Chapter 25
The master bedroom of the Jiang family villa was softly lit.
Jiang Minghua emerged from the bathroom wearing a silk robe, her hair still damp. She leaned against the soft couch by the French windows, gazing at the night view outside.
[Are you forcing Liu Qingya and Wen Chuqing to grow up today?] The system's plus sign sounded in my mind.
Jiang Minghua picked up the warm milk beside her and nodded gently:
It's better to rely on yourself than on others.
She took a sip of milk. "It's a pity Qin Shuyi didn't come today. Did I disrupt the plot and make things difficult for you?"
The plus sign flickered rapidly a few times:
【No problem at all. Do what you want to do, I'll take care of everything. Besides, I also enjoy the parts about female growth in novels.】
Just then, her phone screen lit up with a message from Han Yun Chu, inviting her to the amusement park the next day. Jiang Minghua frowned slightly. Han Yun Chu's behavior had indeed been unusual lately; not only had he been contacting her frequently, but even his manner of speaking had become deliberate. In the original novel, he clearly liked Wen Chu Qing, but now he seemed to be focusing all his attention on her.
The plus sign emitted a mocking electronic voice: "I bet he's pursuing you."
Jiang Minghua: [Don't you think he's been too attentive lately? Every time we meet, it's like he's rushing to complete a task.]
After saying this, Jiang Minghua and Jiahao both fell silent.
The mechanical voice of the plus sign turned serious: "Go tomorrow and try to probe him a bit."
Jiang Minghua finished the rest of the milk in one gulp: 【Okay.】
The amusement park was filled with laughter on the weekend. The colorful carousel turned slowly, screams came from the roller coaster, and the air was filled with the sweet smell of cotton candy.
Han Yunchu was waiting at the entrance early, holding a Pikachu and a Kirby-shaped helium balloon, glancing around every now and then. When he heard Jiang Minghua's voice, he immediately turned around with a bright smile: "Huahua, you're here..."
Before he could finish speaking, he fell silent upon seeing the two people behind Jiang Minghua.
Jiang Minghua was wearing a high-end custom-made white dress, while behind her followed Xie Yan, who was pale-faced, and Xie Mo, who was tightly holding onto his brother's clothes.
"I brought them here. Xie Yan and the others had never been to an amusement park before, so I brought them along."
Jiang Minghua explained naturally, then took the Kirby balloon from Han Yunchu and handed it to Xie Mo, whose eyes were shining.
Han Yun Chu forced a smile, but his gaze involuntarily fell on Jiang Ming Hua and Xie Yan's clasped hands. Of course, Xie Yan's other hand was holding his younger brother Xie Mo's hand. The three of them looked like a family, with him being the only outsider.
On the way to the first amusement park ride, Han Yun Chu finally couldn't resist and grabbed Jiang Ming Hua's wrist:
"Huahua, let's go ride the roller coaster, or we'll have to wait in a long line!" He said, pulling her forward and deliberately leaving Xie Yan and his brother behind.
Jiang Minghua stumbled as he pulled her, glancing back at Xie Yan who was silently following behind. He had his head down, his pink bangs obscuring his eyes, and he didn't seem as happy as when he first learned they were going to the amusement park.
[Why is Xie Yan unhappy? Even my favorite pink looks pale.] Jiang Minghua muttered to herself.
Han Yunchu overheard this. He paused, turned around suspiciously to look at Xie Yan's pink hair. Was Jiang Minghua being nice to him because of his pink hair?
After riding the roller coaster, Han Yun Chu suddenly stopped and said, "Hua Hua, I have something to take care of. You guys go ahead and ride."
After saying that, he left in a hurry and turned into a barbershop outside the amusement park.
Jiang Minghua watched his hurried departure. What was going on? She hadn't even tested him yet, and he had already left.
So he turned to Xie Yan and said, "Since he's gone, let's go too."
As soon as she finished speaking, Xie Mo ran over and tugged at her arm, then pointed to the aquarium not far away, his eyes sparkling as he looked at Jiang Minghua.
Jiang Minghua: ...
The aquarium was bathed in a soft blue light. Xie Yan stood before a massive glass wall, inside which several sharks swam. Suddenly, he said softly:
"They're arguing."
"What?" Jiang Minghua asked in confusion.
Xie Yan pointed to an exceptionally large shark: "It's warning the other sharks that this is its territory." He then pointed to another, slightly smaller shark: "It's complaining that it wasn't fed enough today."
Jiang Minghua: ...
How come she didn't realize before that this villain actually had a childlike heart and imagination?
As evening fell, while they were resting by the fountain in the amusement park, a familiar voice rang out:
"Huahua, I'm back."
Jiang Minghua looked up, and in the afterglow of the setting sun, Han Yunchu, sporting a brand-new head of short pink hair, smiled with extraordinary arrogance. The peach-pink strands of hair shimmered softly in the setting sun, creating a wonderful contrast with his wheat-colored skin.
"No, why did you dye your hair? And you asked me to come to the amusement park today, and then you abandoned me halfway there just to dye your hair?"
Jiang Minghua thought to herself ruthlessly, "Is this guy crazy?"
Han Yunchu was once again speechless at Jiang Minghua's retort, and unwillingly pointed to herself, asking, "Isn't my pink color pretty?"
"Tacky."
Those two simple words nearly drove Han Yun Chu crazy.
"Then his pink looks good?"
Jiang Minghua nodded: "Yes, I like his pink hair."
Xie Yan paused, raising his eyes in disbelief.
His hair turned out this way during an experiment, and he couldn't dye it back. The Xie family called him a monster, but only Jiang Minghua said his hair looked good and that she liked it.
Xie Yan touched his hair with his long, slender fingers, and his pale face gained a bit more life.
On the way back, Han Yun Chu kept pestering Jiang Ming Hua, still unwilling to give up and let her see his pink hair again. His peach-pink hair looked vibrant in the twilight, and he smiled brightly, gesturing wildly as if trying to make her happy.
Xie Yan followed quietly behind, his oversized black coat making him appear even thinner. He watched Han Yun Shen so close to Jiang Ming Hua, saw the untroubled smile on his face, and listened to his clear yet boisterous voice.
For the first time, he felt the desire that it would be better if he were the one by Jiang Minghua's side.
Xie Yan's hands, hanging by his sides, slowly tightened, his nails digging deep into his palms, bringing a sharp, stinging pain. This pain brought a strange sense of calm to his chaotic and frantic heart.
That person is so superfluous; it would be great if he could just disappear.
Jiang Minghua grew impatient with his persistence. Remembering what Jiang Mingjia had told her, she stared at his pink hair and softly praised him:
"Hmm, it looks nice, so your system is telling you that I like pink?"
Before Han Yun Chu could even feel happy about Jiang Ming Hua's compliment on his good looks, Jiang Ming Hua's next words froze him in place.
Jiang Minghua's observation of Han Yunchu's reaction confirmed that he did indeed have a systematic guess.
She took a step forward, her eyes as cold as knives in the twilight, her voice low but clear:
"I don't care what instructions the system behind you gives you, or what benefits it promises you."
"Remember, don't get in my way."
A cool breeze ruffled her long, loose hair, and her eyes shone brightly in the deepening night.
"No one can stop me from doing what I'm going to do! Including you and your system."
Jiang Minghua told the system plus sign about Han Yun Chu having a system. The plus sign's current fluctuated and it immediately guessed who Han Yun Chu's system was and who was behind it. However, it was not worried because 00X would help it. It seemed that the higher-ups of the Transmigration Bureau were not as stupid as they had imagined.
Next, she plans to continue using OOX to find out the operating rules of the entire Transmigration Bureau, so that she can strike a fatal blow.
Inside the Book Bureau, countless streams of dark blue data surged ceaselessly, and trillions of kilocurrents raced through the void, trailing brilliant yet chilling trails of light, magnificent yet exuding an ultimate sense of order.
The system plus sign then reverted to Jiang Mingjia's appearance, her eyes brimming with tears, as she suddenly threw herself into 00X's arms.
“I know what you did for me, thank you. But you also know I'm new and I'm bound to make mistakes. Ex, can you tell me what the rules are here? My bottom line is only Minghua. Tell me, and I will abide by them.”
She looked up, her eyes filled with dependence and pleading.
00X stood motionless, letting her hug him. He was still wearing his silver-gray uniform, the top button of which was meticulously fastened, exuding an aura of asceticism. His beautiful silver eyes were lowered, revealing no emotion.
"Sorry, plus sign. This is top secret."
However, the steady and strong arms that encircled her revealed something beyond the system's logic.
"But I will protect you."
Jiang Mingjia's eyes flashed. She didn't ask any more questions, but instead did something bold that far exceeded the conventional system interaction mode: she stood on tiptoe and pressed her soft lips to 00X's always tightly pursed thin lips.
"Buzz—!"
The moment their lips touched, the entire torrent of data in the Transcendent Bureau boiled over! The originally flowing, dark blue light trails suddenly brightened, becoming dazzling and chaotic. Countless information nodes emitted overload warning lights, and all parallel data processing experienced subtle delays and stutters.
After the kiss, Jiang Mingjia quickly lowered her head, a shy blush appearing on her cheeks.
"So... you still won't tell me?"
At this moment, 00X's data silver eyes fluctuated violently, with internal light flashing rapidly. He remained silent, but suddenly tightened his arms around her, pulling her deeper into his embrace.
He leaned down, no longer just taking a quick bite, but deepening the kiss that shouldn't have been there, with an almost predatory attitude.
Invisible sparks crackled and popped in the air, signaling the system's descent into overload and the snapping of reason.
"Warning! Warning!" The chilling system alarm pierced the tranquility, and the mental pressure from the higher levels of the data link system suddenly descended.
The two tightly intertwined systems were forced to separate. 00X's hand remained on Jiang Mingjia's waist, his forehead pressed against hers. For the first time as a system, he let out rapid, human-like breathing as he tried to calm the violent tremors in his core code.
"Wait for me, wait until I've met with the BOSS and come back, then I'll tell you."
Jiang Mingjia obediently replied, "Okay, I'll wait for you."
As she watched 00X's figure disappear at the end of the data channel, all the warmth, dependence, and shyness on her face vanished instantly. In their place was a cold, indifferent gaze, as if she hadn't been the one moved just moments before.
When 00X returned from the core where the BOSS was located, his simulated figure still maintained its usual upright and stable posture.
However, within the data perspective of the Transcendent Bureau, all advanced systems could see clearly: 00X's core code was tightly bound by dozens of dark, chain-like virus programs, which were slowly and cruelly eroding its foundational code. Each erosion was like a human nerve being torn apart.
Even more shockingly, the light in his left eye, the data silver pupil, had completely gone out. It wasn't just a simple shutdown of the visual sensor; it meant the emotional simulation module and advanced privileges had been completely eradicated. He had gone from a high-level, complete system alongside the BOSS to a discarded, incomplete existence.
He calmly walked toward the plus sign that was waiting for him.
"You're back!" Jiang Mingjia greeted him with the sweetest smile on her face.
00X stopped and stared at her with its only remaining right eye. It recalled what it had seen at the BOSS's place: her face quickly turned cold and indifferent after he left.
"Mm," he replied, his voice so steady that there was no trace of anything amiss.
Plus reached out, wanting to touch him as before, but the moment he touched his uniform, he was gently pushed away.
"Don't touch it," the voice said with a strange detachment. "I'm temporarily equipped with a high-level encryption protocol, which is unstable."
He lied because it wasn't an encryption protocol at all, but a punitive corruption program. Any unauthorized access to the system would trigger a chain reaction, accelerating the collapse of his core code and causing reverse contamination to those who came into contact with it.
Even though he knew she was deceiving him, he still wanted to protect her.
Plus raised an eyebrow slightly, nonchalantly withdrawing his hand and saying:
"Okay. Can you tell me the rules now?"
00X shook his head, "No, the core rules in my code were forcibly disabled by the BOSS, so I can't tell you."
"I see." Jiang Mingjia lowered her head, a hint of resentment flashing across her face. Damn it, she was just one step away. However, there are so many advanced systems in the Transmigration Bureau, she can find another one. Hmm, I heard that OOS has returned from the Infinite Flow script, maybe she can go and flirt with him, no, get to know him.
"So, I'm useless to you, and you're going to go find S?"
Jiang Mingjia looked up in surprise, "What?!" My Sun! How did it guess my thoughts?!
00X pursed his thin lips and pointed at Jiang Mingjia: "Your code told me that."
Tsk, being a system is such a hassle, there's no privacy at all.
"What? You're mistaken." Jiang Mingjia tried to hug him to comfort him as usual, but he avoided her again.
Before she could speak, 00X spoke first:
"I'll crack the forced instructions in my code. Wait for me, and don't go looking for S."
Finally, he paused, and said, seemingly out of jealousy, "He's not as good as me."
00X recalled what the BOSS had told him: Humans are all cunning, adept at exploitation and betrayal.
But so what? Even if he completely collapses in the end, he's still willing to do it for the sake of the plus sign.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
