With Hua Yunyue absent, Lei Zhengyang could spin any tale. To secure Moonchild, the intelligent terminal, he leaned into the fake brother-in-law act, swaggering with shameless charm.
Seeing Hua Yunxia on the verge of tears, Lei Zhengyang eased up. "Little sister-in-law, I'm doing this for you. With Longteng's system, Moonchild could evolve further. You don't want her stuck as a child forever, right?"
"Plus, I've cracked the code for AI upgrades," he continued. "Partner with me, and within a year, Moonchild could be a true superbrain. You know how your sister got hurt? Western beastified warriors. I'm out for revenge. With Moonchild's advanced tech, won't you help your brother-in-law?"
Growing bolder, he grinned. "Better yet, just hand Moonchild over to me." His shamelessness peaked, practically demanding she surrender her prized creation.
Hua Yunxia nearly caved, shuddering. "No way! Moonchild's not for giving. At most, I'll lend her to you—but no bad deeds. She's still a child, unable to tell right from wrong."
Lei Zhengyang stifled a laugh. So naive. Moonchild was just a program—crack its code, and it'd do anything commanded. Good or bad? Irrelevant.
"Of course," he said, feigning innocence. "Moonchild's adorable—how could I make her do wrong? Do I look that evil?"
Hua Yunxia wasn't convinced. "Swear it."
"Fine, I swear: no bad deeds for Moonchild," Lei Zhengyang said, already scheming. He'd assign a handler to issue commands, keeping his hands clean. Easy enough.
Privately, he planned Moonchild's first task: accessing those sultry photos. Sure, they were his sister-in-law's, a tad awkward, but their allure was irresistible. Not peeking would be a lifelong regret!
When Wang Jiansheng and Lei Xinping returned, the deal was sealed—no conditions. Moonchild's terminal could be used by Longteng, fused with its system to boost her capabilities, becoming part of Longteng's framework. Lei Zhengyang's true prize was Moonchild's evolution, paving the way for Golden Dragon power.
Longteng's core code resided in Lei Zhengyang's mind. He promptly initiated Moonchild's integration with the system. With this semi-intelligent foundation, Moonchild matured instantly, her voice steadying like a teenager's, punctuated by excited giggles.
The fusion merged the programs, allowing Moonchild to self-improve—a process taking ten days to a month. Not yet fully sentient, she was still groping forward, but this prototype thrilled Lei Zhengyang.
"Yunxia, why go abroad?" he said. "Genius Haven's talent pool is vast—share some with your brother-in-law. I'm launching a world-shaking project. Join me, what do you say?"
Though irked earlier, Hua Yunxia was impressed by Lei Zhengyang's foresight, especially his grasp of systems. Her research obsession sparked admiration. "What's your plan, brother-in-law?"
"I want to make Moonchild a true superbrain and run an experiment: using martial arts principles to create a program that unlocks human potential—brain domain development, boosting strength," he said. "It's to counter Western beastified warriors and avenge your sister."
Hua Yunxia wavered. Her father's warning echoed: she must never meet her sister. Yet she yearned to.
"But my father forbade my return," she said.
"Scared? I've got your back," Lei Zhengyang said. "Don't you miss your sister? I can tell she's lonely, longing for you."
His words stirred her buried emotions. With little worldly experience, her sister was her world. Meeting her was a dream. "I'll think about it," she said. "Genius Haven needs me, so I can't stay. Brother-in-law, treat my sister well. She's my only love in this world."
Lei Zhengyang, unfazed, lied smoothly. "Of course. Besides me, you're the only one she loves."
Hua Yunxia glared, unimpressed. "Get over yourself. My sister said if we never meet, she'll never marry. Hmph, without me, you'd never win her. Who're you fooling?"
Lei Zhengyang puffed up. "Little sister-in-law, you're wrong. Look at me—irresistible charm. One flash of it, and your sister'd beg me to marry her. I'm humble, but my allure's a curse, bringing endless romantic luck!"
Hua Yunxia sensed he was off but, inexperienced in such matters, couldn't counter. Did sister spoil him? His smugness is infuriating.
Irritated but helpless, she agreed to stay for safety and familiarity. Lei Zhengyang needed to master Moonchild, while she studied Longteng's system. They holed up in a hotel's presidential suite for a week, rarely venturing out, yet never bored.
With Longteng's foundation, Moonchild evolved rapidly, captivating Hua Yunxia's full attention. She ignored the outside world. Lei Zhengyang, unbored, enjoyed the company of a stunning beauty. When she wasn't looking, he'd sneak peeks at her figure. In her research trance, he could probably steal a kiss without her noticing.
Moonchild, sharper than her master, winked at Lei Zhengyang during his sneaky glances, growing eerily human.
During this time, Lei Zhengyang bonded with Moonchild. Though clueless about human emotions, she saw him as her master's closest ally. At his request, she shared Hua Yunxia's private photo stash. Viewing them, Lei Zhengyang marveled—his sister-in-law's seductive charm outshone even Hua Yunyue's icy allure.
"Pretty, huh? Great figure," Moonchild boasted. "My master's never dated. I can tell she likes you. Want to pursue her? I'll help!"
Lei Zhengyang feigned righteousness. "No way—I'm her brother-in-law."
"So what?" Moonchild teased. "I surfed Devil's Island yesterday—tons of brother-in-law, sister-in-law stories. Men love that, right? Don't you like my master?"
Lei Zhengyang sweated. This AI learned everything, even adult sites. Could it go rogue? "What if I chase her and she rejects me?" he asked, testing.
"Easy," Moonchild said. "I'll spill her secrets and craft pursuit plans. You'll win her effortlessly, keeping one in the bowl, another in the pot." Thrilled, her voice rose.
Lei Zhengyang was floored, pitying Hua Yunxia. Creating this AI was like raising a rebellious daughter—karmic debt from a past life.
Hua Yunxia couldn't fathom why Moonchild, usually shy and silent around Genius Haven colleagues, treated Lei Zhengyang like family, chattering warmly. She had no explanation.
That night, Lei Zhengyang had barely drifted off when a shrill alarm blared. Moonchild's voice screamed, "Attack! Attack! Master's under attack!"
Lei Zhengyang bolted up, rushing to Hua Yunxia's room, but found it empty. His heart sank. Who could snatch her under his nose without a trace?
"Bathroom! Bathroom!" Moonchild shouted. Without thinking, Lei Zhengyang kicked the door open.
A scream—"Ah!"—rang out. A naked woman, showering, clutched her chest, turning her back to him. She twisted, shrieking, "Brother-in-law, what are you doing?"
Lei Zhengyang realized Moonchild had pranked him.
But the view was worth it. On her hip, a vivid red crescent mark mirrored the one on her sister—identical twins, indeed.
"Test results: tension 90%, concern 100%, affection 70%," Moonchild babbled. "Conclusion: brother-in-law's fallen for sister-in-law."
Lei Zhengyang nearly collapsed at the nonsense. Hua Yunxia, mortified, her face crimson, trembled, fully exposed. Seeing him still staring, she snapped, "Get out! Now!"