There was a sense of regret and pity.
That was what Lin Ye felt in his heart at this moment.
A girl who chose to accept the eerie game's invitation, even at the cost of her own life, just to keep a promise she had made to him how could he not feel moved or even a bit happy?
For the first time in his life, someone like Hoshino Ai was willing to sacrifice so much for him.
But,
Lin Ye would rather not have it.
A promise of white stockings and a dance meant nothing compared to Hoshino Ai's life.
If he truly wanted such things, there were countless other ways to achieve them.
"Sigh!"
Lin Ye let out a deep sigh.
"When you die, don't worry I'll make sure to light incense for you every year."
Hoshino Ai: ???
She looked as though she was about to burst into tears.
"Lin Ye-kun, don't just assume I'm doomed! I passed one game scenario, after all!"
She even seemed oddly confident in herself.
"You don't even know who helped you pass that game. With your level of intelligence, even if the eerie games didn't exist, I'd still think you'd end up dying somewhere in real life."
He boldly speculated:
"First, you'd get tricked by some scumbag who'd take advantage of you. Then, you'd end up pregnant with twins. After finally giving birth and raising them for a few years, you'd try to rebuild your career as an idol, only for that scumbag to come back and stab you to death. And so, the flower-like life of the girl named Hoshino Ai would come to an untimely end."
Hoshino Ai was stunned, her expression blank.
"Lin Ye-kun, don't curse me like that!"
That's literally the trajectory of your life in the original story, Lin Ye thought.
But given her current age, Lin Ye knew that the Hoshino Ai of this world had already diverged from her original path.
"I'm not cursing you. It's just that with your level of intelligence and emotional awareness, being deceived by a scumbag is far too easy. Forget twins I feel like I could trick you into having four or five kids."
"Ugh!"
Hoshino Ai's face turned bright red as she let out a muffled cry.
Four or five?! Isn't that way too many?!
Even if it's one at a time, that would take at least four pregnancies. That would require four or five years!
How could she possibly maintain her idol career and become the sensation of all Japan with that kind of timeline?!
Lin Ye rubbed his temples. Seeing Hoshino Ai's flushed face, he could already guess what was running through her mind.
"Over the next month, eat well, drink well, and enjoy yourself. Do whatever you want. If we end up in the same game scenario next time, I'll provide some level of support."
This girl was too naive, too pure it made her both endearing and heartbreaking.
Her name was "Ai" (Love), yet she was a girl who desperately lacked love.
Lin Ye didn't mind helping her out a bit, but he knew he couldn't protect her forever. Eventually, in some future game scenario, she was bound to die.
"Um…"
"If you have something to say, just say it."
"I have a blessing."
"Oh? What blessing?"
Lin Ye's interest was piqued, albeit slightly.
"External support."
He blinked in surprise.
Moments later,
Lin Ye understood the reason.
Hoshino Ai had unlocked an achievement.
[Fan Interaction: As an idol, you received full support from your fans throughout the game, breezing through by relying on them.][Blessing Acquired: External Support – Once a month, you can summon an external player to join the game and assist you.]
In the eerie game, players are forced to participate in a mission every month.
This means that Hoshino Ai could use this blessing to summon another player for help in her missions.
And who would she choose? It was undoubtedly going to be him!
Lin Ye suddenly realized that he might be stuck dealing with Hoshino Ai for life.
What a terrible deal!
"Don't come to me," he said.
"Ugh, Lin Ye-kun, you're the only one I can rely on," she whined.
Immediately, she changed her posture, revealing her long, shapely legs clad in black stockings. Under the room's fluorescent lighting, the stockings gleamed faintly, exuding a seductive allure.
"I specifically put on black stockings for you, Lin Ye-kun. You can touch them."
"Are you seriously testing me, knowing I'm a leader?"
"Then should I change to white stockings?"
"..."
Lin Ye averted his gaze and spoke seriously,
"Did you become a player because of the blessing?"
Hoshino Ai shook her head.
"My promise to Lin Ye-kun was the main reason. If I lost my memory, I wouldn't be able to keep my word."
So that really was her thought process!
Lin Ye couldn't believe Hoshino Ai was saying this just to win his favor or approval.
"Also, that voice strongly recommended that I become a player. It said I achieved a very rare feat and received an excellent blessing. It assured me I'd have no problem clearing the game."
The "External Support" blessing was indeed rare.
But the issue was…
"It didn't tell you anything else, and you just trusted it?"
"Yup."
Lin Ye waved Hoshino Ai over. She hesitated but moved closer, and he patted her on the shoulder.
"I feel like I could easily trick you into having seven or eight kids."
Hoshino Ai's mouth fell slightly open, and her face turned bright red.
For now, Lin Ye set aside his concerns about Hoshino Ai.
From now on, as an external supporter, he could participate in the missions Hoshino Ai was involved in.
"If the eerie game's missions don't appear too frequently, this could actually be a good thing."
Once a month, he could join an additional mission, gaining more experience and rewards.
As someone who had already accepted being a player, Lin Ye welcomed as many missions as possible he'd never turn them down.
However, letting Hoshino Ai make him help out for free?
Absolutely not.
If there was one thing Lin Ye hated, it was being taken advantage of.
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