NOVEL NEXT Chapter Thirty-Nine: The Quirky System
“System, what’s the攻略 progress with Shi Qingyan?”
【Shi Qingyan攻略进度: 39%】
“Still early,” Young Master Sang mused while munching on food.
But Shi Qingyan could take her time, no rush.
First priority was to deal with Si Jingzhu’s situation.
After all, there was still fighting happening at the mountain gate, and if he could conquer Si Jingzhu early, it might help over there a little.
But攻略 for Si Jingzhu seemed like it wasn’t speeding up either…
He thought it would be delayed longer, but they were already at the mountain gate.
Was there a way to speed this up…?
“Master?”
Noticing the frown on his face while eating, Zhang Xiaoying couldn’t help but whisper, “Are you troubled?”
“Ah. Just work-related stuff.”
Young Master Sang continued to grab food, “It’s a small problem. I’ll handle it.”
“If there’s anything the servant can help with…”
“It’s fine, just take care of the house.”
Zhang Xiaoying blushed slightly and bowed her head silently.
The Master meant for her to just be a good wife and mother, taking care of the home, right?
Alright, she would work hard.
Keep honing her housekeeper skills, max out those points before the wedding, and become a wife the Master would be satisfied with.
“System, does Si Jingzhu have any other preferences? She can’t just enjoy being tortured, right?”
【Si Jingzhu’s only preference is to feel pain.】
“But isn’t that strange?” Young Master Sang asked, puzzled. “What kind of person only likes being tortured? Even if she’s an M, there has to be a reason, right? She couldn’t have just been born that way, could she?”
【……】
The system surprisingly didn’t reply.
But Young Master Sang vaguely felt that攻略 Si Jingzhu wouldn’t be as simple as he imagined.
No choice.
After dinner, he had to go probe her a bit more.
——
——
When he arrived at Si Jingzhu’s cell that afternoon, she looked somewhat wilted.
The moment she saw Young Master Sang enter, her dim eyes sparkled with hope, and she suddenly lunged at the bars:
“You’re back, Young Master Sang!”
“I beg you, either let me out or hit me a little harder. I can’t take it anymore.”
“I know, I know you’re doing this on purpose, right? You’re not weak; it’s just that you want to torture me, right?”
“Please, as long as you can make me feel pain, you can do anything…”
Young Master Sang looked at her nearly pleading expression and sighed with a bit of emotion.
It’s not that I don’t want to do something enjoyable for you.
The problem is, hurting you would cost me points.
I’ve worked so hard to accumulate these points; I can’t just throw them away by hitting you a few times, can I?
But looking at the somewhat dreamy look in Si Jingzhu’s eyes, Young Master Sang understood that his previous restraint had worked quite well.
Si Jingzhu must have accumulated quite a bit by now.
Just waiting for a release point.
But with her hands and feet shackled, she couldn’t even self-harm.
That was the true cruel punishment for her.
Thinking about it, he was a bit sympathetic toward this little girl.
“Si Jingzhu, let me ask you something.”
Young Master Sang suddenly spoke up: “Why do you want someone to hurt you so badly?”
Si Jingzhu paused for a moment.
“Does it need a reason? I just like that feeling…”
“No, it does need one. Who would just be born liking to be hit?”
Young Master Sang thought about it and asked, “Is it related to the Sect Leader?”
Si Jingzhu suddenly fell silent.
No more noise, no more pretending to be crazy; she just quietly turned her head away, not saying a word.
“…I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Looks like he guessed right. Young Master Sang blinked: “Honestly, even if you want to throw yourself into the fire.”
“But just seeking torture, there’s really no need to spill information about your own mother, right? You’re still the young lady of the sect; what good does betraying the sect do for you?”
“Or is it that your relationship with the Sect Leader is actually poor? That she tortured you so much when you were little that you’ve got psychological scars?”
“Or maybe, she’s too cold to you, and you’re just lonely and want to catch someone’s attention this way?”
Facing Young Master Sang’s various guesses, Si Jingzhu merely lowered her beautiful eyes and stared at him.
“Who knew you could come up with such ridiculous reasons.”
“That’s right.” Young Master Sang flashed a confident smile.
Isn’t that how stories usually go?
This rebellious and reclusive young lady has only a few reasons for her behavior.
Spoiled at home? Then she rebels and seeks thrills.
Not favored at home? Then she has a tragic existence and suffers bullying.
Haven’t you seen pigs run? Even if it’s his first time traversing, he’s definitely seen more than enough transmigration novels.
“But too bad, those aren’t the case.”
Si Jingzhu lifted her head in defiance, disdainfully saying, “I do hate her, but she actually treats me pretty well.”
Like a real mother.
She loves me carefully and diligently.
Only I do as I please in the entire Water Moon Sect; no matter what I want to do, I won’t face punishment.
“Then why…” Young Master Sang hadn’t finished his sentence.
Si Jingzhu suddenly scoffed at him mockingly.
“Why should I tell you?”
“What, pretending to care about me will earn my trust?”
“Do you think acting all gentle will make girls feel touched and obediently listen to you?”
“So you’re still that little useless scoundrel from back then, just someone I bully without daring to fight back, with a head full of disgusting fantasies every day.”
“Little~ Useless~ Scoundrel~ always a little~ useless~ scoundrel~”
Watching her mocking gaze, Young Master Sang almost couldn’t help but punch this little demoness.
But then, that’s just what she wanted.
“Want to know? If you really want to know, come beg me~”
She suddenly stretched her leg teasingly, shaking it in front of him: “Come kneel down and lick my feet, maybe in a good mood, I’ll tell you, little useless scoundrel.”
“With that attitude…”
Young Master Sang chuckled suddenly: “If you don’t want to say, then don’t. Acting like I can’t know without your input.”
Why not just ask the system directly?
This brat basically serves as a Siri or Baidu encyclopedia now. Might as well put it to good use.
Si Jingzhu froze.
She didn’t know where all that confidence of Young Master Sang was coming from.
“System, get to work.”
But this time, Young Master Sang waited a long while.
The system didn’t respond for a while.
Young Master Sang even thought the system had fallen asleep.
“Hey, buddy, don’t sleep on the job. Time to wake up and work.”
【……If.】
【If the system issues a task at this moment.】
【Will the host choose to accept it?】
Young Master Sang paused.
Wasn’t this the first time the system actively sought him out to talk?
“What task?”
【Issuing quest: Conquer Si Jingzhu without relying on system powers】