Chapter 2.18 – There needs to be a mutual connection (1)

Editor: Chubby Dragon

Proofreader: Penguinstel

Xiang Han had not intended to take his housekeeper along, but just as he was leaving, he accidentally bumped into the other person. Housekeeper Zhang suddenly teared up in the blink of an eye and nagged, “Sir, if you’re leaving, at least bring me with you. You’re picky with your food and love cleanliness, without me by your side, what if your life becomes hard…”

Xiang Han wanted to knock him out but after hearing this, he immediately reconsidered. Without mentioning his other good points, the food he made was really not too bad.

The two people quickly settled in a small mountain village in the south. It had mountains, rivers and fields. They also had chickens, ducks, and geese.

The housekeeper was extremely dissatisfied. One moment he was complaining about the house being too old, the next he complained about the village children being too noisy and tried to persuade Xiang Han, “Sir, we don’t lack any money. Why do we have to live in such a dilapidated village? if you’re afraid of that bastardly white-eyed wolf finding us, we can also go abroad, ah.”

Xiang Han shook his head, “I think it’s fine, the house is only a little dirty.” There were plenty of fruits growing on the mountains and a river flowing below. Behind the house was a bamboo grove and a spring beside it, it was peaceful and tranquil, reminding him of the farmhouse he had visited in his previous world.

The housekeeper was silent and found people to build a villa the very next day in order to provide Xiang Han with a comfortable place to stay.

When Zhou Yue Ze learnt that Xiang Han had disappeared, his expression was very calm. His gaze fell onto the document as if he was hearing about some unimportant matters. A moment later, he took the documents with trembling hands and stood up, walking unsteadily under his bodyguards’ gazes.

When he reached the door, his legs suddenly collapsed and he nearly fell to the ground. The bodyguards hurriedly went forward to help him up but were abruptly pushed away.

In the Jiang Family’s villa, all the workers were lined up neatly in a row. Except for its master and housekeeper, everything was as normal.

Zhou Yue Ze stood in Xiang Han’s room for a long time before he finally asked hoarsely, “When did you discover it?”

“After that time you scolded us, we stayed further away. We only just found out this morning,” The bodyguard quickly looked down, afraid of angering him further.

Zhou Yue Ze’s expression was gloomy then he let out a bitter laugh and waved his hands, “You can go now. Let the rest go too.”

Saying this, he staggered over to the bed and lightly touched the sheets. Thinking back to the lingering passion of that night, he could not help laughing but after he laughed, his heart only felt emptiness and suffocation.

He carefully laid down, wrapping the blanket around his body and inhaling deeply. It was somewhat satisfying, but the corners of his eyes gradually grew wet.

The bodyguard saw his wretched state and was a little fearful but he hardened his scalp and asked, “CEO Jiang, do we search?”

Zhou Yue Ze was silent, as if he had fallen asleep. The bodyguard stood there for a while before leaving quietly.

Xiang Han had been staying in the village for a few days before he finally sobered up and called for Big A. [That’s not right, ah. Isn’t this a game? Why do I need to bring you all around to look at something that you’ve created?]

Big A: [Cough, Mr. Xiang…]

[I want to hear the truth.] Xiang Han steeled his expression, feeling that he had been fooled again.

[That… Mr. Xiang, we really didn’t lie to you this time. We truly need your help to study the cultivation pattern of the paddy fields. There’s a reason for this, but it’s complicated…] Big A’s tone suddenly became cautious.

Xiang Han felt that his tone was weird and his doubts grew. [Take your time to explain.] Since he has a lot of time anyway.

Big A was clearly hesitant but Little B encouraged him, [Let’s tell him. It’s already been two worlds.]

Big A thought for a bit and spoke, [I need to consult the Senior Marshal first.]

Saying this, he went offline. When Xiang Han heard those words, he grew increasingly suspicious.

Senior Marshal? In the federation, there were only three people who could be called a Senior Marshal and every one of them were incredibly high-ranking officials. He suddenly had an inkling that this gaming company was not simple. The so-called military backing was actually a lot stronger than he had thought.

Big A’s departure for a few minutes meant a few days for Xiang Han. When he came back, Big A’s tone carried a hint of severity, [Mr. Xiang, please come into the simulation space, I’ll explain everything to you.]

Xiang Han quickly entered the simulation space. Apart from Big A, Little B and the mech-looking System, there was the virtual projection of another white-haired man.

Xiang Han was startled, feeling that this old man looked a little familiar. Looking carefully, he quickly recognised the other person. He was Marshal Pulan who frequently appeared on the federation’s news.

The senior marshal smiled at him warmly, completely unlike the serious expression he usually had when he appeared on the news and quickly greeted him, “Child, quickly come here.”

Big A and Little B stood at the side, their expressions tense while Xiang Han cautiously walked over. Seeing such an important figure for the first time, he was nervous.

Through the Marshal’s explanation, Xiang Han finally understood the entire story. During an excavation, the military accidentally dug up an ancient scrapped artefact. After repairing it, they obtained numerous novels from the ancient times.

Although the novels were not a true reflection of the Earth’s history, it contained the thoughts and descriptions of the people from that time period. To a certain extent, it can provide the people living in the interstellar world with historical knowledge. In order to learn more, the military used a special device to convert all these data into numerous different worlds so that they could collect more information.

But in order to maintain the balance of those worlds, it required a person to enter those novels and experience the event that happened in the plot. At the start, only high-ranking officers took on these positions and as for why they suddenly found Xiang Han, it was because there was a high ranking officer who was attacked while carrying out the mission. The System that was supposed to connect him was destroyed and his consciousness merged with the world of the novel, unable to return.

Although it was only his consciousness, Xiang Han broke into a cold sweat and asked out of reflex, “There’s still such risks?”

Big A quickly explained, “That was because at that time, the technology was not advanced enough and the System was only a normal transmigration System. When this program was first launched, that officer’s enemy learnt about this matter and launched an attack on his system, wanting to eliminate them. After the events happened, we immediately ceased the program and upgraded the system into a combat system before we quietly continued to operate as a gaming company. After you joined, Roy and I have been in complete control so that you definitely wouldn’t run into any danger.”

“So the reason you found me was actually to save that person?” Xiang Han’s expression was complicated.

“You can say that. Your compatibility with that officer’s consciousness is 99.9%, which means that it has the highest chance resonating with him. Once we establish a resonance, we can use it to pull his consciousness back,” Little B sheepishly explained.

Xiang Han pouted and asked, “Who is that officer? You two keep trying to matchmake me and Lu Ze, Zhou Yue Ze. Are they the same people…”

Big A admitted sheepishly, “He is actually the Marshal’s grandson, Officer Xavier[1]. Lu Ze and Zhou Yue Ze should both be him, but they don’t seem to be able to remember anything.

“So to say, he’s not a virtual character?” After knowing the truth, Xiang Han felt angry.

“…His body is virtual, and so are his memories. But his consciousness is not,” Big A carefully explained.

The Senior Marshal kicked him offline then apologised to Xiang Han, “Child, I’m really sorry. Originally, we should have signed a confidentiality agreement and told you the truth, but these two fellows were too anxious and actually sent you in without me knowing.”

Little B softly said, “At that time, you were lying in the hospital and unable to wake up. Admiral Dean was afraid that you wouldn’t be able to wake up soon…”

The Marshal kicked him out too before turning to Xiang Han hopefully, “Child, as a grandfather, I hope you can understand my selfishness, and I want to seek your help…”

Xiang Han understood the Marshal’s feelings, but knowing that Lu Ze and Zhou Yue Ze were both the same person that existed in the real world, he was unable to continue. He instinctively shook his head, “Sorry…”

Big A and Little B’s virtual bodies were attacked and they suffered for a while before they dared to come back online.

Hearing Xiang Han’s words, Big A was anxious and tried to persuade him, “Mr. Xiang, the internal conflict in the military has already reached a breaking point. The general is the leader of the Northern army. If we cannot save him, the Northern army will be swallowed up by other forces. The Federation will surely be caught in civil strife and with the invasion of foreign forces, I’m afraid that…”

Xiang Han heard this and shook his head even harder, “I don’t want to hear all these. You all better hire someone else, I will sign the confidentiality agreement and also, I won’t agree even if you were to give me one hundred million star coins.”

He was only a normal person, he dared not rashly interfere with such things.

Big A was dumbfounded and tried to persuade him nicely with Little B for a long time but Xiang Han’s attitude was resolute. Even if you beat him to death, he would not agree.

The Marshal kicked them both out with a downcasted expression, “Actually, I can understand, how would a normal person dare to take part in all these? But I heard that the second world is already about to end, so could you please finish it before leaving? Just, just in case, a resonance might appear in this world?”

The Marshal’s tone was full of plea and hope. Xiang Han finally softened and hesitated before speaking, “Then, okay. Just this once.”

The Marshal was beside himself with gratitude. When Xiang Han returned to the world in the novel, his entire aura had wilted. He laid on the wicker chair every day, watching the little children play merrily while he himself would not even move an inch.

Every time he thought about how Lu Ze and Zhou Yue Ze were the same person in reality, his face would heat up uncontrollably.

The housekeeper was worried to death, peeling lotus seeds at the side and urging him, “Sir, have you fallen sick? Let’s go to the hospital for a check-up.”

When Big A and Little B came back online, they were as quiet as a chicken. They dared not persuade him, fearing that Xiang Han would get angry and directly abandon the current world.

The System also knew what had happened and felt sad. Turns out that it had also been fooled all this while.

Zhou Yue Ze did not dare to let anyone search for Xiang Han, afraid that he would force the other person to escape even further. He directed his anger upon the few people from the Zhou Family. First, he pretended to cooperate with Zhou Chengxi and suppressed Zhou Yue Qing, forcing him to be unable to remain in the main office until he was transferred to a subsidiary company of the Zhou Corporation.

Coincidentally, Zhou Yue Qing was at the inspection site when he was crushed by a heavy-duty object. Although his life was saved, he was paralysed from the waist up, unable to function on his own. There was no longer any chance for him to fight with Zhou Chengxi for the company.

The Old Master Zhou received a huge blow and fell sick. In the end, he furiously decided to continue supporting Zhou Chengxi. After Zhou Yue Qing was paralysed, his temper became extremely volatile. Ji Wei’s heart ached for him and she went to find Zhou Chengxi for any explanation but was scorned and humiliated instead. Ji Wei was so agitated that she directly drove a car towards Zhou Chengxi.

Zhou Chengxi only suffered a little injury but was mostly fine. On the other hand, Ji Wei was sent to prison for attempted murder.

After lifting Zhou Chengxi to his highest point, Zhou Yue Ze struck again. On one side he suppressed the Zhou Family’s business, and on the other side, he submitted all evidence of Zhou Chengxi’s bribery, misappropriation of public funds and money laundering activities to the police. The Zhou Corporation fell quickly and Zhou Chengxi was also taken away by the police, leaving Lu Wan to hold up the company by herself.

Lu Wan attempted to meet Zhou Yue Ze but was unable to even catch a glimpse of his shadow. Currently, Zhou Yue Ze was eating, living and working from the Jiang Family’s Villa. At night, he would hold Xiang Han’s clothes before falling into a light sleep, as if it was the only way his heart could be appeased.

***

T/n: Y’all… need to stop shipping XH with his housekeeper, that man is old for god’s sake, leave him alone. (╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻

Also, I did say before, the ML will always have a ‘Ze’ in his name. His english(actual) name is Xavier = Ze Wei Er