Though paralyzed, still radiantly charming!

Chapter 198: Just remember to be a bit gentler next time

Ryan had always seen himself as an outsider in Alice’s life, knowing that one day he’d have to leave—whether she killed him or he just disappeared if the mission remained incomplete.

That’s why he’d always kept his life separate from hers in all their previous interactions.

Even though his Favorability rating with her had reached sixty-five, he didn’t feel anything special towards Alice, just a sense of guilt.

He was just a passerby in Alice’s life, or at least that’s how it was supposed to be.

But then…

“Do you really think I can do it? You’ll stay by my side and help me, right?”

Alice grabbed his hands, and before Ryan could react, she boldly straddled his lap.

This was different from when Mia would playfully press down on him,Alice’s presence was overwhelmingly oppressive.

Mia liked her pranks, but she wasn’t scary.

But Alice right now… she was terrifying.

Her grip on his wrists was so tight it squeaked like machinery about to break.

It seemed like Alice was terrified of him leaving, clinging to him like a drowning person to a lifeline, refusing to let go.

The system kept prompting Ryan, asking him to make a decision about the mission.

Ryan felt a bitter taste in his mouth. With the system pushing him and Alice not making things any easier, how was he supposed to think clearly?

He wanted to persuade Alice to abandon such thoughts, so the mission would just disappear, and she wouldn’t be in danger.

But how could he even say that?

“Miss Alice… just calm down, I’m not going anywhere,” Ryan sighed, hoping to have a rational conversation with her.

But Alice was in a frenzy, not hearing a word he said.

Ryan felt an immense force on his wrists, her violent strength nearly crushing his bones.

With no way out and the system’s prompts becoming more frequent, Ryan had less and less time to think.

Fear made him instinctively struggle, but that clearly crossed a line for Alice. The one thing she couldn’t tolerate was his rejection.

Ryan’s wrists were numb, turning a shade of blue.

“Don’t struggle, don’t leave, don’t leave me!”

She whispered feverishly into his ear, her voice hot and dangerous, making Ryan shiver.

He had never seen this side of Alice before, or perhaps this was the real her.

[System Character Trait Unlocked: Paranoia (Beginner Level)]

The second trait was unlocked, the first being ‘Cold outside, warm inside,’ and now, ‘Paranoia,’ both clearly related.

Because Alice bottled up everything, when it finally burst out, it manifested as paranoia.

She hadn’t forgotten Ryan’s departure from the meeting room,she had just suppressed it until now, when it all exploded.

And this was just the beginner level? Ryan shuddered to think what advanced paranoia would look like.

The mission kept pressing him in his mind, giving him no time to breathe.

Alice just clung to him, breathing heavily as if trying to inhale his scent into her lungs.

No matter how much Ryan tried to reason with her, she seemed deaf to his words.

This couldn’t go on,she was on the brink of madness.

Biting his lip, an idea struck Ryan, and without overthinking, he confirmed it.

The first time he kissed Alice was during a night attack,she had frozen in shock then, and it had snapped her out of it.

Back then, Ryan was just focused on completing the mission, thinking he’d be killed afterward. He felt a bit guilty, but didn’t have many other thoughts.

Now, with his hands pinned down and feeling an unusual emotion stirring within him, he had to stop this madness.

He pressed his body close to Alice and gently kissed her cheek.

With the soft touch of his lips, Ryan felt a twinge of guilt.

But this was to stop Alice’s abnormal state,he just hoped she would understand him afterward.

“Huh?”

Alice’s lips parted in a cute, awkward exclamation as her eyes widened in shock. She hadn’t expected Ryan to make such a move.

For a moment, she froze like a well-fed sloth, staring at Ryan as a rush of warmth flooded her brain.

Realizing what had just happened, she quickly let go of Ryan’s hands, covering her cheeks with her palms. The manic look in her eyes faded, replaced by a different kind of sparkle.

Her face flushed red and then pale, a mix of embarrassment and anger, unsure of what to do next.

It was as if she had been controlled by something, unable to manage her own actions, driven by the sole thought of not letting Ryan reject her.

And now, Ryan had kissed her?!

If it had been anyone else, Alice would have exploded in rage and probably turned the offender into mincemeat for the dogs.

But it was Ryan who had dared to kiss her, leaving Alice confused and feeling increasingly uneasy.

Why wasn’t she angry? Shouldn’t she be furious?

“Miss Alice, I’m sorry, but… are you back with us now?” Ryan asked, referring to her recent frenzy.

Feeling the warmth of the person beside her, Alice glared and then sniffled, her eyes misty as she timidly nodded.

Whether she was angry or not, it was undeniable that Ryan had kissed her.

But what did that kiss mean to Ryan?

Thinking about this now seemed out of place. After coming to her senses, Alice felt her body growing hotter.

She was still sitting on Ryan’s lap. Looking at Ryan’s wrist, now bruised from her grip, Alice’s breath hitched. Had she really done that?

Stiffly, she got up from his lap and sat down beside him like a child who had done something wrong, her head bowed in silence.

[Alice Mood Level-50, Current 50/100 (Guilt)]

Seeing Alice quietly taking a seat beside him, Ryan breathed a sigh of relief.

At least he had managed to calm her fervent state, giving him a chance to think about the mission.

Alice was feeling guilty, and Ryan didn’t rush to address it. They both needed a moment to cool down.

Firstly, the [Crucial Mission] was a new system, different from the usual [Main Missions] and [Side Missions].

Most of the main and side missions revolved around Ryan, and his actions didn’t significantly impact Alice’s life.

But this mission, the so-called Crucial Mission, clearly pertained to Alice’s life. If Ryan accepted it, it would inevitably affect her entire future.

The responsibility felt overwhelming, and naturally, Ryan was hesitant.

However, the system sensed Ryan’s reluctance and a voice echoed in his mind, adding details to the mission.

[Note: Rejecting the mission means the mission target loses the chance to change her fate, survival probability: 0/100]

Damn! Wasn’t this just a blatant threat?

Ryan wanted to grab the system from his mind and smash it on the ground. It was just a system, after all, and now it was threatening him.

But truth be told, the threat was effective.

Everyone has their fate, and unfortunately, Alice’s was destined for a bad ending.

If it weren’t for Ryan, she would have been killed by her enemies long ago.

That morning, if not for Ryan’s intervention, she would have been shot in the head by a sniper.

It was Ryan who had changed Alice’s fate, triggering the Crucial Mission.

If Ryan now refused, without his help, Alice, no matter how strong, couldn’t avoid a bad ending.

But accepting the mission would tie his fate irrevocably to Alice’s. Was he ready for that?

To make matters worse, the [Crucial Mission] ignored the progress of the [Main Mission].

Meaning, even if Ryan completed the main mission and was killed by Alice, as long as the Crucial Mission remained incomplete, he would still die.

“I really don’t have a choice, do I?”

Ryan exhaled and looked at Alice, who was sitting beside him, full of guilt, her hands clasped between her knees, staring down at her toes.

She had promised to protect him from harm, yet she was the one who had hurt him, filling her with regret.

Seeing Alice like this softened Ryan’s heart.

Really, wasn’t this Alice just too pitiful?

The idea that she was destined for a bad ending if he didn’t intervene was something he couldn’t just ignore.

Even if he didn’t want to admit it, Ryan had made up his mind.

He reached out and gently ruffled Alice’s hair, his smile like sunlight dispersing the shadows in her heart.

“Ryan, are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just remember to be a bit gentler next time.”