My Romance Game Updated – Chapter 132
by Little PandaThe Truth
It was only after sneaking into the Zhou family estate that Ren Chenxi discovered Zhou Zhilong’s exceptionally well-hidden Plunder1 ability, as well as his true motive for insisting on marrying Mu Ning.
It was not the passionate infatuation with Mu Ning that she had assumed, but a desire to steal Mu Ning’s 6th-order ability! What was more, this brute actually intended to take absolute control over Mu Ning after plundering her powers! He wanted to control her body, her feelings, and whatever powers she had left!
Originally, Ren Chenxi’s goal had been to disguise herself as the Zhou family Patriarch2 and personally call off the marriage alliance between the Mu and Zhou families. But… once she learned of Zhou Zhilong’s stomach-churning desires, she switched her target of transformation to Zhou Zhilong himself.
After all, if she wanted to take Zhou Zhilong’s place, she had to kill him first. Yes, Ren Chenxi simply wanted to kill Zhou Zhilong.
The process of killing him was relatively simple. Although Zhou Zhilong had been constantly pestering Mu Ning lately, he still had his own affairs to manage. Ren Chenxi caught him when he was completely alone, first using a Costume Card to swap out his clothes, and then using a single Explosion Card to blow his head clean off. Afterward, she disguised herself as Zhou Zhilong, clipped on the voice changer, and swaggered back to the Zhou family residence to take his place.
A headless corpse was eventually discovered in Ning’an Base, but since it did not belong to anyone important, it failed to attract any attention. After all, in the apocalypse, countless survivors died every single day. Even a base as powerful and military-controlled as Ning’an had its own unsavory, dark corners. Furthermore, many precious instruments had been destroyed after the apocalypse began, so none of the administrators in Ning’an Base felt inclined to run DNA tests on a random headless corpse. In the end, Zhou Zhilong’s body was casually dumped in the wilderness, becoming feed for zombies and mutated beasts.
The Zhou family had not noticed a single thing amiss with Ren Chenxi replacing Zhou Zhilong. Yet, Mu Ning actually began to suspect Zhou Zhilong’s true identity from the very first moment. Ren Chenxi really didn’t know whether she should feel pity for Zhou Zhilong, or… happy for herself?
All right, there was no denying that Mu Ning recognizing her instantly—and changing her mind to marry “Zhou Zhilong” only because she knew it was her—gave Ren Chenxi a tiny spark of secret joy. But…
At the thought of her Main Quest, a wave of intense despair completely submerged that tiny spark of secret joy.
Adjusting her emotions slightly, Ren Chenxi spoke in as businesslike a tone as possible. She glossed over the various hardships she had faced while rushing to catch up along the way, picking only the key points to tell Mu Ning about what had happened since she arrived at Ning’an Base.
Mu Ning listened quietly, and when Ren Chenxi finished speaking, she suddenly asked, “So you came to Ning’an Base to take me back to Nanhai Base? Why?”
“Wh-what do you mean, why?” Ren Chenxi found Mu Ning’s question somewhat baffling. “Look at your family, and look at Zhou Zhilong’s fake feelings for you. How could you ever live comfortably in Ning’an Base?! You’re much better off returning to Nanhai Base!”
“Pfft!” At Ren Chenxi’s words, a mocking expression returned to Mu Ning’s face. “Ren Chenxi, have you forgotten? Back at Nanhai Base, there’s also someone whose feelings for me are entirely fake!”
“…”
“What’s the matter? Playing mute again? Say something, Ren Chenxi! Is your affection for me… really fake? Then why did you travel all this way to bring me back? To watch me get fooled all over again in Ning’an Base because you think it’s fun?!”
“…”
Watching Ren Chenxi not only withdraw the hand that had been wrapped around her waist, but also hang her head to play dead, Mu Ning took several deep breaths before letting out a heavy sigh.
“Ren Chenxi, you should really thank your lucky stars that you’re wearing that disgusting face right now. Otherwise, I’d have tied you up and ‘examined’ you thoroughly by now!”
Hearing this, Ren Chenxi, who was still playing dead, couldn’t help but shudder. Sensing the movement of the person beneath her, Mu Ning’s eyes suddenly darted around. Avoiding the face of Zhou Zhilong that Ren Chenxi was wearing, her gaze began to wander repeatedly over Ren Chenxi’s body instead.
“Oh, right! Although the face you’re wearing is a bit disgusting, this is still your body! Perhaps… I could cover your face completely before giving you a physical exam?”
At the thought of Ren Chenxi with her head covered by a piece of clothing, lying helplessly beneath her and unable to break free while she examined her inside and out, the flame that had just been extinguished in Mu Ning’s heart flared up once more. At the same time, Mu Ning’s hands also began to move restlessly.
The moment Ren Chenxi looked up, she saw the raw desire burning in Mu Ning’s eyes. Terrified, she immediately began to wave her hands and struggle wildly. “Mu—Mu Ning, calm down, don’t do anything reckless… I—I… Xiao Qi and Xiao Tong were so worried about you, that’s why I—I…”
“Are they the only ones who were worried? Ren Chenxi, tell me the truth. Were you worried about me?” Mu Ning caught Ren Chenxi’s wildly flailing wrists and pinned them against the back of the sofa. Then, staring directly into Ren Chenxi’s eyes, she asked, word for word.
“I—I…”
“Think carefully before you answer! Ren Chenxi, if I hear another lie come out of your mouth…” Mu Ning glared at her, threatening her even as she forced Ren Chenxi’s hands together, pinning them both with one hand. Meanwhile, her other hand pinched the hem of Ren Chenxi’s clothes, her intentions crystal clear.
Threatened like this, Ren Chenxi swallowed hard in terror. Just as she was debating whether to resist by force, she caught sight of the faint trace of hurt and… hope hidden within Mu Ning’s mock-ferocious eyes.
The last time Mu Ning had looked at her with such an expression, she had ruthlessly broken her heart. This time…
Ren Chenxi’s forcibly frozen heart trembled. In the end, under Mu Ning’s gaze, that layer of disguise completely shattered.
“I’m sorry. I was very worried about you, too…” A soft sigh finally voiced the truth in Ren Chenxi’s heart.
Hearing the answer she had hoped for, Mu Ning could not suppress the massive surge of wild joy in her heart. But it wasn’t enough; merely being worried wasn’t enough. In her greed, she wanted to hope for even more!
Mu Ning released her grip on Ren Chenxi’s wrists, leaning down once more to press her cheek against Ren Chenxi’s chest. She gently encircled Ren Chenxi’s slender waist and asked again, with utmost caution, “Ren Chenxi, do you like me?”
“…” Ren Chenxi really wanted to refuse this question from Mu Ning. But after not receiving an answer for a long time, a slightly dissatisfied Mu Ning slid both of her hands under the hem of Ren Chenxi’s clothes. The icy touch made Ren Chenxi shiver, forcing her to block Mu Ning’s next move while reluctantly speaking up: “If I said I don’t, would you believe me?”
“I don’t!” Mu Ning’s answer was fast and crisp. But if one listened closely, they could hear the subtle tremor in it. “From Nanhai Base to Ning’an Base… I don’t know when you started chasing after me, but on this difficult, solitary, long journey, Ren Chenxi, I really don’t know how you held on. So, can I fantasize just a little bit? That it was because you liked me that you were able to…”
“You said it yourself, that’s just your fantasy…” Ren Chenxi was only halfway through when she noticed Mu Ning’s hands starting to slide even higher up under her clothes. Angry, she had to use more strength than Mu Ning to pin down her restless hands, then chided coldly, “Can you listen to me properly?!”
“Then can you speak to me properly and sincerely!” Mu Ning retorted, thoroughly unconvinced. She tilted her head up to stare directly at Ren Chenxi. “I don’t believe that you would run all the way from Nanhai Base to Ning’an Base alone just because of a simple worry. If that were the case, why didn’t Zhang Tongqi and Wu Tong come?!”
“They aren’t strong enough! Plus, too many people on the road is troublesome and slows down the speed. In the end, they could only beg me, the strongest one, to help bring you back to Nanhai Base!”
“Ren Chenxi! Do you have to answer me like this?!”
“Then how else do you want me to answer? I…” Ren Chenxi hardened her heart, wanting to yell back with even sharper and more heartless words, but then she saw Mu Ning’s reddened eyes and the tears swimming within them. At this moment, she seemed to see the tears that had flashed in the corners of Mu Ning’s eyes when she turned and left so cleanly that day. At this moment, the words Ren Chenxi should have yelled ultimately turned into a soft: “The answer you want… I can’t give it…”
“Why can’t you give it! Why… Ren Chenxi, I’m begging you. Even if you want me to die, at least let me die understanding why…” Accompanying Mu Ning’s weak accusation, the tears she had been holding back finally streamed down.
“I’m sorry…” Ren Chenxi raised her hand and gently wiped away a teardrop from Mu Ning’s face. “Mu Ning, I’m different from you. I… there’s no future for you and me. In ten—no, nine years, I won’t be in this world anymore…”
Ren Chenxi compromised. Rather than continuing to hurt Mu Ning deeply and make her sad, she might as well just tell her the truth. Now that they were clearing the air in advance, in the future… they could try to be ordinary friends. When the day came for her to leave the game world3, would the pain for both of them be a little less?
Ren Chenxi wasn’t sure. But just the thought of parting with Mu Ning in nine years caused the pain she had finally managed to suppress to surge back into her heart. Mu Ning was not doing any better; in fact, after hearing Ren Chenxi’s explanation, she immediately became panicked and agitated.
“Not in this world? Why? Is there something wrong with your body? Don’t you have those Recovery Cards? Can’t cards that miraculous heal your body’s issues?”
“It’s not a body issue… it’s… other reasons.” Ren Chenxi wrapped her arms around Mu Ning’s waist again, comforting her softly with a bitter smile: “Both Ren Muhui and I will leave this world, just like… how I kept insisting to you that Ren Muhui wasn’t in this world…”
Ren Chenxi’s words could only go this far. Although Mu Ning didn’t fully understand, she knew that Ren Chenxi wasn’t lying.
Ren Chenxi had finally spoken the truth to her, but… Mu Ning couldn’t bring herself to be happy at all.
Footnotes
- 抢夺 (qiangduo) — Literally to seize or plunder. A common gaming and webnovel concept representing the act of forcefully taking another's skills or resources.
- 家主 (jiazhu) — Patriarch or Family Head. The leader who commands authority over a Chinese clan or family faction.
- 游戏世界 (youxi shijie) — Literally game world. A staple setting in LitRPG and transmigrator fiction where characters navigate a world bound by video game mechanics.
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