3.11 Requirements

Xue Yao and Lan Cheng, unsurprisingly arrived together in the evening. By then Xiang Li had cleaned not just the studio but the rest of the house as well, "Why do you not live with your family, or atleast your brother. You're only 19, don't you get scared?" Xiang Li had asked.

"Hmm, I guess it should be scary. But I like it here. It helps me with my art." Shu XinYi said as he walked around. He smirked looking at the dusty window panes saying "Ah, but it seems I could use a sincere cleaner."

Xiang Li wearing an apron and cleaning gloves

ヽ(ー_ー )ノ.

Once Xue Yao entered, they started to talk with Shu XinYi endlessly. Shu XinYi liked having a friend like this and funnily enough Xue Yao seemed familiar, like Nomura from the first world. Maybe it was Shu XinYi's wishful thinking but they did have a lot of similarities between them. After that world was disrupted and Shu XinYi lived normally as Haruto, he and Nomura had shared a lot of time together. Career wise and friendship wise. It was natural that an attachment was formed.

Seeing that Xue Yao and XiaoXiao had become buzy, Xiang Li took it on himself to cook. Xiang Li assured XiaoXiao, sitting in the living room that he doesn't have to worry since he'll cook.

Lan Cheng who was sitting on the sofa, spoke up after Xiang Li left for the kitchen "So what, is he a cook now as well? XiaoXiao don't you think he is a little too frank."

Shu XinYi looked at Xue Yao for help, Xue Yao "A'cheng, why are you so skeptical of Xiang Li? Isn't he just helping our XiaoXiao out? Also I heard from XiaoXiao that he cooks really well. So what's the problem?"

Although Lan Cheng was really petty, he was surprisingly docile in the face of Xue Yao. "Still, I will go to the kitchen as well. Who knows what kind of things he is cooking."

Both Shu XinYi and Xue Yao laughed seeing LanCheng rush to the kitchen. This insecurity was anticipated, so Shu XinYi let it be.

"XiaoXiao, I can't tell your brother yet but I really like him. Last time you asked me where I am happy. Well I don't know about anything else but I am happy when I am with him. Oh and also when I model." Xue Yao said in a reminiscent tone.

"That's good Yao'ge, I hope the thing with your family settles soon. You can come here anytime. You don't have to ask me. Ok?" Shu XinYi said.

"Thankyou,"

Shu XinYi and Xue Yao, went on and on about random things. From recent dramas to the change in fashion sense to the conservatism in the contemporary society.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen the atmosphere was totally the opposite. "You add crushed cinnamon with the spice, it gives a better taste that way." Lan Cheng, who didn't know a lot but enough about cooking said.

"Yeah but it's better when you steam the rice with raw cinnamon, it gives both aroma and taste." Xiang Li replied in a polite manner. He could tell that Lan Cheng was being petty, but obviously he wouldn't argue since he was 5 years older. And because Xiang Li could understand where this pettiness came from, if anyone else cooked for XiaoXiao while he was present, he too would feel petty.

So Xiang Li had given room to Lan Cheng to cook. Although he was not very skilled, he knew some basic stuff.

"Where did you learn to cook? And How come you know what Xiao'er likes?" Lan Cheng.

"Because I have functioning brains and eyes." Xiang Li replied in a suggestive but not hostile tone.

Lan Cheng's face became a bit flushed as he tried to form a sentence. Xiang Li continued "Not that it matters to me, I only noticed it because Xue Yao spends time with XiaoXiao. but Your Xue Yao seems to like sweet stuff. They tend to avoid it though, maybe because they want to maintain their physique. Here I wrote these recipes for some desserts that are low on calories and sugar. You can have it if you want."

Lan Cheng "Oh, don't even try to be friendly with me. I won't fall for your schemes." Although he said this, he still reluctantly took the recipe parchment.

Giving it a once over Lan Cheng asked "Why does it say exercise days on these ones and cheat day on these ones?"

Xiang Li patiently explained "Those are lower in sugar compared to those ones. It also depends on the portions. So you can have them according to your daily calorie consumption."

Xiang Li thought a bit and said "Oh and don't be an idiot and say that you are doing this to help them maintain their physique. You will come of as a douche bag. What matters is what they like, so you can experiment from these and let them have a taste to understand what they like. Even if it's not from these recipes. You can have my number, if you need help with cooking or anything else."

Lan Cheng made a very disgusted face but still took his number, saying that he is only doing it to keep him in check.

"Go prep the table, Lan Cheng. Tell both of them to go wash their hands and you do it too."

Soon enough, the four of them had began to eat. Obviously the ambiance was more relaxed now and between drinks there would be occasional laughter.

Lan Cheng had to admit that Xiang Li was a good cook. Actually he was much better then just a good cook, but that was a little harder to admit. There were some side dishes that Lan Cheng had made and those too were enjoyed by the audience. After dinner they played jenga, Shu XinYi had already asked all of them to stay over since they would be drunk and couldn't drive.

Later Shu XinYi chose a movie to watch in the lounge, like he usually does when Xiang Li stays over. Well the movie mostly ends up being ignored but since there was an audience around today, everyone would naturally behave.

Even now the movie was ignored but it was because Xue Yao and Lan Cheng had already slept on the couch wrapped around each other. This was good news as Lan Cheng had started being comfortable around Xiang Li.

Although Shu XinYi wasn't asleep, he was not focusing on the movie but rather the growing bulge in Xiang Li's pants. Xiang Li was solely focused on XiaoXiao, without fail. The mood had already built up and Shu XinYi could no longer ignore it. So he whispered something to Xiang Li before heading for his room. Later Xiang Li too left in that direction. The rest is history.

The next morning, Xiang Li left early for work after cooking breakfast. He generously made two extra servings for the two lazy bugs that were still in Lan Xiao's home. Shu XinYi didn't mind at all though. Since Xue Yao was having a headache from the hangover it was only natural.

Shu XinYi had already started earning from his channel and also did regular weekly uploads, obviously Xiang Li had been a huge help so Shu XinYi had alloted a fair pay for him.

He was also looking forward to his gallery show. Lan Xiao the original goods was very dedicated to arts but when he needed money, he also sold his art. But Shu XinYi didn't need money so he had already decided not to sell his art pieces any longer. Well atleast not the major projects. Xiang Li had suggested the idea of making a website to sell his little works online.

Like the works he had discarded or those that were experimental. Still it was just a suggestion and Shu XinYi hadn't thought much about it.

The days went by and there was only one week left till the court hearing.

Surprisingly, Song XingChen didn't do anything extreme in this time period. Meanwhile, along with his daily routine of practicing and sculpting art, Shu XinYi had asked Mrs.Lan to investigate Xin An. Obviously he gave the reason that Xin An may be stealing his art, although it was a childish excuse it was enough for Mrs.Lan to make a private investigation.

Xin An, 27 years old. Graduated from xxx University with a high GPA. Started working as a manager in Young Yu entertainment 3 years ago. Handled new artists for one and half a year before he was promoted to a higher management level. There is not much about his family background except that he has two siblings and that he has no close or living relatives except them.

It doesn't seem made up. According to the conversation Shu XinYi overheard that night, Xin An seems to be reluctant in supporting Song XingChen's motives because of something that happened recently. He seems protective of his siblings. When pushed to a corner he might give in. But the question is how?

At this point Xin Su has already gotten involved in the case as a potential murderer. If Xin An has agreed for his brother to take the blame then he might have an escape plan already.

Xiang Li, he has also gathered evidence against Xin Su. After Shu XinYi no longer needed to keep an eye on Lan Cheng, he had asked Snow to record Xiang Li instead. Obviously this was NOT because of any perverted reasons. Surely. Obviously. Well.

Point is, Xiang Li has clear evidence that Xin Su was present at, both, the gallery and that construction site's camera room and his recordings of messing with the footage. Along with the interview he conducted after the trial, all of this could easily become evidence against Xin Su. Not for murder but for framing Xue Fan.

Although for some reason Xiang Li hasn't presented or even recorded this evidence in book.

There was a second problem, which was more serious then the case working out well. It was the world disruption path.

Out of the 3, only one, Lan Cheng, had gone astray from the original fate.

Bai Meng wasn't a problem. Shu XinYi also expected that if the case progresses the way he wants, then Bai Meng would eventually get involved.

Xue An, she was a problem. whether Xue Fan gets charged or not, wouldn't matter since she would still take over the Xue clan. Ugh frustrating. Shu XinYi thought while he was driving to Xiang Li's house.

Snow "Well, master. You don't have to make her fall from grace, You can just become an existence higher then her."

Shu XinYi had always wanted to ask this question so he did "What does becoming "a higher existence" even mean?"

Snow "It could vary from world to world. Like a requirement for the protagonist to successfully complete the world. But it's only viable and safe to calculate it in the trial world. The accuracy rate will be about 95%. In normal worlds the accuracy rate of calculating the requirements of "becoming a higher existence" is 18%"

Shu XinYi evaluated and said "Ah, I get it. So it could be circumstantial. Like in the first world the requirement could be, "To become the BEST basketball player in this particular space" or maybe "To become the MOST KNOWN basketball player in this particular space" or even "To become the scummiest team comp" It's reasonable to say that if I rely on guesses to disrupt the world without interfering with the protagonist, then there is a high chance of failure. Since my guess could be wrong."

Snow "Yes, but in the trial world it is different, since you have 7 almost accurate "samples" to evaluate from. Or atleast 3 fully accurate samples in this world."

Shu XinYi "Snow, you can call them protagonist, instead of Samples. I am not a sample."

Snow "Well not you but the original Lan Xiao is."

Shu XinYi "Okay, okay. So Lan Cheng, Xue An and Bai Meng. The three protagonists who became a higher existence. What's common between them? hm... That they are all handling a business corporation?"

Snow "That's too vague of an analysis. But that is the thing most common between them. But if this is the requirement for becoming a higher existence then how would Song XingChen become a higher existence? Since he isn't a part of any corporation, much less a CEO."

Shu XinYi "Didn't his father have a production company? Couldn't he revive his father's company? I know he is an actor but there is a possibility that he makes a production company using his father's foundation later on or even sooner."

Snow "There is no mention of Song XingChen, making a production company in the story's background."

Shu XinYi "Oh then, calculate the probability of XingChen opening a production company, in this life."

Snow did as Shu XinYi said and was a bit speechless at it's master's foresight "There is a 8% probability of XingChen opening a production company in his circumstances right now. So maybe the requirement is being the CEO of a company."

Shu XinYi "No, technically Xue Clan doesn't have a said company. Or atleast a proper company. Moreover, what about Xiang Li? How is Xiang Li supposed to become a protagonist? He isn't a part of any company, now or before, neither is his family. Right?"

Snow replied "Yes,"

Shu XinYi "It wouldn't be safe to assume things. It's better to disrupt Xue An's fate."

Snow "Oh, then the easy answer would be to dissolve the Xue clan."

Shu XinYi "Huh?"

Snow "Yes, dissolve the Xue clan. No Xue Clan. No Xue An becoming the head of the clan."

Shu XinYi "Wow you make it sound so easy."

Snow "I trust you master."

Shu XinYi sighed. He would have to put his gallery show on hold until this matter was dealt with. He was really looking forward to it but oh well, dissolving a settled clan isn't so bad for a day job either.

While Shu XinYi was waiting at a red light, he took out his laptop and first he set up a private network then wrote an email to Xin An. It was obviously anonymous. Although Shu XinYi didn't present any evidence, he laid bare the information that could get all 3 Xin siblings arrested for 10 years. The reason for doing this was not only to push Xin An in a corner and give up on his loyalty for XingChen, but also to find out more about the Xue Clan.

Since Xue Clan, was their "enemy" the Xin's would obviously have a lot of evidence against the Xue Clan. Only, XingChen's purpose isn't to dissolve the Xue Family but just to take his revenge on Xue Fan. So that evidence would mostly go unused by them. So Shu XinYi could profit off of their labor.

Wouldn't it be a good deal, to abandon XingChen and give him evidence against the Xue Clan for the safety of him and his siblings?

After sending the email Shu XinYi, finally reached Xiang Li's house. Xiang Li wasn't home so Shu XinYi just drew some base lines and drafts for his next sculpture.

Shu XinYi waited for Xiang Li until late at night. He even made dinner since he was bored. But there was no sign of Xiang Li. At this point he finally said to Snow "Show me."

Snow obeyed. In front of Shu XinYi's eyes was darkness. "What does this mean?" Shu XinYi said.

"Either he is dead, asleep or unconscious."

Shu XinYi didn't even think as he rushed out to his car. There was no way Xiang Li was asleep somewhere else rightnow. Moreover, if Xiang Li is out of the way, then XingChen could easily move the case in the direction he wants with the right bearings. Shu XinYi was frighteningly calm right now but Snow, who didn't understand human emotions could tell that it should keep quiet right now.

Shu XinYi had already gotten the location from Snow. It was a 30 min drive but obviously Shu XinYi was not interested in traffic rules right now. Shu XinYi was also constantly evaluating the situation.

It was an old abandoned building at the edge of the district, There were two cars present, none of them were Xiang Li's. Shu XinYi parked the car away from the building then slowly moved towards the building.

The first two floors were empty but there were light sources on the third floor. The people didn't seem to be professionals but they would get the job done. Shu XinYi climbed to the 3rd floor and reached a closed room. He could hear people talking inside. When he heard what they were saying, Shu XinYi's blood ran cold.

Author notes:

The protagonist have a said path laid through. Following it, they are able to fill out the requirement needed to complete the worlds and become higher existences. If Shu XinYi is able to fulfill that requirement, then he would become the protagonist, hence the protagonist would fail and the world will automatically be disrupted without any extra effort. This will be almost impossible. Maybe Shu XinYi can achieve this impossible, but that wouldn't be a very Intresting read now would it.