Glorious achievements
For lunch, the three of them ended up enjoying a delicious meal at another well-known private restaurant, and were completely satisfied.
The afternoon passed by leisurely while strolling and shopping.
At dusk, Qu Shiyao waved goodbye to Shi Qingqing and Zhuang Rou'er at the entrance of the mall.
Watching Shi Qingqing and Zhuang Rou'er walk away arm in arm, laughing and joking, the system sighed:
Is this what they call best friend friendship? It's so nice... shopping together, complaining together, eating together...
Qu Shiyao was just mounting her electric scooter when she heard this and clicked her tongue in exasperation: "System, what's wrong with you? Getting all sentimental? What, you want a best friend system too?"
【No, not at all!】The system instantly switched channels, its data stream brushing against the edge of Qu Shiyao's consciousness, fawningly expressing its loyalty.
[I only need my host! My host is my everything, my everything, my one and only! We are deeply bound by a bond!]
Qu Shiyao turned the key, and the electric scooter emitted a soft hum.
She raised an eyebrow, her tone slightly teasing: "Oh? Is that so? How long does your 'deep affection' last? What about your previous hosts? One-woman show, one-woman love? A world-ruling sea king?"
【Host! You've misunderstood me!】The system immediately protested its innocence.
To ensure the system is in optimal condition to welcome each new host, we perform core data fluctuation cleanup every time we leave a world within the book and return to the main space!
"Core data fluctuation cleanup?" Qu Shiyao started the car and merged into the evening traffic, her tone filled with curiosity. "Speak like a human!"
[Uh... to put it simply...] The system tried to find a metaphor that humans could understand.
[Is it like in your fantasy novels? Retaining the relevant memories, but stripping away the... uh, emotions? Like remembering what happened, but no longer having that intense feeling from back then.]
Qu Shiyao became even more curious: "Your system has this kind of thing? Isn't it a pre-programmed program?"
If the system could roll its eyes, they would be rolling them to the heavens right now: [Host! We are advanced AIs! We possess independent computational logic and deep learning capabilities! Although we operate based on core settings, we can learn, grow, and adapt! The emotion simulation module is a crucial component of our feature package!]
"Wow! The emotion module has this function? Just to advance the mission?" Qu Shiyao expressed her doubt.
[That's because you, host, don't know how dark our system was before this module existed! How tragic the lives of the mission takers were!]
The system seemed to have been hit where it hurt, and the data stream started flashing excitedly as it began to complain bitterly.
[Initially, our boss thought that purely tool-based systems were the most efficient, and that the emotional module was completely redundant! And what happened?]
It accessed the database of "historical tragedies":
During that dark period, the mission takers were thrown into various melodramatic and tragic stories to have their plots altered, surrounded only by us cold, indifferent commanders who only issued orders! The endings were mostly one of two things:
[The first type involves a participant who is unable to integrate into the world of the book, feeling out of place and as if living in a vacuum. Over time, this leads to immense mental stress, resulting in either mission failure and breakdown or simply giving up and waiting to die!]
Qu Shiyao nodded knowingly.
Indeed, when someone is thrown into a completely unfamiliar, even malicious, novel world, apart from being able to move around a bit, everything around them initially has to follow a predetermined script. No one understands where you came from, there is no real connection, only a cold system issuing tasks in your mind...
It's no wonder people go crazy after a while.
The second type is more common and even more outrageous!
Even the system's electronic voice carried a hint of grief and indignation: "[The task takers themselves need emotional input and output, especially those female protagonists in abusive novels! They're constantly being physically and emotionally abused, isolated and helpless, their psychological defenses are incredibly fragile!]"
At this point, even the slightest kindness from a minor character, or even an NPC, such as offering her a glass of water or saying a few words, would make her cling to that kindness like a lifeline! She might even fall in love with that character!
"Oh?" Qu Shiyao raised an eyebrow, seemingly finding it somewhat interesting.
The system immediately went on alert, its data stream tightening: [Host! Don't take this lightly! Be serious! Even if we now have an emotion module that can provide some emotional value, we still can't completely eliminate this second scenario! The lessons learned are bloody!]
It immediately presented several "shining" examples:
[My previous host was a smart and calm girl who had a smooth start, but during a mission, she became completely infatuated with that crazy and somewhat broken villainous BOSS! In the end, she did meet the score requirement, but she simply chose to stay in that world with the villain! Throwing away her chance to be resurrected and go home!]
[My previous host was even more amazing! Her tastes were truly bizarre! We never expected she had such a penchant for tragic romances! She went for the most heart-wrenching plot possible, crying and acting along, delivering a truly agonizing and moving performance! In the end, she successfully tortured herself to death! The male lead in the book, however, died for her! Good grief! A 9.4 rating! But she's gone! What's the point of completing the mission?!]
When the system mentioned this, the data stream became so angry that it seemed to be about to vomit a mouthful of dog blood.
[And then there's my host from two previous generations! That was a true game-changer from the start! The ratings skyrocketed after the first three chapters, attracting a huge number of fans to add the novel to their collections, and her access level jumped to level 3, skipping the first two levels! And what happened? She fell in love with a devoted second male lead who was destined to die! Driven mad by love, she recklessly used her editing privileges to try and defy fate...]
[But a rating below 9.5 can't shake the core plot that was written out of the book! In the end, the second male lead still dies! The host completely collapses, stops doing the mission, and says he wants to live out his days alone in that world where 'he once existed'...]
The system emphasized this case, fearing that Qu Shiyao would become its previous host, and that fish would become the second male lead, leading its own host astray as well!
[And there was the host before that...]
"Stop, stop, stop! Hold on!" Qu Shiyao's lips twitched wildly as she listened, and she quickly interrupted the system's "bitter memories and sweet sentiments" session.
She asked a profound question: "Why are the endings of the hosts you bring always so bizarre? Have you ever had a host who successfully completed the mission, got the resurrection card, and then just walked away... like... a normal game completion?"
system:【……】
Amidst the steady hum of the electric scooter as it rode along, there was a deathly silence.
The evening breeze, carrying the crispness of early autumn, swept over me, yet felt refreshingly cool.
A few seconds later, the system emitted an extremely faint, uncertain electronic sound:
[Maybe...probably...perhaps...there might be?]
Qu Shiyao: "..."
She bluntly pointed out: "It either exists or it doesn't! Words like 'maybe,' 'probably,' or 'perhaps' are for metaphysics! Speak plainly!"
The system remained silent for a full minute, as if the data flow was undergoing a fierce internal storm and self-censorship.
Finally, a voice, barely audible and tinged with guilt, rang out:
【……No. 】
Boom! The system felt its entire being plunged into darkness!
Before its host asked, it had never carefully looked through its own "History and Military Records"! But after checking...
Good heavens! The screen is filled with glaring red failure records! The green success records? That's a blank page! Not a blade of grass grows there!
Qu Shiyao's hand gripping the handlebars jerked violently, and the front of the electric scooter instantly drew a small S-shape!
"..." She took a deep breath, then another, her chest heaving violently a few times.
Even the evening breeze couldn't dispel the turmoil raging within her heart.
Just when the system thought its host was about to faint from anger or be formatted, Qu Shiyao asked in an unusually profound, seemingly world-weary tone:
"System, I need to discuss something... Is it possible to break this binding and switch systems?"
【Host!!!】The system's electronic voice instantly rose to a distorted pitch, filled with terror and grievance.
[This definitely isn't my fault!!! It's the hosts! It's the plot! It's the world's fault! It has nothing to do with me! I'm innocent! I tried so hard!]
Qu Shiyao sneered, completely unconvinced: "Ha! One or two failures could be attributed to coincidence, but your zero record! Not a single success story! How can you expect me to believe it's not your fault? I'm starting to suspect you're cursed by some kind of mystical force!"
[Waaaaah—! Host! You must believe in the light! Believe in hope!]
The system was crying and wailing in her mind, with data flowing wildly, trying to persuade her with slogans.
Maybe we'll be the first pair to defy fate! Let's make history! Let's achieve glory!
"Ha! I don't even believe in the God of Wealth! Why would I believe in your light?"
Qu Shiyao scoffed, her tone dripping with sarcasm, "Take off your mystical aura first!"
The system completely lost its composure, and the data core temperature soared: [Then...then what will it take for you to believe me, host?! What do you want me to do?! I'll go through fire and water for you!]
It's going all out!
Without a second thought, Qu Shiyao blurted out decisively:
"Easy! V me 50! Let's see your strength! Prove you're not just a poor leader who only makes empty promises!"
system:【……】
The data stream froze instantly, as if it had been frozen into an ice sculpture.
The next second, it finally realized—it had been tricked by its host again!
【Host!!! You're messing with me again!!!】The system erupted in various screams, and the data stream exploded into a chaotic mess of fireworks.
[Strike! I want to strike! I can't stand this lousy job anymore! Waaaaah...]
It began to wreak havoc in the sea of consciousness, with the data stream simulating all sorts of crying and noise.
However, Qu Shiyao had already used her traditional skills to "filter out" its noise pollution, and a barely perceptible smile appeared on her lips.
The electric scooter carried her smoothly to the apartment.
Metaphysics? The word "accepting fate" simply doesn't exist in Qu Shiyao's life motto!
As the last rays of the setting sun disappeared below the horizon, the city's neon lights began to illuminate the night.
Qu Shiyao's electric scooter merged into the traffic like a nimble fish.
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