After being tossed around by Xie Yi like this, Lin Zhiji immediately became obedient.
He realized that the tearing pain in his body was caused by Xie Yi’s killing intent.
Although the golden light protecting him meant Xie Yi couldn’t kill him, the pain was real!
So afterward, whenever Xie Yi asked about the system, he answered quickly and without reservation.
When Xie Yi learned he was a character in a book, he merely raised an eyebrow casually.
Not seeing him collapse was mildly frustrating for Lin Zhiji, who pouted inwardly.
But Xie Yi seemed to know what he was thinking and chuckled: 【What, disappointed?】
Lin Zhiji now felt terrified every time he heard him laugh and quickly said: 【No, no! I just think Host is calm under pressure, unshaken even when Mount Tai collapses before him. Truly someone destined for great things!】
The boy’s voice was clear and pure. Even such flattery sounded sincere and earnest, making people feel as if bathed in spring breeze.
Xie Yi’s gaze slightly narrowed, as if speaking carelessly: 【Say a few more sentences.】
Lin Zhiji: ???
What kind of weird request is that?
He only hesitated for a moment before Xie Yi’s tone turned colder: 【You don’t want to?】
Lin Zhiji didn’t dare provoke this unpredictable killing god, and immediately started throwing out praise like it cost nothing.
Who knew Xie Yi’s standards were high—too perfunctory wouldn’t do, too simple wouldn’t do, even speaking too fast or too slow wouldn’t do.
Lin Zhiji racked his brains until his mouth went dry, and only then did he barely satisfy him.
Xie Yi lightly tapped the table: 【Speak about the important matter.】
Lin Zhiji: !!
Wasn’t you the one who started talking about random things first! Now you’re blaming me?!
Xie Yi: 【Since I am the villain, then who is the protagonist of this book?】
Hearing his tone, Lin Zhiji felt something was off. After hesitating for a moment, he asked: 【After you know, what do you plan to do?】
But Xie Yi countered instead: 【Aren’t you a villain redemption system? You should stand with me, the villain. Why care about others?】
Lin Zhiji almost laughed in anger.
So now you remember I’m a villain redemption system? When you were trying to kill me earlier, why didn’t you think we were on the same side?!
But after thinking it over, he felt it was pointless to argue with a murderous villain.
Moreover, the reason he came here was because Xie Yi was cold-blooded and cruel, to the point where he nearly destroyed the world.
Knowing or not knowing the protagonist’s identity didn’t seem to affect his killing intent.
Besides, since even transmigration had been explained, there didn’t seem to be a need to hide anything else.
So he stopped overthinking and said openly: 【The protagonist of the book is named Liu Muzhi, the seventh prince who was lost in the common people…】
Xie Yi listened with focused eyes, occasionally asking him a few questions.
Whatever he asked, Lin Zhiji answered.
After this back-and-forth, their relationship actually eased somewhat.
Lin Zhiji sighed in relief.
At that moment, a crisp ringing sound suddenly rang out without warning, startling him.
After a moment, he realized it was the daily mission notification.
The system missions were divided into two types.
One type was main storyline missions, triggered at specific plot points. These were relatively complex, and only after reaching 60% completion could one leave this world. The higher the completion rate, the higher the evaluation from the system, and the richer the rewards.
The other type was daily missions, which were Lin Zhiji’s only source of points.
According to 03, these missions were not difficult, and could be completed daily. The points earned could even be brought back to the transmigration bureau if unused, making them very cost-effective.
Lin Zhiji’s mind stirred.
As long as mission progress reached 60%, he could apply to leave this world and completely run away from this psychopath Xie Yi.
The premise was—Xie Yi was willing to do the missions.
Thinking of this, Lin Zhiji cautiously asked: 【Host, the daily mission has been released. Completing missions can earn points, and points can be exchanged in the shop for many things. Do you… want to try?】
Xie Yi already knew that the map Lin Zhiji used earlier was exchanged with points, and he was quite interested in this points system and shop, so he said: 【Alright. Kill who?】
Lin Zhiji: ?
Seeing he didn’t respond, Xie Yi added: 【Or burn something? Poison someone?】
Lin Zhiji: …
So, so brutal—this is what a villain’s daily life looks like?
Although he was very touched that Xie Yi was willing to do missions, the topic was getting more and more dangerous, so Lin Zhiji quickly stopped him: 【No no no, our missions shouldn’t be that violent…】
However, when he opened the daily mission list, he nearly froze.
Mission 1: Please have the host hug the villain for one minute.
Mission 2: Please have the host perform a talent to make the villain laugh for one minute.
…
Damn it!
Which genius designed these missions?!
Isn’t this basically sending him to his death?!
Noticing his unusual silence, Xie Yi asked: 【Why aren’t you speaking?】
Lin Zhiji felt like crying, thinking he might as well stretch his neck out or shrink it back in—it made no difference.
He closed his eyes and quickly confessed everything, preparing to lie down and accept the electric shock.
Who knew he waited a long time, and the expected pain never came.
Instead, he heard Xie Yi say: 【Interesting.】
Lin Zhiji: ???
Xie Yi poked him leisurely in the mind space: 【Explain how this mission is done.】
Lin Zhiji’s round little body was poked sideways, but he didn’t dare protest, and carefully guessed: 【Mission one… should be the host… hugging yourself… probably not too hard…】
【Oh.】 Xie Yi raised a brow. 【Show me.】
Lin Zhiji: ???
Xie Yi smiled: 【Didn’t you say it’s not hard?】
Lin Zhiji shivered from that smile.
Then he comforted himself—no pain, no gain. As long as Xie Yi did the mission, what’s wrong with hugging himself!
He gritted his teeth, trying to reach his round body, and then “slipped” and rolled away.
Xie Yi: 【Pfft.】
Lin Zhiji: …
He struggled to stand up, enduring the humiliation of social death: 【I… I’m done, right!】
Xie Yi lazily said: 【Didn’t see clearly. Do it again.】
Lin Zhiji: …
Xie Yi: 【Hmm?】
Lin Zhiji: …I endure!
Only after he rolled seven or eight times did Xie Yi finally mercifully let him go.
Just as Lin Zhiji sighed in relief, he heard Xie Yi casually say: 【Next is mission two.】
Lin Zhiji almost ran out of breath.
Even the slowest reaction now made him realize—
Xie Yi wasn’t trying to do missions at all. He was just toying with him!
But under Xie Yi’s pressure, he couldn’t refuse and could only continue tearfully.
However, as he continued, his movements gradually slowed down.
After all, he wasn’t a real system. The shock and danger of the entire day had left him mentally and physically exhausted.
Even though he forced himself to stay awake, he still couldn’t resist sleep and instantly fell into deep darkness.
That “being watched” sensation disappeared.
Xie Yi heard the soft, steady breathing in the night, unusually peaceful.
The small golden sphere in his consciousness curled into a ball, rising and falling with the golden light, unexpectedly looking somewhat cute.
But Xie Yi remained unmoved, coldly observing it.
Save him?
Ridiculous.
Xie Yi let out a cold laugh and withdrew his gaze.
The faint moonlight cut through the thick darkness, but stopped before that gray haze.
—
Early the next morning, Lin Zhiji woke up exhausted.
He had been dreaming all night. At first, he turned into a soccer ball, kicked from one end to the other by Xie Yi, spinning until he was dizzy.
Before he could react, he became a basketball, being dribbled “bang bang bang,” then shot into a three-pointer, experiencing the weightless sensation of falling from the sky.
That wasn’t all—next he became a tennis ball, then a ping-pong ball, then a glass marble… After being played with for a while, Xie Yi seemed bored and actually swallowed him whole.
Lin Zhiji woke up screaming: “Don’t eat me!”
He stared blankly at the dilapidated courtyard, memories slowly surfacing.
He gritted his teeth: No wonder I dreamed of rolling all night—it’s all Xie Yi’s fault!
Suddenly, a sharp gust of wind swept past, cutting down the weeds in front of him.
Only then did Lin Zhiji realize belatedly that Xie Yi was practicing martial arts.
He wore a rough short training outfit. The sleeves were slightly short, exposing part of his forearm. As he exerted force, blue veins bulged along his pale skin, faint sweat glistening in the morning light, carrying a faint killing intent.
Lin Zhiji didn’t understand martial arts, but he could tell every move was a lethal killing strike.
He swallowed subconsciously and instinctively backed off again.
Xie Yi slowly finished his stance: 【Awake?】
Lin Zhiji: 【Mm… yeah.】
Xie Yi casually grabbed a cloth to wipe sweat.
Under the bright morning light, his sharply defined abdominal muscles flashed briefly, sweat soaking into his clothes and deepening the fabric color, emphasizing his narrow and powerful waist.
But Lin Zhiji immediately recalled last night and quickly looked away, acting pure and detached.
Xie Yi naturally noticed his obedience and raised a brow meaningfully.
Seeing he didn’t cause trouble, Lin Zhiji felt relieved.
Then Xie Yi suddenly asked: 【Who wants to eat you?】
Lin Zhiji instinctively replied: 【Wasn’t it you…】
He immediately shut up, but it was already too late.
Xie Yi smiled faintly: 【So even in your dreams, you were thinking about me.】
Lin Zhiji: …?
Is that how it’s interpreted?!
Xie Yi: 【What? Displeased?】
Hearing his teasing tone, Lin Zhiji felt a chill down his spine and quickly gave in: 【No no no.】
Unexpectedly, Xie Yi didn’t continue tormenting him. Instead, he changed clothes and actually went out.
The bustling street was crowded with people and clattering carriages.
Shops lined the road—tea houses, taverns, medicine shops, cloth stores… lively and full of energy, like a living ancient painting.
Lin Zhiji looked around in fascination, but quickly sensed the atmosphere was tense. Even the patrol guards were more numerous than yesterday.
Several idlers by the roadside were whispering.
One clicked his tongue: “What’s going on today? Such a big commotion?”
“You still don’t know? They’re arresting an assassin!”
“Yeah, didn’t you see the fire at Qingyun Lane last night? The one that burned down Minister Wu’s residence. And that assassin didn’t just kill Minister Wu, he also killed a whole squad of Chiji Guards……”
“Ha! So ruthless!!”
“Exactly. The Chiji Guards are the imperial palace’s inner guards—doesn’t that mean even the imperial palace isn’t safe? I heard His Majesty flew into a rage at morning court and ordered the Three Judicial Offices to capture the assassin as soon as possible……”
Lin Zhiji immediately widened his eyes and, a little guiltily, glanced at the real assassin.
The assassin himself showed no intention at all of hiding—he walked down the street in a completely brazen manner.
Lin Zhiji: …
As expected of the villain. That psychological quality is insane.
At that moment, commotion suddenly came from ahead.
A group of government soldiers rushed into a residence and violently dragged out a man in a blue robe.
The official’s hair was disheveled as he angrily shouted: “You… you people, on what grounds are you arresting me! Do you still have any law left!”
The leading soldier sneered: “This official is acting under the law. His Majesty has decreed: anyone related to the assassin case, none shall be spared. Take him away!”
Lin Zhiji hurriedly asked Xie Yi: 【Host, you’re not saving him?】
Xie Yi asked in confusion: 【Why would I save him?】
Lin Zhiji froze for a moment: 【He… isn’t he your subordinate?】
Even if Xie Yi was cold and ruthless, shouldn’t he at least worry that if this man couldn’t endure torture, he would confess and implicate him?
Xie Yi raised an eyebrow: 【I don’t even know him.】
【But…】 Lin Zhiji suddenly paused, then reacted.
These people being arrested were not some assassin accomplices at all!
On the long street, the soldiers continued storming into a second household, a third household……
They didn’t care whether there was evidence or not—once they grabbed someone, they took them away.
In just moments, this once bustling street was in ruins, filled with cries of misery everywhere.
Looking at the tragic scene before him, Lin Zhiji suddenly remembered a forgotten background passage buried in the book.
—The emperor was old, the Crown Prince and the Prince of Qi were vying for power. The court was split into factions, purging dissidents and eliminating rivals, resulting in corruption and misery for the people.
He realized, his voice strained: 【So, Host, you already knew… no, this is something you designed!】
Xie Yi was using the struggle between the Crown Prince and the Prince of Qi to stir up chaos.
【And what of it?】
Amid the heart-wrenching cries, Xie Yi’s tone was indifferent: 【Could it be that you still pity the people in the book?】