The villain turns into the infatuated second male lead

Yin Zhiyi was initially rather indifferent about completing the mission, even though it concerned his life. However, after having this suspicion, everything seemed to take on new meaning.

He had always been confined to this small world, considering the Qiu family’s land to be a crucial step in his life plan. He felt satisfied just controlling the lifeline of the Qiu family, unaware of his limited perspective. But compared to the vast, boundless world out there, what did these accomplishments amount to?

“Resurrection, traveling through different worlds… how fascinating.” He closed his eyes and recited slowly, replaying those incredible feats in his mind. He couldn’t help but curl his lips into a smile, dispelling much of the gloom from the divine punishment and the system binding he had faced within half a day.

Of course, he craved those miraculous abilities, but he also knew how to assess the situation. He understood that nothing in the world came free, but the most valuable thing he had was his life. Once you catch a glimpse of the myriad wonders of the outside world, it’s hard to keep your gaze fixed here, and he was no exception.

[Ding—Friendly reminder: Please find and rescue the critically injured male lead within thirty minutes; otherwise, the subsequent plot development will not favor the host’s mission completion.]

The light blue screen, after completing its mission of transmitting the plot, reformed into new text. After Yin Zhiyi read the content, the screen transformed into an arrow pointing to the location of the male lead.

Since being reborn into Ling Su’s body, the system had always communicated with him through this screen. However, for some reason, Yin Zhiyi felt that in his hazy consciousness, the other party had spoken before.

“Today is August 20th, 8:15 PM.” Suppressing his slight suspicion, he immediately checked Ling Su’s phone to confirm the time was exactly half an hour after he had passed out, also coinciding with the novel’s timeline when the female lead takes a shortcut home and finds the male lead.

According to the novel’s plot, the female lead Xia Wanshi sees the bloodied male lead in an alley, and out of pity, takes him home. During their recovery, they develop feelings for each other. If the plot progresses naturally, his task will undoubtedly become much more difficult.

Yin Zhiyi had no intention of making things harder for himself. He grabbed the keys from the table and quickly went to the underground garage, driving Ling Su’s car in the direction indicated by the system.

The people hunting Qiu Yiyuan were carefully chosen by Yin Zhiyi for their skills and loyalty. However, now it was his turn to rescue his dear brother from his own men.

Finding it somewhat amusing, he shrugged helplessly. While waiting at a red light, he logged into his old account used to contact his subordinates, exchanged code words, and instructed them to withdraw.

After all, he had no desire to risk his life in a hail of bullets to save someone who wished him dead.

Ling Su’s residence was about twenty minutes away from the male lead. Watching the bustling traffic outside the window, his slender fingers lightly tapped the steering wheel as he tried to communicate with the system: “Are you considered a living being, or just a program?”

[…]

“What kind of world will I travel to next?”

[…]

As the private cars on the overpass became sparse, the small sedan with tightly shut windows fell into an eerie silence. Glancing at the system’s dutiful navigation, Yin Zhiyi joked, “Is my body charred now? If my subordinates knew, wouldn’t they be startled by the message I just sent?”

Observing the entire process like a rigid system that only executed commands, he fell silent, unfastened his seatbelt, and got out of the car.

At this point, he was less than 300 meters away from the male lead. Gazing at the dim alley ahead, the thought of his dear brother waiting for his rescue brought a gentler smile to his face.

The damp, dark walls were unevenly covered with moss. A bloodstained hand trembled as it supported itself against the rough stone wall. Qiu Yiyuan panted heavily, leaning against the wall in exhaustion. His disheveled appearance starkly contrasted his once spirited demeanor, all orchestrated by his foster brother.

Even before tonight’s chase, Qiu Yiyuan had narrowly escaped death multiple times from ‘accidents.’

To save his father, who was imprisoned in the hospital under the pretense of severe illness, and to reclaim the Qiu family’s assets, he had been living on the edge. If not for his foresight in protecting vital areas and using blood packs to mislead the enemy, he would have died with the first gunshot.

Yin Zhiyi had always aimed to kill him. Out of a dozen people, Qiu Yiyuan had miraculously managed to escape.

Qiu Yiyuan vividly remembered the life-and-death moment. The noise on the phone line before his foster brother fell silent, the split-second distraction of the assassin, and seizing the opportunity to snatch the gun. The assassin never expected the person they thought had been shot in the heart to stand up unscathed, thus revealing a flaw.

“I must… find a safe place quickly.” Qiu Yiyuan’s vision blurred as blood slowly seeped from his hastily treated wounds. Staying around here would either lead to death from his injuries or being discovered by the remaining accomplices.

With this in mind, his frown deepened. Bearing the pain, he took a few more steps forward, his footsteps barely audible. His eyelids felt heavy, and just as they were about to close, the sharp pain from his wounds forced him back to consciousness.

“Hiss…” He gasped, the weight of his burdens igniting a cold determination in his dark eyes. Stumbling forward while supporting himself against the wall, his staggering figure exuded a proud resilience.

But as he finally reached the corner of the alley, an unexpected shadow appeared before him. Though not large, it posed a sufficient threat to the weakened Qiu Yiyuan.

His heart raced, the fog in his mind clearing instantly as he caught the scent of alcohol from the other person. He discreetly tried to sidestep.

“Little beauty, don’t go.” The unshaven man, holding an almost empty bottle, slung an arm over his shoulder, his tone suggestive, “What are you doing here alone so late?”

“Sir, you’re drunk. Please move aside.” Qiu Yiyuan glanced at the filthy hand on his shoulder, frowning as he lowered his voice, hoping to make the man realize he was a man.

The man’s intention was clear. He shook the bottle in his hand, laughing maliciously, “I like men, especially handsome ones like you.”

The man, a local thug, finally came across a rare prize. Normally, he wouldn’t stand a chance against someone like him. But seeing his injuries, the thug sensed an opportunity—the other party wouldn’t dare make a scene or resist.

Qiu Yiyuan had heard rumors about men’s preferences, but in his previous social circles, no one dared to openly flirt with him knowing his normal sexual orientation.

Listening to the man’s insinuations, his face twisted in disgust, almost throwing up. He slapped the man’s hand away, a fleeting murderous look in his eyes. But reality was harsh—his current state made even walking difficult, let alone escaping from an adult man.

The drunk man rubbed his slapped hand, his malicious grin disappearing, replaced by anger. He grabbed Qiu Yiyuan’s collar, intending to force himself on him, planning to fully enjoy and then deal with him.

As the stinking man approached, Qiu Yiyuan’s disgust and hatred for Yin Zhiyi deepened, wishing he could pulverize them both.

His revulsion overpowered his fatigue and pain, and he quickly tore the man’s hand from his collar, kneeing him hard in the abdomen with all his remaining strength. His hastily treated wound reopened, causing his body to tremble in pain.

“Ah—” the drunk screamed, his anticipation turning into agony as his vital spot was hit. He clutched his groin, glaring at him with murderous intent, though Qiu Yiyuan was in a worse state.

“Get lost if you know what’s good for you.” He leaned against the wall with one hand, pressing on his bleeding wound with the other, his eyes cold with killing intent. His heart, however, was racing, and he was barely holding on.

The drunk man tightened his grip on the bottle, struggling to stand straight, ignoring Qiu Yiyuan’s warning. Furious, he raised the bottle to smash it on his head, shouting, “You dare touch me! Die!”

The quiet night was shattered by his curses. The clear moonlight reflected off the green bottle, capturing the man’s grotesque expression in Qiu Yiyuan’s eyes. His throat tightened; he wanted to dodge but couldn’t, the earlier effort leaving him exhausted.

Was he going to die here?

He had envisioned his life as a legendary tale in the business world, never expecting to die like a rat in an alley, killed by a drunk, his aspirations a joke, betraying his parents’ expectations, dying in such humiliation.

A great sense of despair enveloped Qiu Yiyuan’s heart; the string he had been holding taut was about to snap. His pupils constricted as he watched the wine bottle inch closer, seemingly about to end his life at any moment.

Bang—

The green wine bottle shattered on the ground. In the cold moonlight, he could only see the horrific expression on the drunkard’s face freeze in that instant, then he collapsed weakly against the stone wall. As the drunkard fell, a man holding a wooden stick behind him came into Qiu Yiyuan’s view. He didn’t know when the man had appeared.

“Are you alright?” The gentle voice lightly echoed in the bloodstained night. The man’s clean, handsome face under the frosty moonlight was etched deeply into Qiu Yiyuan’s heart.

Safe.

That was the only thought left in his blank mind. As he sighed with relief, a wave of exhaustion hit him. He was so tired that, after confirming he was out of danger, he lost his senses and fell directly toward the ground, unexpectedly landing into a warm embrace.

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