“What?! Everyone Except Me Is a Villain (GL) - Chapter 34
The main gate swung open, and the red security lights scanning over Pei Fuliu instantly shifted to a soft green. It seemed to be some kind of advanced biometric system confirming that she was a member of the Zhen family. Once it recognized her access key, the second gate opened automatically.
Jin Buning followed behind but paused when she noticed a dead bird lying beside the path. Its death was gruesome so much so that it was impossible to tell whether it had been electrocuted or killed another way. Its eyes were wide open, as if even in death it refused to rest.
“Why aren’t you coming?”
Pei Fuliu’s calm voice brought Jin Buning back to her senses. For some reason, the fear in her chest grew stronger. She suddenly recalled that no one ever stepped on the grassy lawn ahead. Everyone in the estate walked properly along the paved path, as though warned not to set foot where danger lurked beneath.
This was supposed to be the familiar Zhen family estate she once knew, yet since her “rebirth,” everything about it felt strange and unfamiliar.
Inside, the head butler stood waiting respectfully. His posture was so deferential it was almost exaggerated, as though Pei Fuliu not the Zhen family patriarch was the true master here. But the moment his gaze fell upon Jin Buning, confusion briefly flickered across his face. It disappeared as quickly as it came, and he bowed his head, awaiting orders.
Pei Fuliu didn’t acknowledge him. Instead, she steered her wheelchair toward the staircase, and Jin Buning hurried to follow. As she passed, she could feel the butler’s eyes on her sharp, warning her not to step out of line.
Jin Buning pretended not to notice. At least now she was sure of one thing: the butler had deliberately ignored her earlier. After all, who else in this house would dare refuse to open the gate for the Zhen family’s own young lady? Luckily, she had Pei Fuliu to rely on.
That small relief faded as they reached the second floor. Jin Buning’s pace slowed while Pei Fuliu’s maid, Liu Ma, efficiently pushed the wheelchair ahead. Jin Buning racked her brain, searching for something she could pretend to have “forgotten” here. As she stalled, she opened her phone’s “Mall” interface, scrolling frantically.
“Sorry, I just need to reply to a message,” she said, pretending to type a few words before quickly selecting an item a handkerchief, one she vaguely remembered seeing before. Now wasn’t the time to overthink it. She pinned it to the top of her list, ready to purchase it the first chance she got.
“Sorry for the delay,” she said smoothly. “That was Aunt Zhu she saw me rushing out and almost called the police, so I had to explain.”
The excuse rolled off her tongue so naturally that even she was surprised by her own lies.
Pei Fuliu gave her a mild smile, her expression unreadable. “It’s fine. I understand.”
Liu Ma used a device to unlock the door with practiced precision. The way she handled it, almost without looking, was a silent reminder that there were no secrets in the Zhen household.
Yesterday, Jin Buning hadn’t understood why Pei Fuliu had brought up Bai Li Ruobing and her fans, but now she did Pei Fuliu feared Jin Buning might take Bai Li’s side. The Bai Li family was the only one powerful enough to rival the Zhens. If Jin Buning had accepted Bai Li Ruobing’s offer yesterday, she’d probably be dead already.
“Take your time,” Pei Fuliu said kindly. “No need to rush.”
Her voice was so warm, so deceptive like the perfect next-door sister.
Jin Buning nodded obediently and began pretending to search around the bed. After circling the room once, she headed for the bathroom, planning to secretly purchase the handkerchief. But Pei Fuliu seemed to anticipate her move. Liu Ma, who’d been standing guard by the door, followed her in and stared at her with unnerving focus, giving her no chance to act.
The tension was suffocating. Sometimes, Liu Ma was even more frightening than Pei Fuliu. And this was only a B-rank timed mission. If earning ten memory fragments was this difficult, she didn’t want to imagine what the next one would be like.
Jin Buning sighed inwardly. She stopped pretending to search and instead studied her surroundings. Then she noticed a blind spot near the mirrored cabinet—her only opportunity. She edged toward it, but Liu Ma’s head turned almost unnaturally, her gaze locking directly on Jin Buning’s hands.
A notification blinked in Jin Buning’s vision:
[Alert: Liu Ma’s hostility level—20%. Suspicion detected.]
Her heart pounded. There was no turning back now. On instinct, she used her basic sword-control skill to knock a cup off the sink.
The glass shattered with a sharp crack, and Liu Ma instinctively turned toward the sound. Jin Buning seized the chance purchased the handkerchief, and at the same time exclaimed, “I found it!”
Liu Ma frowned. Her neck twisted as she turned back nearly a full rotation. The muscles along her throat bulged grotesquely before she forcefully snapped her neck back into place.
The two stared at each other in horrified silence.
Jin Buning’s stomach churned. That kind of flexibility was not human. Which could only mean… Liu Ma was already dead reanimated somehow by Pei Fuliu’s methods.
“Found it?”
The bathroom door opened. Pei Fuliu rolled her wheelchair inside. Jin Buning and Liu Ma both reacted at once.
“No!”
“Miss, there’s glass on the floor.”
But Pei Fuliu ignored them, rolling forward. Instead of popping the tires, the wheels crushed the glass into a fine powder.
It was otherworldly and yet, compared to Liu Ma’s twisted neck, almost normal.
Just what kind of world had Pei Fuliu and her maid come from to be this terrifying?
Pei Fuliu didn’t seem to notice anything odd. Her gaze lingered on the handkerchief in Jin Buning’s hands.
“So this is the thing you always carry with you?” she asked curiously, voice gentle, almost amused.
Jin Buning didn’t understand her interest, so she hurried to praise it. “Yes, it’s very special to me. The fabric’s good, and the color perfect.”
[Notification: Pei Fuliu’s affection +10. Current affection: 10.]
Her mood lifted. Finally, something positive.
[Unlocked Pei Fuliu’s token: “A Handkerchief.” Reward: 100 Memory Fragments.]
Jin Buning blinked in disbelief. According to the app’s rules, only items she’d personally handled for at least ten seconds could be recorded in the mall. Yet she had no memory of this handkerchief at all.
Still, she wasn’t about to complain about a hundred fragments it felt like hitting the jackpot. But then she looked up and saw Liu Ma’s dead-eyed stare, and her excitement instantly cooled.
“Madam Pei, you seem familiar with this handkerchief,” she ventured. “Have you seen it before?”
She was trying to build more rapport Pei Fuliu’s status made her the perfect shield, even if she was the most dangerous person to befriend.
[Notification: Pei Fuliu’s affection –10. Current affection: 0.]
Before Jin Buning could react, another message popped up:
[Success Rate: 1%. Failure Rate: 99%.]
[Tip: Increase affection, personal value, or charm to improve success rates.]
Her question had backfired spectacularly.
Pei Fuliu’s tone was light but distant now. “Well, since you’ve found what you came for, I’ll have the driver take you home.”
Jin Buning thanked her hastily and left before the situation could worsen.
Once she was gone, silence filled the room. Pei Fuliu sat unmoving, tapping her finger lightly against the armrest of her wheelchair, lost in thought.
After a moment, she spoke. “Repeat everything that happened in the bathroom. Word for word.”
Liu Ma’s eyes gleamed. Her speech became unnaturally fluent as she recounted every detail.
“How interesting,” Pei Fuliu murmured. “Tell me have you ever heard of telekinesis?”
“Miss, it’s the modern age. Such things don’t exist.”
Pei Fuliu chuckled softly. “Heh. Not in this world, perhaps. But mine wasn’t so rational. Too bad…” She paused, her gaze distant. “She only has the eyes but not the soul of the one I’m looking for.”
Her smile was dazzling, yet beneath it was something unholy hatred and longing intertwined. She brushed her hand against her motionless legs, eyes clouded with memory.
Meanwhile, blissfully unaware of Pei Fuliu’s thoughts, Jin Buning sat in the car catching her breath. Only after she’d calmed down did she realize she’d forgotten her flying skateboard.
Then again, maybe that was a blessing. It gave her a perfect excuse to come back next time.
Just as she thought that, the system chimed again.
Ding!
[Dear Host, you have received a new timed mission. Please check immediately.]
The envelope that appeared this time wasn’t the usual green it was bright red, pulsing with a countdown.
A clear warning: refuse, and die.