HP - Chapter 5

Sweetheart Simulation 5

[Warning! Warning! Warning!]

The three targets have transitioned from chaos to clarity. They've begun to realize that a lover must be the only one.

[Warning! They’ve now discovered the existence of the other two target and are growing enraged.]

[User, evacuate immediately! User, evacuate immediately!]

"Xiao Lian, a lover must be the only one. There is greed in your soul—it must be purged."

"You can only belong to me. This is betrayal… Xiao Lian, how could you betray me?"

"Woman, you're playing with fire. The heart you offered me is no longer pure—I won't allow this."

The three figures lunged forward, their fingertips barely brushing the edge of her clothing.

Zhong Xu had already braced her right hand on the windowsill and leapt down gracefully. She even turned back and stuck out her tongue at the three male leads leaning out the window, shouting at her in anger.

The male leads stormed out of the classroom in fury, searching for her. Their emotions manifested as a faint black mist, tainting the pink bubbles wherever they passed.

The otome-style battle royale had begun.

But endless escape was no real solution.

She’d let them catch her—but they’d have to line up properly. No cutting in line.

The damp ceiling pipes were a breeding ground for rats.

They were also Min Xintu’s safest haven.

He loved weaving through them, watching humans—watching his lover—through the vents.

Unfortunately, his lover had chosen betrayal.

He would find her. And teach her a proper lesson.

“Xintu…”

A faint voice called out.

Min Xintu stared in disbelief at the girl curled up inside the pipes—his traitorous lover.

How dare she…

“Xintu, they forced me! They only want my power. Ours is the only true love.”

 She struck first, insisting she hadn’t betrayed him.

“But my power… it can only go to the one I’m destined for.”

Who was her destined one?

Obviously it's him.

She said theirs was the only real love.

Min Xintu clutched her hand eagerly. "Xiao Lian, I trust you."

"But if those two are still around, they’ll keep getting in our way. I won’t be able to transfer my power to you… What do we do?"

Min Xintu’s eyes glazed over with coldness. "Don’t worry, Xiao Lian. They won’t be a problem."

"Xingtu, you have to be careful—especially that Chu Ding. He’s the craftiest of them all," she said, voice dripping with faux concern.

Hearing her feigned worry, Min Xintu felt his blood surge, the dark mist in his eyes growing denser.

"Then I’ll take care of Chu Ding first—then Lu Hengze."

Once Min Xintu left, hell-bent on his mission, Zhong Xu’s lips curled into a mocking smirk.

With Min Xintu—ever the lurking observer—out of the picture, finding Lu Hengze became far simpler.

The rich employed more bodyguards than a school had teachers.

Every corner of the campus crawled with patrols.

The moment she appeared, she’d be hauled straight to Lu Hengze.

Before Lu Hengze could unleash his anger, Zhong Xu repeated her tactic—striking first.

"Hengze, it wasn’t easy—I barely escaped from Chu Ding!"

With a look of feigned gratitude, she added, "Thank goodness you sent so many bodyguards to search for me and keep me safe. That’s the only reason I could make it back to you."

"……"

Huh? So that’s what all the bodyguards were for?

Seizing the moment while Lu Hengze was still caught off guard, Zhong Xu pressed on: "Hengze, we’re the ones who truly love each other. I’d even give you my heart. You can doubt anyone—but not me."

Lu Hengze, of course, trusted the future he had seen with his own eyes.

"You... of course I believe you."

"But Min Xintu and Chu Ding keep getting in our way. If we don’t take care of them, my heart will ache, and my power will become impure... I’m just so worried you won’t receive its purest form."

Lu Hengze’s gaze darkened. "Don’t worry, Xiao Lian. Those two are no match for me."

He gave a wave, preparing to lead his bodyguards out on the hunt.

But when he caught a glimpse of Zhong Xu’s fearful expression, he paused. "You all stay behind and protect Xiao Lian."

He’d trained in self-defense—handling two students wouldn’t be a problem.

Xiao Lian’s heart held the goddess’s power—it had to be well protected.

“Go get them, Hengze. I know you’ll win.”

Zhong Xu smiled sweetly as she watched Lu Hengze leave.

She pulled out a chair in the classroom and settled into a comfortable spot.

Now, all she had to do was wait for them to… peck at each other like rabid chickens.

She had no intention of going after Chu Ding.

Min Xintu wasn’t very bright, and Lu Hengze was completely convinced Xiao Lian would sacrifice herself. Both were easy to fool.

But Chu Ding was different—calculating and unlikely to believe a word she said.

No matter. As long as Min Xintu and Lu Hengze joined forces against Chu Ding first, everything else would be easy.

[Warning! Warning! Warning!]

[Detected three male leads mutually slaughtering each other. Host must intervene immediately!]

Zhong Xu raised a hand and then grabbed a book, covering her eyes.

Didn’t hear it. Nope.

[...]

[Warning! Warning! Warning!]

[Detected male lead in critical condition. Host must assist immediately!]

Zhong Xu yawned.

Great. The sooner they die, the sooner they reincarnate.

Her only request now was that when she died, she wouldn’t be buried with those three psychos.

Though… they were probably just data anyway. No need for a burial.

[Warning! Warning! Warning!]

[Detected male lead in critical condition. Host must assist immediately!]

[Warning!...]

[Detected player inactivity. Deducting 100 reputation points and transferring to alternate game.]

Zhong Xu: “......?”

Fine.

Zhong Xu finally stood and took a step, deciding to go outside.

To watch the chaos unfold.

Min Xintu lay in a pool of blood, his chest barely rising.

In his daze, he saw the approaching girl.

"Xiao Lian..." He reached out, grasping for his lifeline.

Slap—

His hand was swatted away.

Zhong Xu looked down at him coldly: "You're filthy. How dare you touch me?"

A trace of grievance flashed across his face. His lips moved weakly, but he lacked the strength to speak.

"You told me not to worry, but look at you now - how could I possibly not worry?"

"Didn't you say you loved me? In this state, can you still love me?"

"......" Min Xintu struggled, mustering all his strength to say: "I'm sorry, Xiao Lian... Of course I love you."

"Tell me again when you actually have the strength to love me."

Zhong Xu turned away mercilessly.

After a few steps, she saw Lu Hengze sitting under a tree with a dinner knife embedded in his chest.

When Lu Hengze saw her, his eyes lit up and he nearly lunged forward—

Zhong Xu raised a foot and pressed it against his chest.

The pressure wasn't too hard, but applied directly to his wound, making him grunt in pain.

"Xiao Lian... I'm dying, I need you..."

"You came just in time." Zhong Xu kept her foot pressed as she smiled. "Min Xintu is dying. He needs your heart."

"......" Lu Hengze's eyes widened in disbelief. "What did you say?"

"Didn't you say you loved me? I'm asking you to give your heart to Min Xintu—can't you even do that?" Zhong Xu widened her eyes dramatically. "What's wrong? Can't you even part with a mere heart?"

"Seems your love wasn't real after all." She shook her head in exaggerated disappointment. "You can't even do this? How disappointing."

With those words, she yanked the knife from his chest and removed her foot, letting Lu Hengze collapse to the ground.

Xiao Lian...

Lu Hengze spat out bloody foam, staring fixedly at her retreating, merciless figure as his heart beat erratically and violently, as if it might stop at any moment.

"Is this the outcome you wanted?" Chu Ding stood at the crossroads, smiling as he opened his arms to her. "Both of them are nearly dead now. No one will interfere with us anymore."

Zhong Xu didn't pause her steps, meeting him with an identical smile.

"I told you long ago, Xiao Lian — we’re the true sweet lovers."

Just as he moved to embrace her, a chill spread through his chest.

He looked down to see a dinner knife embedded in his own chest.

“They were so useless.” Zhong Xu let out a soft laugh as she shoved the knife deeper, her eyes utterly lifeless. “To think I had to do it myself in the end.”

Even as she smiled, her hands trembled slightly.

Thud—

Chu Ding collapsed straight backward, blood welling from his chest.

[Detected all three male leads in near-death state. Plot conditions met.]

[Triggered plot: Goddess’s Blessing Reawakened. Xiao Lian’s desire for revenge was so intense it unexpectedly awakened the goddess’s power!]

[Game item ‘Goddess’s Power’ has been distributed to player. Please check your inventory.]

[Goddess’s Power]

The ordinary girl Xiao Lian once kindly saved a goddess in her past life. In gratitude, the goddess hid a blessing within Xiao Lian’s body. It’s said that when her heart holds a powerful wish, the goddess’s blessing will manifest!

 (Single-use item. Player may choose to use it in the current game or save it for future use.)

Zhong Xu gripped her right wrist with her left hand, forcing the trembling to stop.

“I’ll use the item now.”

[Confirm use of Goddess’s Power]

"I wish for Xiao Lian to never encounter insincere love again."

[Player choice confirmed. Goddess’s Power activated.]

Time and space began to twist and warp. The once-beautiful, shoujo manga-like scenery around them transformed into an abstract painting.

Several ribbons of light drifted through the sky filled with pink bubbles, like a film projector playing out entire timelines of stories.

Xiao Lian and Min Xintu’s timeline.

 Xiao Lian and Lu Hengze’s timeline.

 Xiao Lian and Chu Ding’s timeline.

An eraser floated out and began wiping away the timelines.

The three male leads watched helplessly as their futures with Xiao Lian slowly faded away.

“Xiao Lian, no, you can’t! Weren’t we happy together? Why are you doing this?”

“Stop, please stop!”

“Xiao Lian, I beg you, don’t go. I swear I’ll be the perfect lover, loving only you forever. My feelings for you will always be sincere.”

They ran desperately along the glowing ribbons of time, trying to catch the traces being erased, but were always one step behind.

At the sunset beach, Xiao Lian’s skirt fluttered as they brushed past each other.

In the school corridors, Xiao Lian turned to smile, but her gaze landed on others as they laughed and walked away.

In the rainy alley, Xiao Lian smiled brightly and shook her head, pushing away an offered umbrella as she happily skipped through the rain.

……

Lost love came rushing in with the howling wind.

They thought her love would last forever, so they took it for granted with reckless confidence and peace of mind. But as they watched everything shatter before their eyes — was it more regret, or more grief?

[Game Notice: Lu Hengze Affinity: 0%...100%...0%...100%...]

[Game Notice: Min Xintu Affinity: 0%...100%...0%...100%...]

[Game Notice: Chu Ding Affinity: -100%...-100%...90%...]

Amid the fluctuating affinity levels, the system seized the moment to announce:

[Congratulations, player has met the clearance condition of all three male leads reaching at least 90% affinity.]

As they witnessed their stories with Xiao Lian being erased, fierce longing and bitter hatred intertwined, causing affinity to swing wildly.

When the last memory of time was wiped away, the final pink bubble floating in the sky went ‘pop’ and burst.

["Sweet Lovers" has 36 normal endings and 1 hidden ending. Congratulations on unlocking the hidden ending: Goddess’s Punishment.]

[Congratulations on unlocking hidden achievement: Truth of the World.]

[Player’s game performance has been calculated. Settlement points will be sent directly to player’s mailbox. The point exchange store will unlock after the second game.]

[Congratulations on clearing the beginner level. Multiplayer mode unlocked. Based on player performance and behavior, the system will arrange the next suitable game.]

What the… hell?

Seamlessly connecting to the next game?!

Before she could react, darkness swiftly swallowed her.

[Next game loading. Please prepare to enter the game.]

[Entering Game]

1. 甜蜜戀人 (Tiánmì Liànrén) — Sweet Lovers, the game’s title emphasizing a sugary romantic fantasy.

2. 女神 (Nǚshén) - Goddess, referring to the divine being whose power is central to the plot's supernatural elements.

3. 隐藏结局 (Yǐncáng Jiéjú) - Hidden ending, a special conclusion requiring specific conditions to unlock.

4. 新手关 (Xīnshǒu Guān) - Beginner level, referring to the tutorial/first stage of the game system.

5. 少女漫 (Shàonǚ Màn) - Shoujo manga, describing the initial visual aesthetic of the game world.

6. 时间线 (Shíjiān Xiàn) - Timeline, representing the alternate story paths/romance routes.

7. 世界的真相 (Shìjiè de Zhēnxiàng) - Truth of the World, the hidden achievement revealing the game's nature.

Sevyn here ~~~

Last chapter of the first arc!

I had so much overtime this week that I was too tired to release any chapters. Anyways, here's what I owe this week: 1 chapter for HP (Cleared),  2 chapters for Mountain Coral to come.