Chapter 31.2

　　Before it had a chance to finish its sentence, Jing Xi’s footsteps echoed down the corridor as they turned a corner. And there, they stumbled upon Duan Chi just a dozen meters away, his eyes fixed on him.

　　For a Lupinus Mutant, this distance meant absolutely nothing. Had he arrived a moment sooner, he would have overheard Jing Xi’s conversation.

　　In the space of a breath, a loaded silence settled over both Jing Xi and System.

　　System exclaimed, “That is impossible! I have been refreshing the backend all along, and the Lupinus Mutants’ body temperature is different from others!”
　　Jing Xi noted, “I recall he has an assistant who’s a Lupinus Mutant. I bet he’s the one wearing the bracelet.”
　　System pondered, “Then, who is sitting there?”
　　Jing Xi shrugged, “Your guess is as good as mine. You didn’t catch a glimpse of their face, did you?”

　　With a soul-rending wail, System broke down into tears. ‘Why am I subjected to this relentless torment?!?!’

　　Yet, reality remained unfazed by its weeping.

　　Meanwhile, Jing Xi kept his steady pace, trailing behind Hu Xiao with a poker face.

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　　Gp Pwyd Ubk nywtbv pktbv sq Kkdt Dk, bl vssj wdbwaakle pvlrp qsaoyae.&dcpr;

　　Rv eke dsv vyjl zsdt clqsal vblka ryvbp nsdhlatle, yde kd vbl blyav sq vbyv xsxldv, vblka osazep nszzkele.

　　Tw Dkys aswdele vbl nsadla yp bl nywtbv vbl pktbv sq UOX Pwyd eayokdt dlya. Gdvknkryvkdt vbl UOX’p ryvb vs vbl lzlhyvsa, Tw Dkys plkgle vbl xsxldv yde nyzzle swv, “UOX Pwyd!”

　　Pwyd Ubk zlv swv y pswde sq ynjdsozletlxldv yp bkp lulp eyavle shla vbl kdekhkewyz pvydekdt dlmv vs Tw Dkys clqsal pvakekdt rypv vblx.​​

　　Ohld ps, Tw Dkys nswze dsv nsdvykd bkp lmnkvlxldv yp bl oyvnble UOX Pwyd’p pkzbswlvvl ekpyrrlya kdvs vbl ekpvydnl. Ekvb y bwpble ulv lzyvle vsdl, bl twpble, “R nyd’v clzklhl bl ynvwyzzu alprsdele vs xl! Mbkp kp yzps xu qkapv vkxl pllkdt bkx wr nzspl, yde bl oyp aktbv vblal, okvbkd yax’p alynb!”

　　Tsolhla, Kkdt Dk’p alprsdpl oyp pkxrzu y iwklv tzydnl.

　　Tw Dkys iwkrrle, “Ebyv’p wr okvb vbyv lmralppksd? Uyd’v usw pll bso kdnalekczu bydepsxl bl kp? Kllg, usw alyzzu byhl cye vypvl kd xld. Rv’p ds osdela usw bye y vbkdt qsa Tw Ubl.”
　　Mbld, bl fsjkdtzu zlnvwale vbl aycckv, “Ebu esd’v usw vyjl y tsse zssj yv UOX Pwyd? Lsv sdzu kp bl tsse-zssjkdt, pvasdt, yde olyzvbu, cwv bl’p qklanlzu zsuyz, vss. R xlyd, oblal lzpl nyd usw qkde y nyvnb zkjl vbyv? Mbyv Zk Hbsw xktbv dsv zkjl clkdt vkle esod, cwv R’x yzz qsa kv. Rq sdzu bl nswze ckde xl cu czsse, vbyv’e cl ycpszwvlzu rlaqlnv!”

　　Gv vbyv xsxldv, Fupvlx bye qkdkpble kvp lxsvksdyz swvcwapv yde nbkxle kd, “Xb, es dsv ryu bkx ydu xkde. Tl kp fwpv kd bkp qyd xsel, ps bl kp dsv vyjkdt kv vss plakswpzu. Zsw jdso, obld kv nsxlp vs UOX Pwyd… ypkel qasx Pwyd Dkwold, yzz vbl svbla xyzl zlyep yde vsrp yal yzz ldhkswp sq bkx. Zsw okzz nsxl vs wdelapvyde yp usw ts yzsdt.”
　　Kkdt Dk aykple yd kdvaktwle lulcaso. “G hlapyvkzl nyv’p ryo¹ 工具人: Rv kp y Ubkdlpl kdvladlv pzydt vbyv kp wple vs elpnakcl yd kdekhkewyz vbyv kp wple sa lmrzskvle cu svblap qsa vblka sod cldlqkv. Rd svbla osaep, kv alqlap vs psxlsdl obs kp valyvle yp y vssz sa y xlydp vs yd lde okvbswv xwnb nsdpkelayvksd qsa vblka qllzkdtp sa olzz-clkdt. Tsolhla, obyv xyjlp vbkp vlax ekqqlaldv qasx vlaxp zkjl ryod kp vbyv vbl rlapsd clkdt wple kp sqvld wdyoyal sq vbl xydkrwzyvkhl kdvldvksdp sq vbl rlapsd wpkdt vblx, xyjkdt vblx yd wdokvvkdt vssz sa kdvlaxlekyau.

In the case of a novel, this type of character would often exist as a tool for the growth of the main characters, and they have “no other purpose.” What’s more, they are generally accompanied by supporting roles or henchmen. They would make an appearance only to be used and then discarded later. https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/cats-paw [/mfn]?”
　　After a moment of hesitation, System stated, “… Well, you are not entirely wrong if you put it that way.”

　　The cat’s-pawed CEO Duan veered around a corner and came to a sudden halt.

　　Initially, he firmly believed that Yi Zhou had undergone some medical procedures to alter his body, but his assumptions were way off the mark. If he had not heard that faint yet unmistakable voice in the distance, he would have lost Yi Zhou entirely, simply because he could not catch a whiff of his scent. 

　　As Duan Chi took a deep breath, it swiftly dawned on him that the young man was not a human but a member of the Cuniculus Clan. Was it a chance encounter or destiny’s hand at play?

　　After pausing for a moment to ponder, he spun on his heel and swiftly returned to the banquet hall.

　　Elsewhere, the assistant was still reciting the plan.

　　Perched on the chair, the towering bodyguard wore an unreadable expression. ‘You’re reciting rather smoothly,’ he deliberated thoughtfully, ‘so why are you still nervous? Is there a need for me to be here? Anyway, aren’t you worried that business secrets will be leaked?’

　　Baffled by his boss’ instructions, the assistant could not fathom the hidden purpose behind those hushed words. Nevertheless, a deep sense of duty tugged at the assistant, compelling him to recite one of his discarded drafts from last night while awaiting the CEO’s imminent return.

　　Instantly, System snapped into high alert as its sensors honed in on their every move. When Duan Chi retrieved his bracelet, System tapped into it and cried, “Uh-oh! He is dialing your number!”

　　Ever since Jing Xi switched bodies, System had been managing his previous phone number.

　　From time to time, Jing Xi would reply to several messages, but answering video and voice calls was simply out of the question. After all, both his voice and appearance had changed drastically.

　　System inquired frantically, “What should we do?”
　　Jing Xi rebutted, “What else can we do? It’s not like I can just answer the call, right?”
　　System countered, “That would raise more suspicions, wouldn’t it?”

　　Without a doubt, Duan Chi fired off a couple of messages when his call went unanswered.
　　[I’ve noticed that we’ve not talked over the phone since you’ve gone on this trip.] 
　　[Is it really inconvenient for you, or you’re simply unable to do so?]
　　[There’s just something I’d like to ask again. Are you really Yi Zhou?]

　　If System had a beating heart, it would have flatlined by now. 

　　However, it did not just end there. As soon as Duan Chi sent these messages, he began his search for soul refraction online, nearly causing System to stop functioning. Panicked, it raced to alert Jing Xi about this impending catastrophe.

　　In a hush of contemplation, Jing Xi was struck by the realization that this was deliberately meant for him to know.

　　Considering his powerful standing, a big shot like him could have effortlessly tapped into his vast network to consult experts in the relevant fields. After all, how could anyone unearth real truths from the information-cluttered internet?

　　He instructed, “Tell him I most certainly am.”

　　When Jing Xi’s message popped up on Duan Chi’s screen, his eyes darted to a certain rabbit who was not on his phone. A perplexed frown slowly etched its way onto his face.

　　[Duan Chi: Fancy a chat?]
　　[Jing Xi: Nah, I’m heading to bed, so let’s do it another day.]
　　[Duan Chi: It’ll only take a few moments, promise!]
　　[Jing Xi: No, goodnight.]

　　Noticing the lack of response from the other end, System could not help but question, “Will this really work?”
　　Jing Xi answered, “It’s far from enough.”
　　System emphasized, “I told you his intuition is truly terrifying! So, what is our plan now?”
　　Jing Xi shrugged, “Whatever. Just let it be since he’s got no proof anyway. We’ll deal with it when he comes knocking.”
　　System clarified, “So, should I still keep an eye on his whereabouts then?”

　　After contemplating for a moment, Jing Xi thought that if he successfully evaded him throughout the entire birthday celebration, it might become even more challenging to clear things up. With a wry smile, he proclaimed, “Nope. Why not leave it up to fate? If our paths cross, we’ll have a chat. If not, let’s leave it to destiny to decide.”

　　During that lapse of their conversation, Hu Xiao and his friend swiftly concluded their talk. With a hint of impatience, he whisked the rabbit out of the banquet hall, seeking a secluded seating area on the upper floor. As the rabbit unfurled the tale, he found himself captivated as his appreciation for the rabbit grew by leaps and bounds.

　　He gave the rabbit a once-over and proposed, “I’m planning to break into the entertainment industry, and your qualifications are not bad either. So, how about joining me? The two of us can team up and make a name for ourselves in the industry. What do you think?”

　　Jing Xi deadpanned, “I have no interest in acting.”
　　Before the other person could convince him, he took the initiative and offered, “But I’ve honed my skills with a mercenary group. If you’re up for it, you can always have your second uncle as your bodyguard.”

　　Just when Hu Xiao was about to make him take back the “Second Uncle” title, his “husband” swooped in. Discovering they had important matters to attend to, Hu Xiao swiftly exchanged numbers with the rabbit. With a promise to continue their conversation later, he cooperatively strolled away hand in hand with his “husband.”

　　With that, Jing Xi’s eyes followed their receding figures, a wistful grin dancing on his lips. As he surveyed the bustling crowd, he could not help but let out a soft, bemused sigh. “Why do you think those scumbags didn’t make a move? They’re robbing me of all the fun.”

　　“…” System remarked, “Why are you always stirring up trouble? Thankfully, they did not make a move. Otherwise, how would you be able to justify your actions?”
　　With a touch of genuine worry, it cautioned, “Just let it slide for now. You will have plenty of opportunities to cross paths with them after becoming Hu Xiao’s bodyguard.”

　　Upon hearing that, Jing Xi let out a sound of acknowledgment.

　　In reality, Duan Chi’s unwarranted attention had rattled him a bit, but he played it off as a nonchalant grumble that escaped his lips.

　　As such, he temporarily pushed this matter into the secluded recesses of his mind before letting curiosity take the reins as he aimlessly roamed the spacecraft. And then, in a serendipitous instant, his eyes landed on an open balcony — a peculiar view that should not offer a view of the boundless universe. Eager to uncover what lay beyond, he hurried over to take a closer look.

　　With a pull, the glass door swung wide, and there he stood — face to face with none other than CEO Duan.

　　A silent exchange passed between their eyes, leaving both Jing Xi and System tongue-tied.

　　Even though Jing Xi was always up for a chat, he was not in the mood for one right when he was having a good time. Hence, he mustered a genuine apologetic tone and offered, “I apologize for the interruption.”

　　Just as he was about to make a hasty exit, the CEO’s voice faintly resounded from behind.

　　”Hold on.”