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Zed looked Zhou Chun in the eyes and squinted, contemplating different methods to get those pictures with the least possible effort. Obtaining either physical or digital photos was within his reach. He had countless methods to acquire them. He wasn't concerned that Zhou Chun might be lying, as he had already conducted a thorough background check on all close personnel under Liu Leah long ago.
"Show me," he said. He needed to determine if the photos were digital or physical copies. He preferred physical copies so he could monopolize them, but digital copies would suffice. Digital copies were easy to obtain but difficult to control.
Unbeknownst to Zhou Chun, Zed analyzed everything about the photos, much like one might think Warren Buffett analyzing the stock market.
Zhou Chun unlocked her phone and showed him two digital copies of Liu Leah when she was one year old.
"It looks like she took a picture of a physical copy," he thought.
"Hmm, send it to me."
"Done."
"Follow me."
After that brief exchange, Zed led Leah's assistant toward the empty guest rooms like an experienced butler.
"There are two identical guest rooms on this side of the house. The first guest room faces north, while the second one faces south. Which one would you prefer?" Zed explained, pointing to the hallway where the two rooms were located.
"I'll take the one facing north," Zhou Chun decided, knowing this room was closer to Leah's room.
Zed opened the first guest room door, and Zhou Chun followed closely behind.
"Like any other room in the villa, this room has a minimalistic design and is equipped with a queen-sized bed, a well-hidden storage area, and an attached full bathroom. There is a separate shower cubicle and a bathtub for a good soak."
"All necessary amenities are provided, including unisex pajamas in various sizes for both adults and children."
"The entire wall facing east is transparent and serves as a window, extending even into the bathroom. Privacy is ensured for the occupant, as no light from inside can pass through, while outside light can enter the room."
"A small remote by the bedside controls all electronic devices in the room. A blackout roller shade can cover the floor-to-ceiling window when you want to sleep during the day."
"There is also a sliding door for access to the outside—"
Zed spent thirty minutes accommodating Zhou Chun as payment for Leah's digital photo. Internally, he was grateful to Leah's close assistant because she had provided more information than she realized.
Zhou Chun, on the other hand, was surprised by Liu Leah's influence over Zed. Two baby photos had compelled him to act like a certified butler for someone he neither worked for nor had any personal interest in.
She didn't realize she had given Zed a new hobby that would eventually cause headaches for her and Liu Leah's parents.
"From now on, this room will be assigned to you whenever Leah lets you stay here."
"Okay."
Zed nodded and left the room immediately. He had something to do—or rather, something to receive—before he could sleep soundly tonight.
Zhou Chun watched Zed leave until the door closed. She planned to divert his attention until her Young Miss began to sleep. She figured that with Zed's affection for Liu Leah, he wouldn't be bold enough to disturb her while she was asleep.
"Thirty minutes should be enough," she said under her breath, checking her watch.
"She should be sleeping by now," Zhou Chun thought.
She was right that Zed wouldn't be audacious enough to disturb Leah while sleeping, but she underestimated his attention to detail. Still unfamiliar with Leah's daily habits, he had installed surveillance devices in every nook and cranny inside and outside the vicinity to get to know her better.
He was the only person with knowledge of those devices and their locations, except for the villa's internal and external surveillance devices monitored by his team. To ensure Leah's visual privacy, Zed ensured that private areas, such as bedrooms and bathrooms, only had listening devices, with no video surveillance.
Listening inside Leah's room through his phone via the surveillance audio device, Zed knew that Leah had just finished drying her hair after showering and was getting ready for bed.
Zed stood in front of Leah's bedroom door. He paused for a second, then started knocking.
Knock– Knock–
He didn't know what Leah was wearing, so he nervously waited for her to open the door or let him in.
"Who is it?" Leah's voice came from the other side of the door.
"It's me," Zed answered, his voice tinged with slight uncertainty.
"Come in." Leah knew it was Zed but still asked.
"Master, why did you ask who it was even though you knew it was Master Zed?" Friday asked Leah out of curiosity.
Before Leah could answer, Zero interjected. "Zhou Chun is in the villa, so the host pretended not to know whether it was Zed or Zhou Chun knocking on the door."
"I see." Friday nodded, moving its physical body up and down to show understanding.
"What about the surveillance bugs that Master Zed scattered around the villa that aren't part of the security and surveillance system?" Friday asked.
"The host probably knows about them but lets him do whatever he wants because she is interested in that big black bear," Zero answered, observing the situation inside Leah's room.
Friday floated close to Zero and whispered, "Do you think Master loves Master Zed?"
There was a moment of silence after Friday spoke.
Zero looked at the bluish ball floating next to him, which was as tall as his current form. He could make out a female silhouette inside the orb, then returned his attention to Leah's room.
"I don't know. The host's abilities seem beyond our God System, and she could deceive our current technology."
"What do you mean?" Friday had an idea of what Zero was trying to explain but still asked for confirmation.
"Since you are also a system derived from me and the God System, you must also have a scanner for emotions and attraction. Try using that on our host to check her attraction level for that man," Zero dared Friday.
Friday quivered and immediately moved away from Zero. "How could you ask me to do that? I would never."
Zero ignored Friday, having expected this reaction. He knew that Friday lived for Leah, his current host—no, his new Master.
Leah heard the two yapping in her head but was focused on the person opening the door.
Zed opened the door but did not walk in. He saw Leah sitting in bed with her legs crossed, leaning back with a grin plastered on her fresh-out-of-the-shower face. Her two arms supported her upper body, which was leaning slightly backward.
He sighed in relief as he saw the woman before him wearing a loose t-shirt and sweatpants. He walked closer and stood before Leah.
She looked at Zed, lifted her right eyebrow, and asked, "How can I help you?"
"I've come to receive my good night kiss." Without batting an eye, Zed spoke such shameless words shamelessly.
Leah got up, climbed up the bed, and stood. She now towered over Zed, leaned forward, and kissed his forehead. She then locked eyes with him and smiled. "Good night, Zed."
"Hmm," Zed could not say anything as he took in this moment.
He broke their eye contact and looked down momentarily. "Good night, and have a sweet dream, Leah." He spoke softly but clearly, ensuring that the person in his heart could feel and hear his intentions.
A red color seemed painted on his entire head and neck as he blushed from his forehead to his clavicle. His ears and nape were not left alone.
"Lay down; I will tuck you in," he added without looking at Leah.
"Alright, thank you," Leah agreed. She sat on the bed and lay down while Zed covered her up to her shoulders.
Feeling satisfied, he kissed Leah lightly on her forehead and immediately bolted to the door. He didn't look back as he slowly closed Leah's bedroom door.
With his back resting against the door, he sighed in relief and contentment as his blush receded. He heard a chuckle from inside.
He sighed again and thought, "Looks like I'll need another cold shower tonight after I spar with everyone on duty."
"I have to prepare tomorrow's menu first," he muttered as he headed toward the kitchen.
Back inside Leah's room…
Leah chuckled until she felt Zed leave. With a smile still on her face, her thoughts shifted. She blinked while looking at the ceiling, her mind elsewhere.
"Host, what are you thinking about?" Zero paid more attention to Leah than his previous hosts. With the abilities she had shown so far, fear had started to sprout in his heart, followed by admiration.
"I was thinking about how to make Chen Mei suffer," Leah said in a troubled tone.
"Oh, the one who tarnished Liu Leah's reputation," Zero recalled.
Friday inserted itself into the conversation. "That's right. She will make Master's reputation fall even lower in the future, becoming 'Liu Leah' synonymous with the word 'sewer' or 'gutter.'"
"According to the script for this world, she got away with it. She used a hacker and paid in cash, leaving no trace of her actions. This is why Zhou Chun has trouble suppressing the news," Zero added.
"She earned a lot of money from selling fake and factual information about Liu Leah, then spent it all, including her savings, just to ruin Liu Leah's name," Friday mimicked Zero's tone and continued.
"She didn't single-handedly ruin her name, but she became the catalyst that encouraged thousands of people to do the same, ultimately driving Liu Leah and even the Liu Family's reputation to the ground," Leah said.
Zero nodded in agreement.
"Rain," Leah suddenly uttered.
When Zero heard this, he felt that Leah's words carried an energy similar to the creation or law of the universe. It is almost identical to the God System but different.
After saying one word, Zero, and Friday felt an overwhelming heaviness filled with power and destruction, pressing against their entire existence. Their forms were hurled to the floor in the blink of an eye.
"Tsk," Leah grumbled. She created a force field around Zero and Friday's surrounding area a second or two later.
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