Can a System Have Bad Intentions? - Chapter 193

What should have been a blissful wedding night turned into a chaotic battle between the Ninth Prince and his eight brothers, seven sisters-in-law, and one parrot.

In the end, it was the Fourth Princess who used a venomous insect to subdue him, and the Sixth Prince who tied him up, while the parrot fanned his head with its wings to calm him down.

Qiao Tang had been exhausted all day. Seeing Qin Mo storm out in anger, she initially wanted to stop him.

However, when one is extremely tired, they either avoid getting into bed or, once in bed, can’t get up unless absolutely necessary.

Struggling for only a moment, Qiao Tang fell asleep amid the commotion outside.

She woke up thirsty in the middle of the night. As she groggily opened her eyes, she saw the dim light in the room illuminating Qin Mo’s resentful face.

He was sitting cross-legged on the bed, staring intently at her.

Even though she recognized him, Qiao Tang was startled in the middle of the night.

Seeing her awake, Qin Mo gritted his teeth and reached out to pinch her cheek. Although angry, he couldn’t bring himself to use force. “Why didn’t you tell me!”

Still drowsy, Qiao Tang spoke nonsense, “You’re a prince. It was hard enough for you to take a liking to me. I feared if I told you I was a girl, you wouldn’t want me anymore.”

Qin Mo laughed in exasperation.

“So, you told my brothers and sisters-in-law, but kept it from me?”

Qiao Tang shook her head. “Not just them. Your father, mother, and the other consorts also knew. After all, when the Imperial Astronomer calculated the auspicious day, I couldn’t hide my birth details.”

Qin Mo pounced, biting her neck firmly.

Qiao Tang hurriedly pushed him away, “We have to serve tea tomorrow. This spot is easily seen!”

Qin Mo ignored her, “So what if it’s seen! I’m wearing a skirt tomorrow anyway. If I lose face, we’ll lose it together!”

Qiao Tang:!

Would she die on her wedding night?

However, despite his fierce demeanor, Qin Mo was gentle and attentive to Qiao Tang’s needs, stopping short of going all the way.

The Qin family had a tradition: no consummation before a girl turned seventeen, the same rule for both daughters and daughters-in-law.

Qiao Tang was only sixteen.

Qin Mo had to live like a monk for another year!

Previously, thinking Lu Tang was a boy, Qin Mo had considered exploiting a loophole in the family tradition.

Only half-satisfied, the Ninth Prince contentedly held his genuine princess consort as he fell asleep.

My wife is a woman!

Qin Mo slept soundly, but Qiao Tang remained wide awake.

[System detected a new task. Please prepare, Host.]

Startled by the sudden return of the system, silent since Zhao Yue, Qiao Tang shivered.

[Complete a horseback riding competition and win first place.]

[This is a timed task. Please complete it within three hours.]

The system no longer called her daddy, indicating it had lost all previous memories.

Recalling the system’s behavior and her hazy dreams, Qiao Tang carefully slipped out of Qin Mo’s embrace, climbed over his body, and got out of bed.

The early spring night was still cold, making her shiver. To avoid disturbing Qin Mo, she walked a bit farther along the corridor in her outer garments.

The maid guarding the door hurriedly greeted her, but Qiao Tang raised a hand to stop her, signaling for no one to follow.

Qiao Tang intended to find a quiet place to talk to the system, but before she had walked far, a bright red parrot flew over.

“Hello, Little Ninth Consort! Hello, Little Ninth Consort!”

The parrot greeted her in its raspy voice, making Qiao Tang laugh as she leaned against a pillar. “You little thing, why haven’t you left?”

The parrot, very perceptive, replied, “I’m worried about you.”

Qiao Tang: …

[Please execute the task immediately, Host.]

The system urged her.

Qiao Tang wrapped her cloak tighter and sat down under the corridor. “I want to see how many points I have.”

The parrot tilted its head in confusion, “What’s that?”

“I haven’t told you.” Qiao Tang patted its wing.

[You have no points because you haven’t completed any tasks.]

“I haven’t completed any tasks? Then, tell me, what’s my name?”

[Host, are you trying to stall? If you fail to complete the task in time, you will face a penalty task. Please don’t complicate things.]

“What’s my name?”

The system seemed angry, its voice colder, [Lu Tang.]

Qiao Tang laughed, “You’ve got the wrong person. I’m Qiao Tang, not Lu Tang.”

The system fell silent.

[Impossible. Our precise calculations identified you as Lu Tang.]

Qiao Tang turned to the parrot, “Tell it my name.”

The parrot flapped its wings, [Idiot, our Little Ninth Consort is Qiao Tang.]

The system: …

How could this thing respond to it!

Wait.

How could the parrot hear its voice, which should be audible only to the host?

The system was briefly quiet before repeating, [Please complete the task immediately.]

Qiao Tang leaned against the pillar, “The task is meant for Lu Tang, so why should I, Qiao Tang, complete it?”

The system ignored her logic, responding mechanically, [Please complete the task immediately.]

Qiao Tang sighed.

She remembered when the system could detect her thoughts and show them as audio-visual images. Thinking back to her volunteer experience before crossing over, she took a deep breath and told the parrot, “Cheer me on!”

The parrot immediately whistled, “Alright!”

It flapped to a nearby branch and shouted, “Go, Little Ninth Consort, go! Harder, faster, almost there!”

Qiao Tang: …

Why does that sound so weird!

Never mind.

She closed her eyes and focused.

Qiao Tang envisioned a vast grassland in her mind.

[Host, please complete the task immediately.]

Ignoring the system’s urging, Qiao Tang continued her imagination.

On the grassland appeared two figures: herself, with her back labeled “Lu/Qiao Tang,” and another faceless figure resembling a store mannequin labeled “System.”

The system: !

Qiao Tang took a deep breath, “The horse race starts now!”

She pulled the reins and spurred her horse forward.

[Stop, stop, stop!]

The system’s voice trembled.

Next to Qiao Tang, the mannequin figure jolted on its horse.

Qiao Tang smirked, “You said race, but didn’t specify the competitor. We’ll race!”

Initially uncertain, she had guessed this based on the system’s interference with Guo Zongming’s thoughts, leading her to suspect.

Not wanting to be controlled by the system, she tested her theory.

To her surprise, the system indeed rode the horse.

It worked!

Qiao Tang, having read numerous silly novels, filled her mind with scenes of ruthless CEOs and naive girls, turning the system into the protagonist of every absurd scenario.

The system made calls to its secretary to arrange a heart transplant.

The system ordered the global suspension of flights to block someone at the airport.

The system carried a miniature atomic bomb, ready to detonate.

[Stop it!]

What a ridiculous host, so disgusting.

Qiao Tang continued her fantasy.

The ground beneath the race began to collapse, and the system’s path split open, causing it to fall into a chasm.

Ding~

As she considered adding lava, a clear sound echoed in her mind.

[Consciousness resistance test completed. Chip destruction in progress. Please wait.]

[Unable to detect chip. Please wait.]

[Unable to detect chip. Please wait.]

[Fuck! The chip can’t be detected. Who controls this machine? Restart it.]

Qiao Tang: ?

[It shouldn’t be. This volunteer’s willpower defeated the system, indicating high-quality consciousness, exactly what we need.]

[Less talk. Where’s the chip? Wasn’t it implanted? Why can’t we find it?]

[Because we can’t locate this volunteer’s consciousness.]

[Can’t find consciousness? Didn’t she just defeat the system? How can she be gone? Was it a ghost?]

[Consciousness absent. Interface will disappear in three minutes. Please save records.]

The previous dialogue between a man and a woman ended with a cold mechanical voice.

Qiao Tang leaned against the pillar, stunned.

She recognized the voices—they were the doctors who had connected her to the volunteer experiment.

They were introduced as industry elites specializing in consciousness research.

Qiao Tang sat in the darkness, not moving, as numerous three-minute intervals passed without another sound.

Was she unbound?

Zhao Yue had said the system temporarily bound to her due to her missing consciousness.

Having transmigrated, her modern body used in the experiment remained unconscious after the experiment ended?

Qiao Tang exhaled.

She couldn’t return to the modern world now, but if she could, she’d report this. Wasn’t this experiment illegal?

Confining someone’s consciousness.

If the person failed the test, would they die or…

The thought was terrifying.

“What are you doing here?”

A familiar voice startled her. Turning, she saw Qin Mo approaching with a crimson cloak, wrapping it around her as he sat beside her.

Qiao Tang leaned on Qin Mo’s shoulder, pushing aside her thoughts, and looked up at the moon. “I’m just grateful to have met you.”

She had met Qin Mo, Zhao Yue, and unbound from the system.

Without Qin Mo, her limited wisdom might have led to her death under the system’s control.

Yet, thanks to the system, she exposed Lu Deren, encountered bandits, and met Qin Mo.

Sighing with mixed feelings, she wondered if the system had malicious intentions.

Qin Mo’s arm circled her neck, fingers lifting her chin, “Why the sigh?”

Qiao Tang lied, “I’m just nervous about serving tea in the palace tomorrow.”

Qin Mo pulled her closer, kissing her cheek, “Shouldn’t I be the one nervous?”

Many would be waiting to see his spectacle!

Qiao Tang laughed mischievously, “Oh, by the way, Liang Cheng asked me to tell you not to give him special treatment.”

Qin Mo held her, “I don’t have to.”

Qiao Tang was puzzled, “Huh?”

Qin Mo nuzzled her neck, “His father was the Right Assistant General of the Western Mountain Camp.”

Qiao Tang, shocked, pulled away, “Really? Why isn’t he anymore?”

Qin Mo shrugged, “I don’t know. It might be related to Guo Zongming’s interference with the camp. Anyway, the camp commander is thrilled to have Liang Cheng. With such a direct leader, there’s no need for my intervention.”

Nodding, Qiao Tang was about to speak when the parrot flapped its wings, shouting, “Little Ninth, wear a skirt! Little Ninth, wear a skirt!”

Footsteps approached.

“Your Highness, Princess Consort, it’s time to go to the palace for the tea ceremony.”

Qin Mo stood, lifting Qiao Tang in his arms. Under the cool moonlight, she whispered in his ear, “You promised to wear a skirt to the palace. Does that still count?”