Chapter 28 He didn't realize he was a...
After having dinner with Lin Siyi, we went home together, and it was already 10 p.m.
Lin Suxing tested the water temperature in the bathtub that the maid had prepared for him, and then turned on the companionship module while taking a bath.
He dared not forget his promise to Niannian.
Unexpectedly, the module interface flashed red light again, just like before!
Should we proceed to the first chapter, "[His Past]," to engage more deeply with Nian Nian's past?
[WARNING! High-risk threat! Danger encountered every year!]
Lin Suxing had no doubts and immediately clicked the "Yes" option.
On the pixel map, next to Li Xinian's little person icon, a pixelated car with a "Glitch!" sign and a constantly popping-up red skull icon appear!
The towering mountains and dense forests in the background appear especially eerie in the dim night.
Lin Suxing even moved her finger around the viewpoint, but couldn't find a single lamp.
Lin Suxing was convinced.
Why are those bad guys so unwilling to let him go, since he's so adorable every year?!
At seventeen, Nian Nian had just begun to show her talent to her grandfather and took over the supervision of some overseas assets.
At this moment, the vehicle, having been tampered with, has broken down and is stranded alone on the desolate mountain road, its danger imminent.
As you reach the bottom of the text, the deep red text options begin to pulsate wildly in the center of the screen:
[①Sound interference] [②Text prompts] [③Environmental obstacles] [Hint: Multiple options can be selected]
Lin Suxing's heart clenched, and he instantly selected [②] and [③]!
*
The night on the winding mountain road was as thick as ink.
The strange noise and white smoke coming from under the hood made the driver, Lao Chen, change his expression drastically. The middle-aged man's hands trembled, as if he had seen something even more terrifying.
"Young Master, I'm going down to take a look." His tone was urgent, quite different from his usual composure. Without waiting for a reply, he hurriedly got out of the car and disappeared into the darkness in front of the car.
The person who will kill you is approaching.
Inside the dimly lit carriage, a line of fluorescent green lettering slowly appeared in the air, like the glow of fireflies by the roadside.
Li Xinian's icy gray eyes instantly froze, all his laziness and weariness vanished, and he abruptly raised his hand to turn off the overhead spotlight that Old Chen had just turned on!
He has been acting ostentatiously in the Li family lately and has gained the favor of his grandfather, so there are quite a few people who want him dead.
The negotiations were held deep in the Alps, at a private luxury estate where the owner was eccentric and easily angered, and did not allow guests to bring too many bodyguards.
He simply went alone, which earned him the appreciation of the manor owner, the old duke, and the negotiations went very smoothly.
Unexpectedly, on the way back after the negotiations, someone couldn't wait to make a move against him.
The man's muscles tensed silently, like a beast entering hunting mode, his fingertips already quietly sliding towards the miniature pistol hidden in his suit pocket.
Several rocks rolled precisely down the slope by the roadside, not scattered randomly, but cleverly blocking the assassin's most convenient attack route, forcing him to pause.
[They're here!]
Li Xinian's heart skipped a beat. Instead of panicking, he took advantage of this excellent opportunity to slip out of the car from the other side like a cheetah and instantly disappeared into the blind spot formed by the car body and the mountain.
He heard the screeching sound of a blade striking the car window, calmly determined the other party's location, and took advantage of the extremely low visibility in the dark to circle around to the rear of the car.
*
The killer icon moved to the other side of the vehicle, while the pixelated figure icon representing Nian Nian also moved to the back of the car, changing its status to "Hidden".
A new option is highlighted:
[① Shake the trees to attract attention] [② Mark the killer's location] [③ Suggest a counterattack route]
After thinking for a moment, Lin Suxing chose [①] and [②].
According to the plot, Nian Nian is a highly skilled professional with advanced combat abilities. After marking the location of the assassin, he is able to plan his own counterattack route.
The purpose of diverting the other party's attention is to buy more time for each year.
Lin Suxing felt increasingly sorry for Niannian.
Being born into such a complicated family and growing up under the malicious gaze of various relatives is already extremely difficult.
Moreover, with the decline of her maternal clan year after year, she became an abandoned child, constantly hampered and having to guard against assassinations from all sides.
Nobody wants Nian Nian to have a good year; they all have the most wicked thoughts... hoping that Nian Nian will die, waiting to divide up everything behind Nian Nian, like vultures devouring the corpse of an infant.
*
In that moment of distraction, a glint flashed in Li Xinian's eyes, as if he had suddenly gained the X-ray vision of an FPS game cheat. At this moment, he could clearly "see" that the assassin's right shoulder joint, which was held by a knife, was precisely marked by a suddenly appearing dark blue halo!
Li Xinian smiled slightly, feeling a sense of pleasure arising from their tacit understanding at such a critical moment.
There seems to be a wonderful understanding between him and "Ghost," allowing them to understand each other without needing to say a word.
Without a word, Li Xinian moved. His figure darted out of the shadows like a ghost, and a precise hand chop, accompanied by the sound of wind cutting through the air, viciously struck the marked shoulder joint!
"Crack!" A sickening sound of bone breaking.
"Ah!" the assassin screamed, the dagger slipping from his hand. His eyes were filled with horror, not only from the sudden, excruciating pain, but also from the opponent's seemingly prescient and deadly strike.
*
The assassin icon shows a "Severely Wounded" status, with its health bar drastically reduced! But it is still active.
Lin Suxing nodded and cheered, "Beautiful! As expected of you, Nian Nian!"
However, just seconds after Lin Suxing spoke, the dim red skull icon instantly split in two, approaching the pixelated figure representing Li Xinian from both the front and back!
[Warning: Multiple enemies are approaching!] The deep red notification made Lin Suxing dizzy.
The two assassins who appeared this time were clearly accomplices of the assassin whose arms had been dislocated by Li Xinian earlier. Seeing that the other side had failed, they immediately surrounded them!
The new options are flashing wildly and are more complicated than before:
【① Terrain Modification: Loosen the rock mass beneath Target A】
[② Sensory interference: Create a sharp buzzing sound near the ear of target B]
【③ Kinetic energy transfer: Adds impact force to Li Xinian's next kick】
Lin Suxing couldn't help but curse out loud: "Damn it! How come there are still so many people! Please let me go, okay? I just want to play with the child every night, why won't you let him go!"
Based on his assessment of the situation, he quickly chose the combination of [①] and [③].
*
As the assassin, positioned in front of Li Xinian, was about to raise his gun, a small section of the solid road beneath his feet suddenly and strangely collapsed! The rolling gravel caused him to stumble, instantly distorting his aim.
[Now! Take care of him!]
Without any markers or guidance, Li Xinian dashed out like an arrow released from a bow.
He instinctively chose a swift side kick, aiming directly at the opponent's exposed rib area due to loss of balance.
Just as his foot was about to touch the target, it was as if a warm current suddenly flowed into his leg, instantly increasing his strength several times over!
"Bang!" The force of this kick far exceeded that of usual. Accompanied by a clear sound of bones cracking, the assassin holding the gun was kicked away and crashed heavily into the rock wall, collapsing to the ground.
The gun in his hand fell into the mud upon impact and fell silent.
*
The assassin with the number A above his head had his health bar instantly reduced to zero! But assassin B had already reacted, raising his gun with an infrared scope and taking aim!
The charging progress bar for "Disruptive Shot" pops up from the top of the pixelated character's head, next to a chibi icon simulating airflow interference.
Lin Suxing's heart tightened, and for a moment she even felt so nervous that she couldn't breathe. She frantically tapped the flashing dot on the left side of the progress bar to charge it up!
This assassination attempt was far more dangerous than the one at Niannian's house, and what terrified Lin Suxing even more was the small warning text in the lower right corner.
[The companion module will be permanently disabled if the main character dies in a story chapter.]
This means that his every move is related to Nian Nian's life and safety!
*
The moment Assassin B pulled the trigger, the bullet shot out at high speed along its trajectory, flying straight toward Li Xinian!
However, just as it was about to enter within one meter of Li Xinian, a strong air surge suddenly rose in the air, causing the bullet to deviate from its trajectory!
"Bang!" The bullet grazed his ear, struck the rocks and sparked, the scorching heat making his skin numb.
"...Thanks."
Li Xinian silently recited the command in his mind, his movements unstoppable. Using the force of his sidestep, he fiercely fired the bullet.
"Ugh!" Assassin B was shot in the chest, blood spurted out instantly, and he lost his fighting ability immediately.
If it is uncertain whether the other party is wearing a bulletproof vest, it is necessary to use methods such as the Mozambique shooting method to finish them off with a shot or a knife.
Suddenly, a gentle breeze swept by, and Li Xinian felt a familiar, slightly cool force instantly envelop his raised dagger, as if a top-notch combat coach was providing support and adjusting the force and angle to the perfect state.
Guided by this force, he attacked again without hesitation!
The knife, carrying immense force, struck precisely at a specific spot on the back of the assassin's neck.
The assassin's body stiffened, and without even uttering a sound, he collapsed limply to the ground, completely losing consciousness.
*
Both red skull icons turned gray with their health bars empty, and the previously flashing red warning signs finally disappeared, leaving only the still dim and silent mountain road made up of small squares.
A "Seamless Cooperation" achievement badge popped up next to Li Xinian's little figure icon and flew into the honor wall in the sidebar.
Lin Suxing let out a long breath, his forehead already beaded with a thin layer of sweat from extreme concentration.
But a strange, proud excitement filled my heart.
He looked at the little figure standing in the pixelated night on the screen, let out a long sigh, and unconsciously smiled.
Although it's a game, the various storylines made him feel... that it was no different from reality.
He tried to banish this absurd thought from his mind and began humming a song while taking a shower.
*
Li Xinian stood amidst the fallen assassins, calming his breathing slightly, the night wind ruffling his sweat-dampened black hair.
The man standing still calmly surveyed his surroundings, confirming there were no further threats. He raised his hand, looking at the sudden increase in strength and speed, a complex emotion surging deep within his grey-blue eyes.
This time, it's no longer a one-sided act of protection.
It's about coordination.
Even more so... side by side.
He whispered to the empty night, his voice hoarse from the intense battle and tinged with barely suppressed excitement:
"It's a pleasure to work with you."
**
In the dead of night, the bedroom on the top floor of the Li family mansion was completely silent. Expensive silk curtains hung low, filtering the moonlight into a hazy silver veil that enveloped the enormous bed in the center of the room.
Li Xinian was nestled deep in the soft down comforter, but his sleeping face was far from peaceful.
His thick, sword-like eyebrows were furrowed, fine beads of cold sweat appeared on his forehead, and his breathing was rapid.
The striking features created by his mixed heritage remained sharp even in his relaxed state of sleep, yet they were veiled by a rare sense of vulnerability, as if gripped by nightmares.
Dreams are like faded old movies, yet they possess a chilling clarity.
He returned once again to his childhood, a time fraught with traps, walking alone in the darkness. Loneliness and pain were common additives to his life. In order to learn the truth about his mother's death and regain power, he was willing to sell his soul to the devil.
The next second, Li Xinian suddenly woke up and sat up abruptly!
In the darkness, his chest heaved violently, and fine beads of cold sweat appeared on his forehead.
Outside the window, a fierce wind, accompanied by torrential rain, violently pounded against the glass, making a rapid "crackling" sound.
The thick night was repeatedly torn apart by lightning like silver snakes, followed by rolling thunder, like a giant beast roaring in the clouds, making people tremble.
The dream had receded like the tide, leaving only the strange feeling of being protected, responded to, and fought side by side, deeply imprinted in his heart like a brand, more unsettling than any vivid nightmare.
He subconsciously raised his hand and touched the arm that had been guided by an invisible force in his dream; his skin seemed to still retain a faint, cool touch.
He did not sell his soul to the devil.
Because an angel, his own personal angel, came to save him from hell.
In the deathly silent bedroom, where only moonlight peered in, a very low chuckle, faintly revealing a hint of pleasure that even he himself was unaware of, escaped from his throat.
"Oh..."
At first, it was just a short burst of laughter, but then, as if breaking free from some kind of restraint, the laughter became slightly clearer and echoed softly in the spacious and luxurious room.
Whether Lin Suxing is the "ghost" still needs further verification.
But first, he needs to get rid of those annoying people and make them disappear completely.
He will repay a hundredfold for all the assassinations and ambushes he suffered before.
“I heard that my second uncle has recently been smuggling a batch of goods from the Golden Triangle into China, planning to sell them in the high-end venues run by the Li family.” Li Xinian picked up his phone and made a call. “I didn’t expect that he couldn’t wait to get his hands on something with even higher profits after only taking away the mineral resources as a pawn.”
"Now that he has handed over his incriminating evidence, it's time for us to... close the net."
**
As the sun slowly sank below the horizon, it painted the sky a magnificent tapestry of gold and red. The shimmering sea surface, as if sprinkled with shattered gold, undulated gently with the soft waves.
In the crescent-shaped bay, countless white yachts are neatly moored beside the modern dock, their tall masts forming a miniature forest.
Several of the massive superyachts were particularly eye-catching, with their multi-deck design and streamlined hulls that gleamed softly in the sunset.
Warm lights were already on the upper decks of some yachts, and the faint sounds of laughter and conversation could be heard.
"You mean, all the yachts docked in this bay right now belong to the Li family??" Lin Suxing was dumbfounded, feeling that poverty had limited his imagination.
Cheng Qiqi nodded: "Yeah, the Li family is really rich. They can just give me a little bit of money, and I won't have to work."
The girl had a very approachable face, with full apple cheeks and a natural blush, and her eyes curved into sweet crescents when she smiled.
Her long, fluffy chestnut hair was braided into a playful fishtail braid, with a few stray strands hanging down beside her ears.
Cen Xu stood to the side with his arms crossed, smiling at her: "Your information network is really good. Su Xing and I had no idea about any of this."
"Haha, I usually gossip with my girlfriends during my breaks from work, so I definitely know more than you guys!" Cheng Qiqi looked at the tourists boarding the cruise ship one after another. "Why did you suddenly decide to come to this? I asked Cen Cen before, and he said he had a work conflict, so he couldn't come?"
Cen Xu quickly chimed in, "Well, we've never been to a banquet like this before, it's good to broaden our horizons."
Lin Suxing pursed her lips and smiled secretly.
Cen Xu called him in the morning, saying that he had successfully confessed to Cheng Qiqi and the two had become boyfriend and girlfriend.
Recently, both of them have been busy with work, so Cen Xu wanted to go to the banquet with Cheng Qiqi to increase the time they could spend together.
But for some reason, all of Cen Xu's friends from the film studio, knowing that he was also going, decided to cancel their work and come to the banquet!
Lin Suxing felt that they wanted to interrogate Cen Xu immediately after learning that the two were dating, asking him when he started liking Cheng Qiqi and how the two gradually became a couple.
After all, Cen Xu had never shown any feelings for Cheng Qiqi that went beyond friendship before.
However, for Lin Suxing himself, his purpose in attending this cruise ship banquet was to persuade Cheng Qiqi to terminate her contract with the company.
He knew that if he asked Cheng Qiqi to terminate the contract directly, she would definitely not agree. Her family was not well-off and she had to support two younger siblings in school. She was in dire need of money, and if the company did not provide her with job opportunities, it would only be more difficult for her to earn money.
However, if he and Cen Xu rushed in and interrupted the executives' harassment and threats against Cheng Qiqi, then Cheng Qiqi's agreement to terminate the contract would become a natural outcome.
"Let's hurry inside, it's hot outside." Lin Suxing grabbed Cheng Qiqi with one hand and Cen Xu with the other, and the three of them boarded the cruise ship together.
The moment you step onto the gangway and into the main banquet hall of the cruise ship, the warm sea breeze is shut out, and a cool, fragrant atmosphere washes over you.
More people recognized Lin Suxing than he had imagined. Along the way, people kept greeting him, giving Lin Suxing the illusion that he was a big star: "Wow, it's Suxing!" "Suxing, it's a pity we're a women's clothing brand, otherwise we would definitely have asked you to shoot for us, sob sob~" "Suxing, come and take a picture with us!"
Lin Suxing was called away several times, and when he came back to look for Cheng Qiqi and Cen Xu, they were nowhere to be found.
He reassured himself by saying to the system, "Since Cen Xu is here, he certainly won't allow their company's executives to get close to Cheng Qiqi, right?"
The system shook its little head: "In the original story, Cen Xu did not attend this cruise ship banquet. It's possible that the plot changed because of your awakening, host. So, according to this logic, what you said isn't wrong."
"...Then I'll go look for them again." Lin Suxing ate the cake as she walked, but unexpectedly saw an acquaintance: "Brother Dong?"
The middle-aged man in front of him was someone Meng Huaiwen had introduced him to, and he had access to many good international models.
"Su Xing, you're here too? What a coincidence." Dong Sheng looked Lin Su Xing up and down, and for a moment he was a little confused as to why the young master of the Lin family would be at a banquet that was, to put it bluntly, a pimping party.
But don't ask why he's there.
After exchanging a few pleasantries with him, Lin Suxing wanted to continue searching for Cheng Qiqi, but the system suddenly started sending notifications: "Side mission [Appear on the cover of two small magazines] (L'OFFICIEL or Figaro), mission deadline is next month, please complete it as soon as possible!"
"By the way, Dong Sheng, who is standing in front of you, has a close relationship with the editors of these publications. You can start by getting to him."
Lin Suxing fell silent: "Isn't this mission a bit too far-fetched? I'm just a nobody."
Although these two smaller magazines aren't as prestigious as the top five, they're still the kind of publications that young actresses born in the mid-90s or 2000s would get their work published in, with fans posting big posters all over the world to promote it. How could a nobody like him possibly deserve that?!
"Host, you can try talking to him about relationships," the system persisted in advising Lin Suxing. "Host, hurry up and go! Don't be so lazy!"
"...Is he gay? What should I talk to him about?" Lin Suxing turned around, somewhat regretting that she had come over here just to eat this matcha mousse.
If you hadn't come over here, you would never have met Dong Sheng, and you wouldn't have triggered this side quest!
Lin Suxing still wanted to clarify that he came here only to save Cheng Qiqi, not to collect resources or complete missions.
"Dong Sheng is married, but his marriage has always existed in name only. This is not because he is a philanderer; on the contrary, he is respectful and considerate to his wife, dutiful to the marriage, and has devoted more effort and time to the education and upbringing of his children than most men could." The system explained all this in a calm tone.
Lin Suxing found it strange: "Huh? Is it because he's quite rational and doesn't actually need marriage, but still has a sense of family responsibility?"
"No, of course not." The system lowered its voice mysteriously. "He does love his wife and children, and he has deep feelings for this marriage. His sex life with his wife is actually very harmonious, but in fact... the truth is something he himself is not even aware of."
Dong Sheng, standing behind Lin Suxing, clenched his fists: He had overheard Lin Suxing and the system's conversation earlier, and the system's suspenseful question had hit the nail on the head regarding his deepest confusion!
In the past two years, due to the coldness in their marital relationship and his inability to engage in sexual activity, his wife has asked him for a divorce several times.
However, Dong Sheng loved his wife very much and couldn't bear to part with his daughter and son. He was completely unable to accept the divorce and could only repeatedly beg his wife to give him time to adjust.
But Dong Sheng himself didn't understand why his marriage would become increasingly cold and even prevent him from having sex.
Unlike his other friends, he was very loyal and never went out to mess around with others. Whenever he had free time, he would stay at home with his family.
The system chuckled slyly: "Actually, he himself doesn't even realize that he's gay!"
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