Volume 3: Deep Blue Sea
Shu Xun climbed directly onto Ye Jian’s shoulders and raised the tablet with information for him to see. Ye Jian immediately reached out to catch the “enormous” tablet that was shaking due to excitement. In Ye Jian’s eyes, the tablet, resembling an antique, was playing children’s songs cheerfully. Ye Jian had initially supported his ears attentively, but after a while, he found that there was almost no logical structure, so he shifted his focus.
Watching the information on the tablet, Shu Xun jumped onto Ye Jian’s hand and then pointed at the tablet with his chubby little hand. Joyfully, he said, “Luck is really too good. Someone happened to attack the defense system, allowing me to easily implant the information into the database without raising any alarms. This way, my information is completely untraceable.”
Ye Jian lowered his head to look at the information set by Shu Xun. When he saw the awakened race category, he visibly paused. Shu Xun, sensing this, proudly lifted his little head. “Treasure-seeking mice are just too rare, and it’s dangerous if exposed. So, I changed it to Northeast Mouse.”
Ye Jian nodded expressionlessly to confirm, but internally, he was pondering. Northeast Mouse actually sounded quite rare, too, as he had never heard of it. Or perhaps awakened individuals with rodent bloodlines were extremely scarce. After all, they had minimal combat abilities, and their beast form was even smaller than a normal person’s, making them not very useful in the current era. Ye Jian hadn’t come across many awakened individuals with awakened rodent bloodlines.
Continuing to investigate further, Ye Jian discovered that Shu Xun had meticulously organized his identity information, leaving no room for error. Shu Xun defined his identity as an immigrant from the ending planet. In simpler terms, it was a rescue method employed by the Cosmic Alliance for advanced life forms entering the ending planet, similar to Bai Ya’s invitation to the blue-eyed couple to move to another planet in “Winter’s End”.
Despite the efforts of major races to avoid interfering with the natural development of planets, sometimes the butterfly effect was hard to avoid. This led to the disruption of a planet’s development, causing it to reach its end. Of course, there were cases where the planet reached its end due to its own development or other factors.
In such situations, as long as it didn’t affect the development of other life forms, the original inhabitants of the ending planet could choose a planet with a similar background for continued survival. They would also enjoy the rights of equal citizenship in the cosmic era, but, of course, had to bear corresponding responsibilities and adhere to various cosmic regulations.
Since Shu Xun had entered his information into the database, he had naturally undergone DNA verification, confirming his identity as an awakened individual. This made him eligible to stay on an evolving planet. As for the ending planet where he was previously located, Shu Xun conducted a detailed investigation and carefully selected a planet that had already disintegrated. The consequences of a planet’s disintegration were irreversible, leaving no traces behind. Additionally, during the rescue, an accident occurred, leading to the loss of some survivors.
With his intelligence, Shu Xun had contemplated all possible causes and effects of this identity. After seven days of meticulous consideration, the identity he had created was approaching perfection. Once implanted into the information database, it would indeed be impossible to detect any anomalies.
Ye Jian was evidently confident in Shu Xun’s thinking abilities and quite satisfied with Shu Xun’s identity setup. When he saw the information below Shu Xun’s profile indicating “infant state, guardian application in progress,” a glint of light passed through Ye Jian’s eyes. He then skillfully opened his own light brain, accessed the information database, and initiated the guardian application. Upon seeing the information box pop up with the message “Your application has been submitted, please wait patiently. An appointment for you and the adoptee is expected one month from now,” General Ye closed his light brain with satisfaction, glanced at the weather outside, and asked, “Do you want to go out for a walk?”
The little person, who had been nodding and swaying to the music, instantly lifted his head, gazing at Ye Jian with bright eyes. He vigorously nodded his small head and exclaimed, “Yes, yes, yes!” After quickly shutting down the tablet, and tidying up his little clothes, he obediently stood at the edge of the coffee table, looking calm but with eyes that conveyed, “Why aren’t you moving faster? Shouldn’t we be heading out?” in his inquisitive manner.
Ye Jian, with an expressionless face, stood up, took a few steps with his long legs, returned to the bedroom, and struggled to control his poker face from being overwhelmed by cuteness. Internally, the person in him was itching to pinch the little dumpling.
In about a few tens of seconds, Ye Jian had changed out of his home attire, deliberately opting for a shirt with pockets. Then, skillfully, he placed Shu Xun inside one of the pockets. Stepping out of the room, before leaving, he readjusted the access permissions to allow the little dumpling to come and go freely.
The moment Shu Xun crawled out of the transparent glass wall and leaned on the edge of the pocket, he immediately felt a cool breeze. Shu Xun comfortably squinted his eyes and looked around, feeling that his vision had never been so expansive. The skyscraper was quite tall, and Ye Jian’s residence was only in the upper-middle part, but Shu Xun already felt as if he was standing at the pinnacle of the world. The excellent weather conditions made the view exceptionally broad, encompassing the entire city, and even the distant lush mountains were visible.
It was the first time Shu Xun had faced this world so directly, a world in a highly technologically advanced era. While Shu Xun had spent a long time peeking out of the window at the bustling urban scene, experiencing the true expansiveness revealed that this technologically vibrant city was just a small corner of the world. Surrounding it, the natural green mountains and blue waters were the main themes of this world, and the city was merely a dark-colored gem set in lush green.
The fusion of science fiction and nature, the harmonious blend of sharpness and tranquility. That was the first impression this world left on Shu Xun.
On a flying vehicle, Ye Jian took Shu Xun directly to a large shopping mall. The mall was crowded with many people, including individuals from various races. However, upon closer inspection, one would notice that, except for humans, all other races existed in virtual form. In other words, this mall operated through two sales channels: real-life and virtual networks.
Each major race had its own star system and inhabited planets. Due to the ongoing tensions and fierce competition for resources among the major races, real-world communication was still restricted by many limitations. The virtual network effectively eased these restrictions. Therefore, besides participating in real games, major races could also engage in leisure and recreational activities by using nutrient pods to visit regions inhabited by other races.
Responding to Shu Xun’s strong request, Ye Jian first took Shu Xun to the Light Brain Sales Center. Pushing open the door, Ye Jian’s cold and stern demeanor momentarily froze the lively atmosphere for a few seconds, but the spacious interior quickly regained its liveliness.
A salesperson approached, their appearance resembling that of a sales clerk, casting a slightly cautious glance at Ye Jian. It was evident that Ye Jian’s intimidating appearance had a deterrent effect. “Sir, would you like to take a look for yourself, or would you prefer me to guide you through the introduction?”
After the somewhat hesitant inquiry from the salesperson, awaiting Ye Jian’s response, he fell into silence. The General, who had never raised a child before, was momentarily perplexed about whether to buy a child-friendly light brain. However, considering Shu Xun’s intelligence, he could easily operate an adult light brain. Nevertheless, there were certain restrictions for young children in the virtual world, and perhaps it would be better to have some limitations…
On this side, Ye Jian was already caught in a loop of indecision.
As the salesperson waited for an answer that never came, they became increasingly uncomfortable. Just as they were considering whether to continue asking, a sweet and childish voice spoke up, “Hello, I need a light brain with good performance and relatively high permissions. Can you provide some information?”
The salesperson was momentarily stunned. Horrifyingly, this stern-looking man turned out to be a giant baby.
Shu Xun, scratching his head as he observed the salesperson, quietly poked Ye Jian’s chest, covering his mouth with chubby hands, and whispered in Ye Jian’s direction, “Is this salesperson a robot? Did it crash?”
Ye Jian remained silent.
The movement in Ye Jian’s chest finally attracted the attention of the salesperson. Their eyes brightened a bit, finally understanding where the voice had come from. There was a moment of embarrassment, but fortunately, the stern-looking man seemed unfazed. The salesperson immediately shifted into gear, guiding Ye Jian and Shu Xun toward one of the counters.
When they reached the counter, Shu Xun hopped onto the transparent surface from Ye Jian’s pocket with a playful sound. “I want a light brain with permissions above SSS.” The small figure stood on the counter, speaking in a serious tone.
The surrounding area fell into a brief silence as many eyes turned toward them. Buying a light brain with SSS permissions not only required a substantial amount of Interstellar Points but also demanded a high enough status. Everyone was curious about who this influential figure might be. They then saw a little figure, not even the size of a palm, standing on the counter, and the onlookers were left bewildered. Whose child was this?
The salesperson’s reaction this time was quite prompt. They tapped the touchpad on the counter, and soon, a virtual but exceptionally clear and realistic projection appeared on the counter. The salesperson proceeded to explain professionally.
Shu Xun listened attentively to the explanation, occasionally nodding his small head and raising questions or making requests. After a few exchanges, the salesperson’s expression became even more cautious and serious. She was surprised to find that the little figure’s questions were remarkably professional.
Before long, Shu Xun finally owned his first light brain, one that was bound to legitimate personal information. Due to the restrictions on permissions, in the end, it was Ye Jian who bought the light brain for Shu Xun. Shu Xun sat on Ye Jian’s shoulder, operating the light brain and claiming the long-awaited game rewards. Of course, he only claimed part of the Interstellar Points and transferred the Interstellar Points used for buying the light brain to Ye Jian.
Ye Jian wasn’t particularly concerned about it, but to cater to the little one’s self-esteem, he accepted. As a result, Ye Jian became the first contact recorded in Shu Xun’s light brain.
After buying the light brain, the two continued to stroll through the mall for a long time until noon when Ye Jian took Shu Xun to a restaurant. The restaurant was bustling with both real and virtual entities, creating an exceptionally harmonious scene.
Ye Jian took Shu Xun to the ordering counter, where Shu Xun, sitting on Ye Jian’s shoulder, immediately spotted the light yellow peaches. Excited, the little figure leaned forward, attempting to touch the touchpad. However, the overexcited little one slipped down from Ye Jian’s shoulder with a thud. Both of Ye Jian’s hands were occupied with receiving the ordered food, so the little figure ended up successfully dropping into the pot of bone broth being sold below.
The salesperson, who was holding the ladle to serve the soup, was momentarily dumbfounded, freezing in place as a small customer unexpectedly appeared in the bone broth. “…”
Shu Xun choked on a sip of water, licked his lips, and looked at the bewildered salesperson while pulling his hair. “The taste is not bad. Do you mind if I buy it all?”
The salesperson looked dumbfounded and subconsciously asked, “Can you finish it?”
Shu Xun, with a serious expression, said, “I heard that bathing in bone broth is good for the body!”
“Puff! Hahaha…” Someone nearby burst into laughter, and the laughter continued to grow. It seemed that many people had noticed the little figure that fell into the soup. What surprised everyone was that the little one remained quite composed, and their explanation sounded reasonable. The most amusing part was that the explanation was delivered with such conviction that it seemed to make sense.
In the end, the pot of soup was successfully purchased by Shu Xun. However, before having the meal, Ye Jian took Shu Xun to the restroom, bathed him, changed his clothes, and dressed him in the new clothes they had just bought. Shu Xun felt much more energetic. After fixing the messy hair blown by the hand dryer, he happily jumped onto the table, looking at the sumptuous lunch, ready to indulge.
Taking out the mini tableware they had specially purchased earlier, Shu Xun set it up and started eating. The atmosphere in the lively restaurant was exceptionally good that day, all thanks to a dining scene at a certain table that made people unable to help but smile.
Can you imagine a little person, not even as big as a palm, spinning around a plate just because he couldn’t reach the food on the other side and showing no signs of fatigue as he dashed between various plates on the table? And eventually, tossing the tableware aside and eating directly from the plate? Well, the restaurant patrons had never thought of such a scene before, and now it seemed like a delightful surprise.
Shu Xun thoroughly enjoyed this meal and successfully ate until full. Watching the remaining food on the table with a still-unsatisfied look, he licked his lips. Ye Jian immediately increased his eating speed, not because he was afraid Shu Xun would snatch his food, but because witnessing the tiny Shu Xun eat twice as much as his own size truly astonished Ye Jian. Concerned that the little one might overeat, General Ye had no choice but to hasten his own eating pace, resulting in him getting stuffed as well.
On the other side, after patting his bulging little belly and confirming that he couldn’t eat anymore, Shu Xun walked around the table, strolling leisurely to aid digestion.
After lunch, the two, now full and content, lingered in the mall for a while before returning home. On the way back, Shu Xun successfully fell asleep in the co-pilot’s seat. On the soft driver’s seat, the little figure lay sprawled, surrounded by the items they had purchased together, mostly in Shu Xun’s mini-sized state—clothes, daily necessities, some toys, and leisure items.
Ye Jian expressionlessly parked the flying vehicle by the window, then picked up the soft bundle and collected the pile of items they had bought, heading back to the room. After placing the little one back in the bedroom, Ye Jian looked at the multitude of items on the coffee table but ultimately didn’t touch them. He decided to let the little one handle them themselves. This not only deepened Shu Xun’s sense of belonging to this home but also gave Shu Xun a sense of achievement and satisfaction. It was evident that although Ye Jian might have a poker face, his emotional intelligence was not low.
Seizing the moment while Shu Xun was asleep, Ye Jian reset the usage permissions for all the items in the house. Then, he logged into the light brain to check the guardian application status. After checking, Ye Jian realized that this action didn’t make much sense. Nevertheless, starting from that day, General Ye developed a habit of logging into the light brain every day to check the application status. Even though he thought it was somewhat pointless, this discreet obsession of General Ye eventually shattered. The reason for its abrupt end was quite unexpected.
The next morning, Shu Xun woke up with a yawn, and suddenly remembering something, he bounced up from the bed. Cheerfully prancing around, he soon realized what he was doing, jumped back onto the bed, neatly arranged his little bedding, and then dashed to the living room.
In the living room, Ye Jian was checking some information on the light brain, and on the coffee table laid the high-quality items that Shu Xun had diligently chosen yesterday. Without disturbing Ye Jian, Shu Xun directly circled the pile of items they had bought and then began earnestly organizing them.
When Ye Jian’s tasks were almost done, there were only a few items left on the coffee table. Shu Xun was pushing a swing-like small hanging chair, moving it to the southernmost part of the table where it could bask in the sunlight for an extended period each day. After stopping the motion, Shu Xun continued by carrying a stack of small bowls and plates they had purchased and agilely hopped off the table, heading to the kitchen. The lively little figure remained busy until the table was empty.
After placing all the purchased items in their designated places, Shu Xun, satisfied, jumped onto the coffee table, walked to the side of the hanging chair, and then jumped in. The chair was lined with soft fabric, making it extremely comfortable to lie in. Basking in the warm sun, Shu Xun allowed himself to spread out like a pancake in the chair.
When Ye Jian finally finished his work and saw the scene inside the hanging basket on the coffee table, a certain dumpling almost seemed to be melting in it. Ye Jian reached out and poked the face, Shu Xun impatiently turned around, hiding his face underneath. The sunlight outside was perfect, and inside, warmth abounded.
By the time Shu Xun woke up again, it was close to noon. Stretching lazily, he looked at Ye Jian, who was already busy in the kitchen. Shu Xun tilted his little head, watched for a while, and then ran to the kitchen to help. Ye Jian, currently handling ingredients, gladly agreed and handed Shu Xun a bunch of vegetables. Carrying a bunch of vegetables taller than himself, Shu Xun walked to the other side of the relatively spacious counter and began diligently processing each one.
When Ye Jian was ready to use them, Shu Xun had just finished processing. The vegetables looked exceptionally fresh and clean, making one’s appetite soar.
In this manner, one cooking and the other handling ingredients, the pace was neither too fast nor too slow, just right. Before long, the meal was served. Two bowls, one large and one small, filled with rice were placed on the table, and Shu Xun finally got to use the tableware they had bought.
Life seemed to be tranquil and plain, yet everywhere it appeared comfortable and serene, as if the struggles in the world of “Winter’s End” had gradually drifted away not long ago. Ye Jian was naturally cold, adapting to any kind of life, while Shu Xun was adaptable, treating every experience as something new.
In the afternoon, Shu Xun finally remembered that he hadn’t claimed his game rewards. So, he logged into the official website of “Winter’s End” and collected the physical rewards obtained in the game. Shu Xun didn’t choose many physical rewards, aside from the system backpack, blue amber stone, potions, and the Warm Winter Stone that Qu Yan had once given him. The Warm Winter Stone still felt warm in his hands, especially under the sunlight, providing a comfortable temperature. Holding the round and smooth Warm Winter Stone, Shu Xun couldn’t help but feel emotional. Surely, at this moment, Qu Yan had finally fulfilled his wish and was living with Qing Mo in that frozen world.
Shu Xun browsed the website for a while longer and found out that the game was still under maintenance, indicating that it would take some time before it reopened. Scrolling down further, he stumbled upon a link to a new game, a real-life game of the same genre developed by StarPlay Entertainment.
Curious, Shu Xun clicked into it, and a frame of a vast and turbulent azure sea appeared before his eyes. Similar to the boundless snowy landscape of “Winter’s End”, the entire scene was dominated by the gently undulating blue sea, with nothing else in sight. Following that, the words “Deep Blue Sea” appeared on the screen, indicating the game’s title along with a brief introduction.
The game is set in a water-blue starfield, a dwarf galaxy with only tens of millions of stars. It is named the Water-Blue Starfield due to the presence of numerous liquid water planets in the galaxy. The game’s backdrop is established on one of the large planets within this starfield.
Similarly, there were no hints about how to complete the game, and even the introduction to the game’s content was just a few simple sentences: Explore unknown territories, seek lost civilizations, do your best, and explore the world of sea and sand.
Seemingly a random introduction, if not for the popularity of “Winter’s End”, such a brief description might have gone unnoticed. Shu Xun stared at the screen for a while and finally confirmed that the promotional introduction for this game indeed consisted only of this single frame and an official-sounding statement.
