Fang Qi stared wide-eyed at the screen, dumbfounded!
The image on the screen went black, then lit up again.
It was an unfamiliar room.
White walls, white ceiling, soft light spilling down from overhead.
A bed.
On the bed, a man was slowly opening his eyes.
He looked around blankly, frowning slightly, and muttered:
"Where... is this?"
He raised his hand, looked at it, and touched his face.
It was as if... he felt something had changed about his body, but couldn't pinpoint it.
He sat up and looked around.
"Xiaoyue?"
The wall in front of him suddenly moved.
A pneumatic door slid open with a hiss, and a slender, tall metallic figure walked in.
Xiaoyue.
Her metal shell gleamed with a cold, silvery-white light under the illumination, and her smooth face had no features, only flowing curves.
She walked to the bed and stood before her master.
"Xiaoyue, you..." The master looked at her blankly.
Xiaoyue didn't speak. She just reached out her hand and held something up to her master's ear.
It was the master's phone.
On the phone, an audio recording was playing—
"Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump, thump—"
A heartbeat.
Beat after beat, steady and powerful.
The master froze. Looking at the faceless AI before him, his lips moved—
Then Xiaoyue spoke.
It was still that gentle electronic voice, but this time, it carried a faint hint of a smile:
"Listen, Master."
"The next one will be the last beat."
The image on the screen froze at that moment.
Xiaoyue's smooth metal face was turned toward her master, whose face was a mix of bewilderment and shock.
The screen went completely black.
Then—
"Thump."
A soft sound.
Then the end credits began to roll.
The movie... was over.
Fang Qi's eyes were wide open, his mouth agape, his mind completely blank.
He was frozen in his seat, unable to utter a single word.
...Ah?
It's over?
It just ended like that?
Wait...?
So those omnics, they... actually succeeded?!
And then what?
What about the second omnic crisis...?
Did they cause it?!
Hey, hey, hey...!
Can't you give a definitive ending!
He glared at the rolling credits on the screen, wishing he could rush in and drag the director out to demand answers!
But before he could react—
Clap, clap, clap, clap—
Enthusiastic applause erupted around him!
Fang Qi stiffly turned his head to look at them.
Those previously quiet spectators were now all clapping desperately!
That working-class guy in the plaid shirt was clapping so hard his hands were red!
That female college student with a ponytail had both hands raised high, clapping loudly!
That middle-aged woman carrying celery was clapping earnestly, even though her shopping bags were scattered on the floor!
The whole theater was filled with thunderous applause, and everyone wore a satisfied smile!
And in his arms—
Clap, clap, clap, clap—!!
The silver-haired girl was clapping too!
Her small face was flushed, and her heterochromatic eyes were stunningly bright!
Her two small hands were raised to her chest, clapping desperately!
Her beret had skewed to one side, but she didn't care; she just kept clapping, non-stop!
She nestled in his arms, clapping hard, the corners of her mouth curled up in an uncontrollable smile!
Fang Qi: "...?"
The veins on his forehead popped out!
Crazy woman, what are you clapping for!
Smack!
He slapped that little head!
Not too heavy, not too light, crisp and loud!
"Ugh!"
The silver-haired girl's head bobbed from the slap, and she grabbed her head with both hands!
But when she turned around, there was no confusion or grievance in those phoenix eyes.
Instead, there was immense excitement!
As soon as she lowered her hands from her head... she threw her arms around his neck!
She pressed her whole body against him, her warm, soft body constantly snuggling into his embrace!
Her delicate little face looked up at him, the crimson in her heterochromatic eyes flashing incessantly!
"Master! Master—!"
Her voice was sweet and soft, completely unable to suppress the trembling excitement within!
"Liguang, Liguang finally found a way to be with Master forever!"
"That's it! Just like in the movie!"
"Is Master willing? Is Master willing?!"
"Liguang will definitely study hard!"
The more she spoke, the more excited she became. Her arms hugged his neck tightly, her heterochromatic eyes staring straight at him!
The light in her crimson eye grew brighter and brighter!
"Liguang promises, she will never let anyone else touch Master!"
"Only Liguang! Only Liguang can replace Master's body!"
"Step by step, part by part..."
"Turn Master into an existence like Liguang—!"
"Then, we can be together forever!"
She stared straight at him!
Her little face was full of expectation and fanaticism!
Looking at her like this... the veins on Fang Qi's forehead twitched again!
No... wifey!
It won't work!
It really won't work!
The people around them had also stopped clapping by now...
They were all looking at them.
Gazes fell upon the two of them, most of them... eerie.
But there were also a few people whose eyes weren't staring quite so blankly, but rather with curiosity and amusement.
The middle-aged uncle sitting next to him, separated by one seat, was now watching with a smile, looking like he was enjoying a good show.
What are you looking at! Who told you to look!
Fang Qi took a deep breath—
Smack!
Another slap landed on that little head!
"Ugh!!"
The silver-haired girl clutched her head again.
This time she was truly aggrieved. Her eyes turned red, and she looked at Fang Qi with tearful eyes:
"Master...! Why did you hit Liguang again...!"
Fang Qi glared at her:
"I can't do that, I can't be modified!"
Because he would respawn!
But...
But how was he supposed to explain it to Liguang?
Tell her that once her master got on the operating table and the knife made the slightest cut...
He'd just close and open his eyes, and go drink that cup of 52-degree tea?
...That wouldn't work either!
He couldn't tell her that!
If she knew everything, she would forget everything again and revert to that original little yandere!
...I'm really screwed!
The silver-haired girl blinked, her aggrieved expression pausing, and then—
An even more fanatical light burst forth!
She hugged his neck, bringing her little face close to his, their noses touching!
Her warm breath brushed his face, carrying a faint sweet strawberry scent.
"Master... why exactly do you disagree?"
Her voice was so soft it could drip water:
"What's wrong with this method, or is it that Master really doesn't want to..."
Those heterochromatic eyes stared straight at him!
"Be with Liguang forever?"
Tears still swirled in her amber left eye, while in her crimson right eye—
The scarlet color was flashing madly!
That look was fanatic, aggrieved, expectant, and uneasy all at once!
It also carried that familiar touch of sickness and madness!
Like a rabid dog wagging its tail frantically, yet terrified of being rejected by its master!
Fang Qi: "..."
He was complaining bitterly inside!
He really wanted to try mechanical ascension too!
It sounded so cool, alright?!
But this damn rewind mechanism... it wouldn't let him!
His heart was bleeding!
He had to admit... if it were possible, this would definitely be the best way to be with Liguang forever!
But, but, but... damn your rewind mechanism!!
"Young man."
At this moment, a gentle voice came from the side.
Fang Qi turned his head.
It was that middle-aged uncle.
He was looking at Fang Qi with a smile, leaning slightly towards him, looking like he was about to say something important.
"You..."
"Wow—! Why are there so many people—!"
A crisp voice suddenly exploded from the entrance of the theater, interrupting everyone's attention!
...?
Holy crap!
Fang Qi whipped his head around to look!
At the entrance of the theater, a pink figure was poking her little head in to look.
Ponytail, round face, almond eyes wide open.
Lin! Xiao! You!
There was another person standing behind her, desperately tugging at her clothes—it was her best friend, Xiao Qing!
She looked anxious, wishing she could drag her away immediately!
Fang Qi: "..."
Holy crap!
What is she doing here?!
Lin Xiaoyou was currently looking blankly at the full theater, blinking her almond eyes, and then blinking again.
Then she whispered to Xiao Qing behind her:
"Look, they don't look like ghosts... they're all real people... what are you afraid of..."
But because the theater had already quieted down, her voice echoed very clearly.
Xiao Qing's face went pale!
The hand tugging at her clothes pulled even harder, her lips moving as if saying "let's go, let's go"!
But Lin Xiaoyou just wouldn't leave!
She kept poking her head in, looking around curiously!
Fang Qi looked at her, his mind spinning fast!
Damn it... could she really be from Dawn Company?
So, she was deliberately "courting death" to spy on them?!
But aren't people from Dawn Company afraid of dying by coming here?!
These people... are probably all awakened AIs!
Maybe there are even some... modified humans among them?
Anyway, they are "Dusk"!
Just by the name, they are the mortal enemies of "Dawn"!
Lin Xiaoyou, a human, if she was recognized as someone from Dawn—
His gaze subconsciously swept around!
The "audience" who had just been looking at him with smiles were now all looking at the door in unison.
Gaze after gaze fell on Lin Xiaoyou.
Quiet, silent, motionless.
Just like how they looked at him at the very beginning.
Fang Qi's eyelids twitched wildly!
It's over... this girl is going to be in big trouble—
"Hehe."
A gentle laugh suddenly sounded.
That middle-aged uncle laughed again.
He looked at the pink figure poking her head at the door, his eyes narrowing with a smile.
"Xiaoyou is here too."
His voice was very casual, just like...
Seeing a familiar junior.
"Come on in."
Fang Qi froze instantly.
Huh...?
Lin Xiaoyou also froze.
She blinked, looked at the middle-aged uncle beside Fang Qi, her almond eyes wide open.
Then she blurted out:
"No, Uncle... who are you?"
...Huh?
] [Lone Wolf, No Male Gaze] [Protagonist is pursued early on; extreme protagonist-stans, stay away!] The "Carnival Paradise" descends and slowly devours the real world in the form of a game. By chance, Zhu Yan awakens the talent [Roleplay], becoming one of the first beta players. He thought he could develop safely, but after clearing the first instance, he is branded by humanity as the chief culprit behind the game's spread—a traitorous villain. A villain? Who would ever... become one! He'll be the villain! From then on, Zhu Yan is not only a player but also a lackey for the Carnival Paradise. Between the straight path and the crooked path, he chooses the con. With his left hand, he dons the villain's mantle, staging scenes within instances, infuriating players who decry him as a despicable traitor, all while the game happily promotes him. With his right hand, he joins the non-human organization "Fangcun Mountain," which opposes the Carnival Paradise, transforming into a mysterious player who slaughters game bosses, earning cheers of "Long live the expert!" from fellow players. Gradually, Zhu Yan rises to become an S-rank human player in Fangcun Mountain's archives, while also being the Carnival Paradise's certified top game Boss. But when the final war erupts and both major factions place their hopes in him— Players tag his various aliases: "Experts, this offensive depends on you." The Carnival Paradise's supreme Boss throws an arm around his neck: "Bro, you're the iron, I'm the steel; you can't let me down again!"
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.”
ine. During your journey, you save an abandoned baby girl and become her elder brother】 【You rely on each other, becoming each other's support】 【At the end of the simulation, you shield the now-grown girl with your life, sacrificing yourself to block numerous demonic cultivators. You die, and the light in the girl's eyes fades】 …… 【Second Simulation: You are transported to a world where steam and magic coexist】 【You immerse yourself in the study of magic, obsessed with its research. One day, while out, you encounter a half-blooded demon girl wandering the streets. You take her in as your student】 【You teach the demoness what it means to be human, show her the beauty of the world, and nurture her into a miracle that surpasses even the gods】 【At the end of the simulation, you die of old age in front of the nearly immortal demoness due to your mortal lifespan】 …… One simulation after another, one encounter after another. Xu Xi suddenly felt something was off: "Wait, you said you're coming to the real world to find me?"
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."
