Chapter 35 AI Little Boyfriend

"It's okay." After Solace helped him up, Luo Qingxi barely steadied himself, his soft lips pressed into a straight line.

His face was as pale as wallpaper, only the tips of his ears flushed red.

He could feel his knees giving way, but under Solace's questioning, he still insisted flatly, "I got low blood sugar."

Spine coldly lowered his eyelids, not even shifting his gaze from the computer, and echoed, "Mm-hmm, mm-hmm, low blood sugar."

Luo Qingxi glanced at Spine, sat back down, and shut the computer. His crisp movements, paired with his cool, pale features, projected a decisive, pissed-off vibe, but as soon as he opened his mouth, he gave himself away in a dazed way: "I want some candy."

"Did you get hurt? Sit down and rest for a bit." Solace pulled out a few milk caramels from somewhere.

Luo Qingxi: "Mm."

Spine, however, relentlessly continued his sarcasm: "Kid, even like this, you still want to test run Door Demon?"

Luo Qingxi's cheek puffed out with the candy, and at Spine's patronizing way of addressing him, he furrowed his brow, mumbling vaguely, "...I'm going."

A moment later, as if remembering something, he slowly turned and asked Solace seriously, "...Are you going?"

Solace nodded. "Going."

Luo Qingxi silently understood, then repeated to Spine with even more resolve, "I'm going."

"Heh." Spine let out a cold laugh, taking his fingers off the keyboard after they'd been a blur, and gave him a slow, sarcastic clap. "Good luck."

Once Spine stopped, Luo Qingxi heard Solace's soft laugh and turned to look at him.

Solace: "I've finished reviewing the materials. How about we call it a day? You go get some rest, and I'll see you tomorrow afternoon?"

Without the slightest hesitation, Luo Qingxi stood up. "Bye."

Thinking of those images on the computer, his stomach churned. He'd avoid looking if possible and take things step by step.

After a quick, abrupt farewell to Solace, Luo Qingxi logged out of the game.

In the real world, it was already past four in the afternoon.

Back in his empty dorm, Luo Qingxi absentmindedly organized his study notes. As the night grew darker, he kept glancing over his shoulder, feeling like something was off but couldn't put his finger on it.

After doing this over and over, Luo Qingxi finally realized... he seemed to be afraid.

His normally strong, smooth handwriting turned shaky and trembling; the back of his neck felt cold and prickly, even pressed against the chair, as if something were behind him.

Luo Qingxi covered his face, and at eight, he couldn't help heading downstairs to eat.

In the school cafeteria, only a few shops were still open. Luo Qingxi casually ordered a bowl of fried rice. As soon as he sat down, someone lightly tapped his shoulder.

Luo Qingxi's body gave a start, and he nearly dropped his spoon into the bowl.

This reaction, instead, startled the classmate who had tapped him.

"Cl-classmate... There's not much food in the cafeteria at night. We ordered takeout, want to join us?" The junior student, who rarely used social media, didn't recognize Luo Qingxi, but Luo Qingxi's exceptionally outstanding appearance still made him unable to resist wanting to get to know him.

However, this unapproachable beauty, who seemed cold and ethereal from a distance, didn't appear as hard to approach as he looked—being tapped actually made him show a visibly startled expression.

Luo Qingxi followed his finger to look at the table full of barbecue, frowned slightly, and refused with a very practiced cold tone, "No, thanks."

The junior student slunk away.

Indeed, that cool, aloof vibe hadn't misled him—still too hard to deal with...

Luo Qingxi was used to being stared at. He ate his meal slowly and then went to the courier station to pick up several packages.

After reaching level 8, Senze's factory efficiency had improved a bit, and the three pieces of merch he'd just redeemed with vouchers had already arrived.

Back in the dorm, the same rush as opening his first blind box washed over him, drowning out his random fears.

Luo Qingxi first opened the Custom Boyfriend emotion cards, including three: joy, grief, and fear—joy with a frown, grief with a blank expression, and fear with a shrill voice and harsh expression.

Without labels, he couldn't tell them apart at all. Solace was seriously impossible to figure out...

Then, the figure blind box.

Upon opening, Senze finally came through—he had drawn the Custom Boyfriend mini figure, which was pretty much what he'd pictured, only even more detailed.

Times had changed. Although only a few days had passed since he last opened the Moulder figure, too many things had happened in between.

Luo Qingxi shook his head slightly and placed the Custom Boyfriend cards and figure on a specially purchased plastic shelf, which also hung the two badges he'd had to forcibly remove from his backpack.

The last package was an AI little robot simulating the Custom Boyfriend, palm-sized, which had imported the most prominent personality traits of the Custom Boyfriend through big data—a stereotypical version of the boyfriend.

Of course, after reaching max level, the system shop would unlock a real "simulated boyfriend," with body shape, personality, and size almost identical to those in the holographic world, letting the Custom Boyfriend cross dimensions and accompany the player forever in the real world.

As soon as Luo Qingxi opened the packaging of the AI little robot, it rolled out on its wheels.

Its small screen showed a ^_^ expression, and in a flat, emotionless electronic voice, it announced itself: "Sorry, I disagree."

"Sorry, this won't work."

"It's okay, hmm?"

Luo Qingxi couldn't help but laugh—this was basically a box of Solace clichés.

The AI boyfriend's packaging also included a set of little clothes—a plain black cap, a baggy round combat uniform, and a leg holster holding a plastic dagger.

Luo Qingxi dressed the little AI robot piece by piece.

Little robot: "Qingqing, thank you."

Luo Qingxi couldn't suppress a smile.

That was exactly the kind of thing Solace would say, but only at really serious moments. In this context, paired with the flat electronic voice, it just sounded completely ridiculous.

Luo Qingxi put the packaging box into the cabinet as well and said, "I'm a little scared."

AI boyfriend: "Don't be afraid, I'm here."

Luo Qingxi: "Then keep me company while I study."

The little robot rolled around the desk, spinning like it was on patrol, and said with fake deepness, "Mm."

Whether it was just in his head or not, having the AI around made Luo Qingxi feel a lot better. Knowledge flooded into his brain like a tidal wave. Occasionally, during the gaps between turning pages, when he got a little creeped out, the AI boyfriend would chime in to remind him: "Don't be afraid, I'm here."

He kept at it like that until midnight. Just as he was about to pick up the little robot and head to bed, with a "beep," the robot's battery died.

At that very moment, a cold wind blew outside, leaves rustled, and a chill crept up his spine again.

Luo Qingxi whirled around abruptly—there was nothing.

But he no longer dared to go to bed.

He clutched the cold little robot, stood still for half a minute, then stiffly shuffled backward a few steps, returning to the desk to plug the robot in for charging.

Gazing at the open textbook *Large Model Technology Application and Development* on the desk, Luo Qingxi hesitated only half a second, then decided to keep studying, using reason to counter his baseless fear.

And so he forced himself to sit at the desk. Every time a chill of fear crept over him, he would speed-read through the dull text and code, his fair, slender fingers flying over the pages, scanning line after line…

He lost track of how many times he repeated this before the dormitory door was gently pushed open from outside.

—It was his three roommates, returning late.

“Brother Luo, still studying?” Liang Xia whispered a greeting when he saw Luo Qingxi look over. The other two roommates also tiptoed, afraid to disturb his late-night studying.

The monsters in his mind vanished at the sound of his roommates. Luo Qingxi let out a light breath and closed the book. “I'm done studying. Getting ready for bed.”

The roommates exchanged glances, initially thinking they had interrupted Luo Shen, but seeing Luo Qingxi's relaxed expression as he naturally went to the bathroom to wash up, they realized he truly had just finished studying.

Liang Xia breathed a sigh of relief. As he tidied up, he recapped with his roommates, “So? My idol is handsome, right?”

Roommate: “His face is handsome. Don't know about the rest.”

Liang Xia laughed and cursed, “Get out. You think you can see the rest? I only get to savor that behind closed doors.”

With the dormitory now filled with the presence of living people, Luo Qingxi's wavering heart steadied. He washed his face with cold water, his roommates' voices coming from nearby.

A week ago, Luo Qingxi would have thought their conversation was far removed from his own life, but now… he actually wanted to ask Liang Xia how exactly he "savored" it and what exactly happened.

Afraid of startling him, he said nothing and finished washing up in silence.

When Luo Qingxi finished washing and walked out of the bathroom, he heard Liang Xia still boasting: “Besides, his body is another matter. What I care more about is his skill at playing holographic games, okay? Whatever game it is, he absolutely dominates. And also, he warmly protects me…”

Seeing Luo Qingxi come out and head for his bed, Liang Xia shot his two roommates some cheeky glances, then went off to wash up himself.

The sounds of water and tidying came from below the bunks. Luo Qingxi, cradling the fully charged, clothed little AI boyfriend, fell into a peaceful sleep.

The next day, he didn't wake up on time but arrived at the Senze Audit Department right at the deadline.

He honestly admitted that he had forgotten about the Senze banquet two nights ago. Yuan Duye frowned as he flipped through a new batch of game proposals, saying, “You could forget that?”

Perhaps because Yuan Duye's voice was naturally cold and his tone always fell, even when his words carried no emotion, he could still make people feel crushed under a mountain of pressure.

Thinking of the Tiny Bird he had visited that night, Luo Qingxi stood to the side and explained, “I went to see a sick friend and lost track of time.”

Yuan Duye didn't speak immediately. Instead, frowning, he finished flipping through the last pages of the game proposal, scribbled a sloppy X in the signature line, and only then looked at him.

In that instant of eye contact, Luo Qingxi prepared himself to pack up and leave.

But Yuan Duye only sighed, opened the next proposal, and said, “Fine. Don't let it happen again.”

Luo Qingxi felt a strange sense of familiarity, but before he could follow that thread of familiarity in his memory, he heard Yuan Duye say calmly, “Make up for your mistake. There's a company high-level dinner in a few days—you'll go in my place.”

Luo Qingxi agreed: “Okay.”

With the real-world matters settled, in the afternoon Luo Qingxi was finally able to log into the holographic game.

Although he didn't particularly like the game being tested this time, it was to thank Soul, so no matter what, he had to do a good job.

Besides, pretending to be calm and indifferent was what he did best. As long as he kept a blank face, no one could see his fear.

For this mission, he changed into a pure black combat suit identical to Solace's, with protective material on key areas to resist knives and bullets. At his waist, he also carried professional combat firearms and a dagger.

The two slender, jade-like figures standing together really gave the impression of assassins walking side by side for the organization.

Spine handed a pair of pure white gloves to Pure Spirit. Pure Spirit obediently put them on, covering the mottled bruises on his wrist. “Thank you, Spine.”

Spine: “Mm.”

The producer, very adept at social niceties, immediately bowed repeatedly and flattered Solace: “I'm truly grateful that you personally led a newcomer to test our game. I really don't know what to say except to thank both of you, the new and the veteran Review Officers…”

The producer wanted to continue his barrage of praise, but Pure Spirit tugged him and whispered, “Don't say that. Those two used to date.”

Even though he kept his voice very low, the few people present still heard it clearly.

Spine: “…”

Luo Qingxi: “.”

At his words, the producer's brain short-circuited, not knowing what to say: “Well, um… thank you for your hard work… both of you…”

Luo Qingxi smoothed the wrinkles on the hem of his pure black combat suit and said calmly, “You've misunderstood. We're just colleagues.”

Spine couldn't stand it anymore and urged, “Let's go quickly. Enough talking.”

Luo Qingxi nodded solemnly: “See you.”

Solace also laughed and waved: “Online contact.”

Luo Qingxi had already fully prepared himself mentally, and besides, Solace was accompanying him, so he said, “It's okay.”

“When the time comes…”

Before Solace finished his sentence, the horror game gave them no buffer time and directly entered the scene.

“Aaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh—”

A sharp, miserable cry of a female ghost rang in Luo Qingxi's ears. His pupils contracted sharply, and he nearly jumped up from fright.

The night was deep and silent. The surroundings were pitch black. Solace stood half a step away from him. The other figure beside him was…

Luo Qingxi turned his head slightly to glance, and was terrified by the bloody, horrifying face that no normal human could bear to look at.

He had never imagined that the holographic image could be so many times more terrifying than a computer picture. It was sheer visual torture! Pounding his already weak heart to death, bit by bit.

Seeing the female ghost about to approach, Luo Qingxi froze, and before he knew it, his arms uncontrollably wrapped around the Solace beside him, clinging tightly to Solace's solid, powerful, and reassuring body.

Solace's chest shook with a quiet laugh: “Don't be afraid. I'm here.”

The exact same words as the little AI boyfriend, but spoken by him with warmth and gentleness, became the only lifeline in Luo Qingxi's drowning world, the only tenderness in the horror game, making Luo Qingxi hold on tight and not let go.

Solace: “Audit.”

Luo Qingxi kept his eyes tightly shut, but his body could feel Solace seemingly pulling out the review officer's badge.

Immediately after, he heard another female voice, like silver bells, laughing from beside him: “Hahaha, you're done for. You scared the review officer's boyfriend to death!”

Luo Qingxi: ???