"How should we handle this? Do we need to respond?"
Evening.
Eldest Sister found Cao Cheng.
Cao Cheng had just taken off his gaming helmet, shook his head, rolled his shoulders, gritted his teeth, sniffled… and transformed into "Gazi."
Of course.
This little routine of his was entirely deliberate. "Help me with a massage, will you?" he said.
Eldest Sister had no idea what he was up to, but he looked exhausted.
With a sigh, she put down her tablet and walked over to give him a rubdown.
She was used to it by now.
Cao Cheng let out a few satisfied groans.
"Ah, yes, right there—perfect. A little to the right… good, good, just like that. Put some strength into it—ahh…"
Smack!
Eldest Sister smacked him lightly. "Must you always make those ridiculous noises?"
"Feels good, can’t I express that?" Cao Cheng chuckled.
As he spoke, he leaned back.
Right into the softness of two pillows.
Eldest Sister didn’t pull away.
Again… she was used to it.
……
Eldest Sister saw the family dynamics clearly.
Even if she hadn’t witnessed certain things firsthand, she understood them perfectly.
But what could she do?
It wasn’t that her sisters lacked ambition—it was just that this little brother of theirs spoiled them rotten.
Martial arts techniques, rare elixirs, eternal youth serums…
Not to mention the family’s soaring status and influence.
In just a few years, they’d reached unprecedented heights.
Put simply—
Even though this lazybones spent his days fishing, sipping tea, occasionally playing chess with old men… or even gambling at mahjong,
his contributions to the family were unmatched.
Sometimes, without lifting a finger, a single word or a new invention from him could elevate the family by several tiers.
Beauty products and gaming aside,
just look at real estate…
Back then, the Ren Group had some local clout as an established brand, passed down through generations.
But in terms of actual wealth? They barely made the list.
Now?
A single project, "Global One," had made Ren·Miracle Group a household name worldwide.
That one property alone cemented Ren’s dominance in the industry.
Hadn’t they seen all the top global developers flocking to learn from them?
And then there was Cao Cheng’s reputation.
No matter how much foreign critics maligned him,
domestically?
Anything he endorsed was met with overwhelming public support.
Even if prices were high, people might grumble about the cost—but never the quality.
Especially with their properties.
They’d become city landmarks,
with swarms of visitors daily just to take photos.
……
So,
with all these factors stacked together,
the sisters had long become inseparable from Cao Cheng.
Even if they now had the wings to fly solo,
years of pampering had left them too comfortable to leave the nest.
The occasional little indulgence?
That was just an unspoken understanding between them.
……
Eldest Sister glanced down at her little brother, who was shamelessly using her chest as a pillow while pretending to nap.
She didn’t protest, continuing to knead his shoulders as she casually asked, "About the SBC news—should we respond?"
"Several foreign companies are seeking partnerships… even local government bodies have reached out, hoping for an official bulk purchase of gaming helmets."
"Especially the Yanks—they want a million units, backed by a military order."
"They’ve probably figured out the helmets’ real purpose," Eldest Sister speculated.
Cao Cheng kept his eyes closed and chuckled.
"Only realizing it now? They’re way behind!"
"Our own soldiers have been training with these for nearly a year. By the time they catch up, they’ll be a whole generation behind."
Not that he blamed them for being slow.
He’d expected the Yanks or the Euros to wise up sooner after the helmets’ capabilities were exposed.
But…
while some reports had surfaced,
neither side had taken it seriously at first.
Maybe they underestimated the training potential, or maybe the civilian gaming market misled them.
Either way,
their delayed reaction was laughable.
Even if they bought helmets now, they’d lack compatible training software.
They’d have to develop their own—
and then get Cao Cheng’s approval before distribution.
That was how he kept them in check.
……
Eldest Sister asked, "So we ignore them? Or stall for now?"
Cao Cheng shook his head. "Ignore them."
Hmph!
Eldest Sister pinched him. "Stop squirming."
Cao Cheng grinned but didn’t address the fidgeting. Instead, he pivoted:
"It’s not that we can’t sell. But remember—these helmets require high-speed networks. Buyers need dedicated broadband lines, which cost extra."
"That’s for domestic use. Overseas? They’d need direct wired connections to ensure stable speeds."
He wasn’t lying.
The helmets were wireless in theory—
usable anywhere, be it the bathroom, living room, or balcony.
But they also had Ethernet ports for wired connections, ensuring lag-free performance.
In fact,
over half of domestic users had opted for dedicated fiber lines,
specially installed by telecom providers.
……
Cao Cheng tilted his head back, nuzzling slightly.
Eldest Sister instinctively arched away, glaring down. "You—"
He met her gaze with a smirk. "Sis, hand this off to the telecoms, network providers, and 5G companies. Let the Yanks negotiate with them first. If they reach a deal, we’ll sell…"
"After all, we’re just a hardware company. Without backend network support, our helmets are glorified motorcycle simulators."
Eldest Sister paused, then instantly grasped his meaning.
With a faint smile, she nodded. "Got it. I’ll reply to them tomorrow morning."
As the head of the conglomerate,
even matters typically handled by Ren's mother fell under her purview.
"Alright, enough."
Cao Cheng stretched. "You’ve been massaging me for ages—let me return the favor."
"No way." Eldest Sister shot him a knowing look. She hadn’t forgotten last time.
He’d nearly crossed the line.
Seeing her wariness, Cao Cheng sighed dramatically. "Where’s the trust?"
"Trust you? Please." She turned to leave.
Cao Cheng called after her, "Bet you won’t 1v1 me in PUBG. Loser accepts punishment."
"Not falling for that again. You cheat." Eldest Sister quickened her steps.
Only Cao Cheng was left behind, his face dark with anger.
This house isn't worth staying in anymore!
grated, and just when he finally managed to get into an elite academy, he discovered that he actually had a system, and the way to earn rewards was extremely ridiculous. So for the sake of rewards, he had no choice but to start acting ridiculous as well. Su Cheng: "It's nothing but system quests after all." But later, what confused Su Cheng was that while he was already quite ridiculous, he never expected those serious characters to gradually become ridiculous too. And the way they looked at him became increasingly strange... (This synopsis doesn't do it justice, please read the full story)
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!"
iemie, male, Race: Moon. Hobby: Collecting anomalies. At first, he thought he possessed two systems: the Crimson Rainbow Moon and the Clear Cold Frost Moon. One day, he discovered that he himself could also become a system for others, holding the chessboard of fate. The Eighth Epoch, also known as the Eternal Moon Epoch. Humans, witches, elves, bloodline descendants, specters, demons, and spirits together compose a new history. Walking the path on behalf of the moon, before he knew it, Chen Miemie's footsteps were followed by all manner of strange and wondrous anomalies. As time passed, many titles circulated about him—The King in Yellow, Lord of Anomalies, Heart of the Eternal Moon, and more. "Me? I'm just a traveler who enjoys collecting interesting creatures," Chen Miemie said.
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.
