Han Xiping was currently observing the surveillance cameras. Unfortunately for him, he couldn't identify the culprit’s identity as she was taken away in the blind spot of the camera.

 

Just as he was so close to being overwhelmed by anxiety, he suddenly recalled something. He reviewed the footage again and perceived Tang Zi trailing behind her figure as she left the venue.

 

Han Xiping's face darkened. 

 

"Where is that woman?!"

 

…

 

As Su Chunchun gradually regained consciousness, she immediately realized that her hands were tied and mouth was sealed with tape.

 

She blinked before wandering her gaze around. As she took in the sight of the enclosure, she discovered it to be a rundown warehouse.

 

"Ms. Su, I see that you're finally awake."

 

A hoarse voice called out to her from a corner. She shifted her gaze, immediately recognizing the man’s identity to be no other than Mr. Songnan, her colleague from school.

 

Last time, because he had attempted to harass her, he provoked Chen Liang’s wrath. It resulted in him getting thoroughly disciplined.

 

Songnan no longer resembled his former civilized self. His hair was unkempt, and his face was covered in stubble. It was obvious from his pale and sickly appearance that he had lived a difficult life these past weeks 

 

"Because of you, I have lost everything. My job, my family, my house... everything. I have been tracking you for a long time, but unfortunately, you were always with someone else. I didn't expect that I would have a good chance tonight."

 

He laughed, sounding a bit deranged. "I didn't know how I'll take you with me. Fortunately, that woman was generous enough to lend me her car.." 

 

He revealed the dagger in his hand. The sharp tip seemed to glint, making Su Chunchun slightly squint. Despite his anticipation to witness her fear and panic, he was left utterly disappointed. Her eyes were just indifferent and cold as she quietly assessed him, never saying any words.

 

"Don't look at me like that, or I might just gouge out those beautiful eyes of yours.” Songnan felt a chill run down his spine from her emotionless gaze. His hand was slightly trembling as he held the knife. 

 

He contorted his face into a twisted smile. "What? You don't believe me? Well, you can be rest assured that I will torture you slowly before I go find Chen Liang next.”

 

Seeing his deranged appearance, Su Chunchun realized that his mental state had already gone bad. The best course of action she could take right now was not to provoke him any further and stall for more time while waiting for rescue.

 

However, she suddenly disappeared. It might take a long time for Han Xiping to locate her location but Chen Liang could…

 

Her mouth was sealed and she couldn't speak, so her expression could only give out a mocking smile. At the same time, she tried to move her hands from behind, struggling from its restraints.

 

The hand that carried the knife trembled even more. Songnan was extremely stimulated by her reckless actions, which resulted in him hoarsely screaming at her to not move any further. 

 

“Don’t move!”

 

But it was as if she didn’t hear him, she continued to struggle. Her wrists were tired, yet she still continued to agitate him by persistently moving it around. She wasn't afraid of pain, so she eventually managed to pull one hand out of the rope. But since it was pulled out with force, the sight of her hand turned out bloody and gory with even the bones of her hands looking twisted and deformed.

 

She glanced down at her freed hands; her expression remained impassive despite the bloody mess before her.

 

"You...you...!" 

 

Songnan was so frightened by the scene that he began to scream at the top of his lungs, "Don't move! Don't move! I told you to stop moving!"

 

Stimulated by her actions, Songnan then thrusted the knife as if that would make him regain control over the situation.

 

Su Chunchun let him stab her; but before that, she slightly turned her body so that he could only stab her in the arm and not her vital organs.

 

In that moment of stabbing, a loud “bang” suddenly tore through the air. The door was forced open by the violent impact of the car. The sudden influx of glaring lights made Songnan instinctively raise his hands to shield his eyes.

 

Chen Liang stepped out of the car. His expression was dark and terrible while his gaze was deep and scary. The anger that consumed his body made him not speak a word and instead unleashed a barrage of punches with his fist.

 

In just a moment, the knife in Songnan’s hand had been kicked away. What followed next was a violent blow to his chest, making him stagger and crash against the wall behind him. Writhing in pain, he couldn’t help but curl up on the ground as he clutched his chest.

 

Chen Liang then quickly turned his attention to Su Chunchun after the man had been rendered helpless. Immediately, he perceived the wound on her arm; the blood already staining her sleeves. He also perceived how her left hand was nothing more but a mess of flesh and blood now.

 

"Teacher!"

 

Looking at her injured state, Chen Liang’s rage began to surge again. Veins seemed to bulge over his forehead, and his vision began to turn red with rage. He bent his body over and picked up the knife that had been dropped to the ground, slowly advancing himself towards Songnan's body after, while his voice was low and menacing.

 

"Those who hurt her must pay the price."

 

His dead gaze fell over Songnan who, in response, trembled from the hostility. The intense pain he received from the impact still hadn't disappeared. He felt an intense chill engulfing him from head to toe. His instincts were telling him to run, and yet he could only stare at the approaching man whose aura seemed to oppress him.

 

Chen Liang raised his hand and stabbed the knife hard into the person's abdomen. There were only three words coldly uttered, and it was the very last thing the NPC would hear before being fully removed into existence.

 

"Go to hell."

 

【 Beep! Beep! Beep! Serious Warning! Since the host personally attacked the characters of this script world, you will be instantly given an electric shock punishment! 】

 

Despite the system's warning, it was completely ignored by Chen Liang. All he could see was red. He was absolutely infuriated! He crazily wielded the knife over and over again, stabbing Songnan’s deceased body countless times.

 

His nose seemed to detect a smell of flesh being electrocuted a few seconds later. Simultaneously, he felt a pain coursing through him. 

 

Chen Liang mainly groaned and gritted his teeth as he endured the shock. He was not planning to stop until the state of Songnan's body was to the point that it's completely unrecognizable and completely lying in a pool of blood.

 

Soon, when he was satisfied with his craft, he stood up. His body slightly swayed, only recovering his reason and senses when he reached Su Chunchun’s side.

 

Su Chunchun's face was pale. Her shoulders were a bit hunched as it constantly trembled. Her forehead was drenched with sweat, distinctly indicating just how much she was suffering with pain. Even so, her look still remained vacant. 

 

Chen Liang had never seen Su Chunchun like this before.  Even during the time when her mental state collapsed, she still had some vitality. But now, with her left hand covered in blood and flesh, she remained expressionless! She seemed like a walking corpse, devoid of any signs of life.

 

" Teacher…."

 

Chen Liang's heart terribly ached for her. 

 

His teary eyes were a bit swollen. He crouched down to her level. With trembling hands, he held Su Chunchun’s, being extremely careful to not touch any of her wounds. "Teacher, it’s okay. Talk to me... Teacher, please say something..."

 

He held her tightly, whispering incoherent words, while gently kissing her forehead.

 

Chen Liang then carefully began to examine her hand and found out that it was even more serious than he had expected. It wasn't only with a bloody wound as the hand's bone structure was completely shattered and twisted. Afraid of causing more pain, he did not dare touch it. 

 

【 System, redeem the best cure medicine! Just how many points should be used, I don't care! Just cure her hands! 】

 

The system wasn't generally pleased by that and was very cold with his mechanical tone when it warned him of his actions: 【 The host should be more aware of his decisions. If the cure is forcibly redeemed, your score will instantly drop to negative; and you will automatically be taken to the dark abyss as a punishment. 】

 

"The dark abyss..." Chen Liang unconsciously muttered while glancing at Su Chunchun’s face which was really pale. 【 Where exactly is that place? 】

 

【 It has another name, and the Raiders often call it the realm of death. Failed Raiders are brought to this place, and they are required to go through forty-nine dark levels before being released again. Only those who are able to survive all those levels can come out... but, written in today's record, only a few number of people successfully managed to come out from the place. 】

 

"Pain." Su Chunchun's single word immediately interrupted his discussion with the system.

 

Her voice was barely inaudible; but since he was close to her, the word was very clear to his hearing. He immediately embraced her with one arm and gently held her left arm with the other. “Does it hurt? Does your hand hurt?”

 

"Don't worry. It won't hurt any longer." Chen Liang affectionately stroked her hair as he closed his eyes to forcibly seal the exchange.

 

【 Forcibly redeem. 】

 

Just as he said that, he was able to receive the box of ointment. He didn't wait any longer as he immediately carefully applied it all over her left hand.

 

At that time, he didn't even bother to avoid showing a strange phenomenon before her eyes. As the ointment was applied, Su Chunchun's wounds in front of them miraculously recovered at the speed barely processed by the naked eye.

 

Chen Liang breathed out a sigh of relief. Noticing that her body was still slightly trembling, he couldn’t help but press his lips again on Su Chunchun’s forehead. His voice was soft as he patiently comforted her in his arms, "It's okay, Teacher... It doesn’t hurt anymore… You're all right..."

 

【 4999 points deducted for "Bone mending and Skin renewal cream." Since the host forced the exchange, the points had dropped to a negative. The host would have to leave the world to be transferred to the dark abyss in three minutes. 】

 

Chen Liang lightly sighed before speaking to her in a hesitant voice, "Teacher, I have to go. Han Xiping should come over to pick you up later..."

 

He paused; his voice tinged with bitterness. "... I said that I liked the teacher a lot of times, yet the teacher, not even once, believed it, right?"

 

"You’re right not to believe it because even I myself don't believe it either. I couldn't believe it... that I will fall in love with..." a data in the virtual world. 

 

【 Beep! Beep! Beep! Warning! The system seriously warned Host No. 2017222 that during the completion of the mission, any host who fell in love with the characters of the script would automatically reset their points to zero and lose the qualification to hold a system. Given that the host has previously owed points, it is now mandatory for you to enter the dark abyss. 】

 

The sound of the system had never been so cold and devoid of empathy. Chen Liang was momentarily stunned. He tightened his grip on Su Chunchun's hands, but his figure still gradually became transparent and faded into nothing. 

 

Sure enough, a raider failing to complete the task, exhausting its points, or attacking a plot character was not enough to make them disappear completely. The degree of punishment for that is different. On the other hand, only when they admit that they like the plot character is when they are certainly expelled.

 

With his presence finally gone, Su Chunchun raised her hand to her vision. Slightly moving her fingers, she inspected her left hand. She then blinked her eyes at its intact appearance.

 

When Han Xiping finally found Su Chunchun, she was bloodied all over her arms. She had fallen into a state of unconsciousness that his heart automatically stopped from beating upon seeing her.

 

He didn't even bother to glance at Songnan in the corner who was heavily stabbed so hard that its gory appearance only remained like flesh and blood. It was only after he sent Su Chunchun to the hospital that he reported the incident to the police. 

 

The police rushed to the crime scene to investigate and quickly concluded that Songnan was the one who kidnapped Su Chunchun in order to threaten Chen Liang because of deep resentment and grudges. Chen Liang must have killed Songnan in retaliation then ran away to escape his crime.

 

The conclusion was abrupt, yet it also sounded reasonable. Han Xiping suddenly realized something later... Perhaps Chen Liang's feelings for Su Chunchun was not less than the love he had for her too.

 

In the hospital, Su Chunchun finally woke up. 

 

The doctor said that she was alright and was only merely in a shocked state. Hearing that, Han Xiping was relieved as he tightly embraced her with trembling hands. 

 

"Chunchun, please don't scare me like that ever again. It's my fault that this happened to you. I'm sorry... I'm sorry.. Can you please forgive me?"

 

Su Chunchun blankly looked at him. The words she then spoke made him freeze in place afterwards: "Who are you?"

 

Her eyes were sincere as ever, and there was really nothing in it but innocence.

 

Han Xiping felt a panic in his heart, and the smile on his face was uglier than a crying expression. "You—can you not really remember me? I..."

 

He paused and suddenly felt that it might be better for her not to recall those traumatic memories.

 

"I am your fiancé," he mainly said, staring at her with a flustered look of hope and slight anxiety.

 

Su Chunchun was startled by the man’s claim of him being her fiancé. She looked dazed and terribly confused.

 

"Chunchun, it doesn't matter whether you remember me or not. I can chase you all over again," Han Xiping said, his voice slightly cracking. He then suddenly reached his arms out as he gently embraced her once more. His chest felt a bit stuffy, but it was fine. 

 

His voice was muffled with a trace of bitter-sweet anticipation as he softly whispered into her ears, "Hello, my name is Han Xiping. Can I like you?"

 

Su Chunchun didn’t say anything. She just let him hold her tightly as she rested her head against his shoulder. Even so, her eyes were not fluctuating with any emotions.

 

Fake. It’s all fake.