Professional Assassin C17

Chapter 17: Completing job in the Substitute World (4)

“Lin Yuetian! What’s in the candle?!”

Lin Yuetian completely ignored Shen Junyu’s typical powerless rage and yelling. With a business-like smile, he opened the System Shop and quickly locked onto a product he had been eyeing for some time: Drunkenness Pill. This item, priced at 100 points, causes the consumer to immediately enter a state of severe intoxication, leading to blurred consciousness. Depending on the individual’s behavior when drunk, symptoms might include singing, dancing, fighting, sleeping, or nonsensical rambling.

The product description boldly proclaimed: “Witness someone’s true drunken self.”

Lin Yuetian’s intention in purchasing this item was certainly not to see what Shen Junyu was like when drunk. He wasn’t that bored. Besides, the original owner of this body already knew well enough how Shen Junyu behaved when intoxicated. According to the original owner’s memories, Shen Junyu had been drunk several times. His drunken demeanor was decent; while his consciousness would blur, he could still hold conversations.

A drunk Shen Junyu even seemed much easier to get along with. In the deeply Stockholm-syndrome-influenced memories of the original owner, those rare moments when Shen Junyu was drunk were the happiest and most fulfilling times. This was because Shen Junyu would smile at him and speak gently, even if such “happiness” was a pitiful delusion. The original owner still felt content.

But Lin Yuetian’s interest in the Drunkenness Pill wasn’t to relive these so-called fond memories for the original owner.

Lin Yuetian pressed “confirm exchange,” and a pill instantly appeared in his palm.

Without hesitation, he immediately shoved the Drunkenness Pill into Shen Junyu’s mouth.

The pill worked wonders. Just as Shen Junyu shouted, “What the hell did you feed me?!” Lin Yuetian watched as his expression gradually turned dazed and drunk, even letting out a hiccup. Lin Yuetian silently marveled at the effectiveness of the pill and politely gave the system a thumbs-up. Then, he nonchalantly removed his jacket, straddled Shen Junyu, and gripped Shen Junyu’s face with one hand, forcing him to look at him with his intoxicated, bleary eyes.

The system was utterly horrified, trembling with shock and terror as it exclaimed, “Bro! What are you doing??? Listen to me! Just hear me out for a second!! Scum gongs are still gongs, a gong is a gong, a gong is like a Pixiu, they don’t have a bottom line—you can’t do this!!”

“What are you even thinking?” Lin Yuetian replied helplessly. “I’m not that kind of person.”

“Whew… that’s a relief,” the system exhaled heavily. “My God, you scared me to death. This scene is way too familiar. I’ve seen similar setups in dozens of strategy guides. I thought you were finally breaking down and going crazy.”

Lin Yuetian thought to himself, I don’t recall ever being particularly silent. But that wasn’t the point. The point was his task, his mission. Applying more force, Lin Yuetian ensured Shen Junyu’s eyes were firmly locked onto his face. Confirming that Shen Junyu’s gaze was indeed fixed on him, he asked gently, “…Junyu, do you recognize me?”

Shen Junyu stared at him dazedly for a moment before murmuring, “I recognize you…”

Lin Yuetian’s voice became softer and more coaxing. “Who am I?”

Shen Junyu mumbled vaguely, “Yuetian.”

“Oh? Wow, he got it right,” the system speculated. “Does he have feelings for the original owner?”

“Whether he does or not isn’t my concern,” Lin Yuetian replied.

Lin Yuetian’s response to Shen Junyu was simple: he raised his hand and delivered a not-too-hard slap to Shen Junyu’s face. His weak, original body couldn’t muster much force, but the slap was intended to convey one message: “Think again… who am I? Don’t you like me the most?”

The slap left Shen Junyu stunned. Reflexively, he furrowed his brow, thought for a long moment, and hesitated before answering, “…Bai Li?”

Lin Yuetian replied ambiguously, “You guess.”

His voice seemed to carry a unique magic, compelling others to listen, trust, and believe. This came as no surprise; in his original world, Lin Yuetian had consulted over 30 psychologists—not because he had any psychological issues; he felt perfectly healthy. He sought to learn how to speak in a manner that was approachable, persuasive, and inspired trust.

All 30+ psychologists concluded he was entirely healthy, positive, and full of love for life and concern for others—a rare model citizen in the cyber world.

Still gripping Shen Junyu’s face, Lin Yuetian gently caressed the spot he had just slapped, his tone as soft as water. “Who am I? Junyu, you should know. I’m the person closest to you, the one you most want to see when you’re drunk, the most important person in your life. Maybe I’ve been with you for a long time, or maybe I’ve just left an indelible impression in your memory. Either way, the person you see now, the one you think I am, must be the person you like most in your heart, right? So tell that person… speak the truth… Junyu, be honest with me. Do you like me?”

Shen Junyu, deeply drunk, his mind a muddled haze, saw only a beautiful face swaying before him. He couldn’t discern who this person was. Was it Lin Yuetian? Bai Li? He didn’t know. He only knew this person felt so familiar, so kind. The words he spoke made so much sense. Am I drunk? What was I doing just now? He couldn’t recall. Surely, he had drunk too much and blacked out. After all, there’s a saying: “You only know who loves you when you’re sick, and you only know who you love when you’re drunk.” The person before him was absolutely right. He was drunk enough to see him. This person was familiar and warm…

Shen Junyu couldn’t tell who it was—Lin Yuetian or Bai Li? He didn’t know. But he was certain: this was someone close to him, someone who had been with him for a long time, someone he liked.

And this person was now asking him: Do you like me?

“I like you…” Shen Junyu slurred, his tone incredibly, sincerely earnest. “I love you…”

“Task 2: Make the CEO confess his love to you. Completed,” the system announced.

The system was speechless yet found the plot progression oddly logical. It couldn’t help but complain, “You exploited a loophole in the task description again. I think even Shen Junyu himself couldn’t tell if he was confessing to the original owner or to his white moonlight in his drunken state after all your hints and guidance.”

“Exactly. That’s the result I wanted,” Lin Yuetian explained matter-of-factly. “While I suspect he has delusions of having his cake and eating it too, I’m unsure who he likes more. Under such circumstances, spending time and effort raising his favorability for me would be one approach, but it’s far too time-consuming. This is the simplest method. Right now, I’m both people in his eyes. Given that, he must genuinely like me. His confession is undoubtedly authentic. High efficiency, high quality—after all, he did confess to me.”

Lin Yuetian remained calm and composed as he explained, then shifted the topic. “Alright, help me sober him up.”

“One hundred points can exchange for a sobering pill—wait a minute, what are you planning to do next?” the system asked.

“Complete Task 3: Make Shen Junyu understand the original owner’s feelings,” Lin Yuetian replied.

“You’re not going to… do something weird again, are you?” The system, having lost all trust in him, asked nervously.

“Of course not. Trust me. Everything I do is logical, effective, and efficient.” Lin Yuetian vowed, all the while pulling out the key to the basement—often used to torment the original owner—from Shen Junyu’s pocket.

Tossing the key into the air and catching it effortlessly, Lin Yuetian stepped down from the sofa.

A faint business-like smile graced his lips. “He will understand.”

———

—Pixiu (貔貅) is a mythical Chinese creature resembling a lion with dragon-like features, symbolizing wealth, good fortune, and protection. In Feng Shui, it is believed to attract and safeguard wealth while warding off evil. Legends describe it as a treasure-eating being that cannot expel what it consumes, making it a popular symbol for financial success and security. It is often used in homes, offices, or worn as jewelry to bring prosperity and guard against misfortune.

—In danmei (Chinese boys’ love fiction), “white moonlight” (白月光) refers to a character who embodies someone’s idealized, unattainable love or their purest and most cherished feelings. This term is often used to describe a love interest who is deeply missed, remembered fondly, or idealized in the protagonist’s heart, even if they are no longer present or accessible.