“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.
young master of the Shen family—a figure of immense power and wealth beyond measure—and awakened the "Destined Ultimate Villain System"! His starting scenario? Running into his icy fiancée who shows up with a mountain-descending divine doctor to break off their engagement. The divine doctor arrogantly taunts: "What does your Shen family have besides a bit of stinking money? You're not even worthy of tying Qingxue's shoelaces!" Shen Fei just smiled. He completely defied the usual script: "Fine, I agree to break off the engagement. Also, notify the finance department to withdraw all investments from the Su family." Minutes later, with its capital chain severed, the Su Group teetered on the brink of bankruptcy! The once aloof and proud ice queen CEO was thrown into utter panic. That very night, she went to Shen Fei's villa, casting aside all dignity to beg and plead desperately... From then on, in this world teeming with Sons of Destiny, Shen Fei embarked on a path of extreme dimensional suppression! A mountain-descending divine doctor? Peerless medical skills? Shen Fei: "Reporting you for practicing medicine without a license! I'll gladly take your ancient medicinal cauldron and twin sister assassins." The Crooked-Smiling Dragon King? Commanding a hundred thousand soldiers with a single order? Shen Fei: "Illegal assembly and suspected treason! Let a fleet of attack helicopters sanitize the area and teach you what the state apparatus really means!" A reborn tycoon? Knows all the golden opportunities of the next decade? Shen Fei: "A trillion in capital to reverse and pump the stock market, making you blow your margin and jump on the very first day of your rebirth!" What Chosen Ones? What bearers of Heavenly Fortune? In Shen Fei's eyes, they're all just chives (i.e., suckers/marks) waiting to be harvested! Shen Fei: "Sorry, but as the Destined Ultimate Villain, I don't play by the rules of honor. I only play the game of dimensional suppression."
rowess are unmatched, commanding a million-strong army! Yet, the Emperor wants to depose him for the sake of a false prince? Hold on, are you throwing me into some female-oriented romance plot? How can I tolerate this? With a grand wave of his hand—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! Slander the Emperor? Very well, all of you shall die! ... The False Prince: "Although I am not the biological son, Father and Mother love me more. The throne should be mine!" The Female Lead: "Qin Xiao, you are the Emperor, and I am a commoner. If you wish to marry me, you must abdicate. Otherwise, you will never have me!" The Empress: "After we divorce, you must give me half the empire!" The Transmigrator Consort: "You worthless Emperor, why should I kneel to you? All men are equal—I advise you to be kind!" The Great General: "The enemy general is my childhood sweetheart. For her sake, I willingly abandon the frontier defenses!" The Retired Emperor: "Although Yu'er was adopted, I prefer him. Qin Xiao, you should abdicate and let him become Emperor!" ... Very well! So this is how you want to play? Facing this twisted world of female-oriented tropes, Qin Xiao grins and raises his hand to unleash—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! I am the Emperor. Why would I bother reasoning with you? Seal the gates! Leave none alive!
ive and Ruthless] Before his transmigration, Ye Xuan was playing a game called "Severing Emotions to Attain the Dao." The game's core wasn't about leveling up by fighting monsters, but about conquering various "bad women" with wicked personalities and cold, fickle natures. There was only one method to conquer them: stay unwaveringly by their side, then die at a critical moment, driving them to madness after losing the protagonist. The higher their level of regret, the higher the player's score. To dominate the server, Ye Xuan conquered all the bad women. In the early stages, he showered them with boundless tenderness, only to choose to sacrifice himself for them later, making them weep bitterly and drown in regret. Among them were: Xia Lengyue, the unfaithful immortal wife who chased after powerful men and discarded her husband like trash. Ye Qingcheng, the Demonic Venerable of the Joyous Union Sect, who appeared pure and innocent but was, in reality, promiscuous. Wu Lingxiao, the Empress of the Great Xia Dynasty, who lusted after men and loved maintaining a harem. Bai Qiangu of the Endless Demonic Sect: a bloodthirsty mass murderer. However, when the protagonist transmigrated into the game world, he made a horrifying discovery. Eight hundred years had already passed. The bad women he had conquered had now each become deities and revered ancestors. Faced with the endless stream of toxic women coming for him, Ye Xuan could only rely on his god-tier acting skills to carve a path of survival through this world of treacherous women.
close your eyes and open them again, only to find yourself transmigrated into the role of a villainous male supporting character. Readers familiar with urban wish-fulfillment novels know that it is only through the relentless antics of the villainous male supporting character that the plot between the male and female leads can progress. As the villainous male supporting character, Long Aotian not only has to bully the female lead, harass the second female lead, and flirt with the third female lead, but he also has to go all out to antagonize the male lead. In the end, when his body is discovered, he is still clutching half a moldy fried dough stick in his hand. Fully aware of the plot, Long Aotian is determined to change his fate, starting with the female lead! In the beginning, the female lead lacks confidence: "Big brother, I hope I didn't scare you?" In the middle, the female lead treads carefully: "Brother Long, please don't hit me, okay?" Later on, the female lead becomes coquettishly clingy: "Aotian, it's time to pay the 'public grain' tonight." Long Aotian's legs go weak, and he feels like crying: "I taught you to be thick-skinned, not shameless!"
