Chapter 171 - 170: World Collapse
Joanna leaned over to peer at his downcast eyes. "Is that really why you’re upset?"
"...I’m not upset," Simon Lockwood said, his tone stiff.
’So stubborn. What a tough guy.’
"Oh? So I can go back to watching him, then?" Joanna said teasingly, studying his expression.
Simon Lockwood: "..."
A flash of annoyance crossed Simon Lockwood’s eyes. He pursed his lips and said in a low voice, "You may not."
Seeing his prim and proper expression, Joanna couldn’t help but smile, her eyes curving into crescents. She took his hand, lifting his fingers to her face and blowing on them gently. "Let me see what kind of abuse our great President Lockwood’s poor little finger has suffered."
As if she hadn’t noticed his handsome face suddenly stiffen and flush, Joanna studied his finger with feigned surprise. "Oh my, how did it get so red? It needs a few little puffs of air to make it better~"
Simon Lockwood: "..."
As he felt the faint warmth of her breath on his finger, Simon Lockwood’s Adam’s apple bobbed sharply. His voice was a little hoarse. "Stop messing around..."
Though he said that, he showed no sign of pulling his hand away. So, Joanna blew on it again. Her eyes darted about mischievously as she puckered her lips and moved to kiss his fingertip.
When her lips were a fraction of an inch away, the man suddenly snatched his hand back. His voice, tinged with annoyance, rang out at the same time. "Joanie."
Simon Lockwood’s entire neck was flushed, and the blush spread all the way to the tips of his ears, turning them an unbelievable shade of red. Joanna suppressed a laugh and blinked innocently. "Yes?"
"You..." Simon Lockwood stared into her clear, bright eyes. After a long moment, he finally managed to force out, "Let’s go eat."
’That’s it? How boring.’
Joanna had thought Simon Lockwood was about to say something else prim and proper. She was a little disappointed. "Oh..."
"We’re going back tomorrow," Simon Lockwood said suddenly in the middle of their meal.
Joanna instinctively asked, "Is your business deal finished?"
The moment the words left her mouth, she saw Simon Lockwood’s expression suddenly cool again.
Joanna: "..." ’Seriously?’
’She hadn’t even mentioned Liam Valentine’s name.’
"Yes," Simon Lockwood nodded, unwilling to elaborate.
The proposed partnership was simple. Terms were laid out, pros and cons were weighed. If they were acceptable, you signed the contract. If not, there was nothing more to say.
Joanna chewed on her chopstick for a moment, thinking. Then, she said slowly, "I don’t think you should partner with him."
Simon Lockwood asked impassively, "Why?"
Joanna looked like she was having a hard time saying it, but she steeled herself. "Every time I see him, I can’t help but stare at him."
Catching the dark look on Simon Lockwood’s face, Joanna quickly explained, "It’s definitely not because of any romantic feelings or anything. I just think he’s... very strange."
Joanna struggled for a moment, but "strange" was the only word she could find to describe Liam Valentine. She couldn’t quite put her finger on what was wrong, but her subconscious was telling her not to meet with him again.
And yet, at the thought of never seeing Liam Valentine again, Joanna felt a faint pang of disappointment. That feeling set off even louder alarm bells in her head.
She was certain she didn’t like Liam Valentine in the slightest, which made the feeling all the more baffling.
’I mean, who pays this much attention to a man they’ve only known for two days?’
Joanna firmly believed that every anomaly has a motive. This definitely wasn’t her problem. And if it wasn’t her problem, then it had to be Liam Valentine’s.
Simon Lockwood’s expression remained dark. "We’re leaving tomorrow morning."
Joanna: "..." ’A bit of an overreaction.’
"Let’s go back in the afternoon," Joanna said, her eyes flickering. She seemed a little embarrassed. "I wanted to show you where I used to live and work..."
’The small, damp rental... the shabby library...’ Simon Lockwood was silent for a moment before saying, "Okay."
「Aethelburg.」
In the CEO’s office on the top floor of the Jennings Company, Charles Jennings’s face was grim. *"What do you mean?"*
A blue halo of light shimmered in the air before him. *"This world has completely collapsed. Your mission is terminated."*
The world was maintained by the combined energy of the protagonists. If that energy failed to reach the required threshold, a plot collapse would automatically be triggered.
Charles Jennings didn’t know any of this. His mind went blank. ’The pivotal seaside wedding is only three days away! How can the mission be over?!’
Charles Jennings forced himself to remain calm. *"Will I die?"*
*"No, you will not die. You will only receive a punishment."*
The system would be demoted to a beginner-level system, and the host would be stripped of one of his "golden fingers"—a special advantage. Charles Jennings’s golden finger was the Jennings Group.
As 014’s cold, electronic voice finished detailing the punishment, Charles Jennings fell silent. His expression was so dark it looked like it could drip water.
’At a critical time like this, what’s the difference between losing the Jennings Company and just killing him?’
didn’t notice the change in his expression and continued, *"This world is a special case. The male protagonist’s energy is too strong, and the female protagonist’s is too weak. The World Consciousness has determined that the punishment for mission failure can be lenient."*
This was why Charles Jennings was spared death.
Charles Jennings, however, felt no joy. His face remained grim. *"What about Joanna Kennedy? What will happen to her?"*
*"She will return to the place where she belongs."*
Charles Jennings froze. The image of the girl’s bright, charming smile flashed through his mind, and the resolution in his heart grew stronger.
He probed, feigning casualness, *"Joanna Kennedy is already part of this world. How can you send her back?"*
*"That is not a question you are permitted to ask,"* 014 replied, clearly not intending to elaborate.
In truth, it had no idea what the "World Consciousness" planned to do either.
*
A withered yellow leaf fluttered down, landing in the man’s palm.
Valentine walked backwards, saying, "I’ve done what you asked. Joanna trusts that NPC, Anna Yates, completely. Don’t you go back on your promise now. You have to give me that upgrade, okay?"
One system’s downgrade had to be balanced by another’s upgrade. Valentine couldn’t help but think, ’Once I become a high-level system, I can start looking for a partner system.’
’Yes, that was the extent of her ambition. Being a lone system was just too boring. She didn’t even have another sys to talk to.’
Across from her, the man with the ordinary face smiled gently. He blew the withered leaf from his palm, his every gesture captivating. "Mmm..."
Liam Valentine gave a noncommittal hum of agreement. Valentine immediately laughed in delight, then tilted her head. "Why are you using this face?"
She vaguely remembered that when she was first "manufactured," the first "person" she ever saw was the World Consciousness. And that face was a perfect match for this world’s male protagonist, Simon Lockwood.
But the "World Consciousness" had chosen to discard its original appearance in favor of this ordinary one, and she couldn’t understand why.
"Two identical faces in one world? Wouldn’t that be a little frightening?" Liam Valentine said with a smile.
Valentine was easily convinced. She nodded. "Alright..."
"Then why does the male protagonist look like you?" Full of questions, she came up with another one.
This time, Liam Valentine didn’t answer. He put his hands in his coat pockets and said coolly, "Do you still want to see 166?"