Chapter 488: Xiao Jiu is so happy, hehehe

Stop playing with that thing and listen to me.

Right now, Zhang Jie is doing a little experiment—to see what it feels like to touch his other body.

When he touched that embarrassing spot, Yuan called him to a stop.

Cough, cough, Teacher, go on.

Zhang Jie pulled his hand back, secretly thinking he would definitely want to give it a proper try later.

I can tell you plainly: this world is about to descend into chaos.

Get stronger—either by using technology to build armed forces, or by breaking through your genetic lock; in short, you need the ability to protect yourself.

Understood, Teacher.

Hmm, as long as you're self-aware, that's fine.

Zhang Jie left this place; these days, all he wants to do is go back and tease Xiao Jiu!

For a Ship Girl who likes to cling to her pilot, what wondrous thing would happen if she discovered her beloved pilot had two?

He's really looking forward to it......

What's up, human? Why are you calling Xiao Jiu?

After a day of training at the grounds, Xiao Jiu came bouncing back; hearing Zhang Jie's call, she ran over right away.

What she saw was Zhang Jie smiling, holding a dessert and looking at her; Xiao Jiu instantly broke into a grin.

Yeah, I got you your favorite snack.

Yay!

Xiao Jiu lunged forward, skillfully pressing her face into Zhang Jie's belly and rubbing back and forth.

Zhang Jie seems to emit a comforting scent that puts her at ease; Xiao Jiu loves to inhale it.

Okay, okay, no more clinginess—hurry up and eat.

Okay~

Xiao Jiu happily took the dessert, gave a goofy smile, but completely missed the upturned corner of Zhang Jie's mouth.

Just as she was about to take it aside to taste, a figure appeared with a familiar voice.

Xiao Jiu! I brought you something nice!

A figure identical to Zhang Jie suddenly threw the door open, chattering on, but when he looked up he froze stiff.

Who are you?

How did you end up looking exactly like me?

Xiao Jiu heard that familiar voice, tilted her head in confusion; but not looking was fine—once she looked, her brain overloaded.

How—how—how are there two humans?!

Xiao Jiu's gaze kept darting between the two Zhang Jies, while they too warily stared at each other—behavior, appearance, voice, all identical!

Human... human... what's going on here....

I don't know! (twice)

Who exactly are you!

And who are you!

Xiao Jiu's brain went into crazy overload as she watched the two Zhang Jies shoving each other; seeing they were about to fight, she hurriedly grabbed one of them.

Don't fight! Not yet!

Xiao Jiu was afraid—what if the fake Zhang Jie hurt the real one?

Which of you is real and which is fake! Xiao Jiu, I can tell them apart!

The two Zhang Jies stopped pulling, looked at Xiao Jiu, both eyes full of undisguised suspicion.

Xiao Jiu marched up confidently to the first Zhang Jie and gave her nose a wipe.

Hmm, the scent is right!

I ask you, oh human!

What kind of cake did Xiao Jiu eat the first time she had cake?

Zhang Jie pondered for a moment, then answered.

A no-name brand tech hardcore cake from Feitu?

You passed!

Xiao Jiu basically confirmed that the person before her was the real one, so she turned to the other Zhang Jie, the one who had pushed the door open.

Xiao Jiu went up, sniffed warily, and the more she sniffed, the more something felt off.

No way! How can the smell be the same!

Xiao Jiu lifted her head, looked at him bewildered, and sniffed again, disbelieving....

Xiao Jiu fell into contemplation....

Zhang Jie watched Xiao Jiu's thoughtful expression, inwardly amused—this little thing isn't more fun than a game?

Then I'll ask you!

Hmm, then you ask me.

How did Xiao Jiu charge back then!

Charge? Charge what? Weren't you just barely surviving with a super-radiating metal back then?

Everyone knows that!

So that one's real too?

Xiao Jiu once again fell into thought....

Don't tease the fool; if you keep teasing, you'll make them stupid—what then?

Nightmare said an off‑key remark and continued to watch the show.

Now Xiao Jiu felt her head swimming; no matter what method she tried, she couldn't tell which was a real human, and even asking in a whisper didn't help.

What Zhang Jie knew, both could answer; what he didn't know, of course they couldn't.

「Human.... 」

「Xiao Jiu.... Xiao Jiu can't tell.... Really can't tell! 」

Seeing Xiao Jiu's look as if her head was about to burn out, Zhang Jie finally couldn't hold back.

He slipped his hand into Xiao Jiu's armpit, lifted the entire Small Ship Girl, and Xiao Jiu didn't protest, just stared blankly at him.

「All right, I'm done teasing you. 」

「The answer is, both are truly me! 」

Xiao Jiu grew more dazed, looking left and right, as a faint mist began to swirl above her head.

Her brain was overloaded.....

「Xiao Jiu! Xiao Jiu, are you all right? 」

「Hey! 」

Xiao Jiu lay dazed on the ground, her eyes still spinning, and she spoke foolishly.

「So many... so many humans! 」

「Xiao Jiu.... Xiao Jiu is so happy... hehehe.... 」

「Xiao Jiu was almost broken by you, but when she woke up, her first question was... can you split a body for her.... 」

「That's definitely out of the question—you turned her down, Xiao Jiu's pitiful expression doesn't seem feigned; helpless, you could only promise to keep her company with one body for a few days」

「And you, your task is to act on the Nightmare you haven't touched in a long time! 」

「Although Huang Luo is gone this time, it's fine—he has already left all his knowledge behind, as if this leading authority had never departed」

「You borrowed a research team from Yuan, launched a project—this is truly your own project」

「27 years old: After nearly a year of relentless effort, your research on Nightmare has made great progress, and the number of bodies you can simultaneously control has reached four, though this many should be the limit」

「If you want to improve further, you'd need external neurons like Zhele Gu Yuan's, otherwise you won't improve; of course, you could also do it with a gene lock」

「Finding the time, you finally upgraded Xiao Jiu's ship hull—starting from a small vessel, skipping medium, leaping straight to a large ship; Xiao Jiu's size and strength grew at breakneck speed」

「Now Xiao Jiu has gone straight from a girl's build to a young woman's, only two heads shorter than you—mainly because you're so tall」

「Day and night, you never stopped researching Nightmare; on your 28th birthday, your project achieved a major breakthrough! 」

「That seemingly impossible project to purge the universe of Nightmare really can be done! 」