Under Luo Hong's emotional manipulation, Qingque didn't know what face to make. Unlike Bronya's version of the explanation, hers included the full detail of how she became a captive.
The only thing that kept her sane was the thought: This body technically isn't my original one, so my first kiss hasn't been lost! It was self-deception, but it was the only way she could cope with the messy emotions in her heart.
"Correct," Luo Hong said, watching her relax. "You can treat everything here as a dream. Do the things you wouldn't dare do in reality. For example—" He looked at the "defeated CG" version of Fu Xuan and smirked. "Take revenge on your old boss for catching you slacking off every day."
"Uh..." Qingque didn't take the bait. She asked with a complicated look, "I thought you said you weren't using mind-reading anymore?"
"I'm not." Luo Hong shook his head. "I can just guess how you're coping based on your expression. I've seen it many times before."
First was Bronya, then the sisters. When faced with an unchangeable reality, they all chose this form of self-convincing to survive.
"There are others?" Qingque felt a bit more relaxed. That meant even if she were to be "devoured," she wouldn't be the only one "slacking off" from her dignity. She looked at the pitiful Fu Xuan and murmured, "If the Master Diviner is here, it's true that we wouldn't be the only ones."
Qingque loved to slack off, but she wasn't stupid. In fact, she was a master of "point control"—the Xianzhou version of Ayanokouji. To live a peaceful, lazy life, she intentionally kept her abilities looking average, just like her chest—only slight undulations. Even in this dire situation, she kept her cool, constantly finding ways to comfort herself. Fight Luo Hong? She wouldn't dare have such a bold thought in a hundred years!
"I'm glad you understand." Luo Hong wore a demonic grin. "Do you really not want to do anything to your boss? Think about how she catches you at work. Think about how she forbids you from playing Celestial Jade."
"..." Qingque went straight to the point. "Great Lord, please don't make things difficult for a small bird like me. Ultimately, your goal is just to have leverage over me, isn't it? When the Master Diviner wakes up in this world, you want to use this scene to threaten... no, wait!"
She realized she was overestimating her own importance. She let out a self-deprecating laugh. "You just want to see 'fun.' There's no need to threaten me since everything I have already belongs to you."
She saw through the situation more clearly than Bronya. Her greatest strength was her ability to accurately assess her own value.
"Tsk." Luo Hong clicked his tongue. "I thought you'd played the 'pig to eat the tiger' for so long that you actually became a pig, but it seems I underestimated you."
He snapped his fingers, unbinding her. Her behavior deserved his respect. More importantly, he had only kept her bound because he feared she wouldn't understand the power dynamic. Now that he knew she was smarter than she looked, there was no need for the ropes.
"Thank you." Qingque rubbed her reddened wrists, looking like she had lost all hope in life. "Lord, can I have a moment to catch my breath? I'm just doing some mental preparation. I've been a virgin for several hundred years; losing my precious chastity before even tasting love... I need time to convince myself. You wouldn't want my body to be all stiff and ruin your fun, would you?"
"Heh!" Luo Hong wasn't fooled by her act, but he had an idea for a more interesting game. "Qingque, do you know what the correct thing to do is when you encounter a beast you can't defeat while traveling with a companion?"
"Uh..." Qingque knew the answer instantly. She looked at the still-suspended Fu Xuan. "Run faster... than the person next to you."
She realized Luo Hong had no intention of letting her off. He wanted to record something that would make Fu Xuan target her. Why do I, a lowly bird, have to suffer for a battle between gods? But having no other choice, she asked, "Lord, how do you want to play?"
"Simple." Luo Hong lay on the bed, positioned the suspended Fu Xuan directly above him, and said to Qingque: "The job of 'pressing her down' is yours."
"..." Qingque's lip twitched. She cursed him as a sadistic pervert in her mind.
"I don't know what you're calling me, but let me make one thing clear," Luo Hong said seriously. "Your bodies here are 'Hostile NPCs.' I must use this method to convert you into my subordinates. Otherwise, you wouldn't want to wake up in a boring dungeon every time you come here, would you?"
I'd prefer the dungeon! Qingque thought, but she didn't dare say it. She climbed onto the bed and whispered to Fu Xuan, "Master Diviner, every debt has its debtor. I was forced into this. Please forgive me!"
Then, she placed her hands on Fu Xuan's thin shoulders and pressed down with all her might.
"Excellent~" Luo Hong rested his head on his hands. "I can promise you this: I will only 'use' your body after you've gone [Offline]."
"Well, thank you so much!" Qingque replied sarcastically. She felt relieved but also incredibly frustrated. If it were anyone else, they might not be able to stomach this, but for her—Bullying me is like punching cotton!
"Tonight, when you come [Online], I'll bring some people to play Celestial Jade with you," Luo Hong added to boost her mood. "From now on, you can spend your entire sleep time playing Jade."
"Eh?" Qingque's face lit up. "Then my day job..."
"You won't feel tired at all. I've refreshed your status. When you wake up, you'll feel more energetic than ever; all those little aches and pains from over the years are gone."
"That's wonderful!" Her eyes sparkled. This was the first piece of genuinely good news. It was unclear if she was happy about the health refresh or the prospect of playing Celestial Jade all night.