Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Seeing Lu Huainan's demeanor, Qi Beichen found it difficult to press further. "Mr. Lu, since you believe there's no issue, please remember to schedule a follow-up appointment."

Lu Huainan offered Qi Beichen a slight smile. "Understood."

Qi Beichen paused, seemingly on the verge of saying more, but ultimately held his tongue and turned to leave.

Lu Huainan settled onto a low stool nearby, reflecting on the past few days. His emotions did seem somewhat volatile; he resolved to exercise more self-control. The thought of Shen Muyun brought even greater bewilderment—could a person's personality truly undergo such a drastic transformation? He couldn't be certain.

"Xiao Yang, I have some documents here. I'll send them to you shortly. Please help me investigate his background thoroughly."

Lu Huainan couldn't resist sending the message to his secretary. Checking the time, it was just past six; Shen Muyun was likely still asleep. He set his phone aside and continued to expend his restless energy.

In the room, Shen Muyun's sleep was troubled, a rapid succession of dreams like a flickering carousel. He struggled to awaken, but each time, the nightmare held him captive.

"We're on the verge of victory! Soon, we'll be able to roam the world freely!"

"Careful, there are steps ahead. Why are you so clumsy? What would you do if I weren't by your side?"

"Didn't you promise you'd always be with me? Why did you break your word?"

Whose voice was that? Why did it sound so familiar? His vision was obscured as if by a fog, blurry and indistinct—he couldn't make out the person before him. Shen Muyun jolted awake. It was only a dream, yet it felt so incredibly real.

He looked up, his gaze meeting Shen Liuyun's deep, weary eyes.

"Muyun, what's wrong? You were talking in your sleep just now—was it a nightmare? It seems we should consult a therapist. We need to intervene to prevent any further issues."

Shen Muyun shook his head. "Brother, I'm fine. Just a few dreams. Where's Huainan? Wasn't he here earlier?"

Shen Liuyun paused, then offered a segment of orange to Shen Muyun's lips. "Try this—it's the freshest fruit of the season."

"He's attending to some work matters. Muyun, regarding you and him..."

Shen Muyun had already taken the orange, but Shen Liuyun's words caught in his throat. The sweet juice instantly rushed into his windpipe, triggering a fit of coughing. "Cough, cough... cough, cough..."

The wound on Shen Muyun's abdomen throbbed with each cough, and he couldn't stop, his face turning crimson from the strain. Shen Liuyun quickly patted his back. "The orange is delicious, but take it slow."

In his mind, Shen Muyun silently cursed a thousand times—this wasn't the orange's fault; it was entirely Shen Liuyun's doing.

After a prolonged struggle, Shen Muyun finally recovered somewhat, clearing his throat. "Cough, brother, what are you thinking? We're both men—how could there be anything between us?"

Shen Liuyun smiled, his eyes crinkling. "The Shen family is open-minded—it's not out of the question. Besides, it would be a perfect match. I was actually a little disappointed when you broke up with Lu Huainan's sister."

Shen Muyun's eyes widened. Wasn't Shen Liuyun supposed to be a ruthless CEO, decisive and unsparing? Since when had he become a gossip columnist?

"Um, brother, I really don't mean it that way. Even if I did, Lu Huainan would have to feel the same. These things can't be forced—a forced relationship won't be sweet."

"Oh, I see. It seems I was overthinking things. How are you feeling now? Is there any part of your body that's still uncomfortable? Huainan suggested going to the hospital for a comprehensive check-up today, just to be safe. It's likely the police will contact us in the next few days as well."

"I feel alright, brother. You should go rest—you have dark circles under your eyes. I'm fine now. As for the check-up, let's skip it. It's just superficial wounds—nothing serious. What I'm really concerned about is the police investigation. I want to know who did this to me and why they hold such a grudge."

Shen Liuyun tugged firmly at the corner of the blanket. "Mm, we just need to cooperate fully with the investigation. It's almost six o'clock—I need to head to the company. There are still details in that contract that require my attention. Muyun, get some good rest. If I'm not too busy, I'll come back to see you at noon."

Shen Liuyun rose and left the room.

Lying in bed, Shen Muyun finally had a chance to observe the room's furnishings. Judging by the style, Lu Huainan clearly favored black, white, and gray—the decor was neat and uncluttered. From their previous interactions, Shen Muyun had always perceived Lu Huainan as a gentle person, but his behavior at the factory had truly shocked him.

After sleeping, he felt significantly better, though his wounds still throbbed faintly. The system had never mentioned that superficial injuries would cause pain—he had assumed it would be like a full-immersion game, but it seemed that wasn't the case.

Shen Muyun checked his phone but found no useful messages. Even the news of his kidnapping hadn't appeared in the media—it seemed Shen Liuyun had deliberately suppressed the story. Not going to the hospital immediately was likely also a measure to keep the incident under wraps. The fewer people who knew about it, the better.

"System, system, come out right now."

The system fluttered its tiny wings, appearing before Shen Muyun. The earlier mechanical malfunction seemed to be completely resolved—there was no more crackling static.

"Respected Host Master, is there something urgent? I am your system—cute, dedicated, and charming."

Shen Muyun nearly gagged at the system's words.

"System, can you please stop being so conceited? Tell me, what happened this time? Does this count as a main mission? I didn't receive any notification. And does it come with extra tokens?"

The system circled the room as if stretching its limbs, hovered above Shen Muyun's head for a moment, then landed by the bed. "Well, Host Master, to be honest, I don't know what happened this time either. When you went to the underground parking garage, I could still sense your presence. But then I felt a strange power surge, and after that... there was nothing."

Shen Muyun frowned. Logically, that shouldn't be possible. Could there be someone behind the scenes manipulating the main storyline?

"System, based on your experience, could there be hackers or something similar here who could infiltrate the system and tamper with data?"

"Host Master, you're worrying over nothing. How could that be possible? Our existence is the result of meticulous calculations, including the selection of individuals, which is handled by the TimeSpace Administration. As for hackers, it's impossible. Don't forget, the world of the book is a parallel universe to the real world—it will never intersect with reality. This is an abandoned story—the main plotline was cut off long ago. What you're experiencing now is your own main mission."

Shen Muyun was utterly confused. "So, no one can interfere with this world?"

"Yes, exactly."

"And the main mission adjusts based on my progress?"

"Correct, Host Master. The TimeSpace Administration designs challenges based on your abilities, but in principle, the tasks shouldn't cause you harm. So this must have been an accident—definitely an accident. If you're still worried, I can go ask the person in charge at the TimeSpace Administration."

"Hey, can you meet the person in charge? Then can I—"

Before Shen Muyun could finish, the system immediately refused sternly. "Host Master, that's impossible. The person in charge cannot meet you. You just need to quietly complete the tasks, and you'll surely have a good ending."

A good ending, my foot! He almost died just now, and it wasn't even part of a quest? What a waste—he didn't even get tokens, yet he went through such an ordeal.

"Host Master, don't sigh like that—it's not good for your health. You need to rest up and heal properly now. There are more tasks ahead."

"Just shut up. Look, other systems know everything from astronomy to geography, all-powerful and able to help their hosts at crucial moments. And you? Tell me, what's your deal? If I had died during the kidnapping, would you have had to find a new host?"

The system fidgeted with its wings awkwardly. "Well, Host Master, I believe in you. With your skills and abilities, you can overcome any danger."

"Stop flattering me. Has a new quest been refreshed? And what about the quest to romance Lu Huainan—what's the progress?"

The system's screen glowed blue. "Mm, a new quest has appeared. Host Master, you're really quick. It's about Lu Huainan's birthday. But the display indicates this birthday banquet won't be simple, so Host needs to be extra vigilant. Also, regarding your brother and the company—you need to be cautious there too. As for the quest to romance Lu Huainan, the current progress is 0. Host Master, you need to step it up."

Shen Muyun nodded. He had already received an invitation to the birthday banquet. Whatever happened, he would deal with it as it came—nothing too serious. Now that Shen Corp had signed with Lu Corp, it was no surprise that others would be jealous. But how to increase the progress of romancing Lu Huainan?

"System, what does progress 0 mean? Is there any way to speed up this quest?"

"Mm, of course there is. Dating is a good option, and getting more one-on-one time. I can create opportunities for you."

Shen Muyun thought for a moment. "System, let's not have you setting things up. I'm afraid it'll be another near-death experience—I can't handle that. You know I died of a heart attack in my previous life—I've got a weak heart."

"Host Master, don't worry. Why would I harm you? I'm the cutest system ever. Host Master, you need to rest well. Lu Huainan's birthday banquet is in about half a month—you need to appear well-rested and ready."

"You, go rest. I want to sleep. I finally have some quiet. I'll buzz you if anything comes up."

"Ding dong! Dear Host Master, I'm your always-on system. Bye-bye, I'm going shopping!"