Chapter 140

Shen Gonglin felt the same way. Kiana had no one to confide in, so he had even less to talk to. Now that he had this opportunity, he certainly wouldn't let it pass. Shen Gonglin liked this kind of plot, after all, he felt that he could learn a lot from it.

"Huh? How could you like this kind of plot? I think the plot in another book where the male protagonist is a complete coward and the female protagonist can't wait and forces herself on him is more interesting. That's more in line with my aesthetic. What kind of nonsense are you reading, Shen Gonglin?"

Kiana pouted, scoffing at Shen Gonglin's taste. She preferred the ones she read. If she read with Shen Gonglin in the future, she would definitely recommend the parts she liked to him. If she recommended them well, Shen Gonglin would definitely enjoy them... Speaking of which, Mei is really amazing. She has all kinds of books. As expected of Mei, she's really impressive.

"No way? You actually think that kind of plot is good? That's completely illogical. In reality, it should be more reasonable for the male protagonist to confess to the female protagonist. And how come the female protagonist confesses first? Kiana, you're completely wrong. Even if you're reading erotic novels, you have to read something appropriate."

Completely disagreeing with Kiana's aesthetic sense, Shen Gonglin shook his head, utterly disagreeing with what she said. Kiana, after hearing his words, took it seriously. What nonsense was Shen Gonglin spouting? Only a fool would look for authenticity in a fictional story. Besides, who says there aren't such plots? She thought there were plenty.

"What if the male protagonist in real life is incredibly cowardly? He's already taken advantage of the girl countless times, but he just won't take the initiative. And while he's with the girl, he's also having ambiguous relationships with other women—beautiful rich girls, legal lolis, real lolis, female teachers, maids, and even incredibly strong women... What if that kind of thing really happens? Doesn't the female protagonist have to make an effort herself? Otherwise, who knows how long that scumbag male protagonist will wait before taking the initiative?"

Kiana opened her mouth and grumbled unhappily, "Does that idiot Shen Gonglin really not understand anything? What Kiana said is exactly what she experienced. I want to see how Shen Gonglin explains this situation. What an idiot!"

"Haha, how could that be? How could there be such a male protagonist in real life? If there were a guy like that, he would definitely be dead by now and wouldn't even live to be seventeen... Why are you looking at me like that? Am I not telling the truth?"

Shen Gonglin laughed heartily, but Kiana stared at him without saying a word. After a long while, the girl twitched the corners of her mouth and squeezed out two words from her beautiful cherry blossom-colored lips.

"Hehe."

This guy is hopeless. He has absolutely no self-awareness. He won't even live to be seventeen. What utter nonsense! He's still alive and well, isn't he? Kiana feels that Shen Gonglin could easily live to be a hundred.

Heh? Shen Gonglin's eyes also turned unfriendly. No one had ever dared to sneer at him like that before. Kiana completely misunderstood the true meaning of adult books. She had only read a few and yet she dared to talk back to him like that. He was the epitome of a well-read person. It was one thing for Kiana not to be humble and admit defeat in front of a big shot like him, but she even dared to talk back to him like that. This girl was completely asking for a beating. She didn't understand anything at all!

And so, the two, who hadn't even calmed down for a few minutes, started glaring at each other again, neither willing to back down, determined to make the other admit that their preferred storyline was the way to go!

"Tsk, enough talk, let's get started?"

"Alright, who's afraid of who? Let's see what kind of scenario is most touching in real situations!"

The cramped room, a cell left behind at some unknown time, has now become the performance studio for Shen Gonglin and Kiana. There's a bed here, and their confrontation can be staged with just this one prop. Neither of them is willing to concede, so they decide to take turns cooperating with each other to act out a scene from the book to see who is truly the right one. This is very important, more important than anything else right now... But, what were they originally planning to do?

Never mind, it's not important anyway.

Looking at Kiana lying on the small bed, Shen Gonglin took a deep breath. He reached out and placed his hand next to Kiana's head. This was the scene he was going to act out. Actually, the only difference between the two of them was who was the top and who was the bottom. Now it was Shen Gonglin's turn to shine. The female lead was shy and kept refusing, while the male lead showed his dominance. Shen Gonglin was very familiar with this scene. Now he just had to act it out. But... Kiana was completely uncooperative.

"Hey, can you tone it down a bit? You're supposed to be the kind of shy and cute leading lady, but the way you're acting makes me feel... well, you know. So can't you just pretend to be a little shy?"

Looking at Kiana lying on the small bed, Shen Gonglin was utterly helpless. What kind of heroine is this happy? Forget about being shy, Shen Gonglin finally understood what it meant to be beaming with joy when she saw Kiana lying there like a starfish. This Kiana is just unbelievable! Does she even understand what she meant before? Shen Gonglin wanted a shy and demure heroine, but with Kiana like this, how was Shen Gonglin supposed to even begin?

Chapter 40 What are you two doing?

Tsk, this person is so troublesome. Can she control this kind of thing? Kiana pouted. She was also professionally trained and usually didn't laugh, except when she encountered something very happy, like now she was a little unable to hold back. After hearing what Shen Gonglin said, she managed to control herself. The girl's face was tense. She wanted to see how Shen Gonglin was going to do it.

"Great, here I come."

He couldn't expect too much from Kiana; after all, her brain capacity was only so-so, so he could just make do. Shen Gonglin tried hard to get into character. He looked down at Kiana, her white hair and blue eyes wide open, staring at him. In those clear, lake-like eyes, Shen Gonglin could clearly see his own reflection. He had planned it well beforehand, just to practice according to the plot in the book, but in practice, Shen Gonglin found it a bit difficult. How did he and Kiana end up like this inexplicably? This wasn't right.

Leaning against Kiana, Shen Gonglin felt a little flustered. Below him was the girl's beautiful figure, and before him was Kiana's pretty little face. If it were according to the plot of the book, he only needed to press down on her, but now Shen Gonglin felt that this simple action was so difficult for him to do. It was fine before, but now Shen Gonglin felt more and more uneasy. Simply put, he... was shy again.

Those who know, know. Don't be fooled by Shen Gonglin's usual boastful talk; he's actually a bit of a coward. His talk about being a carnivore is just talk. If you asked him to go all out now, he wouldn't be able to handle it.

"Um... Kiana, I don't think now is the time to do this kind of thing. After all, we need to find the elevator key first. Besides, I think what you said before makes some sense; the scenario you described is more appealing. So, let's not try it. I agree with your point of view, so now we..."

He chickened out, but not completely. Shen Gonglin wanted to find a respectable way to get by. It wasn't that he was afraid to do anything; it was simply because he now agreed with Kiana's point of view. Since they had reached a consensus, what was the point of rehearsing? That's right, that's what Shen Gonglin was thinking. No pretense.

"Ha, I knew you were a coward. Now that you're done, it's my turn. You're just like that arrogant male protagonist. I'm done... no, not done yet!"

The girl's expectant expression immediately fell, but this was within her expectations. Kiana was quite clever at times; she had anticipated that Shen Gonglin might act this way. If he wouldn't seize the opportunity, then let her take it. Kiana didn't want him to admit he was right so half-heartedly; she wanted Shen Gonglin to be convinced from the bottom of his heart. That was the kind of storyline she wanted—that was the true path.

Kiana's long, slender legs moved instantly, locking onto Shen Gonglin. With a slight effort, her strong waist flipped the light and agile Shen Gonglin over. Now it was Kiana's turn. If Shen Gonglin didn't dare to come, then she would take care of her.

"Wait, wait a minute, Kiana, what are you trying to do?"

The sudden role reversal Shen Gonglin feeling incredibly uncomfortable. She was supposed to be on top, how did Kiana end up on top? This situation seemed a bit ominous. Shen Gonglin saw a fierce aura in Kiana's eyes. This girl... could she be trying to make it real? That wouldn't do. Shen Gonglin wasn't ready, and besides, the environment wasn't right. It was just a little acting, right? But Kiana's current behavior clearly wasn't acting. She... she really kissed her!

"Don't you know what I'm going to do, Shen Gonglin? You really are a textbook example of a manga protagonist. You've read Mei's Book too, so you should be prepared for what's going to happen next."

Kiana excitedly wiped her mouth. As expected, the plot she liked was more exciting. Miss Kiana couldn't wait any longer. Today was a good day. It seemed that everything was developing in the direction she wanted. Whether it was her mother's matter or Shen Gonglin's matter, it seemed that she could do anything as long as she wanted to.

"What am I supposed to be prepared for... Wait, let's talk, can we not use our mouths? Help, help me! Is there anyone who can save me?"

Seeing Kiana about to speak, Shen Gonglin quickly reached out and blocked her face, preventing her from looking down. Shen Gonglin was clearly panicked. How could she be so stupid as to play this game with Kiana? Kiana was obviously not playing games but serious! This wouldn't do. Shen Gonglin tried her best to stop Kiana, but without using her power-ups, how could she possibly be a match for Kiana? So, Shen Gonglin could only make a useless cry for help like a weak girl. Was there anyone to save her? If no one came, wouldn't she have no choice but to give in to Kiana?

This won't do. Even if it really has to be done this way, Shen Gonglin wants it to be the kind of development she wants. She's a good brother, so letting her sleep with him... Ugh, it's not that I can't sleep with her myself, but Shen Gonglin feels that being proactive or passive is still very important.

"Hehe, Shen Gonglin, your acting is pretty convincing. That's it. Shouldn't I say next, 'Scream all you want, no one will come to save you even if you scream your lungs out?' I've wanted to say that for a long time!"

Kiana thought Shen Gonglin just acting, and inwardly gave him a thumbs up. This guy's acting was so realistic! It was even more exciting than having him perform a set of thug-style punches in front of her! Shen Gonglin was truly amazing; no wonder she liked him. They could connect on the same wavelength no matter where they were. This was wonderful! It really was Shen Gonglin! Kiana was incredibly grateful that she had found Shen Gonglin back then. If she hadn't... even if she hadn't found him, they would definitely have met again. That was for sure, Kiana was absolutely certain.

"I'll act my ass! Let me go right now, or else I'll..."

Shen Gonglin's eyes widened in disbelief. This girl actually thought she was acting? Did she have no brains at all?

"Yes, I understand. You weren't acting. This is a genuine expression of your feelings. I'm here."

Just as Kiana was about to continue her operation, an awkward voice rang out from the doorway.

"Um... I asked you two to find the keys, but isn't it a bit inappropriate for you two to be like this?"

Chapter 41 The Strange Diary

At the room door, Cecilia scratched her cheek awkwardly. Who would have thought she would see such a scene? Cecilia was so embarrassed that she felt like she could dig out a whole ocean view room for herself. She had just asked the two of them to look around for the elevator key, how could this have happened? It was really embarrassing.

They were originally going to split up, with Kiana and Shen Gonglin in one group and Cecilia in another. However, Cecilia couldn't find any trace of them after searching for a while, so she wondered if she should rejoin Shen Gonglin and the others first. As she walked, she heard Shen Gonglin's small cry for help. For Valkyrie of Cecilia's caliber, she could react keenly to any slight movement, and Shen Gonglin's cry for help immediately put her into battle mode.

Could it be that Shen Gonglin and Kiana have encountered some danger? Cecilia, growing increasingly anxious, quickly rushed towards the direction from which the sound came. She didn't want either Shen Gonglin or Kiana to be in danger, and given Cecilia 'Shen Gonglin personality, such a cry for help must mean she was in a very serious situation. Although Shen Gonglin seemed like a soft and easily bullied character, Cecilia was somewhat aware of her fighting prowess; she was Herrscher who could directly confront Shen Gonglin. For her to cry for help like this, she must be in trouble.

Cecilia rushed over only to find this scene: the girl who looked and sounded exactly like her imagined future daughter was pinning Shen Gonglin down on the bed, ready to take advantage of her. Shen Gonglin was struggling to hold on and prevent the girl's plan from succeeding. It was definitely dangerous, and it was Shen Gonglin who was in danger. Even Cecilia, with her strong personality, couldn't help but twitch her lips. What was she seeing? She should have known better than to come... No, she couldn't not come. If she hadn't come, Shen Gonglin might really be finished. Didn't these two know to consider the time and the surroundings?

Cecilia was so embarrassed. She knew that Shen Gonglin and Kiana had a good relationship, after all, you could tell from how they got along. But she didn't expect their relationship to be this good. From what she saw, Kiana seemed to really like Shen Gonglin, to the point that she couldn't help but make a move on him. But Shen Gonglin was clearly unwilling, or rather, she was playing hard to get.

Cecilia's mind was a bit muddled, so she spaced out for a while. When she saw Kiana pressing down on Shen Gonglin's legs, grabbing his wrists, and pinning his hands above his head, Cecilia knew that if she didn't speak up soon, it would be too late. So be it, it was time to show her elder's authority.

Cecilia felt like she was coming home to find her daughter had brought her boyfriend home for a secret tryst. Cecilia had imagined this scenario before, assuming that someone as open-minded as herself would pretend not to know and quietly leave. But now...

Cecilia, standing at the door, took a deep breath, composed herself, and spoke these words softly through her cherry lips.

"Um... I asked you two to find the keys, but isn't it a bit inappropriate for you two to be like this?"

In the cell, Shen Gonglin and Kiana knelt obediently side by side on the bed, heads bowed and silent. Cecilia stood before them, shaking her head helplessly as she watched the two bowing and apologizing. These two were truly a headache. Weren't they a bit too young? Kiana was just a teenager, and Shen Gonglin was clearly even younger. How could she correct Kiana's mistakes without hurting her? As for Shen Gonglin, Cecilia had witnessed the situation; he was simply a victim. The only thing she could do for him was to remind him to be more careful in the future and not to be careless just because he was a boy.

"Hey, say something, like explain why you were acting just now? And then you got carried away while acting?"

The atmosphere was really hard to bear. Shen Gonglin swayed slightly and secretly bumped into Kiana next to him. The girl's eyes were vacant and she looked like she had just finished something. She had been like this ever since she saw Cecilia. Why wasn't she saying anything? Shen Gonglin was very uncomfortable with the atmosphere. Maybe he should tell them a lame joke?

"Don't talk to me, I'm already dead."

Kiana stared blankly at the bed, head down. Having done this in front of her mother, Kiana just wanted to pass out and skip this moment. She wanted to make a good impression on her mother, but she'd lost her mind and done something like this. Now, Kiana just wanted to die. Forget about making a good impression; in her mother's eyes, she was probably the kind of perverted woman who preyed on lone boys... There had never been a more embarrassing moment.

After briefly recalling what Cecilia had witnessed, Kiana clutched Cecilia head in anguish. Even if she herself had witnessed it, there was no way to explain it. Who would believe that she and Shen Gonglin were just playing around?

"Um... I know you two are close, but right now... we should focus on the mission. We don't know the situation of the Second Herrscher yet... And as for me, I feel that mutual affection is better. Of course, I'm not saying there's anything wrong with what you did, Kiana. Maybe some people like that kind of approach... But you two are still a bit young. I think... I think what? Well, I think it would be better to wait until you're a bit older, and then... then what?"

Unable to bear seeing Kiana remain so withdrawn, Cecilia tried to find a topic to comfort Kiana. Perhaps she shouldn't have spoken up earlier? Or maybe she should have made some noise from a distance; at least the situation wouldn't be so awkward now.

"Yes, that's right. We should focus on the mission for now. We can talk about other things later. Don't worry, Kiana, I won't take what happened earlier to heart. It's alright."

Shen Gonglin's legs were numb from sitting so long. When Cecilia spoke up, he followed suit. Kiana, on the other hand, gave him a fierce look. This guy dared to say that! It was as if he was the one who was responsible. He was the one who caused this, but Shen Gonglin was now trying to shift the blame onto him. This was so irresponsible! Just like Shen Gonglin!

"You dare to say that! I'll let you say it! If it weren't for your suggestion, why would I play this crazy game with you? It's all your fault! You better admit your mistake honestly and tell Lady Cecilia that it's all your fault, so say it now!"

Kiana pinned Shen Gonglin down on the bed again. Clutching Shen Gonglin's neck, Kiana was mortified and furious. The girl was completely bewildered. She needed to clarify things quickly. This wasn't her idea alone; it was something she and Shen Gonglin had come up with together. Why did it seem like she was the only one in the wrong? And why was Shen Gonglin acting like nothing had happened?

"Yes, Kiana is right, Cecilia, it was my fault."

Shen Gonglin obediently turned her head towards Cecilia, and Cecilia nodded in agreement, though her azure eyes revealed her heartache for Shen Gonglin. This child is so sensible; she's clearly taking the blame for Kiana. It's alright, she understands.

"You... Waaaaaah, so annoying! Anyway, it's all your fault, Shen Gonglin, it's all your fault!"

He admitted he was still upset, but Kiana, confused, grabbed Shen Gonglin's collar and shook her violently. She was too afraid to look Cecilia in the eye; seeing her mother's eyes made her feel like she was about to die on the spot. So Kiana could only vent her emotions on Shen Gonglin. Anyway, it was all his fault from beginning to end. She was going to beat him to death. Shen Gonglin, please die first, okay?

"It's me, it's me, it's my fault, isn't that enough... Hey, what's this?"

Feeling dizzy from Kiana's shaking, Shen Gonglin suddenly felt something hard under his neck. He pushed Kiana away and handed Shen Gonglin deranged Kiana over to Cecilia. He then flipped open the bed to find the thing that had been under his Shen Gonglin. When he opened the bed, he saw a small, tattered notebook. He was Shen Gonglin by the words on it.

"My God, this handwriting is even uglier than Kiana's. Is this... a diary?"

The crooked handwriting in the diary instantly conjured a mask of pain in Shen Gonglin. No sooner had he finished speaking than Kiana rushed over and snatched the diary from his hand. A flash of golden light appeared in the girl's eyes before returning to their azure hue. Was the handwriting really that ugly...?

"Let me see... It looks like a diary, but it's not as well-written as mine. Let me see what's written in it."

Holding the notebook in her hand, Kiana began to read it with great interest. Regardless of what was written inside, at least she could change the subject and stop dwelling on what had just happened. As long as she could get out of the awkward situation, she was willing to do anything, and this diary was clearly a good opportunity.

The doctor told me to start writing a diary today, but I've never written one before...

Kiana read the above text aloud, word by word, and a look of confusion appeared on her face again. What was all this?

Chapter Forty-Two: Good News

Doctor? Is this a hospital? Impatient for Kiana to finish reading, Shen Gonglin ran over to look at the diary with her. At that moment, Shen Gonglin realized her head was starting to throb again, as if she were sinking deeper into this illusion... No, she couldn't think of this as an illusion. If she did, her mind would definitely be disrupted. Kiana loved this place; it was a rare opportunity for her to spend time with her mother. She couldn't interfere with them...

"Take a look at what's written here. The handwriting is so ugly it gives me a headache. I'm going to rest here for a while."

Closing his eyes and refusing to look at the contents of the diary, Shen Gonglin leaned against the wall and closed them. Kiana rolled Shen Gonglin eyes at him but ignored him, as if his handwriting was so beautiful. Kiana had never even seen Shen Gonglin write anything. He usually had Bronya do all the homework assigned in class. This guy is so spoiled. If he doesn't want to look, he doesn't want to look. He just reads it by himself.

Today's treatment was also very painful, but the doctor said we couldn't stop. The children whose treatment was stopped were taken away by the doctor and never came back...

I'm so scared. I don't want to go there. I don't want to live in this dark, tiny cage. I want my mom to hug me. Mom, where are you...?

[Mom, I miss you so much, but I will hold back my tears, I promise I won't cry, because I have a magic spell that you taught me. Whenever I'm sad, you always whisper this spell in my ear. It's a magic spell that, if I just silently recite it in my heart, can grant any wish, a magic spell that will allow me to see you... Ichliebedich?]

Kiana unconsciously uttered the incantation. Only after she finished did she realize how strange it was. She clearly didn't understand the sentence, so how could she have read it? Confused, Kiana instinctively wanted to turn around and ask Shen Gonglin. Although he never did his homework, he was very good at studying. Surely he knew what the sentence meant.

"Shen Gonglin, what does that mean?"

Kiana held the diary in front of Shen Gonglin and pointed to the so-called magic spells inside, asking Shen Gonglin a question. Shen Gonglin opened his eyes and looked at it, and then his gaze towards Kiana became increasingly strange. Was this girl really planning to launch some kind of offensive against him? What was she implying?

"Why are you looking at me like that? What do you mean by that?"

Kiana was baffled. She had simply asked Shen Gonglin what he meant, so why was he looking at her like that? Was there a problem?

"Oh, this means... I love you."

"What magic spell? It's just a German phrase." Seeing that Kiana seemed genuinely confused, Shen Gonglin explained the meaning to her without hesitation. However, as soon as he finished speaking, a sharp pain shot through his head. At the same time, Kiana seemed to be affected as well. Shen Gonglin felt the surrounding space tremble, and then he and Kiana both fell to the ground. Cecilia quickly caught them. What happened?

[Your Excellency, the illusion created by the Second Herrscher has been severely impacted. At this rate, the illusion will become unsustainable, and the test subject will break free. Our experiment is doomed to fail.]

After gathering the intelligence, the staff in charge of monitoring reported the situation to Otto. Looking at the various unstable data on the screen, the bishop was not surprised by the impending failure of his plan. Rather than saying it was a failure, it was better to say that the situation was getting better. What powerful brainpower! He could even break free from the illusion created by the Herrscher with his brain. This Shen Gonglin is indeed very special. However, this is even better.

[Has it failed? Don't jump to conclusions. Our plan hasn't failed. The test subject is still in the illusion, and to maintain this illusion, he will pay a heavy price. This price will later become nourishment for the Second Herrscher's resurrection. His own willfulness has led to irreversible consequences... Humans are indeed the greatest creatures in this world. Only humans possess such emotions, and these emotions will become the sharpest blade.]

Although the situation was somewhat beyond his control, it was still within his expectations. Looking at the gradually stabilizing scene on the screen, Otto smiled knowingly. Just as he expected, he would help stabilize the illusion on his own.

[Durandal, Fu Hua, you can begin preparations. We'll be retrieving K423 later. Fu Hua, my lovely granddaughter is in your care. Please be careful not to let her get hurt.]

Having given this order, the lights in the bishop's command room slowly dimmed. The plan was proceeding as he had envisioned, and everything was under his control.

[Yes.]

[I see.]

Durandal and Fu Hua, who had been on standby, also responded. Not understanding Otto's specific plans, all they could do was carry them out. They also didn't know about Shen Gonglin's current situation. In the grove of trees in the St. Freya Underground Chapel, the two girls exchanged a glance, both seeing the unease in each other's eyes. Carrying out the mission wasn't a problem, but what if they encountered Shen Gonglin later? He would definitely stop them. If they could, they really didn't want to clash with Shen Gonglin, not because they were afraid they couldn't win, but because... they didn't want to fight.

[I understand your concerns. Don't worry, if nothing unexpected happens, the only obstacle should be Theresa. Even the most powerful brain has its limits, especially since she was already overloaded before, suppressing the explosion of the biochip in someone else's brain. She hasn't recovered yet and is already under so much pressure. Even Superman wouldn't be unaffected. So, your actions only need to focus on Theresa.]

Otto's voice rang out again. He had already taken the factor of Shen Gonglin into account. If he were in his complete form, Durandal and Fu Hua might actually have a hard time dealing with him. One reason was Shen Gonglin's combat strength, and the other was that the two of them probably wouldn't be able to easily take action against Shen Gonglin. So this was the best arrangement. Shen Gonglin, whose brain was overloaded and injured, wouldn't pose any obstacle.

[...yes.]

Durandal and Fu Hua responded after a moment of silence. This was truly... good news.

Chapter Forty-Three

Ugh... My head hurts so much. What just happened? I think I suddenly fainted when I recited that incantation. What was I thinking at the time? I think I wanted to lie in my mother's arms and be held by her?

And now this feeling is so warm, it's like... No way, am I really lying in my mother's arms?

Kiana opened her eyes, and after the darkness came Cecilia's flawless face. This position, this angle, without the low blood pressure that Shen Gonglin had when she woke up, Kiana immediately realized what state she was in. Was that spell real? Was she really lying in her mother's arms?

"Lady Cecilia, what's wrong with me? And what about Shen Gonglin, what's going on with him?"

Despite her reluctance, Kiana quickly climbed off Cecilia's lap after noticing Shen Gonglin's condition. Her mother's lap pillow was very comfortable, but Shen Gonglin's condition was more important. Kiana was a little anxious looking at the unconscious Shen Gonglin. She was the only one by his side now, so of course she had to take good care of him. Seeing Shen Gonglin's brows tightly furrowed even in his unconscious state, she wondered what was wrong with him.

"I don't know either. You two fainted right after reading the diary. Don't worry, I checked on him. He's probably just exhausted. He should be fine after a good rest. But you, why did you faint? You two became like this after reading the diary. I'm very worried."