. The mission, Qi Jin, Lin Xiaoyu, Qin Ming, and these inexplicable bullet comments... everything is like a tangled ball of yarn, with no end in sight.

“System,” she suddenly asked, “if the mission fails, will the world really collapse? What do you mean by collapse? Like a game save file being corrupted? Everyone’s data being wiped out?”

The system remained silent for a few seconds.

"According to the initial agreement, mission failure will exacerbate the disruption of the world line, potentially leading to the collapse of the underlying logic. The specific manifestations... are unknown. It could be a complete reset, data corruption for some characters, or even..."

What is it?

"Insufficient host privileges; unable to obtain more information."

Shi Ye twitched the corner of his mouth. "Alright, classic answer."

She closed her eyes, trying to block out the light gray bullet comments still hovering at the edges. But the voice in her head became clearer—not the system voice, but her own thoughts.

Qi Jin said he would wait for her, no matter how long it took.

Lin Xiaoyu said not to push Qi Jin too far away.

The comments section said Qin Ming might resort to desperate measures.

Her task was to push Qi Jin towards Lin Xiaoyu.

What kind of nonsense is this?

“System,” she asked with her eyes closed, “you said the emotion simulation module is malfunctioning, what about the other functions? For example… forced task execution? If I don’t advance Qi Jin and Lin Xiaoyu’s storyline, will you shock me? Or deduct my health points?”

"This system is a plot correction system, not a punishment system." The electronic voice seemed to be a little speechless. "Its main function is to guide and assist. If the host refuses to cooperate, the system can only exert pressure through the task deadline and has no direct punishment authority."

"In other words, as long as I'm thick-skinned enough and can withstand the psychological pressure of 'the world might collapse,' you can't really do anything to me?"

"Theoretically... yes."

Shi Ye opened his eyes and looked at a barrage of text slowly floating across the ceiling: [System: This host is too difficult to manage].

She actually felt like laughing.

“So,” she sat up straight, her tone slightly probing, “if I said right now, ‘I’m quitting, whoever wants to do this task can do it,’ what would you do?”

The system remained silent for a longer period.

"The system will report the anomaly and request higher-level intervention. However, given its current malfunction, the reporting channel... may be blocked. In short, the host is currently in a 'regulatory vacuum'."

Shi Ye's eyes lit up.

A lull in service? Does that mean no one is taking care of things?

"So I can do whatever I want during this time? For example..." Her mind raced, "For example, I can go directly to Qi Jin and tell her the whole truth? Say that I'm from another time, that I have a system, and that my mission is to bring her and Lin Xiaoyu together?"

“Theoretically feasible.” The system paused, “but please note: revealing the system’s existence may still trigger underlying protocols, leading to the risk of consciousness erasure. This risk does not disappear due to system malfunction.”

The glimmer of hope was extinguished again. Shi Ye slumped his shoulders. "Fine, I still can't say."

She slumped back onto the sofa. The comments were still scrolling by tirelessly, but the content had now turned into various speculations and memes.

[Was the host just trying to give up?]

[System: Didn't expect that, did you? I also have an elimination agreement.]

This system seems to be like an anti-addiction system.

So what should I do?! I'm so anxious!

I suspect an unexpected event will propel the plot forward.

[For example, Qin Ming suddenly showing up at our door?]

[Or perhaps Lin Xiaoyu's crush has appeared?]

[Did President Qi get drunk all night and then something bad happened?]

This last comment made Shi Ye's heart tighten. Qi Jin...drowning his eyes out? Would he? The Qi Jin who was always calm and composed?

She grabbed her phone and opened Qi Jin's chat window. The last message was still from Qi Jin, "Get some rest," sent two hours earlier.

Her fingers hovered over the keyboard, wanting to type, but she didn't know what to say.

Asking "Are you alright?" Of course I am!

Asking "Where are you?" is going too far.

Asking "Want to talk?" She just pushed me away, and now she's taking the initiative to contact me again. What kind of behavior is that?

She ultimately didn't send anything and tossed her phone back onto the sofa.

A comment appeared at the right time: [The host wants to find President Qi but doesn't dare to].

Shi Ye glared at the comment, though he knew it was useless.

She lay back down, staring at the ceiling. The medication was still working, and drowsiness washed over her again. The bullet screen in front of her grew increasingly blurry, the words leaving long, trailing shadows.

Before she fell completely asleep, one last clear thought flashed through her mind:

tomorrow.

I need to do something tomorrow.

We can't just passively wait for the mission to expire, for the world to collapse, for Qi Jin... for Qi Jin to really go far away.

We need to do something.

Even if it's just a small step.

Then she fell asleep.

This time, the bullet comments still floated on the edge of the dream, like an absurd electronic rain.

Meanwhile, the fault report for system 007 is still being generated.

Error code: Unknown.

Impact of the error: Spreading continuously.

Recommended action: Wait for the host to resolve the issue on its own.

—Report generated successfully, but failed to send and has been stored in the cache.