Chapter 19.1

“He relished every moment of this CEO’s unconventional approach to life and business.”

　　At this juncture, Jing Xi had braced himself for System’s inevitable crying outburst.

　　Instead, an ensuing silence came over his mind. Perplexed, he wondered, “Did he also change his mind later in the original storyline?”

　　System snapped, “Like that is even possible!”

　　In a split second, a thought sprouted in his mind — One was required to take things slow in a relationship.

　　On the other hand, System hovered on the verge of a mental breakdown in the face of the deviation that did not occur in the original storyline.

　　At that time, everyone who entered the group chat was using their usernames, so none of the main leads took notice of each other until the day they rendezvoused with the others for the event.

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　　Gqvla lzwnkeyvkdt vbkp xyvvla, Fupvlx nsdvlpvle, “Zsw jdso obu kv byp snnwaale dso?”

　　Kkdt Dk ekpxkpple, “R esd’v nyal.”

　　“R yx pvkzz tskdt vs vlzz usw altyaezlpp!” Fupvlx nakle prypxseknyzzu, “Mbl plaklp sq lhldvp zlyekdt wr vs vbkp xsxldv cltyd okvb usw pxypbkdt uswa zkvvzl casvbla’p blye kd aktbv yv vbl pvyav sq wdkhlapkvu. Nyvla vbyv dktbv, usw lhld kxrwzpkhlzu eashl y prsavp nya swv vs byhl qwd. Gp y alpwzv, vblpl kdnkeldvp kdyehlavldvzu rasrlzzle usw kdvs rsrwzyakvu yde lhld vaydpqsaxle usw kdvs vbl dlozu yesale blyavvbasc sq vbl ldvkal wdkhlapkvu. Usdpliwldvzu, uswa yeekvksd vs vbl nzwc byp sdzu xyel vbl zlyela lmnlppkhlzu vbakzzle, obknb wzvkxyvlzu zle vs vbl nwaaldv raleknyxldv. Zswa nzspl nsddlnvksdp okvb csvb vbl xykd zlyep nsxrlzzle bkx vs olznsxl vblx yp olzz!”

　　Kkdt Dk elyeryddle, “Xb.”

　　Fupvlx aytle, “‘Xb?’ Rp vbyv yzz usw byhl qsa xl!?”

　　Zlv, Kkdt Dk xlalzu ryvasdkgle, “Lyb, R’hl tsv sdl qsa usw. Mbyv xyzl zlye sq uswap kp nlavykdzu zynjkdt pkdnl bl nyd’v lhld clnsxl y wdkhlapkvu blyavvbasc kd vbl saktkdyz pvsauzkdl.”

　　“…” Fupvlx scflnvle hlblxldvzu, “Xq nswapl, bl kp! Rd vbl saktkdyz pvsauzkdl, xuakye rlsrzl oswze lytlazu eassz shla rbsvsp sq bkx pbyale sd vbl qsawx. Mbl vbkdt kp, bl vldep vs xykdvykd y nsxrsple, rszkvl elxlydsa obkzl jllrkdt y zso rasqkzl. Mbyv kp obu vbl zlyela nswze dsv cakdt bkxplzq vs ekpvwac bkx. Bdzkjl usw, uswa ldvkal clkdt pnalyxp cskpvlaswpdlpp!”

　　Ohld ps, Kkdt Dk ralvldele dsv vs blya kvp osaep. “Txx?”

　　Upon hearing that question, System let out a feeble whimper, reluctantly conceding without further argument.

　　Grievance washed over it as it contemplated, “What now?”

　　Jing Xi declared, “What else can we do? Let’s just leave it at that.”

　　He lamented, “Look at how tough it is for your male lead. The leader had barely finished speaking, and he couldn’t resist making an appearance. It’s quite probable that he didn’t intend to conceal himself from the others. Otherwise, he could have simply remained silent.”

　　System puzzled, “How do you make sense of this then?”

　　“Perhaps, his actions are driven by a fear of the female lead’s possible interests, causing him to have concerns about any reservations she might have. That’s why he chooses to take the risk of offending the leader by expressing that he can’t make it.” Acknowledging the male lead’s commendable qualities, Jing Xi remarked, “Let’s help him out. Either way, the other bugs will become irrelevant once they end up together. We’ll let it slide this time since there will be numerous opportunities in the future.”

　　System bewailed, “I find solace in trusting the original storyline rather than placing my trust in you. By adhering to the storyline, they are at least able to end up together. Can you even guarantee your plan will lead to the same outcome?”

　　Deep in contemplation, Jing Xi came to the realization that he had no means to offer such assurance. With sincerity in his voice, he proposed, “Why don’t you prepare a report requesting the management to assign this task to someone else? Playing the matchmaker is such a bore, and my skills can be put to better use elsewhere.”

　　As the idea took hold, the gears in System’s inner workings surged with newfound vitality. It took System no time to craft a well-written report and promptly submitted it, fervently hoping for its favorable reception and acceptance.

　　The Administration Bureau enthusiastically embraced the proposal and was eager to move forward with it.

　　Despite their strong desire to withdraw Jing Xi from the mission, their boss held a differing opinion. As a result, the report was returned with additional warnings, explicitly emphasizing that Jing Xi must not jeopardize the world under any circumstances.

　　Overwhelmed with despair, System wept as it began magnifying and bolding words in the response letter. “You see that? You are not to ‘jeopardize the world.’ A surplus of unresolved bugs could tip the world into utter chaos, resulting in highly undesirable consequences upon your return.”

　　Mulling over the unfortunate repercussions that could lay ahead, it added, “Who knows? It might just result in your dismissal.”

　　Just as its final word fell, Jing Xi let out a nonchalant sound of acknowledgment, devoid of all traces of concern.

　　He exuded an air of insouciance, displaying a general indifference toward most matters. As an Agent, he approached his responsibilities with a casual attitude, seemingly regarding them as mere pastimes. Even when faced with the prospect of his own demise, he harbored no regrets and accepted his fate with serene composure.

　　Nevertheless, considering his current state of mind, he found himself possessing a hidden curiosity that fueled his desire to comprehend the reasons behind his choice to assume the mantle of a Divine Lord. The thirst for the truth held him back from embracing death, yet he yearned to unravel the mystery shrouding his injury and recall the incident in question.

　　In the span of a conversation between a man and its AI, the remaining individuals in the group chat chimed in with their opinions.

　　Among them were admirers of his striking visage that were reluctant to let go of such a handsome individual. With that in mind, they began wholeheartedly encouraging Duan Xiuwen to try his best to attend the event.

　　Noticing his prolonged silence, Jing Xi decidedly sent him a private message.

　　[Jing Xi: You aren’t avoiding us, are you?]
　　[Duan Xiuwen: No, I’ll be swamped with work during that time.]
　　[Jing Xi: Don’t we have a public holiday that day?]
　　[Duan Xiuwen: Unfortunately, I have to work overtime.]

　　With a quick tap of the Send button, a thought struck him like a bolt of lightning.

　　In the midst of carrying out the task entrusted to him by his uncle, he discovered his aunt’s evident willingness to engage with him. Determined to break free from the predicament of being caught in the middle, he decisively chose to take the initiative and bring them together.

　　[Duan Xiuwen: Since my uncle wants me to work overtime, couldn’t you discuss it with him on my behalf?]

　　After tapping the Send button, he promptly sent a screenshot of the message to his uncle, accompanied by a concise explanation of the situation.

　　In a split second, he received Duan Chi’s reply.

　　[Duan Chi: Jin Yumeng will be present as well?]
　　[Duan Xiuwen: Yeah, they’ve also joined the club.]
　　[Duan Chi: When did they join?]
　　[Duan Xiuwen: It was probably today.]

　　Narrowing his eyes, Duan Chi sent a curt “I see” response before patiently awaiting a certain individual to contact him.

　　Elsewhere, Jing Xi fell into one of his bouts of contemplative silence.

　　‘What should he say? As expected of the male lead. Regardless of how gentility he appears, could there be a hidden darkness beneath his refined facade?’

　　System hesitated, “Are you not going to contact Duan Chi?”

　　Jing Xi answered, “No, he will no doubt insist on tagging along if I were to do that. Let’s just leave the main leads to their own devices.”

　　System countered, “If you truly want their relationship to grow, you must provide them with ample opportunities. However, the problem now lies in the fact that you have already ruined those chances!”

　　To alleviate its constant state of being on tenterhooks, it once again hoped for this big shot to gain some experience through the journey of falling in love. Hence, it persuaded, “There is no harm done, considering it is just for 3 days. If Duan Chi wishes to join, let him. What is there to fear?”

　　There was a brief pause, then it continued, “Just imagine, if we were to conclude this storyline sooner, we could swiftly move on to the next one. I assure you, the upcoming storyline will be even more appealing since it entails fewer emotional issues.”

　　Sure enough, its words piqued Jing Xi’s interest. “I’ll just have them participate and allow them to develop their relationship on their own, without my interference?”

　　System warned, “You better stay out of this.”

　　It genuinely feared that Jing Xi’s involvement would significantly worsen the situation.

　　With that, Jing Xi delightfully replied in the group chat that he would be attending the event. He then pinged Jin Yumeng, asking whether she would also be joining.

　　As soon as Jin Yumeng’s roommate caught sight of the message, she fervently pestered Jin Yumeng to attend the event. Upon receiving her reply, he sent Duan Chi a private message, asking whether he could give the male lead a day off.

　　[Duan Chi: You’ll be attending as well?]
　　[Jing Xi: Yeah, I will.]
　　[Duan Chi: Alright, have fun.]

　　Jing Xi sent a smiley emoji before closing the messenger.

　　The entire exchange was executed with remarkable efficiency, taking no longer than three minutes.

　　System puzzled, “That is all?”

　　Unfazed, Jing Xi challenged, “What’d you expect?”

　　System doubted, “Will the male lead show up at the event?”

　　Jing Xi clarified, “No, he won’t. How could Duan Chi possibly understand my intentions?”

　　At an instant, a hushed silence settled over System.

　　Despite his seemingly carefree demeanor, one could not help but marvel at this big shot’s awe-inspiring efficacy when entirely focused on his missions.

　　As one day bled into another, a mere week slipped by unnoticed.

　　On the eve of departure, Duan Xiuwen notified the leader of a change in plans. He confirmed his attendance for the upcoming event and ensured that all his lodging arrangements had been taken care of in advance.

　　The news caused the group chat to erupt with exuberant cheers and hoots of delight.