Inside the hall, the lights looked as if they had crystallized from frost and snow, radiating a bone-chilling pallor, mercilessly spilling over every inch of space. The silver-white walls stood cold and indifferent, reflecting on the mirror-like marble floor, making the vast space feel even deeper, like a massive ice cellar.

“Tsk, it’s still so cold in here. I wonder where Mother’s wisdom went—she actually got fooled by Ye Bai’s little trick.”

Woden muttered softly.

When Woden stepped into the hall, he still carried his usual royal demeanor, standing tall yet unable to hide the impatience in his bones. Fortunately, he still gave the Minister of Finance’s family some face, appearing without any companion besides Ye Bai.

—Although now he couldn’t even find Ye Bai to be his companion.

His all-black suit, tailored from the finest interstellar material, usually exuded noble elegance, but in his haste, it had wrinkled in several places, the hem hanging loosely.

His usually meticulously styled golden hair was now disheveled, with strands stuck to his sweaty forehead, making him appear more disheveled.

Only his eyes burned with hot, searing anger, scanning the surroundings with fierce intensity.

When he received the news of Ye Bai’s death from his mother, Woden’s first reaction was that his mother had been deceived—there was no way that guy could be dead.

Even when he heard that Ye Bai supposedly committed suicide, Woden only laughed and then said sarcastically: “With me in this world, Mother, that guy would never dare die alone.”

His mother, however, didn’t offer much explanation, only instructing Woden to attend the funeral on time. Woden originally wanted to resist, but his mother’s cold voice over the phone made him realize that he couldn’t skip it this time. Thus, he appeared there with an impatient expression.

“This is ridiculous—they actually made me come here.” Woden muttered softly, his steps half-hearted and hollow, his shoes clattering against the floor.

But when his gaze accidentally fell on the coffin in the center of the hall, and on Ye Bai lying inside, he felt as if struck by lightning, freezing in place. The careless expression he had carried vanished completely, replaced by sheer shock.

“What… what is going on?” Woden raised his voice, questioning in disbelief, tinged with subtle panic.

As he approached and saw Ye Bai’s lifeless face, Woden seemed to finally comprehend. His expression turned pitch-dark, his brows knitted tightly into a deep furrow, and rage boiled wildly in his eyes.

“Ye Bai, what trick are you pulling now?” Woden shouted at the coffin. His voice was like a bell, echoing layer upon layer through the silent hall. “Playing dead? You think this childish stunt can fool me? Don’t waste your effort!”

His fists clenched involuntarily, knuckles whitening under the strain, veins bulging on the back of his hands. If the cabin wall hadn’t blocked him, his poised fists would have already struck.

The young man, Ye Bai’s brother, stood beside him, his eyes bloodshot, tears threatening to spill but held back. Seeing Woden’s actions, he lunged forward to restrain Woden’s increasingly uncontrollable movements.

“—Woden! Do you have any humanity left? My brother is dead, and yet you can speak such cold-blooded nonsense!”

Woden, as if provoked like a dragon touched on its reverse scale, snapped his head and glared viciously at Ye Wangxing, his contempt unmasked.

“Stop pretending to be pitiful! Yesterday I saw him alive and well. How did he end up lying here overnight? He must have planned this deliberately, just to get my attention. He’s done this more than once, but I never imagined he’d go this far, using his death to toy with me!”

Woden spoke, a hint of disdain coloring his expression.

—The young man almost struck Woden with a punch.

Fortunately, the Minister of Finance and his wife intervened, though their expressions were grim.

As the tension in the air thickened, the funeral proceedings finally began.

The cold, automated voice announced without emotion: “The body transfer procedure will commence. All unrelated personnel, please evacuate immediately.”

At the sound of the announcement, the gravity device beneath the coffin emitted a low hum and began operating slowly, a subtle vibration spreading underfoot.

In the interstellar era, one funeral method involved sending the coffin into space. During this process, the person inside could be transformed into a gem by a simple facility, ultimately drifting in the cosmos.

With luck, the relatives might even see them become a small planet.

Hearing this icy, automated instruction, Woden went instantly mad. The disdainful expression vanished from his face.

He charged toward the control panel like a runaway horse, hands wildly flailing over the holographic interface, frantic and urgent, trying to halt the procedure: “You’re really going this far? You’re really going to send Ye Bai into space just to get my attention?”

As he spoke, cold sweat broke out on him.

However, the system permissions were already locked. Red warning lights flashed on the panel, rejecting his frantic attempts repeatedly, like merciless spectators watching his struggle.

The attendants, looking concerned, forced themselves forward, reaching to restrain Woden: “Your Highness, please remain calm. Do not interfere with the funeral proceedings.”

—After all, this was a child’s funeral. If he went mad here, what would happen to the royal reputation?

But Woden suddenly exerted force, violently shaking off the attendants’ hands, with such strength that one of them fell hard to the ground and scrambled up in embarrassment.

He then turned and roared at Ye Wangxing: “Was it you scheming behind the scenes? Ye Bai never played such a big trick before! Did you get too close with those four that Ye Bai learned to use his death to get my attention?”

The Minister of Finance’s family trembled all over, and what Woden didn’t notice was that Martha in the audience also shivered slightly, fortunately without drawing anyone’s attention.

However, the family only trembled momentarily. Ye Wangxing quickly adjusted his expression to one of disbelief, paired with red-rimmed eyes that looked sorrowful to the point of despair.

His fingers trembled as he pointed at Woden, his voice choked.

“Wo—den! You’re completely unreasonable! You forced Ye Bai into this! You betrayed the promises you made to him as a child! In his will, he wrote that it was all your damn fault!”

As he spoke, Ye Wangxing threw a letter directly at Woden’s face. The thick paper struck Woden, turning his face bright red, as if Ye Bai had slapped him.

Woden, incredulous, took the will and opened it, but froze just after reading the opening lines. He crumpled the paper into a ball, yet whenever he tried to tear or discard it, it felt as if someone stopped him.

In the end, he gripped the will tightly, pointing at the Minister of Finance’s family opposite him, mouth opening and closing as if to speak, but he didn’t say a word.

Meanwhile, the gravity device continued to increase its force, and the coffin slowly lifted off the ground. The church opened its skylights.

Woden’s eyes widened, and he immediately turned back, staring at the coffin as if he could burn a hole through it. The anger on his face surged violently, mixed with a subtle, barely perceptible panic.

“Ye Bai! If you wake up right now, I’ll act as if this never happened, and I won’t bother you about those trivial matters anymore!”

His voice grew hoarse and dry from shouting, yet he remained firm, wrapping the creeping unease in a shell of anger.

But the coffin continued its ascent, indifferent and disdainful, as if Ye Bai had finally resolved to leave him.

Woden’s legs gradually lost their strength, yet he stubbornly endured with sheer willpower. Even when the attendants dragged him out of the hall, he continued struggling, hands flailing wildly in the air, muttering: “This isn’t possible… he must be playing with me…”

He seemed to descend into madness, refusing to accept the reality before him.

Finally, Woden was forcibly dragged out of the hall. The heavy doors slammed shut behind him, producing a muffled thud, as if signaling the end of this farce.

The guests let out long sighs of relief—they had not expected the Crown Prince Woden to suddenly lose control to such an extent.

Weren’t his relations with Ye Bai strained? Why was he so devastated at the sight of a dead man?

Could it really be that type of plot where one realizes how much they loved someone only after their death?

The guests’ faces showed expressions of disgust, and Martha didn’t even hide her own.

“Ye Bai, you should be thankful you faked your death, otherwise your parents would’ve invited so many guests that within ten minutes, this whole galaxy would know about it—it would be utterly humiliating.”

Martha sent a grimacing message to Ye Bai’s holographic interface.

Just imagining the previous scene made her curl her toes in embarrassment. Even as a guest, she felt mortified. If she were the protagonist, she’d have to leap out of the coffin herself to explain she had nothing to do with that mess!

“But your brother acted really well. When Woden charged and lunged at your coffin, I almost couldn’t hold back my laughter. Yet your brother controlled himself, still focused on covering for you.”

Martha typed the message with a hint of admiration.

However, Ye Bai on the other side didn’t respond immediately. Martha rolled her eyes, assuming he had again started basking in sentimental indulgence. She then shifted her gaze back to Ye Wangxing, only to find him still in deep, painful distress.

‘Such strong conviction?’

Martha was shocked. She noticed that the Minister of Finance and his wife barely restrained themselves, clamping their mouths shut to prevent revealing anything.

But Martha misunderstood one thing: Ye Wangxing on stage wasn’t acting well—he had already laughed inside the system space.

【——Hahahahaha, help! I can’t hold it in, 19! How can he be so funny?】

Ye Wangxing laughed uncontrollably inside the system space, rolling back and forth until he caught his breath. 19, standing beside him like a loyal guardian, didn’t laugh at all, merely ensuring Ye Wangxing didn’t roll off the virtual ground.

—Meanwhile, the lights in the system space grew noticeably brighter.

Ye Wangxing didn’t notice. He wiped the tears from his eyes, still wet from laughing, looked at 19 with damp eyelashes, and smiled broadly.

He truly couldn’t hold it in. Woden’s frantic charge at Ye Bai’s coffin, combined with his wrinkled suit and messy, unkempt features, had been utterly comical.

Especially his lines made it even funnier.

However, after that bout of laughter subsided, Ye Wangxing regained his rationality and sincerely said to Woden:【Serves you right!】

19 nodded in agreement.

He still hadn’t understood Woden’s personality logic, even though he had tried to shape Woden’s personality model based on the host’s words.

But Woden’s behavior today made 19 realize one thing:

—Never use data simulation to model the personality of some strange people and predict their next actions.

His personality model was completely useless.

19 thought about it and deleted Woden’s data model, then asked his host, who was relatively good at simulating human personality:【Host, what will Woden do next? Will he feel guilty about Ye Bai because of the funeral, then completely change and live properly as Ye Bai wished?】

Hearing 19 speculation, Ye Wangxing shook his head, looking at 19 with a rare glimmer of curiosity: 【No, no, no. Absolutely not. He won’t even look at Ye Bai’s suicide note during this period.】

Ye Wangxing spoke based on his years of experience observing others and being personally taken by his father to mediate situations.

【If this were reality, Woden might even burn Ye Bai’s note directly, then within a few days start looking for a new person. After all, stories about regretting only after death are rare, most people just feel relieved the trouble is gone.】

Ye Wangxing sighed.

【But this is a novel world. Woden will probably live normally for a while, then fall into self-degradation, and finally, when he can’t adapt to life, he will remember Ye Bai’s kindness, tremble as he pulls out Ye Bai’s note, kneel at his grave, and weep in regret.】

Ye Wangxing was familiar with this trope. When he had been hooked by novels back then, most of the endings followed this pattern.

—Reading it made Ye Wangxing feel like his mammary nodules were about to be irritated out.

【…Are humans really like this?】

19 analyzed Ye Wangxing’s words and expressed this doubt.

Wasn’t it said that humans were one of the most emotionally rich species in the universe?

During war, psychological problems in humans were normal, so 19 wouldn’t be surprised by any strange behaviors from soldiers or commanders in wartime. But the host’s country was quite peaceful, wasn’t it?

【Some humans are like this. Other species also have diversity, so humans naturally do too.】

Ye Wangxing sighed.

【I actually had too much empathy. According to my dad, I cried watching Tom and Jerry as a kid, and yet as an adult I turned out so carefree.】

As he spoke, Ye Wangxing’s mood drooped slightly. 19 had already detected the host’s emotional alarm going off.

19 CPU immediately started working rapidly, analyzing the host, and concluded that the host probably missed home.

This was tricky for 19.

If it were another issue, like dissatisfaction with Woden, he could discreetly eliminate Woden, making him physically disappear from the world.

But if the host missed home…

19 had no real solution. He wasn’t a true intelligent refrigerator. He knew showing images of the host’s parents would make the host cry unless real people appeared—which was impossible.

While 19 was at a rare loss, Ye Wangxing gradually recovered from his emotions on his own.

【It’s fine. I just missed home a bit. Feeling sorry for myself won’t help. Let’s finish the mission first. At most, in one month, this mission will end!】

The young man smiled again at 19.

The two-meter-tall system didn’t bypass the topic but spoke calmly as always:【Host, do you need a hug?】

Ye Wangxing paused, not understanding why 19 said that. He felt fine now

But looking at 19 open arms, he realized he wasn’t completely fine.

He felt a little sentimental.

Not much—no psychologist intervention was needed.

The black-haired, black-eyed youth walked over and hugged 19.

—One hug was enough.

After 19 received enough energy, Ye Wangxing began the next mission full of vigor.

He didn’t let 19 appear at the banquet because 19 acting couldn’t portray grief mixed with shock, and at the banquet, that shock had to be mixed with the subtle realization of the truth.

—Finally, he would have to act out realizing the truth while pretending, but only someone who knew could notice.

The last line was so tricky to deliver that Ye Wangxing didn’t want to make 19 struggle. After all, the incident was sudden and deeply sad, forgetting to invite 19 was understandable. Once the truth came out later, approaching Ye Wangxing to discuss it would make the plan smoother.

With that thought, Ye Wangxing arranged to meet him that night.

Ye Wangxing arranged a scene on the rooftop: an argument, ending with crying in ’s arms due to his brother’s death.

But Ye Wangxing found it odd. 19 had said Woden arrived at the hotel, yet he hadn’t been seen until the next morning.

Dressed casually, Ye Wangxing followed 19, who had brooded on the rooftop all night, to the lobby, expecting not to see Woden.

However, Ye Wangxing saw Woden in the hotel lobby.

Drunk, with lipstick marks on his neck, he looked like he had just gotten out of bed.

Ye Wangxing looked at Woden and then at his flamboyant male companion.

He quietly rolled up his sleeves.

—Hunting moment.jpg

“Ah!”

Woden screamed inhumanly in the hotel lobby.

“—The Empress didn’t care that Woden got hit?”

Martha asked in surprise.

“Did the Empress not even give a verbal warning this time? She at least warned the Finance Minister’s family before.”

Alina, sitting on the sofa, smirked: “Who asked this kid to bring a hookup to the hotel on the night of the funeral? He got caught by Ye Wangxing, crying all night. If hadn’t been rational and restrained, Ye Wangxing might’ve even pulled Ortas’s sidearm and shot Woden.”

“No wonder. Going to meet a hookup on his fiancé’s funeral night, getting beaten by his family isn’t unjust. And there was no one else to intervene.”

Martha deliberately said this to the third person sitting nearby: “You agree, right, Ye Bai?”

Ye Bai looked at his brother, friends, and the online news with a complicated expression.

He had planned the funeral to minimize the impact of his fake death.

But he didn’t expect Woden to go see someone the night of the funeral.

Seeing Woden drunk, still teasing his temporary hookup while leaving, Ye Bai felt his filter of Woden shatter.

“Clatter—”

Over the next month, Woden continued to destroy Ye Bai’s mental filter, layer by layer.

Sometimes he was all talk, no skill, sometimes he insulted civilians, once almost broke the law, but the palace-appointed attendants stopped him.

—This was the last straw.

“I’ve decided to break off the engagement with Woden.”

Ye Bai announced solemnly to Alina and Martha in the living room.

At first, they snickered, about to ask what broke his filter this time.

Once they realized, their mockery turned to shock, Alina even spat out her coffee.

Embarrassed, she wiped her mouth, looking incredulous.

“—Finally emptied your head?!”

Ye Bai looked a bit sheepish: “Yes. I realized Woden and I are truly incompatible. I will go explain in person, apologize, and break up completely.”

Alina, seeing Ye Bai draw a clear boundary, didn’t waste the opportunity.

Half an hour later: “I already told my aunt. She gave me Woden’s home password. Go find him now while you’re sober. We’ll wait outside. If you don’t break up, you won’t leave this door! Understand?”

Alina still wore the coffee-stained dress, seemingly without time to change. Martha nodded seriously.

They didn’t notice two heads, one black-haired and one blonde, peeking from the manor wall.

Ye Bai looked at his friends, amused and exasperated, then took a deep breath and went in.

Alina and Martha followed, waiting in the hall for Ye Bai to finish the breakup.

However…

“Ahhhh a ghost!”

Woden screamed from the upstairs media room.

“Woden! I’m alive! Don’t run forward—you’ll fall!”

Ye Bai’s voice followed closely.

Woden never listened.

He ran into the hall, tripped on the spiral staircase while pretending to look cool, and, barefoot, caught the carpet, falling straight forward.

“——Ahhhh!” X3

One minute later, the palace.

The Empress, holding a light energy device, asked her niece on the phone in disbelief: “What? You said Woden is dead?”

 

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