Don't Want to Be Your Brother

The pace of change in this world far exceeds people's imagination.

The turmoil in Country J lingered on the international news pages for less than three days before being replaced by other headlines.

The world seemed to have forgotten about that couple from Xia Country who had been trapped in Gotham.

But some people hadn't.

Qin Group, CEO's office.

Qin Ya stood before a massive electronic screen, densely populated with all the publicly recorded movements of Yuanlong Tech, Hanqing Tech, and even the "Distant Horizon" Foundation over the past six months.

From the "Living Water Lab" in Country J to the water wells in Africa.

From the explosive popularity of a documentary on Country A's streaming platform to the small yet exquisite "Eastern Elegance" art exhibition in Gotham.

Each piece of information was like an isolated chess piece.

Before, Qin Ya had dismissed these as Lu Chenyuan's minor maneuvers—harassment, defense.

But when Country J's political scene publicly fractured over an editorial and an open letter...

When Lu Chenyuan emerged unscathed, securing precious time and public support with Mo Qingli by his side...

Only then did Qin Ya connect all these scattered pieces.

She finally understood.

From the very beginning, Lu Chenyuan had no intention of engaging in symmetrical warfare on his opponent's chessboard.

What he was waging was asymmetric warfare.

Country A wielded the blunt force of hegemony—rigid, unyielding power.

Lu Chenyuan, meanwhile, sowed seeds of goodwill, exported culture, and built soft, emotional connections in every corner of the world.

He didn’t meet fists with fists.

He entangled that swinging iron hammer with countless invisible threads, making every strike slower, heavier, burdened with hesitation.

"Madman."

Qin Ya muttered under her breath, yet the corners of her lips curled upward uncontrollably.

It was the thrill of meeting a worthy opponent.

She had always wanted to defeat Lu Chenyuan, to outshine Mo Qingli.

But now she realized they weren’t even competing on the same plane.

Lu Chenyuan was building an ecosystem.

She was still fighting over territory.

"Ya-jie."

Huangfu Chengshi pushed the door open, interrupting her thoughts.

Today, he wore a sharply tailored gray suit—looking every bit the polished man, no longer the little boy who used to trail behind her.

"The latest test results for 'Edge' are in." He handed her a report.

"The commercial version’s core metrics have caught up to the previous generation of 'Genesis.'"

Qin Ya skimmed the report, satisfaction flickering across her face.

"Well done."

"To celebrate this success—and to thank you for the resources you’ve poured into this project without hesitation—" Huangfu Chengshi met her gaze, eyes bright,

"Would you honor me with dinner tonight?"

He used the word "honor," posture deferential.

But his eyes held an unshakable confidence that brooked no refusal.

Qin Ya studied him, then smiled.

"Sure."

The dinner was at an intimate French restaurant.

Huangfu Chengshi was flawless—from wine selection to conversing with the waitstaff, even explaining each course with effortless elegance.

He wasn’t the little brother who needed her guidance anymore.

He was a man who could stand as her equal.

"Ya-jie," Huangfu Chengshi began casually, cutting into his steak,

"I’m planning to spin 'Edge' off into a separate company."

Qin Ya’s hand paused mid-motion.

"Oh?"

"The future of AI isn’t just an auxiliary system." His eyes burned with ambition.

"It’ll be the operating system of the next era. Whoever controls the strongest foundational model controls the future."

"'Genesis' is moving fast. But they have weaknesses."

"Lu Chenyuan shields Lu Ruoxi too well, letting her focus solely on research in her ivory tower. But that also means 'Genesis' reacts slowly to the market."

"I’m different." He set down his knife and fork, locking eyes with her.

"I’ll make 'Edge' the sharpest blade in the market—the one that understands users best."

Qin Ya listened quietly, watching the boy she’d raised.

He had truly grown up.

There was an aggression in him now—one she recognized, even admired.

"So," Qin Ya took a sip of wine, voice calm, "what do you want from me?"

"Nothing." Huangfu Chengshi grinned.

"I’ll repay Qin Group’s investment in 'Edge' at the highest premium, converting it into equity. I’m just... letting you know."

He leaned forward slightly, gaze unwavering.

"Ya-jie, I used to follow you because you were stronger."

"Now, I can stand beside you."

"So I don’t want to just be your little brother anymore."

Soft music filled the restaurant.

His confession was direct, unflinching, carrying the fierce possessiveness of a young wolf.

Qin Ya studied his face—young, handsome, etched with obsession and hunger.

She found it... amusing.

Her lips curved into a slow, crimson smile.

"You can try."

---

Yuanlong Tech, AI Lab.

Contrary to the tension outsiders might imagine, the atmosphere here was quiet, orderly.

Every researcher worked at their station, lost in thought or immersed in silent focus.

No anxiety hung in the air—just the serene tension of a team moving in perfect sync.

Lu Ruoxi’s "self-evolving" architecture was no longer a mad sketch on a whiteboard.

Over the past months, it had become the team’s shared creed.

They dismantled "Genesis’" core code, rebuilding it module by module—like constructing a new city from scratch.

Su Yang, Lu Ruoxi’s most trusted partner, shouldered the heaviest engineering load.

He led the team in translating her abstract mathematical models into solid, reliable code.

Today marked the first full performance test of the new "Genesis" model after achieving a closed-loop self-iteration.

On the central screen, data streams flowed steadily.

No dramatic spectacle.

Just a relentless climb of core metrics—computational efficiency, model complexity, energy consumption—cold, brutal, undeniable.

"Energy ratio, stable below threshold."

"Model complexity, increased by two orders of magnitude."

"Logical consistency, one hundred percent."

Su Yang’s voice was steady, but a faint tremor betrayed him.

Everyone stopped working, rising to their feet, eyes fixed on the screen.

They knew what these dry numbers meant.

They had leveraged finite resources to unlock infinite possibilities.

Lu Ruoxi stood motionless at the console, silent.

Until the final test concluded.

Until the screen flashed the ultimate report.

A large green icon indicating "Approved" dominated the center of the screen.

The lab was first engulfed in absolute silence.

Then, subdued cheers erupted, long suppressed but now bubbling over.

"Ruoxi..." Su Yang turned to look at her, his eyes filled with endless emotion and admiration.

A faint smile finally appeared on Lu Ruoxi's face.