When Qin Shen said this, his expression was open and at ease, as if he was very accustomed to such arrangements. However, he could also tell that Young Master Yan didn’t seem very used to it. The intense fluctuations of emotion had already been transmitted through the overflowing mental energy.
Out of politeness, and also because the crisis was averted, Qin Shen didn’t bother to analyze the meaning behind it in detail. He had already interpreted enough for today.
That hesitant phrasing, the stiff and strange tone, those eyes that always looked down and refused to meet his gaze, and that moment when he suggested trying their skills, as if he had made a great decision and was afraid of being rejected, all hinted at the same truth.
That is, this pampered Young Master Yan was actually a bit nervous and shy. Like himself, he was only interested in strong opponents, but after the misunderstanding and conflict, he had a chance to face this eagerness to spar.
After all, someone inexperienced in the world would probably enjoy the feeling of having a worthy opponent. Unlike Qin Shen, who had already passed that phase, he mostly felt regret over their inability to cooperate.
It had been many years since he had encountered a way of resolving awkwardness through fighting or competition after a conflict. Trying to gauge Young Master Yan’s strength again felt quite exciting.
A hint of a smile involuntarily appeared in Qin Shen’s eyes as he looked at Yan Jicha, who was so excited he could hardly speak. He suddenly felt relieved. Even if Young Master Yan changed his mind in the future and truly became an enemy, it probably wouldn’t be too frustrating.
“Y-you’re even bringing equipment?!” Yan Jicha’s scalp went numb. All thoughts of the script and lines were instantly cast aside as the question slipped out.
The system quickly reassured him: Don’t panic! If you don’t want to go through with it, you can directly exchange points for items to simulate a harmonious scenario, just like a holographic illusion; he won’t notice anything amiss!
Yan Jicha: I’d rather exchange items to go down with him!
System: No! The real plot direction is to talk about cooperation! You have to express your radical stance; these things may not actually happen!!
Yan Jicha: Really? If you trick me again…
“Yeah.”
Qin Shen gestured for him to follow as they walked and chatted. “I always carry it with me. Although it’s fine not to use the equipment, ensuring safety is also important.”
After all, competing and confronting using mental power comes with many unpredictable risks. The smart brain only assists with the use of mental power; it doesn’t provide safety guarantees.
Yan Jicha: “…”
So, when he said safety, did that mean bringing a protective measure? What kind of terrifying ‘equipment’ has that function…
“People like you might not care too much, but it’s actually very important.” Qin Shen thought he didn’t like this, just like some people nowadays who excessively trust themselves, so he added, “It’s like driving; even the best drivers need seatbelts.”
The more outstanding a person is, the more caution is required in this aspect.
Qin Shen had seen too many arrogant individuals who, relying on their high level of mental power, overlooked safety issues, often going into situations lightly armed and ultimately causing brain damage. Yet, such instances didn’t serve as warnings to others; instead, they were mistaken for the fates of the weak, leading them to think that being strong could avoid such outcomes.
Driving? What kind of outrageous words are those!
Yan Jicha silently distanced himself from Qin Shen, feeling like he could hardly stand to listen anymore; his ears were about to break.
However, just as he took a couple of steps back, the system urged him to move the plot along.
Yan Jicha had managed to delay the situation a little, hoping for the plot to refresh quickly and become more realistic, without having to play out some dreadful scenario of pretending to trip and spilling wine on his clothes.
As a result, after the system finished urging him, he took a glance—
It was indeed refreshed, but it was still a fake fall.
Yan Jicha didn’t want to look closely; he merely glanced and found out that the fake fall pretended to injure his foot, luring Qin Shen to directly pick him up horizontally.
Was it really this urgent?!
If it weren’t for what the system said earlier, that it didn’t have to be real, he would have gone on strike by now!
Yan Jicha took a deep breath. It was just a fake fall, so he would be held for a moment; if something seemed off, he could escape in time.
Saying it was slow, but it was actually quick. Yan Jicha quickened his pace. According to the plot description, he was supposed to walk ahead of Qin Shen and then trip over something on the road, about to hit his head on the ground when Qin Shen would catch him from behind.
And now, they were walking side by side, but not in a strict manner; Qin Shen was slightly half a step ahead. This way, if Yan Jicha were to fall, Qin Shen might not have time to catch him.
Just as it was about to happen, Yan Jicha had just fallen half a step behind Qin Shen and was ready to fall when Qin Shen suddenly caught up.
The two were side by side again.
Yan Jicha glanced at him and quickened his pace even more.
Qin Shen: ?
Why was the person walking with him suddenly speeding up?
He must be anxious.
Qin Shen thought this and began to adjust his own pace, closely following the agitated Young Master Yan to calm him down.
So, the two of them walked faster and faster.
Qin Shen adjusted his breathing, moving with swift strides.
Yan Jicha gritted his teeth, speeding up.
It was like a military march.
If, in the initial scene, he needed to walk a step ahead just to facilitate posing for support, then pretending to fall while walking side by side could also allow for support, but the action would be somewhat different from the script.
However, now, because of the increased speed, the chances of pretending to fall while side by side and receiving support were approaching zero.
Qin Shen would be unable to stop in time.
Moments later, Qin Shen suddenly pulled Yan Jicha.
“We’re here.”
Yan Jicha, slightly panting, saw the car stopped in front of him, and his expression froze.
Qin Shen, however, didn’t think anything was wrong at all. He even recalled the time he used to take early morning walks with his father. His father liked practicing qigong and tai chi; whether it was due to his good health or habit, he walked incredibly fast even when going out to buy groceries.
That pace was probably similar to this.
He glanced at Yan Jicha and smiled instinctively.
Yan Jicha: ?
Even though you don’t look creepy when you smile, I still can’t feel happy about it, thanks?
“Come on in; I’ll show you these new devices,” Qin Shen pressed something in his pocket, and the car door automatically opened. He stepped inside first, turning on the lights inside the car. “This is our company’s newly developed product, the Micro Light X2201. Its operating system is a bit different from the Yan family’s, hope you don’t mind.”
The space inside the car was indeed quite large.
Yan Jicha didn’t want to get in at all. He had already opened the system mall and, upon hearing that strange model name, couldn’t help but take a glance inside, only to be nearly scared to death by the system’s scream.
System: Ah ah ah—
Yan Jicha: ?
System: I made a mistake! This is the external protective shield that matches with the smart brain!! He’s not trying to test the bed with you; he wants to test his skills with you!!!
Yan Jicha: …
Qin Shen was adjusting the equipment. When he looked up and saw Yan Jicha still standing at the car door and not coming in, he said, “These are no longer considered commercial secrets; there’s no need to avoid suspicion.”
The plot twisted too quickly. As Yan Jicha silently walked into the car and sat down, the subtitles below even briefly lagged and glitched.
It was as if it symbolized the program of 030 breaking down.
However, if one were to really say it was breaking down…
Yan Jicha had no lines; he silently watched Qin Shen occasionally introduce the advantages of his products while adjusting and checking them, his gaze unconsciously becoming somewhat complex—what kind of mindset would it take in that situation to interpret “test” as “compete”?
He remembered that his main task was to prevent Qin Shen’s breakdown.
He remembered that his main task was to prevent Qin Shen's breakdown.
Yan Jicha: System, are you still alive? From my perspective, Qin Shen has already broken down, so there’s no need to continue with the mission.
The system replied lifelessly: No, it’s me that’s broken. As long as the judgment program hasn’t declared the mission failed, there’s no need to back out early. Rest assured, host…
Is that so?
So, the mission could indeed suddenly fail…?
Yan Jicha calmly pursued: If the mission fails, what about the points I’ve already earned? Will they be deducted?
The system: That won’t happen; the points earned and the penalties for failure are calculated separately. It will depend on the specifics of the mission. It could be that you earn more than you lose. I’ve had hosts who repeatedly failed with a 99% completion rate; they chose difficult missions and still earned a lot.
Yan Jicha: That’s good.
That truly is, a glimmer of hope in a desperate situation.
“Alright.”
Qin Shen finally finished with the so-called Micro Light X2201 and handed one over.
The device was called the Smart Brain Protective Shield, a metal product similar to a helmet, which needed to be used in conjunction with the Smart Brain.
As for the Smart Brain, it was only after the system’s reminder that Yan Jicha realized he had it with him. When unfolded, it was a metal ring that could be fastened around the neck, looking quite childish, as if cosplaying some strange hero character for children…
Yan Jicha still didn’t know how to use these things, so he could only accept them while reading the plot description that appeared in front of him, pressing buttons to turn them on, wear them, and adjust them as prompted.
It was somewhat like playing a VR game.
Before he could fully adjust it, a new sound echoed in his mind, and deep red warning words appeared directly in front of him.
[Detected minor mission plot breakdown. Please choose between deducting points or loading penalties. Countdown 60s…]
Yan Jicha’s hands didn’t stop, and he hurriedly asked the system what the penalty was.
The system: Oh, it’s just a 2% breakdown, stemming from that misunderstanding just now. It’s a small issue; it’s probably just a penalty that will force you to complete the mission.
Fine.
Yan Jicha unhesitatingly chose the penalty to retain his points.
After all, he had just had the opportunity to browse the points mall and didn’t want to lose points so quickly.
[Penalty has been selected!]
[OOC Silence Plugin has been successfully loaded!]
Yan Jicha: Silence plugin?
The system: Ah, it’s actually this… Congratulations, host, for a short period, you can only recite lines and cannot say anything else.
Yan Jicha: …
Qin Shen had already donned his Smart Brain and protective shield, adjusted himself to a comfortable sitting position, locked the car doors, and called out to Yan Jicha,
“Are you ready? Which platform are we heading to first?”
Yan Jicha looked up.
Huh?
Why isn’t your Smart Brain on your neck, but rather on your wrist?
It’s just a different position, but it makes you look much more normal. Looking at the difference between their Smart Brains, Yan Jicha felt a twinge of shame rising again.
“…”
However, when he opened his mouth to ask a question, he couldn’t make a sound.
At that moment, new lines appeared as subtitles at the bottom:
[Anywhere is fine, but… I’m very strong, you know. Because I’m so strong, I always win. Even a victory in mental strength doesn’t mean much to me, but it really is quite boring (chuckles).
Mr. Qin, if it were you, you would give me the chance to experience… the sweet taste of being firmly suppressed beneath you, feeling pain, struggling, and even being forced to beg for mercy and admit defeat, right?
Don’t let me down, otherwise, the things I really want to say to you today might not be able to be said.]
Yan Jicha: …
Shivers, goosebumps…
Yan Jicha felt a wave of numbness inside, glancing at the subtitles below, feeling like he had been stabbed in the eyes, and after several seconds of silence, he remained quiet.
Seeing him hesitating to speak, his gaze evasive, gripping his own arm tightly as if hiding something difficult to say, Qin Shen suddenly felt a not-so-good intuition rise in his heart.
Before the doubts brought by intuition could fade away, he saw Yan Jicha give him a look filled with pity and apology.
It wasn’t an illusion; the fluctuations in mental strength conveyed the same.
Hi everyone! We want to take a moment to update you on our current projects. Unfortunately, this particular novel will not have any scheduled releases yet because of some reason
This novel project has been part of our blog aimed at improving Mandarin fluency as part of our final year project. However, due to recent feedback from our prof, we will be transitioning to a different novel. We apologize for any disappointment this may cause and hope you understand our situation.
Regarding the "Widow Employment NPC" novel, we want to clarify that it is currently not available for sale due to some unfortunate incidents where our link was stolen and sold at significantly inflated prices. We are committed to ensuring that our readers have access to fair pricing. Starting next week, when the novel becomes available for sale again, there will be a limit of 20 seats for the month. After that, any additional requests will need to wait until next month.
We appreciate your understanding and support during this transition. Thank you for being part of our community, and we’re excited about the new directions we’re heading in. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out!
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