Chapter 67 : Attempting to Capture
Thud—
Sounds came from left and right, one after another.
By the red light, Su Huan saw the researchers who had collapsed on the ground.
"What's happening?" Shi Qiubai beside her asked in confusion. "Who is speaking?"
But soon, Shi Qiubai figured it out—it was the system.
Although it was almost identical electronic voice, she could easily distinguish between the two systems.
The system from a few days ago was more humanized. Although its voice was stiff, she could easily hear its emotions. But this system—she could only sense coldness.
Ice-cold, without a trace of emotion.
"It really exists?" Shi Qiubai murmured softly.
Although she had already believed in the system's existence, that didn't mean she could accept being just an NPC.
Su Huan glanced back at her, then groped her way toward the machines.
Before today, the researchers had readjusted the machines and even activated the previous capture equipment, planning to attempt capturing this system.
But now, before their plan could begin, everyone had already fallen unconscious.
Fortunately, the program had been successfully debugged and only needed one button—
Su Huan quickly found that button based on memory and pressed it without hesitation.
Click—
A strange sound echoed in the laboratory. The red light in the room intensified, and vaguely, a shapeless shadow could be seen floating above Tang Tang.
[Beginning first capture attempt—]
[Capture failed!]
[Second capture attempt beginning—]
[Capture failed!]
[Third attempt…]
The program continued making sounds. Su Huan looked back at Tang Tang—the shadow floating above her was somewhat clearer than before.
Su Huan's eyes brightened slightly, her heart involuntarily lifting.
The program worked!
But the program kept reporting errors. Whether the capture would succeed was still unknown.
But the next second, her raised hopes crashed down heavily.
[Capture failed!]
[Beginning—beginning—beginning—]
The instrument seemed stuck like a broken record, repeating this word continuously.
[This world's technology is useless against me. Even with your protagonist's halo enhancement, you cannot possibly capture me,] the system spoke again.
It 'looked' toward Shi Qiubai, its tone utterly flat. [Your character design is quite good—readers would like it very much. But unfortunately, you're just cannon fodder. You cannot possess such a good character design.]
Shi Qiubai's expression changed as she opened her mouth to curse:
"Go fuck yourself! You're the cannon fodder! Your whole family is cannon fodder!"
The system ignored her breakdown and continued persuading Su Huan: [Stop struggling and accept your fate. No matter what efforts you make, you cannot possibly succeed.]
"Accept my ass! What are you, some kind of scallion? I am who I am—beautiful, gorgeous, gentle, and generous. I have my own life. What right do you have to decide my fate?" Shi Qiubai's face was full of fury as she began attacking indiscriminately. "Tang Tang! You piece of trash, wake up! Are you going to let this scum lord over you and not think about destroying it?"
If she had known she was bound to such a broken thing, she would have committed suicide immediately.
She had to show the system who really could decide their own life!
Su Huan didn't know how to handle this seemingly broken instrument and couldn't wake the others, so she simply slapped the machine.
The instrument's notification sound paused for a moment, then continued.
[Eighteenth capture attempt beginning—]
[Capture failed.]
[Nineteenth attempt—]
Su Huan's expression grew darker, her hands clenched tightly with veins bulging on the backs of her hands.
She thought of the equipment the researchers had just debugged and began adjusting those parameters based on memory, occasionally observing the system's appearance.
The higher the electricity, the more Tang Tang suffered. Even unconscious, she cried out in pain.
Shi Qiubai also became excited, jumping up with her chair: "Electrocute! Quickly electrocute! Electrocute her to death! Useless thing, just die together with Tang Tang!"
The system looked down from its lofty position at the ants' rebellion, sighing compassionately.
[This is the consequence brought by invaders. You didn't have to experience any of this. Wouldn't it be better to quietly enjoy your lives?]
Su Huan ignored it and continued modifying the instrument's parameters. Due to anxiety, fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead.
[Su Huan, I can promise you that after the plot ends, I will rearrange your ending to make your life happy and fulfilling,] the system began extending an olive branch.
[Isn't this what you've always wanted? Your initial cooperation with the female lead was also to change your own fate, unwilling to be the invader's pawn. I'm now willing to fulfill your wish—just stop all your actions. In just one day, you'll have your own new life.]
Hearing this, Su Huan finally looked away from the instrument, staring at it with ice-cold eyes. "Didn't you say no one could escape their predetermined fate? Why are you changing your tune now?"
[Because of the side story,] the system displayed its data in mid-air. [I told you that many readers like you. At their strong request, the creator has rearranged your ending. You will escape destruction and move toward your new life.]
[This is a surprise the creator prepared for you. I originally didn't want to tell you.] Its tone was somewhat melancholy. [But now it's time I had to speak. Now that you know about the side story the creator prepared for you, are you happy?]
Was Su Huan happy?
Su Huan wasn't happy at all—in fact, she felt disgusted.
Her fate was held in the hands of a group of strangers. This so-called creator, for the benefits these people brought, used her like a tool at will.
The system was even telling her this in a boastful tone—how could she possibly be happy?
Not just her—Shi Qiubai also felt like she had swallowed a fly, disgusted.
"Su Huan has her own new ending, but what about me? Do I have an ending?"
The system's voice stuttered for a moment.
Clearly, she didn't.
Shi Qiubai was just a malicious cannon fodder character whose appearances could be counted on two hands. Readers applauded her downfall—how could they possibly feel sorry for her?
Shi Qiubai sneered. "Right, cannon fodder after all! Not worth the creator's effort. So what's my predetermined ending? Poverty? Ruin and disgrace?"
The system remained silent.
Su Huan also said nothing.
She frowned slightly, seeming to think of something, her expression not looking good.
"What about my parents? What happened to them? Are they cannon fodder too?" she asked.
The red light in the laboratory flickered slightly. This time the system spoke: [All characters appearing in this world exist to serve the plot. So your parents will also have their endings.]
That couldn't be good.
Shi Qiubai closed her eyes, the fury in her heart burning more and more fiercely!
"Kill it! Kill it!" she screamed, wishing she could rush over and personally destroy the system.
Su Huan also darkened her face and continued increasing the current, hoping for a pleasant surprise.
But unfortunately, not knowing which component had malfunctioned, after Tang Tang screamed in pain, the instrument in front made a loud bang.
In that instant, Su Huan's heart skipped a beat as she frantically searched for a solution.
The instrument's interior made banging sounds, the lit lights went out, and white smoke emerged.
Then other instruments followed suit, one after another, similarly emitting wisps of white smoke.
The instrument that could capture the system also issued its final warning at this moment: [Program error detected, will automatically shut down, shut down, shut down, shut down—]
Bang! The instrument was completely broken.
In the blink of an eye, all instruments were completely scrapped, and the suffering Tang Tang gradually returned to calm.
Su Huan's face was pale as paper, as if she had lost all blood. She frantically pressed buttons on the instruments, trying to restart them.
But it was useless—all machines were completely scrapped, not one could be activated.
She had failed.
Completely failed.
She had no more chances.
Her eyes were blank and helpless, her body trembling continuously. She clenched her hands tightly, nails digging into her palms, trying to use the threads of pain to calm herself down.
Shi Qiubai also sensed something was wrong and immediately hopped over. "Su Huan! What's happening?"
Su Huan didn't move, as if she hadn't heard.
The red light in the laboratory grew brighter, as if filled with red light, startlingly bright.
[I told you—this world's technology is useless against me.]
No matter how it developed, this world's technology had limits and wouldn't affect the creator. This was a direct rule of this world.
The system was in a good mood. [Restoration countdown 1:27:36—]
[Soon, all this pain will disappear, and you will have your own new lives.]
"New lives?" Only then did Shi Qiubai notice the countdown, looking at Su Huan with an ugly expression. "Didn't the system say there were still five days? But today is only the third day!"
"No more. That was the time when Xiaoyu would go insane. This world only has less than two hours left," Su Huan said flatly. "This world will end when Ning Yu and Tang Tang get married. Today is their wedding."
Shi Qiubai suddenly understood. "Right, you mentioned that."
She had mentioned it, but Shi Qiubai hadn't taken it to heart.
In 1 hour and 27 minutes, Sister would die?
Shi Qiubai felt somewhat panicked.
Although she hoped to die together with Sister, that didn't mean she truly hoped Sister would die.
"What will the new world be like? Can I still be with Sister?" she murmured.
Su Huan let out a mocking laugh, her smile sarcastic. "Impossible. You won't remember anything that's happening now. Shen Xiaoyu won't exist in your life either."
She recalled the plot she had heard before, her tone indifferent. "You'll frame Tang Tang out of jealousy, and finally be manipulated into ruin and disgrace, jumping to your death. Your parents will also choose suicide because of your tarnished reputation. This is your original ending. Also the path you'll walk after the plot is restored."
Shi Qiubai's whole body shook, her expression even uglier. Her knife-sharp gaze fiercely glared at the system.
"Is that so? System?"
The system was silent for a few seconds. [All characters appearing in this world exist to serve the plot. To serve the protagonists.]
You are the same.