Seeing that even her inseparable Project Bunny agreed with Fuli and the others, Bronya looked down at her own slender calves wrapped in white silk stockings.
She asked softly, "Affecting development... does that mean I won't grow tall?"
"Yes, exactly!"
Seeing his little sister wavering, and remembering the principle of 'a slap followed by a sweet date,' Fuli immediately seized the opportunity. "Exercising is easiest when you're a child. Once you grow up, both your body and mind become heavy. It becomes entirely possible that you won't even be able to do a single push-up."
For example, among the many higher-dimensional observers outside the screen, there were probably already people spamming comments like, 'Damn it! Tear down the surveillance cameras!'
Kiana sighed with emotion. "Exercise is more effective for kids? No wonder Auntie is so strong."
"Don't use 'high-level black' sarcasm. I never said Theresa is a midget who will never grow taller and isn't very bright," Fuli accused.
"It's only been a few months since Bronya underwent the X-10 experiment. Working hard now won't have much negative impact, but if you drag it out, it might really affect your height in the future."
Reshaping the body with the authority of the Herrscher of Reason was a different calculation entirely.
Just look at the Bronya next door in Houkai Gakuen 2, who remained flat as a board even after growing up. As for this one, even if she stubbornly claimed she didn't re-weave her genetics during her Herrscher transformation, probably no one here would truly believe her.
One must remember, Bronya was already sixteen when the main story began, and nearly nineteen by the time Part 1 ended.
Who experiences a sudden surge in measurements after nineteen?
Immortal Phoenix, you can rest easy. That whole "8 > 50,000" inequality is nonsense; essentially, it's all just technology and hard work!
"It affects more than just height," Mei's voice drifted over from afar. The girl, currently directing the Cat-Cakes to sample the Fuli Well, didn't even turn her head.
"Pulling one hair moves the whole body; the human body is a holistic system. Poor blood circulation in the legs over a long period can lead to the degeneration of organic functions. It might even affect the development of nursing organs."
Really?
Hard to say. Maybe yes, maybe no; it depends on the individual.
So, did Little Duckie, who vowed to eliminate all the "Planet Big-Boobians" from the world, dare to gamble?
"..."
Clearly, she did not.
The girl didn't know she would become the Herrscher of Truth in the future.
"Don't worry, Bronya! This Lady definitely won't arrange super strict training right from the start!"
The future Herrscher of Finality launched a follow-up attack: "Humans are like sphincters; their adaptability is incredibly strong! We'll start with just a little bit, then add a little more slowly. eventually, you'll be surprised to find you've reached the painful-yet-pleasurable realm of 'feeling awful all over if I don't train for a day'!"
"What kind of shitty metaphor is that?"
Bronya roasted her, then whispered, "Do we start now?"
Her silk-clad little feet curled and uncurled; she looked nervous and incredibly edible.
"Not now."
Mei took off her rimless glasses, which flickered with data streams, and rubbed her throbbing temples. " The Fuli Well needs adjustments. Before we finish reorganizing it, you all better find a place to stay put and behave."
"Looks like I'm pulling an all-nighter tonight," she muttered to herself.
Fuli and the others exchanged glances, stood up in unison, and tiptoed toward the exit.
Leave professional work to the professionals; they wouldn't stay behind to cause trouble.
Bronya and Kiana filed out smoothly one after the other.
However, just as Fuli was about to step through the door...
"Stay."
"Huh?"
Mei said flatly, "I need a husband to stay and help."
Men and women working together makes the work less tiring.
You rascal, don't even think about sneaking away.
"If you need a laborer, Kiana is qualified," Fuli said with a serious expression, looking out the door. " The Kaslana monstrous strength is perfectly suited for this kind of thing. Bronya's Project Bunny can also assist with program..."
They were gone. Both of them.
Damn it! Traitors!
Watch this capitalist boss deduct your wages!
The next day, early morning—
The sky before sunrise presented a deep indigo blue. As the sun rose, the eastern horizon was gradually dyed with faint pink, orange, and finally gold. The colors deepened layer by layer, forming a magnificent gradient effect.
The first rays of sunlight pierced through the thin morning mist and sprinkled onto the sparkling sea, as if draping the ocean in a golden gauze.
"Haaah, so sleepy..."
The Master of the Hyperion and its sole male yawned as he walked down the metal corridor.
Mei hadn't tormented him too ruthlessly the previous night; she had only squeezed labor out of him until 4:00 AM before allowing him to return to his room to rest.
Fuli felt bad leaving, so he stayed and worked with her until 6:30 AM before leaving the mist-shrouded Mount Taixuan to head to the cafeteria to prepare the day's meals for the hungry Herrscher trio.
During his previous transaction with Theresa, he had asked the Far East Branch's transport team to bring along some seasonal fruits, vegetables, and fresh meat. While the vast Pacific Ocean offered endless resources, they couldn't just eat big fish and seafood every day.
All four of them were teenagers in their growth phase; nutritional balance was a must.
However, according to what Mei mentioned during a break while she was vigorously working Fuli last night, once the new ecological environment of Mount Taixuan centered around the Fuli Well was completed, they could plant vegetables and raise small animals to be self-sufficient.
Moreover, animals and plants grown in such a dense energy environment would not only be delicious but also highly nutritious, providing a significant boost to the body and cultivation.
Fuli wasn't a picky eater—he could stomach secondhand furniture or porcelain plates gnawed on by Kiana.
But who doesn't want to eat something good?
As Confucius said: 'He did not dislike having his rice finely cleaned, nor his minced meat cut quite small.'
Dreaming of a beautiful future, the Leader turned a corner and walked right into a Duckie.
Fuli was astonished. "Little sister, why are you up so early today? Didn't we say Mount Taixuan is off-limits for a few days?"
"Mount Taixuan being closed doesn't affect training. The plan for the day lies in the morning! Do, that's what Idiot Kiana said when we parted yesterday."
The yawning little girl curled up in her brother's arms, her dead-fish eyes (rich in DHA) half-open. "She also said that if she finds I haven't reached the designated location on time, she'll run over and flip Bronya's blanket."
She paused, then added, "Big Bro, did you know that girls can get Boki too?"
"What?!!"
Fuli's eyes nearly flew out of his head.
The girl continued, "Especially whenever I think about having to get up at 6 AM every day from now on... Bronya's middle finger just can't control the urge to go Boki at Kiana."
[T/N: 'Boki' is Japanese onomatopoeia for an erection. Bronya is using crude slang to say she instinctively gives Kiana the finger.]
"I-Is that so..."
Complaints aside, after bidding farewell to a shocked "parent" (Fuli) who was now wide awake, Bronya continued steadily toward her destination.
Mei hadn't touched the corridors when expanding the interior of the aerial battleship, so the little girl soon arrived at the temporary training room Kiana had set up.
It was actually just a larger storage room, about half the size of a basketball court, with a huge banner hanging above it.
"Yi Yi Shi, Wu Yi Shi, Yi Jiu Yi Jiu Ba Yi Ling."
Bronya murmured the text on the banner, tilted her head, and looked at the energetic white-haired dumpling. "What does that mean?"
Kiana didn't stop running on the treadmill. While stretching her legs, she explained, "This famous quote comes from the fables or aphorisms of literati and poets. 'Yi yi shi, wu yi shi' (Ease for a moment, mistake for a lifetime) means that a brief moment of indulgence or comfort may bring temporary joy, but if this indulgence becomes the norm, it may lead to long-term errors or adverse consequences, even affecting one's career or character for a whole lifetime. 'Yi jiu' (Ease for a long time) emphasizes continuous indulgence, and 'Ba yi ling' (Cease at a certain age) expresses that such behavior may cause one's lifespan or career achievements to diminish accordingly. Overall, it is a wise saying warning people to be moderate and wary of excessive pleasure."
[T/N: The banner text is a homophonic pun on the infamous Japanese meme number "114514810" (Yī yī sì wǔ yī sì...) from the 'Inm' subculture. Kiana has forced a profound philosophical meaning onto nonsense characters that sound like the numbers.]
Bronya immediately felt a massive urge to roast her stuck in her throat, unsure of how to spit it out.
Around 8:00 AM, Fuli, having finished making breakfast, called the busy girls over to feast.
Bronya, exhausted to the point of panting like a puppy, couldn't hold back the moment she sat down. Her small hand reached directly for her favorite fried red bean paste cake.
She was tapped by chopsticks.
"Wash your hands."
The little girl pouted but surrendered to her brother's tyranny and got up.
Seeing her chance, Kiana couldn't wait to reach out, intending to snatch the bean paste cake Bronya had been eyeing and stuff it into her own mouth.
Slap!
"Don't be mean and snatch hers; it's not like you don't have any."
"Eating my own and snatching someone else's taste different," the big white cat whispered defensively.
"That's not a good tradition. If you like snatching other people's things now, won't you be snatching other people's husbands in the future?"
Fuli twirled his fingers, and Trailing Shadow transformed into a pair of hands presenting a plastic basin filled with clear water.
"Bro, good."
Bronya's small face lit up, and she ran over quickly to wash up.
The boy continued to guide Kiana patiently. "You can't be a Cao Cao, whether you're a man or a woman."
[T/N: Cao Cao, a warlord from the Three Kingdoms period, was infamous for taking the wives of his defeated enemies. 'Cao Thief' is a meme for someone who steals wives/lovers.]
"Taking the moral high ground, are we? You're not my dad! ...Mmm, delicious!"
The white-haired Tuna impatiently stuffed a piece of fried cake into her mouth, cupping her cheeks and squinting her eyes. Just looking at her made one feel happy.
The girl didn't know that, in a certain sense, Fuli could indeed be counted as her adoptive father.
If one were to convert the relationship between K423 (Kiana) and the Real Kiana from symbolic sisters into something more biologically significant...
Plus, she had just boldly claimed she wanted to be a "Cao Thief"...
Eesh, this circle is messy. This circle is really messy.
Fuli wasn't annoyed by Kiana's impatience.
When this guy ate halfway through and realized her plate was empty, she would obediently come before him, bow, call him "Foster Father," and ask for seconds.
Just then, Mei arrived late, swaying slightly with dark circles under her eyes.
Fuli was startled and quickly leaned over to care for the housekeeper. "You were fine when we parted earlier. How did you end up like this in such a short time?"
Seeing this, Kiana burst into tears with a 'Wah!' sound. "Mei, you can't die! (Chew chew chew) This family can't go on without you! (Chew chew chew)"
Bronya moved her chair further away from this psychopath.
Often, she felt that Kiana's intelligence wasn't normal, but since she could take care of herself, others treated her as a normal person.
"Without Yuan's help, the work was too much and too urgent. I had to activate the low-frequency Massive Electric Neural Network to process it."
Sitting in the chair, Mei enjoyed Fuli's shoulder massage. Once her fatigue had dissipated slightly, she lazily opened her small, cherry-like mouth. "Aaaah—"
The intention to be fed was clear as day.
Kiana leaned in eagerly, bumping Fuli aside with her butt just as he was about to move. She took a spoonful of her own tofu pudding—loaded with two full spoons of chili—and stuffed it into her best friend's mouth. "Here, here, here! If it's not enough, This Lady will make Ah Li make more!"
"Cough, cough, cough!"
Not used to the spicy taste, and certainly not expecting it from Kiana, Mei choked until tears nearly streamed down her face.
Fuli handed her water in time to help soothe her throat, then asked curiously, "Yuan? Were you calling me just now?"
The girl glanced at him coolly, her autumn-water eyes seeming to ask: Isn't there only one person here with that character in his name?
Fuli wanted to ask her to change the address, but considering Miss Mei definitely wouldn't listen to him on this matter, he chose to remain silent.
Let her call him that. "Yuan" sounded nice enough—better than the other character in his courtesy name.
Kiana said with worry and lingering fear, "Sorry about that, Mei. You always feed me, so I thought I'd give you a taste of your own medicine... I didn't expect you to choke."
"It's fine. It's not your fault."
Seeing that Fuli didn't object to the new nickname, the girl, secretly delighted but outwardly calm, maintained her breezy demeanor.
Bronya, however, was different.
"Since Mei calls BOSS that, Bronya will follow suit."
The girl cleared her throat and, with a tone full of deliberate, deep affection, whispered, "Shi—!"
"Shut your mouth!!!"
Fuli, Shot Down.
The thing he worried about most had finally arrived.
Some might think that pronunciation varies across languages and doesn't necessarily have to be as bad as the homophones corrupted by the internet.
In fact, once life reaches a certain level (C-rank), Valkyries would be surprised to find that even across different regions or countries, language is actually interconnected. Once advanced to a certain level (B-rank), even in different Bubble Universes, communication becomes barrier-free.
This is the privilege of the strong. Even back when Kiana was still small, she relied on this to traverse many nations across Eurasia without encountering any language barriers.
Which meant: One meme connects all.
[T/N: Fuli's courtesy name is 'Yuan Shi'. Mei calls him 'Yuan' (Wall/City). Bronya calls him 'Shi' (Arrow/Vow). However, 'Shi' is homophonous with 'Shit' (屎) in Chinese, and sounds like 'Shit' in English context.]
Seeing Fuli clutching his head and howling at the sky, Mei and Kiana were startled on the spot.
Reproachful gazes instantly landed on Bronya, scaring the girl into a shiver. She quickly ran over and hugged him. "Big Bro, Bronya was joking. Bronya will never use that name to address you again."
"Really?"
"Really!"
"Swear it!"
"Bronya swears to Coco... to Seele, who is still in the Sea of Quanta!"
"Good."
Fuli, who had been acting as if he were dying a moment ago, instantly became calm and breezy.
He patted the girl's twin-turbos (drills) and sat back in his seat. "Eat up, everyone. Hurry up and eat. After we finish, we need to discuss the issue of the Hyperion's AI."
Bronya stood there blankly, suddenly realizing she had been bamboozled by her evil brother's exquisite acting skills again.
Her fair little face turned red in an instant—from both shame and annoyance.
"Awoo!"
"AI?"
Glancing at the Ural Silver Wolf gnawing on Fuli's head while clinging to his back, Kiana—feeling a strange sense of déjà vu—asked curiously, "What are we doing with that? Doesn't the Hyperion already have an AI running the software?"
"That can only be considered a running program. I want a top-tier Artificial Intelligence capable of commanding the entire Hyperion and assisting Mei in sorting out and planning the massive energy network of the Fuli Well."
Fuli raised his hand to wipe the saliva off his forehead. "Mei is human; humans need rest. We can't push all this heavy pressure onto her. Look at those dark circles; doesn't your heart ache for her?"
"It aches to death!"
Kiana slapped the table, shouting loudly.
"Schicksal has Eiwa [Ada], Anti-Entropy has Femirins, the Taixuan Front has Baize, and World Serpent has the super-fetish-hitting—cough, the super awesome 'Alaya'. If we ever face off against these top-tier AIs in the future, the Hyperion can't be strangled by a bottleneck!"
"Save the world! Eh? By the way, what is World Serpent?"
"Don't worry about that. In short, we need to have our own super AI too!"
"Well said! So, Commander Ah Li, how do we cultivate a top-tier AI comparable to those things?"
Hearing this, Fuli, with a Duckie still hanging off him, thought for a moment. Together with Kiana, he looked toward the corner of the cafeteria where a Husky Type-66 mechanical dog was lying.
"Woof?"
Soth, who was full of food and drink and just about to take a nap, shuddered at the sight.
Do the Masters have some sort of misunderstanding about me?
...