episode_0019

Su Qingya had actually been puzzled about this for a while.

Why was Xu Nian’s fear of her so high?

Moreover, as a one-star Emoter, why was she the only one who could see Xu Nian’s fear value?

Su Qingya figured it was probably because she and Xu Nian were very close.

67%.

This number alone proved that, deep down, the other person had always been afraid of her.

But why?

Were there really couples in this world where one was constantly afraid of the other?

Had she done something to make Xu Nian fear her?

Or was there some other reason…

“Nian Nian, do you think… I’ve done anything wrong lately?”

Su Qingya didn’t bring it up directly—she planned to probe subtly.

She knew that if she was too blunt, Xu Nian would just make up some excuse and brush it off.

Xu Nian froze.

“Wh-why would you say that?”

“I’m just curious. I’ve noticed… you’ve been acting a little… off toward me lately. I can’t quite put my finger on it.”

“Not at all! Aside from today’s banquet, I don’t have any complaints. Trash Qingya, are you feeling guilty about something again?”

Xu Nian answered with a smile, her beautiful fox-like eyes narrowing slightly, hiding something dangerous within.

But if they were talking about attitude, it was Su Qingya who had changed the most.

Xu Nian had no intention of revealing the simulator.

It was her greatest trump card.

Until she was certain that Su Qingya’s yandere tendencies were completely cured and no longer a threat, she wouldn’t breathe a word of it.

But because she couldn’t reveal it, Xu Nian also couldn’t ask about that strange thing in the first simulation that had gotten her pregnant.

“N-no, nothing’s happened to me lately besides this.”

“Then why would you ask that?”

“It’s just…”

Su Qingya struggled to find the right words.

“Alright, let’s get back to talking about Emoters. I still have a few questions.”

Seeing Su Qingya flustered, Xu Nian decided to cut her off.

Su Qingya’s explanations were far more detailed than that Lin guy’s.

By now, Xu Nian had a pretty clear understanding of what an Emoter was.

“So, what’s the ability of [Fear]?”

This was important.

“[Interference]. Interfering with reality. Have you ever heard the saying, ‘When you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes also into you’?”

“But what exactly does [Interference] mean?”

“It’s hard to explain. It’s a very abstract concept—like, I can forcibly involve myself in things I wasn’t originally part of, or simply alter the form of certain objects.”

As she spoke, Su Qingya gave a slight motion, and the glass turntable began spinning on its own.

“And what about [Joy]?”

“[Mockery].”

“[Mockery]? Still so abstract.”

“I can’t explain it either. He just gave me a few random examples. I don’t know much about it.”

Xu Nian nodded in understanding. Given that Lin guy’s personality, he’d definitely say as little as possible.

“What about that Lin guy? What’s his?”

“[Domination]. He said it’s an emotion passed down in his family. Those who possess it have a strong desire for control—they can’t help but dominate everything around them. In short, it’s [Control].”

Xu Nian nodded, committing this to memory.

She also remembered him saying there were currently twenty-four known types.

The word “known” was key.

That meant there were definitely more than twenty-four, but only about twenty-four had appeared so far.

That many?

Well, emotions were complicated things.

“Oh, right, Nian Nian—one more thing. Never fight a higher-ranking Emoter or Emotion Beast of the same path. No matter what, don’t engage them.”

“Why?”

“Because a higher-ranking being of the same path has absolute dominance over a lower-ranking one. For example, a two-star [Joy] can easily kill a one-star [Joy], but a one-star [Joy] might still defeat a two-star [Fear].”

Absolute dominance for higher ranks?

Xu Nian made sure to remember that.

“Emotions are incredibly complex. There’s even compatibility and counterplay between them. Sometimes, exploiting the right counter can lead to unexpected victories with half the effort.”

“Got it. So, Qingya, what rank are you now?”

“One-star. I just became an Emoter, same as you.”

“Then where’s your star?”

Hearing Xu Nian wanted to see, Su Qingya immediately began undressing.

She unbuttoned the front of her dress, pushed out her chest, and leaned in.

“Wait, wait—what are you doing?! Have you no shame?!”

Xu Nian hurriedly covered her eyes.

This was ridiculous!

All she wanted was to see the star—why was this woman stripping at the drop of a hat?!

Su Qingya pouted, aggrieved.

“But… but Nian Nian, you were the one who wanted to see…”

“Huh?”

Xu Nian’s fingers, covering her eyes, parted just enough to peek through.

There, along Su Qingya’s cleavage, just below the collarbone, was a pitch-black star.

Such a lewd spot!

Unable to resist, Xu Nian reached out and touched it.

It didn’t feel any different from normal skin.

“Mmm~”

“Why is your star in such a weird place?! Won’t future ranks just line up along your cleavage?!”

That would make a perfect partition right down her chest.

This was definitely some weird fetish thing!

“Ugh! It’s not like I chose it! Well, Nian Nian, what about yours? I bet it’s not any better!”

“M-mine definitely isn’t in some weird spot! Unlike you, trash Qingya—it’s probably because your brain’s full of dirty thoughts, huh? Trash Qingya~ Trash~ Always thinking about nonsense.”

Xu Nian’s tail swished back and forth furiously, sweeping dust off the chair at increasing speed.

“That’s not true! It’s not like that! Ugh! Then where’s yours?”

“We’ll check when we get back. I don’t know either.”

“I want to see now!”

Unable to resist her pestering, Xu Nian rolled up her sleeves, took off her stockings—but found nothing on her limbs.

“Maybe it’s on the soles of your feet?”

Su Qingya murmured, then lifted Xu Nian’s bare foot.