Spoiled by Blood&Armed by the System
1533 Words
Back on the twenty-fifth floor, Xue'er closed the fingerprint-secured door behind her.
Click.
The sounds of the outside world vanished instantly.
Silence settled over the luxury penthouse.
Not an empty silence.
A comfortable one.
The kind that belonged only to home.
The sweet, carefree expression she'd worn downstairs softened into something more focused. Not cold. Not distant.
Simply attentive.
Like a player opening a favorite game and finally reaching the fun part.
"Goldie."
She crossed the living room and stopped beneath a crystal chandelier.
"Can we start now?"
The golden screen flashed immediately.
[★Ding! Beginner access to the Myriad Realms Marketplace has been unlocked!★]
A tiny holographic robot spun excitedly through the air.
[★Master! Wonderful news!★]
[★The very first spirit-infused cherry tomato harvested from Candy's pocket dimension has already been traded!★]
[★In exchange, we've received ten tons of high-strength titanium alloy and one basic constant-temperature system!★]
Goldie's voice practically sparkled.
Xue'er's eyes lit up.
"Already?"
"That's fast."
[★Goldie works hard for Master's future shopping budget!★]
The declaration was delivered with so much pride that Xue'er couldn't help laughing.
Perfect.
Between the visible renovations from Lu Construction Group and the hidden upgrades arriving through the Cross-Dimensional Market, her high-rise sanctuary was finally beginning to take shape.
Just as she imagined it.
Comfortable.
Elegant.
Secretly overpowered.
She glanced toward the floating blue screen.
"Ember. Countdown?"
[Three years and one month remain until the extreme heat phase of the Cataclysm.]
That was all.
Cold.
Efficient.
Like a digital wall clock announcing the time.
Xue'er smiled.
"Plenty."
Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, construction vehicles had already begun arriving below.
The sight filled her with anticipation rather than anxiety.
Three years and one month.
More than enough time to build something extraordinary.
"Goldie."
She turned toward the terrace.
"Show me this constant-temperature system."
[★Item deployed to designated terrace location!★]
A faint ripple passed through the air.
Nothing dramatic.
Just enough to make the sunlight shimmer for a moment.
Curious, Xue'er pushed open the glass doors and stepped onto the terrace.
Warm sunlight greeted her.
In the center of the open space sat a metallic cube roughly the size of a suitcase.
Soft blue light glowed beneath its surface.
Silver patterns flowed across the metal like streams of liquid mercury frozen in motion.
Beautiful.
And undeniably futuristic.
Xue'er kicked off her shoes and stepped onto the terrace lawn.
The grass felt cool and soft beneath her feet.
She walked over and crouched beside the cube.
The moment her fingers touched it, she felt a pleasant chill.
Solid.
Smooth.
Unlike anything manufactured on Earth.
"Candy."
She tapped the surface lightly.
"How do I install it?"
The pink screen immediately brightened.
[~It's super easy, Master!~]
[~Just leave it right here!~]
[~The system will absorb sunlight and ambient energy all by itself!~]
Candy sounded delighted to explain.
[~Then it'll create a constant-temperature field covering the entire twenty-fifth floor!~]
[~No matter how hot or cold it gets outside, your luxury penthouse will always stay at the perfect twenty-four degrees!~]
Pride practically overflowed from every word.
Xue'er grinned.
"That's amazing."
Following Candy's instructions, she activated the device.
A quiet hum spread outward.
Barely audible.
A soft blue glow expanded across the terrace before disappearing completely.
Nothing visible remained.
Yet the difference arrived immediately.
The air felt fresher.
Cleaner.
Breathing became easier.
A faint scent reminiscent of pine forests lingered on the breeze.
As though the terrace overlooked ancient woodland rather than a modern city skyline.
Xue'er inhaled deeply.
"Mmm."
She approved.
Very much.
"Now what about the titanium alloy?"
Her gaze shifted toward the next notification.
Ten tons sounded impressive.
Also heavy.
Very heavy.
Candy immediately bounced into the conversation.
[~Master can use spirit spring water!~]
[~The spirit spring can strengthen and fuse materials together!~]
[~If we combine it with the titanium alloy, it'll create a hidden protective layer throughout the structure!~]
Xue'er blinked.
"Seriously?"
[~Seriously!~]
Well.
That sounded fun.
She retrieved a bottle of spirit spring water from her pocket dimension.
The clear liquid shimmered softly beneath the sunlight.
Nearby, the alloy ingots waited where Goldie had deposited them.
Carefully, she dripped several drops onto the metallic surface.
The reaction happened instantly.
Silver-gray metal softened.
Melted.
Flowed.
Not like ordinary liquid.
More like living silver.
The alloy streamed across walls, beams, and windows in delicate ribbons before vanishing beneath the surfaces.
For a brief moment, the metal seemed to drink the spirit spring water the way roots drew nourishment from rich soil.
Then everything settled.
Invisible.
Integrated.
Complete.
Somewhere deep within the structure, a whisper of ancient vitality hummed through steel and concrete before fading into silence.
A notification appeared.
[★Installation Complete!★]
[★Current Structure Status: Class-C Protection!★]
[★Capable of resisting ordinary physical damage and minor Cataclysm conditions!★]
Xue'er tilted her head.
"Only Class-C?"
Then she laughed.
"Looks like Candy and I need to do more farming."
Still.
Compared to the luxury penthouse she'd owned yesterday?
This version was infinitely better.
From the outside, nothing had changed.
Elegant windows.
Beautiful terrace.
Luxury finishes.
An ordinary high-rise sanctuary overlooking the sea.
No one would ever suspect the hidden upgrades quietly woven into its bones.
Exactly as intended.
Satisfied, she headed back inside.
The real challenge could finally begin.
Shopping.
"Goldie."
She settled onto the sofa.
"Open the marketplace."
Immediately, countless screens unfolded before her.
[★Welcome to the Myriad Realms Marketplace!★]
[★Available Points: 1,000★]
[★First Trade Bonus Included!★]
Rows upon rows of products filled her vision.
Xue'er's eyes widened.
"Oh."
This was dangerous.
Dangerous for her wallet.
"Automatic cooking robot?"
She leaned closer.
"Auntie Xu deserves a vacation."
Another item caught her attention.
"Holographic theater projector."
Her smile widened.
"Movie nights during the Cataclysm."
Then—
"Gene optimization serum."
She immediately pointed.
"That one goes on the list."
Goldie looked delighted.
[★Master has excellent taste!★]
The next hour vanished in a blur of browsing, planning, and enthusiastic shopping lists.
For Xue'er, it felt less like apocalypse preparation and more like the world's greatest base-building simulator.
Meanwhile, one floor below, Lu Ming and Liang Yueyi relaxed together on a sofa.
A renovation report from Uncle Shan sat open on a tablet.
Liang Yueyi laughed softly.
"Your daughter demanded a renovation."
"Then promptly handed every decision to Uncle Shan."
"Not a single design review."
Lu Ming took a sip of tea.
"That's because she trusts him."
His expression held nothing but amusement.
"Let her have fun."
"As long as she's happy, she can remodel the entire building if she wants."
He set the cup down.
"Oh."
"I already spoke with her grandparents."
"The logistics parks are available whenever she needs them."
Yueyi smiled and leaned comfortably against his shoulder.
"Our girl really is spoiled."
Her voice carried only affection.
"What would she do without us?"
Lu Ming patted her hand.
"We'll worry about that later."
For now, their daughter remained exactly where she belonged.
Safe.
Cherished.
Loved.
Several floors lower, Uncle Shan sat in the staff executive lounge.
Across from him, senior engineers from Lu Construction Group presented renovation proposals.
A massive holographic model of Xinghai No.1 hovered above the conference table.
"This is our newest aerospace-grade titanium support system."
One engineer pointed toward the display.
"And this is our latest bullet-resistant acoustic glass."
Uncle Shan listened calmly while sipping warm tea.
Only after reviewing every specification did he speak.
"Very good."
The engineers visibly relaxed.
Then he continued.
"But Miss Xue'er asked for the safest home possible."
The room straightened immediately.
"Use the best materials available."
"Upgrade every exterior reinforcement."
"Improve thermal resistance."
"Anything that increases safety and comfort."
His tone remained warm.
Matter-of-fact.
As though discussing the obvious.
Which, for him, it was.
If Miss Xue'er wanted something, then naturally she deserved the very best.
"Understood."
The engineers nodded immediately.
"We'll prepare the highest-grade options."
"Excellent."
Uncle Shan picked up the internal phone.
A few moments later, Xue'er's cheerful voice answered.
"Uncle Shan?"
"The material selections have been finalized."
"When would you like construction to begin?"
A brief pause.
Then laughter.
"Not yet."
"I want to go on vacation first."
"And buy a few things."
A few things.
Uncle Shan wisely chose not to ask what that meant.
"Very well."
His smile softened.
"Enjoy yourself, Miss Xue'er."
"I'll handle everything here."
After ending the call, he looked out toward the distant sea.
Satisfied.
Above him, the high-rise sanctuary was gradually becoming exactly what its owner wanted.
Elsewhere, on the seventeenth floor, Dr. Qi reviewed the latest health report.
He adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses and studied the numbers.
"Hm."
A slight crease appeared between his brows.
Nothing alarming.
Just unusual.
Perhaps a change in diet.
Perhaps better sleep.
Perhaps nothing at all.
After another glance, he closed the report and placed it neatly in a drawer.
He'd check again during her next routine examination.
No rush.
No concern.
Simply another small detail to keep an eye on.
As afternoon sunlight poured through the windows of Xinghai No.1, the entire building continued moving in quiet harmony.
Parents.
Staff.
Doctors.
Managers.
Engineers.
Each occupied their own corner of the tower.
Each handling their own responsibilities.
And whether they realized it or not, every one of them was helping prepare a future for the girl they had spent a lifetime protecting.
- Writer
