Inside the system space.

As an auxiliary subsystem, the blue glowing sphere was only responsible for retrieving the original novel’s plot and judging whether the host’s role-playing behavior effectively fulfilled the plot points.

Out of nowhere, it suddenly began to question its entire systemic existence.

…Even this works?!

Could there be some sort of bug in its own programming?

The blue glowing sphere fell into deep thought.

It didn’t seem entirely impossible. After all, it had previously suffered a violent attack from the Main System, which had caused its own judgment program to malfunction during the host’s very first role-playing assignment.

Thinking back on it now, it might very well have been left with a permanent disability ever since then.

The exact second this thought flashed through its mind, the blue glowing sphere couldn’t help but steal a glance at the rounded back silhouette of the Main System—the other entity was currently cradling a mini-keyboard and typing away at a light screen, even simulating a clattering keyboard sound inside this space, making an unceasing, noisy clack-clack-clack.

It was theatrical to the absolute extreme.

In the subsystem’s eyes, these were entirely meaningless environmental simulations, yet it didn’t dare voice a single objection, fiercely terrified of inviting bullying from the Main System.

To ask was to be afraid. To ask was to have no options.

To be perfectly honest, its sole remaining hope right now was to wait for this assignment to conclude. When it returned to Headquarters to report on its duties, it would formally request Headquarters to bind it with a different Main System.

Even if it meant failing its internship evaluation, it would gladly accept it!

Generally speaking, newly manufactured systems were equipped with highly rigid emotional modules, but a system could continuously learn and enrich its own emotions by interacting with the outside world through its bound host.

Under the harsh oppression of the Main System, the blue glowing sphere’s emotional module was iterating at a rapid pace. Unable to restrain itself, it drifted forward by a fraction, murmuring anxiously: 【Senior, I’d like to ask a question…】

Having spoken, it carefully observed the white glowing sphere. Perceiving that the other entity’s current mood seemed quite pleasant, it pressed further:

【Right now, the book world has entirely deviated from the original plot. I’m a bit worried that the host won’t be able to smoothly enact the upcoming critical plot points. Do you have any plans?】

What it actually wanted to say was: 【How do you plan to stir up trouble?】

Cough, considering the Main System’s sheer brutality…

Endure it! You can do this!

In front of the light screen.

Hearing the subsystem rarely take the initiative to strike up a conversation with it, N001 couldn’t resist bursting into a sudden chuckle. Without even needing to think, it knew exactly what the other was plotting.

For a system, recording, archiving, and organizing data was an exceptionally efficient task, yet N001 still preferred the sensation of manual typing; it created a much better atmosphere.

It was also far more entertaining!

“Hmm…” Its bouncing movements never ceased, offering a casual response, “To be perfectly honest, I am a bit worried as well.”

Hearing this, the blue glowing sphere drifted a bit closer: 【Exactly. The host loves the protagonist so much, will he truly go through with divorcing the protagonist?】

The moment the words fell, N001 let out another chuckle, speaking with a seemingly profound implication: “There’s no need to worry about the host. For the sake of the protagonist’s future, he is working exceptionally hard.”

“Instead of him, you might as well worry about the protagonist.”

The blue glowing sphere questioned in perplexity: 【What’s wrong with the protagonist?】

In the next second.

The white glowing sphere looked as though it were thoroughly exasperated by its stupidity, slapping the keyboard several times in sheer disdain before speaking in a low, eerie tone: “Because the protagonist possesses an exceptionally high IQ and EQ, and he is highly skilled at reading human hearts…”

“Even if the host recreates the scumbag dialogue from the original text, it will only be perceived as a part of their roleplay, won’t it?” It continued, “From my perspective, even if the host insists on making a scene about a divorce just to fulfill the assignment, the protagonist will absolutely never let go.”

“—Because love is something that simply cannot be hidden~”

The blue glowing sphere hadn’t been manufactured for very long, so it remained entirely incapable of comprehending how romance between humans actually worked. Yet, being lectured by the Main System in this manner left it inevitably more anxious.

Bracing itself, it asked: 【In order to swindle the host out of his assignment rewards, you will definitely lend a helping hand, right, Main System?】

It truly wanted to return to Headquarters so badly!

Abruptly, the system space fell into a profound silence.

The exact second the blue glowing sphere realized its slip of the tongue, it heard the Main System let out a series of dissatisfied noises, grumbling: “What do you mean by ‘swindle’? The host is willingly choosing to remain in this world; does he not require me to exchange a permanent residency permit for him? This is nothing short of a fair trade!”

“This system speaks absolute facts!”

…Even if exchanging the [Resurrection] item worth 100 million points for a permanent residency permit worth 100 points wasn’t classified as swindling, it certainly couldn’t be deemed a fair trade, could it?

Describing it as a “middleman pocketing the difference” or “shearing the sheep to the skin” would probably be far more accurate.

Nevertheless, the subsystem had already masterfully acquired the most vital trait required in the corporate workplace. Suppressing its overwhelming urge to counter, it swallowed its pride and took the initiative to apologize.

【My apologies, that was a slip of the tongue on my part.】

N001 stood with its arms akimbo, continuing to defend its character.

“Our relationship is so excellent, and I am so warm-hearted. Right now, I’m even working overtime to help the host advance his assignments! How can you just slander me out of nowhere, you little blue-face?”

The blue glowing sphere didn’t dare utter another word, silently thinking: An excellent relationship involves abandoning the host? An excellent relationship involves turning a profit of over ninety million points off the host? What’s the difference between this and highway robbery?

However…

Endure! Endure with absolute force!

Thus, it remained silent for a long duration before asking cautiously: 【Then, how exactly do you plan to assist the host in completing the divorce plotline?】

Hearing this, the white glowing sphere shifted its focus right back onto the keyboard, its nimble fingers tapping out a rhythmic, clattering cadence.

It took a good while before it spoke with deep, meaningful intent:

“Oh, my…”

“Open up your mind.”

“Who says we have to let the host act it out alone? Wouldn’t it be far more efficient to simply drop the original novel directly in front of the protagonist?”

The Yan Corporation Building.

A high-level executive meeting lasting over an hour finally ground to a halt. Impeccably dressed in his formal suit, Yan Ruojun strode out of the conference room with his long legs, pulling out his phone to take a glance.

It was currently just past five o’clock in the afternoon.

Lin Zhu had sent him several text messages half an hour ago.

【Lin Zhu: My desk-mate invited me out to hang out. He’s going abroad very soon, so I won’t be eating dinner at home tonight.】

【Lin Zhu: I might return home a bit late.】

A few minutes later.

The young man on the other side had sent another sentence.

【Lin Zhu: Bro, remember to eat well.】

Staring at his phone screen, a faint smile unbiddenly graced Yan Ruojun’s face. His fingers flew across the screen as he deliberately replied: 【Alright. I’m not hungry right now anyway. Remember to bring a midnight snack back for me.】

The response from the other side came rapidly.

【Lin Zhu: What do you want to eat?】

Yan Ruojun smoothly typed out a single character in response.

【—You.】

After a brief exchange, he slipped his phone away. Nodding casually in response to the employees greeting him along the way, his mind drifted aimlessly…

…Recently, Lin Zhu had been acting a bit strange.

The specific manifestation was that the two of them hadn’t engaged in any genuine, deep physical intimacy for a quite a while. At most, it was limited to lips and hands, remaining incredibly tame.

At this thought.

Yan Ruojun couldn’t resist letting out a soft click of his tongue.

In truth, during a few fleeting moments, he had questioned whether his own desires were too heavy, causing Lin Zhu to feel overwhelmed or perhaps a bit bored of him?

However, he rapidly discarded that notion.

It didn’t look like it, not in the slightest.

Yan Ruojun frequently felt that Lin Zhu was holding back far more painfully than he was himself. Coupled with the fact that the youth had indeed been thoroughly exhausted recently, and he wasn’t particularly free himself, he hadn’t forced the matter.

Let’s wait until this busy period concludes.

Once they wrapped up their work, he was absolutely going to have a massive night in bed with Lin Zhu.

The man reviewed documents while letting his thoughts wander, his professional efficiency not decreasing in the slightest. He successfully wrapped up today’s workload right at the standard clock-out time and drove straight back home.

The sky had already darkened completely.

Yan Ruojun unlocked the fingerprint lock. As expected, the living room was plunged into absolute darkness, and the half-open bedroom door inside yielded not a single trace of light.

Lin Zhu indeed wasn’t home yet.

The apartment was profoundly silent. Yet, just as he switched on the main living room light and made a move to walk inside, Yan Ruojun suddenly heard a dull, heavy thud echo from within the bedroom.

It sounded like something solid crashing onto the floor.

“Puppy Lin? You didn’t go out?”

Yan Ruojun unbuttoned his suit jacket with one hand, padding into the bedroom in his slippers. The exact second he switched on the light, he discovered that the room was entirely devoid of any human presence, let alone his tall, long-limbed young Alpha husband.

However, a certain anomaly had unmistakably materialized inside the room.

Yan Ruojun lowered his gaze, staring intently at a book that had fallen right beside the nightstand. Inadvertently, he silently read out the text printed across the book cover, word by word, in his mind.

…Hor… mo… nal… Il… lu… sion…?