Why Do All the Villains Look at Me Like This? - Chapter 100

[10.1%, that’s all I can give you.]

As if fearing Meng Xuexiao might take a reckless approach, the message appeared swiftly.

[Moreover, Huai Sui would never agree to this.]

Earlier, Meng Xuexiao had briefly summarized the situation to the Enforcer, who had then run simulations based on the information.

Huai Sui was already severely injured. Running here now was tantamount to suicide. The Silver Dragon wasn’t exactly known for his selflessness—why would he ever agree?

[Even if he did agree, there’s an 80% chance he’d betray you in the end. Guess why Zhuoyue’s soul is half-destroyed right now, and not Huai Sui’s?]

The Dragon Clan brothers had indeed reached a consensus and jointly planned against Yao Huai.

But while Huai Sui was leisurely playing games with Meng Xuexiao, Zhuoyue was the one fighting Yao Huai to the death.

Even now, Huai Sui was severely injured, barely clinging to life and looking pitiful, but Zhuoyue was dead—half his soul gone!

The series of events made it glaringly obvious who had benefited the most, revealing Huai Sui’s true character.

Zhuoyue was Huai Sui’s own brother, his twin brother.

Meng Xuexiao remained silent for a long moment.

[Then… what’s your plan now?]

Their initial plan had been to temporarily leave Yao Huai’s sphere of influence, allowing the Smart Brain to successfully connect with its main body and unleash its full power. But given the current situation, the chances of achieving that were slim.

The Enforcer paused briefly.

[Wait.]

Seeing that single word, Meng Xuexiao felt all the blood rush to his head.

If waiting were an option, he wouldn’t be in such a hurry. The problem was that as time passed, Yao Huai would inevitably grow suspicious of the Recorder in his possession.

What they needed most was time!

But the Enforcer was actually waiting for precisely that outcome.

[Once Yao Huai tries to tamper with the Recorder, I can seize the opportunity to capture its coordinates.]

Although forcibly destroying the residual power within the device would cause it significant damage, this was undeniably the safest approach.

Moreover, it wouldn’t require Meng Xuexiao to forcibly leave Yao Huai’s side.

[Capture the coordinates, and then what?] Meng Xuexiao remembered the Smart Brain had previously told him that once the coordinates were obtained, it would come to his aid.

The typing cursor on the Recorder blinked, but the Enforcer typed nothing further.

[Then?]

Truthfully, it didn’t know either. Probably… just wait. Wait for the right opportunity.

After all… the most crucial part of its rescue plan was Meng Xuexiao’s ability to escape Yao Huai’s side.

Once Meng Xuexiao was beyond Yao Huai’s influence, it could use the emergency-built fleet of dozens of starships to teleport directly into the area. It would transport Meng Xuexiao back to its main base, then hold off Yao Huai himself as a rearguard.

An ordinary person wouldn’t dare make such a decision, especially after Zhuoyue’s bloody example. But the Enforcer was different.

It was merely a string of data, without physical form. Even Yao Huai would find it difficult to completely crush and kill it in such a short time—like a lion trying to completely annihilate scattered ants.

This was one of the reasons it had the courage to accept the daunting task of extracting Meng Xuexiao.

But under the current circumstances, as it had previously stated, the escape’s success rate was alarmingly low—only 5.2%.

What did 5.2% mean? The Enforcer never undertook any task with a success rate below 97%.

The risks were too great, the effort too time-consuming. The very purpose of the Smart Brain’s existence was to minimize risks and maximize benefits.

The Enforcer swallowed, though it had no mouth to produce saliva.

[Based on the data, Yao Huai’s current probability of attacking you is only 0.45%. You can temporarily relax. However, for safety’s sake, you could… try to improve your relationship with him.]

It displayed a data graph to support its conclusion.

Whether the Recorder was exposed or not, this was the optimal solution. Even if Yao Huai discovered it, his good relationship with Meng Xuexiao would prevent him from taking out his anger on the latter.

This was the safest course of action.

[If you want to improve your relationship, here are the top 10 suggestions:

1. Treat his injuries: Yao Huai sustained several minor abrasions on his hand during the battle with Zhuoyue. Though the injuries are superficial, timely attention to them would demonstrate your concern.
2. …]

Scanning the lengthy message, Meng Xuexiao lowered his gaze.

He understood that these words meant abandonment.

At least for now, the Smart Brain had given up on saving him.

He picked up the Recorder and calmly typed four words: [I understand.]

Without tears or protest, he calmly accepted his fate.

After all, the Smart Brain had no obligation to save him. At least it had tried.

The chat window fell silent.

The Enforcer hesitated for a moment before typing: […Meng Xuexiao, are you alright?]

Meng Xuexiao replied as usual: [I’m fine. Actually, what you said makes sense.]

And then… there was nothing more.

The Enforcer stopped typing, its gaze lingering on Meng Xuexiao’s single line of text. It reread it several times, a flicker of uncertainty in its digital mind.

Strictly speaking, it should have been pleased with Meng Xuexiao’s current state. As a Smart Brain, it loathed impulsive, volatile individuals who threatened to disrupt its meticulously crafted plans. Meng Xuexiao’s current composure was ideal—very… good.

Yet the Enforcer felt an inexplicable unease.

It even found itself wishing Meng Xuexiao would erupt in anger, shouting and raging. Because… the young man’s current demeanor made it feel a faint… discomfort.

Though the Recorder lacked the energy to capture Meng Xuexiao’s expression, the Enforcer could almost visualize the young man’s downcast eyes, thick lashes casting deep shadows that made his already pale face appear even more wan.

Meng Xuexiao must be disappointed, it thought. Disappointed in it.

The Enforcer couldn’t quite understand why it felt so lost and guilty. When it first approached Meng Xuexiao, it had only been because Meng Xuexiao’s death would trigger a world reset.

Even now, its willingness to sacrifice a part of itself to locate Meng Xuexiao and devise a plan to rescue him… wasn’t that already going above and beyond?

The Enforcer thought so, yet it couldn’t shake off its lingering anxiety.

It tried sending Meng Xuexiao several more messages, but none received a reply.

Over there… has something happened?

Tens of thousands of light-years away, on the Enforcer’s Main Body, the eye-shaped pattern representing its gaze spun wildly. Electricity crackled and surged through the room, instantly melting the metal walls and filling the air with a terrifying, acrid stench of burning.

Channeling its energy, it attempted once more to pinpoint Meng Xuexiao’s location, but still only received a string of garbled code.

Damn Yao Huai! Damn this interference!

Electricity erupted again, tearing through the room and destroying everything in its path.

The Enforcer rarely resorted to such measures, often dismissing such outbursts as “impotent rage.”

But now, it truly had no other choice…

No, not necessarily.

The Recorder containing a fragment of its power was still with Meng Xuexiao. Though it couldn’t pinpoint Meng Xuexiao’s exact location, if it exerted all its strength, it might be able to glimpse the situation there.

Just a glance, for 0.1 seconds.

The massive eye-shaped pattern clenched shut, then snapped open.

At that moment, even the pupil seemed to flicker with electrical currents, allowing its power to briefly pierce through space and establish a faint, fleeting connection with the Recorder in Meng Xuexiao’s hand.

Though the Enforcer’s vision remained distorted by flickering static, it could at least vaguely make out something through the Recorder’s camera.

Its perspective wavered, the view zoomed in on a pair of pants with a familiar pattern.

The Enforcer surmised that Meng Xuexiao must have placed the Recorder in his pocket.

This meant Meng Xuexiao hadn’t replied earlier not because he didn’t want to, nor because he had completely lost hope in the Enforcer, but simply because he hadn’t seen the message.

For some reason, Enforcer felt a wave of relief.

But the next moment, its mental tension surged again.

Meng Xuexiao was approaching Yao Huai, the man in the wheelchair.

Though Enforcer had never met Yao Huai before, it recognized him instantly as the “main body” Shen Zekai and the others had mentioned.

“Your wrist… did you just get hurt?” Meng Xuexiao grasped Yao Huai’s wrist.

Yao Huai seemed taken aback by Meng Xuexiao’s sudden question, but in the next instant, the young man had already rolled up his sleeve, revealing a two-inch-long bloodstain on the inner wrist.

Such a wound meant nothing to Yao Huai. He had completely forgotten about it after returning from the battle, otherwise his power would have healed it without a trace.

Now that Meng Xuexiao had pointed it out, Yao Huai’s fingers twitched, and he began channeling his power to accelerate the healing.

But the young man’s lips moved, his teeth gently biting his lower lip, as if after much hesitation, he finally spoke. “Actually… I wanted to go to the nearby Medical Base to get a few healing injections.”

During the last operation, Meng Xuexiao had been meticulously protected and sustained virtually no injuries. It was crystal clear who this healing injection was meant for.

Yao Huai paused his healing touch, tilting his head slightly as his mercury-like eyes fixed on Meng Xuexiao. “Were you just trying to go to the Medical Base for a healing injection?”

Meng Xuexiao pressed his lips together, “…Mm.”

“That’s such a long wound. It must hurt terribly, right?”

Actually, it didn’t hurt at all—he felt nothing. If Meng Xuexiao hadn’t interrupted, the wound would have healed completely by now.

But Yao Huai slowly blinked, “Mm, it hurts a lot.”

Listening to their exchange, the Enforcer’s brow twitched violently, as if it were about to short-circuit.

Meng Xuexiao doesn’t understand this kind of injury, but I do! It’s something that can be healed in minutes!

Yet Meng Xuexiao was rushing to care for him!

Just as the Enforcer truly believed it was about to short-circuit, its unique rationality snapped its thoughts back into focus.

Meng Xuexiao’s actions were ultimately a consequence of the Enforcer’s own advice.

It was the Enforcer who had urged Meng Xuexiao to cultivate a good relationship with Yao Huai.

Meng Xuexiao had executed this perfectly, even smoothing over his earlier attempt to flee. This meant the Enforcer wouldn’t need to worry about Meng Xuexiao’s safety in the short term.

But… but…

Just as the Enforcer was thinking this, it suddenly sensed something terrifying sweeping directly toward it—Yao Huai’s gaze.

In that instant, the Enforcer felt as if the blood in its entire body had frozen solid.

No, that couldn’t be right. It was just a Smart Brain, without a physical body. How could it have blood for someone to freeze? It was composed of data. Could a mere gaze truly halt the flow of data?

The Enforcer suddenly realized that its earlier calculation of a 5.2% success rate for Meng Xuexiao’s escape had been overly optimistic.

The next moment, all its computational processes ground to a halt, its mind went blank, and the Enforcer—along with all the power it had been channeling through the Recorder—was forcibly expelled.

The entire chat history between Meng Xuexiao and the Enforcer within the Recorder’s logs was wiped clean. The Recorder itself went completely dark, resembling a discarded, obsolete machine.

Meng Xuexiao sensed something was off and subconsciously patted the Recorder in his pocket, a reflex born from his guilt.

He cleared his throat, trying to sound casual. “Is… is something wrong?”

“No,” Yao Huai said, shaking his head gently. “Didn’t you say you wanted to go to the Medical Base?”

“Let’s go, then.”

The wheelchair began to move again. Meng Xuexiao hesitated for a moment before hurrying to catch up.

His desire for the Healing Needle wasn’t solely based on the Enforcer’s analysis.

He had previously asked the Smart Brain: [If we include Huai Sui, what are our chances of escaping?]

The Smart Brain had replied: [10.1%. Moreover, Huai Sui is critically injured and would never agree to our plan.]

Then, if Huai Sui’s injuries were healed, what would our chances of escaping be?

He hadn’t dared ask the Smart Brain this question directly, knowing it would refuse to answer, deeming the plan too risky.

But he still wanted to try.