Chapter 117: Can I Return This Broken System?
Qingying hadn’t been having a good couple of days.
Her training in the secret division had instilled in her the habit of waking up early. She would always take a walk around her lodgings, checking for anything unusual.
If everything was normal, she would consider it her morning exercise.
She used to enjoy the quiet serenity of the world before it fully awakened, the chirping of birds and the dew-kissed petals a source of simple pleasure.
But now…
“Young Master, time to wake up~”
“It’s too early… Let me sleep a little longer.”
“But breakfast is ready. It’ll get cold if you don’t eat soon.”
“I’m not hungry. It’s too cold outside the blankets.”
“Then Luo Luo will warm you up, and you’ll be able to get up.”
…Every morning was filled with similar saccharine exchanges.
The inns they stayed at along the way were all small, mortal establishments with poor sound insulation. Several times, as Qingying opened her window to enjoy the fresh morning air, Luo Luo’s sweet, coquettish voice and Chen Yin’s doting replies would drift over from the next room.
“Ah! Young Master, what are you doing?”
“I feel like something’s missing in my arms. Must be a fox-shaped pillow.”
“Mmm… Luo Luo is not a pillow.”
It was disgustingly sweet and shameless.
It made Qingying’s skin crawl, but there was nothing she could do.
Breakfast was no better.
As she ate her meal in silence, the scene beside her was a stark contrast.
“Young Master, this is so delicious!”
“It is, isn’t it? The innkeeper said it’s their signature dish.”
“You should try some too, Young Master. Open wide, ah~”
“Ah~”
The fox-eared girl would pick up a piece of food with her chopsticks, feed it to Chen Yin with a smile, and then watch him eat with delight, her tail wagging excitedly.
“Is it good?!”
“It’s delicious. Luo Luo, have some too, ah~”
“Ah~”
…Are you two stuck in an endless loop?!
Qingying gritted her teeth, the food before her suddenly tasteless. She couldn’t stomach another bite and pushed her plate away. “I’m full.”
Out of sight, out of mind. Staying away from this lovey-dovey couple would spare her from their nauseating displays of affection.
But it was impossible to avoid them entirely.
During the day, their journey was more like a romantic getaway, a honeymoon filled with sightseeing and leisurely strolls.
And she was the awkward third wheel, a high-wattage lightbulb illuminating their love.
Even when they finally stopped at an inn to rest, the sickeningly sweet whispers and playful banter would inevitably drift over from the next room.
“Young Master, what story are you going to tell Luo Luo today?”
“What does Luo Luo want to hear?”
“Anything Young Master tells, Luo Luo loves to listen!”
“Luo Luo is such a good girl. Let me give you a kiss. Mwah.”
“Mmm!”
…Seriously, get a room!
This was the first time Qingying had witnessed a couple in love. She couldn’t understand how they could be so sickeningly sweet without feeling any shame.
Are all people in love this ridiculous?
Unable to endure their constant flirting and intimate whispers, Qingying took a deep breath, opened the window, and stepped outside.
She found a secluded spot on a large rock and sat there, gazing at the moon in silence.
“…System,” she said softly.
“I remember there’s something called chewing gum in the System Shop. Exchange for two pieces.”
“Sister, have you forgotten?” The System’s weary voice replied. “You used up almost all your points on that pill in Yanxia Province.”
Qingying frowned, then sighed after a long silence.
“When you’re unlucky, even drinking water can get stuck in your teeth.”
…Especially after meeting that guy.
Everything had been going downhill since then. She hadn’t had a single stroke of good luck.
“So there are no more main missions to earn points?”
The System hummed in affirmation. “Your previous main missions were all based on tasks from the sect, running errands and completing bounties for the secret division.”
“But the secret division is gone now. You can only take on side missions.”
“Side missions it is, then.” Qingying conceded. “See if there are any available. I need to earn some points.”
“Same rules as before. No evil missions. Only those that punish the wicked and uphold justice.”
“Roger that.” The System started searching. “Let me see…”
“Ah, there’s one nearby.”
“Assassination mission: Eliminate the corrupt official Yao Zhuang without causing a commotion. Reward: 200 points.”
It continued, “According to the mission description, this Yao Zhuang is a real piece of work. Not only does he exploit the common people, but he also enjoys kidnapping women, destroying countless families.”
“It’s not a difficult mission. If you’re quick, you can be back before dawn, and it won’t affect our journey.”
“That’s the one.”
Qingying put on her mask, her aura turning icy cold. Her tall and alluring figure became even more menacing.
“Let’s go.”
Lanju Town, government office.
The office was quiet at night, except for two guards dozing off at the entrance. The rest of the building was shrouded in darkness.
Qingying, her movements swift and graceful, silently approached the office, using the shadows as cover.
She reached the backyard and stopped before a room with a flickering candlelight.
She peered through the window, her beautiful eyes narrowed.
Inside, a disheveled woman was backing away towards the bed, her voice filled with terror:
“No… please, no, Master Yao! Please spare me! I-I have a husband and children at home—”
“Hehe, little lady, there’s no escape!”
A pot-bellied middle-aged man, a lewd smile on his face, approached the woman.
“If you dare resist, your husband and children will suffer the consequences!”
“No…” The woman’s eyes were filled with despair and desperation.
Scum. Qingying spat, her dagger transforming into a black blur, ready to slit the man’s throat.
But the next moment, her expression changed drastically.
Clang! The dagger struck an invisible barrier, unable to harm the man in the slightest.
At the same time, a sharp sword energy descended from the roof.
Qingying instinctively dodged the powerful attack. A deep chasm appeared where she had been standing just a moment ago.
…Supreme Clarity Realm! Where?! Her heart pounded with alarm as she retreated swiftly.
The commotion alerted the people inside. A moment later, Yao Zhuang emerged, his clothes disheveled, cursing angrily:
“Damn it, what was that? Are you trying to tear down my house?!”
“…You almost died, you know.” A cold voice spoke from the shadows.
A rugged-looking man with a scruffy beard, holding a sword, said calmly, “Someone just tried to assassinate you. They’re quite skilled. Even I was fooled by their concealment techniques.”
“A cultivator?”
Yao Zhuang’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Impossible! I’m always careful. I always investigate my targets thoroughly. How could I have offended a cultivator?”
“Perhaps you’ve committed too many evil deeds, and even the heavens can’t stand it anymore.”
The man said sarcastically.
Yao Zhuang’s face turned red with anger. “Ye Huang! Say that again!”
“Do you want your daughter to die?!”
The man called Ye Huang fell silent. He just glared at Yao Zhuang with cold, dark eyes, as if he were looking at a dead man.
“Who was that assassin?”
“…I don’t know.”
“Then why aren’t you chasing after them?!”
Yao Zhuang stomped his foot angrily. “If you let them escape, you can prepare for your daughter’s funeral!”
Ye Huang took a deep breath and vanished into the shadows.
“System, what the hell is going on?!”
Qingying asked, her voice filled with panic and anger as she fled.
“You said this was a low-difficulty mission! Why is there a Supreme Clarity Realm cultivator protecting him?!”
“I-I don’t know!”
The System was equally dumbfounded. “That’s what it says on the mission details! Low difficulty—”
Its voice trailed off.
“Hello? What’s wrong?” Qingying asked urgently.
The System watched in disbelief as the mission details, previously marked as low difficulty, began to change before its eyes.
The difficulty level rose steadily.
Until it reached “extremely high.”
After a long silence, the System sucked in a breath and cursed softly.
“…What the fuck.”
“This damn System is broken. Can I return it?”
Qingying cursed angrily, “What happened?!”
“We’ve been screwed.”
The System said grimly, “This mission is now extremely difficult. Figure out how to escape.”
“How can I escape, I—”
Before she could finish her sentence, a powerful and overwhelming aura surged towards her from behind.
It was an ancient and heavy sword intent, its mere presence chilling her to the bone.
“He’s catching up?!” Qingying frowned.
“System, can we fight him?”
“Fight him my ass.” The System said grumpily. “You used up all your points on that Dao Breakthrough Pill last time. What are you going to fight him with, your bare hands?”
“Then what should we do?”
“What else can we do? Run!”
Qingying didn’t hesitate and ran as fast as she could.
But her pursuer’s speed was strangely erratic and persistent. She couldn’t shake him off, no matter how hard she tried. He was like a shadow, clinging to her relentlessly.
Seeing that she was running out of places to hide, the System couldn’t help but say:
“I’m telling you…”
“Shut up.”
“No, seriously, if we don’t—”
“Shut up!”
“Don’t be so stubborn! Even heroes know when to retreat! Discretion is the better part of valor.”
The System grumbled. “A wise man knows when to live to fight another day. It’s not shameful to ask for help.”
“I told you to shut up!” Qingying gritted her teeth.
…She knew what the System was going to say.
The only person who could defeat her pursuer was… him.
But she would rather die than ask him for help.
Just the thought of being indebted to Chen Yin and having him constantly mock and tease her made her shudder.
“Come on, Sister, don’t be too proud to accept help.”
The System pleaded, “I’m begging you. Don’t throw your life away.”
Qingying’s brow furrowed, her inner conflict raging.
She looked up and suddenly realized that she had been unconsciously running towards the inn.