119 People Are Not the Same

The past few days have been filled with such major news that the gossip-hungry masses could hardly keep up. The revelation that "Fairy Wang" wasn't actually surnamed Wang was explosive enough, but that was ages ago—nobody cares about her trivial drama anymore.

Now, everyone just wants a "Super Pteranodon" of their own... in human form!

Unfortunately, the creation belongs to a company in the Wonu (American-administered) region. While you can buy a figurine, there are no life-sized, lightweight, outsourced versions available. Most people have to commission custom builds from cosplayers or assemble them themselves. And since everyone specifically wants the version that went on a "rampage" in Xuzhou, the Wonu company’s fantasy of mass-producing their original design was a non-starter. You have to find a custom modder to buy a design.

That’s how commerce works: even if the original copyright is held by a company, secondary creations often "kill" the original, which happens more often than not. It’s like a song that some people can never make a hit, while others just click with it and stay popular for thirty years. Faced with no other choice, this Wonu company, which specializes in "mecha" anime merchandise, had to come over and see what all the fuss was about. You can’t argue with money—that’s a fundamental principle. And the company ended up reaching out to "Daye Film and Television."

Meanwhile, in the "Decade-Long Haters" group, the "utility pole bastards" just wanted to know how "Fairy Wang" was doing and whether she had been pinned down and ravaged by the "Super Pteranodon" that day.

"Crab Bro, did you join some secret organization?"
"Is Crab Bro planning something big?"
"I solemnly declare here that I do not support any remarks, viewpoints, ideas, or opinions in this group. I am a long-time lurker, and regarding the various comments..."
"Oh, give it a rest, you! Your 'Water-Spraying Dragon King' badge has never come off!"

After a heated discussion, the group members confirmed that there had been no casualties today, so they continued to press Li Jie on whether he had joined a secret organization. Conspiracy theories have fertile soil, especially when a beast that looks like a mutant monster appears out of nowhere.

Li Jie was just about to give these "bastards" a real thrill when he looked down to see Su Mengyao pouting and coming over again. You shouldn't overstimulate a pregnant woman in her first trimester, but if the pregnant woman wants to return the favor, the doctor didn't say no. So, Yaoyao suggested she show off her beatboxing skills.

"Yaoyao, play a round of Honor of Kings with me."
"Okay!" Su Mengyao wasn't obsessed with "drinking soy milk," and she didn't care about other profound emotional feedback. She pulled up her pants, gently patted her "Jie-ge’s" "Chinese Cannon," and while opening the game on her tablet, said, "Jie-ge, the bodyguard godmother hired is a bit dim..."

Qin Yuandai took protecting her eldest son’s "little family" quite seriously. She had specifically visited the unit of her father’s old subordinates and hand-picked a female soldier who had been retired for half a year. She was a "Sergeant Major" with a gold-plated resume, having participated in the "Luoyang Palace Guard Mission," and had provided security for various foreign female heads of state and national leaders. However, she couldn't afford a "soldier king" of that caliber, so she had to settle for someone cheaper.

The cousin of that female "soldier king" had practiced martial arts since childhood. She was extremely introverted, disliked socializing, and had spent half a year learning bodyguard work from her cousin. Normally, she was ready to make a living. But she couldn't find a job. The reason was simple: the girl had just turned sixteen, only a few days past the legal age for employment. When she arrived in Sanjiang Province, she was fifteen years and 362 days old. After hanging out for half a month, she turned sixteen, and the hiring process began.

Boss Li felt like his godmother, Qin Yuandai, was joking. But after discovering that this girl, Shan Xiaoruan, wasn't "soft" at all and had a rock-solid aim, he decided to give her a three-month trial period.

Make do with it. Besides, Shan Xiaoruan herself said she would take a bullet for them, if there were any. So, her trial contract included a high "settling-in allowance" to ensure she wasn't just talking big, and that if she needed to die for Su Mengyao, she would do so without hesitation. Of course, since she was here, he couldn't skimp on equipment. Whatever bulletproof vest Boss Li wore, Shan Xiaoruan wore the same.

"How dim is she?"
"She doesn't play games or watch shows. Every day after work, she just curls up in the corner of the room downstairs to sleep."

Shan Xiaoruan’s sleeping posture was bizarre—much like a panda tucking its head away to hide from the rain. Li Jie had seen it twice and wondered if she was licking herself for fun. She looked like she was wearing pants, but what if they were crotchless?

"That’s nothing. Experts have their quirks; it’s normal."

Li Jie had already entered the room to play a sweet duo with Yaoyao. Twenty minutes of mindless play later, their own crystal exploded, and both of them suffered a mental breakdown and uninstalled the game. Bored, Yaoyao reached out to play with the "Chinese Cannon" again. After fiddling with it for a while, she suddenly asked, "Jie-ge, you said she’s just a young girl—why not study hard? Why come out to take bullets for people?"

"That's rich coming from you. Your mom even said that twenty thousand a month is impossible to live on. People can't be compared. A kid coming out to make a living, and choosing this line of work—there’s definitely some untold story. But our godmother vetted her, and I’ve tested her abilities, so that’s enough."

"Why are you bringing up my mom..." Yaoyao rolled her eyes, feeling disgusted.

Unlike Su Mengyao, Li Jie occasionally heard news about Gan Xingmei and Su Jianping. For instance, they had remarried, were quite affectionate, and often went to check on the old man, Su Yongzhi. Who says there's no filial piety before a long-term illness? The old man came out of prison, and his son and daughter-in-law didn't mind his checkered past. What is this? This is highly noble, virtuous filial piety! Compared to the couple Gan Xingmei and Su Jianping, their daughter, Su Mengyao, was simply heartless, an ungrateful wretch, the most unfilial of the unfilial... Of course, if anyone said that, Boss Li would drop in to slap them silly, drink a can of "happy water," and then spray a stream of urine on their face—just to give those who talk without standing in the line of fire a taste of the real world.

The two chatted aimlessly. Su Mengyao happened to swipe onto a video of "Fairy Wang" on her tablet and pointed to it, asking, "Jie-ge, is Wang Shiyin really surnamed Ji?"
"Yes, her name is Ji Shengnan."
"What a lousy name..."
"She didn't choose it herself."
"That's true."

Su Mengyao, sitting cross-legged, hummed a tune and then asked, "Jie-ge, is Wang Shiyin coming back?"
"She never retired, so how could she be 'coming back'?"
"Going on a blind date with Yang the Second doesn't count as quitting showbiz?"
"That's one way to put it, but fans these days are all about the same—they'll make up their own logical reasons for everything."

Li Jie hadn't mentioned certain things to Su Mengyao—like the "one-man-fifty-man fight at Qunying Bridge" or the "Black Cat Man at Luzhou Renshou Hospital." He hadn't mentioned any of it, and Su Mengyao didn't ask. This made Li Jie very gratified. A good girl is a good girl—still so understanding. Even though she was better at "understanding clothes" now, she still provided maximum emotional value.

"Yaoyao." He thought for a moment, feeling it would be a real shame if this sweet girl kicked the bucket, so he reminded her again, "Make sure you stay safe."
"Don't worry, Jie-ge, I will never become your weakness!"
"..."

Watching Su Mengyao clench her little pink fist in determination, Boss Li found it somewhat absurd. Though he didn't really think of her as a weakness, things had reached the point where a couple of kisses were in order. He kept it brief—he couldn't leave her too satisfied.

After coaxing Su Mengyao to sleep, Li Jie returned to his study to get back to work. His need for sleep was becoming increasingly low; often, an hour of quiet rest was enough. Who knows what was going on with his metabolism? Still, to be safe, he had undergone a physical exam, and everything was normal. He figured if there really was any mutation, he’d have to be dissected to know for sure. For now, the right path was to keep milking the damn system.

[Ding!]
["Superstar System" reminder: Be cautious when filming; harmony ensures peace.]
[Please accept "Doomsday Guardian Shooting Guide."]
[Please accept "Complete Guide to Film Armor Prop Production."]
[Please accept "Sci-Fi Action Design."]
...
[Wishing you an early collection of production funds to offer classics to a beautiful world!]

After "The Black Cat Vigilante" started airing, the damn system began serving new dishes. Boss Li noticed the "Doomsday Guardian" theme looked familiar, but that didn't matter. Whether it was a naked robot traveling back in time to protect the "leader of the human resistance" or riding a motorcycle while blasting people with a shotgun, Boss Li liked it.

He also had a hunch that if the system opened the "Reputation Mall" again, there would definitely be good stuff. Since it’s sci-fi, let’s get sci-fi. He didn't have the "Individual 500" anymore, but what if he used some tech to bring out the "Li-style T-800 Individual Exoskeleton"?