The Heartless Alpha Just Wants to Follow the Plot - Chapter 20

Looking at the old man—who appeared fierce on the surface but was, in fact, an indulgent grandfather doting excessively on his young kin—and then considering the fate of his neighbor, Su Mo felt that the situation was too cruel.

“Except for the main characters’ plotlines, which can’t be changed, what about the supporting characters? Can they be altered? Even slightly?”

The System knew Su Mo felt a pang of pity after seeing the tragic ending awaiting the old man, Old Master Su. However, principles were principles. Once a boundary was crossed, it would be crossed a second, third, and countless more times, eventually causing the host to become deeply entangled in the plot and the world, making escape impossible.

Countless past hosts had failed their missions precisely because of this, becoming permanently trapped in other worlds, condemned to endless repetition and stagnation.

Su Mo was the host it had the highest hopes for, and it didn’t want her to suffer that fate.

“Host, they are merely ‘paper people’ to you. You don’t need to feel sorry for their misfortune. They exist to serve the plot. Even without your involvement, his ending would be the same; it wouldn’t change at all.”

“But if you intervene…”

The System’s tone grew heavy: “Even a minor deviation could ultimately lead to a vastly different outcome. Moreover, your predecessors have laid out too many painful examples of what will happen if you expose the fact that you do not belong to this world.”

“Host, don’t be too soft-hearted.”

Soft-heartedness was a surefire way to fail the mission.

Su Mo’s eyes darkened. “You mentioned my predecessors. What happened to them?”

The System stated grimly: “Permanent, repetitive stagnation in the same plotline of the same world, with no means of escape. Their souls are imprisoned, forced to endure this until they collapse and perish, becoming nourishment for the World Will.”

As chosen hosts, their spiritual power had to be strong enough to withstand the rejection from the World Will when entering a deceased body. Such individuals possessed three advantages: first, they could remain within the world under the System’s protection without being easily expelled; second, they were generally strong-willed and decisive; and third, they started the mission with high aspirations.

However, if such a person succumbed to the influence of the World Will, their demise would be exceptionally difficult and painful. Their suffering would span multiple times that of others. In the cycle of repetitive reincarnation, they would repeatedly witness their beloved and cherished ones leave them again and again.

The harder they tried to save them, the deeper they would sink, eventually leading to their own self-annihilation.

“Host, you must never try to touch what doesn’t belong to you, nor must you ever cross the bottom line of the World Will.”

Su Mo fell silent. It wasn’t that she feared death, but if death was avoidable, it was better to avoid it. Her wish had yet to be fulfilled.

Still.

She looked at Grandpa Su, who had already gone to instruct someone to bring out their meal. If she hadn’t taken over, how did the original host—who enjoyed all of this—manage to ruin her life to that extent?

She wondered if the recent behind-the-scenes manipulations were the work of the masterminds who caused the original host’s downfall.

“What are you thinking about? Hurry up and eat. Didn’t you say you were hungry?”

Grandpa Su tapped his cane on the floor, calling Su Mo back from her thoughts. He feigned displeasure, saying, “What’s wrong? Is it a terrible hardship for you to come back and eat a meal with this old man? Am I interfering with your grand career of shining on the outside stage and saving the world?”

Su Mo responded with the same embarrassed tone the original host would use: “Grandpa!”

Grandpa Su snorted, slowly making his way to the dining room table with his cane and sitting down. The table was already set with three or four of Su Mo’s favorite dishes.

Su Mo’s taste was similar to the original host’s, favoring slightly stronger flavors. The braised fish, spicy chicken, and “Maoxuewang” (a spicy dish with various ingredients) in front of her were all to her liking. Since the old man’s age made it difficult for him to eat overly spicy food, the chili content in these dishes had been appropriately reduced.

“Now that you’re back, stay for a while longer. It’s been a long time since I last saw you.”

The old man put a piece of fish belly into Su Mo’s bowl, his gaze kind, yet carrying a subtle, hard-to-miss hint of probing.

Su Mo accepted it and ate calmly, saying, “Yes, I can. The weather is getting cold lately, so I can rest for two months. I’ll just shoot two advertisements around the New Year. I’ve heard that there’s a mecha advertisement shoot for the military. I received a notice, but haven’t decided whether to take it yet.”

She replied seemingly casually. The two of them were like a pair of foxes wearing masks, each trying to gauge the other’s boundaries and intentions.

Grandpa Su put down his chopsticks, his voice indifferent: “The military, huh.”

His topic suddenly changed. He asked, “Do you think the Zergs that appeared during your last filming session were a coincidence?”

Grandpa Su was an experienced operator; otherwise, after Su Mo’s parents passed away, he wouldn’t have been able to single-handedly maintain such a large family business, bear all the pressure, grant Su Mo her freedom, and still serve as her ultimate safety net at his advanced age. The reason the original host could be so arrogant was entirely due to the grandfather’s power and status. If such a person couldn’t detect her abnormality, she would find it strange.

However, the other party seemed to have no intention of exposing her thoughts.

Su Mo was puzzled. Given Grandpa Su’s protective love for the original host, it was impossible for him to be so calm after realizing she had taken over the original host’s body.

Yet, the fact was that the old man genuinely did not intend to expose her, and was even prepared to ignore it.

Su Mo: “?”

Why was this? Could it be that he had a change of heart and decided he didn’t care about his own bloodline anymore?

She held her bowl and ate with a heavy heart. If he wasn’t speaking out, it meant his demands were significant, and the situation was likely not to her advantage.

She mentally called out to the System, asking it to explain.

“This old man seems to know I’m an impostor, but he doesn’t seem to be planning to expose me. Why is that? This doesn’t align with the plot.”

The System had been rushed online. It carefully observed Old Master Su, then flipped the plot script to the next page. A sudden sense of dread washed over it. Why was the plot so utterly chaotic?

This didn’t feel like a first-time strategy session at all. It was more like the plot had been run through multiple times, scattering the details so badly they couldn’t be pieced together.

The System held the script in silence. It was a System, and its clear program confirmed through various methods that this was its first time entering this world and running this specific plot.

Yet, the script it held was terrifyingly fragmented, like a broken person being painstakingly stitched back together, piece by piece.

It was highly inconsistent. Far too inconsistent.

“What are you thinking? System, hurry up and get this done.”

Su Mo urged the System in her mind. On the surface, facing the Old Master’s rhetorical question, she offered a slight, gentle smile. “When it comes to this matter, no one can say plainly that there isn’t a problem.”

Anyone who wasn’t an idiot could see the issue, but she couldn’t state it directly. This was a test, and the Old Master was testing her. She couldn’t be so blunt.

Seeing her demeanor, Grandpa Su waved his hand, signaling the others to leave.

After everyone had been dismissed, even the butler, his gaze settled on Su Mo. He picked up his chopsticks again and put a piece of diced chicken into her bowl.

“I’ve always felt you would have that day when you finally understood. You’re naturally a little naive compared to others, and I’ve spoiled you as you grew up. You view many things from an innocent perspective. You’ve never experienced the darker angles of life, so you don’t understand them.”

He looked at Su Mo kindly, but a clear intelligence shone deep in his eyes, proving that no change or detail could escape his notice.

“You’ve been spending a lot of time with that young star, Qiu Fu, lately. And there’s also Si Yu. Both are respected, veteran actresses. You certainly know how to entertain yourself.”

The Old Master’s words were teasing, and he changed the subject very quickly.

Su Mo followed his lead. “Yes, I saved them a few times, and we spent some time together during filming. I learned a lot from them—enough for me to process for a while.”

“It’s good that you can learn. Calm your heart and believe in yourself.”

Old Master Su spoke to Su Mo just like a normal grandfather, showing no sign of anything unusual.

The meal was difficult, and Su Mo felt a deep heaviness as she went upstairs.

She couldn’t figure it out. She truly couldn’t.

Because she had to return home, she had arranged for Qiu Fu to stay at their nearby private estate. Calculating the time, it was about time she went to clearly explain the situation to Qiu Fu.

The matter of detoxification couldn’t be delayed.

After careful consideration, she went out late that night.

When she rang the doorbell, the person who opened the door was Pu Ying.

Su Mo was surprised. “What are you doing here?”

Pu Ying replied, “Without me, do you think the Old Master would have agreed to let you bring someone here?”

Qiu Fu was sitting on the sofa. On the coffee table were a steaming cup of coffee, a glass of fresh juice, and a simple glass of warm water. Seeing Su Mo arrive, she nodded as a sign of greeting.

“Thank you for being so thoughtful.”

Su Mo sat in the main seat on the sofa, with the other two sitting on the smaller sofas on either side. She looked at the juice meant for her, glanced at Qiu Fu, saw no sign of alarm, and then glanced at Pu Ying, whose expression was also unusually calm. She figured the matter hadn’t been discussed yet.

She cleared her throat and took the initiative. “Pu Ying might not have told you everything yet, so I need to explain the situation to you now.”

She described the effects of the Trefoil Suppressant, focusing specifically on the resulting consequences.

“That’s the situation. We all suspect the toxin you have is Trefoil Suppressant. If you want a complete detoxification, the only ways are for me to thoroughly mark you, or for you to become a disabled person.”

Qiu Fu remained silent for a long time before finally saying in a raspy voice, “You can mark me.”

No living person who has experienced all the good things in life would willingly choose to become an invalid, so Qiu Fu’s choice was generally what Su Mo had expected.

“Although it’s to save me, I am an Omega. If you mark me, my Omega nature will force me to rely on you for survival, but I am not that kind of person. So, we are simply partners.”

Qiu Fu spoke very calmly. “You will give me pheromones periodically, and I will soothe your mental energy, but there will be no further development.”

She needed Su Mo. If Su Mo didn’t agree, she wouldn’t have any other option.

Su Mo nodded naturally. “That goes without saying. A few months of mere contact won’t cause both parties to become eternally devoted to each other.”

“I accept your cooperation.”

The two happily reached an agreement. Only Pu Ying, drinking her coffee, was noticeably silent, having not spoken a single word since she sat down.