Over on this side, the tangerine fragrance wafted alluringly, but things with Su Ze were anything but pleasant—dark clouds loomed over him. He had hoped to play out a classic hero-rescues-the-beauty scenario, only for this beauty to act like she had full-blown Stockholm syndrome, constantly snuggling into the “kidnapper” Liang Sheng’s arms.
Just look at Miss Lu’s adoring gaze toward their Sheng. Tsk, tsk, tsk.
Should he tactfully turn and leave? Or keep blustering? Clearly, the former was nowhere in Su Ze’s nature.
Yet for some inexplicable reason, Su Ze actually walked away obediently this time.
Strange, right? Liang Sheng watched the scumbag male lead’s retreating figure. Had he suddenly turned over a new leaf?
As if. Su Ze had simply taken too many losses, and with his Heartthrob System Akino Wakako bombarding him nonstop, he had finally learned his lesson. The moment he sensed trouble, he cut and ran—evidence that he was finally getting smarter, nothing more.
By the time Liang Sheng returned home, her Favorability System Akino Kazuko had good news and bad news for her.
“So, do you want the good news first, or the bad news?” Akino Kazuko teased, dragging it out.
Liang Sheng fixed her with a dead-fish stare. “Spit it out or beat it. I’m wiped out. Homework for today? Eh, let’s say the readers of this novel gobbled it up or something.”
Akino Kazuko took one look at her host’s exhausted face and couldn’t resist more teasing. “Did today’s sadist leave you all tuckered out?”
“You’re full of crap!” Liang Sheng swatted Akino Kazuko’s forehead with a light smack—one that didn’t even leave a mark.
Liang Sheng flopped onto the sofa with brazen flair, striking a classic overbearing CEO pose. “Out with it, woman. Don’t make me repeat myself.”
Akino Kazuko rolled her eyes. “God, you’re so cheesy.”
Liang Sheng burst out laughing. “Come on, just tell me. It’s gotta be something big, right?”
The Favorability System quit fooling around, since this truly mattered. She turned serious, lifting a hand to fuss with an imaginary tie. “Ahem. Pay close attention to what comes next!”
Liang Sheng was already losing patience, urging her on repeatedly. “Just say it already. Good news first—at least that’ll cheer me up for a minute.”
“I think,” Akino Kazuko paused for effect, “once these girls’ favorability toward you hits 200 or higher, my memories might finally return.”
“Really?!” Liang Sheng bolted upright from her near-comatose slump, her limp body snapping taut in an instant (though that metaphor does feel a tad off).
“Exactly!” Akino Kazuko nodded. She pressed on: “And who knows—maybe once their favorability tops 200, we’ll uncover things we’re not supposed to know.”
Liang Sheng frowned in confusion. “You mean…”
“Why us systems were created in the first place. Why we have to battle each other to the death. And who the creator pulling the strings really is.”
The air grew thick with tension all of a sudden. Liang Sheng even caught a faint, eerie undercurrent.
“From what I can guess, though,” Akino Kazuko continued, her expression turning grim, “just reaching 200+ favorability isn’t enough. I’ve failed so many times, and each one taught me something. Akino Wakako only wins when the Heartthrob Value maxes out. But not me—even after every girl hit 200+, with no way to push to 300+, I still didn’t claim victory.”
“This…” Liang Sheng trailed off, stunned. The atmosphere in the room grew heavier still.
Neither the girl nor the system spoke. They both sank into thought.
“You say…”
“You say…”
They spoke at the same time.
“Uh…”
“Er…”
They both froze.
“You first!”
“You first!”
Perfectly in sync again.
Liang Sheng let out a “pfft” of laughter. “Fine, I’ll go.”
Akino Kazuko nodded.
“Here’s what I think,” Liang Sheng said. She crossed her legs like some enlightened monk, her gaze sharp as she eyed her Favorability System across from her. “If the girls hit 200+ favorability and it’s still not over—if you can’t even upgrade to 300+—then victory must require more than just that one condition.”
“Mm-hmm? Mm-hmm?” Akino Kazuko hugged her knees, curling into a little ball on the sofa opposite Liang Sheng. Her eyes went wide as she listened intently. “Keep going!”
Liang Sheng cleared her throat. “If there’s some extra condition tacked on, it has to be…”
She broke off, tilting her head toward the ceiling. Her fingers fidgeted restlessly, as if she were divining the future. In truth, she was just double-checking if her logic held up.
“Um…” Liang Sheng finished mulling it over and met Akino Kazuko’s eyes squarely. “I bet that additional condition is something like the girls’ Heartthrob Value toward Su Ze dropping to a certain point. Maybe zero?”
Her host’s insight sparked something. Akino Kazuko slapped her palms together with a smack. “Yes! That’s it—I figured it out!”
“What?” Liang Sheng jolted at the sudden shout. “Whoa, don’t startle me like that. Did I actually nail it?”
Akino Kazuko rubbed her dainty chin. “Your idea makes total sense. That’s exactly what I think, too. Though not quite their favorability hitting zero—more like it becomes unviewable.”
“Unviewable?” Liang Sheng scratched her head. Akino Kazuko had never mentioned anything like that before.
Akino Kazuko bobbed her head emphatically. “Yep. Once the girls’ favorability toward Su Ze dips into hate territory, it turns negative. And at negative, the Heartthrob Value just shows as unviewable.”
Liang Sheng’s eyes lit up with realization. But then she paused. “Hang on, but your favorability…”
Akino Kazuko shrugged, a mix of smugness and helplessness in her tone. “Which is why I’m the most unique system out there. Hoshiko always said I’d be the one to…”
Her words cut off abruptly. She bowed her head.
Silence settled over the room once more.
Liang Sheng had been waiting for her to continue, but the Favorability System clammed up.
This time, Liang Sheng chose not to press.
“Oh… is that all?” Liang Sheng asked.
Akino Kazuko looked up. “Don’t forget—there’s still the bad news.”
“Oh, right.” Liang Sheng nodded vacantly. “So, what’s the bad news?”
Akino Kazuko’s face fell further.
