Chapter 66: The Substitute Comes to Life

[Host, get ready, transferring the plot package…]

The male lead, Lin Yan, was the eldest son of the Lin family. At the tender age of fourteen, he had already entered the research institute; while being held in high expectations by the Lin family, he was simultaneously regarded as a thorn in the side by the Lin family’s illegitimate son, Lin Shu.

When Lin Yan was nineteen and out skiing, he was framed by Lin Shu, falling off a snowy mountain without a trace of his corpse remaining. Everyone believed that Lin Yan was dead.

And Lin Yan’s friend in the research institute, Mu An, had long since fallen deeply in love with him. Upon hearing the news of his death, devastated by grief, he spent three years constructing a bionic android modeled after Lin Yan’s likeness—Unit 001.

Mu An treated him as Lin Yan’s stand-in, at times pouring his heart out to him, at other times scolding, beating, and humiliating him.

Yet 001 was merely an emotionless machine, unable to respond to any of his emotions.

Until one day, Mu An encountered the real Lin Yan, only then learning that the other hadn’t died back then, but had merely lost his memories.

Having lost his memories, Lin Yan had lived by the side of his savior, Su Ya, for five years, and the two had developed feelings for one another.

Learning the truth, Mu An’s heart ached as if pierced by knives. Hatred toward Su Ya festered, and he repeatedly set traps to frame Su Ya, which only caused Lin Yan to despise him more and more.

In the end, because his love went unrequited, Mu An committed suicide by overdosing on medication, and after being saved by doctors, he departed for distant lands.

Meanwhile, Lin Yan would regain his memories, exact his revenge on Lin Shu, and spend the rest of his life together with Su Ya.

[Plot transfer complete.]

Having finished reading the plot outline, Mu An was brimming with enthusiasm, “This is what I’m best at! In the short dramas I used to act in, there were plenty of vicious supporting characters just like this!”

“Splashing wine, pushing people into the water, framing the protagonist for stealing jewelry, and so on—I have experience with all of it.”

Hearing this, the system’s confidence surged tremendously, [As expected of the host chosen by me! The starlight asks not of the traveler on the road; time fails not the one with a determined heart!]

“This time, I’m definitely getting a perfect score!” Mu An curled his lips into a textbook villain’s smile.

“System, let’s go!”

[Alright!]

One second, the human and the system were filled with confidence; the next second, Mu An was shakily steadying his body against the console.

“System, when can you finally upgrade? Every time we transfer worlds, I get dizzy to death.”

[Hehe.]

Catching his breath, Mu An finally realized he was currently wearing a white lab coat. In front of him was an enormous operating console, and lying in the center was a humanoid mechanical body, with all kinds of wiring intertwined like blood vessels to form the contours of muscles.

Memories belonging to this body gradually surfaced in Mu An’s mind. Right now happened to be the final year of the original host’s process of building the robot.

“So, this half-finished product in front of me is 001?”

[Host is so smart!]

“Holy crap! You didn’t mention I’d have to build a robot myself! I’m an unchosen child of heaven who once scored 30 points on a physics exam!” Mu An stood at a total loss before the massive chunk of iron in front of him.

[Aiya~ Failure is the mother of success! The stumbling blocks that once hindered you will sooner or later become your stepping stones—as long as you work hard, nothing is impossible!]

Mu An felt there was some truth to that. Although his mind had inherited the original host’s knowledge and talent, his heart was still somewhat uneasy.

He walked over to the robot and gave three earnest bows, then walked in front of the various instruments and computers to bow three more times.

[Host, what are you doing?]

“Begging on my knees for the Machine Spirit to be pleased! May my work go smoothly.” Mu An clasped his hands together in absolute piety.

[Huh?]

After finishing the ritual, Mu An opened the photo album on his phone and found Lin Yan’s picture. After all, using him as a prototype meant the facial contours and everything else had to follow suit.

In the photo, the man wearing glasses had a cold and handsome face, a steady demeanor, looking very much like a refined, gentle scholar.

However, this person looked completely identical to Shen Shengqing and Jiang Yan.

Could he really be their reincarnation?

The system seemed to read Mu An’s unvoiced doubts and offered comforting words, [Host, upon scanning, this world has no anomalies. You may complete the missions with peace of mind.]

Mu An let out a deep sigh. No matter what, he’d get the mission done first.

***

Six months later, Mu An dotted the final mole onto 001’s ear.

[Congratulations, Host, on completing the first mission! Plot progress at 25%.]

The bright lights of the laboratory fell upon the man’s hair, reflecting a faint sheen.

The one-meter-eighty-five robot stood quietly. His side-parted bangs hung loosely past the corner of his eye, dark eyelashes resting softly over his eyelids, thin lips resembling pale flower petals. His demeanor was gentle and submissive, looking no different from an ordinary human at first glance.

“He really looks like them.” Mu An reached out to touch the back of 001’s neck.

As the power button was pressed, 001 slowly opened his eyes.

A streak of blue light flashed through his pitch-black pupils. The moment everything entered his vision, it transformed into data and entered his programming to be decoded.

“Lin Yan…” A slightly raspy voice drifted into 001’s ears.

His eyelashes fluttered gently, his gaze instantly focusing on Mu An’s peach-blossom eyes, the recognition system silently booting up.

“Hello, Master. 001 is very pleased to be at your service.”

001 wore a distant smile. Placing his left hand over his chest, he bowed—elegant, yet detached.

Mu An’s eyelashes trembled, a hint of sorrow surfacing in the depths of his eyes.

001 slowly straightened his posture. Seeing Mu An’s slightly furrowed brow, the system automatically ran its recognition protocol.

[Expression Analysis—Sorrow, Nostalgia.]

001 did not understand why his master would show this kind of emotion upon seeing him, but his underlying code had already instructed him on how to handle it.