The night proved to be both sweet and mildly frustrating, though not as exhausting as Duan Zhen had anticipated.
Li Xi cuddled up to him warmly. They stayed close for a while, with Li Xi’s hands exploring his firm chest and abs but never crossing the line. Duan Zhen took the opportunity to feel the young man’s slim, flexible waist.
Just as Duan Zhen’s thoughts started to wander, Li Xi buried his head in his chest and promptly fell asleep.
Sighing, Duan Zhen realized Li Xi was probably exhausted from the battle as well. He wrapped his arms around him, his hand resting lightly on his lower back, and closed his eyes. Surprisingly, he fell asleep almost instantly, the familiar scent of candy filling his senses and lulling him into a deep sleep.
The next morning, they were awakened by urgent knocking on the door.
Li Xi groggily opened his eyes, looking confused and still half-asleep.
“I’ll get it,” Duan Zhen said, finding Li Xi’s sleepy expression adorable and giving him a quick kiss on the nose. “If you’re still tired, go back to sleep.”
Li Xi stared at him for a moment, seemingly assessing the situation before his eyes slowly closed again.
Duan Zhen wanted to kiss him again, but someone was waiting outside. He opened the door to find Dan Zuo holding a laptop, his expression calm, showing no trace of the urgency he had conveyed through his knocking.
“It’s done,” Dan Zuo said. “Where’s Li Xi?”
“He’s still sleeping. Yesterday was exhausting,” Duan Zhen replied. Noticing Dan Zuo’s sudden odd expression, he quickly added, “The battle, I mean. We didn’t do anything else.”
Dan Zuo’s expression turned slightly disapproving. Sleeping in the same bed as Li Xi and not taking advantage of the situation seemed like a missed opportunity.
Pretending not to notice, Duan Zhen asked, “You finished the main system’s program? In one night?”
Though he wasn’t an expert in computing, he knew this shouldn’t be a one-night task.
“It’s an AI,” Dan Zuo explained, unable to hide his excitement. “I formatted it and set new commands. It can do everything on its own now.”
He licked his dry lips and continued, “This technology is centuries ahead. If it hadn’t been in a semi-active state without a binding master command, I wouldn’t have succeeded in hacking it.”
Dan Zuo’s genius was unquestionable, and this was the first time he admitted something was beyond his skill. “Is it wise to hand the main system over to Hewlett?” Duan Zhen asked, concerned. “As a demon lord, if he decides to misuse it, it could cause greater disaster.”
“Given Hewlett’s character, that’s unlikely,” Li Xi’s lazy voice chimed in. They turned to see him leaning against the bedroom door frame, still in his pajamas, his black hair messily framing his face, exuding a just-woken-up charm.
The pajama collar was casually open, exposing a significant expanse of pale skin and his elegant collarbones.
Duan Zhen moved to block Dan Zuo’s view, straightening Li Xi’s collar until only his neck was visible.
“Old-fashioned,” Li Xi muttered under his breath.
“Even if it’s unlikely, we must remain vigilant,” Duan Zhen said, ignoring the comment. “We can’t leave our safety in the hands of an unstable factor.”
“You can negotiate with him,” Li Xi suggested. “Then set restrictions within the main system.”
“That’s a viable option,” Dan Zuo mused. “Without a master command, the main system will follow the programmed instructions.”
With urgency, they prepared to depart. While Li Xi changed, Dan Zuo mentioned, “Several people approached Xia Qirong yesterday. At this rate, we should have everyone gathered within two weeks.”
“That’s too slow,” Duan Zhen frowned. “The main system issue is nearly resolved, and the game world will likely dissolve in a few days.”
The longer they delayed, the higher the risk of complications. The other two demon lords didn’t seem like they had given up.
Li Xi returned, dressed casually in a silver-gray sweater and high-waisted skinny jeans, which softened his usually sharp demeanor.
Li Xi naturally took Duan Zhen’s hand. “Let’s go find Hewlett.”
Dan Zuo followed with his laptop. After a while, Li Xi seemed to remember him, tugging his sleeve and teleporting them.
Caught off guard, Dan Zuo almost dropped his laptop when they landed, but Duan Zhen’s quick reflexes prevented a disaster.
Hewlett noticed their arrival, reluctantly opening his eyes. “What’s up?”
“The main system’s program is ready,” Li Xi announced. “We have a few questions for you.”
Hewlett raised an eyebrow, guessing their intentions.
Negotiating wasn’t Li Xi’s strength, so Duan Zhen took over while Li Xi amused himself with his phone.
To his surprise, the discussion ended quickly, before he could finish reading a guide on meeting the parents. Hewlett approached him, “What’s your plan now?”
“What?” Li Xi asked.
“When the world dissolves, some might not give up easily. Entering Earth would be simple for them,” Hewlett said.
“I have a plan,” Li Xi responded. “But Earth isn’t particularly interesting. Just a few budding ability users…”
Before he finished, he realized what made Earth appealing to demons.
Demons thrived on the instability of burgeoning societies; it was their ideal playground.
“We can’t let them enter Earth,” Li Xi frowned. “They won’t stop until they’re satisfied.”
By then, Earth would be in chaos, with countless wars fought.
“While that’s a reason, I think they’re mostly interested in you,” Hewlett smiled. “They find you fascinating.”
Li Xi shuddered. “Are you trying to disgust me?”
“Of course not,” Hewlett chuckled. “You’re the most human-like of the demon lords, naturally drawing their interest.”
“They should find other humans to bother, not me,” Li Xi rolled his eyes. “I won’t let them enter Earth, no matter what.”
Hewlett just smiled.
On the other side, Dan Zuo finished modifying the main system’s program according to their requirements and handed it over. “Once activated in the small world, it’ll start.”
“Looks like I can finally get some rest,” Hewlett sighed, then turned to Li Xi. “Are you sure about this?”
“Absolutely,” Li Xi nodded.
Hewlett seemed about to say something but held back, shaking his head and showing them out.
“What were you talking about?” Duan Zhen asked.
“Earth’s future,” Li Xi replied, blinking. “After the world dissolves, demon lords can enter Earth, disrupting your world. I plan to seal Earth until you stabilize.”
“Seal it?” Duan Zhen considered. “No entry or exit? Will it harm you?”
“Not much, just a bit of magic. I’ll need a few days to recover,” Li Xi waved his hand dismissively. “But it’s not a permanent solution. If they’re determined, the seal might last a century at best.”
“Alright,” Duan Zhen agreed. “Is there anything I can do?”
“We can enlist national resources to help you,” he added.
“Seemed like a missed opportunity” I’m sorry, Mr Dan Zuo????? Hello???? Are you secretly depraved????
Thank you for reading