[A Proposal to Strengthen]

"This..."

Professor Qin Hui had just taken a bite of the meal his daughter had made, and his expression immediately stiffened.

He forced himself to swallow the food.

It was just too awful.

Had his daughter really made this?

He was on the verge of tears.

"Dad, what do you think? Is it really that bad?"

Qin Yan glanced at her father tentatively.

"It's not bad."

A smile appeared on Professor Qin Hui's face, though it looked like he was both about to laugh and cry.

"What do you mean, 'not bad'? It should be 'really bad.'"

Ye Yun couldn't help laughing and immediately called Professor Qin Hui out.

You're trying to trick him.

"Haha!"

Professor Qin Hui laughed awkwardly.

"All right, since nobody's eaten yet, I'll go make something."

Professor Jianjie smiled and shook her head. She didn't seem at all reserved, treating this place like her own home as she headed toward the kitchen.

After all,

she used to spend every day here, so of course she knew where the kitchen was.

"Wonderful. It's been a long time since I've had Professor Jianjie's cooking."

Feiran nodded with a smile.

It really had been a long time since she'd eaten a meal made by Professor Jianjie.

She wasn't just a leading scholar; she was a great cook, too.

Apparently, she'd studied at New Oriental.

"I look forward to it."

Ye Yun nodded, indicating she wanted to try Professor Jianjie's cooking as well.

"Wait for me! I want to watch Mommy cook, too." Ye Qiao Er quickly followed her mother's steps, hands clasped behind her back like a little adult.

"Professor Qin, I was wondering if you could bring Qin Yan's intelligent being to our Ancient Castle. That would give us a little more protection."

Ye Yun looked at Professor Qin Hui, seated across from her, and asked tentatively.

After all,

she could handle Jie Xing's strength.

But that had been before she got injured.

Now she was hurt.

Intelligent Being Feiran alone wasn't enough.

There were also a group of ordinary people inside the Ancient Castle.

"That... should be possible." Professor Qin Hui thought it over carefully, then glanced at Qin Yan, who had followed Professor Jianjie to the kitchen. "But I'd like to ask Xiao Yan what she thinks first."

He wanted to ask Qin Yan because the intelligent being had been made to look like his daughter.

"That's fine!"

Ye Yun nodded slightly and stood up. "I'll go upstairs to change my dressing. You can talk among yourselves."

"Of course!"

Professor Qin Hui nodded understandingly. He knew she'd been hurt while saving his daughter.

If she hadn't saved Qin Yan, she wouldn't have suffered such serious injuries.

He'd have been heartless to object to anything she wanted.

"I'll come with you."

Feiran rose from her seat and followed Ye Yun upstairs.

Watching the two leave, Ye Yun shrugged.

Those two really were strange.

Second floor.

Ye Yun had already taken off her clothes, and Feiran was changing her dressing. Looking at the scabbed-over wound, Feiran's eyes filled with surprise. "Your constitution seems really strong. It's already scabbed over so quickly."

"What do you think about having Professor Qin Hui implant the Supersonic Source Code into Intelligent Being Feiran's program?"

She smiled unconcernedly and asked curiously.

She wondered what would happen if the Supersonic Source Code were implanted into Intelligent Being Feiran's program.

She was really curious.

"My guess is that it wouldn't work."

Feiran shook her head decisively. "If she had the Supersonic Source Code implanted, it would affect her Combat Power. The Ancient Castle needs a guardian, not someone who can move at supersonic speeds."

"Come on, sis. Guardians can be defeated, too. Don't you know that speed is what matters in a fight?" Ye Yun looked at her helplessly. Speed was what mattered in a fight.

If you weren't fast enough, but your opponent could still counter you, what use would a guardian like that be?

A combination of speed and combat power—

that would make for an excellent guardian.

If current technology weren't incapable of dealing with space, she would have taught them the Micro Wormhole Transport Technology hidden in the depths of her memories.

Simply put,

it was a miniature form of spatial technology.

"I know, but where could she go? You have to understand, the Initial Source Code is hidden in the Great Hall."

Feiran pressed her temples.

The Initial Source Code was right there in the Great Hall, and you wanted to install a supersonic program in her? Were you joking?

It would be hard even to aim.

"All right."

Ye Yun nodded. "Then let's improve Feiran's stamina and attack strength, raising them right to the limit her body can withstand. That way, she'll be better able to protect the Ancient Castle."

"No. She can't be pushed to her limit."

Feiran's answer was firm.

She flatly rejected Ye Yun's suggestion.

"Why?"

Ye Yun looked puzzled.

Wouldn't raising her to the limit be a good thing?

Intelligent Being Feiran could still be improved.

"Taking her to the limit would only make her wear out faster. The materials can't withstand that much wear, and the Chip's power consumption would increase, too. If we replaced the Chip, what would be the point? Father left her behind. Just looking at her reminds me of him."

Feiran explained why she'd refused.

Her father, Professor Hu Ming, had left her behind to protect the Ancient Castle.

If they pushed her to the limit, she'd wear out faster.

Because taking her to the extreme would also put a great deal of strain on her materials.

After all,

nothing in the world could withstand wear forever.

"Well, all right."

Ye Yun sighed. If only she'd studied materials engineering with her teacher back then.

"Hiss!"

Ye Yun couldn't help sucking in a breath.

"Does it hurt?"

Hearing her hiss, Feiran looked up at her anxiously.

"Of course it hurts."

Ye Yun grimaced and gritted her teeth. "How about I give you a little scrape and let you see if it hurts?"

"Maybe not."

Feiran smiled. When it came to getting hurt, she'd leave that to the men.

"I'll blow on it. That should make it hurt less." Seeing white foam appear on the wound, Feiran lowered her head, puckered her lips, and gently blew on it.

Ye Yun glanced at Feiran, then slowly raised both hands and patted her on the head. "All right, all right. Hurry up and wrap it."

"No. I was just cleaning the wound. I haven't disinfected it yet."

Feiran firmly shook her head, picked up the medical alcohol beside her, and began disinfecting Ye Yun's wound.

At the sight,

Ye Yun smiled without comment.

"Anyone who didn't know better would think you two were up to something in there."

Just then, a teasing voice came from outside the door. Intelligent Being Feiran leaned against the railing, listening to the breeze as she quietly watched the two inside.

"You've learned some bad habits."

Ye Yun spread her hands and looked helplessly at Intelligent Being Feiran.

"Have I? No, I haven't learned any bad habits."

Intelligent Being Feiran looked calmly at Ye Yun. "I'm just doing what I normally do."

"Shouldn't you call it standard procedure?"

Ye Yun raised an eyebrow and pointed at the bow in her hand. "Your arrows..."

"My arrows are your arrows!"

Intelligent Being Feiran put away her bow.

"..."

Ye Yun was speechless.

She was trying to talk about something serious, and Feiran had to say things like that.

"What happened to your aloof image?"

Ye Yun asked.

"I'm aloof with outsiders. I don't need to be aloof with you." Intelligent Being Feiran looked at her.

"Are you confessing to me? I have to say, you're an intelligent being."

Ye Yun laughed helplessly. "Ah! No, can you be a little gentler?"

She glared at Feiran, who was changing her dressing. If she couldn't do it properly, why bother?

It hurt so much.

"Sure."

Feiran grinned, showing all her teeth, and scrubbed the wound hard with a cotton swab.

"Women are the cruelest."

Ye Yun winced and looked at Feiran, then raised her head to look at Intelligent Being Feiran in the doorway. "Why don't you come in?"

"I'd better not. You said you had a problem with me, didn't you?"

Intelligent Being Feiran shrugged.

"Uh, since when did you get so sensitive?"

Ye Yun was taken aback.

"All right, I'm going to recharge."

Intelligent Being Feiran waved and turned to leave.

"Wait, aren't you wireless-charging? And you have an unlimited energy supply inside the Ancient Castle."

Ye Yun stared at her back in surprise.

You have unlimited energy.

"I'm charging my weapon," Intelligent Being Feiran said.

"Oh, I see. I'll have this young lady modify your weapon later so it can charge wirelessly." Ye Yun understood.

So that was it.

She'd have Feiran make it wireless-charging later.

"Then thank you."

Inside the Great Hall of the Ancient Castle,

Ye Yun looked around curiously. There didn't seem to be any charging outlets nearby.

"What are you looking for?"

Intelligent Being Feiran's voice rang out. She looked down at Ye Yun, who was searching for something, her expression displeased.

Your behavior seems suspicious.

"Oh, I'm looking for an outlet to charge up."

Ye Yun lifted her head and looked at Feiran on the second floor, explaining the reason to her.

Because this girl was a guardian, and her purpose was to protect the Ancient Castle.

If she didn't explain herself,

this young woman would probably attack her.

"Charging? From the way you look, shouldn't you be able to charge wirelessly? Why are you looking for an outlet?"

Intelligent Being Feiran glared darkly at Ye Yun. A bow and arrow had already appeared in her hands. If Ye Yun didn't give her an explanation, she would probably nock an arrow and attack at once.

Seeing Intelligent Being Feiran like this, Ye Yun's mouth twitched. Are you some kind of violent maniac?

At the slightest disagreement, you're ready to fight.

I give up.

"The thing is, you'd have to let me use the Ancient Castle's wireless charging system. If you don't open it up to me, I can't connect to it to charge."

Ye Yun was practically on the verge of tears.

"Come on, lady."

"Please, be a decent person."

"If you won't let me use the Ancient Castle's wireless charging system, of course I have to look for an outlet and use my own wireless charging system."

"This... Fine. Go charge in the kitchen."

Only then did Intelligent Being Feiran remember the crucial point: the Ancient Castle's wireless charging system was off-limits to outsiders.

And if the Ancient Castle's wireless charging system were opened up, someone might maliciously crack the firewall protecting the Initial Source Code.

So.

Don't blame me. Just go charge in the kitchen.

Ye Yun: "..."

Oh, come on.

I thought you were going to let me use the wireless charging system.

Instead, you pulled a complete reversal and told me to charge in the kitchen.

You're a jerk.

Professor Qin Hui couldn't help laughing. He set down his computer and rubbed his eyes.

Staring at the computer screen for too long had left his eyes uncomfortable.

He stood up and walked toward the kitchen.

Once there,

Professor Qin Hui took in his surroundings, then went over to Professor Jianjie, who was cooking, and said, "Professor Jian, it seems the Ancient Castle's firewall program and energy system have been modified. They're now written in a language we don't recognize, and the firewall has its own anti-tracking and attack systems."

"Mm. Feiran wrote the program. It's very powerful. I'm not confident I could break through the firewall or modify the energy system."

Professor Jianjie nodded. "That means we don't have to worry, even if Ye Zhen really is the mastermind."

"Mm, but I still don't believe Professor Ye Zhen is the mastermind. He had no reason to kill his own daughter."

Professor Qin Hui nodded solemnly, speaking up in Ye Zhen's defense. "Until we confirm who the mastermind is, we can't jump to conclusions. Also, I've already asked Zhuo Ran to bring Xiao Yan's Intelligent Being here. She and Feiran can work together to protect the Ancient Castle."

"Actually, I'm planning to stay here too. We all share the responsibility of protecting the Initial Source Code, since this concerns human safety."

Professor Jianjie nodded solemnly.

And if she stayed, her daughters would naturally stay too.

"I've already submitted my resignation. I'll spend more time with Xiao Yan from now on. After what happened, I've realized that work isn't as important as Xiao Yan. We've earned enough money to last us several lifetimes, so why keep ignoring how our family feels?"

Professor Qin Hui looked tenderly at his daughter beside him. She was a treasure Heaven had given him.

"Dad, didn't you say you were going back to the company to take care of things? Why have you decided to stay?"

Qin Yan looked at her father in confusion.

You weren't saying that before.

"I do have something to take care of at the company—that is, resigning!"

Professor Qin Hui glanced at his daughter and said, "Actually, Dad knows the real reason Feiran and the others kept you here."

"You know?"

Professor Jianjie looked at him uncertainly.

"Of course. I've been around; how could I not see it? If I couldn't, I'd be an idiot." Professor Qin Hui waved a hand. "I'm not some single-minded scientist who only knows how to do research."

"Then why didn't you stop them?"