The disappearing little gold dragon roared, and suddenly said three words in Chinese: “Feng…Lian…Zhu.โ
“System, is this really okay?” Feng Lianzhu asked inwardly.
ใA benevolent lie is sometimes necessary in society. Congratulations to Host Feng Lianzhu for understanding this principle, earning the title of “The Boy with the Fake Smile.”ใ
A title too? Feng Lianzhu nearly couldn’t maintain his composure, but with four teachers watching him, he could only offer a polite smile and say, “Thank you, teachers, for your recognition. I started school late and am much older than my peers. I am unworthy of the title of a genius student.”
ใAs the holder of “The Boy with the Fake Smile” title, each time you fake smile, depending on its emotional impact on others, you will gain or lose points accordingly. Host Feng Lianzhu’s recent fake smile brought pleasure to the principal, head teacher, grade director, and Teacher Jenny, earning 100 points from each, totaling 400 points for this fake smile.ใ
Feng Lianzhu: “…”
He was wrong to envy the system’s apparent favoritism towards Fat Dragon; Feng Lianzhu now realized that sometimes favoritism can be a burden.
ใHost Feng Lianzhu triggers a chain stage task: please participate in the college entrance exam within a month and achieve a high score. The higher Feng Lianzhu’s rank in the exam, the more evolutionary energy PangยทKirates will receive.ใ
After receiving his elementary school diploma, Feng Lianzhu bid farewell to the teachers and left the school, and the system issued a new task.
By then, Feng Lianzhu was already aboard the small warship. This being a shared task, Fat Dragon should be able to see it too. Feng Lianzhu turned to look at Yuan Cunfeng, who had started to nod off again.
Feng Lianzhu: “…”
It seemed Fat Dragon really disliked studying, just seeing the word “exam” was enough to make him sleepy.
Feng Lianzhu smiled helplessly and reached out to rub Fat Dragon’s head. Upon touching, Fat Dragon leaned over, resting his head on Feng Lianzhu’s shoulder, sleeping soundly.
“Why must PangยทKirates attend school if he can inherit racial memories?” Feng Lianzhu asked the system inwardly.
He had asked this question once before, but at that time, the system merely stated that its tasks were calculated through big data and fully compliant with regulations.
ใAs a prominent race in the universe, Kirates must learn restraint; otherwise, not even the last of its offspring would survive. The system hopes that by attending school and interacting with weaker races, PangยทKirates will understand that not all races are as powerful as Kirates. The universe operates on its own laws, and even a powerful race like Kirates must not overstep its bounds.ใ
If Fat Dragon truly attended school, those unruly students who refused to follow rules and sabotaged others’ work might now be filling up a planet with their corpses. Ordinary students’ fights are not very harmful, but if Fat Dragon got angry, it would likely result in maps filled with casualties.
“I think the tasks you issue have some issues,” Feng Lianzhu asserted.
ใFrom the current results, there are no issues.ใ
Though the logic might be skewed, the system’s statement was indisputable.
“If PangยทKirates and I hadn’t switched worlds, the final outcome might have been me stuck at the stage with the Love Lotus, unable to awaken self-awareness; as for PangยทKirates… he probably would have survived, but the Atavist on the primitive star would have perished,” Feng Lianzhu said.
Now, Fat Dragon wouldn’t harm the Atavist. Even when he was very angry before, he didn’t kill Laurie, the underground arena manager, or the clown. He’s gradually learning to use his power and control his temper. But the initial Fat Dragon hadn’t learned to control his strength.
The system’s tasks may seem unreasonable, but after Feng Lianzhu and PangยทKirates switched worlds, the intricacies of their tasks became apparent.
Fat Dragon’s destructive power is too strong; only in the game world can his destruction be minimized and not result in irreparable consequences. Feng Lianzhu, interacting with NPCs and players in the game, couldn’t truly interact with them. In the interstellar world, interacting with a variety of people, sparking emotional connections, has made Feng Lianzhu more emotionally vibrant.
The system’s arrangement was precisely calibrated.
“What exactly are you, system? What’s your purpose? Do you have a name?” Feng Lianzhu asked.
ใThe system’s name will be unlocked after the host completes all tasks.ใ
Still top secret? Feng Lianzhu chuckled to himself as he boarded the Kirates spaceship with PangยทKirates, now a little golden dragon, lying motionless on his shoulder, leaving the examination planet.
On the way back, he logged into Feng Yuansi’s account to check StarNet news for any updates about the underground arena but found none. This wasn’t a small matter; gathering evidence and proving claims would take time, as would the Imperial military preparations.
After completing the underground arena task, Fat Dragon’s scales would completely shed, leaving him as a Kirates dragon without any protection. If he could get into university at this time, would Fat Dragon be able to receive a massive amount of evolutionary energy while shedding his scales?
“System, you mentioned PangยทKirates’s energy is at the first stage. How many stages of energy are needed for his complete evolution?”
ใFirst stage involves the skin beneath the scales becoming hard and possessing formidable elasticity and the ability to undergo inter-atomic transformations; the second stage sees the growth of new scales, which are soft and fragile, marking the weakest period; the third stage involves the new scales becoming indestructible after undergoing quantum transformations, capable of resisting anti-matter weapons; the fourth stage sees the scales separating from the skin, undergoing excruciating pain during scale removal and muscle extraction, leading to the physical form shrinking and becoming human, which is the most vulnerable state where even a small metal knife can kill a Kirates; the fifth stage involves receiving inherited memories, completing the evolution, becoming a mature Kirates capable of surviving in the universe for billions of years.ใ
From the first to the fourth stage, it’s all a period of vulnerability, especially the fourth stage, which is completely unprotected.
Feng Lianzhu calculated that after the college entrance exam, Fat Dragon would be transitioning from the third to the fourth stage, in between the strongest and weakest periods of transformation.
If he could complete two tasks simultaneously, Fat Dragon could safely navigate through the transformation period.
However, even with the completion of his university studies, it would only reach the fourth stage. The task for the fifth stage has not been issued by the system.
Feng Lianzhu inquired about the next task, but the system said it would be issued after the underground arena task was concluded, then refused to discuss further.
“What’s my next stage task?” Feng Lianzhu asked. “I’ve already mastered the power of the Five Elements. Is the next step defeating a level 100 boss?”
ใIntegrate the Five Elements, achieving self-evolution.ใ
“How do I integrate?” Feng Lianzhu felt a conspiracy in these few words.
The system no longer responded.
“Aren’t you planning to issue my tasks anymore?” Feng Lianzhu suddenly realized, “Does this mean, PangยทKirates and I won’t have new tasks until after the underground arena mission is completed?”
Not exactly; Feng Lianzhu was busy with tasks, but Fat Dragon in the game world was truly idle.
The system remained silent, and Feng Lianzhu frowned.
He had a feeling that after completing the underground arena task, both he and Fat Dragon would face a highly challenging task.
After driving for six hours, Feng Lianzhu returned to the primitive star, landing at the original nest location, with Fat Dragon still deeply asleep.
Feng Lianzhu placed the sleeping little golden dragon on the pile of gold coins. The little dragon’s front paws grasped at the air, missing Feng Lianzhu’s presence.
He seemed uneasy in his sleep, constantly grasping for something familiar. Feng Lianzhu watched him for a while, then took out the gold coin engraved with a little flower and placed it in the little dragon’s embrace, picking up the coin engraved with a little dragon that Fat Dragon had hidden in the box for himself.
“This is what you call exchanging tokens.” Feng Lianzhu smiled.
Feng Lianzhu kept the little flower gold coin for a while, imbuing it with his scent. The little golden dragon hugged the gold coin with the little flower and finally slept peacefully.
Feng Lianzhu had tasks to accomplish. From the arsenal in the nest, he selected several mechas and warships.
The golden package brought back by Fat Dragon was the highest level of portable space in “Voyage in the Void,” reputed to hold spiritual fields and springs, though this was just a pie in the sky for players, as the spiritual spring gameplay had not yet been introduced.
Many players spent time and a high price to finally get this vast golden package, but its practical value was not as high as the common silver package.
Fitting a large warship and hundreds of small warships into the golden package was not a problem. Feng Lianzhu stuffed almost all weapons belonging to the Empire’s military from the nest into the package.
Fat Dragon had lost too many scales, and even with the golden scale armor, players might still harm him. To be safe, Feng Lianzhu armed him with weapons.
While packing, Feng Lianzhu hoped these wouldn’t be needed; otherwise, a star interstellar mech suddenly appearing in an ancient-style fantasy online game…
Well, he wondered if the game company could still survive.
He decided not to tie the package around the little golden dragon’s waist… he didn’t have one, so around his stomach, it was.
With only 20 hours left in three days, Feng Lianzhu was reluctant to let Fat Dragon go. After all, PangยทKirates was the closest person to him in both worlds, one who knew he was an NPC in a web game yet recognized him as a sentient being.
With Fat Dragon, Feng Lianzhu didn’t need to suppress his feelings; he could show his vulnerability, feel anger, jealousy, and even lie to teachers to help Fat Dragon cover up lies.
He poked the sleeping little golden dragon, who, seemingly having a dream, opened his mouth and bit Feng Lianzhu’s finger.
It didn’t hurt but was a bit numb.
Realizing he had bitten something, the drowsy golden dragon opened his eyes and, seeing he had bitten Feng Lianzhu, was so shocked he jumped.
The golden package at his waist was a bit heavy, and the little golden dragon, with most of his power sealed, couldn’t jump up.
Feng Lianzhu withdrew his finger, telling Fat Dragon, “It’s time, you need to return to the game world.”
The little golden dragon, dragging the heavy package, climbed onto Feng Lianzhu’s leg and roared, seemingly unwilling to leave.
“If you don’t leave now, the golden scale armor will disappear,” Feng Lianzhu poked the little Fat Dragon’s belly.
“Roar!” The golden dragon curled its tail around itself, protecting its belly.
“I’ve put weapons in the pouch for you, don’t use them unless it’s a crisis,” Feng Lianzhu said.
Fat Dragon was summoned by him, and Feng Lianzhu would ask the system to send him back.
ใCarrying interstellar items to the game world will deduct 10,000 points.ใ
“Deduct them,” Feng Lianzhu said without regret.
He pinched the little golden dragon’s tiny front paw, smiling, “Take care of yourself.”
As the little golden dragon disappeared, he roared and suddenly spoke three words in Huaxia: “Feng… Lian… Zhu.”
Feng Lianzhu was startled, about to say something when the little golden dragon was transported away, leaving the nest empty again.
ใHost Feng Lianzhu activated “The Boy with the Fake Smile,” PangยทKirates experienced sadness, deducting 1000 points for this use of the fake smile skill.ใ
Author’s note:
Fat Dragon: Roar! Roar! Roar!!!!!!
–
Second update, today’s 6000-word update completed. Looking at the nutrient solution, just over 3000 more to go for an extra update, please help, I really want to update more (as if _(:ะทใโ )_).