TGMNDIAR - 1
"...You are a selfless and great bystander, who, upon first meeting, showed concern for the male lead because he had to care for a rabbit cub by himself. You often visit to check on him."
"During this time, you stumbled upon many secrets of the male lead, and also took care of the toddler little rabbit. Your relationship with the male lead gradually deepened, but alas, good times don't last..."
The small black ball with horns flapped its wings and spoke passionately, its volume almost breaking through the ceiling.
"This is the synopsis of 'The Tyrannical Wolf-Dog and the Runaway Rabbit'. Do you understand?"
Xu Mu's eyes were lifeless as he lay on the bed, hands folded on his stomach, legs straightened out.
A buzzing sound kept ringing in his ears, giving him the sensation of wandering souls.
—Who am I? Where am I? Have I reached heaven?...
The small black ball grew angry.
"Hey! Enough already! You've been ignoring me from the beginning. Do you even know who granted you this great new life? And you still won't acknowledge me?"
Heaven couldn't possibly be this noisy, so it must be a hallucination.
Xu Mu concluded to himself—
Oh, he must be so hungry that he's hallucinating now.
The small black ball, seeing Xu Mu still ignoring it, was about to explode with anger.
"Are you even listening?!"
What did this small coal ball say... Xu Mu rolled his eyes, trying hard to remember.
—He couldn't recall; he stopped listening to stories about rabbits and wolves when he was eight.
"Are you incapable of understanding human language? That’s impossible, the database's language shouldn't have errors!"
The small black ball began to check the system, spouting a bunch of strange words, "%...&￥#&%*&￥%&U&…&*@！#￥%+……%#*￥%……"
So noisy. Xu Mu frowned. He remembered he was going to the kitchen to get something to eat, so how did he end up lying in bed?
Oh well, he didn't care. He didn't want to move, so he'd just stay like this.
Xu Mu rolled over slowly, pulling the blanket over his head.
But the incessant hallucinations kept chirping, attacking his eardrums like popcorn popping.
Seeing the person on the bed unmoved, the small black ball spread its wings with a "whoosh," and a black mist appeared behind it—
Unfortunately, this little thing looked too comical, like a creature from a cartoon, otherwise its intimidation factor would surely have doubled.
"Ah, how dare you ignore me?! Do you know who I am? How dare you..."
The upgraded version of noise attack was too much for Xu Mu to bear. He couldn't take it anymore and waved his hand toward the source of the noise—
With a sizzle, two electric currents crackled.
The world fell silent.
Indeed, it was just a hallucination. Xu Mu felt satisfied and tucked his arms back into the blanket.
He closed his eyes heavily, hoping the dream would dissipate soon, and he would wake up.
—
It had been about a month since he first arrived in this unfamiliar world.
Xu Mu finally accepted the fact that he had been reincarnated after his sudden death. He had undergone a soul transference and arrived on a planet millions of years in the future, where technology far surpassed that of Earth.
At first, faced with the unfamiliar decor of the room, he felt a bit lost, with fragmented memories popping up in his mind intermittently.
The original owner of this body shared the same name and surname as him, had a similar life experience, and even looked quite alike. He had grown up as an orphan, raised by a federal welfare agency until adulthood, when he became self-reliant, relying on student loans for education. Like him, he also disliked socializing, spending years confined to his home, leading an extremely dull life.
At the age of nineteen this year, he was still in college, currently on summer break, spending his days holed up at home playing games.He also died suddenly.
Xu Mu felt at a loss for words, suspecting that it was precisely because of such a coincidence that he ended up in this body, while the original owner of this body went to his world.
—How tragic. Wasn't this equivalent to being transported back to a low-tech era in the 21st century?
"Nades reminds you that it's lunchtime. Please don't forget to eat," the household robot's voice chimed in.
Xu Mu grunted in acknowledgment, taking the nutrient solution handed to him and finishing it in one gulp.
"Do you want to have noodles for dinner tonight?"
Xu Mu: "Can you make them?"
"Please don't doubt Nades. According to factory settings, my culinary skills are above the planetary average."
"..." Well, the average level here seemed quite low.
Xu Mu thought back to the meal the other day. He couldn't pinpoint what was wrong with it, but he just didn't have any appetite, and it tasted like wax.
"I think I might be better at cooking than you."
"A bowl of vegetable soup that almost blew up the pot?"
"...Almost blowing up the pot has nothing to do with the taste."
"Unfortunately, as a robot, I can only be satisfied with 'battery power' and cannot taste the delicious food you make."
"..." Was that sarcasm?
"Your room hasn't been cleaned for ten days. Dust particles cover seventy-eight percent. Would you like Nades to clean it?"
Xu Mu marveled at the convenience of future technology, being able to detect this accurately. Without hesitation, he nodded. "Sure, go ahead and clean it."
"Please temporarily leave the room." Nades bowed and gestured for Xu Mu to leave through the door.
"Wait." Xu Mu quickly pocketed his mini-game controller, picked up the coffee from the table, and threw the blanket over the chair. "Alright, go ahead and clean."
Nades's pitch-black eyes emitted a faint glow. "You seem much livelier than before."
Xu Mu thought the robot was quite perceptive. "Really?"
"Yes," Nades nodded. "Before, you never wanted to change positions while playing games. You wouldn't say much, and you wouldn't even eat, even if you were hungry to the point of stomach pain. You would just take some medicine to ease the pain and then drink a small amount of nutrient solution, barely maintaining the minimum human survival requirements."
Huh? Was the original owner that eccentric? Playing games without eating?
Xu Mu couldn't believe it. He played games day and night mainly because of his interest and also to earn money by playing games for others and doing game strategy live broadcasts on time every day.
"Now that you can cook vegetable soup yourself, it's really commendable. As a loyal robot, I sincerely feel happy about it."
Xu Mu sighed inwardly, feeling a bit uneasy. The boy in this body was only nineteen years old.
No wonder he was as skinny as a skeleton.
Suddenly, a notification sound rang out—
"Welcome to Fantasy City~ Your scheduled Crimson Earth task is about to start in one minute~"
Oh no, it's time for the task.
Xu Mu hurriedly put on the small personal navigation ring, and a high-transparency screen surrounded him in a circular shape, emitting a faint blue light.
He automatically logged into the game page, with the central display showing the crimson bold letters—Crimson Earth.
With the leap in technological advancement in the future, various types of games have progressed significantly. Concepts such as holographic simulation, realistic sensations, full-field of view, and one-touch consciousness entry, which used to exist only in theory, have now become a reality.
Xu Mu took over the original owner's Light Brain account, which had downloaded dozens of games. Almost every game had a high level of participation.
Whether it was due to his experience from his past life or the instinct of this body, Xu Mu found himself excelling at these games as if he were born for them.
His professional instincts kicked in, and he thoroughly researched the games the original owner used to play, selecting the ones he found convenient to take over for gaming and power-leveling.
With the determination he had put into studying for over ten days, he eventually managed to land a few short-term contracts.
The pay wasn't much, but every beginning is difficult, and having something is better than nothing.
[BigSpray: Finally online, come quickly!]
[Xu: Okay]
[BigSpray: You can use the conveyor directly. I'll give you a sightseeing ticket, and I'll reimburse you.]
[Xu: Okay]
Ding ding—The cursor in the bottom right corner of the screen blinked.
Xu Mu casually clicked it open, revealing a message from a star network friend.
[Firefly: Passed! The technical skills were good. There's a second round of offline interviews. Remember to come next week. I'll send you the address later.]
[Xu: Alright, thanks.]
[Firefly: Prepare well. If you pass the test, there are plenty of high-paying jobs in the association. You won't lose out.]
[Xu: Okay]
Another message popped up on the screen.
[Biilk: I've transferred the clearance fee for "Full Rock" to you. Check it out.]
With a movement of his finger, Xu Mu slid out the new screen floating beside him, opened the account page, and saw a significant increase in his balance from the transfer.
【Xu: Okay, received】
[Biijk: There's a chance for collaboration next time.]
[Xu: Alright]
At this moment, the chat box on the game screen was flooded with emojis from the other side.
[BigSpray: Are you there.jpg]
[BigSpray: Are you there.jpg]
[BigSpray: Are you there.jpg]
[BigSpray: Are you there.jpg]
[BigSpray: Are you there.jpg]
[BigSpray: Are you there.jpg]
[BigSpray: Are you there.jpg]
Xu Mu quickly replied.
[Xu: Sorry, got disconnected.]
[BigSpray: No problem, are you available for online voice chat?]
[Xu: Sure.]
[BigSpray: I've opened it.]
[Xu: Alright.]
Xu Mu adjusted the connection chip in his earlobe. The blue light reflected onto his face, cutting out a half-lit, half-dark contour, giving him a deep and stern appearance.
He closed his eyes, and suddenly, the scene before him changed. It was no longer the living room but a vast expanse of dark red cracked land.
Yellow sand filled the sky, and the horizon was dim. Strange flying creatures of various shapes and sizes soared high or low, occasionally emitting sharp, unknown cries.
"Hurry, the dangerous grasses outside the city gate have appeared." A white-haired man descended from the sky, carrying a complex mechanical cannon on his back, with dense bandages wrapped around his palms. A scar ran across his forehead, and his landing was as graceful as flowing water.
"Okay," Xu Mu nodded and quickly followed the white-haired man.
---
Federal Advanced Medical Center
"Mr. Bai, how many times has this situation occurred?" The doctor scrolled through the screen, rows of data tightly arranged.
"I don't remember," Bai Nian also had an extremely pale complexion, pointed chin, lips devoid of color, and a pair of large black-framed glasses covering his brows. There was a hint of fatigue in his appearance. "It happened almost every day last month, but it's been much better recently. It happens about three or four times a day now."
"How long does it take to return to normal after losing control and transforming into your mimicry form?"
"I'm not sure. Sometimes it takes a few hours, other times just a few minutes."
"Is there accompanying fatigue?"
"Sometimes."
"Will some of your mimicry features remain in humanoid form?"
"Yes, it's hard to retract the tail and ears."
"How's your quality of sleep?"
"I tend to wake up easily in the middle of the night."
"Have you experienced symptoms such as reduced appetite or vomiting?"
"I eat less than before, and while there's been no vomiting, I often experience nausea."
...
After asking a dozen or so questions in succession, the doctor stopped typing.
"The routine blood test is still an issue, with hormonal imbalance. You stopped medication previously because you were considering surgery, correct?"
Bai Nian nodded softly. "Yes, Professor Chen arranged a time for the operation for me, but now it's in the observation phase and the situation... isn't very ideal. They're concerned that my body would reject it, so it's been postponed."
"Well, Professor Chen's concerns are valid."
The doctor typed swiftly, "However, there's no need to be too anxious. Your secondary sexual characteristics are underdeveloped, and your internal structure is atrophied, making post-operative recovery relatively easier—"
After filling in the last diagnosis, the doctor clicked to confirm the medical record. He adjusted his glasses and said, "The most important thing for now is to focus on recuperating your body. Emotional stability is one of the factors affected by unstable hormone levels. So, go to bed early, wake up early, relax, consume more vitamins, and gradually things will improve."
"Considering your poor physical condition, I won't prescribe new medication either. It might interfere with your body's self-recovery. Of course, if you're in too much discomfort, I can prescribe some pain relief medication for you."
Bai Nian nodded in agreement, "Alright."
"You'll need regular follow-ups during this period. It would be best to undergo magnetic wave therapy three times a week. Can you make time to come in for it?"
"Yes. I recently changed jobs and plan to settle on the planet Wei De."
"Changed to a new job, huh? Then be careful not to overwork yourself, if—"
"Daddy..." A tender child's voice sounded from behind the door.
Bai Nian was startled and quickly got up to run to the door. "Ye Ye, what's wrong?"
Ye Ye was a three-year-old boy with eyes like black grapes. His chubby little hand rested on the door frame as he softly said, "Daddy, I'm hungry."
Bai Nian lifted the child up and coaxed gently, "Did Ye Ye not eat his biscuits? Do you want some porridge?"
Ye Ye shook his head. "I don't want biscuits, I want porridge." He patted his stomach, pronouncing a bit unclearly, "Ye Ye regrets not finishing his noodles at noon."
Bai Nian's tone grew even softer. "Alright, we'll have porridge. But Ye Ye needs to wait for me for ten minutes, okay?"
Ye Ye obediently nodded. "Okay."
...
Back in the room, Bai Nian apologized, "I'm sorry, Dr. Lei, for keeping you waiting."
"It's okay, today's examination is almost done. By the way, is this your child?" the doctor asked.
"It's not... um, his... mother has something going on recently and needs me to take care of him for a while, so he's temporarily staying with me..." Bai Nian didn't go into too much detail, summarizing the situation.
The doctor's expression briefly turned strange. Of course, he heard the word "daddy," but... he didn't inquire about the child's "mother." Instead, he said, "If you're feeling unstable recently, I suggest finding someone trustworthy to help."
Bai Nian sighed inwardly but still replied, "Okay, thank you for your advice."
Suddenly, his hand was touched. He looked down and met Ye Ye's clear eyes.
The boy hesitantly called out, "Daddy..."
Bai Nian picked up Ye Ye and comfortingly patted his back. "Alright, we'll be going back soon."
Ye Ye nibbled on his fingers, his head resting against Bai Nian's shoulder. "Hmm..."
The doctor smiled and asked the little boy how old he was.
Bai Nian replied that he was three years old.
"Is his mimicry a rabbit too?" The doctor seemed to be treating the boy as Bai Nian's child.
Bai Nian didn't want to explain further and simply said, "Yes."
"Hungry..." Ye Ye mumbled, his arms hanging around Bai Nian's neck, his legs kicking randomly.
The doctor said, "I have some cake here. If the child is hungry..."
"No need, Ye Ye just said he wanted porridge. Because he didn't eat much for lunch, he's getting hungry quickly." Bai Nian combed through his hair, his gaze soft. "Actually, I brought some cookies, but he didn't want to eat them..."
The doctor disapproved, saying, "A picky eater? Children need to pay more attention to nutrition, especially during the growth period after the age of two years old is critical."
Bai Nian softly responded, "I know, I haven't neglected his nutrition. Ye Ye has a small appetite, so I have to feed him small meals frequently. I neglected it this time because we spent a long time at the medical center."
The doctor didn't have much else to say and simply advised, "Okay, take care of yourself too."
"Alright, Dr. Lei, I'll take my leave now. Goodbye," Bai Nian politely nodded.
"Okay, bye bye."
Ye Ye tilted his head, mimicking the adults, and waved his little hand, saying with unclear pronunciation, "Bye... bye..."
The doctor smiled and said, "Okay, bye bye."
Ye Ye's tongue got twisted, elongating the word "bye" into "bye bye bye, daddy..."
The doctor: ?
At such a young age, Dr. Lei, who had been single for over thirty years, was left bewildered.
Bai Nian, however, was not surprised and said helplessly, "Sorry, Dr. Lei, Ye Ye calls everyone that way."
Calling everyone "daddy," even "dad," was just Ye Ye's way, and now "dad" had become his exclusive term. Correcting him was futile, so Bai Nian had to let it be.
The doctor wiped his face and said, "Oh, I see."
It seemed that Ye Ye wasn't Mr. Bai's son after all.
---
Navigation Vessel
"Xiao Nian, how's your health? What did the doctor say?" The voice from the communicator sounded caring and cheerful.
"It's the same as usual. The doctor just told me not to worry too much and take good care of myself," Bai Nian replied as he fastened Ye Ye's seatbelt, and the boy cooperated throughout the journey.
He gently squeezed Ye Ye's small hand as a form of praise.
Ye Ye responded with a sweet smile, revealing his adorable undeveloped front teeth.
Bai Nian's expression softened even more.
Shi Lun sighed, "They couldn't find out the reason?"
Shi Lun was Bai Nian's best friend, he was well aware of his situation and the secrets of his body. He also knew about Bai Nian's recent frequent transformations into his mimicry.
"It's probably still the same old problem, hormonal imbalance. It got worse after I stopped taking the medication. I just need time to self-regulate. Once my condition stabilizes, I'll undergo the surgery," Bai Nian explained.
Shi Lun asked, "What if the surgery keeps getting postponed?"
Bai Nian casually replied, "It'll be fine. My condition has improved quite a bit."
Shi Lun expressed his concern, "Why don't you come stay with me for a while? With your health condition and taking care of Ye Ye, I'm really worried that something might happen..."
Bai Nian interrupted him, "We have medical robots, don't worry. You just got married, I can't intrude like that."
"What are you afraid of!" Shi Lun snorted, "That tiger has been tamed by me. I say go east, he won't dare go west! Do you think he would dare to complain if I brought someone back?!"
Bai Nian chuckled, but thinking of Shi Lun's partner's semblance as a predatory animal, he couldn't help but shudder instinctively, unable to bear the thought of living under the same roof with such a creature.
"Amazing," he sincerely exclaimed.
Who said foxes were timid? His friend's courage could turn the world upside down.
Shi Lun rubbed his nose, "Of course, don't you know how I am?"
With a sigh, he added, "But Qin Tongfei is really irresponsible. She just left Ye Ye with you without a word, disappearing without a trace, even if she had something to deal with. It's exhausting for you. In my opinion, Ye Ye should be with your mother and stepfather."
Bai Nian remained silent for a while before speaking, "Actually, my mom wanted to take care of him herself, but Ye Ye sticks to me. He cries every day if he can't see me."
"They say the bond between generations skips a level, but you, being a 'dad' to your nephew, are still close," Shi Lun said. "Oh, wait, he's calling you 'Dad' all the time now, right? What about 'Father'? Or does he call everyone that?"
Bai Nian sighed, "You never stop teasing me, do you?"
Shi Lun raised his hands in surrender, "Okay, I was just kidding. My bad for running my mouth."
Then he asked, "Have you moved to Wei De(grassland) Star yet?"
"Yeah, almost there. I found a good place, but i'm staying in a hotel for now. I'll move in the day after tomorrow."
"Qi Xin hasn't been bothering you lately, has he?" Shi Lun inquired.
Bai Nian frowned, "No."
"The Qi family hasn't been causing you any trouble, right?" Shi Lun pressed.
"Mrs. Qi is reasonable," Bai Nian responded.
Shi Lun scoffed, "She's reasonable? Nonsense! She knew it was her son throwing a tantrum, staging a one-man romantic drama. You didn't do anything wrong, yet you got blamed and forced to resign and leave the capital planet. She's a real lunatic—"
"Xiao Lun," Bai Nian interrupted gently, "let's just leave the past behind. It's a good time for me to take a break and find a less stressful job."
Shi Lun suppressed his frustration for his friend, "Those arrogant teenage brats have no idea what they're talking about!"
He spoke too quickly and bit his tongue, letting out a pained cry.
Bai Nian quickly asked, "Are you okay?"
Tasting blood in his mouth, Shi Lun reassured, "I'm fine."
"Well, I won't say much more. If you ever face any difficulties, just let me know, and I'll fly to Wei De immediately!" He pounded his chest as he promised, "Don't hesitate to ask for anything, I'm at your service!"
Bai Nian's eyes twinkled with amusement. "Don't worry, you'll be the first person I call if anything happens."
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