Apocalyptic Wasteland Simulator

Chapter 42: Confession! The Mechanical City Suspended in the Sky
As events unfolded, the questions in Chen Pingchuan’s mind multiplied.

SMACK!

He suddenly slapped his forehead.

What am I thinking? There are still nine months until the poker-faced woman’s attack. Even if the remaining four simulations this month all end in failure, I still have eighty chances. Even a pig should be able to find a way out by then, right?

His furrowed brow gradually relaxed. Those involved are often blind to the truth, while onlookers see it clearly. This, combined with the excessive simulations over the past two days, had given Chen Pingchuan a false impression, as if many years had passed in reality when, in fact, it had only been a few days since he got the system.

The most critical thing now is to continue the simulations to find a path to survival and to master a stable way of acquiring energy crystals. High investment yields high returns.

Chen Pingchuan was very satisfied with the talent that had appeared this time. Although the ”Dog Eyes” part of the name sounded a bit moronic, the appraisal function was truly powerful. Next time he encountered that loli, he could use this skill to probe her background.

[The three of you smuggled into the City of No Night. At this time, it was still a prosperous, lively, and peaceful place. You found a familiar ramen shop.]

[You used the appraisal skill on the shop’s elderly owner and learned that he had a long-lost son. An idea sparked in your mind.]

[You unleashed your superb acting skills to deviously deceive the old man. First, you revealed everything you knew about him to break down his defenses. Then, as his mind reeled from the shock...]

[You told him you were his long-lost grandson, having overcome numerous hardships to find him. You claimed that Xia Qingxue, by your side, was his future granddaughter-in-law, while Black Demon Number 1 was just a homeless man you had picked up on the way.]

[Despite the many loopholes, the old man believed your story without a doubt.]

”Alright then.”

In my past life, I had to grovel like a grandchild at my 9-9-6 job. After transmigrating, I have to grovel like a grandchild in the simulation. If, in reality...

Chen Pingchuan dared not think any further.

[Your ”grandfather” arranged a new place for you to stay and stated that when he passed away, everything would be left to you. This touched you slightly, yet at the same time, you felt your actions might not actually be bad for the old man.]

[The following week was calm and peaceful, as if the previous pursuit had never happened.]

[You were somewhat worried but felt your pursuers wouldn’t be so bold as to intrude into the jurisdiction of the City of No Night to capture you.]

[During this time, Xia Qingxue confided her identity to you.]

[In the distant east, near the coastline, a giant mechanical city made of metal floats among the clouds. Few humans inhabit it, and its entire operation relies on a mechanical core for power. The city’s name is Celestial Palace One.]

[She dislikes the cold and desolate city, where even the waitstaff in the restaurants are Mechanical Men.]

[However, she cannot break free from the shackles of her family. Her home is located in the city’s central control tower, and her family is, without a doubt, the greatest power in the Mechanical City.]

[Her older sister is the dictator of Celestial Palace One, responsible for its management and the creation of its rules. Her older brother is its pioneer, responsible for war and the annihilation of any disobedient surrounding forces.]

[What worries Xia Qingxue most is the Mechanical Legion of Celestial Palace One. Also known to the world as the hundred-thousand-strong steel army of Demon-breaking Celestial Soldiers, they never retreat in the face of a powerful enemy. They have no emotions, and their operational directive consists of a single command: completely destroy the enemy.]

[Listening to Xia Qingxue’s narration, your mood grew heavier. You discovered a despairing truth: even if Black Demon Number 1 were to grow to the level of the King of Black Magic, it would still be difficult to contend with them.]

[You continued to ask Xia Qingxue for information, trying to find a breakthrough.]

[You obtained the following information.]

[The Xia Family is the Royal Family of Celestial Palace One. Throughout their history, they have always had few descendants. In her generation, there are only three left: her elder sister, her second brother, and herself.]

[Having few descendants does not imply a lack of strength. Many years ago, their family researched a method to extract the spirit from a human body and implant it into a mechanical program. Thus, her clan can be considered both dead and immortal.]

[Because they are directly cultivated and hatched from gene fragments, they have no parents. Their only family members are their siblings.]

[Due to the unpredictability of genetic mutations, only the most perfect genes meet the standards for extraction and implantation. Ultimately, only the three of them remained in their generation.]

[Although they are siblings, their ages differ greatly. The age gap between her and her eldest sister is a full fifty-three years.]

I could really use a cigarette right now, Chen Pingchuan thought.

The more he understood Xia Qingxue’s background, the more an overwhelming sense of despair washed over him. He began to doubt himself; even with over eighty simulations left, could he really keep them from taking Xia Qingxue back?

But if they don’t want her to stay out here, why did they let her leave in the first place?

Soon, the simulation information gave Chen Pingchuan the answer.

[According to the Xia Family’s rules, each family member must go out for a coming-of-age trial upon turning eighteen. The trial requires them to find their Heaven’s Chosen within a year.]

[After a year, regardless of the outcome, they must return to Celestial Palace One for their coming-of-age ceremony. That time has now come, which is why her family is urging her to return home.]

[Curious, you asked Xia Qingxue if she had found the Heaven’s Chosen she was supposed to seek during her trial.]

[Xia Qingxue blushed and shyly told you that you are her Heaven’s Chosen. She then provided you with more information.]

[The concept of Fate is akin to emotions. A person who can evoke emotions in a Xia family member undergoing their trial is called a Heaven’s Chosen.]

[Love, friendship, bromance, hatred, and jealousy are all forms of this Fate.]

[Her elder sister’s Fate is centered on betrayal and hatred, which makes her loathe all male creatures. In contrast, her second brother’s Fate is war and protection.]

[If Fate were to be classified, love would undoubtedly be in the top tier. Such an emotion, capable of reaching the ultimate peak, can cause a person to unleash unparalleled abilities and is exceedingly rare.]

[The strength of one’s Fate can directly trigger a spiritual mutation. The more intense and fervent the emotion, the more infinite power the spirit can unleash once it is transferred into a mechanical body.]

[After she finished speaking, you noticed her gaze held a smoldering intensity. Perhaps the crisis had stimulated your central nervous system, as you felt the flames of desire burning ever stronger.]

[You whispered a few words into Xia Qingxue’s ear, and she blushed as she agreed to your shameless request. Ignoring her protests, you forcibly picked her up, planning to engage in some work that promotes the evolution of human civilization.]

[Just then, a lazy female voice rang out, extinguishing your lust. You went limp!]

[The voice spoke as follows.]

[”Eldest Miss, you really made me search high and low for you. Why not make things easier for everyone?”]