The applause was polite.
Controlled.
False.
Ning Fei stood quietly as the elders dismissed the matter, their gazes avoiding Ning Guang—now pale, shaking, stripped bare of every ounce of authority she once held. Servants whispered behind sleeves. Reputation shattered in a single morning.
Justice?
No.
This was spectacle.
Ning Fei felt none of the relief she had imagined in her previous life. Instead, a strange cold crept up her spine, prickling beneath her skin.
Because she could feel it.
Someone was watching.
[Warning:]
[Unregistered gaze detected.]
[Source: Unknown.]
[Threat Level: Indeterminable.]
Her steps slowed as she exited the hall.
The courtyard was wide, bathed in soft daylight. Everything looked ordinary—too ordinary. Yet the feeling did not fade. It sharpened.
Like a blade resting against the back of her neck.
Ning Fei lowered her eyes, hiding the flicker of alertness in them.
So the system wasn't omnipotent after all.
Interesting.
System Concealment Pressure
[System Alert:]
[Your actions have triggered anomaly detection.]
[Recommendation: Reduce presence. Suppress system usage.]
[Failure Risk: Host exposure.]
Exposure.
That word carried weight.
"What happens if I'm exposed?" Ning Fei asked silently.
The system paused.
Too long.
[Answer unavailable.]
Her fingers curled slowly.
That was new.
The system had never refused her before.
Ning Fei continued walking, posture relaxed, expression subdued. A servant passed her, bowed, then hurried away. The feeling intensified.
Not predatory.
Curious.
Evaluating.
As if someone were peeling her apart layer by layer.
She turned a corner—
—and stopped.
A man stood beneath the plum tree.
Tall.
Dressed in dark robes trimmed with silver thread, understated yet unmistakably expensive. His presence bent the space around him—not through force, but inevitability.
He was smiling.
Not warmly.
Not cruelly.
As if he had been waiting.
Ning Fei's heart skipped once.
[CRITICAL WARNING.]
[System interference detected.]
[System functions partially restricted.]
Her vision blurred for half a second.
Then stabilized.
The man tilted his head slightly. "You're calmer than I expected."
His voice was low, smooth—dangerously pleasant.
Ning Fei did not answer.
She shouldn't know him.
But her instincts screamed.
This man was not part of the original story.
"Don't be afraid," he continued, taking one step closer. "If I wanted you harmed, you wouldn't be standing."
Her lips parted slightly.
That wasn't a threat.
It was a statement of fact.
She lowered her gaze, lashes trembling just enough. "Forgive me. I didn't realize this courtyard was occupied."
The man chuckled softly.
A sound that sent a shiver down her spine.
"Interesting," he murmured. "You choose submission first."
[Villain Points: No change.]
[System suppressed.]
Suppressed?
Ning Fei's pulse quickened.
This was bad.
Very bad.
She took a step back.
Carefully.
The man's gaze followed her, sharp and amused. "You overturned a predetermined outcome today."
Her breath stilled.
"You exposed Ning Guang, seized evidence that should not have existed, and redirected public perception flawlessly," he continued. "Tell me—was that instinct, or experience?"
Her heart slammed against her ribs.
He knew.
Too much.
"I don't understand what you're saying," Ning Fei replied softly.
A lie.
A weak one.
He sighed, as if disappointed. "I was hoping you'd be honest."
He moved again—suddenly close.
Too close.
Ning Fei could smell faint incense on him. Cold. Clean.
"Don't look so tense," he said quietly. "If anything, I should be thanking you."
"For what?" she asked.
"For making things interesting."
Her fingers trembled.
Just a little.
Deliberately.
The man's gaze dropped.
Caught it.
[Emotional Manipulation Opportunity detected.]
[System response limited.]
So even suppressed, the system could feel him.
That meant—
She swallowed.
"I only did what I could to survive," she said, voice softening. "If I offended someone… I apologize."
The words were familiar.
The same words Ningran used.
The same helplessness.
The man watched her closely.
Then—
Her eyes filled with tears.
Not messy.
Not hysterical.
Just one tear, slipping down her cheek, catching the light.
Perfect.
Silence fell between them.
His smile faded.
Just slightly.
[Villain Points ×500.]
[Emotional Reversal successful.]
Ah.
So he was susceptible.
Good.
Taste of Their Own Medicine
"Don't look at me like that," Ning Fei whispered. "People always misunderstand when I cry."
The man laughed softly.
But this time, there was no amusement in it.
"You're dangerous," he said.
Her shoulders trembled. "I don't want to be."
A lie.
A beautiful one.
He reached out—
Then stopped himself.
That restraint spoke louder than any touch.
"Tell me your name," he said.
"Ning Fei."
He nodded slowly. "I know."
Of course he did.
"My name," he continued, eyes darkening, "is Shen Liang."
The system flickered violently.
[NAME REGISTERED.]
[Threat Classification: ???]
[Warning: Do not antagonize.]
Shen Liang.
The name echoed strangely in her mind.
"Why are you watching me?" she asked quietly.
He studied her tear-streaked face for a long moment.
Then leaned down, close enough that only she could hear.
"Because you don't belong to this timeline," he whispered.
Her breath caught.
"What?"
He straightened, smile returning. "Rest well, Ning Fei. I'll be seeing you again."
And then—
He vanished.
Not walked away.
Vanished.
The pressure lifted instantly.
The system flooded back.
[System functions restored.]
[Major anomaly confirmed.]
Ning Fei staggered slightly, catching herself against the tree.
Her tears dried.
Her expression hardened.
So.
A watcher.
A threat.
A potential ally.
Or a lover.
Or her executioner.
She wiped her cheek slowly.
And smiled.
[New System Prompt:]
[Hidden Route Unlocked: "Observer Affection Path."]
[Warning: Emotional entanglement may override survival logic.]
Ning Fei stared at the words.
Then laughed softly.
So now… even love could be a weapon.