QT: Grace To Grass Counterattack System

"I asked Toby and Kylie to join us. They just returned from a task realm too. Kaede and Akari are not available." 888 said as they both got into the elevator. "They'd meet us in the lobby."

He Yuan only nodded and remained quiet. 888 was most probably doing this because he felt the presence of company would keep He Yuan from randomly bringing up the issue.

The system would rather act like whatever happened did not happen but it was hard for He Yuan to do the same because his eyes were trained on 888's twitching fingers.

Immediately the elevator doors opened, He Yuan was met with the now familiar sight of thin souls walking to and fro, minding their business and trying to relax after -or probably before- a task.

"Ren!" When they walked into full view, the lady behind the desk squealed with an excited smile.

"Mimi." Since Toby and Kylie weren't down yet, 888 walked over to her to converse and pass time. If he remained with He Yuan, his host might find a way to bring up the topic once more. He knew he was being overly cautious but he just could not help it.

He Yuan watched as 888 walked away but he remained silent and made himself comfortable by leaning against a wall. Although 888 looked engrossed in the conversation and kept sending Mimi charming smiles, it was very obvious that the system was anything but okay and this made He Yuan furious once more.

Just why was 888 trying so hard to hide it?

888 looked to the side and noticed He Yuan staring fixedly at his shaking fingers so he clenched his fists and folded his arms over his chest.

He Yuan's eyes trailed to 888's face and he locked eyes with the system for a second before 888 looked away. He sighed.

The elevator doors opened once more and,

"REN!" A voice called out and Kylie appeared with Toby right behind her. She ran across the floor and hopped off her feet, ready to launch herself into 888's arms.

888 froze and He Yuan moved forward to stop her before she was suddenly held by the waist and pulled back by Toby. He Yuan and 888 visibly relaxed at the same time.

Toby had his eyes trained on 888. Just one look and he knew something had happened -something all systems were quite familiar with. He looked down at the pouting Kylie in his arms and gave her a smile. "You can't go off hugging other men like that. What if I get jealous?"

Kylie rolled her eyes and smacked Toby's arm. "How could you be jealous? Ren isn't other men, he's our friend. By the way where's-" Her eyes wandered around and when she found He Yuan standing next to the wall, she rushed over to him. "He Yuan!"

He Yuan smiled at her. "Hey Kylie." The girl gave him a quick hug and then waved at the others to follow along as they walked out of the building.

888 slowed down his steps to match Toby whilst He Yuan and Kylie walked in front and He Yuan tried not to show how much this pissed him off.

He was aware that since the both of them were systems, 888 would be more comfortable talking about his problems with someone who shared the same fate as him but it still angered He Yuan that 888 refused to talk to him.

They might not have known each other for long -scratch that they'd spent years in and out of realms together, shouldn't that count for something... Anything? Well apparently not.

He Yuan looked down at Kylie who was walking beside him and pointing at various buildings she claimed to know the history of. She was basically dating Toby so she might know more about the system punishment. Toby wouldn't keep that from her... Right? "Kylie can I ask you a question?"

"...Probably haunted-" Kylie suddenly paused mid speech and looked up at He Yuan with raised brows. "Sure, what is it?"

He Yuan did not beat around the bush. "What kind of punishment do the systems receive?"

Kylie froze and her eyes widened. "Uhh..." She took a quick look back at Toby. "Honestly, I'm not too sure either. Toby doesn't speak much about it, it's a really sore topic for him. Why are you ask-" She suddenly paused and her eyes grew larger. "Oh my goodness, did something happen to Ren?"

"No." He Yuan answered, 888 and Kylie might be friends but he wasn't sure if the system would want her knowing about it. Heck, the man didn't want HIM knowing about it and they were host and system. "So do you know why some souls become systems and others taskers?"

Kylie shrugged. "It had something to do with retributions. The souls who end up as systems 'allegedly' did something in their origin realms that require them to pay for with servitude. That's all I know."

He Yuan frowned. Her answers had just succeeded in making him have more questions. What crimes could the systems have possibly committed to receive such a punishment? Was that why 888 was so keen on hiding the punishment? Somehow, He Yuan didn't think so. Something did not feel right.

The little group ended up in a restaurant. The interior had a black, silver and blue colour scheme which managed to make the atmosphere look quite elegant. There were booths and waiters walking about. Either trying to take the customers' orders or deliver their orders to them.

The four of them randomly selected a booth next to the translucent glass window and sat down. Although, He Yuan usually enjoyed trying new things in the soul realm, he just could not muster up his usual excitement. The atmosphere between the four of them did not feel right.

888's eyes kept darting around, Toby kept casting 888 concerned glances, Kylie kept casting the two systems concerned glances and He Yuan was straight up pissed because he didn't know the exact situation.

A waiter walked up to them. "Can I take your order?"

None of them were actually in the mood to try the food so they just asked for a few more minutes. He Yuan stared as the waiter walked away. The people who worked in the various establishments in order to keep them running were actually systems that were yet to be bound to a host.

After a few minutes, He Yuan stood up. He just couldn't handle this anymore. The others stared at him wide eyed so he threw out, "I have to prepare for my test task." And then he began walking away.

If he remained there for one more second, he wasn't sure if he'd be able to hold himself back from grabbing 888 by his shoulders and shaking him furiously until he spoke up.

Unreasonable? Yes. And that was why he was leaving so he didn't follow up with the crazy idea.

"He Yuan-" He Yuan was gone before Kylie could finish. He knew that he was being a little unreasonable by letting his anger get to him but he just couldn't sit there and act like everything was peachy.

When He Yuan arrived at the space, he went back to the medicinal book on modern medicine and continued reading. There was nothing else to do anyways.

He'd read more than half of the huge book when 888 finally materialized in the system space. He didn't lift his face from the book.

888 stared at his host for a while before sighing and walking over to the office chair. "I've received the prompt for your test task, are you ready to receive it?"

He Yuan finally looked up at the system and sighed. His insides had been twistinh in guilt at the way he handled the situation. It was quite immature but he just couldn't help it.

There was something out there, right in the supposedly safe soul realm that might cause 888's death and he had no idea of what it was. What if 888 had left earlier but never returned?

Was he just supposed to get bound to a different system and pretend as of 888 never existed?

He Yuan sighed again. His panicked thoughts were still no justification for the way he'd treated the three of them earlier. "I shouldn't have left like that. I understand that you are under no obligation to explain things to me and I should've respected that fact."

888 looked down at the desk and nodded. "Hm." Then he lifted his eyes. "It's no problem really, I'd probably forget all about it sooner or later."

He Yuan frowned at that but remained silent. 888 didn't sound like he was just trying to reassure him. "You'll be okay right?"

888 chuckled and it seemed genuine this time. "Of course. I've been surviving in the soul realm long before you showed up, why wouldn't I be okay?"

He Yuan smiled at that. "You better remember your words." And then he stood up. "I'm ready for the task."

Just like his first test task, there was no prompt. He Yuan just dematerialized from the system space.

888 looked at the spot He Yuan was standing for a while more before walking over to the bed to lie down. He hadn't lied to He Yuan when he said he would forget about everything.

Even now, he couldn't remember the exact details of what had been done to him anymore. All that was left was the feeling of fear and horror.