Chapter 5— Desire

Shen Yao felt his throat dry as he looked at Xiao Ye who was soaked with water, his eyes were shut tightly and his lips were pursed. Suddenly, his eyes shot open and he immediately raised his fist to the air

Seeing this, Shen Yao instinctively dodged and yelled

"Stop!"

He didn't know where he got the courage to stop a raging killer, perhaps his will to live overwhelmed him thus, he clasped his hands together and started explaining

"Look, I did not mean to do that it's just that I felt someone was approaching me and I thought it was not you so i —if I only knew it was you....." He couldn't finish his sentence before a sharp cold blade was already placed at his throat, just a little force, and his neck would burst out. He gulped and glanced at Xiao Ye who was still wet, his face was still dripping with water from his hair to his nose, to his lips.

" You. Why did you even want me to stay?" As he asked this, the knife slowly Pierced Shen Yao's neck making blood gush out from the tiny wound. Shen Yao flinched a bit, he was still hoping that the guy in front of him would spare his life

" I just..."

system, Help me! he shouted in his mind

However, the system seemed to be rejecting his calls for every time he tried to reach out to it, he would hear a low ringing in his left ear. Shen Yao felt exceptionally miserable as he felt the blood trickle down his Jade white neck with his teary eyes, he scanned his surroundings

Unfortunately, there are only leaves, trees, and flowers everywhere. Shen Yao felt hopeless and closed his eyes, preparing for death when all of a sudden, Xiao Ye dropped the knife he was holding as he staggered to the ground while clutching his head.

Shen Yao's eyes subconsciously contracted as he approached him cautiously, reaching out his hand to support him up.

"What's wrong?" He asked only to get a strong shove making him stagger a few steps back

"Leave me alone!" Xiao Ye shouted at him before walking back to the house

Shen Yao's lips slightly parted as he watched the other guy hastily walk back to the house then, his gaze shifted to the knife that just fell to the ground it's killing intent was no longer there however, the silver glow still didn't dissipate thus, tempting him to inspect the knife. Upon inspection, he found out that the blood that should've stained the blade was long gone

the blood should have fallen to the ground and stained the soil but the said ground was dry like before—no traces of blood

"If the blood disappeared from the knife then how could it not leave a single stain...unless.." For the second time, the scimitar fell to the ground.

"System, where are you?"

[ Greetings, host ]

Shen Yao's lips were now pursed as he stared at the door

"Where were you?" He doesn't know how to scold something he couldn't even see so he could only gulp down his anger

[ Apologies, host but the system could not interfere or interact when you're on a mission or crisis ]

The system's plain answer left him speechless. He thought that he can do anything with the help of the system but it turns out that he had to do things alone even here

After realizing this, Shen Yao composed himself once again and followed Xiao Ye inside, and what greeted him was an exposed Jade white back

Xiao Ye was taking his clothes off!

due to the sudden event, Shen Yao could only cover his eyes with his palm

"What are you doing!" he shouted, subconsciously taking a step back. In response, Xiao Ye also took a step back in surprise. Both of them looked at each other with an unreadable expression on their faces.

Xiao Ye put on his clothes before turning to face Shen Yao

"What?" he asked sternly

"I want to help you" Shen Yao almost immediately replied

"That's weird since everyone wanted me dead" Upon hearing this, Shen Yao felt a bit guilty although this should not be a reason why he should kill anyone he sees including a damn stranger! Xiao Ye stared at him for a while before pointing a finger at him

"Do you plan on secretly killing me?"

Shen Yao froze, his calm expression changing and before he could even react, Xiao Ye already added "Or do you have interest in me?"

Being constantly accused like this, Shen Yao couldn't help but raise his voice

"You! Why would I have such thoughts? i-am not that kind of person!"

Shen Yao loudly cursed at Xiao Ye, his face red with embarrassment and injustice, and with a heart full of resentment he shouted

" you! May karma get back at you !"

and with that, he stomped and shut the door close as if he did want to break the door.

'damn it damn it, Xiao Ye, you despicable bastard!' Shen Yao mentally cursed as he strides far away from the house. After some time of aimlessly walking, Shen Yao's anger had dissipated a little so he stopped to sit at a nearby rock to calm his mind.

Come to think of it, since he transmigrated into this world, he had not yet known whether he possessed some magic that could be useful in the future or any relatives he can rely on

The system had already answered his first question: he does not have any magic. Now, he wanted to know if the Shen Yao of this world had any relatives he can go to. Thinking back, this world's Shen Yao might even have no relatives at all given that he was abandoned at a young age.

"Who would be so heartless as to abandon a child?" Shen Yao felt sad for this world's Shen Yao, for some reason, although it wasn't specified why he was abandoned, the current Shen Yao still felt a kind of pity for the abandoned child.

" sigh... at a young age....wait.." Shen Yao opened the book "It says here that the person who took care of this world's original Shen Yao disappeared but it didn't mention what happened to him. If he died then shouldn't Shen Yao know of this assuming they always stick together?" maybe because he felt pity, but Shen Yao suddenly had a desire to know what happened to the original Shen Yao. He had a vague feeling that the reason he was kidnapped and sent to this world has something to do with what happened to the real Shen Yao of this world.

[ Greetings, host. How may I help you?" ] The system responded with the same monotonous voice.

"Can you tell me more about the original Shen Yao?"

[.....]

[ Apologies, host, but the data system is currently locked ]

"Ugh, what did I expect?" Shen Yao rubbed his temple.

[ Host, may I bother to remind you that any activities outside the original mission won't be counted in the system and thus, rewards and level achievements won't be granted to the host unless it is aligned with the mission ]

"....."

[ Furthermore, the more the host gathers achievements, the more chance there will be for the host to purchase items worth gold and silver coins which will be helpful in the future ]

"Then...when exactly is that mission starting?" Shen Yao forced out a smile. Everything is getting more and more confusing for him.

[ In five years ]

"..."

Shen Yao thought deeply and hard. If it is as the system says, then unraveling the original Shen Yao's past now won't be counted and he won't even achieve anything before the actual mission starts. "What can I even buy? and why didn't you tell me this earlier?" he asked, seemingly more interested now.

[ Opening item shop: complete ]

Gold coins: 0

Item purchased: 0

Items available:

[ •Candlestick

Stocks:20

Cost: 5 silver coins]

[•Gem stone

Stocks: 2

Cost: 20 gold coins ]

[•Garnet arrow

Stocks: 1

Cost: 30 gold coins]

???

??

[ Item shop closed. Host, did you find the items in the item shop interesting? ]

Shen Yao wore a blank expression. He didn't think that such an item shop exist and only he can see! in fact, he don't even feel like understanding any of it let alone their purpose.

"I...how would I use them?" he asked, hesitantly.

[ The host can use them according to the situation] the system replied indifferently

" And what if I don't like them?"

[ Worry not, these items have values and can be sold once the host is not satisfied. There would also be discount depending on the season-]

"okay okay enough talking about that I've had enough" Shen Yao felt a headache coming on. He wasn't dumb, after interrogating the system, given his situation, if he wants to find out Shen Yao's past, he must first ensure his survival which means he have to gather these said gold coins and find a way to get along with Xiao Ye. Only then would he have a sliver of chance in discovering the original Shen Yao's past.

"One last question.." Shen Yao trailed off...

"What happens if I deny this mission?"

[ That can not be possible. As a cannon fodder, no matter how much the host try to run, the plot will eventually catch up to the cannon fodder ]