After that night, something in Jin Xuan changed.
He started staring at me more, sometimes so intently it made my skin crawl. Still, I couldn’t deny he grew gentler by the day.
Trying to speed up my mission, I simply moved in.
We went about life like any couple. When I learned he finally met the protagonist, I remembered my true mission: protecting the world.
At breakfast, I casually asked, "Jin Xuan, you seem busier these days?"
He looked up. "Am I making you lonely?"
"Not at all, just curious, what’s keeping you so busy?"
"I’ve got a new collaboration with the Ban family. When it wraps up, let’s take a vacation together."
"Sounds fun," I replied quickly. "The Ban family? You mean Ban Yan?"
It had taken weeks, but I finally heard the protagonist’s name from his lips.
I scooted upright and rambled nervously, "So what’s he like? I heard he’s really nice, never puts on airs, does tons of charity work. Isn’t he great. Don’t you think so?"
Jin Xuan froze, smirked, and asked, "Yueyue, are you very interested in him?"
That strange stat in my mission panel started rising again. I instinctively sensed danger and waved both hands.
"No, not interested at all, just making conversation."
Jin Xuan stood, one hand braced on the table, pinning me with a dark gaze.
"Yueyue, don’t let other men catch your eye. Otherwise, I might not be able to control myself."
I squeaked, "Control yourself how?"
Eyes dark, Jin Xuan suddenly swept me onto the dining table.
"Jin Xuan..."
I cried out, but he quickly silenced me, devouring my protests with a kiss.
Barely able to stand, I staggered out of the bedroom the next morning.
The good news: his attention was all on me, not the supposed male lead.
The bad news: maybe a little too much attention.
No. Is this really the right strategy? This guy is way too high-maintenance.
Whatever. If I could finally complete a mission, any price was worth it.
I’d never seen my completion rate so high. But when would I know the mission was done? The system hadn’t replied to my last dozen messages.
Months went by. Still no word.
Finally, after three months, the system’s familiar voice echoed in my mind.
"System, you’re back!"
Its tone was more shocked than mine. "Host, you’re still alive?"
I scowled.
"Gee, nice of you to expect the worst."
The system seemed flustered.
"But it’s been three months. No one assigned to this task ever lasted longer than one."
Something about that felt off.
"What do you mean? How could a simple love mission be a kill mission?"
The system was silent for a beat.
"Who did you say you’re romancing?"
"You said to capture Jin Xuan’s heart. I did everything by your instructions, check my stats, he adores me, right? Isn’t my mission over yet?"
The system shrieked in panic.
"You’re in love with Jin Xuan? He’s the world’s arch-villain, a killer without mercy. Who told you to date him? I told you to kill him, kill!"
My brain whirled, information overload.
"Huh?"
The system screeched.
"That stat in your mission bar? That’s his kill-intent. The higher it is, the more dangerous he gets. Otherwise, why do you think he killed the original male protagonist?"
I glanced at the mission bar. Jin Xuan’s 83 glared back at me.
"System, isn't the number kind of high? But he’s been pretty normal all this time."
In the original plot, Jin Xuan’s murder sprees always began with a recently returned heiress as the first victim.
I pointed at myself in disbelief.
"Me?"
The system practically cackled.
"Now I see why you keep failing missions. Are you dense or what? He’s planning to use you as his warm-up kill, and you’re still babbling away here.
You must kill him now. The deadline for him to kill the protagonist is closing in. He only lets you stay close out of lowered guard. This is your best, maybe last chance."
At a total loss, I scratched my hair.
"But you want me to eliminate him? I just.... I don't know if I can do it..."
"Host, don’t tell me you’ve actually fallen for him. Think clearly he’s incapable of love. The only reason he hasn’t hurt you yet is because you're convenient. The deeper his kill intent gets, the more likely you'll be his first victim. You've already failed three times. This is your last chance. If you finish this mission, I'll send you home. Your family and friends are waiting for you."
The system’s words finally forced me to make up my mind.
It was right. No matter what, this was just a fabricated world a stage made from someone else’s story.
Back in my own world, a car accident had left me a vegetable. I could still remember the tear-stained faces of my parents at my bedside.
This was my last chance.
I have to go back.
After waiting until the house grew silent, I stepped out of the bedroom. Just as I guessed, Jin Xuan was dozing on the living room sofa. He had been working even later than usual these days trying to make time for our promised vacation.
I had left him dinner on the table, along with a note reminding him not to skip his meals.
And in that food, I’d slipped in a hefty dose of sleeping pills.
I crept to his side and found him with a blanket over his entire head, his breaths slow and deep. He looked deeply asleep.
I softly called his name. No response.
Steeling my nerves and hoping that with his face covered, I wouldn’t hesitate, I picked up a sofa cushion, clenched my teeth, and pressed it down hard over what I thought was his face.
His breathing was abruptly cut off, and he began to struggle weakly, maybe because of the medication, he barely moved, and not a sound escaped him. Before long, all movement ceased.
I suddenly lost all strength and collapsed to the floor, tears streaming uncontrollably down my face.
"I'm sorry, Jin Xuan. I’m so sorry. I had no choice, I really didn’t..."
"What are you doing?"
A cold, unmistakable voice came from the other end of the sofa.
Stunned, I looked up in shock.
Pulling back the blanket, Jin Xuan sat there coolly, not a hair out of place.
Turning, I found I’d just suffocated his feet.
Jin Xuan looked down at me, the faintest of sneers on his lips, his dark eyes colder than a serpent sizing up its prey.
"Yanyan." He knelt and retrieved the pillow I’d just dropped, smiling suddenly a smile with no warmth at all.
"You know, that’s not the right way to kill someone."
My instincts screamed; I started crawling backwards, but he grabbed my ankle in a tight, icy grip.
Holding my foot, his fingertips so cold they sent a chill through me.
"Need me to teach you?"
I stole a glance at the task panel, my face going white as a sheet.
Jin Xuan’s kill intent stat was maxed out.
Chapter 02
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