The Protagonist and the Villain Both Kissed Me [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 42

Emerging from the second basement level, Su Xi finally breathed in fresh air. He decided that the next time he visited that place, he would absolutely need a gas mask.

Over the past few days, he had stayed dutifully by Mephisto’s side and hadn’t visited A04. Usually, if he didn’t go to him, A04 would have found a way to show up on his doorstep. The image of the blue tentacles he had seen after his shower was still burned into his memory.

The fact that there had been no movement for so long could only mean that A04 was being held back by something.

The Institute housed three S-rank experimental subjects. Generally, higher-ranked subjects could control those beneath them. So, which S-rank had subdued the A-rank A04?

Su Xi’s lashes lowered as he called out to System 1368 in his mind. “Xiao Ba, I need to exchange for some items.”

“Understood! Shop is open. What would you like to purchase, Host?” System 1368 popped up eagerly. It had been feeling quite sulky; how could it build a bond with its Host if the connection kept cutting out? It was definitely going to report this to HQ for repairs!

“Let me think… Give me some truth serum, some knockout spray, and some heavy-duty hemp rope, the kind that can hold a tiger or a lion. Oh, and if possible, a knife or something similar.”

As he listed each item, 1368 added them to the cart. These things weren’t expensive, and since Su Xi had earned a lot in the previous world, he clicked “Checkout” without even looking at the total.

With his new supplies secured, he headed toward the fourth-floor containment room.

Inside the room, mist swirled just as before. Following his usual routine, Su Xi recorded the daily data and reported it. Then, he walked up to the towering water tank. He pressed his hand against the thick glass; he felt as though he could almost feel the rhythmic sway of the currents within.

As he stared into the tank, he suddenly met a pair of emerald eyes. A moment later, Mephisto’s hand pressed against the glass from the inside, matching his own. He saw the merman’s lips move, seemingly saying something.

But the soundproofing of the tank was too good. Su Xi could only guess the words based on lip-reading: “You’re here, my treasure.”

He flashed a smile at Mephisto and signaled for him to come out. Watching that beautiful blue tail glide through the water in flexible curves, its scales shimmering under the fluorescent lights, Su Xi walked over to the edge of the pool. He shed his outer cloak and laid it on the dry ground.

He reached out and dipped his fingers into the water. The temperature was bitingly cold, chilling him to the bone in this winter weather.

“Mephisto, come out,” he called softly. After a few seconds of ripples, Mephisto emerged from the surface and swam to him. The merman nuzzled his smooth cheek against Su Xi’s fingertips, his emerald eyes sparkling like gems.

“I’m leaving soon,” Su Xi said abruptly.

The smile on Mephisto’s face froze instantly. He struggled to control his emotions, tilting his head with a look of grievance. “Why? Is it because I wasn’t good enough?”

“You don’t love me. You only find me interesting for now because I’m different from the others. Being ‘good’ isn’t enough, Mephisto. You have to love me, or I’ll leave you,” Su Xi stated calmly. Looking at Mephisto’s silent, stunned expression, he found it almost laughable.

“I do love you,” Mephisto blinked, seizing Su Xi’s wrist. “Otherwise, I wouldn’t have kissed you.”

“Kissing is just a biological instinct. Mephisto, didn’t you say before that you only liked my face?”

Su Xi tried to pull his hand back, but it wouldn’t budge. He didn’t mind, though; his goal was merely to provoke the creature. With his free hand, he unpinned the identity badge from his chest. “Take this. You can escape through the drainage system quite easily with it. I’ll clean up the aftermath for you. Consider it a reward for being so good lately, alright?”

He wants to sever ties and leave me that badly? Mephisto lowered his head, silent. His long, pale-gold hair almost completely veiled his face. He didn’t understand. Su Xi was the one who said they should go back to the way they were; Su Xi was the one who said he wouldn’t leave as long as he was good. But now, Su Xi was the one who wanted to go…

Are humans always this fickle?

“But you would be punished for that. I won’t go, and you shouldn’t leave either…” Mephisto’s appearance was far too deceptive. He knew exactly how to use his ethereal, androgynous beauty to his advantage. His long lashes trembled, and crystal-clear tears fell from the corners of his eyes, turning into round, lustrous pearls that splashed into the pool.

“…” Su Xi watched Mephisto cry with such genuine sorrow, but the Salvation Value in the top right corner hadn’t budged. He was momentarily at a loss. He reached out to touch the merman’s ear a smooth, blue membrane that faded from deep cerulean at the base to a dreamlike purple at the tips.

Mephisto shivered slightly and looked up at him with wet eyes. “If I love you a little more, and if I’m even better… will you stay?”

Love leads to salvation. That was the logic.

Su Xi nodded, confirming the statement.

Then, he watched as the Salvation Value progress bar on the System panel shot upward at an incredible speed, finally settling at 85.

Huh? What the…? What exactly had Mephisto imagined in his head? This guy just decides to love someone and the favorability jumps like that?

If he had known this trick was so effective, would he have wasted all that effort? One “I’m leaving because you don’t love me” and the value jumped from 65 to 85?

Su Xi was shocked. He hadn’t expected his spur-of-the-moment plan to be this powerful. If he said “I don’t love you enough,” would the bar just max out?

Seeing the look of astonishment on Su Xi’s face and the way his black eyes widened, Mephisto leaned in. He grabbed Su Xi’s collar and pulled him down into a kiss.

This time, his kiss wasn’t as wanton or overbearing as before. Instead, it was a cautious, tentative exploration. He licked Su Xi’s lips, not even daring to use his tongue. Only after seeing the man’s jade-like skin flush crimson did he pull away, satisfied.

“Put your coat back on. It’s cold,” Mephisto said, his thumb brushing over Su Xi’s lips before releasing his grip.

Su Xi felt lightheaded from the kiss. Dazed, he followed the merman’s instructions, stood up, and donned his cloak. He began screaming at the System in his head.

“Aaaah! Xiao Ba, is this villain toxic? Is the way a fish thinks really that different from a human?” He hadn’t even used any of the props he bought. At this rate, if he told Mephisto to call him “Master,” the creature would probably do it without hesitation.

As a human, Su Xi couldn’t wrap his head around the situation, and System 1368 was even more baffled. It was more surprised than Su Xi, finally managing to answer with feigned calm: “Because he’s a villain. Villains have abnormal brain circuits. They’re psychos.”

If Mephisto heard the System, Su Xi figured 1368 would be shredded in less than three seconds. It would likely end up like the fish Su Xi had seen that day, except the System would just be a pile of scrap metal parts.

The chill in Su Xi’s body seemed to dissipate in that moment. He looked at Mephisto and saw the creature staring back, the corners of his eyes still red from crying. He looked utterly pitiful.

As someone who appreciated beauty, Su Xi found it hard to stay cold.

“No check-up today. Get some rest,” he coughed lightly, changing the subject. He walked to the console and entered a string of data, stating that Mephisto’s examination was canceled due to physical reasons.

The Institute frequently drew blood for testing. Every time Su Xi saw the needle marks on Mephisto’s smooth arms, it would be a lie to say he wasn’t moved. But this was a matter of their opposing positions, nothing more.

After finishing his work, he didn’t linger. He bought some bread for a quick dinner and returned to his lounge, exhausted only to find an uninvited guest waiting inside.

“Showing up uninvited is quite impolite, isn’t it?” Su Xi frowned at A04, who was lounging lazily on the sofa. Tentacles sprawled out from behind him, soaking the sofa Su Xi had just changed the cushions on. A slimy liquid stained the pale yellow fabric, making a mess.

“Since you wouldn’t come to me, I had no choice but to come to you.” Seeing the familiar face, A04’s heart skipped a beat. However, he only tilted his lips into a smirk. He stood up, grabbed Su Xi’s water glass from the table, and downed the contents. Tilting his head, he said, “It’s been a few days. These guys have really missed you.”