Chapter 2 — The Ultimate Backstage Power in the Universe

Are you even polite? Perhaps the entity felt that these words had caused some emotional damage, so it quickly offered a gentle clarification. Actually, you are not all that bad; it is simply your abysmal luck to have collided with such a wretched system. Three-four-one-two is a defective model from the very last batch, so your misfortune is truly not your fault.

Accustomed as I was to the relentless scolding and harsh oppression of my previous handlers, this was the absolute first time I had ever heard a system say: It is not your fault. You are entirely blameless. A sudden stinging sensation pricked at the bridge of my nose, and I was so profoundly moved that I felt an overwhelming urge to embrace the invisible presence. Unfortunately, it possessed no physical form.

No sooner had the wave of sentimentality washed over me than the entity snapped right back into professional mode. Because your previous target of conquest is still among the living, we cannot simply swap targets on a whim. I shall grant you two distinct pathways: either you continue stubbornly along the original route mapped out by Phong Trach, or you eliminate him entirely and select a fresh target from the registry. Which shall you choose?

I began to hesitate, stammering, I have already beaten Phong Trach into such a miserable state, how could he possibly ever grow to love me? Yet, at the same time, I harbor no desire to become a murderer.

The entity replied with absolute decisiveness: It is quite simple. We shall not change targets for the time being. You will simply do whatever I instruct you to do.

At one o'clock in the middle of the night, Phong Trach stirred groggily from his sleep. He rubbed his aching neck, attempting to force himself into a sitting position, when the outermost corner of his eye suddenly caught sight of a human figure sitting quietly by the edge of his bed. The woman uttered not a single word; she merely occupied herself by steadily peeling a piece of fruit.

Hearing the faint rustle of movement, I slowly turned my head around, raised a gleaming fruit knife vertically, and fixed him with a serene, terrifying smile.

Phong Trach, do you love me?

What?

A-ah-ah-ah-ah—

The tip of my blade pressed firmly and intimately against the sensitive skin of his throat, serving as a silent signal for him to cease his useless shrieking. Under the heavy influence of extreme physical coercion, Phong Trach finally quieted down, his obedience absolute while cold sweat streamed down his forehead continuously.

You... you must be careful. Do not actually drive that thing into me.

I simply repeated the very same inquiry from moments before.

Phong Trach, do you love me?

He gritted his teeth, pure venom dripping from his expression: My heart already belongs to Pearl alone. No matter how brutally you choose to coerce me, I shall never, under any circumstances, grow to love you.

Without the slightest hesitation, I withdrew the blade and plunged it straight into the heart of the apple I had just finished peeling. Very well, I shall return tomorrow to pose the question once more.

The days that followed fell into a bizarre, grueling routine. I would materialize unexpectedly before Phong Trach, subject him to a thorough physical beating, and then calmly inquire whether he had fallen in love with me yet. If he refused to give a satisfactory reply, the cycle of violence simply continued.

Zero-zero-one, does this unorthodox method actually yield any results?

There is a ninety-nine percent probability of ultimate success.

I lowered my eyelashes, murmuring softly: And what of the remaining one percent?

The remaining one percent is the distinct possibility that he might simply be beaten to death by your own hands.

I fell silent: ...

I tormented Phong Trach relentlessly for nearly half a month. By the end of it, his psychological state was teetering on the absolute brink of total collapse. Just as he finally reached his breaking point and resolved to dial the emergency services for rescue, I timely produced a collection of compromising photographs and video footage secretly captured inside a hotel room.

Cornered with absolutely nowhere left to run, Phong Trach completely broke down. He collapsed onto his knees, groveling and begging me to show mercy and release him from this living hell.

What on earth did I ever do to make you harbor such profound hatred toward me?

I stared down at his tear-streaked, devastated face, and suddenly posed a question of my own: If you never held any affection for me, why did you deliberately allow me to draw close to you? You thoroughly reveled in my undivided attention, yet treated me merely like a disposable errand boy, did you truly think I remained completely oblivious?

His attitude had forever hovered in that agonizingly ambiguous gray zone. Every single time I stood on the precipice of absolute despair, he would toss me a tiny morsel of superficial sweetness, playing with my emotions precisely as one might toy with a loyal hound. He had grown so comfortably accustomed to my gentle devotion, yet behind my back, he would casually whisper to his companions: She is nothing more than a well-trained dog, entirely obedient to my every whim.

Had I not been forcibly bound to that wretched, tyrannical system, I would have long ago hunted him down and claimed his life.

The color drained entirely from Phong Trach's face, leaving it sickly and pale. He clamped his eyes shut tightly. If your torment stems entirely from that past foolishness, very well, I concede. I agree to let you be my girlfriend, will that finally suffice?

I tilted my head slightly: Then tell me, do you love me?

He swallowed hard: ...

I nodded thoughtfully, pondering the interaction: It would appear the sentiment is still not quite deep enough. Let us pencil you in for another session tomorrow.

I scaled the windowsill and slipped out into the night, failing entirely to notice the look of venomous, unadulterated hatred burning in the shadows behind my back. He kept his head bowed, whispering viciously into the empty air: Truong Van Thu... I am going to make sure you die.

With trembling fingers, he punched a sequence of numbers into his mobile phone. Pearl, can you please do me a favor?

Upon returning to my apartment, I collapsed face-first onto the mattress, kneading my throbbing temples with exhausted fingers. Why is Phong Trach's mouth so impossibly stubborn? I have beaten him until my own limbs are nearly numb, yet he still stubbornly refuses to utter the words.

The entity's synthesized voice remained entirely detached: If he will not say he loves you, it simply means the physical persuasion has not been forceful enough. In the future, you should consider unhinging both of his legs, sealing him securely inside the house, and denying him any food for two or three consecutive days. Inform him that compliance regarding thirst grants a mere sip of water, while a full declaration of love is strictly required before he is permitted a single grain of rice.

The more I listened to this advice, the more profoundly wrong the entire premise sounded. Just as I was about to demand exactly where it had managed to acquire such twisted tactics, my phone chimed with an incoming call from Phong Trach.

Stifling the palpable hatred boiling beneath the surface, his voice assumed a sickeningly sweet tone: Van Thu, wasn't it my declaration of love that you so desperately wished to hear? Come to the abandoned industrial warehouse out on the western outskirts tomorrow afternoon. I have prepared a very special surprise exclusively for you. You must make sure to attend; I shall be waiting.

Before I could even formulate a response, the line clicked dead.

The entity and I lapsed into a synchronized silence.

I sighed: Does he honestly take me for a complete fool?

A trap so blatantly transparent, lacking even the barest pretense of camouflage.

The entity hesitated briefly: ...Since he has gone to such elaborate trouble, perhaps you ought to indulge him just this once.

After rolling the proposition over in my mind for a considerable duration, I ultimately resolved to comply. The underlying reason was quite simple: the entity had been relentlessly complaining that my task progression was sluggish, leaving two entire worlds untouched. If I failed to expedite the process, it threatened to intervene directly.

Recalling its previous radical philosophy regarding the strict exchange rate of water and nourishment for declarations of love, I decisively opted for the permanent, clean resolution of Phong Trach.

At four o'clock in the afternoon, I hailed a taxi that dropped me off approximately one hundred meters away from the derelict industrial compound. Even from a distance, I could spot Phong Trach pacing back and forth restlessly near the main entrance, his posture fairly radiating nervous anticipation.

The moment he caught sight of my approaching figure, he hurried forward. His eyes darted about with a guilty conscience, though he quickly plastered an exceedingly bright, artificial smile across his features.

I have arranged a wonderful surprise just for you inside. You need only step through those doors to witness it firsthand.

I paused, leveling my gaze at him: So, do you happen to love me today?

Phong Trach blinked in utter bewilderment: ...?

When he failed to offer an immediate response, my muscle memory took over, and I swiftly administered another thorough thrashing before tossing him unceremoniously to one side.

Zero-zero-one, do your sensors detect anyone lingering inside that building?

The interior of the warehouse is completely devoid of human presence.

Reassured, I strode confidently through the threshold, only to be immediately assaulted by an intensely peculiar chemical odor.

The entity shrieked in my ear with sudden panic: This is a trap! Fall back immediately, the entire enclosed space is saturated with high concentrations of sevoflurane gas!

My reaction came a fraction of a second too late. In an attempt to accurately identify the strange scent, I had already drawn a deep, heavy breath straight into my lungs. My vision blurred instantly, my eyes rolling backward as consciousness slipped violently away.

The entity could only emit a silent sigh: ...