Strategy to Capture That Scum Gong

Chapter 206 - Yesterday Once More

Translated by Eve

Edited by Serefina

14. Yesterday Once More

444’s days have been especially relaxed lately. Since his Host dada and Lu Ting made up, Host dada seemed to plan on passing his days in peace. He was completely different from how he had been in the previous worlds.

444 felt puzzled sometimes. He thought that this wasn’t his host’s style. His host was the type to cause trouble for no reason.

For example, in the past, he could have chosen gentler methods of capturing the target but he always made such a tragic mess out of things. He would use the shortest time possible to complete the captures, hurting both himself and the target in the process.

When he had found out that Lu Ting had been the capture target in all the previous worlds, 444 had thought that his host had a lot of complaints against Lu Ting and that was why Xie He had purposely tormented him. But looking at things now, it didn’t seem like that was the case.

444 couldn’t resist anymore. He asked his host.

【444：Host dada, what have you been planning, ne? I thought you hated him. _(:зゝ∠)_】It was also really dangerous dating the host who was trying to capture him.

【Xie He：I didn’t hate him. I was just a bit disappointed in him before.】

【444：But before, you....】

【Xie He：Baby, are you talking about my actions in the previous worlds? I had acted like that because I had known that he loved me. Even if he forgot for a moment, he would certainly fall in love with me in the end.】

【444：......？】

【Xie He：Baby, there’s a certain principle you need to understand. Hurting yourself will only cause pain to the people who love and care about you. People who don’t care about you will only think your actions are ridiculous.】

【444：Is that so? Puzzled.JPG】

【Xie He：Yes. Therefore, don’t ever try to use that method to try and change the minds of people who don’t care about you, let alone on your enemies in an attempt to get them to pity or sympathize with you....I just knew that his love for me would triumph over everything else. That was why I did things like that.】If he were a real enemy, he would have used genuinely cruel methods.

【444：But since you knew he loved you, why did you still choose to do that...?】He was even more confused now. Shouldn’t he have been nicer to Lu Ting? He felt that, with Host dada’s capabilities, he didn’t have to cause so much angst...._(:зゝ∠)_

【Xie He：Hehe, you don’t understand.】

Xie He lowered his gaze slightly, a hint of chilliness emerging in his eyes. That was because of the fixed plot and character settings. Furthermore, he was just trying to use the fastest way possible to win. This was what Lord God had wanted to see...a scene of merciless internecine strife...a show of survival of the fittest.

Since he had realized that it was Lu Ting, he had immediately guessed what had happened. Venting his anger on Lu Ting was just an added benefit. The more important thing was winning.

It was his only chance. He would not be controlled by his emotions. Love, hate, anger, disappointment, joy, pain...they were nothing in the face of survival. He had never been a willful person....He had only ever cared about winning and losing.

444 saw that Xie He wasn’t responding. He mulled over it for a while before a flash of understanding came over him!

【444：I know! Was it for the sake of your sex life? ╰(*°▽°*)╯】Was it so he could papapa every day...?

【Xie He：Hahaha, you’re as cute as ever. Smile.JPG】

【444：......】

【Xie He：You’re right. After all, I’m the type to live in the present. 🙂 】

Xie He laughed. You never know: one day, you might suddenly become incapable of protecting your heart, or maybe you’ll simply reach your limit. Exhausted, the dream might suddenly come to an end before you have a chance to wake up....Since that’s the case, I might as well live a little recklessly. Why should I conform? Why should I wrong myself?

One should live their life confidently, happily and at ease.

【Xie He：Baby, you’ve been talking about 666 a lot more these days. I heard he’s been inviting you out to eat, shop and hang out?】

【444：Yeah, yeah! 666 is a good person! \\(≧▽≦)/】

【Xie He：Not necessarily. When someone is nice to you for seemingly no reason, there is very likely a reason behind it. 🙂 】

【444：Σ( °△°|||)︴Ah? Then is he a bad person?】

【Xie He：That’s not necessarily the case either. But it wouldn’t hurt to be a little more aware, right? Smile.JPG】

【444：(⊙v⊙) Mn!】Host dada always speaks the truth! 666 must definitely have an ulterior motive, hmph! He will keep an eye out! Could it be that 666 actually has his eyes on his allowance? He won’t be fooled!

........................................................................

Every day, Lu Ting and Xie He would spend their days all lovey-dovey. They were wrapped around each other all day. They passed their days very comfortably. However, 666 hadn’t been in a very good mood as of late.

It had been so difficult to get close to 444. It had seemed like he had been on the eve of getting together with the other system but 444’s attitude had suddenly taken a turn. He was now very on guard against 666 but wasn’t willing to tell him why. Ah...he hadn’t been able to get 444 to come out with him for several days now. He wasn’t happy.

When there was no comparison, there was no harm. But he had to watch his host act all pleased with his own relationship....666, who was force fed dogfood everyday, fell into low spirits. He came to think, if I’m not doing well, then you shouldn’t either. He would occasionally throw ruthless stones at his host.

Today, Lu Ting once again did some ‘exercise’ with Xie He. He was very satisfied.

【666：Ai, his Favourability Value hasn’t risen recently after doing it. A Favourability Value of only 90, ah, only ranked 88th....】

&#k3010;Lu Ting&#kUU1J;I think that it’s good that it’s not rising.&#k3011;

&#k3010;666&#kUU1J;Are you not satisfying him?&#k3011;

&#k3010;Lu Ting&#kUU1J;Nonsense! You actually doubt my capabilities?&#k3011;

&#k3010;666&#kUU1J;&#k2026;Uh, I discovered one of Xie He’s secrets. Do you want to know?&#k3011;

&#k3010;Lu Ting is immediately interested&#kUU1J;What secret?&#k3011;

&#k3010;666&#kUU1J;There’s a safe under the lowest shelf in the bookcase behind the desk of the study on the second floor. You’ll understand when you see it.&#k3011;

Lu Ting looked pensive. Such a hidden thing...it was even stashed in a safe. It must be something really important, right? But if he secretly went to look at Xie He’s safe, the other would definitely get mad. Therefore, he absolutely must not be caught.

Lu Ting stayed calm. He waited until Xie He left for work the next day. Meanwhile, he stayed at home. When he was alone, he snuck into the study.

The safe had a lock but 666 was a high level system. No lock could withstand his attack. He easily opened it, revealing the thirteen albums inside.

Lu Ting was curious and amazed. Thirteen albums. Were they of him? He thought that this was the case because he had left for thirteen years. So had Xie He been silently thinking about him all this time...? Lu Ting was surprised and moved. He pulled one out. In the end, but what happened was that, as soon as he flipped it open, his face turned green.

Lu Ting slammed the photo album onto the desk in rage. He pulled out a few more. The more he looked, the darker his expression became! Those albums were full of those other capturing hosts! What was with the comments like ‘gentle and likeable person’, ‘good with his mouth’, ‘soft and flexible body’, ‘shy and bashful’, ‘flirtatious and easy’...three stars, four stars, five stars....

F*ck!

Lu Ting looked through every album. Finally, he reached the album labelled ‘1’ and saw himself. The only comment was: idiot.

This wouldn’t do! He was pissed!

【666：How about it? Isn’t it a pleasant surprise?】

【Lu Ting：Scram.】

Lu Ting stared at the albums. He felt like he must have dyed his hair green. He gnashed his teeth and wanted to destroy these albums in a fit of rage. However, he suddenly heard the sounds of footsteps coming up!

This was bad. Lu Ting tried to put things back at once, but it was already too late.

Xie He had already reached the study.

Lu Ting turned around stiffly. He saw Xie He standing at the entrance to the study with a fake smile on his face.

Lu Ting: “Um....”

Xie He placed an index finger on his lips. His tone was teasing. He laughed. “Your plan was too obvious. It was really hard to pretend like I didn’t know what you were up to.”

Lu Ting: “....”

Xie He calmly walked over and pulled the album out of Lu Ting’s hands. There was a smile in his eyes. “Oh, so you were looking at this one. The quality of this album is pretty good. All their appearances were at least 90 points and up. I really liked them.”

Lu Ting had originally felt guilty and embarrassed. But when he heard Xie He comment on his ex-boyfriends and even say that he liked them, jealousy and fury once again raged in his chest! He angrily said, “It’s all fake! And this level of attractiveness is nothing! You can just exchange for a low level bloodline or expression pack buff to achieve that!”

Xie He nodded. “I did think that it was really weird that they were all so attractiv. I had thought that they must have a special method....But regardless, they really did please me. They were willing to spend money to get my affection and even slept with me in vain. No matter how you look at it, I’m not the one who lost out.”

Lu Ting was so furious he nearly exploded into flames. “They did it to deceive you!”

Xie He said dully, “Even swindlers have to have some professionalism. Why didn’t you make yourself more attractive when you approached me back then...? Oh, well at least your body is just barely passable.”

Lu Ting: “I’m clearly good-looking too!”

【Lu Ting：I’m just barely passable? Ah? So many hosts want to cling onto me. They wish I would like them. Doesn’t that mean that I’m really attractive? I can’t be any worse-looking than those effeminate pretty boys, right?】

【666：You’re all right.... But the reason they want to cling onto you has more to do with your strength, doesn’t it? Even if you were too ugly to behold, they’d still pinch their noses and huddle over. Therefore, that can’t be used as your argument.】

【Lu Ting：...Recently, I really don’t like speaking to you.】

【666：Hehe.】Hehe, the feeling of hurting each other is wonderful.

Lu Ting realized that even if he practiced for another eight hundred years, he would never be able to win Xie He in a battle of words. Therefore, he stopped talking. One should play to one’s strengths! He wrapped his arms around Xie He and shut him up with his lips, kissing him forcefully.

He then lifted the other onto the desk.

This time, he was going to do Xie He until the other couldn’t speak!

Xie He pushed at Lu Ting but saw that he couldn’t move the other. The albums on the desk were all knocked onto the ground. Mn...Lu Ting hadn’t been this rough in a really long time. It seems like he was really jealous today.

......................................................

After a long period of time, Lu Ting finally let Xie He off. He carried the other into the bathroom to wash.

Xie He lazily leaned against Lu Ting’s chest, letting the other wait on him. He groaned twice, feeling comfortable. It looked like he wouldn’t be going to work today either.

【Ding, the target Xie He’s Favourability Value +5. The current Favourability Value is 95.】

Lu Ting paused. He thought that Xie He would lower his Favourability Value. Who would have expected that Xie He wouldn’t follow the rules? His expression became complicated. He began to worry that Xie He was mad.

Xie He’s thin lips parted, a hoarse voice slipping out from his throat. “Are you still jealous? Should I give you a few more Favourability points to make up for it?”

Lu Ting: “I’m not jealous anymore.” The Favourability Value couldn’t rise again. This was fine.

Xie He smiled and teased, “You say that but you don’t mean it.”

Lu Ting held Xie He tightly, his voice lowering. “No. This time, I mean it.”

“As long as you’re by my side, I won’t be jealous. As long as you’re okay, it’s good enough....”

As long as I can hold you, I’ll be satisfied. I don’t care about the past because what I want is the present and the future...to be with you for every second you are alive.

Lu Ting’s chest was full of love as he held his beloved. But suddenly, he felt a stab of pain in his head. His expression changed at once. Since he was with Xie He all this time, he hadn’t had an episode in a really long time. However, the damage was still there. He didn’t think that it would trigger all of a sudden.

【Lu Ting：Liu zi, quick! Use the last psychosuppresant on me!】

【666：It’s the last one.】

【Lu Ting：You don’t say?】

666 thought, didn’t you just say that you didn’t want to talk to me...? Ended up slapping yourself in the face so soon.

Although he thought this, 666 still used the psychosuppressant on Lu Ting quickly. He knew that Lu Ting wasn’t willing to let Xie He see him in that state. Moreover, the other was probably worried that he would end up hurting Xie He while his injury acted up.

The redness gradually faded from Lu Ting’s eyes. Because he was hugging Xie He from behind and he had suppressed it quickly, Xie He probably hadn’t noticed. Lu Ting thus prepared to carry Xie He out.

All of a sudden, he heard Xie He say, “Just now, you held me a little too tightly.”

Lu Ting looked apologetic. “Sorry. I’ll make sure to pay attention next time.”

Xie He quietly asked, “Is that so?”

Even though it had only been a second-long pause and a flash of abnormality, Xie He had noticed it. What had happened just now? Was it the price of splitting his soul?

But you’re not willing to tell me, so I’ll pretend that I didn’t notice.

There are some things we are both well aware of, so there’s so need to talk about it too much.

......................................................

Probably because he had been provoked by the albums, but Lu Ting would go into heat more often now. He likely wanted to make up for all that lost time.

Moreover, he had actually wanted to do this with Xie He back then. It was just that Xie He had still been quite young. Lu Ting had watched Xie He grow up. He really couldn’t bear to see the youth he loved suffer even the smallest grievance. He protected him like he was the apple of his eye. They had been in a relationship for a long time but he could never bear to eat him up.

If he knew that things would have turned out like this...he would have tricked Xie He into falling into his hands and thought about everything else later.

Like this, time passed very quickly. In a blink of an eye, several months had passed.

Lu Ting’s injury had flared up several times. However, he had run out of psychosuppressants. He also didn’t have the experience points to buy them. He could only do all he could to avoid Xie He during his episodes.

To Lu Ting, this was nothing but a trivial little thing. He didn’t mean to hide his condition. He just didn’t want to destroy their beautiful present.

He wanted to do everything he hadn’t been able to do before. Everything he wanted to do or say back then, he would do now. He didn’t have to worry about anything. He could let go and let himself love the person he loved without any worries.

Even though he really wanted Xie He to win this round, he would respect any decision Xie He made.

Being able to spend the rest of his life in such peace and happiness wasn’t a bad thing.

As time passed, everyone came to understand that Xie He and Lu Ting were really serious. They hadn’t expected that President Xie would be able to settle down. Furthermore, Lu Ting was really faithful. Slowly, the questioning voices disappeared. Everyone gave them their blessings.

Today, Lu Ting held Xie He in bed as always.

His heart felt satisfied and at peace like never before. He had gone through so many horrifying and dangerous worlds...none of them were peaceful like the moment they currently shared. He lowered his head and kissed Xie He. No matter how many times they kissed, it was never enough.

Xie He’s eyes were half mast as he laid there indolently. There was a faint smile on his lips.

【Ding, the target Xie He’s Favourability Value +1. The current Favourability Value is 98.】

Lu Ting’s expression froze. Xie He’s Favourability Value had been rising very slowly but it still reached 98.

He said to Xie He a bit apprehensively, “You don’t have to give me Favourability points. I don’t mind.” He really wanted Xie He to love him, but he wanted more time with him too.

Xie He’s eyes squinted as he smiled. “Don’t worry. It’s just 98. I’ve given a lot of people a Favourability Value of 99 before.”

Lu Ting didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He felt reassured but jealous as well. These complicated emotions made his expression twist a bit.

He was about to say something when his expression changed. He let go of Xie He and walked out while saying, “I’m going to the bathroom for a second.”

Xie He stared at Lu Ting’s parting figure. The smile in his eyes slowly disappeared and all that was left in the end was deathly stillness.

Lu Ting left the room quickly. His eyes were bloodshot. He supported himself up with one hand against the wall. He dashed into the washroom and locked the door.

He grit his teeth, forcing himself not to make any sounds.

About half an hour later, his expression went back to normal.

Lu Ting climbed up from the floor and washed his face with cold water. He looked up and stared at the man in the mirror. One couldn’t see any weakness on his face. He was as cold and handsome as ever. Lu Ting turned around to open the door, satisfied, but his steps halted....Xie He was standing at the washroom door. Who knew how long he had been standing there?

Xie He gave him a cool look. “It’s been thirty-four days since the last time this happened. That’s three days shorter from the last interval and five days shorter than the interval before the last. This means that they’ve been increasing in frequency.”

Lu Ting’s body was stiff. He felt embarrassed, as if he had been caught doing something bad. However, he reacted quickly. He wrapped his arms around Xie He’s waist and said in a wronged tone, “I didn’t purposely keep it from you. But it’s nothing major. And we can’t do anything about it even if I say it anyway.”

Xie He’s voice was slightly cold. “Is that so?”

Lu Ting nearly held up his fingers to take a vow. “It’s just a little ailment. It’s not an issue at all. It’s fine after bearing with it for a bit. I want to be with you for the rest of my life, after all.”

He wasn’t technically lying. Although the injury was a bit difficult to bear, he wasn’t in any danger for the time being. As long as he didn’t lose it, he would be fine.

Anyway, a human life was short....He had enough time to be with Xie He.

Xie He cast him a glance, face full of disdain. “Move. Do you want to monopolize the bathroom? I have to use it.”

Lu Ting immediately left with a smile on his face.

After taking a few steps, he remembered that there was more than one bathroom in Xie He’s house. Xie He was probably mad....Lu Ting hung his head, dejected. He just didn’t want to worry Xie He. After all, Xie He couldn’t help him with this. Furthermore, it didn’t affect the overall situation. It didn’t matter if he talked about it or not.

After some time, Xie He came out after washing up. He had changed into casual clothes. He said, “Let’s go out to eat.”

Lu Ting had always followed Xie He obediently. Wherever Xie He wanted to eat, was where they went. He wasn’t picky at all. In those dangerous, arduous worlds, he had eaten anything to survive. Right now, as long as he got to see Xie He, he felt like he had a hearty appetite every day.

Xie He drove. He brought Lu Ting to a restaurant close to the school he used to attend. The restaurant was really ordinary. It even looked the same as it had back then. It was like time had stopped....Lu Ting was shocked.

He and Xie He went upstairs and sat near the windows on the second level. They had a clear view of the private middle school outside. That had been the school Xie He used to attend.

Lu Ting had never forgotten about this place. Back then, he had wracked his brains on how to bribe Xie He’s classmate to invite Xie He out to eat. This was also where they had their first meeting.

A wave of nostalgia washed over Lu Ting. His gaze was complicated. “You still remember this place.”

Xie He chuckled. “Mn, after all, my impression of that weird uncle that day had been really deep.”

Lu Ting: “....”

Lu Ting paused and couldn’t help but ask, “Did I look that old back then? But you used to call me Gege.” It was fine if they didn’t talk about it, but the more he thought about it, the sadder Lu Ting got. The Xie He back then had been so cute and tender. He even called Lu Ting ‘gege’....If he could hear it now...forget it. If they talked about this any longer, he might start shedding tears.

Xie He smiled. “Stop pretending like you’re so young. With your age, forget being my ‘gege’, you could be my ‘yeye’ Should I call you that instead?”

Lu Ting: “...Forget it.”

He kind of felt like he had been an old man doing shameful things for some reason....

Lu Ting felt a bit awkward. He thought that he should change the topic. Therefore, he sighed. “I didn’t think that this place wouldn’t change even after thirteen years. It still looks the same. I had thought that it would have closed down already.”

Xie He said, “You guessed right.”

Lu Ting looked at him, puzzled.

Xie He laughed. “This place has been in the red for ten years. If it wasn’t because I bought it, it would have closed down years ago.”

Lu Ting: “....”

The author has something to say:

The main story will end in two chapters, lalala~ \(≧▽≦)/~

Thank you darlings for your support~

Eve: 444 is so pure I can’t. And Xie He knowing he’s spurring Lu Ting on and just being all chill about it hahaha. He’s intentionally teasing poor ML.

sere: uwu at least its fluffy