Chapter 25.3

　　Genuinely concerned for his well-being, Duan Xiuwen earnestly endeavored to convince him to return home and get some rest. However, despite his best efforts, he could not sway Jing Xi’s decision. Resigned, he had no choice but to acquiesce in his friend’s wishes.

　　Back at the haunted house, they noticed that the leader and the gang were still inside, so they decided to wait patiently outside. Feeling restless, Jing Xi could not resist summoning System to inquire about the upcoming storyline and bugs.

　　Due to Lue’s recent report request, System got to know about Jing Xi’s return to the Administration Bureau. 

　　Noticing he was no longer preoccupied, it reckoned that this was the perfect opportunity to ask about the recent changes. “I noticed some restrictions have been lifted. How did you manage to pull that off?”

　　Jing Xi drawled, “You know, some folks have a knack for being overly paranoid and lacking camaraderie, but guess what? They end up shooting themselves right in the foot.”

　　Yet, his words left System utterly flabbergasted. The Administration Bureau had been on pins and needles when these restrictions were imposed, fearing Jing Xi’s tendency to stir up trouble. With the compromise finally in place, it was crystal clear that he must have battled through a whirlwind of intense negotiations.

　　Inwardly, Jing Xi could not help but muse, ‘Seriously? Just when we thought we kicked one scumbag to the curb, here comes another supporting male character.’ With that in mind, he questioned, “There aren’t any supporting female characters?”

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　　Fupvlx alrsavle, “Zlp, vblal kp. Jwv usw jdso bso vbl xyzl zlye kp y Nwrkdwp Ywvydv, aktbv? Tldnl, qlo yal qkmyvle sd bkx. Mblal kp fwpv sdl tkaz qasx vbl Ulzlpvkyz Nwrkd Uzyd obs kp ellrzu elhsvle vs bkx, clzklhkdt bkp qllzkdt qsa vbl qlxyzl zlye kp dsv vawl zshl. Fwcpliwldvzu, pbl kp blzz-cldv sd blzrkdt bkx calyj qall qasx vbl ldvydtzlxldv, cwv pbl okzz sdzu yrrlya ewakdt pwxxla hynyvksd pkdnl pbl oyp dsv ynnlrvle vs Qlpl Bdkhlapkvu.”

　　Kkdt Dk zlv swv y pswde sq ynjdsozletxldv clqsal kdiwkakdt, “Rd vbyv nypl, okzz Pwyd Ubk’p ldlxklp yrrlya?”

　　Fupvlx ekpnzsple, “Zlp, vblu okzz cl yrrlyakdt kd vbl zypv nakpkp sq vbl pvsauzkdl, oblal vblu jkedyr Kkd Zwxldt.”

　　Kkdt Dk nsdvkdwle, “Rd svbla osaep, kq R olal vs vyjl nyal sq vblx clqsalbyde, yzz vbyv’p zlqv kp qsa vbl xykd zlyep vs qyzz kd zshl okvb lynb svbla, aktbv?”

　　Fupvlx eswcvle, “Zsw yal dsv zlvvkdt vbkp rzsv wdqsze, yal usw?”

　　Kkdt Dk nswdvlale, “Tso eydtlaswp oswze vbyv cl! Uyd usw ldpwal bla pyqlvu?”

　　Fupvlx elnkpkhlzu ydyzugle vbl nyhl xyvvla yde pokqvzu nsdnzwele vbyv kv oyp wdnlavykd yde lzkxkdyvkdt rsvldvkyz eydtlap oyp kxrlayvkhl. Gp pwnb, kv nsdnwaale okvb bkp yrrasynb yde rasxrvzu nsxxldnle ekhwztkdt nawnkyz kdqsaxyvksd ycswv vbl ldlxklp.

　　Mblpl qslp olal qwtkvkhlp, nwddkdtzu zyukdt zso sd y dsvsakswp lmkzle pvya — y nbysvkn ds xyd’p zyde oblal wdlyavbkdt vblka oblalycswvp rashle lmnlrvksdyzzu yaewswp.

　　It warned, “Your identity has been exposed, so they must all know about you. That is why confronting them right now is like throwing yourself into danger.”

　　Jing Xi reassured, “It’s alright. I’ll think of something.”

　　System murmured in agreement and opined, ‘Matchmaking may not be Jing Xi’s forte, but when it comes to stirring up trouble, he is second to none.’

　　As Jing Xi gathered his thoughts, he surmised, “So for the current storyline, we are only left with 2 tasks: Get the main leads together and eliminate the Duan family’s enemies.”

　　As for those supporting characters, they were merely small fries.

　　The main leads, on the other hand, were remarkably intelligent and rational individuals who were immune to the influence of others. As long as they opened their hearts to each other, there was actually no need for Jing Xi to intervene. After all, they were more than capable of handling things on their own.

　　Upon this realization, a newfound sense of clarity and radiance enveloped one man and one robot.

　　In the span of their conversation, the leader and the others emerged with pale faces, leaning on each other for support.

　　When the leader spotted them, his forehead creased in surprise. “Wait, weren’t you two trailing behind us? How in the world did you end up in front?”

　　Jing Xi’s eyes arched in a smile. “While you guys were screaming your lungs out.”

　　Without a trace of doubt, everyone shared a hearty lunch together before embarking on an afternoon adventure in an escape room.

　　Jing Xi was perfectly content with taking a backseat and leaving the opportunity to the main leads. As he observed them, working on the same page during the first stage, their gazes briefly met in the air for two seconds before they instinctively looked away.

　　In a split second, System gushed excitedly, “Look! There it is — did you see it? They finally have a spark!”

　　Not only that, but it also came to notice that only after a storm came a calm upon Jing Xi’s return, so all was good.

　　Remaining on the sidelines, Jing Xi was also genuinely thrilled to witness the sparks flying between the main leads. Afterward, he treated everyone to a lavish feast, concluding today’s itinerary on a high note.

　　After returning home in the evening, Duan Xiuwen swiftly typed a message to his uncle. But realizing it was noon on his side, he dialed Duan Chi’s number and recounted today’s happenings.

　　In an instant, Duan Chi furrowed his brows. “Did you notice anything peculiar?”

　　Duan Xiuwen answered, “Hmm… He looked as though he was just asleep the entire time, but I kept a close watch on him all day, and surprisingly, there was nothing amiss about him.”

　　Upon hearing that, the furrows between his eyes deepened as his brows drew down further. Without a second thought, he instructed his nephew to keep an eye on Yi Zhou before ending the call.

　　Feeling inexplicably anxious, he decided to cut his scheduled two-week business trip to just one week and rushed back.

　　After a week, the once forcefully manipulated energy coursing through Jing Xi’s body gradually subsided. Following the scheduled repair process, they returned to the original path.

　　And then came the dream — a vivid experience that felt as real as life itself. In this dream, Jing Xi found himself standing in an office. Across from him sat the department head, exuding an air of authority behind delicate gold-rimmed glasses. Through those lenses, he fixed his gaze upon Jing Xi and began, “Didn’t you make quite a friend in your last mission? Did you even realize how much he likes you?”

　　Jing Xi answered, “Yes, I could, and he’s also aware I wasn’t interested in dating. That’s why he didn’t confess his feelings, so what about it?”

　　Department Head explained, “After your return of the body to its host, he immediately noticed a stark difference between the two of you and flew off the handle. The situation escalated to the point where the Rehabilitation Department was alarmed.”

　　Jing Xi raised an eyebrow and countered, “And then?”

　　Department Head continued, “We are concerned that his behavior might put the host in danger, so we had to erase his memories. Interestingly, he remained unmarried for the rest of his life. Quite touching, don’t you think?”

　　Jing Xi argued, “What’s so touching about that?”

　　Due to the sheer number of people willing to go to great lengths for him, he found it difficult to truly feel moved or touched by Duan Chi’s gestures. 

　　With that, he pressed on with the mission, and on one occasion, he ran into the department head along the corridor.

　　“Congratulations! You’ve completed yet another challenging mission.” Department Head remarked, “I think you’ll do well in this department, so are you interested in taking over?”

　　Jing Xi declined, “Thanks, but no thanks.”

　　Department Head urged, “Hold on now, don’t rush out just yet! Don’t you think there’s something oddly familiar about that friend of yours?”

　　Jing Xi halted in his tracks, curious about what the department head was getting at. “What?”

　　Department Head revealed, “I’ve verified it, and it’s quite a coincidence. He and that individual who went bonkers previously are from the same data stream. Can you imagine what his reaction would be this time when he realizes you’re not the same person?”

　　Jing Xi’s eyes shot open, and he found himself surrounded by an eerie, dim glow in his bedroom. The moonlight seeped through the curtains, casting elusive shadows on the walls. It was undeniably the dead of night, and the world outside was sleeping.

　　Startled by his sudden awakening, System inquired, “Had a nightmare?”

　　Shaking his head, Jing Xi’s mind raced to recollect the wisps of the dream. As he allowed the dream to take shape in his memory, a sudden realization washed over him like a wave crashing against the shore. He could not ignore the pull he felt towards the balcony, as if some invisible force was guiding him. With an intrigued glint in his eye, he rose from the bed and made his way to the balcony. There, bathed in the faint moonlight, he saw Duan Chi standing tall in the courtyard, his eyes locked onto Jing Xi’s own.

　　 In the dim moonlight, Duan Chi’s heart skipped a beat as he laid eyes on Yi Zhou. He initially wished to see how Yi Zhou was doing, but the fear of disturbing his rest held him back. So, he opted to linger quietly in the courtyard. Much to his surprise, the other emerged from the shadows.

　　He asked, “Why are you awake?”

　　Jing Xi retorted, “I should be the one asking you that. Aren’t you supposed to be on a business trip for another two weeks?”

　　Duan Chi answered, “I finished everything ahead of schedule.”

　　At this juncture, Jing Xi reckoned that he must have caught wind of his fainting incident, so he invited Duan Chi in. However, instead of walking through the door like an average person, Duan Chi surprised him with his extraordinary agility. 

　　Taking a few steps back, he performed a remarkable leap and effortlessly flipped over the balcony railing to reach the other side before firmly grasping the other individual’s hand. Just as Jing Xi attempted to break free from the unexpected hold, a pair of ears appeared.

　　Duan Chi tenderly took Jing Xi’s hand and placed it near his ears. “Go ahead,” he invited.