That Enigmatic and Elusive Male Lead (01)

[Dimensional bug has been completely fixed. Host, welcome back.]
Si Jiu couldn't muster any joy. "Couldn't you have let me say a proper goodbye?"
System: [Is it even possible for you and Young Master Shen Huai to have a proper farewell?]
Si Jiu: "..."
Getting bolder, are you? Now you even talk back to me?
[Besides, this time you weren't sent for a mission but were forcibly summoned there. So in that dimension, you were an illegal trespasser.
And since you didn't even have a physical body, if you hadn't left before the bug was fully repaired, the world's consciousness would have wiped you out as a virus.]
Even so... it's still infuriating.
She had just said she wouldn't run and had promised not to lie to him again, yet the next second, she slapped herself in the face with that promise. Her face must be swollen by now.
Tch.
"So what exactly was the bug in Shen Huai's world? Did his main storyline go awry?"
[Sorry, that's classified information. The host currently does not have access privileges.]
Si Jiu: "I'm the party involved... the victim, alright? I was dragged there for no reason... Fine. What about the request you mentioned before regarding Qi Yan's mission?"
The system was silent for a few seconds: [Response received. As for the investigation and processing of that request, you'll have to wait a bit longer.]
Si Jiu: Oh, my fiery temper!
"Then tell me, what exactly are you good for?"
Ask anything and you know nothing, always need to submit an application or a report, and I never get an answer.
[I can assign tasks to the host, settle mission results, compile performance evaluations, and provide emotional detachment or psychological counseling.]
"Useless!"

[So, do you need me to provide emotional—]
"No need." Si Jiu felt utterly exhausted. "Just send me to the next world."
System: [Deploying to mission world... Oh, right, I forgot to tell the host: you don't need to worry about whether Young Master Shen Huai will wait by the bronze mirror for a hundred years.
I smashed the mirror for you before I left.
No need to thank me.]
Si Jiu: "………………"
A flash of white light, and Si Jiu struggled to hold back a string of expletives.
Why the hell are you so smug? You think you’re amazing?
No, you’re just going to drive your young master mad.
Si Jiu was too weary to complain; the deployment was complete.
Someone shoved her hard from behind, sending her stumbling, and then a harsh voice barked, "Move it! If we don't reach the temple before dark, you're as good as dead."
Si Jiu turned her head, giving the speaker a cold glance. He was a tall man in a pure white uniform, with brown hair and green eyes. His features were ordinary, but his slanted, triangular eyes made his gaze fierce.
"What are you looking at? I’ll gouge your eyes out." The man spat on the ground, sneering, "Just because you look like Her Highness the Princess, you think you really are one? Still staring?"
Si Jiu glanced behind her. Besides this man, there were at least a dozen others dressed the same, all with swords at their waists. She calmly withdrew her gaze.
"Move faster! What good is dawdling? If you're late, can you bear the consequences?"
Unexpectedly, the man grew bolder and reached out to shove Si Jiu's back again.
Once, twice—he kept pushing, over and over.
This host body was not only frail and small, but also dressed in an elaborate, voluminous gown. The mountain path was hard enough to traverse, and being shoved made her stumble constantly.
Endure for a moment and the anger festers; take a step back and you lose even more.

When the man tried to push her again, she swiftly dodged, turned, and seized his wrist, pressing hard on a vital point.
"Aaaaargh..." The man let out a scream like a pig being slaughtered.
Startled, his companions burst into raucous laughter.
"Hey, isn't that a bit much?"
"Serves you right for always messing around with women. Now you’re weak, huh? Hahaha."
"I think he's howling from pleasure, not pain! Hahaha."
Being teased by his companions was one thing, but being overpowered by a little girl—now that was humiliating.
The man's face flushed red. With a furious roar, he lunged at Si Jiu, ignoring the pain in his hand, aiming to strangle her.
Si Jiu released his wrist and, with a sharp kick, struck the man's chin.
A crisp "crack" sounded.
"Aaahhhhhh..." The man clutched his jaw, collapsing to his knees, blood streaming from his mouth along with two teeth.
With a swish, the other men stopped laughing, drawing their swords and pointing them at Si Jiu.
Si Jiu calmly straightened her dress, looked up at them, and met their eyes without a hint of fear.
System: [Host, there are 12.5 people on the other side. Is this really the time to be so tough?]
The 0.5, referring to the one with his teeth knocked out and jaw dislocated?
System, aren't you cheeky.