ebookland Chapter 177 Back to the World 1: First Meeting with Yi Ran
Chapter 177 Back to the World 1: First Meeting with Yi Ran
Their tireless efforts finally paid off, with Epoch 1 demonstrating performance far exceeding their initial expectations. This astonishing intelligent machine not only moved freely between various electronic devices at will, but also achieved complete independence of consciousness.
Yan Xianqi welcomed this remarkable new companion with great joy, and Epoch No. 1 seemed to have a soft spot for his young master. Thus, these two distinct yet mutually attracted individuals quickly established a close relationship.
Yan Xianqi affectionately calls it "Little E", and Little E always responds to his owner's call happily.
Although Little E's knowledge base is vast and all-encompassing, its recent birth and childlike innocence make its relationship with Yan Xianqi feel both like the interpersonal relationship between a teacher and a student, and like the unwavering companionship of friends. Over time, this friendship has grown deeper and more unbreakable.
However, Epoch One's incredibly powerful capabilities quickly caused a stir. Within a day of news leaking from the top brass, a furious storm had erupted.
Under pressure from all sides, this groundbreaking product demonstration video was urgently removed from the shelves, and it was announced to the public that it was a failure and had been destroyed.
As a result, only a handful of people truly understand and remember the extraordinary nature of Epoch One.
Yan Chi had originally resolved not to engage in research on a second Epoch, but things never quite worked out. Ten years later, he and the leadership had serious disagreements over the direction of development.
Those in positions of power coveted Little E's core technology, hoping to exploit it to develop more advanced AI systems. Faced with such unreasonable demands, Yan Chi righteously refused. However, his persistence earned him neither understanding nor respect; instead, it led to a brutal assassination order from the radical leadership of the time.
Yan Chi's piercing eyes, like those of a hawk, easily detected the deep malice hidden in the leader's gaze. A strong sense of crisis instantly surged within him, and he acted without hesitation.
He quickly and decisively initiated a series of complex operations, completely destroying all the extremely valuable research data, leaving no chance for the other party to exploit.
At the same time, Yan Chi mercilessly activated the entire tech headquarters' alarm system. Instantly, a piercing sirens echoed through the sky, shattering the previously peaceful atmosphere. Panic erupted, and people fled in all directions, creating a scene of utter chaos.
In the midst of this chaos, Yan Chi tightly held the hand of Yan Xianqi, who was only in his teens. Relying on his familiarity with the terrain and agility, he shuttled among the crowd like a ghost and finally successfully escaped from the dangerous place.
However, Yan Chi knew that the enemy was powerful and that the risk was too great for him and his son to flee together. After careful consideration, Yan Chi decided to temporarily entrust Yan Xianqi to his ex-wife, Andala Monnier.
You know, the Moniye family has a strong background, backed by the mighty royal family of Area A. With such a relationship, those with ill intentions would not dare to rashly attack Yan Xianqi.
When Yan Chi escorted Yan Xianqi to the Moniye family, he felt a complex mix of emotions as he looked at this once familiar yet now unfamiliar woman. But time was running out, leaving him no room for overly sentimental thoughts. After a few brief instructions, Yan Chi turned and left, continuing on his journey of escape, fraught with uncertainty and danger.
Although Yan Xianqi, who stayed in the Monnier family, was temporarily safe, his life was not easy.
He was just a teenager at the time. Faced with the fact that his mother already had a new family, he felt like an outsider and found it difficult to fit in no matter what.
That feeling of being out of place was like a thorn that pierced his heart deeply, making him feel painful and lonely all the time.
However, the sensible Yan Xianqi knew that only by staying here could he avoid causing trouble and hindering his father who was on the run.
Therefore, even though he was under tremendous pressure, he still chose to endure it silently and tried to adapt to this new environment.
Fortunately, he always had Little E by his side, no matter where he went. Little E was like a bridge connecting him to the outside world, always able to pass on timely news about his father's condition, which undoubtedly brought some comfort to his ever-worried heart and allowed him to feel a little at ease.
Being part of the large and ancient Monnier family, various banquets were inevitable. However, for him, who was introverted and reluctant to socialize too much, these banquets really gave him a headache.
So whenever a party started, he would always find an excuse to sneak into the depths of the garden, away from the crowd. In that quiet corner, he could temporarily forget his identity and responsibilities and enjoy a moment of peace for himself.
But fate always seems to like to play tricks on people. Even though he was so careful, he still couldn't escape the fate of being discovered.
On that sunny afternoon, when the seventeen-year-old boy was hiding alone under the shade of a tree in the garden as usual, a figure suddenly came into his sight - it was the fourteen-year-old girl Yiran Zuolannuo.
The moment their eyes met, an unprecedented feeling surged into his heart. He felt as if his chest was being tightly grasped by an invisible hand, and it began to swell violently.
From that moment on, Yan Xianqi tasted the sweetness of love for the first time in his life. That sweet yet bitter feeling wrapped around his heart like a vine, making him unable to stop.
He began to silently pay attention to Yi Ran's every move, every frown and smile. Every subtle change in expression would cause ripples in his heart.
But he could never express the love hidden deep in his heart. So, he could only pour out all his worries to his only companion, Little E, hoping that this would ease his inner distress.
Facing Yan Xianqi's dilemma and pain, the innocent Little E was completely baffled. It asked bluntly, "Since you like her so much, why don't you bravely confess your feelings to her? Wouldn't it be bad to let her know your feelings?"
After hearing this, Yan Xianqi smiled bitterly and slowly shook his head. He really wanted to express his deep love for Yi Ran, but reality weighed on him like a heavy mountain, making him breathless.
Now he was just a poor man living under someone else's roof, as humble as a stray dog. And Yi Ran, who was as beautiful as a fairy, was the eldest daughter of the Lannuo family.
Not only that, she was also the childhood sweetheart and fiancée of Yan Xianqi's half-brother. These multiple identities and relationships intertwined together like an impenetrable web, tightly binding him and making him dare not step out of line.
Little E looked at his owner's worried expression, bewildered. To him, things didn't seem that complicated. If he liked it, he'd just do whatever it took to get it. He could just get rid of all the people and things that got in his way.
From its birth, Little E's mission has been to accompany Yan Xianqi and clear all obstacles in his path. This time would be no exception. If it's something its owner loves, no matter the cost, it will find a way to get it to him.
Thus, Little E, without Yan Xianqi's consent, took the initiative to come to Yi Ran's side. To better approach Yi Ran, it carefully selected an orange-shaped robot body and cleverly disguised itself as one of the many gifts for Miss Zuo Lannuo.
This "little orange" immediately displayed extraordinary charm. Not only was he adorable and charming, but he also possessed a humorous personality. More importantly, he was incredibly caring and thoughtful towards Yiran. Furthermore, with his immense fighting prowess, he was always able to protect Yiran in crucial moments.
It wasn't long before "Little Orange" won Yi Ran's heart. The beautiful girl would often hold it gently in her hands, as if it were a priceless treasure.