Rubik's Tyrant

On the way home from school, Chen Miemie bought quite a few clothes and pants for Loop.

Every Anomaly is very different.

Loop has flesh and blood.

She bleeds, feels pain, can eat, and senses temperature.

Under the high temperature of the Golden Sun during the day, the woolen pants she knitted for herself were clearly out of season.

With enough time accumulated in his watch, Chen Miemie began to consider whether he should contact Chen Miaomiao.

Normally, after passing a life-and-death graduation exam, one should share the good news with their family.

After thinking about it for a long time and consulting the think tank's advice, Chen Miemie finally decided to put it off for now.

If asked about it later, he would just say he had no time and was too afraid to reply.

The Great Witch Chen Miaomiao, whether in terms of strength or her understanding of his original body, was incomparable to any other social connections he had encountered so far.

Before making contact, he needed to gather more information and make better preparations.

Tonight was the Frost Moon.

It was very cold.

Chen Miemie had originally set his sights on the warm Loop, planning for the two of them to huddle together for warmth on the Frost Moon night.

Unfortunately, he found it unfeasible in practice.

The long needles acting as Loop's legs looked as if only the tips were sharp, but that was not the case.

Those long needle tubes were actually rapiers sharpened 360 degrees. Touching them was like actively throwing oneself into a cutting machine.

Chen Miemie tended to toss and turn in his sleep. He didn't want to roll over in the middle of the night and wake up in agony because his legs had been sliced off by sharp blades.

A new day arrived.

Today was the day Chen Miemie was to report to the Silver Moon Court.

The city's public buses had stopped running, so he had to figure out a way to get there himself.

Loop and Bobo were left at home, and he went out bringing Qinghua with him.

"Qinghua, should I have chosen the Nanjun Society yesterday? It's so close, right at our doorstep."

"Loop has already gone to get her driver's license. Once she passes, we can just buy a car ourselves," Qinghua's voice came from Chen Miemie's chest.

"Honestly, I'm a bit worried about her driving. If she gets excited and steps on it, her needles will pierce right through the car's chassis."

The Silver Moon Court was neither close nor far from Chen Miemie's home, about five bus stops away.

For Chen Miemie, the biggest problem wasn't the distance, but the fact that the streets were completely empty on this curfew day, leaving no one to ask for directions.

His watch didn't have a navigation function, so how was he supposed to know where a society five stops away in a general direction was located?

Fortunately, he had one last resort: sending a message.

He contacted Vice President Leng Ruxue.

Soon, Leng Ruxue found him driving a small car.

"Chen Miemie, get in."

"Oh, thanks for taking the trouble to pick me up. Your car is beautiful."

"Haha, it was me who forgot about the city transport shutting down. As for my car, its appearance is secondary. Its main feature is high defense, so I can occasionally drive it outside the city."

"Impressive. And you were complaining about being poor. You're clearly a big shot."

"Look at what you're saying. We are Mystics after all. Wealth and poverty are relative; we don't really have to worry about cars and houses.

Let me tell you, the President is also waiting at the society to welcome you today. She heard about your intention to replace her."

"Vice President Leng, 'replace her'? Are you passing on messages like that because you're afraid I won't die fast enough?"

"But she was very happy. She even said she would take good care of you."

"May I ask if 'take good care' was in air quotes?"

"I couldn't tell, but anyway, she looked very happy."

"We're almost at the society. Could you tell me some basic information about this President? After all, she's going to 'take care' of me soon."

"Don't worry. Those of us who believe in the Frost Moon are generally very rational and demure."

Chen Miemie thought for a moment, recalled Little Frost's personality, somewhat agreed, and breathed a slight sigh of relief.

Then he heard Leng Ruxue's introduction:

"Our President is named Fina, codename Cube Tyrant."

"Wait," Chen Miemie quickly interrupted. "Is 'Tyrant' the tyrant I understand it to be?"

"Don't misunderstand, and don't be fooled by the codename. It's actually meant to mislead enemies. The President is very reasonable."

"Really?"

"Yes, everyone in our society thinks so."

Chen Miemie was a bit suspicious of her claims, but unfortunately, he had no proof.

Soon, they arrived at the Silver Moon Court.

It was also located on the bottom few floors of an entire building. In addition to the society's name at the entrance, there was a hollowed-out moon pattern.

"How come the Nanjun Society near my home only has a name, but this place has a moon symbol?"

"This means our society has a specific faith."

"Does that mean places like the Nanjun Society don't believe in the sun and moon?"

"It's not that they don't believe, but their faith is scattered, or it hasn't reached the point of being written into the society's charter."

There were guards at the entrance. Since Chen Miemie was brought in personally by Leng Ruxue, naturally no one came up to question him.

The interior style of the Silver Moon Court was vastly different from that of the Nanjun Society.

Upon entering the Silver Moon Court, it wasn't just spacious; the ceiling was also incredibly high.

It was as if several floors had been completely knocked through to create the interior of a massive cave.

In the deepest part was an artificial Frost Moon, two or three stories high.

The floor wasn't covered in modern flooring or carpets, but natural-looking grass.

The grass was a deep blue leaning towards moon-white. Chen Miemie didn't recognize the species.

In the massive space, there was only a single figure standing beneath the full moon.

Just looking at the back, the figure was tall and wore a hood over their head.

"President Fina, I've brought him. He's the one who said he wants to usurp power and become the new President himself. I'll leave you two to talk."

Leng Ruxue ran off as soon as she finished speaking.

Chen Miemie was speechless.

Damn it, he had been set up by that fellow Leng Ruxue.

"Hello, President Fina."

"Chen Miemie, son of the Great Witch Chen Miaomiao. Your rudimentary ability in the academy was releasing moonlight, and recently you seem to be showing signs of amnesia," Fina read out Chen Miemie's relevant intelligence as she slowly turned around.

"Ah!!!" If Chen Miemie had only remembered the word "Tyrant" from Leng Ruxue's introduction earlier, right now he only remembered the word "Cube".

This President Fina, the Cube Tyrant, had a normal human body below the neck, but she had no head. Resting on her neck was a Rubik's Cube the size of a human head!

"No need to panic. This is my Mystery. Once I solve this Rubik's Cube, it will turn back into a head."

"W-what an amazing ability."

"You want to be the President of our Silver Moon Court?"

"Yes," Chen Miemie didn't change his tune, because it was too late to back out now. He might as well see it through to the end.

"Do you know what it means to become the President?"

"It means I call the shots in the society?"

"You're not wrong to understand it that way. But on the other hand, when members run into trouble and seek help, you must be able to shoulder the burden. That requires courage, experience, wisdom, and strength."

Chen Miemie nodded. "Right now, I only lack experience."

"It seems your courage is indeed quite good.

Whether as a President or a regular member, you are currently a newcomer. According to convention, you can choose a teacher within the society.

Once you are a bit more familiar, I will assign you a task. If you can complete it, the position of President is yours."

"Then I choose you."

"The mentor-student relationship is a two-way choice. You can choose anyone, but they must also agree.

I reject your choice. My [Mystery] is peculiar, making me unsuitable to teach you.

Every Frostmoon Night is when we gather here. At the next assembly, you can try asking someone else."

The first meeting went quite smoothly.

Aside from being startled by President Fina's Rubik's Cube head, the president seemed genuinely emotionally stable and communicated normally.

Today served as Chen Miemie's newcomer orientation. He met the organization's leader, paid his respects, and familiarized himself with the place.

At the society's next Frostmoon Night assembly, he would get to meet the other members.

After Chen Miemie left.

The Rubik's Cube on Fina's neck seemed to be twisted by an invisible hand.

The colored blocks on it shifted positions.

She spoke in a mechanical voice: "Today's rule updated: No looking back while walking."