Chapter 134: Not As Thrilling As Being A God - It’s the Cyber Age—Still Playing a Traditional Villain?

**Chapter 134: Not As Thrilling As Being A God** Gu Yi learned how to mimic a kitten, constantly meowing "meow meow meow meow." As everyone knows, female kittens aren't particularly resilient and might lash out at male cats after an intense experience. However, Miss Black Rabbit didn't do that, because even though she was acting like a kitten, she was in essence a puppy... Ahem, just kidding. Truthfully, she didn’t have the strength to give Xu Shi a thrashing. Before, she would roll her eyes and convulse because of life-threatening situations involving bombs. This time, the reason for her reaction was different and hard to explain. It’s unlike before! Last time, that rascal Xu was quite considerate, a joy for both of them. But this time, only she found it taxing, completely drained and muddled. Pain, such pain. “You... you’re such a jerk.” Her hoarse voice carried a hint of tears as Gu Yi lay weakly beside Xu Shi, mumbling. Yet, her words carried little complaint. She actually realized that Xu Shi seemed a bit off today—he rarely wore his emotions on his sleeve, but his actions just now were clearly different. “Xu Shi, Xu Shi, are you... in a bad mood?” Thus, Miss Black Rabbit cautiously inquired. “I feel much better now.” Xu Shi sighed with satisfaction, pulling her into his arms, gently massaging her. He had been a bit too vigorous and left her rather red... While his mood was indeed foul mainly due to overwhelming pressure—handling so many matters without a moment’s rest, it lacked the indulgences of days past. Plus, being interrupted during something enjoyable put him in a foul temper. Hence Gu Yi became the perfect outlet for his frustration. Otherwise, why make her mimic a kitten? Not just because she wore cat ears on her headphones; the real kitten was someone else. Realizing this, he felt a bit guilty—hugging one person, but thinking about another... Bringing in a substitute seemed wrong, though soon enough, any guilt evaporated. Only children choose; they both belong to him. Next time, let them all sleep together, and then it won’t matter who he’s thinking of. The fact is, both Gu Yi and Xia Wuyou are unique and irreplaceable. “Well, that’s not so bad.” Miss Black Rabbit was oblivious to his wayward thoughts and didn’t dive deeper. Seeing that Xu Shi seemed his usual self, she felt a tiny bit of joy. After all, if he could reset his mood with her, Gu Yi saw it as a good thing. Does this also mean she can offer him something others can’t? Subjectively, this truly reflects the naïve thinking of a young girl. It shows the profound influence of "Entropy of Malice Increment"... but Gu Yi didn’t mind. Xu Shi had certainly mentioned it to her before, and she was entirely fine with it. “However, next time, just play games with me, okay? I’ll be upset if this keeps happening.” She feigned a complaint, though her expression thoroughly betrayed her intent, completely contradictory to her words. “Do you really love gaming that much?” Xu Shi replied with an unrelated question, using the post-euphoric lull to chat. “With your skills, couldn't you easily top the charts with cheats?” “Cheats would cost me four thousand,” Gu Yi denied with righteous indignation. “And using cheats is no fun. Let me put it this way... Many people treat games like their beloved, right? Cheating is akin to hiring someone far superior at everything to... uh, take your beloved away, while you watch. Isn't that the principle?” “There can't really be people who like that, right? No way, no—mmph!” Halfway through speaking, Xu Shi pinched her lips shut, “Alright, no need to say more.” The principle may be sound enough, but the way she put it... quite bold. Could this be something a playful young girl from Sin City should say? Oh right, your character is the cheeky kid from Sin City. Never mind then... “Anyway, it’s not something I would do.” Miss Black Rabbit struggled for a bit, finally freeing herself from a muted state. “Plus, my skills aren’t bad, so there’s no need, right?” “But if games really aren't your interest... could you do something else with me?” She shifted the conversation actively. “You mentioned teaching me to drive ages ago, and it hasn’t happened yet.” “You really want to learn?” Xu Shi’s eyebrows arched. “Then how about the next couple of days? I’ve got nothing much on right now.” Initially, he wanted to say, "Didn’t we just drive?" But he held back the risqué comment—not because he shouldn’t say it. Gu Yi wouldn’t have minded innuendos, yet her sincere demeanor in this matter was too earnest to ruin with flippancy. His little Black Rabbit’s thoughtful attitude was appreciated, recognizing his disinterest in games, she redirected towards her own genuine excitement. Her empathetic mindset was indeed pleasing... Even if she showed her own interest, wasn’t it spurred on by him? Its significance in her heart might not be substantial. Xu Shi mused on this with a bit of emotion. So, early the next morning, Xu Shi took her to the racetrack to teach her from scratch. Yet... Gu Yi’s natural aptitude in this area far exceeded his expectations. Driving itself isn’t particularly hard to learn; even beginners adapt quickly, thanks to advanced autonomous driving technology... The true challenge lies in racecar techniques like drifting, precision passing, cornering with precision—a test of manual skill. Of course, the difficulty is obvious, given the mishaps many racers face. However, Miss Black Rabbit encountered no such hurdles; on the contrary, after a few days, she grasped it adeptly. While maybe not rivaling an old hand like Xu Shi, she became a competent rookie driver. Who knew she also possessed a talent for racing? Xu Shi found this astonishing as absolutely nothing like this was mentioned in the original work. Does this count as uncovering a hidden trait? “You drive well.” He offered sincere praise. “Hmph, I do. This lap was only six seconds slower than yours.” Gu Yi was quite pleased about this. “Not quite as thrilling as being a god, though…” “C’mon now, isn’t that because I taught you so well?” Xu Shi thought to himself, without my guidance, could you have reached this point? Are you praising yourself a bit too much? “That’s not true! It’s all due to my exceptional talent!” Gu Yi lifted her proud little head. “I went racing with you, so you’d better not refuse a game session with me today!” “...Alright.” Xu Shi conceded, realizing interactions are always give-and-take. Just as he was about to wrap things up and head home, his communication device buzzed. Upon reading the message, his expression turned serious. “Let’s put the gaming session on hold; come with me to meet someone first.” —— The person contacting Xu Shi was Wen Shengkui. Naturally, Xu Shi wouldn’t neglect this as the old master reaching out surely indicated something important, prompting an immediate trip to District 19.   Of course, they had to tidy up a bit beforehand; popping over in a racing suit and riding a motorcycle, only to greet “Old man, where’s my ghost bike parked?” might result in Grandpa chasing after him with his wheelchair. As for having Gu Yi accompany him, wasn’t it because the old master wanted to check out the little pet he’s been raising (just kidding)? Twenty minutes later, they arrived at the "Quill Pen" estate. “Mr. Xu.” The welcoming party was still Ning Wei, though he didn’t recognize Gu Yi. “And this is...?” “Oh, our company’s technical director, Miss Gu Yi.” Xu Shi offered a brief introduction. “Mr. Ning.” Miss Black Rabbit greeted politely. It was apparent that her Sin City demeanor was gradually fading away. “Shall I take Miss Gu to the lounge?” “No need, she’ll come along with me.” “As you wish.” It was still that ornate study of Wen Shengkui’s, the old master maintaining his dignified poise. Though he seemed a bit more serious this time, the little black puppy stayed quiet, head lowered on the sofa. “Here already?” Seeing Xu Shi enter, Wen Shengkui spoke in a low voice, “This young lady... didn’t I see her at the last conference?” “Yes.” Xu Shi nodded. “I was with her when you called, so I brought her along, considering the tight schedule.” “G...Good day, Chairman Wen.” Faced with such a commanding elder, Gu Yi seemed to naturally exhibit a sense of trepidation. Her greeting was tentative and almost tripped over her words, narrowly avoiding calling him "Grandpa" out loud... Miss Black Rabbit silently rolled her eyes at herself. From their previous encounter at the gala, Gu Yi felt a bit anxious around someone with such an imposing aura. She had always struggled to face such authoritative elder figures. Xu Shi discreetly tapped her, signaling she needn't be so nervous. He realized Gu Yi's outwardly tough but inwardly timid nature hadn’t changed much, and if anything, became more pronounced during her time staying domestically. Or perhaps her socially confident yet inwardly anxious disposition resulted from extended isolation at home—commanding online, yet fragile in reality. It's a common narrative for many. Bringing Gu Yi racing and introducing her to Wen Shengkui weren’t really about giving his grandpa a "pet show." That was purely jest; the old man probably didn’t mind much. More importantly, it was to help correct Little Black Rabbit's social skills. After all, she's now an indispensable aide. Her insecurity couldn’t be left unchecked. “Hello there, Manager Gu.” Seeing her anxious demeanor, Wen Shengkui couldn’t help but smile warmly, “Please, have a seat.” His inquiry was merely a formality to confirm with his grandson whether she could be trusted. With Xu Shi’s positive response and no indication of having her leave, he was reassured. After all, what he needed to discuss with Xu Shi was crucial. “Someone contacted me just now. Can you guess who?” He cleared his throat and looked at Xu Shi. “Could it be Long Tianding?” Xu Shi mused quickly, piecing together the clues. The only people that could warrant such attention from his grandfather were within the six major conglomerates. For Xu Shi, the only unstable factor was "Dragon City." “...Yes, it’s him.” Old Wen’s eyes showed a touch of approval. “Can you guess what he said?” “He wanted to bury the hatchet with you, suggesting a green corridor between Sin City and Night City, along with establishing schools to reform Sin City’s culture and boost educational opportunities.” “You were right to say he’s targeting me.” Xu Shi chuckled, finding it amusing. Those were not words Long Tianding would genuinely mean, nor actions in line with Sin City’s interests. If "Dragon City" truly cared about these issues, they would've addressed them long ago, rather than offering an olive branch to the longstanding opposition, "Quill Pen," just as "The Forgotten" entered the scene. The only plausible motivation is that he intended to undertake other actions, using this move to distract Wen Shengkui, or spread his efforts thin while he executed his plans under cover. The target, naturally, was Xu Shi. Having previously avoided him out of caution, now with "The Forgotten" involved, Long Tianding felt emboldened to do things he previously couldn’t. Thanks to the collective sharing of weaponry and medical technology among the six conglomerates, he had some leverage. Additionally, those joining Sin City mainly from "The Forgotten" were numerous— "Dragon City" required only combat proficiency, effectively expanding their faction. Contacting "Quill Pen" likely stemmed from other families appearing closer aligned with the "Serpent Ring." "Prism" is a partner, "Sharktooth" is beleaguered both internally and externally, while "Virtual" is leaning towards their side... Leaving only "Quill Pen" without significant entanglement. As for his grandparent-grandchild relationship with Wen Shengkui, Long Tianding might have considered it, yet due to their lack of interaction over the years, he was unaware of the gradual mending between Xu Shi and the old man. Moreover, his goal was merely distraction, not coercing Wen Shengkui into attacking his grandson. It's quite likely that some back-channel communications with the other conglomerates took place, right? But Long Tianding probably didn’t anticipate, not long after contacting Wen Shengkui, he would brief Xu Shi on the situation. Hmm... Xu Shi frowned deeply. Were they planning to directly confront him without negotiation? Perhaps not. Likely they were preparing first, to better engage in either dialogue or warfare. “In summary, this isn’t a good sign, so I thought to give you a heads-up.” Wen Shengkui exhaled, “Of course, I’d like to hear what you plan to do now that you know.” “My thoughts?” After a brief contemplation, Xu Shi replied. “To turn swords into ploughshares is a good thing; you should agree to it, Grandpa.”