At two in the afternoon, by Emerald Lake.
The new villa was nearly twice the size of the old one—a three-story standalone with a massive private garden. The greenery was still sparse, but at least the lawn had been fully laid.
Su Han worked with astonishing efficiency, upgrading the entire security system in half a day. Even the garden was now lined with invisible sensors.
Baal reported that the latest batch of Federation defense equipment had arrived on schedule. Ryan led the Shield Team in installing and calibrating everything, raising the villa's defense level to maximum.
Jiang Lijin stood on the second-floor balcony, watching the bustle below.
Tinia was directing half a dozen transport robots as they carried his newly custom-made furniture inside. Between orders, he found the living room curtains tacky and immediately ordered new ones on his light-brain.
Everything was falling into place.
But Jiang Lijin’s gaze lingered on the empty entrance hall. She stared at it for a long moment.
Every time she came home before, Xiao Bai would waddle up to her on its round little body, its electronic eyes blinking, and greet her with that mechanical voice.
“Welcome home.”
Now, after Darren’s blast, nothing was left of it.
Jiang Lijin leaned against the railing, one hand absently tapping the metal handrail.
“What are you thinking about?”
Chiron had come up without her noticing. He stood behind her, finally wearing his own clothes instead of that borrowed, ill-fitting casual outfit from Tinia.
Jiang Lijin didn’t turn around.
Xiao Bai. That stupidly useless housekeeping robot.
Chiron was silent for two seconds.
He walked up beside her, resting his elbows on the railing.
Its memory data was uploaded to the main brain in real time for backup. The Academy has a complete archive. As long as you rebuild the same model of the unit and import the data, its behavior and speech patterns will be fully restored.
“I know.”
Jiang Lijin finally turned to look at him.
“But even if it’s exactly the same, it won’t be the one I remember.”
She said it lightly, her tone flat.
Chiron didn’t argue. He just stood quietly beside her.
Jiang Lijin dropped her gaze, her fingers still tapping the railing.
The mainbrain.
Her tapping suddenly stopped. Her brows furrowed as if something had struck her.
Earlier, Xiao Yi had tried to probe the mainbrain. It couldn’t even break through the outermost firewalls. But at the time, Xiao Yi had mentioned that the mainbrain’s underlying data architecture bore an unsettling resemblance to its own system code.
She hadn’t paid much attention then. But now, piecing together everything since she arrived in this world…
She was a failed task executor. According to the cold, ruthless rules of the main system, failure meant only one thing: elimination. There was never supposed to be a second chance.
Yet she had survived, and she’d been sent to this world whole—memories intact.
Who had brought her here?
The all-powerful main system? Or Xiao Er, who had vanished protecting her?
The more she thought about it, the more unsettling it became. Her journey in this world had gone too smoothly.
She’d started as the only female with 3S-level psychic power, matched with five top-tier beast mates, and that nearly limitless psychic energy she’d channeled on the battlefield—everything had fallen into place too perfectly.
What if this world’s so-called mainbrain was actually some system?
What if the entity governing the entire Empire’s fate was Xiao Er herself… or simply the main system?
Then everything would make sense.
She had been deliberately placed here.
Jiang Lijin’s heart skipped a beat and then began to race.
Xiao Yi.
Here, here! What’s up, Host?
You once said the mainbrain’s data code felt familiar. What exactly did you mean?
Xiao Yi paused, its electronic voice turning serious.
It's like... it's built on the same source language. I could sense it, but I couldn't read its core data—I didn't have permission.
The phrase “same source language” made Jiang Lijin grip the railing tighter.
She turned, facing Chiron directly.
“Chiron, I want to see the mainbrain.”
Chiron lifted his head, a flicker of confusion in his gray eyes. But he didn’t ask why—just waited for her to continue.
Jiang Lijin’s words came out quicker than usual.
"Not through a light-brain conversation. I want to see it face-to-face—the physical core, the processor, the server room, whatever it’s called. I need to see it with my own eyes."
Chiron straightened up, pulling his hands off the railing.
He answered clearly and efficiently.
The mainbrain is essentially a massive quantum AI. Its physical core is in the Academy’s central server room, which is under direct imperial jurisdiction. As the regent, your authority permits it.
“Then let’s go.”
Chiron added, "There's one procedural step. Entering the main server room requires a dean-level authorization code. My uncle is the current Academy dean—I'll have to submit a formal request."
He paused, as if worried she’d be impatient, then added, “He’s easygoing. He won’t make trouble. I’ll call him soon, and we should have the authorization by tomorrow at the latest.”
Jiang Lijin let out a long breath.
If her guess was right—if the mainbrain really was some system—then every mystery in this world would be unraveled.
Why this world. Why her. Why Xiao Yi shared blood with the mainbrain.
And most importantly—where had Xiao Er gone?
Chiron pulled out his light-brain and dialed a number.
After three rings, someone picked up.
A gentle, elderly voice came through, laced with amusement.
“Chiron, it’s rare for you to call your uncle yourself. What is it this time—another lab borrowing?”
Chiron’s tone was respectful.
"Not this time, Uncle. Her Highness wishes to visit the mainbrain's physical core. I need a dean-level authorization for the server room."
On the other end, there was a two-second pause.
The old man’s voice grew more curious.
“The regent wants to see the mainbrain? How interesting. I’ve been dean for thirty years, and this is the first time a royal has asked to see that hulking machine.”
“Uncle.”
The old man chuckled in reply.
Alright, alright, I hear you. Business is business. I’ll approve the authorization code tonight. Bring Her Highness over tomorrow morning. And tell Her Highness—the server room is cold. Have her wear an extra layer.
“Understood. Thank you.”
“What’s there to thank? Hurry up and hang up—I’m in the middle of an experiment, and your call makes my hands shake.”
The call ended.
Chiron put away his light-brain and turned to Jiang Lijin.
“Tomorrow morning, I’ll take you there.”
“Your uncle is a good man.”
Chiron gave a faint smile—the kind specific to speaking of family.
“He’s been at the Academy his whole life. No interest in power—just likes tinkering in his lab. But that aside—”
He paused, studying her. His voice was calm.
“Why do you suddenly want to see the mainbrain?”
Jiang Lijin didn’t answer right away.
She turned, her back to the railing, arms crossed over her chest.
“Just a hunch.”
Chiron gave a noncommittal nod and didn’t press further.
Suddenly, a shrill scream from Tinia came from beneath the balcony.
"Hey, hey! Who told you to put my limited-edition vase there? That was a gift from my mom!"
Immediately followed by the moving robot's emotionless reply,
"Command execution complete. Next item..."
"Wait, wait, wait! I haven't even told you where to put it yet! At least let me finish before you move!"
Jiang Lijin glanced down. Tinia was chasing a moving robot all over the garden, his golden hair a tangled mess in the wind, with Rowan tagging along to watch the fun. The boy was doubled over with laughter.
Jiang Lijin smiled helplessly.
She pushed open the railing and turned around.
"Let's go down and take a look, or else he’ll end up dismantling my new house."
