A Heartthrob, But All About the Hustle [Infinite]

The director of the National Security Bureau, Qi Feng, had fought tooth and nail for his achievements through a hail of bullets. A lifelong bachelor, he had always hated pretty faces with no substance.

Who could have guessed that one day, after entering a Rule-Bound Horror instance, Qi Feng would become a useless pretty-boy side character, trembling under the villain's intimidating presence as he struggled to hand him a knife? What???

This newbie is way too good-looking! The viewers in the livestream watched with bated breath, afraid that "pretty boy" Qi Feng might accidentally lose his life.

Qi Feng hadn't even done anything yet, but the livestream was already erupting in screams!

Confessions flooded the screen, filling it with pink heart bubbles.

[User Black-Clad Cool Guy sent a heart bubble and left a message: Hubby, you're so handsome! I love you so much!!!]

Before Qi Feng could recover from the sudden appearance of the word "hubby," another male user shot him straight through the heart with Cupid's arrow.

He completely lost it.

...He was straight. Seriously.

Qi Feng was a brainless pretty-boy side character. Whenever an NPC set a trap, he was the first person they chose to eliminate.

An S-rank player flew into a rage for the sake of a beauty, charging into the instance to become an evil god, all to protect pretty-boy Qi Feng.

Seeing everyone go to protect Qi Feng after becoming utterly bewitched by him, the villainous final boss grew even more contemptuous of the pretty-boy.

Wei Chao, a master con artist, showed up at the scent of a mark, carefully plotting every step, determined to con the pretty boy out of every last pair of underpants!

Then people saw

The NPCs, beaten to the ground by pretty-boy Qi Feng taking on one against many, piled up like garbage.

The S-rank player, dragged around by Qi Feng, forced to clear instances obediently and forbidden from dating.

And the villainous final boss, exposed by Qi Feng following clues in the instance, shot in the head before he could destroy the world.

And Wei Chao, conned by pretty-boy Qi Feng until he had... not a single pair of underpants left.

Only then did they realize just how terrifying pretty-boy Qi Feng really was!

Reading Guide and Warnings:

1. Plot-focused, happy ending.

2. The male lead is adored by everyone. Several characters have one-sided feelings for him, but it ends one-on-one, with a rivalry between love rivals.

3. The protagonist is the top. The love interest appears a little late, in Chapter 4.

---Coming Soon---

Rivals-to-lovers master and disciple | Two deranged leads | Angsty drama | Love and hate | Both identities revealed | Past and present lives

Early on, a down-and-out, foolish prince who plays the fool while hiding his cunning; later, a dark tyrant: loyal, devoted bottom x vindictive, ruthless, viciously deranged beauty of a chancellor: top

Sikong Che, the tyrant whose imperial authority had been usurped and who had been persecuted to death by the great clans, was reborn.

At eighteen, after seven years as a hostage, he returned to the imperial capital, having endured humiliation and bided his time.

The imperial capital was turbulent, with deadly danger lurking everywhere.

If his mentor had not betrayed him in his previous life, then despite all his suffering, he might have remained an upright man, changed by his mentor's influence.

But after his mentor crushed the very backbone of his character, leaving him covered in blood, he learned to do whatever it took to achieve his goals.

He pretended to be blind and foolish, staying out of things while using others to kill and fanning the flames, wiping out the Li clan.

He pretended to be helplessly in love with Chancellor Xie, using his affections to obtain an official post, all to control the hidden game.

He played the devoted son, then killed his father and seized the throne.

He relied on the great clans to rise to power, then slaughtered the imperial capital and uprooted them all.

He walked this road with blood on his hands and countless enemies. He had long since become a tyrant notorious for his wickedness, hated by all. The people rose up in rebellion, determined to overthrow him and establish a new dynasty.

Yet after the city gates were breached and the tyrant died

Only then did people discover that the prosperous age they now enjoyed had been forged in blood by the tyrant. He had made the former dynasty his game board, himself a piece on it, and his own body the sacrifice.

The great clans of the former dynasty held too much power and levied excessive taxes. People were treated as military provisions, slaughtered by the tens of thousands. No commoner could rise to high office, and even the emperor was controlled by the clans. These abuses had accumulated for years.

Few knew that among the great clans' supporters were remnants of the old regime who helped the tyrant rise to power, all to eradicate the clans.

Even fewer remembered that, as a child, the tyrant had witnessed the massacre in which his father killed his mother, brother, and sister...

[Chancellor Xie's Perspective]

He once believed he had taught the most perfect ruler of the age.

After all, in such a corrupt world, how could anyone speak of integrity and serving the people without first understanding treachery?

He spent two years teaching Sikong Che to be upright, then shattered and remade him in a single day, teaching him to survive through deceit.

In the end, he realized that the spirited boy who had once called out to him so warmly seemed to have vanished for good...

[Warnings]

1. Happy ending. When the city finally falls and the bottom tries to set himself on fire and destroy everything, the top knocks him unconscious and drags him away. They live in seclusion in the mountains.

2. There is a yuri side couple, but they won't get much page time.

3. Both are pure. In their past and present lives, they are physically, emotionally, and reputationally pure.

A friend's novel recommendation: Mutual Feelings with the CEO Who Has a Crush on Me. If it sounds interesting, please add it to your favorites!

[At first the top can share the bottom's sensations; later, they share each other's senses]

[Capybara-like personality, unlucky bear-type bottom x possessive, domineering top who dotes on his wife] Actor x CEO

Xi Wan is an obscure young actor with striking, bold features that make him look aggressive, though he's actually a bit spacey.

He owns a piece of blood jade. When he wears it, anyone who truly loves him shares his feelings and sensations.

Xi Wan: I don't believe in true love. The short version is that I'm too unlucky, and I don't want to drag anyone else down with me.

But fate had other plans. After a moment of carelessness, he slept with Yun Mingsong, the entertainment industry's famously taciturn, cold-hearted CEO.

He had planned to pretend nothing happened, but the man immediately produced an agreement.

Yun Mingsong: Get married. We each get what we need. Sign here.

Xi Wan: Sure. We already slept together.

After they married, Xi Wan's bad luck continued as usual.

During filming, a prop light fell. He narrowly dodged it but injured his arm. He calmly accepted treatment, while Yun Mingsong casually treated an identical injury on his own arm, eyes fixed on Xi Wan's wound, face dark and silent.

Xi Wan accidentally fell into the water and came down with a fever, so he was rushed to the hospital. Late at night, Yun Mingsong, burning with a fever himself, kept watch beside the bed, staring intently at Xi Wan's sleeping face.

Xi Wan: He's a good person. I can't hold him back.

Yun Mingsong: :)

If a slow seduction won't work, then he'll just have to be direct.

At the same time, Xi Wan had no idea the blood jade could make their connection work both ways.

And so

Though they were a thousand miles apart, Xi Wan fell asleep peacefully, surrounded by the scent of cedar. His phone shut off automatically after the call had gone on too long. Before it died, Yun Mingsong's domineering gaze was still fixed on him.

Little Scene

After things got a little too heated, Xi Wan decided to tease Yun Mingsong using their shared feelings.

Only a wall lamp lit the dim room. The air was thick with desire. Faint sounds came from beneath the covers. Xi Wan held the edge of the blanket between his teeth, his legs rubbing against the shirt on the bed.

The call was still connected.

"Yun Mingsong... have you arrived?"

Xi Wan was alone in the hotel. A calm, husky voice came through the phone.

"Open the door."

That night, Xi Wan lost his voice.

The next day, a huge list of house rules appeared at home.

House Rules:

1. No sneaking up in the middle of the night to eat instant noodles (3).

2. No walking barefoot on the floor (3).

3. No using our shared feelings to torment anyone (except in bed) (3).

4. No staying out all night. (Crossed out.) No staying out all night alone. Staying out with your husband is fine. If you break this rule, two boxes minimum.

5. Always put Xi Wan's personal safety first. Any violation will result in life imprisonment.

Yun Mingsong reserves the right to interpret the above rules.

Xi Wan: Wow, so domineering.

Theme: We cannot change the past, but we can pursue what lies ahead.