Otherwise, she would truly embarrass herself to the point of being a disgrace. — By System
Chaoge followed the butler inside without any embarrassment, not forgetting to complain to the system in her heart: "The Yan family, which concentrates the highest technology in the entire empire, actually needs so many servants? Whose special hobby is this?"
Before she could hear the system's reply, a maglev car suddenly stopped beside her, whipping a gust of wind in her face. The car was red, a single-seater with sleek lines, and its tail fin shimmered brilliantly in the sunlight.
Speeding right into her own neighborhood, Chaoge realized without even thinking who this arrogant person was. The maglev car window was silent as the newcomer rested his arm on the window, flashed her a toothy grin, and said with undeniable arrogance, "Yo, a country bumpkin in the city. Welcome to my paradise, little sister."
Chaoge stretched out her left hand to shield her eyes from the sun, turned away from her, and completely ignored her greeting.
Yan Xi's expression immediately turned cold. She reached out and took off her multi-functional sunglasses, revealing a completely different face. Her expression turned icy: "What, can't this country bumpkin understand the common language of the Red Cloud Galaxy? Butler, get her a translator."
Chaoge fanned herself with her hand and took two steps to the side, distancing herself from her flying car. To be honest, Yan Xi's aura when she was angry wasn't as strong as the aura of Goddess Qin's casual smile last night, to the point that she had the illusion that a kitten was reaching out its claws at her.
Chaoge's expression also turned cold. She casually glanced at the feet of the butler who was trying to walk away, successfully making him stop. Then, she slowly yawned before leisurely continuing her sentence: "Forget about the translator. I can understand human language. I'm just worried that sometimes what I hear isn't human language. Also, don't look at so many bright, blinding colors all the time. It'll make you nearsighted. Now you need sunglasses to block the light. Why bother?"
Yan Xi glared at her coldly, wishing she could bore a hole through her. Half a minute later, she opened the car door, and the car automatically drove towards the garage. She walked step by step to Chao Ge's side, her arrogant demeanor making it seem as if she could devour her whole at any moment.
Compared to her imposing presence, Chaoge remained standing there, her presence almost nonexistent compared to Chaoge's aura.
Yan Xi raised her hand and slapped Chao Ge across the face with lightning speed. "Is this how you raised your family in the countryside to be disrespectful to your superiors?"
Chaoge stood motionless, her gaze listlessly sweeping over her. Just as her hand was about to touch her face, a figure swiftly moved in from the side, firmly grasping her wrist. Both looked up simultaneously. After seeing his dazzling blond hair and golden eyes in the sunlight, Chaoge sighed and moved a little further away.
I suddenly feel sorry for the sun. It's just quietly shining in the sky, yet there are always people on earth who like to steal its spotlight.
In contrast to Chaoge's unchanging expression, Yan Xi's expression changed subconsciously, and her tone was even somewhat guilty and admiring as she spoke, "General Min... what are you doing here?"
Chaoge turned her head and sized up Min Kaiyang. He was about 185 cm tall, with a straight posture and a flawless white military uniform. The three gold stars on his shoulders reflected a sharp light in the sunlight, and a golden, wheat-ear-shaped ribbon ran from his left shoulder to the third button. His belt was tightly cinched, highlighting his lean waist, and black military boots encased his calves. Chaoge narrowed her eyes, thinking of the same white uniform worn by the man yesterday.
“You didn’t need to reach out just now,” Chaoge said, because she had no intention of dodging. Only after she actually received a slap could she truly become enemies with Yanxi. Otherwise, just watching her jump around would make it hard for Chaoge to get into the role.
The reason is simple: if you see a monkey barking at you, are you going to get angry at it? Unless its outstretched claws scratch you.
Min Kaiyang had no intention of talking to them. Apart from stopping Yan Xi's actions at that moment, he simply turned his eyes, his golden pupils almost devoid of any human emotion, glanced at Chao Ge, and then turned and walked up the steps toward the original reception room.
[System, this surname sounds familiar, huh? Send me some information.] Chaoge looked in the direction he left, wondering in her mind what kind of movement speed he had used to be able to stop Yanxi so quickly.
The holographic projection displayed by the AI unfolded in front of her. Since what she saw was confidential, only she could see this screen.
He almost laughed after just one glance at Chaoge, because apart from the name Min Kaiyang and his identity as the captain of the direct personal guard, everything else was gibberish.
That's right, at least yesterday when scanning General Qin, it showed question marks and unknowns, but today it's just gibberish. Chaoge felt a strong sense of mockery from the system.
[My memory isn't very good. Who said yesterday that anyone except the highest ruler of the empire could access everyone's information?] Chaoge randomly found someone to lead the way to her room. Even as she walked, she didn't forget to complain about the system, clearly having completely given up hope on its abilities.
The system really wanted to shout to the heavens, "I'm innocent!"
From yesterday to today, the information Chaoge requested was either about the empire's rulers or these bizarre individuals, making even Chaoge itself doubt its own core system settings! After a long while, it weakly gave its answer: "[I possess the most advanced technology in the entire Red Cloud Galaxy; there's absolutely no way I could produce garbled text. The only thing I can't scan is the core AI of the Heavenly Star!]"
[So you mean after I met General Qin yesterday, I also encountered a human who was the embodiment of the planet's core AI? System, do you know how much I want to believe your nonsense? But at least be a little more reliable, okay?]
The system responded by shutting down.
Chaoge: "..." How can an AI be so self-righteous after making a mistake?
That's too high-profile.
☆ Chapter 5: The Fifth Evaluation of General Qin
The room was arranged exactly to her liking. There were no overly extravagant decorations, nor was it monotonous. Everything she needed was there. In the corner was a holographic background projection switch. The moment she entered, the Yan family's AI specially set aside a channel for her, just to serve her.
"Miss Yan, welcome back to the Yan family home. This is AI Generation 4, Number 70, at your service. Requesting access to your AI information." A dark blue holographic screen popped up in front of her, displaying two options: 'Agree' and 'Disagree'.
Chaoge pressed the "agree" option. The system had said that apart from the core generation of AI, the other AIs on Tianzi Star could not detect its difference yet, although after this morning, she was skeptical about it.
"Information successfully retrieved and uploaded to the homeowner's AI, awaiting confirmation. What are your requirements for the room background projection?" The screen disappeared, replaced by a beam of light that changed patterns every five seconds, whether it was the cosmos or a forest background, all so realistic that she couldn't take her eyes off it.
Chaoge wondered, "They're both intelligent systems, so why is my one not as good as the one from the Yan family's main residence?"
【I'm not like this home-use AI! How dare you compare my combat-ready, all-functional AI to this piece of junk that only projects and uploads information! Yan Chaoge!】 Oh no, I forgot it's in my own head.
Hearing the various sounds of things being smashed simulated by the system in his mind again, Chao Ge rubbed his temples in exasperation. Did this guy think his head was a junkyard?
"I don't live in a garbage dump." The system quieted down and answered her seriously.
"Alright, alright, to distinguish yourself from these guys, why don't you give yourself a name?" she replied to herself in her mind, while reaching out to tap the projected image of the forest background. Instantly, the style of the room changed. The wall against the headboard became the shape of a huge ancient tree, the ceiling became countless green leaves, and golden sunlight shone through the gaps, turning into pale golden beams of light as it fell.
Like a mortal who has stumbled into a fairyland, she gazes at the natural world with awe in her eyes. Only today has she truly come to understand a corner of the world's technology, but this fleeting glimpse has left an unforgettable impression on her.
Beneath her feet, a lush green meadow stretched out, feeling just like walking on real grass, without the worry of real insects like mosquitoes. Looking at the realistic effect, and then at the wooden bed and the varying shades of green sheets, Chaoge could have remained lost in this reverie for much longer if her system hadn't been constantly reminding her of its presence.
[I've decided, I'm going to call myself 'The Universe's Number One Super Invincible...'] The name was so long that Chaoge gave up on being a proper listener after hearing just the beginning.
Then, sniffing the air, she asked the Yan family's AI with some curiosity, "I can smell real grass and trees, how did you do that?"
"In conjunction with the holographic projection environment, the device's own extract No. 3 will evaporate." The voice of Yan's AI was that of a cute girl, and Chaoge guessed that this might be due to different options being made for different people.
"By the way, what is my access level?" Chaoge asked casually, recalling the many times he had heard the word "access" along the way.
The child's voice, number 70, answered crisply: "Your access level is the second level of the Yan family. The first level is the level of the family head. Without the Yan family's insignia, you cannot obtain any information about yourself. Unless there are special circumstances, all your personal information is protected."
Chaoge suddenly realized that there was so much she needed to know, and her own damn system had given her nothing but tasks.
Taking this opportunity, she simply had AI-powered No. 70 give an introduction to various aspects of the Yan family, and the AI also provided all the information within her authority.
The defense and monitoring of the Yan family's residence are all handled by the AI. The maintenance of all the flowers and trees in the garden is done by household robots controlled by the AI. Daily tasks such as changing clothes and cleaning are also handled by the AI. The butler is mainly responsible for understanding the AI's daily information reports, which is sufficient for him.
So here's the question: "So what are all those servants following behind the butler for?"
After connecting with the dedicated AI of the Yan family, she could basically use voice control to access services within the Yan family's territory. Even if she got lost, she could just call out and the AI would guide her. Were those people just kept around for show?
"They are chefs from all over the country, hired at the young lady's request. They specialize in dishes made with special ingredients from various planets in the Red Cloud Galaxy. Below is information on the dishes each chef is skilled in." So all those people she saw earlier wearing white weren't servants' uniforms but chef's uniforms?
After seeing the photos and the long list of dishes he'd never even heard of, and then seeing their annual salaries with so many zeros, Chaoge patted his stomach and had only one word to describe the Yan family: extravagant.
Having never lived such an extravagant and decadent life, she couldn't find anything else to do but sigh.
[Yan Chaoge, how long are you planning to ignore me? I'm about to activate noise mode!] The system's persistent voice echoed in her mind once again.
I almost forgot about this ==
Thinking of this, Chaoge quickly searched her mind for the names she knew: "Xiao Hong and Xiao Ming, you choose one."
"Are those two names you mentioned the two I know? The two famous ones from the elementary school math textbooks in Country Z on Earth, the ones that have been counting stars for thousands of years?" The system's voice sounded a bit ominous.
Chaoge was somewhat surprised. "You actually knew?"
The next second, she paid the price for her recklessness. The system somehow conjured up some strange sound frequencies, and she clutched her head, feeling completely unwell. Just three seconds later, she shouted, "Stop! Stop! Stop! Change my name! Little Red Riding Hood! Little Red Riding Hood! I love this name the most, and it's so cute!"
The system stopped torturing her and asked, "Are you talking about Little Red Riding Hood, the one who was eaten by the Big Bad Wolf?"
Before Chaoge could explain, the voice of AI No. 70 rang out: "Patriarch of the Yan family [Yan Chen requests video access, do you agree?]"
Chaoge was stunned. This person seemed to be her original owner's nominal father?
After hesitating for a moment, she replied, "Agreed."
The next second, a screen appeared before her eyes. The person on the screen was dressed in a black military uniform, with sharp eyes. The hair under the military cap was different from what she remembered; it was short and black. However, apart from the hair color, the face was so familiar that she could recall it even with her eyes closed that she didn't need to prepare herself as she had thought. The word "Dad" came out naturally.
Something suddenly snapped in Chaoge's mind. She just stared blankly at Yan Chen, speechless. Yan Chen saw the complicated look in her eyes and assumed that she had experienced too much since returning home. He softened his expression, though his serious voice didn't soften much: "You're back."
Just those words made Chaoge's eyes well up with tears, but before she could reply, Yan Chen's next words left her completely stunned: "You've been in M1 for a long time, and your temper has become a bit wild, which was expected by your mother and me. But you can't come back and act like this towards your sister. You're an adult now, so we won't say much more. Let's leave it at that. Prepare well for the entrance exam for Yuandu Military Academy next month."
She was still in shock when the video was turned off in front of her. What did this mean?
"Your mental state is somewhat unstable. Do you need psychological treatment?" The cute girl's voice from Brain 70 rang out again in the room.
"You can turn it off now," Chaoge replied immediately, and then the entire room fell silent.
She took a few steps back, sprawling on the bed, breathing in the fresh air of nature. It took her a while to recover from the shock. She muttered to herself, raising her hand to shield her eyes, "Little Red Riding Hood, why does he look just like my dad...?"
The system wanted to get angry and refute her, saying that she had never admitted to the name Little Red Riding Hood!
Sensing that Chaoge's current emotional state was not right, it wisely kept quiet and instead searched its knowledge base for any inspirational quotes that could help change such negative emotions in humans.
"That's true. If her parents weren't like mine, she wouldn't be like me. Then my grandparents must be the same, right? It's so amazing, it's like I've traveled into another version of myself in another time and space." Actually, she didn't want to hear the system's answer at all, and continued the conversation on her own. Her thoughts were a jumbled mess, many fragmented images flashing through her mind—one moment she was lying on her brother watching him play games, the next she was her parents scolding her.
However, although her parents would scold her, they would never ignore her feelings, never tell her "do whatever you want but respect your sister," and never treat her with indifference.
Royal Palace.
"You're back." Qin Muge reached out and took off the military cap that was covering his face to shield him from the sun. He lazily opened his eyes and his gaze fell on the blond man in front of him.
Min Kaiyang remained expressionless, rarely displaying any human emotions. Yet, even with such a completely blank expression, his heroic bearing remained undiminished.
He nodded in response. Qin Muge twirled his military cap and placed it on the table. He leaned back in his chair, resting one hand on the table and the other on his elbow, his fingers touching his cheek. On the back of his dark blue, almost black glove, a faint blue orb of light, entwined with golden vines, emitted a dim glow. When you actually saw the pattern, it always seemed almost alive, especially the faint, shimmering light of the blue orb.
"Does it look like her?" Qin Muge's voice always carried a hint of laughter, but no one knew whether her true feelings were as genuine as her voice.
Min Kaiyang met her bloodshot eyes directly, and saw the luster in her red pupils under the warm yellow light, making her look extremely beautiful. He said, word by word, "Exactly the same."
Qin Muge tugged at the corners of her lips, seemingly in a very pleasant mood: "Originally, I was a little envious of her, but now," she paused, recalling the footage from the military video during the day, her eyes crinkling, her whole face beaming with smiles, "I feel so sorry for her."
Hearing her smiling voice, Min Kaiyang couldn't ignore the malice hidden within it.
Qin Muge seemed to have genuinely improved his mood, and even had the leisure to scroll across the desktop, browsing the various documents sent to him on the screen.
Suddenly remembering something, she tapped the corner of the table and said without looking up, "By the way, the training plan for Yuandu Military Academy this year has been released. There are people from the Yan family and the Yan family who want to study there, and they need an honorary teacher. So I signed you up. Surprised?"
Min Kaiyang stared at her expressionlessly for a long time, his voice flat and unremarkable: "Do you dare to ask for my opinion before making a decision?"
"Hmm, I'm relieved to hear your answer. If you really want to thank me, then I'll process today's military report and ask Tian Shu how far the planetary mining project in the P4 Nebula is going." As she spoke, she stood up and walked deeper into the palace, clearly heading towards her bedchamber to sleep.
Min Kaiyang: "..."
☆ Chapter 6: The Sixth Evaluation of General Qin
Yuandu Military Academy is one of the best military academies in the Crystalless Empire. Moreover, because it is located in the capital, it has various advantages that other military academies cannot match. Whether it is the quality of students, the quality of teachers, or the teaching equipment, they are all unmatched by other military academies.
As mentioned before, the Crystalless Empire is a militaristic country with a strong personality cult, so attending a military academy here is almost the most glorious thing for every citizen of the empire. Correspondingly, the future prospects after graduating from a military academy are generally very bright.
With such excellent conditions, the Imperial High School naturally had a fierce competition among high school students to gain admission. The difficulty of the entrance exams was self-evident. To prevent students from slacking off during the holidays, an additional entrance exam was arranged afterward. The exam content varied greatly each year, sometimes focusing entirely on physical fitness, sometimes entirely on written tests, and sometimes on other topics—making it impossible to predict the examiners' intentions.
After reviewing all the information about Yuandu Military Academy, Chaoge sat on the bed and sighed. The original owner of this body was really something. In her eyes, this was a university with a difficulty level no less than Peking University or Tsinghua University in the college entrance examination, and she got in just by saying so.
But! If you're capable enough to pass the exam, then you should be able to enroll!
As a student who has already escaped the college entrance exam mode, how am I supposed to switch to "academic superstar mode" with my limited resources?! And it's military academy knowledge, no less!
She glanced sadly at the stack of books on the ground. The top one was titled "Simulated Fighter Jet Operation Guidelines." She couldn't understand how a book that was supposed to be about operating rules could be as thick as an Oxford dictionary.