Chapter Thirty-Two: Departure

The system pulsed with sympathy, [Host, do you really have to do this?]

Their mission was to lower the malice value—what harm was there in a little romance along the way?

Mo Nian casually swept her gaze toward the doorway, pausing almost unconsciously. [What else would you have me do?]

[Actually, the male lead isn't so bad. You wouldn't lose anything by being with him,] the system whispered.

Mo Nian regarded it as if it were an idiot. [Do you remember our task? We're only here to reduce his malice value. Now it's time for us to leave, OK?]

[A few extra decades wouldn't hurt…] The system cowered into a ball.

[What's the point of staying?]

She was genuinely kind to Jiang Hu, but that kindness was akin to caring for a kitten or a puppy; she hoped he would live well, not that she would sacrifice herself for him.

She couldn't pinpoint where things had gone wrong, but timely retreat was wisdom.

Mo Nian hadn't slept all night. She packed her clothes, pulled her suitcase, and stepped out.

Jiang Hu was crouched at the door. As soon as Mo Nian opened it, he looked up at her, his eyes bright. "Sister."

"Jiang Hu, you're already an adult now. I've thought it over—I'm not obligated to support you. Your grandparents took me in for half a year, and I've repaid that."

Mo Nian spoke these brutal truths with cold indifference.

Jiang Hu looked shaken. "Sis... what do you mean?"

Mo Nian continued, "By the way, the house is yours now. The deed is on the table."

With that, Mo Nian lifted her suitcase to leave, but Jiang Hu grabbed her desperately, his eyes reddening, bloodshot. "Sis, explain! What do you mean, repaid?"

"I think I've made myself very clear." Mo Nian glanced at Jiang Hu, and, unable to bring herself to utter harsher words, swallowed them. "Take care of yourself."

"Sis! I won't let you leave!" Jiang Hu clung to her like a madman.

Mo Nian turned and struck his neck with force; Jiang Hu instantly collapsed unconscious.

Jiang Hu's skills had all been taught by Mo Nian; dealing with him was easy, especially when he was unprepared.

She laid him on the bed and left without looking back.

[How long until the next passage to a small world is ready?]

[Four or five days,] the system replied, quietly stretching the time.

It felt uneasy, leaving such a male lead unattended—something might go terribly wrong in this small world.

Alas, the male lead was truly pitiable.

Mo Nian frowned in displeasure. [What's wrong with your system? Such a simple matter needs four or five days?]

The system whimpered, [I'm just a novice, not enough energy~]

Mo Nian was nauseated by its affected voice. [Enough, just hurry.]

She would have to find a place to stay for a couple of days.

Mo Nian rented a hotel room and had the system erase her traces—after all, she'd be gone in a few days.

Once enough time passed, Jiang Hu would forget her and start anew.

Hopefully, Jiang Hu would be all right.

Mo Nian planned to spend her last days at the hotel. She was naturally a homebody—originally, she thought she might enjoy the earthly scenery after finishing her mission, but in the end, it felt exhausting. She decided against it.

With Jiang Hu as a ticking time bomb nearby, Mo Nian felt uneasy.

She even ordered dinner to be delivered to her room.

"Hello, your dinner has arrived."

"Thank you, leave it at the door. I'll get it right away."

"All right. Enjoy your meal." The footsteps faded away, and only then did Mo Nian move.

[Host, it feels like you're sneaking around.]

[What do you know?]

After living with Jiang Hu for several years, Mo Nian knew him—though he appeared calm, he had many tricks up his sleeve. If she wasn't careful, she might really fall victim to him.

Mo Nian checked the doorway, confirmed no one was there, and opened the door. Suddenly, a figure lunged from behind.

[Host, watch out!]

Mo Nian spun around swiftly, but couldn't avoid inhaling a large amount of gas.

She was, after all, in a mortal body. In less than a second, her vision darkened. Before fainting, the last person she saw was... Jiang Hu.

Jiang Hu picked up Mo Nian, burying his face deeply in her neck and inhaling. His eyes brimmed with sick satisfaction.

"Sister, you're mine now." He squinted, his words trailing off with a seductive note.

She had never owed him anything, but since she had provoked such a madman, she could never hope to escape unscathed.

She had pulled him out of the abyss; now she was responsible for him for life.

He held Mo Nian tightly, his eyes wild and shadowed, terrifyingly obsessed. He wrapped himself around her like a shroud.

He carried Mo Nian in his arms and strode away.

He brought her to the villa he had purchased, laid her on the bed, and stared at her intensely, his breath ragged.

This sister was even more beautiful now.

He reached out, caressing every inch of her skin, his expression growing more entranced. Slowly, he leaned in and kissed the lips he had dreamed of countless times.

He licked and nibbled, leaving marks on her.

Sister was his now.

She would never escape.

...

Mo Nian woke up with a splitting headache, memories trickling back—she recalled everything before she fainted.

Her eyes were cold; she gritted her teeth. "Jiang Hu, that bastard!"

He was truly audacious.

She tried to move and realized her hands were locked to the headboard of a large bed.

Her movement was confined to the bed alone.

Mo Nian also noticed her limbs were weak and powerless. Drugged, she couldn't even walk.

"Fine! Very fine!"

The system trembled in fear, never expecting the male lead would turn so twisted so quickly.

It seemed captivity was a standard feature for blackened male leads—even Jiang Hu, who seemed so obedient, was no exception.

Mo Nian formed a spell.

[Host, you mustn't! The laws are already aware of us. If you use divine arts again, you'll be discovered, and the mission will fail immediately!]

[You've worked hard for two or three years. You wouldn't want to fail at the last hurdle, would you?]

[Calm down, host. He's just a brat—don't stoop to his level.]

Mo Nian stopped what she was doing and glared at the system. [How much longer?]

The system cowered again. [Host, since you've moved locations, the passage needs to be rebuilt...]

Mo Nian held back a string of colorful curses.

The system covered its head with two tiny wings. [You can't blame me. I'm just a weak, pitiful, helpless little system. I haven't even participated in a mission before.]

The more it spoke, the more aggrieved it became, nearly bursting into tears.

Mo Nian smiled. [Fine, I'll give you two days. If you can't manage it, just get lost.]

[...Okay.]

It was all the male lead's fault—why blame the system? The system suffered in silence.