Reborn As A Doomsday Villainess-Chapter 31: They could hear each other’s system

Feng Yizhou didn’t give her a choice. He kept driving, the hum of the engine filling the silence between them. Qingran leaned her head against the window, exhaustion settling deep in her bones. The night stretched endlessly outside, the road winding through empty fields and rolling hills.

After some time, he finally pulled over.

"Come on," he said, already stepping out.

Qingran groaned but followed, reluctantly pushing open the car door. The air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of grass and earth. She wrapped her arms around herself as she stepped onto the narrow road.

Then she looked up.

The sky stretched vast and endless above them, the moon glowing through a veil of textured clouds. It cast an eerie, golden light over the landscape, illuminating the quiet road that stretched into the distance. The fields on either side were bathed in soft shadow, their edges blending into the darkness beyond.

Qingran sucked in a breath.

The scene was hauntingly beautiful. The sky looked almost unreal, the moon like a lone beacon in a sea of rippling darkness. It was as if the world had stilled, just for a moment, just for them.

Feng Yizhou leaned against the car, watching her.

"I used to come here when I needed to clear my head," he murmured. "Figured you could use that right now."

Qingran didn’t respond immediately. Her chest felt tight, the weight of everything pressing down on her again. But here, under this vast sky, it felt just a little bit lighter.

She exhaled slowly.

Feng Yizhou pushed off the car and stepped toward her. His gaze remained steady, calm in a way that made it seem like he wasn’t forcing her, just offering her some relief.

"Come on," he said, nodding toward the road ahead. "Let’s take a stroll."

Qingran hesitated. The thought of walking anywhere right now, after everything she had learned, felt exhausting. But at the same time, standing still wasn’t an option either. Her mind was a tangled mess, and maybe a little movement would help untangle it.

Even if it was only a little.

Feng Yizhou must have sensed her hesitation because he extended a hand toward her, palm open, fingers slightly curled. His lips quirked into something almost resembling a smirk, but it was softer than usual.

"You don’t have to worry," he said. "I’ll protect you if anything pops up."

Qingran eyed his hand, then him. There was no teasing in his tone, no challenge, just a quiet reassurance, as if he was telling her she didn’t have to carry everything alone.

For a moment, she thought about refusing. But then, she sighed, reached out, and placed her hand in his.

His grip was warm, steady. He didn’t say anything, just gave a small nod before leading her forward, the two of them walking down the lonely moonlit road.

As they walked, the night air was crisp and cool, the road stretching out ahead of them in gentle curves. The moon hung low in the sky, partially veiled by thin, rippling clouds that glowed faintly in its light.

The silence between them was comfortable, the kind that didn’t demand words.

Then, Lingquan’s voice suddenly chimed in Qingran’s head, its tone far too amused.

[Host, I never thought I’d see the day. Holding hands under the moonlight, strolling down an empty road. How utterly romantic.]

Qingran stiffened. What?

[I mean, really. You’ve had your share of near-death experiences, but this? This might be the most dangerous thing you’ve ever done.]

She scowled. "Shut up."

A chuckle echoed through her mind. [Oh, I’d love to, but this moment is too precious. Do you even realize how soft your expression looks right now? If I had a camera function, I’d be taking pictures for blackmail.]

Her grip instinctively tightened in Feng Yizhou’s hand before she forced herself to relax. She sneaked a glance at him, only to see that he looked completely unbothered—his expression as calm and unreadable like there was no tomorrow.

Then, as if on cue, another voice rang out—this time, not in her mind.

"Yizhou" the cold mechanical voice of his system spoke, smooth yet tinged with obvious mirth. " I was unaware that you were capable of such considerate gestures. Holding hands? Offering protection? How unexpectedly gentle."

Feng Yizhou didn’t even blink. "Caocao don’t start."

The system ignored him. "Should I log this as a significant emotional development? Perhaps a psychological breakthrough?"

Lingquan cackled in Qingran’s head. [Perhaps host has grown to like him.]

Qingran groaned internally, though it was perfectly understandable for Lingquan to tease her.

She never thought she would hold hands with Feng Yizhou.

Feng Yizhou exhaled slowly, as if mentally preparing himself for the stupidity. "Log it? and I’ll rip out your core." freёweɓnovel.com

The system remained silent for a beat. "..Noted."

Lingquan snickered.

[Oh, he really doesn’t like being called out, does he?]

"Lingquan, if you don’t shut up, I swear I will..."

[Will what? Have another moonlit date?]

Qingran nearly tripped on air, perhaps it had eaten tiger’s liver to give it such audacity.

"Going on a field day aren’t you, haha funny..."

Lingquan nodded sagely, his voice laced with amusement. [Might have been a catalyst, but that doesn’t mean it’s your fault. You’re just the doomsday villainess, aren’t you? You said you weren’t planning on being a hero. Might as well embrace your anti-hero role. Who knows? This might be more fun.]

Qingran exhaled through her nose.

Fun?

[Of course! Villains always have the best storylines. You get the tragic backstory, the dramatic realizations, and now—look at you—standing under the moonlight with a mysterious man by your side, carrying the weight of an apocalypse you accidentally helped create. That’s peak narrative tension.]

Qingran’s eye twitched.

Meanwhile, another voice chimed in, this one with an exasperated tone.

"Lingquan, stop trying to romanticize a disaster."

Feng Yizhou’s system had finally lost patience, cutting in with dry disapproval.

Lingquan only snickered. [Oh, come on. Tell me you don’t see it. She’s practically the misunderstood genius who unwillingly helped doom the world, and now she’s walking under a beautifully ominous sky with a cold but secretly caring man who just offered to protect her.]

"..I refuse to entertain this nonsense."

[Oh? You’re no fun. Let the girl have her dramatic moment.]

Qingran pinched the bridge of her nose. "Is it possible for us to be able to hear each other’s systems like this? I bet they did it for this very reason" she muttered under her breath.

Feng Yizhou sighed. "Unfortunately this was their objective."