Did I Succeed in Redeeming the Villain Today? - Chapter 68

Chapter 68: “Does The Host Like This Reward?”

Hearing Wutong’s answer, Lu Ning was stunned.

What did she mean, she requested it? How could it have been her request?

Lu Ning stared at the person who had just informed her of this with a tight frown. Looking into the girl’s clean, clear eyes, she could see no trace of a lie.

Lu Ning felt a sense of absurdity, much like the time in university when she curiously joined the AI club, wrote a line of code, and accidentally programmed her robot to pull its own power plug. Though the sentence was packed with massive implications, had her past self ever considered that her present self would remember absolutely nothing?

How was she supposed to interpret those words?

Lu Ning’s brow furrowed even deeper. Suddenly, a flood of blurred, fragmented memories began to flicker through her mind. She tried to see the images clearly, but the more she concentrated, the more her head throbbed.

Wutong’s anxious gaze drew closer to her. She looked terrified. But before Lu Ning could understand why Wutong wore that expression, her vision went black…

“BANG!”

In the dead silence, Lu Ning heard the sound of a bullet being chambered and fired. A small piece of metal sliced through the air, and the snap of broken wind brushed against her cheek.

Her hearing returned first. Then her sense of touch. Vision, the sense people rely on most, was the last to reappear.

Lu Ning opened her eyes only after the sound of the bullet had already passed her ear. Light flooded into her eyes from all directions. The shooting range of Guanghua High School’s Shooting Club unrolled before her, stretching out along her line of sight.

Lu Ning looked at her surroundings and felt she was standing in a very strange place. She wasn’t behind the firing line; she was inside the range.

“BANG!”

While Lu Ning was still recalibrating her visual system, a notification box popped up to warn her that something was flying toward her. Another bullet had been fired.

Lu Ning scrambled to dodge. The wind grazed her body again. She followed the bullet’s trajectory, turning to see the scoreboard above display: 10.8.

Was this a shooting practice? Lu Ning frowned.

She didn’t know the exact situation, but such precision immediately reminded her of Mu Qiuyu. She turned her gaze toward the source of the shot. Her visual system had finished adjusting; her sight gradually sharpened from near to far.

At the end of her line of sight, Mu Qiuyu was holding a pistol, aiming it expressionlessly—right at her. This didn’t seem like a simple training session. Mu Qiuyu’s equipment was more complete than usual; noise-canceling headphones and safety goggles framed her face. Her dark pupils were focused with intense concentration, bringing a sense of heavy pressure.

There was still a hint of youthful innocence about her, but her hair, tied up haphazardly, gave her a sharp, capable look. She didn’t say a word, her expression calm as her gun-hand remained steady, aimed at her target as if she could pierce through anything at any moment.

Lu Ning’s heart stirred, as if she heard the sound of a shell casing hitting the floor inside her soul. The clatter echoed through her hollow body. At that moment, Mu Qiuyu’s eyes shifted upward slightly.

Lu Ning didn’t have time to hide her gaze before it was caught by the other girl. Under the bright fluorescent lights of the shooting range, Lu Ning and Mu Qiuyu locked eyes. The girl’s gaze still held an un-faded sharpness, causing the light around Lu Ning to tremble, and crystal-blue electronic particles began to flake off her.

“Eh?”

Noticing the light points falling from her body, Lu Ning realized her perspective was off. Combined with her sensory perception of the surroundings, she realized with a start that she had returned to her long-lost form: the small floating orb.

The transparent orb suspended in mid-air was invisible to everyone except Mu Qiuyu. No wonder her sudden appearance hadn’t caused a commotion. Lu Ning’s panic was suppressed before it could even surface. Besides, being a small orb was much more convenient. She could fly over to Mu Qiuyu without restraint and nuzzle her: “Host—”

But before she could complete the nuzzling motion, she noticed a group of men and women in suits standing on the side of the shooting range. These people looked like officials; their expressions varied in degrees of seriousness as they watched Mu Qiuyu. Teacher Li and the coach stood beside them looking exceptionally formal and stiff.

Seeing this setup, Lu Ning didn’t dare interrupt. She slowed down, drifted sluggishly toward Mu Qiuyu’s side, and switched herself into silent mode.

“BANG!”

Once Lu Ning reached Mu Qiuyu’s side, Mu Qiuyu pulled the trigger again. The electronic screen quickly reflected the score: 10.9. Even better than the last shot.

“Not bad.”

“Though this shot took a bit longer than the first two, it was more stable.”

“She’s a good prospect.”

“Yes, our Qiuyu has always been very steady.”

Because she was close now, the discussions of the officials drifted into Lu Ning’s ears without delay. Hearing them critique Mu Qiuyu’s performance while the coach chimed in, the little orb carefully rolled its round body over, curiously inspecting these people who clearly had significant backgrounds.

Soon, the information about them popped up. These were professional judges for the Provincial Shooting Competition. After Gao Yuan’s accident, the school’s shooting club was far behind in points for the summer “Youth Games.” The Women’s 25m Pistol was the club’s weak point, but it was also the only event where they could catch up on points to secure a spot.

Teacher Li and the coach were essentially “treating a dead horse as if it were alive” by letting Mu Qiuyu, who had just joined the club, step in. Because the substitution was submitted so late, Mu Qiuyu was scheduled for a solo supplementary session. The organizing committee also felt it was a pity for a strong club like Guanghua to miss the Youth Games.

Seeing the sequence of events, Lu Ning was amazed that she had missed so much. Isn’t time in the Inner World supposed to be faster than reality? How did a single trip inside result in more than a day passing in the outside world?

“BANG!”

While Lu Ning was busy troubleshooting the time discrepancy, Mu Qiuyu fired another shot. The scores lined up perfectly on the electronic screen; not a single shot missed the mark. Mu Qiuyu lived up to expectations, shooting brilliantly until the very end.

The judges looked at her scores and nodded in unison. Their comments were along the lines of “This girl is fine,” “We can give Guanghua the substitution spot,” and “These scores are more than enough for the competition.”

Only one woman remained silent. She leaned against the wall, her level gaze fixed on Mu Qiuyu’s profile with a look that seemed complex. Regarding this “unstable factor,” Lu Ning did a quick check.

This was the chief referee of the Provincial Shooting Competition, Xu Lan. In a sport as fast-paced as shooting, she had dominated the field for eight consecutive years and won fourteen world-class gold medals.

“What do you think, Teacher Xu?” a judge asked.

Xu Lan nodded. “The skill is there.” Her gaze didn’t waver from Mu Qiuyu. “However…”

“However what?” Teacher Li and the coach’s hearts jumped back into their throats.

“Too much hostility,” Xu Lan said softly.

Those four simple words were sharp and hit the mark. Lu Ning was startled. However, to the other judges, this was nothing. It was just a competition; they wouldn’t judge a participant based on their “aura.”

“Is that so? I didn’t see it.”

“But this kid’s mindset is truly excellent.”

“I thought she was hesitating on the third shot, but every shot after that was more decisive than the last.”

“I’m looking forward to what she can achieve at the Youth Games.”

The judges exchanged opinions and gave their approval. Teacher Li and the coach visibly relaxed. Though it was a supplementary score, as long as the committee passed it, there would be no problem.

“Senior is so cool.”

“Is there anything Mu Qiuyu can’t do?”

“I declare, from now on, I am Mu Qiuyu’s dog. If anyone slanders her, I’ll bite them.”

“Please, my sister is a solo beauty.”

“If anyone dares talk about her again, she’ll just shoot them.”

Seeing the judges nod, the students watching from the sidelines couldn’t help but whisper. Hearing them call her “amazing” over and over, Lu Ning felt a surge of pride, her little orb body bobbing excitedly in the air.

But then, she caught some comments that didn’t sound quite right:

“Does Mu Qiuyu have a boyfriend?”

“Go away, a beauty like that should be with another beauty.”

“Actually, I think Mu Qiuyu… she doesn’t look very straight…”

“I like her. I want to chase her.”

“I’m going to go ask for Senior’s contact info!”

Hearing this, Lu Ning’s leisurely swelling pride stopped. She felt a sudden, strange sense of discomfort. Ignoring the voices, she flew quickly to Mu Qiuyu’s side.

“Host! You’re so amazing!” The little orb’s voice was louder than the surrounding chatter. It rushed to the front of Mu Qiuyu, flashing with a crystal-blue light.

She didn’t realize how piercing her sudden flashing was. Mu Qiuyu’s lowered eyes blinked unnaturally, then she looked up at the clumsy little orb. “How amazing?”

“Super-ultra-mega amazing!” Lu Ning replied. “You didn’t just get a great score; you changed the fate of the entire shooting club! You literally saved the day! Did you know? The judges couldn’t stop praising your technique. With skills like yours, staying only in the school club is a waste of—”

Before Lu Ning could finish her flattery, she was pinched by a hand. Mu Qiuyu calmly put down the gun and used her shooting hand to lightly squeeze the soft, vulnerable little orb.

“Then shouldn’t you reward me with something?”

Mu Qiuyu’s movement pulled Lu Ning very close. The girl’s narrowed eyes were clearly reflected on the orb’s surface—dark and bright, hiding a glint of a smile that didn’t fear being analyzed. That strange sensation once again penetrated Lu Ning’s body through Mu Qiuyu’s touch. She felt the internal currents of her body going haywire, frantically rushing toward Mu Qiuyu’s hand.

Lu Ning was on the verge of losing control over her heartbeat, afraid her body would start vibrating in the next second.

Reward.

An answer suddenly squeezed into Lu Ning’s empty head. The little orb pinched in Mu Qiuyu’s palm struggled free—not out of force, but as a premeditated rush toward Mu Qiuyu’s forehead.

She left a deep kiss there.

“Does the Host like this reward?” The little orb, its body gradually turning red, looked down at the person below.

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