Mini World Game Console

"How am I unreliable?" Ren's mother was very displeased by her son's harsh words. She reached out, pinched Ren Suo's ear, tugged it gently, and glared at him, demanding, "Tell me, have you finally become the person you hate the most?"

Ren Suo could easily dodge his mother's attack, but due to years of conditioning, as well as confidence in his own defensive power, Ren Suo did not dodge or weave but instead asked helplessly, "I hate rich people the most..."

Ren's mother continued, "When you were little, you were so upright. When you saw little punks trying to flip up little girls' skirts, you'd rush over and beat them up, even if the punk was twice your size..."

"Actually," Ren Suo said, "I was so brave mainly because the little girl you mentioned was my sister..."

"Regardless."

When Ren Suo heard this, he knew his mother wasn't interested in reasoning but intended to hit him with an emotional argument to dull his wits.

"When you were little... no, from childhood to adulthood, you always hung out with other boys, and your dream was to play games for life, swearing never to marry— I remember your exact words, 'What fun are girls compared to games?' You clearly hated love-brains the most!"

Ren Suo too remembered saying those words, mainly because his hormones hadn't kicked in yet, and he wasn't driven by the desire to reproduce. He was just a little kid who could still accompany his mother to the ladies' changing room.

But now Ren Suo knew he was wrong. "Mom, my views have changed."

Ren's mother sighed, "As I suspected..."

Ren Suo asserted, "Maybe the games before weren't as fun as girls, but the games now are definitely more fun than girls!"

Thanks to technological advancements, even full versions of VR games are available for home use now. Ren Suo believed games could not only surpass girls in the future but also surpass reality—the rubbish game of reality would sooner or later become dust in history!

Ren's mother was taken aback, then continued, "Back then, you looked like an internet addict who didn't need love for competitive gaming. How have you become, become..."

Ren's mother struggled to find the right word, finally coming out with, "…become a partner of justice?"

"What?" Ren Suo was taken aback.

Only then did Ren's mother realize, despite Ren Suo being a scoundrel who left a trail of romances everywhere, the reason he was able to win girls' affection wasn't due to external forces like money, status, or supernatural powers. Instead, he had righteously helped the world by 'sharing the urgent needs and thoughts of the community,' making himself an indispensable part of others' lives.

In this respect, Ren Suo, who would risk his own life to help others (though the known subjects were all beauties), could indeed be called a partner of justice!

Thinking about it this way, Ren Suo was quite lucky to have only captured the affection of a few girls.

If he were indiscriminate, winning the hearts of both women and handsome men, Ren's mother wouldn't even know whether she should continue to offer sacrificed burned paper spaceships and astronauts to their ancestors...

Moreover, Ren's mother suddenly felt it was unreasonable of her to criticize Ren Suo: Ren Suo hadn't done anything wrong. Could he really make others not like him?

Didn't he deserve that gratitude?

Wasn't he entitled to bring happiness to those who liked him?

Although he was a bit slow and foolish—like the incident he just mentioned where he fought the big fatty and, not thinking of running away with his sister, he decided to retaliate by pulling down the fatty's pants and Ultraman underwear...

Although he was overly addicted to games, he managed his time well, and with his average intelligence, he could still get into a reputable university, knowing not to play 'unpausable online games' before meals, so Ren's mother rarely had a chance to vent her frustrations on him...

Although he didn't have grand ambitions, settling for a civil servant position right after graduation, hoping for world peace and a life of leisurely scraping by...

He indeed was a child who could bring happiness to himself and others.

Ren's mother gently embraced Ren Suo, whispering, "In the future, stay away from those dangerous things; don't be reckless..."

Ren Suo was momentarily taken aback, saying, "I'll try my best."

"I've always trusted you, but I'm more worried about Xing Mei... Even though Xing Mei is smarter than you and may achieve more in the future… Xing Mei is actually very fragile inside. You seem timid and a little cowardly, but when needed, you never hesitate and will be the first to stand up..."

"And no matter the challenge, you always manage to find joy amid the hardship, like playing games while cramming your homework during the loading times on the last day before the summer holidays..."

Ren Suo gave a sheepish smile as his mother hugged him tighter, feeling the robustness of the man she was holding. She whispered softly, "No matter what, your mother will support you; just remember, Mom has no one to help her with the dishes..."

Ren Suo nodded solemnly, picking up the cellphone from the bedside table. "I'll order a dishwasher for you right now, guaranteed fully automatic..."

The tender mother-son moment abruptly turned into an advertisement for how technology changes lives. Ren's mother said with a touch of annoyance, "Make sure to order one that comes with installation; your dad doesn't know how to set it up."

"Got it."

"So, those four girls, what are you planning to do about them?"

Ren Suo was startled. "Which four girls?"

"Lin Xianyu, Gu Yueyan, Qiao Muyi, and Dong Chengling! They're waiting outside; dinner's ready, just waiting for you to join!"

"Alright, getting up for dinner—"

"Eat, eat, eat, that's all you know! Would you die from missing one meal?!" Ren's mother angrily pushed the rising Ren Suo back into bed and pressed seriously, "Son, no matter what, your mother will support you. Tell me, what are you really thinking?"

Who will it be?

The lively game enthusiast Lin Xianyu with shared interests?

The diligent and complementary cute student Gu Yueyan?

The beautiful teacher and embodiment of the Virtuous Wife and Good Mother, Dong Chengling?

Or the enchanting and thrilling Female Cultivator Qiao Muyi?

In Ren's mother's sincere eyes, curiosity overflowed!

"What? What?" Ren Suo was utterly confused. "What are you talking about? I want to eat! I'm actually kind of hungry..."

Ren's mother tapped Ren Suo's forehead, chiding, "Still acting with your old mother? Tell me, whose heart are you really trying to win?"

Although Ren Suo had no idea what his mother was going on about, he had become accustomed to such situations and decisively chose to end the conversation. "What you're thinking about and what I'm thinking about are completely different. Be good, let's talk more after we've had enough to eat..."

Ren's mother wouldn't let Ren Suo muddle through, but as soon as Ren Suo said that, a crazy and evil thought began to surface in her mind again:

What he's thinking about is different from what I'm thinking about...

Could it be that he's not considering picking one out of four, but wants to have them all!?

Oh, my God, how did I give birth to such a Demon? I must take my shoe and jab him hard in the butt...

At that moment, Ren's mother suddenly remembered something. When the four girls introduced themselves, none of them mentioned the most important point—they only said they were friends of Ren Suo, without specifying that they were his unique "girlfriends"!

With their bold characters, it doesn't seem like they are the shy girls who would be too embarrassed to even mention "being mutually in love with their own foolish son"!

So, are their relationships with Ren Suo actually more than friends, but less than lovers?

Ren's mother suddenly realized that she might have misunderstood the situation—her foolish son was seemingly, perhaps, plotting something very terrible.

She wanted to ask him directly, but judging by the indifferent attitude Ren Suo had just shown, it was highly likely that he would either deny it or brush it off!

So she asked, "Son, if I, Gu Yueyan, Lin Xianyu, Qiao Muyi, and Dong Chengling all fell into the water, who would you save?"

"I wouldn't save anyone," Ren Suo replied.

Ren's mother got angry. "Why wouldn't you save me!?"

"Because you were the one who taught me how to swim..." Ren Suo was speechless.

"Then why wouldn't you save them?" Ren's mother asked.

"Because they all know how to swim! The academy offers swimming classes, and the pool is even a heated pool, open to students all year round!"

The academy provides such good benefits?

Ren's mother decided not to ask this kind of comparative question involving multiple people and asked in a roundabout way, "Would you defy social norms under the pressure of society and do something that goes against conventional thinking? Even if it's a matter concerning your own happiness?"

Upon hearing this, Ren Suo couldn't help but sigh. At the academy, he was just muddling along, gaming without striving for self-improvement, resulting in Zhao Huo, a winner in life, constantly making fun of him...

But so what! He had successfully changed his Destiny and seized his happiness!

"I would!"

Ren's mother's heart sank. She had made it so clear, asking Little Suo if he would defy the Marriage Law and take multiple wives and concubines, and she didn't expect Little Suo to answer so straightforwardly...

But she didn't believe her child could become so depraved!

"Would you disregard other people's contempt, jealousy, and malice for the sake of your happiness, persevering at all costs to see it through to the end?"

Ren Suo recalled countless moments: He was despised by his parents, by teachers, by classmates for wanting to play games...

But in the end, he often managed to play the game, enjoying his own wonderful times under the heavy pressure of life!

"I would!"

Ren's mother's heart sank into the Abyss. Had Little Suo truly turned into a scoundrel who would resort to any means for ultimate happiness?

But she still had that little bit of faith in her own child!

"But if, under external pressure, you cannot achieve the greatest happiness, what would you do? Would you stop trying, or would you do everything possible to reach your goal?"

Facing his mother's expectant gaze, Ren Suo remembered the Mini-World Game Console: Each game required a significant amount of Merit Points to purchase, plus there were in-game purchases, and many areas where Merit Points were needed, making it challenging to acquire and fully enjoy games...

But so what? He could wait for the "monthly game update" and then effortlessly freeload the games, saving Merit Points!

One day, he would complete all the games in the console!

"Of course, I would do everything possible to reach my goal," Ren Suo said earnestly. "Even if I can't reach the target right away, I will never give up. I can wait!"

It's over!

Ren's mother's heart plummeted to a Bottomless Abyss—Little Suo indeed had plans of setting up a harem!

No wonder he hadn't established a relationship with any one of the girls. Even if he had deep bonds with those girls, even if they were grateful and fond of Ren Suo, they would not tolerate sharing their boyfriend with others—dismemberment would be more likely.

Ren's mother was also a woman and naturally understood the thoughts of girls.

As long as Little Suo hadn't chosen one out of four, as long as they were still reluctant to let go of Little Suo, they would find ways to treat him well in order to become his only one.

And with feelings, the more you give, the harder it is to let go.

The unremarkable son gets the most care from parents, and men living off women often have girlfriends who are loyal and unwavering... Even Ren's mother had to admit that she now spends more time thinking about Ren Xingmei because she hadn't graduated from the academy yet and hadn't grown from the harshness of society.

It might sound counterintuitive, but this was the precious wisdom of life Ren's mother had gained from gossiping for more than a decade.

But she had never expected her son to employ such a freeloading tactic!

Of course, such a freeloading tactic still requires some skill; that is, while enjoying the benefits from others, the freeloaders must give something in return to make the givers feel that their efforts are not in vain, so they will be more motivated to continue being good to the freeloaders...

For instance, the youngest son who lives off his parents is very sweet-talking, and the man who lives off a woman is a warm guy...

Ren's mother recalled that Little Suo did indeed seem to respond to all the girls: playing games with Lin Xianyu, bickering with Gu Yueyan, going out with Qiao Muyi, eating with Dong Chengling...

Ren's mother, looking at Ren Suo who was tilting his head and blinking in front of her, finally understood his terrifying plan: That's how he used a little bit of sweetness to keep the four girls on the hook, and then wait, wait until the girls had developed deep feelings that they couldn't escape from, before revealing his evil nature and taking all those who like him into his fold...

How terrifying!

How did my own game-addicted, innocent boy turn into such a crafty Casanova!?

On one hand, he was deepening the girls' feelings towards him by employing a hawk-taming approach, while on the other hand, he unabashedly enjoyed the girls' affection for him...

And Ren's mother couldn't even blame him, because he first became the partner of justice, then opportunistically led everyone step by step toward a grand, happy ending...

What should I do?

I said I would support my son, but that doesn't include this!

Ren's mother suddenly felt a surge of complex emotions, unsure whether to despise Ren Suo or spit out his name in contempt.

After waiting for quite a while, Ren's mother finally stopped asking such metaphysical questions, and Ren Suo took his preoccupied mother to eat.

By now, Dong Chengling and Gu Yueyan had already prepared the meal, and everyone was seated. They were all taken aback to see Ren Suo and his mother emerge.

"Bro, you're awake?"

"Ren Suo... Are you alright?"

"Xiao Suo, you're looking pretty energetic."

"Perfect timing, the food's ready, and Big Brother Ren is awake."

"Suo, come sit down and eat, we have your favorite dishes."

"Big brother, hug!"

Ren Suo gave Little Jiu a routine hug and asked, "Did you greet Uncle and Auntie?"

"Of course!" Little Jiu proudly claimed. "Uncle and Auntie like me a lot!"

"That's good, make sure to get along well with Uncle and Auntie," Ren Suo reminded her before pulling his mother to sit down for the meal.

Soon after, Ren's mother, amidst an internal struggle, faced a barrage of enthusiastic attention—

"Aunt, this is the braised lion's head meatball I made, please have a taste."

"Auntie, this is the spicy boiled pork slices I cooked, how do you find it?"

Meanwhile, Ren Xingmei, who was originally designated to please her mother, was stupefied as she picked up dishes, helplessly eating them herself—her mother's plate couldn't accommodate so much food anymore.

"Aunt, eating vegetables is good for your digestion."

"Auntie, would you like some ice cream? I remember we still have some in the freezer! The honeydew flavor is really nice!"

Ren's mother accepted everything offered, eating heartily with a smile on her face while nodding, "MM, MM, thanks, delicious, very nice, truly scrumptious!"

After the meal, Ren's mother was led aside to watch a TV drama for digestion. However, the sound of the drama merely served as background music—her attention wasn't on it at all:

"Aunt, let me peel an orange for you."

"Good, good, I'll peel one for everyone too..."

"Auntie, would you like to visit the academy tomorrow? I'm quite familiar with it. The scenery is quite nice, and there are many unique sights. Let me be your guide."

"Good, good, as long as it doesn't interrupt your studies, Yueyan..."

"Aunt, Lian River has many interesting places too; the academy can be toured in a while. Would you like to go to the city with me in the afternoon? There's a club I frequent that provides very relaxing spa services, and they offer substantial discounts to Tactical Cultivators and their families."

"Discounts, you say? Good, good, as long as it doesn't inconvenience you, Muyi..."

"Auntie, there's a game console that the whole family can play together; it even supports eight-player brawls. If only I had the money to buy one and play with you..."

"Good, good! Son, did you hear that? You don't even think of buying a game console, sigh."

Ren Suo, who was washing dishes in the kitchen, came out to see Little Jiu doing homework under Ren's father's guidance, his sister idly playing with her phone; and on the other side, his mother and the four girls were crowded on the couch, chatting away zealously, their conversation as lively as if they had known each other forever.

Ren Suo knew his mother could easily integrate into the circles of middle-aged women, but he hadn't expected her to bond so well with young women too...

Then, his mother even suggested he should buy a game console...

This scene is a bit dream-punk.

Ren Suo decided to return to dishwashing when his mother loudly proposed, "Tomorrow's the Winter Solstice. Would you like to come over to my house for a meal? I'll cook personally..."

"Then, Aunt, I'll help you out in the kitchen..."

"Auntie, I'd like to learn some authentic dishes from Baiyun with you."

"Then I must really look forward to tasting Aunt's cooking skills."

"MM, me too."

"No way!"

Ren Suo's forceful shout immediately drew everyone's attention.

Ren's mother's brow furrowed coldly as she glared at Ren Suo and demanded, "What did you say?"

"I mean, I'll cook personally tomorrow and invite everyone for a meal. No one is allowed to help in the kitchen," Ren Suo said, softening his tone.

Ren Suo.

Cooking?

Can those two words even go together?

Everyone was shocked, and without giving them a chance to ask, Ren Suo quickly slipped back to the kitchen to continue washing dishes.

As he was washing, Ren Suo felt a sudden urge and turned around to see Black Bell perched on the windowsill, watching him.

"What's up? Hungry?" Ren Suo asked.

Black Bell shook its head, jumped down, circled his feet, sniffed a few times, and then walked away.

Ren Suo scratched his head. This cat doesn't make a sound; I have no idea what it's thinking.

***

「Several hours later.」

Zhao Huo drove back with Xiao Meng in the car.

He had changed into a new outfit, wearing a coat and scarf, and with a different hairstyle, looking very dashing and handsome.

Xiao Meng walked in front of him, helping him tidy up his appearance and saying with satisfaction, "Keep up this look, and just go to Tokyo like this."

Zhao Huo touched his new hairstyle and had no objection—he was long used to being treated as Xiao Meng's mannequin.

"You go up first, I'll park the car."

Just as Zhao Huo finished parking and was returning to the dormitory, suddenly a shadow flashed in front of his eyes—

WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!

Zhao Huo instantly activated his Spirit Qi for defense, protecting his face with his hands as he backed away, nervously observing his surroundings.

He didn't find anything.

Zhao Huo was slightly puzzled. I don't feel any injury. Besides, if someone attacked me, they couldn't have gotten away so fast without making a sound.

Although he thought it might be his imagination, Zhao Huo still maintained a defensive posture until he got home.

As soon as he entered the house, Xiao Meng, who was changing shoes, immediately looked at him in surprise and said, "How did you get injured?"

I got injured?

Zhao Huo was taken aback, only now noticing a wetness on his face, and when he gently wiped it, it was blood.

He hurried to the bathroom to clean up and saw in the mirror that his face had somehow acquired many scratches arranged in patterns of three...

Standing behind Zhao Huo, Xiao Meng said with a puzzled tone, "This looks a bit like... a cat scratch?"

***

「At Ren Suo's house, in the guest room.」

Ren's father and Ren's mother were naturally sleeping here tonight, and Ren Suo had no intention of giving up the master bedroom since he had to stay up all night writing his thesis in his bedroom.

After washing up, Ren's father turned off the light, lay down in bed, and after several minutes asked, "Are you asleep yet?"

"If you have something to say, just say it. I'm going to the academy with Yueyan early in the morning."

"That's just it, they're all good girls, how come they..."

"What's this, isn't Little Suo a good kid? Oh my, I'm surprised, you actually look down on your own son..."

"I didn't mean that! But even if Little Suo is great, still..."

"No buts. Let young people handle their own affairs. We old folks should stay out of it."

"But this way, it could end up hurting everyone…"

"Trust your son. He will surely make the best choice and make everyone happy! Go to sleep now, I'm so tired." She yawned.

"...Are you having a great time?"

"Hey, what do you mean?"

"I mean just that! Surrounded by four potential daughters-in-law, like the center of the universe, must be nice, huh? But these four girls are no pushovers; this won't last too long. We still need to make plans for Little Suo soon!"

"I think you're just jealous because you didn't get to enjoy being a popular father-in-law, right?"

"Look at you, already calling yourself mother-in-law. You're spoiling Little Suo! All four of them are Transcendents, not ordinary people. It won't end up the way you imagine!"

"Who knows. And don't underestimate your son... Anyway, I can't do anything about it, and you'd better not either. Affairs of the heart... who can ever say for sure?"

"...What if in the end they fly into a rage from shame and anger, and turn on Little Suo? What then?"

"Oh, don't worry about that. I asked him. Little Suo's supernatural abilities have three key strengths: Healing, Defense, and escape. He must've prepared a way out already. At worst, he'll suffer a bit, but there should be no danger to his life..."

"...You're watching your son court disaster!"

"No, it's because I promised my son that no matter what, I would support him!"