“What exactly is missing?”
The sea of stars undulated, and silver radiance shimmered.
After exploring the remnants of the 02nd civilization,
the interstellar fleet set sail once more.
They ventured into the unknown, toward a distant shore where more remnants of ancient civilizations lay.
Xu Xi stood on the deck of the starship, protected by the energy barrier, gazing safely at the layers of light and darkness at the horizon—a unique splendor of the cosmos.
“Master, what troubles you?”
Ailei approached from behind.
Her steps were graceful.
Her dress was pure white, with a deep black waistband, and the hem swayed gently, creating ripples of gray and white in silence.
Her face was exquisitely beautiful, yet carried a distinct coldness. Her silver-blue eyes blinked slightly, looking at Xu Xi with curiosity.
“It’s nothing, Ailei.”
“I’m just thinking, based on the information we have, civilizations are destroyed once they reach a certain level of development.”
“And now—”
Xu Xi paused, glancing sideways to meet Ailei’s gaze.
Her silver metallic shell encased deep blue mechanical eyes, like overlapping glimmers of abyssal light, awaiting Xu Xi’s response.
“Our technological level has long surpassed that of the former Federation.”
“Whether it’s energy, materials, or other fields, we’ve surpassed the Federation in every way.”
“Yet, we haven’t faced any attacks from the enemy.”
Xu Xi shook his head.
This should have been a good thing.
But the unknown variables kept him on edge.
Xu Xi didn’t believe that the unseen mastermind behind it all would be so benevolent as to spare his interstellar fleet.
There must be some crucial factor he hadn’t yet considered.
“Please rest assured, Ailei will always protect you.”
Ailei sensed Xu Xi’s unease.
She spoke in a caring tone.
At the same time, she produced a bowl of hot soup from somewhere and handed it to a surprised Xu Xi.
“Master, you’ve expended too much mental energy recently. You need to replenish your strength.”
“Following your advice, I’ve modified the soup’s recipe.”
“Oh… I see,” Xu Xi hesitated before accepting the bowl.
[After exploring the 02nd civilization and undergoing prolonged resonance with mechanical energy, you’ve gained a wealth of new knowledge.]
[You’ve benefited greatly.]
[Daily knowledge accumulation: +1]
[Recalling the former Federation, you believe that the downfall of both the Human Federation and the 02nd civilization was rooted in their level of development. Any civilization capable of venturing into the stars would face inexplicable attacks.]
[One of the methods of attack was the red light that triggered the rebellion of intelligent machines. Beyond that, there are likely other unknown methods of assault.]
[You don’t understand why, to this day, your fleet remains unharmed and untouched by such attacks.]
[Has the enemy overlooked you by mistake?]
[You ponder, unwilling to leave the safety of yourself and Ailei to the whims of an unseen adversary.]
[You resolve to continue advancing your technology, exploring the uncharted reaches of the cosmos, and uncovering the true reason behind it all.]
[You drink the new soup Ailei prepared—a Qi-nourishing broth.]
[The soup’s flavor is gentle, and you enjoy it. You praise it with a smile, and Ailei’s face lights up with a faint smile as well.]
[“I’m glad you like it.”]
[Ailei replied.]
…
[Simulation Year 38, Age 57, Ailei’s 36th year by your side.]
[You still haven’t figured out why your fleet has been spared the malice of the universe.]
[The question continues to baffle you.]
[That same year, your fleet ventures deeper into the stars.]
[Your destination is another civilization’s ruins, where you aim to absorb more ancient technological knowledge.]
[Simulation Year 39, Age 58, Ailei’s 37th year by your side.]
[You’ve become engrossed in the research of biological computers, unable to pull yourself away.]
[Thanks to breakthroughs in biotechnology, Ailei’s body has undergone an upgrade. Now, she resembles a human even more closely, capable of simulating many natural human characteristics.]
[Ailei seems delighted.]
[Seeing your joyful companion, you also smile.]
The summer was tranquil, the sunlight scorching.
Inside the ecological starship,
the climate control system cycled, recreating the serene atmosphere of a hot summer day.
The leaves rustled in the gentle breeze, colliding densely and forming waves of green, accompanied by soft, soothing whispers.
Xu Xi stood in the shade beneath the tree canopy, his hands glowing with mechanical energy as he adjusted the final parameters of the body before him.
“It’s done, Ailei.”
“Thank you for your help, Master.”
As Xu Xi stepped back, Ailei opened her silver-blue eyes, gazing curiously at her own body.
“Warm, soft, springy…”
Her voice carried a hint of bewilderment.
Her pale fingers gently pressed against the skin of her other arm.
She felt the elasticity and the synchronized data from her processor.
“Hmm…” Ailei’s voice trailed off, calm yet puzzled, as if experiencing something entirely new.
She could feel cold, she could feel heat.
Though these sensations were simulated by data, transmitted as virtual feedback to her central processor,
they weren’t the true sensations of flesh and blood.
But it was enough. It was more than enough.
In the sweltering heat, the girl’s fingers traced through the air, bending and stretching with a light, graceful motion, intertwining and flipping back and forth.
She faced the artificial “sun,”
using its light to examine the skin of her palm and the warm, almost burning sensation it produced.
Her fondness, thick and tangible, cast a shadow,
falling upon Ailei’s face,
creating a unique interplay of light and shadow on her overly delicate features—half bright, half dark.
“Do you like it, Ailei?” Xu Xi found a chair and sat down, watching as the mechanoid examined her new changes. He smiled as he asked.
“…I like it.”
Ailei nodded slowly.
She stopped observing her fingers and turned to look at Xu Xi.
Then, to Xu Xi’s slight surprise, she quickly approached him,
kneeling down in front of him with a serious and precise demeanor.
She clasped her hands together, gently taking hold of one of Xu Xi’s hands.
She held it tightly,
not moving an inch.
Time seemed to stand still as Ailei maintained this position without change.
After a moment, she finally looked up, her silver-blue eyes, seemingly calm yet rippling with countless emotions, fixed on Xu Xi’s face.
Gradually, the coldness on her face melted away, replaced by a faint, happy expression.
“Master’s hand feels even warmer now.”
“Ailei likes it.”
“Well, I’ll take that as a compliment,” Xu Xi chuckled. Once his laughter subsided, his expression softened.
Without thinking, he reached out and gently placed his hand on Ailei’s head.
He stroked it,
caressing it gently.
“Ailei, you’ve grown again.”
In the illusory summer, the rustling of leaves blurred the man’s voice.
It was a voice filled with joy and blessings for the mechanoid’s growth.
He believed that one day, that faint humanity would break free from the cold shackles of metal and experience true emotions.
Until then, Xu Xi would do his best to help Ailei.
He would watch her grow.
He would watch her stride into the future.
“By the way, Ailei, can you let go of my hand now?”
“Request denied. Ailei is currently executing Master’s command, experiencing the new changes in her body.”
The restlessness of summer seemed to have made even the mechanoid more assertive.
lan, the Luo family, tracked him down - along with the babies in their arms. Mo Xuan stared pensively at the paternity test results from over a dozen top institutions, both domestic and international, showing a 99.99% match between himself and the two baby girls. At 23, Mo Xuan, a doctoral student, had become the father of two three-year-old children. The kicker? The mothers weren't even the same person! He gradually realized he was being lured step by step into an elaborate trap designed by these two yandere sisters. "Be good, little Xuan. Sister's life belongs to you entirely." "Brother, if you try to run away, I'll have no choice but to tie you up." Mo Xuan: "Do whatever you want, ladies. I give up."
e bizarre and supernatural had descended. The previous emperor was a thoroughgoing tyrant; no longer satisfied with human women, he had set his sights on a stunningly beautiful supernatural entity. He met his end in his bedchamber, drained of all his vital essence. As the legitimate eldest son and crown prince, Wang Hao was thus hastily enthroned, becoming the young emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty. No sooner had he awakened the "Imperial Sign-In Intelligence System" than he was assassinated by a Son of Destiny—a classic villain's opening. The Great Zhou, ravaged by the former emperor's excesses, was in national decline. The great families within its borders harbored their own treacherous schemes, martial sects began to defy the imperial court's decrees, and border armies, their pay and provisions in arrears, grumbled incessantly against the central government. Fortunately, the central capital was still held secure by the half-million Imperial Guards and fifty thousand Imperial Forest Army who obeyed the court's orders, along with the royal family's hidden reserves of power, barely managing to suppress the realm. As the Great Zhou's finances worsened and supernatural activities grew ever more frequent, the court sat atop a volcano. Ambitious plotters everywhere dreamed of overthrowing the dynasty, and even some reclusive ancient powers emerged, attempting to sway the tides of the world. At the first grand court assembly, the civil and military officials nearly came to blows, fighting tooth and nail over the allocation of fifty million taels of silver from the summer tax revenues. The spectacle opened Wang Hao's eyes—the Great Zhou's bureaucracy was not only corrupt but also martially proficient, a cabinet of all-rounders. Some officials even had the audacity to suggest the emperor release funds from the imperial privy purse to address the emergency. Wang Hao suddenly felt weary. Let it all burn.
pression Bureau] Transported to a fantasy world overrun by demons and monsters, Gu Qingfeng becomes a jailer in the Demon Suppression Prison of the Great Yan Dynasty's Demon Suppression Bureau. From this point on, bizarre cases frequently occur in the Demon Suppression Prison, once known as hell on earth and infamous for its gloomy, terrifying atmosphere! Why do the demons and monsters in the prison wail miserably every night? Why has the corpse demon, capable of transforming into various beauties, donned black stockings and switched careers to become a foot massage therapist? Why has the eye demon, expert in soul-snatching and illusions, turned into a VR headset? Why is the fox spirit performing otaku dances? Are all these occurrences a twisted expression of demonic nature, or a descent into moral depravity? After peeling away layer upon layer of mystery, all clues ultimately point to a jailer named Gu Qingfeng. Gu Qingfeng: "Hehehe... My dear demons and monsters, whose card shall we flip today?"
transmigrates into the world as the sect master of the Heavenly Yan Sect, which is on the verge of being wiped out. He binds a system that grants him cultivation power based on the number of disciples he has: for each disciple, he automatically gains a year's worth of cultivation every single day! Take one disciple: every day he gains 1 year of cultivation power. While others struggle through a year of bitter training, he gets the same just by sleeping through a single night. Take ten disciples: every day he gains 10 years of cultivation power. Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, Nascent Soul—he breezes through all bottlenecks without lifting a finger. Take one hundred disciples: every day he gains 100 years of cultivation power. Even a Soul Transformation Venerable before him can’t survive a single blow. Take ten thousand disciples: every day he gains 10,000 years of cultivation power! With a wave of his hand, he topples empires. With a single step, he crushes the sacred grounds of the universe. ... While others fight tooth and nail for secret techniques, Lin Yan casually hands out Nascent Soul-level cultivation manuals as beginner textbooks. While others strain to find talented recruits, Lin Yan opens his doors to anyone—so long as they’re human. In just three short years, the Heavenly Yan Sect went from a backwater sect made up of three crumbling huts to a sacred land that every cultivator under heaven would kill to enter. ... One day, otherworldly demon gods invade, with a million demon soldiers pressing down upon the realm. Lin Yan, yawning, rises from his lounge chair and glances at the system panel: [Current Disciples: 1.28 million] [Daily Cultivation Increase: 1.28 million years] He waves his hand casually, and the countless demon soldiers are reduced to ashes in an instant. “So noisy… interrupting my fishing.”
