Crossing paths with the Heroine

The loathsome memories resurfaced in her mind. Both her hands clenched into knuckles. Urges of strangling Ryett washed over her like giant tidal waves. Her once verdant eyes glowed with piercing light like venus flytrap waiting for the right moment to swallow the prey.

[I wouldn't do that I were you.]

Arianne was startled and sneered inwardly. "You can read my mind?"

[Naturally and I suggest you restrain yourself now. The consequences would be disastrous if you kill a four star target.]

"Are you threatening me?" Arianne's eyes sizzled with poisonous mist.

[I wouldn't. We're bounded for life but the World Consciousness would eliminate you on the spot and I will also ceased to exist. Don't worry, you have plenty of chances in the future, but for now just endure.]

"What do you mean?" The system's revelation managed to calm a tenth of her murderous intent but her body still trembled threatening to execute her plan of vengeance at any moment.

[I'll explain it later. By the way, I'm sensing the unique golden aura of a heroine in this building. On the seventh floor.]

"Are you talking about Annette?" Her voice turned more venomous. Nothing boils her temper more than that vixen.

[The system scan needed at least a 100 meters to retrieve the target's basic information.]

"Alright. Since I couldn't kill him now, I'll write it off as an interest he needed to pay in the future." She mumbled incoherently under her breath and unload her frustration before putting up a pretense of not knowing Ryett was the one behind her. "Thank you for helping me zip up." Her tone entwine with budding shyness.

The exchanges between the system and her only happened for a span of five seconds and within that time, thousands of thoughts run through Ryett's mind and even his feelings were in turmoil. He was not a hot blooded youth driven by impulse. Under his sunny mask, he was very shrewd and put a tight lid on his emotions, but he didn't know what came to him a few seconds ago and made him commit such an act, but Ryett knew it was not the time to be distracted. He instantly turned around and sent the three female assistants a sidelong glance.

The three understood the command hidden in his stare and replied in his place. "Welcome."

Arianne quickly closed the door and retreated further inside the room. She really wanted to take a bath right now and cleanse the memories of his touch but she told herself to endure for the price of revenge had never been sweet.

"I'll just treat it as if I'm touch by a dog." She grunted full of displeasure.

[You did well.]

"You seem to know a lot. I'm very curious what sort of information you're going to share." Arianne turned towards the huge mirror with golden victorian frame. The silver dress fit her sensual body shape like an hour glass. This was the first time after the long years of portraying Laurence's ideal type that she wore a dress. She didn't have any sort of emotions like the ladies of her age when assessing their appearance. She just blankly stood. She had restrained herself so much for someone sake and all she received was a gruesome betrayal.

[I suggest you take care of that heroine first, my scanning feature detected an odd foreign specimen attached to her.]

"You must be talking about her gaming interface. Annette said that I was a Villainess in an Otome game that she needed to eliminate." Her legs exposed by the slit of the dress were slender and striking. Ryett would have committed another atrocious act if he witness it.

[That couldn't be. This world is a novel. The World Consciousness would eliminate any invaders unless it's degree of life form is like me but frankly that heroine seems to be a native of this world. She couldn't have any system interface like you.]

Arianne quickly caught on where the system was heading to. She was a very smart woman, if only she didn't give her trust to the wrong people, she wouldn't die so tragically. "Are you saying, I'm not a bunch programmed data but rather a character created by a few strokes of words?"

[Yes.]

She crossed her arms and became listless. The level of information the system revealed was too much. Heart beating erratically and chaotic thoughts messed up her thinking. A part is still very confusing though. The expression Annette had before her (Arianne) death was very genuine, so who is saying the truth?

[I didn't know you experienced two lives. I reviewed your memories and I have an assumption, that gaming system that Annette was referring to should be a failed product from same factory I came from. Normally, failed product will be destroyed on the spot, so I don't know how one managed to escape. Anyway, the main point is, this failed product did not pass the factory safety check and it has some banned features. One is able to install false memory on the host that's why that Annette had blurted out such nonsense.]

Arianne raised her eyebrow. If that's the case then this system would also...

[Rest assured, I don't have that function. If you like to, as a compensation for intervening your plan a while ago, I can retrieve that failed product and destroy it.]

"You can?" She asked with expectations.

[100% success rate]

Arianne covered her mouth with her hand and laughed. She tried her best to suppress her oriole voice but some sounds still slipped out and Ryett waiting outside heard it.

He very much wanted to break that door and relive the moment when his finger had touched her bare smooth skin, however, Ryett knew well what will happen if he pursued his intension. After a careful consideration, he decided to announce his presence. " Miss Arianne, it's Ryett. I arrived just now. I wonder if you are satisfied with the dress the assistants had presented?"

The man's voice sullied her mood. Arianne fixed her emotions that was beyond thrilled of the system's offer. "I am. Put it on my tab and send it to my residence."

"Miss Arianne, since you decline my wine how about I pay this for this dress instead?" It's only right to bestow her a reward.That beautiful scenery was dazzling feast for the eyes. He was satiated.

Arianne didn't reject him because of her good mood. "Alright."

"It's my pleasure." Ryett replied, overwhelming with satisfaction.

A few minutes later, the two rode the elevator.

The scene in the fitting room kept replaying in his mind. "Is Miss Arianne hungry? Besides from branded dresses, our mall also offers high quality dishes from different cuisines. Is Miss Arianne interested?" He wanted to lengthen her stay.

"I have a friend and she said that she's working on the 7th floor. I wonder if Mr. Andrews would be willing to accompany me?" Arianne didn't answer him and asked another question instead.

Ryett pressed the number 7 button. "I would be honored." His eyes were full of mirth by her request. He had a whole book of tricks to make her stay longer but it seems unnecessary. His warm smile brimmed with delight.

Ting-

The door of the elevator opened.

The system quickly detected the heroine's location and even managed to know her name.

[ Annette Williams (Heroine) currently 2 stars

- location: five meters three o'clock]

Arianne immediately swept her gaze towards that direction. Without much difficulty, she spotted Annette dressed in a pink made cafe uniform complimenting her temperament.

The system sensed the myriads of negative emotions building inside her and quickly reminded her to calm down.

Ryett followed her gaze and saw a cafe selling cake desserts and milk teas. He guessed it must have been her aim. "Miss Arianne, are you planning to go inside?"

Arianne nodded and hid the hatred in her eyes. "Let's go."

At the same time, Annette heard some sounds of system jamming and held her head in pain.

[Detecting.... Detecting target.... Detecting... Signal low...Unable to retrieve information... Troubleshooting... ]

When Arianne reached the door of the cafe, the system chimed in.

[Done. The failed product had been destroyed. ]

"Well done." Arianne snickered and her gaze landed on Annette whose face is turning pale from a severe migraine.