Little did Silver Wolf know what a massive blow her little joke would be to a child like Zao Wu.
Though perhaps “blow” was a bit of an overstatement.
Zao Wu’s spirit wasn’t as fragile as others might imagine; otherwise, he never would have been able to endure pain a hundred times greater than that of a normal person and persevere to this day.
But the boy’s spirit required a crucial pillar for support.
For now, Zao Wu’s pillar was likely Kafka—the first woman he saw when he opened his eyes in that world of ice and snow.
As long as Kafka didn’t abandon him, didn’t deny him.
His spirit would never collapse, would never walk the path of destruction.
So his true feelings right now… Were perhaps shock, desolation, and utter bewilderment.
When did Sister Kafka…?
And with whom…?
So I’m not her only child…?
Am I the extra one…?
Should I try to win her sister over…?
Beg her to share Mama Kafka with me… Can’t Mama Kafka be split in two?
Then just a little… I only need a little piece… Zao Wu couldn’t control himself.
He knew he shouldn’t be privately calling her “Mama” without Kafka’s permission.
Fortunately, Silver Wolf didn’t have the ability to read minds.
Otherwise, hearing the child’s inner thoughts would have made her break out in a cold sweat on the spot.
Silver Wolf: Zao Wu!
I think you might be a little too extreme!
The girl successfully breached the special protection system that the genius Herta had set up for the Stellaron.
This was undeniable proof that even Herta, a genius who had twice gained an audience with an Aeon, was no match for Silver Wolf in the realm of hacking.
“Phew…” But before she could even let out her full sigh of relief, Silver Wolf noticed the ominous, dark aura radiating from Zao Wu beside her.
“Whoa!” Even she was startled.
Among the Stellaron Hunters, Silver Wolf was the one who had the closest private relationship with Zao Wu, spent the most time with him, and had the best rapport.
She knew his gentle nature very well.
In Silver Wolf’s heart, Zao Wu could truly be described as an angel.
But right now—it looked like he was about to become a fallen angel!
Silver Wolf could guess that Zao Wu’s reaction was entirely her fault because of the joke she’d just made.
So, to remedy the situation, she quickly cupped Zao Wu’s handsome face, making him look at her.
“Idiot!
What crazy things are you thinking!?” “I never said she was really Kafka’s daughter!” “…?” “Honestly, forget daughter.
If that woman Kafka could actually fall for someone, I’d think the sun had risen from the west!” Of course, in the universe, there were countless planets where one could witness the sun rising from the west.
Here, Silver Wolf was using the common meaning of the idiom.
To refer to something completely impossible.
But then, Silver Wolf had a second thought.
Maybe it wasn’t impossible.
Zao Wu’s charm forced Silver Wolf to consider the possibility that Kafka wasn’t faking it or lying, but that she genuinely liked this child.
Hearing Silver Wolf’s words, Zao Wu’s spirit finally found its way back from the brink of collapse and ruin.
“Then who is she?” “Her name is stelle.
I don’t know much either.
Kafka just looked after her for a while.” “If you really want to know the details, you’ll probably have to ask that riddle-cat, Elio.” Zao Wu lowered his gaze.
“But Elio never tells me anything.” “Isn’t that a good thing!?
That jinx can’t change the futures he sees!
One time, I secretly touched his tail, and he turned around and just said—’Your account’s gone!'” “And then all my game accounts really got banned!” “Pfft!” Zao Wu couldn’t help but let out a small laugh.
He knew just how important those game accounts were to Silver Wolf.
So in the end… was it the game companies that were the unlucky ones?
Seeing Zao Wu’s mood lighten, Silver Wolf couldn’t help but give a doting smile.
Originally, she was the youngest child among the Stellaron Hunters, showered with affection and indulgence.
When Zao Wu first arrived, Silver Wolf had her reservations and even thought about teasing him.
So why was she the one who fell for him the fastest?
She gradually became unable to ignore his emotions.
She started to care about his inner world.
She became… not as cool as she used to be.
But surprisingly, Silver Wolf didn’t regret it.
She raised her hand and, like a true big sister, ruffled Zao Wu’s soft white hair.
“Zao Wu, you can trust yourself more than anyone else.” “Trust… myself?” “Mhm.
Trust in how important you are to us.” Zao Wu’s cheeks quickly reddened at her straightforward words, like plum blossoms falling on snow.
“We’ve found the Stellaron, so it’s time for the next step.” “If you’re still that curious about stelle, then right now, I can create an opportunity for you two to meet~” “Really!?” “Of course!
Who do you think your big sis is~” Silver Wolf gave Zao Wu a wink, and it was as if pink hearts flew toward him, making the boy’s heart skip a beat.
Then, to prove her skills, Silver Wolf summoned the Aether Editing system.
The girl’s slender fingertips flew across it at a dizzying speed, rapidly coding something.
One by one, the parameters of reality were temporarily altered, and a portal materialized from a fabricated space.
The girl, stelle, who had been in a stasis pod on the Stellaron Hunters’ ship, appeared before Zao Wu, suspended in mid-air, her right hand stretched forward as if trying to touch something.
The boy was stunned by this surreal scene, instinctively holding his breath.
At the same time, stelle’s image was deeply imprinted in his mind.
Sister stelle… is so tall.
She seemed even taller than Sister Kafka.
Her gray, medium-length hair floated gently as if weightless.
Her features leaned towards androgynous, neither deeply Western nor subtly Eastern.
She wore a top designed like a wide-collared trench coat, and the left side of her short skirt had a slit for ease of movement, revealing a touch of cyan—a garter on her thigh.
She looked… really cool.
And probably very reliable, too.
She was completely different from what Zao Wu had originally imagined.
Silver Wolf patted his shoulder from behind.
“Alright then, I’ll leave this momentous, ceremonial moment of waking stelle up to you, Zao Wu!” “Huh?
Me!?” “Mhm.” Silver Wolf carefully placed the Stellaron, which was glowing with a golden light, into Zao Wu’s palm.
“Just push the Stellaron in.
It’s that simple~” “Wait, where am I supposed to push it!?” Zao Wu felt like he was holding a hot potato.
He was pushed by Silver Wolf until he was standing just inches away from stelle.
Now he had no choice.
“I apologize for the intrusion, Sister stelle!” With that, Zao Wu squeezed his eyes shut, raised his right hand holding the Stellaron, and pressed it toward stelle’s chest!
The moment the Stellaron made contact with the girl, it seemed to turn into an intangible ball of energy, instantly surging into stelle’s body!
At the same time, having lost the object in his palm, Zao Wu couldn’t pull back his strength in time.
And thus, his hand inevitably made contact with— In the last moment before his mind went blank.
Zao Wu had only one thought left.
So soft…