LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 36 - The last thirty seconds
The system certainly couldn’t let him continue to act recklessly; it had to correct the plot and eliminate all uncertainties.
As the World Consciousness of this world, it could control everything. It forcibly suppressed Gu Xianting’s consciousness, allowing the higher-up’s suppressed consciousness to take control of his body.
This time, the first scene of the plot finally progressed smoothly.
In the torrential rain, a disheveled girl was scratched by a luxury car. The handsome man sitting in the backseat of the car personally walked into the rain, picked the girl up from the ground, and put her into the car.
The car slowly drove towards the hospital.
The system was extremely nervous and vigilant, constantly monitoring the male protagonist’s data, fearing that he might accidentally pull out a knife and kill the female protagonist again.
The subsequent plot progressed very smoothly. It saw Wen Zhao calling Gu Xianting, but he impatiently hung up. Su Mengyao had a high fever and he anxiously stayed up all night.
Now, all the memories related to Wen Zhao in the original host’s mind had been thoroughly cleaned.
The plot advanced smoothly.
The system finally relaxed its guard as it saw the relationship between the male and female leads quickly heating up.
It had always believed that a pre-set character could be controlled and replaced at any time.
However.
The system never expected that its moment of negligence would allow that stubborn lunatic to exploit the gap.
On the rooftop of the Gu Corporation building, Gu Xianting regained control of his body and looked at the pale Su Mengyao standing in front of him with a half-smile on his face.
“Xianting, what did you just say?” Su Mengyao looked at him in disbelief.
“I said, return all the expenses you extorted from me during this period, or I will kill you.” he maintained a gentle smile on his face, his tone like he was saying some sweet nothings.
Su Mengyao, with red-rimmed eyes, asked, “Is it Wen Zhao who came to see you again? Xianting, I know you have a marriage contract with her. It’s right for you to be with her. I don’t mind…”
“Don’t you understand human language?” he looked at her impatiently. “I told you to return the money. What does Wen Zhao have to do with this? If you don’t want to return the money, then stop talking.”
He stepped forward, gripping her neck tightly and pushing her towards the edge of the rooftop.
Her face turned as pale as paper. She looked back, and the dozens of floors below made her legs go weak.
“Don’t kill me… No, Xianting, why are you doing this to me?” she was on the verge of collapse.
The system was jolted awake by the blaring alarm. It looked at the plot and instantly became alarmed!
What’s happening? Why is the higher-up being suppressed by the original host again?
【Stop! Stop it!】 The system was going crazy. Its energy was severely depleted, and if it happened a couple more times, it would disappear due to exhaustion!
By then, the whole world might be destroyed along with it.
“Why should I stop? Aren’t you so powerful that you can forcibly take everything from me? Why don’t you continue now?” Gu Xianting spoke in a languid tone. “Oh, I forgot, you can’t do it.”
The system couldn’t directly intervene in the world; it could only subtly manipulate things during the resets.
【What exactly do you want to do!】
“I already said, I don’t want to be a tool, and I don’t like having my possessions forcibly taken away.”
Although he didn’t remember much, during this time, he was trapped in his own body, watching that thief occupying his body use it to maneuver between Su Mengyao and Wen Zhao.
His memories told him that he had no feelings for Wen Zhao, but every time he saw her, the concern in her eyes was not fake.
From these observations, she was clearly someone he would like, and she was definitely not the kind of woman who would cling to a man who didn’t love her.
Before his body was stolen, he must have had a romantic story with her.
So the question is, who stole his love?
【I don’t know what you’re talking about.】
“You know, return the memories of Wen Zhao to me! Otherwise, I’ll drop her right now!” he took another step forward.
“Ah—!” Su Mengyao, terrified, cried and screamed uncontrollably.
【No! You can’t!】 The system was so scared that its data went haywire.
“Memories,” he demanded firmly.
【Remembering those will do you no good.】
“Memories,” Gu Xianting emphasized, moving forward a little more.
【Okay, okay! I’ll give them to you right now!】
The system was in a complete breakdown. It hastily shoved the memories it had repeatedly cleaned and deleted back into his mind.
He stood there, stunned. His face revealed a mix of anger, joy, and pain. Then he suddenly smiled, “I really do love her.”
How could anyone not love Wen Zhao?
But what did those people do?
Why did they hurt his ZhaoZhao so much? Why did they use his body to do so many disgusting things with other women?
Why should he and ZhaoZhao be toyed with and treated this way?
【I’ve given you your memories. Now, pull the female protagonist back up!】 The system looked at Su Mengyao, who was half suspended in the air, constantly worried that he might let her fall.
“Remove the plot control from this world, or I will let her die again,” he said coldly. “ZhaoZhao and I are not mere pawns or stepping stones for someone else’s love! No one should be treated this way!”
【I can’t do it!】 The system really wanted to cry. 【You should have guessed, I can’t reset infinitely. In fact, my remaining energy is very low. If you kill the female protagonist, it will only lead to another collapse of the world. This world might completely disappear at any time!】
This was the first time Gu Xianting had heard the system say so much.
“So what if it does? Anyway, everything of mine will be taken away, right?” he sneered. “So whether this world exists or not, what does it matter to me?”
They say those who are reckless are afraid of those who are desperate, and those who are desperate are afraid of those who are fearless.
When a person doesn’t care whether the whole world exists or not, they become truly fearless.
But soon, the system thought of something.
【In that case, the Wen Zhao you love will also disappear. Does that not matter to you?】
“What does it matter? In the nauseating love story of the male and female leads, ZhaoZhao is so innocent but is treated this way. I believe that if she knew everything, she would make the same choice as me. Besides, in the story, didn’t she die because of them?”
“Shall I remind you? At the wedding on the cruise ship, she was thrown into the sea by the male lead, and her body was never found!”
“How cold was the seawater? She sank into the sea, with no way to call for help, killed by the person she loved the most. How desperate, how hateful must that be?”
System: … Why did it have to bring this up!
“So, with such malice in this world towards us, why should we care about its survival?”
“Why not just drag it out until this world ends? At least ZhaoZhao won’t have to experience such a cruel future.”
His ZhaoZhao could not have her family destroyed and die alone in despair in the sea.
The system was going crazy. How could it possibly salvage this situation?
These two people were indeed tragic—one was stripped of his identity, the other used as a stepping stone in the male and female leads’ love story, and ultimately lost their life.
It had made a grave mistake from the start!
【So what exactly do you want? Changing the plot is impossible!】
“I want a new body.” Gu Xianting was extremely dissatisfied with his current body!
【First, get the female protagonist up, and we can talk properly!】
The system was very afraid that he might slip up and let the female protagonist fall!
He complied, then covered Su Mengyao’s mouth and nose, rendering her unconscious from her hysterical crying.
He placed her on the edge of the rooftop, where he could easily kick her off.
The system felt like it wanted to vomit blood but had no choice. It didn’t want to anger a lunatic.
【Before the plot ends, this is impossible. You and I both know that you cannot neglect Wen Zhao. She is an important malicious female character who cannot be replaced and must complete the plot!】
“So, after the plot ends, can I get a new body?” he keenly grasped the system’s hint. “And as long as she completes the plot, the plot can be changed, right?”
【The plot cannot be changed.】
The system emphasized again.
“So the final plot for Wen Zhao is to drown at sea. So as long as she disappears completely from the male and female leads’ world after that, it counts as completing the plot?” he asked.
【Yes, that’s correct… What exactly do you want to do?】
He suddenly smiled and looked up at the sky.
What does he want to do?
He only wanted to leave a glimmer of hope for himself and Wen Zhao.
So he and the system made a deal at that moment.
After the plot ended, he would receive a new body, the appearance of which he could fully shape.
He remembered that Wen Zhao used to play a strategy game out of curiosity. She was very fond of a gray-eyed character in that game. That character was elegant and polite, making one want to tear his shirt apart and make him lose that bland expression.
Besides this, he wanted thirty seconds of freedom.
In the time when the entire world was frozen, he stood in front of her.
In the still rain, Wen Zhao remained in her stance.
She was soaked through, with rainwater dripping down her cheeks, and a droplet had collected at the corner of her eye, making it look like she was crying.
But Gu Xianting knew that she would not cry.
In this world, he understood her better than anyone.
He held an umbrella over her head, taking her hand and placing the umbrella handle in her grasp.
He said, “ZhaoZhao, I’ve fought for a glimmer of hope for myself. I will also strive for yours.”
“I know you’ve been very sad and painful during this time. I’m sorry for making you suffer alone for so long.”
“Next, that person will still hurt you. You’ll experience the destruction of your family, despair, and hatred.”
“I understand that no matter what I say, it sounds like an excuse, and you should hate me.”
“Perhaps, after everything ends, it might be best if we part ways forever. I should fulfill that for you.”
“But ZhaoZhao.”
He leaned close to her ear and whispered, “I still hope you will hold on to me.”
In this hypocritical world, hold on to me.
“Don’t give up, I beg you.”