The Heartless Alpha Just Wants to Follow the Plot - Chapter 60

“I know what you want to say.”

The Old Man had known for a long time. It was as if he had been waiting for no one else but Su Mo herself.

“I also know you’re confused as to why I’m so accepting of this, but I’m sorry I cannot say.”

The Old Man looked at Su Mo with a gaze full of guilt, whispering, “Actually, I knew from the first moment you woke up. I raised you; how could I not tell the difference?”

“But child, this world is not as simple as you think. The fact that you are alive is already my greatest consolation.”

In the depths of his eyes lay a lingering attachment and a profound sorrow—a look Su Mo had never seen before. It was filled with emotions she couldn’t decipher. She didn’t understand why he was saying this.

What is so different about this world?

Isn’t the biggest anomaly the fact that I transmigrated here?

Su Mo felt a wave of dizziness wash over her. A dull, numbing pain throbbed deep within her skull, as if something were trying to claw its way out from beneath her scalp. She furrowed her brows and shook her head.

【System? System, answer me! What is going on?】

【Get out here! Tell me what’s happening! Is there something wrong with this body?】

No matter how she called out, the System remained silent this time.

“Don’t try to think about it.”

The Old Man’s hand was still resting on her head. He seemed to understand Su Mo’s current state perfectly, yet he offered no explanation. His lips thinned into a line of sorrow. “I have no way either, Mo Mo.”

“I cannot change anything. Only you can. Only you can change all of this, Mo Mo. You must trust your own judgment.”

“Whatever decision you make, it will be the right one.”

As the Old Man spoke, the pain in Su Mo’s head vanished instantly. Her memories weren’t lost, nor were any added; it was as if something were deliberately warning her to stop listening to these words.

Su Mo clutched her head, her breath coming in heavy gasps. “I only have one question.”

The Old Man withdrew his hand. “Ask it.”

“I.”

The moment Su Mo opened her mouth, the System which had been silent for an eternity—suddenly flared to life with a frantic warning.

【WARNING! WARNING!】

【Host, you are strictly forbidden from revealing anything about your identity, nor can you disclose any information related to the original plot of this world. Violators will suffer a 100,000-volt electric shock!】

Su Mo instantly swallowed the words that were on the tip of her tongue. Although the System’s warning came quickly, it didn’t stop her from piecing things together.

So that’s how it is.

Su Mo let out a mental sneer. 【You certainly kept me in the dark, didn’t you?】

This world was nothing like the simple plot the System had initially provided. Take the Old Man, for instance—he clearly knew something, which was why he had been waiting for her. From his consistent attitude, he treated her and the “original” Su Mo as the same person. He knew who she was, and he knew why she had come here.

He even knew the original plot!

Su Mo took a deep breath. This world was absolutely riddled with bugs.

The System went quiet for a moment, appearing at a loss for words.

Su Mo pressed on: 【So, what exactly is this world?】

The System pursed its metaphorical lips. 【The Overlord System has regulations. I can’t say.】

Su Mo was driven to an angry laugh. 【Then what was that “plot” you gave me earlier? Did you just make it up on the spot?】

She had followed the mission and the plot for so long, only to find out it was a farce. She prided herself on her acting skills, but she had been played so thoroughly by a System that she nearly lost her mind.

The System tried desperately to defend itself: 【I didn’t lie to you! The plot I received was exactly like that. You saw it yourself, the events and character settings all matched up!】

【At the beginning, the plot I had was no different from what I told you. But as the missions progressed, I realized the data was changing. It started evolving into a completely different story on its own. To keep you from finding out, I tried to contact the Overlord System, but then I realized.】

The System sounded defeated. 【I’ve lost the connection.】

It couldn’t reach the Overlord System. The plot had spiraled out of control, and it had no idea why this mid-way evolution was happening or if there was a corruption in the data. So, it chose to hide.

【That warning just now was a hardcoded safety protocol. I can’t change it. It only triggers when key plot points are at risk or when the Host tries to leak the “story.”】

Su Mo cut it off. 【I don’t care about that. I just want to know: how do I complete the mission now? Is it the same as before?】

The System sounded anxious. 【I don’t know.】

【After the plot changed, everything became different. The missions are currently in a state of chaos. Without the Overlord System’s oversight, the tasks won’t refresh correctly.】

The System was on the verge of a breakdown. It didn’t understand why this was happening. Everything had been fine until Su Mo encountered the female lead, Tan Ya. From that point on, everything went haywire. The program automatically rewrote the plot and even swapped out the missions.

Originally, Su Mo only needed to play the “vicious villainess” well, and she could “pass away” to return to Earth after the task was done. But after the plot was “magically modified,” the mission became “Save the Heroine.” It even required her to fulfill roles that belonged to the heroine’s original harem—from rescuing the heroine to helping her return to power, crushing the Tan family, and eventually establishing a harem.

This had gone far beyond any normal deviation. The System had been secretly trying to scrape together a coherent storyline from the shifting tasks, but not only did it fail, its intervention made the interface even more unstable.

That was the real reason it had been hiding. It was genuinely terrified.

It was just a junior System! Why did it have to endure so much?

Su Mu: “…”

Following this moron System. I really am doomed.

“Mo Mo, does your head still hurt?”

The Old Man looked at her with eyes full of worry and genuine affection. He truly saw her as his own granddaughter. Even though Su Mo knew she was an interloper, she couldn’t help but feel a warm current rising in her heart at such sincere emotion.

“It doesn’t hurt anymore.”

Su Mo’s eyes softened, and her voice dropped to a gentle tone. “Grandfather, I understand. Don’t worry, you are my grandfather, and that will never change.”

The Old Man’s eyes reddened. “Good, good, that’s my girl.”

Su Mo leaned in and hugged the Old Man’s arm, resting her head on his shoulder. She had never experienced the warmth of a family’s care before; this was her first time. This was also why, after seeing the tragic end the Old Man faced in the original story, she felt the urge to change the plot for the first time. A man like this didn’t deserve such a fate.

When they reached the hotel, it was time for Su Mo to leave, but the Old Man held her arm, his face clouded with concern. “You humiliated him so thoroughly this time; he will definitely look for a chance to retaliate. You must be extremely careful.”

“Why don’t you stop filming? Come home with me. I can protect you.”

Su Mo thought of Major Song’s twisted expression and patted the back of the Old Man’s hand. “Grandfather, if he wants to move against me, he’ll find an opening even if I hide at home forever.”

“Since you said that whatever decision I make is the right one, then please trust me this once. I won’t let anything happen to me.”

“But.”

When it came to Su Mo’s safety, the Old Man was always conflicted. He didn’t want his granddaughter to suffer any harm, but he also didn’t want her to be a prisoner in her own home because of others.

“Fine. If that’s the case, take a few more bodyguards with you.”

The Old Man couldn’t win against her. Since Su Mo refused to go home, he had to find the most secure way to protect her.

Su Mo: “…”

“It’s too many, Grandfather,” she reminded him delicately. “I don’t need this many for now. The netizens will get jealous.”

The Old Man was quite blunt. “You’ve always acted like a pampered diva anyway; they’re already used to it. Just do what you need to do.”

Su Mo: “…”

Thank you, Grandfather. You really are too thoughtful.

After handing over the bodyguards, the Old Man felt much more at ease. Once he left, Su Mo looked at the massive entourage of guards following her. After a moment of silence, she went and booked three extra rooms for them.

Three days later, she returned to the set with her crowd of followers. The elder Director Jiang looked at her and the wall of men behind her and immediately blurted out, “The production doesn’t cover their room and board.”

Su Mo: “…”

“Do I look like I’m short on pocket change for a few meals?”

Director Jiang: “…”

Technically you’re right, but I hate to admit it.

The younger Director Jiang patted his old partner on the shoulder. Sometimes, this old friend of his let his stingy side slip out a bit too abruptly. He waved them over with a smile. “Bring them in. The production isn’t so broke that we can’t afford a few extra plates.”

The elder Director Jiang glared at him. “Are you paying?”

The younger director pushed him aside, his smile not quite reaching his eyes. “Be quiet. I’ll talk to you later, you old fossil.”

The elder director wanted to argue, but he was promptly shoved away by his partner. “Ignore him, ignore him! He’s just like that. He’s not a bad guy, he’s just a bit of a penny-pincher.”

Their budget for this drama was substantial, but because the elder Director Jiang was determined to squeeze every single Star-credit for “the right places,” the catering was notoriously plain.

Su Mo stated generously, “It’s fine. I’ll pay.”

Initially, she had been frugal because she felt the money wasn’t hers. If the Old Man had suspected her, she could have claimed she never used a cent, thus owing nothing. But things were different now. Since they had cleared the air and she had accepted the role, there was no need to worry about such small expenses.

Hearing that Su Mo was paying, the elder Director Jiang instantly flashed his payment code. “Thank you.”

The younger Director Jiang couldn’t even move fast enough to stop him.

Younger Director Jiang: “…”

You really showed your true colors there, didn’t you?

He gave a dry laugh but didn’t try to cover for him anymore. This whole scene was clearly an invitation for Su Mo to spend money. Su Mo knew it, too, but he was the director, after all she had to show some respect. She scanned a symbolic amount of money over.

“Is this enough for their food and board? They’re mainly here to handle my security.”

The news of her being hauled off for testing a few days ago had already spread. The younger Director Jiang spent his days monitoring every move of the crew online, so he knew exactly what had happened. He had even used his connections to ask around the military to find out why Su Mo was suddenly subjected to a DNA test with the Old Man personally supervising. He was dying of curiosity.