Chapter 328: Truth
"Yes."
Her expression became complicated.
That should have frightened her.
Maybe it did.
A little.
But...
She had seen Shen Tian with Chi Lingxi.
With Lin Yue.
With Gu Qingya.
With Tang Meilin.
With his mother.
His sister.
His people.
He wasn’t cruel indiscriminately.
That somehow made the contrast more intense.
Rose looked at him.
"You’re terrifying."
Shen Tian smiled.
"Compliment?"
She laughed softly.
"Maybe."
Then...
Her expression softened.
"But..."
She stepped closer.
Very close.
"I’m not scared of you."
Silence.
Shen Tian stared.
Rose’s cheeks warmed.
She realized how intimate the words sounded.
Then...
She looked away.
"That came out differently than I meant."
"No."
Shen Tian’s voice was quieter.
Rose looked back.
He continued.
"It came out fine."
Her heartbeat increased.
Wind moved between them.
For several seconds...
Neither spoke.
Then...
Rose reached for his hand.
Her fingers touched his.
Slowly.
Intertwined.
Shen Tian looked down.
Then...
At her.
Rose’s face was pink.
But...
She didn’t retreat.
"I meant it."
Shen Tian squeezed her hand.
"I know."
Her expression softened.
Then...
She leaned against his shoulder.
Just slightly.
Quiet.
No teasing.
No audience.
No system.
Mostly.
Xu Ning floated several meters away.
Watching.
Then...
She quietly moved farther back.
For once.
. . .
Qin Family Estate.
Meanwhile...
Qin Hao woke after ten hours of sleep.
He felt human again.
Mostly.
Then...
His system immediately ruined it.
New Global Fate Disturbance Detected
Qin Hao stared at the ceiling.
"No."
Host?
"No."
Clarify.
"I just woke up."
Silence.
Notification remains available.
Qin Hao closed his eyes.
"Five minutes."
Understood.
Five seconds passed.
Qin Hao opened one eye.
The panel was still there.
"You’re worse than email."
Then...
He sat up.
"Fine."
The notification expanded.
Overseas Protagonist Route Activated
Qin Hao froze.
"Another?"
Yes.
He stood.
"Name."
Adrian Vale
Narrative Type: Replacement Protagonist
System classification: Villain Survival System
Qin Hao stared.
Then...
He slowly smiled.
"Another villain system user."
Yes.
His smile widened.
"Finally."
Then...
The system continued.
Current Fate Value: 74,000
Qin Hao’s smile disappeared.
"What happened?"
Pause.
Then...
Major Fate loss detected.
Qin Hao stared.
"How much?"
Estimated 37,000 base route loss.
Qin Hao became still.
Then...
Very slowly...
"Shen Tian."
High probability.
Qin Hao walked toward the window.
Hands on hips.
He stared outside.
"He’s been gone for one day."
Correct.
"One."
Correct.
"And he already found another system user."
Correct.
"Then robbed him."
Correct.
Qin Hao closed his eyes.
"Of course."
Han Yuer entered carrying tea.
She stopped.
"What happened?"
Qin Hao turned.
Then...
Pointed vaguely toward the west.
"Shen Tian."
She stared.
"He’s not here."
"I know."
"Then why are you angry?"
"I’m not angry."
Han Yuer looked at his face.
Qin Hao sighed.
"He’s stealing from another villain."
Silence.
Han Yuer stared.
"Another what?"
Qin Hao froze.
His system immediately warned.
Narrative secrecy risk.
Qin Hao closed his eyes.
Again.
Han Yuer slowly set the tea down.
"Qin Hao."
He looked at her.
She crossed her arms.
"Sit."
He sat.
Immediately.
Then...
He stared at himself.
Why did that work?
Han Yuer sat opposite.
Her expression serious.
"You’re going to explain."
Qin Hao considered.
He trusted her.
More than almost anyone here.
His system hadn’t forbidden disclosure.
Only warned about consequences.
And hiding everything forever...
Was becoming impossible.
Especially with Shen Tian walking around openly talking about
protagonists.
Qin Hao sighed.
"You’re going to think I’m insane."
Han Yuer smiled.
"I watched you threaten a robot bird yesterday."
"Fair."
Then...
Qin Hao became serious.
"Do you believe people can become someone else?"
Her smile faded slightly.
"What do you mean?"
"Completely."
"Memories."
"Personality."
"Everything."
She stared.
Qin Hao continued.
"Like..."
He hesitated.
"...waking up in somebody else’s life."
Han Yuer went still.
Her eyes changed.
Not fear.
Recognition.
Qin Hao noticed.
"What?"
Silence.
Then...
She spoke quietly.
"You really aren’t him."
Qin Hao froze.
"What?"
Han Yuer looked down.
Then...
Back at him.
"I knew."
His heartbeat stopped.
"You knew?"
"Not that."
She shook her head.
"But..."
"Original Qin Hao would never apologize."
"Never stop drinking."
"Never care about employees."
"Never protect researchers from family elders."
"Never..."
Her cheeks warmed faintly.
"...look at me the way you do."
Qin Hao stared.
Han Yuer continued.
"I thought something happened."
"Trauma."
"Near death."
"Anything."
"But..."
She looked at him carefully.
"You are someone else."
Silence.
Qin Hao didn’t answer.
He couldn’t.
Han Yuer slowly reached across the table.
Her hand covered his.
He froze.
She looked into his eyes.
"Are you dangerous?"
"No."
Immediate.
"To me?"
"Never."
"To my family?"
Qin Hao hesitated.
Then...
"If they try to kill me..."
Han Yuer laughed softly.
"Fair."
Her fingers remained over his.
Then...
"Did you kill him?"
Qin Hao’s expression changed.
"The original Qin Hao?"
"Yes."
"No."
He shook his head.
"I woke up after he died."
Han Yuer became quiet.
Then...
She nodded.
"Okay."
Qin Hao stared.
"Okay?"
"Yes."
"That’s it?"
"What do you want me to do?"
"Scream?"
"Maybe."
She smiled.
"No."
Qin Hao looked at their hands.
Then...
At her.
"You’re taking this disturbingly well."
"You’ve been better to me in one week than he was in years."
Silence.
Qin Hao’s expression softened.
Han Yuer continued.
"I don’t care where you came from."
"I care what you do now."
His system suddenly activated.
Major Heroine Route Shift
Han Yuer Trust: 71 → 89
Affection: 46 → 58
Fate stabilization increased
Qin Hao Fate Gain: +11,000
Qin Hao froze.
Then...
His current Fate rose.
85,000?
No.
Wait.
That was Adrian.
His own profile appeared.
Qin Hao Current Fate Value: 698,200
He smiled.
Then...
Han Yuer narrowed her eyes.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"That was a suspicious smile."
Qin Hao laughed.
Then...
For the first time since transmigrating...
He told someone the truth.
Not everything.
Not Shen Tian’s secrets.
Not system details he wasn’t sure he could share safely.
But enough.
His first life.
His death.
Waking up as Qin Hao.
Knowing fragments of the future.
Knowing he was supposed to die.
Han Yuer listened.
Quietly.
And with every word...
--------
(Author’s Note: IMPORTANT!)
SEND POWESTONES!!!
ALL SUPER GIFTS (Magic Castle, Space Ship, Golden Gachapon) = MORE ChapterS!