The Abusive Novel System Pleads with Me to Resign
Chapter 144

The system wanted to speak up, but Zheng Yanhui was already cheerfully asking Secretary Zhu about the precautions for working in the prison.

This was the plan the system had given her, and it had confidently assured her that as long as she stayed in the prison, she could quickly increase the favorability level.

The so-called plot deviation was just an accident—and one that worked in her favor.

It had no choice but to deceive her. The new host it had chosen was perfect in every way—she followed instructions without question, never took unnecessary initiative, and couldn’t be bothered with extra efforts.

She left all the thinking to the system, but how could it admit that it had already lost everything?

Secretary Zhu was quite polite to Zheng Yanhui. She was the strongest supporter of the Crown Prince and, as such, his ally.

Far more trustworthy than that traitor Team Leader Yan. Instead of giving up when detained, she had actively sought work that brought her closer to the prisoners—likely all for the Crown Prince’s sake.

So, Secretary Zhu explained everything in meticulous detail.

When he learned she had been assigned a task—to confiscate something from Prisoner 3077—he even kindly escorted her there personally.

Zheng Yanhui asked curiously, "Shouldn’t we bring the prisoner out separately?"

"That way, it’d be easier to negotiate. We also need to be prepared in case he refuses to cooperate."

Her meaning was clear: demanding something from a prisoner was never a peaceful conversation. She was ready to use force or even prison measures if necessary.

Even if she couldn’t do it herself, someone else in the prison surely could.

But Secretary Zhu shook his head. "You shouldn’t have taken this task so rashly."

"The Warden knew you were the Crown Prince’s person yet still approved your transfer as a prison guard. I knew then she wouldn’t make things easy for you."

"Other prisoners might be manageable, but these methods won’t work on 3077—unless you’re the Warden, who controls everything in this prison."

"If you push too hard, no one can guarantee your safety."

"After all, on his very first day here, 3077 attacked the Crown Prince right in front of the robotic guards. His Highness was fine only because of his own combat prowess. If it had been anyone else, the outcome wouldn’t have been so simple."

Only then did Zheng Yanhui realize the gravity of the situation. It seemed this wouldn’t be easy.

Still, at least she now held the upper hand as part of the prison staff. If all else failed, she could always let the system figure it out.

After all, she was doing this to win over the male lead, not to become an outstanding prison guard.

With a relaxed mindset, she followed Secretary Zhu to Lien.

"This is Prisoner 3077," Secretary Zhu said. "Talk to him first."

Zheng Yanhui nearly froze. She hurriedly stopped Secretary Zhu. "Wait—how is he 3077? Are you sure you didn’t mix up the numbers?"

Secretary Zhu looked pained. "How could I mix it up? The Crown Prince’s number is 3078. This guy was brought in at the same time, so he’s the previous number. There’s no mistake!"

Zheng Yanhui’s scalp prickled. She frantically called out to the system, "What the hell is this?"

The system responded slowly, [Well… it is what it is. Not a big deal, really. Given how cunning he is, this is minor.]

Zheng Yanhui was about to explode. "You call this minor? I have to ask for the thing back that I personally gave him? Do I have no shame left?"

Standing there now, she felt so embarrassed she could dig a trench through the alloy floor with her toes.

What kind of idiot system was this? It hadn’t even warned her. And she’d foolishly agreed without a second thought.

Had the Warden—the system’s real host—been laughing at her stupidity when she accepted the task?

Zheng Yanhui stood there, completely numb.

Lien frowned. "You need something?"

She wanted to turn and leave. Right now, she didn’t even care about the romance mission—this was just too humiliating.

But the moment she turned, she saw the Warden standing on the second floor, smiling down at her.

Zheng Yanhui wasn’t a coward. In fact, she was bold to the point of recklessness.

But now she understood the unspoken message: if she failed this task, the consequences would be on her.

She had asked for this job herself, with ulterior motives the Warden didn’t care about. Since she’d been given special treatment, she had to obey.

Today’s task was her pledge of loyalty. If she didn’t deliver, life in this prison wouldn’t be pleasant.

Gritting her teeth, she turned back, avoiding Lien’s gaze. Her voice was barely a whisper. "Um… about that thing I gave you earlier… can I have it back?"

"Hah?" Lien’s expression was one of utter disbelief.

Zheng Yanhui took a deep breath, her toes curling inside her shoes. "I made a mistake. It wasn’t meant for you."

Even with his vast experience, Lien had never seen anything like this. Who took back contraband they’d smuggled in for someone?

He scoffed. "The White Stone Pirate Group’s insignia, and you ‘gave it to the wrong person’?"

The mecha had been deliberately disguised as a keepsake for a reason—to establish trust.

Zheng Yanhui was on the verge of tears. "Stop asking, please. The Warden ordered me to confiscate any valuable items you’ve hidden."

"I don’t have a choice."

Lien stiffened, then scowled. "I thought she was busy dealing with the investigation team. How’d she find out?"

He muttered under his breath, "Useless."

It wasn’t clear whether he meant the investigation team or Zheng Yanhui, but she was certain this was the most awkward mission ever.

He said to her, "Tell her this is a false accusation. She needs evidence. I’m not hiding anything valuable."

Seeing her blank look, Lien wondered how his subordinates had picked someone so slow.

Impatiently, he added, "As long as you haven’t been searched yet, I can guarantee she has no direct proof."

He’d already hidden the mecha well, certain it had evaded all surveillance. Since it wasn’t activated yet, even the prison’s advanced systems couldn’t detect it.

No evidence meant nothing to hand over.

Zheng Yanhui was dismissed.

Lu Yu couldn’t help but laugh. "The Warden really has a unique sense of humor."

"Making the person who gave it take it back. Good thing my people outside didn’t act recklessly—that would’ve been even more awkward."

Lien sneered. "You’re taking this lightly. Still finding amusement in this mess?"

He doubled down. "I’m telling you, I have nothing on me. If she doesn’t believe me, she can search me herself. Turn me inside out—if she finds anything, I’ll admit she’s good."

Logically, there was nothing wrong with his statement. Lien was skilled at hiding things.

But somehow, it sounded like he was hoping for something.

Sure enough, Zheng Yanhui must have reported the failed confiscation to the Warden, who was unsatisfied.

Soon, an announcement echoed through the prison, ordering 3077 to report to the Warden’s office under robotic guard escort.

Lien stood up, his demeanor arrogant and unyielding, as if ready to face execution rather than surrender.

Lu Yu couldn’t shake the feeling he was secretly pleased about something.

When he arrived at the Warden’s office, Lien looked at Shen Ying sitting behind the desk and said boldly, "You wanted to see me, Warden?"

Shen Ying stood up and smiled. "Hand it over."

Lien feigned ignorance. "I don’t know what you’re talking about."

Shen Ying sighed. "Don’t play games. Small contraband is one thing, but this is a mecha."

"Do you have any idea how much destruction a mech can cause in a confined space like a prison? Even if the prison has anti-mech systems, it would only take a second for you to wipe out everyone around you before they activate."

"It's not that I don’t want to leave you some toys to play with, but I’m responsible for the lives of everyone in this prison—especially since that includes the highly important Crown Prince."

Lien didn’t know which part of that struck a nerve, but his voice immediately rose in anger: "What’s so important about him? He’s just a pretentious prisoner, a useless fool who gets played at every turn. What’s so special about him?"

As soon as he said it, he seemed to realize how aggressively personal his words sounded, so he added, "And don’t give me any of that imperial politics nonsense."

"I’m a pirate. That crap means nothing to me. I’ve got a score to settle with him—you expect me to give a damn about his safety?"

Shen Ying nodded. "So, it seems your relationship isn’t great."

Lien scoffed. Only a blind man would think they got along.

But then Shen Ying said something that made his expression shift.

She said, "If your relationship is that bad, then why were you willing to go so far to help him?"

As she spoke, she stepped closer to Lien, so near that he could almost feel the warmth radiating from her.

It wasn’t like he hadn’t felt it before—but that had been in the simulation pod, where they had once touched, where every sensation had felt indistinguishable from reality.

But Lien knew that in the simulation, many things could be adjusted—his appearance, his sensitivity to touch.

Most people, though, entered with default settings, making it no different from the real world.

So he couldn’t help but wonder—was her body temperature, her scent, the same as it had been then?

His thoughts drifted uncontrollably as her presence enveloped him.

Until Shen Ying repeated, "Why were you willing to go so far to help him?"

Lien snapped. "How the hell would I be helping him?"

"Who does he think he is? If I did anything, it was for my own sake!"

Shen Ying: "So you admit it?"

"That whole ‘donation for privileges’ scheme was just a cover for the Crown Prince’s prison break?"

Lien clenched his jaw. He didn’t know why he was so easily provoked today—it had to be that pretentious prince’s fault for screwing everything up.

Shen Ying sighed, disappointment flickering across her face. "Honestly, I’m disappointed in you."

"Lien, I thought what happened between us in the simulation pod was something you wanted. But it turns out you were just distracting me so I wouldn’t notice the Crown Prince’s little operation."

Hearing that, Lien—who usually never missed a chance to complain about being wronged—suddenly felt a pang of guilt.

Wait… so she hadn’t been as indifferent as she seemed?

Then Shen Ying continued, "Now the Crown Prince’s people are not only helping him escape but even risking exposure to smuggle a mech in for you."

"A mech. With that kind of support, can you still claim you and the Crown Prince aren’t close allies, trusting each other with your lives?"

"Are you really just a politically neutral space pirate, Lien? Because none of this looks like it."

"Honestly, the way you two pretend to be mortal enemies—were you even arrested as part of some backup plan for the Crown Prince?"

Lien couldn’t take it anymore. "I told you, I have nothing to do with that idiot. It’s just mutual exploitation."

The conversation was spiraling out of control, nothing like what he’d expected.

He’d thought she’d put on a show of interrogation, then turn hostile and search him—that was when he’d planned to prove his resilience.

Lien growled, "Weren’t we talking about the mech? Why do you keep dragging him into this?"

"Search me—no, I don’t even have a mech. Go ahead, try and find one."

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