Dạ Uyên's lips moved several times, as if words had reached his tongue but were swallowed back down.
Seeing his expression, I tilted my head slightly, curving my lips into a gentle smile:
"Hmm? A Uyên, were you going to say something?"
Hearing my question, he flinched slightly, his eyes briefly burning as he looked up at me before quickly lowering them. His ears flushed noticeably, the redness spreading down to his neck.
Silence.
So silent that I began to suspect I was looking at a frightened cat.
I chuckled softly, half-jokingly, half-seriously:
"Don't worry, I won't charge you every time you open your mouth."
Dạ Uyên finally took a deep breath, his voice so low it almost faded into the air:
"The…the upcoming exam…"
He hesitated for a moment, then slowly looked up at me. His eyes were incredibly bright, both obedient and inexplicably stubborn.
"If you get good results…"
"…can you reward me with something?"
I paused for a moment.
Not because of the question, but because of his eyes.
But I still chuckled, casually patting his head:
"Sure. Whatever you like."
Immediately, it was as if a switch had been flipped. He rushed forward and hugged me tightly, just enough so that I couldn't push him away but it wasn't uncomfortable either.
I gently patted his back, thinking to myself:
"He really is…a child."
Unbeknownst to me, where I couldn't see, the corners of Da Yuan's lips slowly curved upwards.
Not a happy smile.
But a very subtle, very deep smile.
Like a beast that had just confirmed its prey had walked right into the trap.
That night, after wishing Da Yuan goodnight, I returned to my room.
I locked the door.
"Click."
The sound was faint.
But enough to cut short any expression on my face.
I sat down in my chair, leaning back, my voice low:
"606. How long do you intend to hide?"
The air before me rippled slightly.
A woman slowly appeared, so beautiful that she looked… unreal. More like something drawn than something that actually existed.
I stared for a few seconds, rubbing my eyes several times, then pointed directly:
"…Wait. Who is this?"
606 smiled, her voice clear:
"Host, don't you recognize me?"
I narrowed my eyes:
"Don't tell me it's… 606?"
"That's right~"
She grinned widely, even giving a slight spin as if showing off.
I was silent for two seconds.
Then I asked very sincerely:
"So what's with this form? Before, you didn't… cause such visual damage."
606 raised an eyebrow and replied slyly:
"It's all thanks to the host's good fortune. The mission progress increased, and I got an interface upgrade." Then 606 added, with a slightly displeased tone, "Besides…the host doesn't need to criticize so directly, I'm also feeling sad."
I ignored 606 and pondered for a moment…
A very unhealthy thought suddenly flashed through my mind:
"So this is also the reason…its system has that form?"
I didn't say it out loud, but changed my tone and looked directly at 606, saying:
"My mission…has a time limit, right?"
606 paused for a moment, then looked at me, her eyes slightly narrowed, and chuckled softly:
"Oh? Host, you know this too… you're smarter than I thought…"
Hearing 606 say that, my lips twitched, I crossed my arms, frowned, and said in a voice filled with suppressed anger:
"Then why didn't you say so from the beginning? Were you planning to wait until I logged out of the server before informing me?"
606's smile didn't disappear; on the contrary, it deepened:
"I thought… you would realize it sooner or later."
Then she softened her tone suspiciously:
"Don't worry. After the time limit expires, the host won't die."
"Just won't receive the benefits upon returning."
Hearing that, although I felt a little relieved, I still retorted sarcastically:
"…That sounds comforting, doesn't it? Now I should probably thank you?"
I stared at the 606 people standing before me, their faces innocent yet full of hidden meanings, and continued to ask:
"So why do others die when they fail, but I don't?"
606 replied nonchalantly:
"Because the host is a special case."
I slightly raised my head in confusion:
"Special in what way?"
606 replied
nonchalantly:
"…Your arrival here was originally due to a system error."
I chuckled faintly:
"Oh. So what you said earlier was just acting?"
606 cleared its throat and glanced at me:
"Host, don't add lines for me while others are speaking."
I remained silent.
But in my heart, I had already secretly blacklisted this unscrupulous system.
606 continued, his voice even:
"Others carry resentment or unfulfilled wishes. The reward is resurrection… or achieving what they desire."
"The price, you know."
I pondered.
Just then, 606 looked directly at me and added:
"Besides the main mission, the host can also accept side missions."
"The difficulty is very high."
"The more you want…the harder the mission."
I chuckled:
"It's like…buying insurance, isn't it?"
606 also laughed.
But his eyes didn't.
"So, host…"
"Would you like to accept more side missions?"
His voice was as soft as water.
I vaguely realized that 606's words seemed to be incomplete…
This wasn't a question.
It was a sweet temptation, wrapped in poison.