A world without glitz
"Why don't you kindly remind your colleagues? Otherwise, if you keep acting out of character like this, you'll end up unemployed sooner or later." Chen Ye suddenly realized that the reason this person's eyes welled up when he saw her, like they were meeting a fellow villager, was because they were both travelers from another world, both suffering from the hardship of working people! But what exactly was his codeword? I wasn't pretending not to know him.
But even if they wanted to recognize each other, there was no need to kidnap them, right? Chen Ye muttered to herself. She looked at the person in front of her, who seemed to have no faith in her fabricated excuse. Why did they test so many things when they kidnapped the person and let their system act in a muddled way? There was no other choice. Chen Ye could only take the initiative to use her last trick - the code to the otherworldly traveler.
After all, his main mission was closely related to him. As long as he could stick to his original intention and not be distracted by outsiders, Chen Ye didn't mind splitting his salary 40% to 60%. So, Chen Ye took a deep breath, looked at Qi Yiwen expectantly, and then slowly said, "Odd changes, even remains unchanged..."
However, to Chen Ye's disappointment, Qi Yiwen didn't show the surprise she had imagined after hearing this. Instead, she looked as if she wanted to say something but hesitated. After thinking for a long time, she finally said, "It seems like her brain is really broken. She's talking nonsense."
Qi Yiwen thought that amnesia was just a small matter, but she didn't expect that this person would become stupid! But fortunately, it seems that there should still be hope.
The male protagonist is not the host? Chen Ye really can't understand any of his actions, at least not with her superficial knowledge. Is there a concept of split personality in this world, or is it more professional to say that this is hysteria? This is really unexpected! Could it be that he has been cast under a spell? Otherwise, how could he even mistake his own couple? Every time he sees me, he is like a peacock spreading its tail, desperately showing off himself. It's really ridiculous! But then again, although my mission is to break them up, seeing him like this, I am a little suspicious that he has fallen in love with me?
"System, do you think he is really interested in me?" Chen Ye had reasonable doubts about this.
"Host, stop being narcissistic!" The system mercilessly interrupted my fantasy, "In this world, you are the only traveler from another world. Besides, how could the male protagonist like you? The only person he likes is the female protagonist! You, stop daydreaming!" The system carefully checked the data archives of this world and found no intrusion or data anomalies.
He muttered to himself, "If I hadn't deliberately planned the amnesia plot for the host, with her timid appearance, she would have been OOC (Out of Character) long ago. After all, the original owner was a notorious and unruly young lady, walking with her head held high, never even glancing at the ground, and possessing a wild and unbridled spirit! Her antics would surely leave everyone in awe.
"I have some top-quality herbs. I guarantee you'll be back to normal after taking them for half a month." Qi Yiwen made the invitation very naturally, as if he had forgotten that Chen Ye had just mentioned amnesia. It was just that the events of his previous life were too profound, so he confused whether this was this life or the previous one.
In the same Star Valley, tiny fireflies danced again after a thousand years. Qi Yiwen spent an hour searching for them all, extinguishing each firefly as a memory she had forgotten. She had said that sincerity was the most important thing to do personally. Qi Yiwen had pondered countless times why she was so attached to Star Valley. Perhaps it was because she had once said that in her world, no matter where she was, it was always bright and open. However, this place was completely different. Star Valley felt dim and distant.
If she had another chance, Qi Yiwen sincerely hoped to brighten everything around her. Hence the current scene. At this moment, a thought suddenly flashed through Chen Ye's mind: "System, I have a rather unkind idea. I wonder if it will work? Look, a model like this appeared before you, and I didn't faint from infatuation. That takes incredible perseverance! And, as long as he doesn't kill me, I really like this contrast in character!"
Chen Ye secretly pondered her fondness for the model, her hands seemingly losing control as she reached out. She carefully cupped those firefly-like eyes and gently kneaded the soft cheeks, feeling the delicate touch. "As expected of the male lead, it's great to let me take advantage first." System: "As the host, I'm a strong contender for the female lead. You've earned all the roles you mentioned."
What was surprising was that when she did this, her originally cold almond-shaped eyes automatically turned into smiling eyes as if by magic.
"System, you tell me this isn't love?"
The system said it just wanted to mosaic such shameless pictures.
When these eyes smile, they look just like the golden shaded cat she has at home. As long as someone holds the cheeks, it will rub them back and forth constantly. It looks so adorable.
Qi Yiwen knew very well that she had always liked to knead the flesh on his cheeks, and at this moment, her expression was exactly the same as before, except that there was a mole at the end of her eye, which seemed a little redundant.
He bent down slightly, and like a well-behaved cat, he gently rubbed her hand, as if enjoying her touch. His fingers moved slowly, gently stroking the mole at the corner of her eye, as if it were a precious treasure.
However, the moment his fingertips touched the mole, everything became blurry. In a trance, the mole disappeared without a trace, as if it had never existed.
She finally became her, the person he had always been attached to.
"Danger! Warning to the host: Do not engage in dangerous behavior!" The system's voice suddenly rang in her ears, its tone serious and cold. "The female lead has already been chosen. The consequences of your actions are unbearable. I will not bear them with you!"
The system paused the process of this world without hesitation and isolated Chen Ye, hoping that she could calm down and sort herself out.
"She's got a crush on me, can't I even take advantage of her?" Chen Ye looked at the prominent warning on the screen, feeling a chill in his heart. The female lead was already chosen, but I had to fight tooth and nail for the second female lead. It was so unfair. Even with the script and the cheat code, how could I not even be the second female lead?
"I advise you to remember my warning." The system stared blankly at Chen Ye's resume, pondering to itself. This resume clearly showed a typical "three-no" person: orphan, single, and virtually no social life. Such a person, by common sense, would be almost impossible to be attracted to a man. The system couldn't help but suspect that this woman was simply looking for a quick buck.
However, the system quickly relaxed. After all, this was just a virtual modeled world, so what was the harm in taking advantage? Anyway, I wasn't a fan of the male lead, so there was no need to pay too much attention to these details.
At this moment, Qi Yiwen suddenly noticed that someone was approaching. He whispered, "Wait, someone is coming." He quickly pulled Chen Ye behind him, and the two of them pressed tightly against the wet wall of Xingchen Valley, not daring to move.
After a while, Meimei came down alone. She was obviously braver than Jingbai and Shen Qingzhu, who were only brave enough to stand on the top and watch.
Meimei carefully followed the spiritual traces left by Chen Ye. However, when she arrived, she found that there was no one there except for the fireflies flying all over the sky.
"They haven't gone far." Meimei was in no hurry to leave. She felt there was something strange about this place. An ambiguous feeling spread through the empty valley, making her feel uneasy.
Chen Ye tried to speak, but could only babble, his voice soundless. Even taking a step was a struggle. "Is the hero so despicable? And he's also compulsive?" Though unable to speak, Chen Ye could converse with the system. Of course, the system could also choose to remain silent. Should he choose to be a lackey to the volatile heroine, or remain true to his principles in front of the insanely handsome hero? Chen Ye admitted to having masochistic tendencies, but chose Meimei, the heroine with whom he had spent more time.
"You like handsome guys but not mean ones. You're pretty picky?"
Perhaps because they had been down there for too long, the tiny sparks of firefly light were almost gone, and Meimei could only grope her way forward. Chen Ye guessed that the male protagonist Qi Yiwen must have cast an invisibility spell on her, because she could clearly see Meimei's figure, but she was blind to her.
Meimei measured the distance to Star Valley with her hands. The sound of dripping water grew closer, perhaps reaching the valley wall. She advanced not by the sound of the dripping water, but by the call of her heart. Although she usually called her a relative, the reason she acted so arrogantly was because she relied on Meimei's reputation. Meimei had never calculated how many days she would spend with her. This was a world without end, and no one cared about the passage of time. Ten years, a hundred years, a thousand years were just numbers. She was unsure if the man was killing indiscriminately, because if not, why would he choose Shen Qingmei and kill her in such a way that left no chance of survival? Time was the only thing she dared not waste.
Hands! She grasped those hands, but she couldn't see the person. She had carefully stroked those hands before; they were smooth and delicate, but there was a scar at the base of her palm. That was from one day when she drank too much and the jade cup fell from the table, hitting her palm firmly, leaving the scar. Actually, it was easy to remove, with all kinds of elixirs available. But she said it was the price of being drunk, and she had to keep it there, always remembering it.
"Invisibility spell!" Meimei waved her hand, and the two people who had been hiding in the corner were immediately exposed. "Meimei!" Without Qi Yiwen's restraint, Chen Ye immediately pretended to run towards Meimei. He thought he and the heroine were running towards each other, but he didn't expect a hug. Instead, the whip in Meimei's hand had already wrapped around Qi Yiwen's wrist, circled it again and again, leaving a mark that would last for generations.
Qi Yiwen had finally met the person he least wanted to see. While he wanted to maintain his reputation as a virtuous person, he didn't look like the leader of the Taixu Sect anymore, so there was no need to feign indifference. Overly dominant men are unlovable; this was the love rule he'd learned in his last life, and it still applied in this one. So, he had to feign weakness in front of Chen Ye. "It hurts," he said, embarrassed and shy, leaving only the two of them present.
Chen Ye was drawn over by the shouting. Seeing the tense situation between the two, he felt a mixture of excitement and emotion. If the two of them started fighting, he would be the one who would reap the benefits. "He was the one who kidnapped me. He is the murderer." Chen Ye changed his previous tenderness. Of course, he would be the one to add fuel to the fire in front of the hero and heroine. If one of them could be injured, they would definitely be on opposite sides. It would be best if one of them died on the spot. It's impossible for them to fall in love. Wait, there is no resurrection in the world of immortal heroes. But it's impossible for them to fall in love while fighting.
Meimei hadn't anticipated the kidnapper was the Taixu Sect's leader. She'd been too impatient. The Wanzhuan Whip had already entangled someone's wrist. Should she strike or not? And that affected voice just now—was Qi Yiwen, the number one immortal, just begging for mercy? A weak, timid voice sounded much better than someone who could only kowtow. But this time, the Wanzhuan Whip had made the decision before Meimei. It wouldn't retract until blood was seen. It was just that its master seemed to have forgotten.
Meimei used a little force with the whip to pull Qi Yiwen into her arms. Chen Ye could tell something was amiss. Who would pull their opponent into their face during a fight? What kind of passive skill was this? Qi Yiwen certainly couldn't fight this demonic saint. First, she had just narcissistically glanced at the mirror reflecting the dirty water. Oh, the effect of her disguise was too short. This was her face. To save the reputation of the immortal sect, she would definitely not let him off. What if she fought without restraint and injured innocent people? If she didn't fight back at all, she might really be crippled. It was difficult to deal with.
Turning around, Meimei brushed past Chen Ye's back while Qi Yiwen also passed in front of her eyes, and they were just a step away from becoming the playthings of this puddle of mud. It was just the whip's fault for not knowing how to pick her up by the waist at the right moment. What a gender-swapped version of spinning in circles. Chen Ye expressed his contempt for the male and female protagonists' old-fashioned and vulgar way of meeting. The fireflies that had just disappeared now all appeared around the two of them. What a perfect first impression. Perfect lighting. Wow, system, you really want them to not be able to see each other's faces. How can the anti-gravity design stay in place for so long? The male protagonist just showed me such deep affection, now seeing the female protagonist, won't he avoid it himself? Ridiculous!
The system's notification sounded again in Chen Ye's mind, "Favorability increased by 48%, story progress 30%."
"So the remaining 52% is because Meimei still remembers this guy who just kidnapped me. My life is actually worth 52%, I'm really laughing my ass off. System, what is the heroine in love with? If she likes spinning in circles, I can take her on a carousel. The heroine is actually the ceiling of lust at first sight? She is the one whose character collapses. Isn't this the heroine just a playboy who flirts everywhere? Look at the lightning-fast eye contact between the two, haha."
"Wow, why are you only criticizing the heroine?"
"Am I familiar with the hero? The feeling of being attracted by someone's beauty is physical. I don't have any feelings for him. I love him as much as I want. Can I still change this scumbag? If he finds out I'm from the Demon Sect, not even ashes will be left! I can't even save the love-brained heroine. Wait, I forgot everything. The Saint is just a lover of strength. The title of the Taixu Sect's leader alone is enough to make people fall in love at first sight. It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter. At least it's not 100%. She can still be saved. My heroine can still be saved."
Qi Yiwen didn't know what was happening, but just looking at Meimei's face made her blush and her heart beat uncontrollably. Was this the plot setting Yeye had mentioned in her previous life, where NPCs could never escape the plot? No! It worked in her previous life, so it should work in this one, too. Qi Yiwen quickly put a stop to this endless circling. After they landed safely, the awkward glance at each other made them take a few steps back, creating some distance.
"My benefactor, are you all right down there?" Shen Qingzhu's distant greeting was accompanied by the sound of Jingbai landing steadily on the ground. The mud of the Star Valley was all stained on his dazzling dress. "Hello, Sect Master!" Jingbai had nothing to do. The two young ladies present bowed deeply to Qi Yiwen directly. "I am honored to be an outer disciple of the Taixu Sect. I would like to say hello to the Sect Master!"
Chen Ye discovered that his kidnapping had been inexplicably forgotten. Jingbai was such a sucker for a guy. Chen Ye felt that he was still a bit behind Jingbai, not yet at the level of talking nonsense. How could a spirit beast like him enter the Taixu Sect to cultivate? It was truly ridiculous.
"You accuse me of murder?" Qi Yiwen wasn't in the meeting hall, but he couldn't miss such an interesting opportunity to listen to the opera on the wall. He had never thought that he would one day become a murderer. He had originally thought that disguising himself would make things easier, but now it seemed that not disguising himself would be a better way to prove his innocence.
"Boss, where do you think we should start looking for that girl?" Chen Ye had no time to consider the past between the two sleazy men. Her boss's ranking was the most important task. She couldn't juggle story progress and romantic interest at the same time. Chen Ye mistakenly thought Meimei was worried about ranking, but when he got closer, he saw her dazed eyes and flushed cheeks and knew she was a girl in a state of sexual reverie.
"Someone remind the heroine that she is here to cultivate immortality, not to go on a blind date. System, the heroine should not become love-brained. Can't she focus on her career? Isn't it better to carry forward the demonic cult?"
Ding-dong! Four ding-dongs broke the awkward silence. Jingbai quietly approached Qi Yiwen and humbly said, "Master, I've only brought this spy to you because I've identified you as the murderer. Look, these two are the cult's famously collusive "Coal Industry" duo. They must have some agenda against the Taixu Sect to have infiltrated. Master, you must handle this impartially. My life depends on you."
Qi Yiwen certainly knew the identities of the two, and knew that their target was nothing more than himself. What else is there in Taixu Sect worth worrying about besides the guy who escaped? But I have already been Ye Ye's. She doesn't need to rush, just take it slowly in this life. Qi Yiwen reluctantly glanced at the lackey beside him. He was also a miserable man. He was obviously looking for a new job and still encountered a murder case. She didn't want to see him more.
The four of them looked at each other, then spoke to each other. Chen Ye opened his bracelet and discovered that his ranking had already dropped to third from the bottom, and Meimei was second from the bottom. There was only one possibility: the hidden rules had become a well-known secret in Luoan Town overnight, right when she was captured.
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