Sly, seemingly obedient yet secretly ruthless rebel leader seme x absolutely rational, cold-blooded executive uke
From rags to riches and walking a tightrope for love, beautiful seme, handsome uke, one-on-one romance
[Each time you connect to the Laplace Synapse, you gain the ability to foresee the future for five minutes.]
[Side effect: Once activated, your brain neurons will suffer irreversible damage. Accumulating 120 minutes of activation will result in brain death.]
The plutocrats sit secure in the Upper City, while the vermin of the slums willingly have interfaces implanted to survive, becoming "probes" who foresee danger for their superiors.
Chu Yi, the highest-ranking executive in the Upper City, is the sharpest blade in the plutocrats' hands. In his tactical models, probes are expendable. Trading one twenty-fourth of their lifespan for victory is an extremely worthwhile deal.
That is, until he takes charge of a new probe, a beautiful, docile young man from the lower classes.
Nisheng seems frail, but is exceptionally gifted. In a confrontation, ordinary people can last at most five minutes, but he always manages to hold on for another thirty seconds, triggering the precognition paradox and causing enemy probes to die instantly from brain death.
Chu Yi thinks this is just an ordinary mission. But gradually, the absolutely rational executive begins to disobey his superiors' orders again and again, abandoning the optimal tactics, all so Nisheng will have to activate his interface one fewer time and slow the approach of brain death.
Nisheng has only five minutes of life left. Chu Yi completely betrays the Upper City, fighting his way out with Nisheng and preparing to head to the Lower City to find a way to repair his neurons.
On the night of their escape, a long-planned blaze sets the entire Upper City alight.
In the flames, the frail young man on the brink of death wears a rebel uniform and stands atop the heads of the Upper City's rulers.
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"Vermilion Bird," the supreme leader of the rebels, a name that makes every plutocrat tremble.
He knows he has only 120 minutes to live. Every second he spends connected to the port, he calculates how to drag the people of the Upper City into hell.
And, of course, how to make that high-and-mighty executive fall hopelessly in love with him.
Nisheng wipes the blood from the corner of his mouth and looks down at his former superior, his lashes slowly lowering. "In my past simulations, I've killed you twenty-three times. Today, I'll let you live."
The next second, he sees blue patterns suddenly light up on Chu Yi's neck. This lackey of the plutocrats has secretly connected to the Laplace Synapse.
"In my simulations..."
"Zhi, you'll never be able to kill me."
*The worldbuilding is still a work in progress and may be adjusted later.
*The uke seems cold and ruthless, while the seme acts tsundere. They look like they're locked in a love-hate relationship, but in truth, they're both hopeless romantics.
*Blurb written on March 22, 2026.
Theme: Love is the only variable.
