This Was a Golden Opportunity to Acquire Cheats
Fragments of the cold future, like maggots clinging to a bone, played repeatedly in Luo Li's mind, each time bringing a chilling cold and an indescribable sense of frustration.
He sat on the sofa in the living room, outside the window was the eternal dark red sunset over Jiangcheng. The light and shadow flickered on his face, reflecting the turbulent waves in his heart.
Why?
This question, like a venomous snake, gnawed at his heart.
He already possessed power surpassing that of most superhumans, gained the system's recognition, and gave Castorice everything he could... Yet the trajectory of fate seemed to stubbornly point to that "nothing else" ending.
An overwhelming sense of powerlessness and panic nearly consumed him.
He clenched his fists instinctively, the newly enhanced [Spacetime] Path Power stirring restlessly within him, as if it were about to burst forth at any moment and utterly shatter that hopeless future.
No!
This can't be done!
Luo Li took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing her surging emotions.
Now is not the time to panic.
He glanced in the direction of the bedroom; the door was ajar, and he could vaguely see the quiet silhouette of Castorice lying on her side.
She was asleep, unaware of the shadow that was about to fall, her brows still bearing the glow of a new mother, a mixture of shyness and anticipation.
I can't tell her.
Absolutely not.
Luo Li instantly made the same decision as last time.
She is currently pregnant with twins and cannot afford any emotional fluctuations. Any pressure regarding separation or an unknown homeland could have unpredictable effects on her and her children.
He absolutely cannot let her suffer this.
Protecting her and their unborn child is his only, and essential, bottom line.
As for that damn future...
Luo Li's eyes sharpened again, like a blade that had been honed.
Since the existing power is still insufficient to reverse the situation, then let us acquire even greater power! Powerful enough to shatter all predetermined fates, powerful enough to keep Castorice and the children by his side forever.
And right now, this is an excellent "opportunity".
Castorice's pregnancy requires the most meticulous care. This is not only her husband's responsibility, but also... the "golden period" when the system releases new tasks and distributes new cheat codes.
Money is not a problem.
The contribution points and rewards he had accumulated were enough to ensure they would have no worries about food and clothing for a long time to come.
If absolutely necessary, he would take on a few high-difficulty quests from the guild—coincidentally, he also desperately needed real combat experience to familiarize himself with and test his newly surged power at the "Controller" level, as well as the evolved "Spacetime Slayer: Enma".
Thinking of this, Luo Li's heart raced again, fueled by a mixture of responsibility, determination, and a thirst for power.
As if in response to his fervent determination, the dutiful system notification in his mind rang out at just the right moment: [Ding! Host's unwavering belief detected, meeting the activation conditions for the 'Special Care During Pregnancy' series of missions!]
[Main Mission: Ensure the bound target ' Castorice ' is physically and mentally happy and safely completes her pregnancy.]
[The first phase of the mission is now being released: "The Beginning of Pregnancy Safety"]
[Task Requirements (within the next week):]
[1. Personally prepare at least five lovingly prepared meals for Castorice that meet her nutritional needs during pregnancy (Castorice's subjective satisfaction must be ≥85%).]
[2. Provide at least half an hour of relaxing companionship daily (reading, music, casual conversation, etc., with the Castorice's emotional relaxation level ≥ 80%).]
[3. Utilize the power of [Spacetime] Path to create a ' Tranquility ' field in your dwelling (this effect requires increasing the recovery speed of Castorice's mental energy by more than 15%).]
[Task Reward:]
[Special skill "Life Aura Perception" (can accurately perceive the real-time status of Castorice and fetuses).]
[·Item "Calming Sachet" (System-generated; wearing it can slightly nourish the fetus's soul and alleviate the mother's pregnancy symptoms).]
[5000 contribution points.]
[Failure Penalty: Randomly seal one Spacetime -based skill (for 24 hours).]
Looking at the task list and the generous rewards, Luo Li's eyes ignited with fighting spirit.
See? They've come!
This isn't just about taking care of your wife; it's clearly a shortcut to becoming stronger delivered right to your door by the system.
That "Life Aura Perception" feature is practically tailor-made for his current situation! Being able to monitor the condition of Castorice and the babies at any time—what could be more reassuring than that?
There are also sachets that can nourish the soul of a fetus? Produced by the system, they are guaranteed to be of high quality.
As for the penalty for failure... it's negligible! How could he possibly fail?
"Let's do it!" Luo Li roared inwardly, instantly jumping up from the sofa. The gloom from before seemed to be dispelled by this new goal and expectation.
He tiptoed into the bedroom, sat on the edge of the bed, and looked at Castorice's peaceful sleeping face.
He reached out, and an extremely subtle, almost imperceptible silver halo swirled around his fingertips—this was the power of [Spacetime] Path, which he carefully controlled, like the softest veil, slowly enveloping the entire room.
He tried to adjust the frequency of the energy, giving it the attributes of "Tranquility" and "soothing".
This requires extremely precise control over power, something he could never have done with such ease before—but after advancing to "Controller," it all became a natural progression.
Soon, an indescribable sense of tranquility, as if the flow of time itself had slowed down and become steady, permeated every corner of the room.
In her sleep, Castorice unconsciously smacked her lips, her brows relaxed, and she seemed to be sleeping even more soundly.
[Ding! ' Tranquility ' field successfully applied! Current effect: Bound target's mental energy recovery speed +18%! Quest requirement (3) has been completed!]
"Beautiful!" Luo Li was delighted.
First victory!
In the days that followed, Luo Li transformed into a model husband, embarking on a crazy "pregnancy caregiver" and "cheat code farming" mode.
The kitchen became his new battlefield.
Luo Li, who used to only know how to cook instant noodles and plain noodles, now feels like she's facing a formidable enemy when she looks at the pregnancy recipes she found on the screen.
He meticulously followed the nutritional ratios, manipulated [Time Retardation] to precisely control the heat, used [Space Folding] to instantly retrieve and place seasonings, and even attempted to use [Causal Tracing] to analyze the best way to process the ingredients... (he was warned by the system for "improper use of abilities").
"Castorice, try this. It's steamed sea bass. I watched the steaming time perfectly, not a second more, not a second less!"
"And this walnut milk, I used my spatial blade to grind the walnuts into a really fine powder!"
"Uh... this stir-fried vegetable seems a bit too salty? Don't eat it, I'll make it again!"
Watching Luo Li wearing an apron, bustling around yet looking earnest, and tasting the dishes that, while occasionally strangely presented, were undeniably delicious, Castorice's purple eyes almost overflowed with a smile.
[Ding! Satisfaction rating of lovingly prepared meals: 92%! Task requirement (1) Progress (1/5)!]
The time spent together is unwavering.
Luo Li gathered all sorts of soothing music and even clumsily read aloud some... prenatal education stories? Although she fell asleep while reading them.
More often than not, he would simply hold Castorice quietly, his hand gently resting on her lower abdomen, feeling the subtle Life Rhythm, and whispering secrets that only they could hear.
[Ding! Daily companionship emotional relaxation assessment: 95%! Task requirements (2) Progress (1/7)!]
A week flew by in a tense, busy, yet warm atmosphere.
[Ding! Congratulations, host, on completing the first phase of the 'Special Pregnancy Care' mission: "The Beginning of a Secure Pregnancy"!]
[Task Rewards Distributed:]
[The skill "Life Aura Perception" has been mastered!]
The item "Calming Sachet" has been stored in the system space!
[5000 contribution points have been credited to your account!]
A cool, vibrant energy flowed into Luo Li's senses.
He subconsciously glanced at Castorice beside him and immediately "saw" the three closely connected, vigorous life forces within her—the one belonging to Castorice, cool and resilient, like a flower silently blooming on the River of Souls;
The two little ones, on the other hand, are like two newly born, warm little suns, full of boundless energy and possibilities.
This clear perception finally put his mind at ease.
He immediately took out the sachet, which emitted a faint, calming fragrance; it was simple in design and embroidered with mysterious patterns.
"Castorice, this is for you. I... I specially asked for it; they said it's good for a healthy pregnancy."
He made up an excuse and carefully put it on Castorice.
The moment the sachet touched her skin, Castorice's slightly furrowed brows seemed to relax a little. She gently sniffed it, a hint of surprise flashing in her purple eyes. "Such a unique fragrance... It feels so much better. Thank you, Luo Li."
Seeing the obvious relief on her face, Luo Li felt a great sense of accomplishment.
However, the system's notification tone didn't stop, carrying an encouraging message of "keep going!"
[Ding! The second phase of the 'Special Pregnancy Care' mission, "Nestling Instinct," has been released!]
[Task Requirements: Within the next month, personally create a safe, comfortable, and loving nursery for your soon-to-be-born twins. (You must use at least three different materials or furnishings imbued with the power of Spacetime and space, and the final environment must receive a 'very satisfied' rating from Castorice.)]
[Task Reward:]
[Special building skill "Spacetime Cradle" (creates a small space for adjusting the flow of time, used to accelerate recovery or delay item spoilage).]
[·Paternal Love Ability "Protective Barrier" (Passive: When offspring face a fatal threat, a Spacetime barrier is automatically generated; its strength is positively correlated with the host's power).]
[Randomly select one A-grade or higher item related to 'Life' or 'Growth'.]
[Failure Penalty: A random Spacetime turbulence will occur in the nursery (harmless, but will continuously emit noise) until the mission is completed.]
Seeing the rewards for the new mission, especially the passive skill "Protective Barrier," Luo Li's eyes lit up instantly!
This is what he truly needs—not only to protect the children, but also as a crucial bargaining chip against that hopeless future.
As for the mission requirements? Using Spacetime materials? That's practically tailor-made for him!
"Castorice!" Luo Li excitedly grasped Castorice's hand, her eyes shining brightly, "Let's decorate the children's room! I want to create the most unique nursery in the world by my own hands!"
Seeing his sudden outburst of enthusiasm, Castorice was somewhat puzzled, but mostly she was infected by his smile. She nodded gently, "Okay."
Luo Li felt a surge of heroic spirit.
Take care of your wife, acquire cheat codes, improve your strength, and fight against fate.
This is a golden opportunity to acquire the cheat software, and he must seize it firmly.
He seemed to already see the scene of that damned future without him, shattered by his own hands, with the help of countless cheat codes.