Chapter 006 Zero
Around early 2015: The Chaldean time machine observed the destruction of humanity in the future, prompting the initiation of the Human Order Modification Plan. Chaldea began to gather 'qualified individuals' capable of time travel from around the world.
However, it feels different from Chen Wenwen's attitude towards Lu Mingfei. Chen Wenwen is gentle with Lu Mingfei, yet she never provides him with any response, neither an acceptance nor a rejection.
The attitude of Lu Mingze is
Lu Mingfei recalled the girl's light and airy response from before, "Mm."
... ...
Damn it. Lu Mingfei cursed himself inwardly. As soon as he thought of the elements of dandelions and literary girls, the image of Chen Wenwen walking by the river in a floral dress next to the dandelions popped into his mind again
Lu Mingfei felt that the Mashu before him resembled Rei Ayanami from "Neon Genesis Evangelion". Lu Mingfei had a great fondness for Rei Ayanami; like many otaku, she was his childhood goddess
What about Kama? And what about Mashu? Just now, Lu Mingfei's confession was merely a half-hearted joke under Da Vinci's playful teasing, incomparable to the previous incident with Chen Wenwen, yet it still received a response. But can that really be considered a response?
Young children are fond of beautiful girls who seem to bear a heavy mission and possess an air of mystery. In order to prove that he understands Ayanami Rei better than others during tedious arguments, Lu Mingfei even studied some obscure knowledge, such as the fact that the character '丽' in Ayanami Rei's name can be transliterated in two ways; besides '丽', it can also be called '零'.
--- [Divergence in Story Development] ---
1D10 = 10
1D3 equals 3
One of the three great illusions in life is that she likes me; only lonely people are truly superior beings
It is a super expansion that develops in a positive direction That is to say
Upon careful consideration, this matter seems rather strange from beginning to end, but isn't this precisely the kind of feeling that Lu Mingfei has longed for, akin to that of a protagonist in a story? An ordinary boy suddenly receives a summons from an organization, and here, a mysterious girl, devoid of expression and emotion, awaits him, arriving by his side in a bewildered manner
Everyone is connected to this world, as if people are puppets with strings linking them to it. However, the strings on Mashu are few and light; she is here, yet it seems as if she never existed at all. If one day she were to disappear, it would surely be like the wind or like dandelion petals scattered by the breeze along the riverbank.
When Lu Mingfei was young, he loved watching "Neon Genesis Evangelion". He always felt that he was very much like the male protagonist, Shinji Ikari, both being the kind of unfortunate child who was neither loved nor cared for by their fathers, and both being men with a sense of 'at stance'.
At this moment
3. ↑ + believes that it is possible to trade Mashu's remaining life for something with Lu Mingfei (despicable)
Because he does not expect and does not feel that he can receive any reward, everything can be treated as a joke to get by. Lu Mingfei is like a little hedgehog yearning for contact with others, curled up into a ball, wanting to get close to people yet fearing to hurt them or himself
Lu Mingfei sometimes feels that what he actually likes is not Chen Wenwen, but rather the gentle attitude of being good to her. She may not be the only one, but the literary girl is the first beautiful girl who has been kind to Lu Mingfei
Let us tentatively determine the level of concern that Lu Mingze has regarding this matter: 1D100 = 91 (particularly concerned!)
... ... Hmm, a name I have not heard before. At least, Lu Mingfei has not heard it, but upon careful recollection, it seems that he has caught a glimpse of this girl's figure once or twice in the corners of his memory.
[AI is generating a random number, with a range from 1 to 10, including 1, 2, 3, and so on. The result of this random number generation is 10]
Lu Mingfei imagined and felt a bit excited. Although he was not the melancholic and beautiful young man who could play the cello and cook delicious dishes, nor did he have any humanoid ultimate weapon waiting for him to take the pilot's seat.
Approximately early June 2015: After the college entrance examination, Lu Mingfei was taken away by Cardok, sent by the Chaldeans, at a class reunion, becoming a reserve "Eligible One (Master)"
Approximately early 2016: The Chaldean Great Explosion, the beginning of the Human Order Correction
Although it was unexpected, Lu Mingfei thought to himself that he might as well take the opportunity to try dating. (Formally developing towards a romantic relationship)
8 to 9, it felt as if he had gained a younger sister. Lu Mingfei resonated with a certain inexplicable sense of shared suffering (younger sister card + 1)
It is akin to the pity of a shepherd child watching the lamb they have raised being slaughtered and offered on the altar, a pity tinged with a hint of sadness, and it seems even more like a shepherd dog bidding farewell to an unfortunate child
[AI is generating a random number, with a range from 1 to 10, including 1, 2, 3, and so on. The result of this random number generation is 9]
July 17, 2015: Lu Mingfei's 18th birthday, first meeting with Mashu
What he referred to as a confession actually contained a habitual self-deprecation about his four-zhai steamed goose heart, and a normal person would just laugh it off even if they couldn't catch it, right? Yet, this girl, whom a certain someone couldn't even name upon their first meeting, surprisingly agreed.
10. Chaotic Super Expansion
Many people say that Ayanami Rei is the original embodiment of the three no's: no words, no heart, and no expression. However, Lu Mingfei feels differently. Ayanami Rei does not lack emotions; rather, her emotions are just very subtle, creating a sense of a meticulously crafted doll-like 'Zero' that has been shaped by external influences. Mashu's three no's also convey this very 'Zero' sense of tranquility.
It seems that what Lu Mingze truly cares about in this matter is Lu Mingfei's thoughts rather than Mashu's appearance
Lu Mingfei was unsure whether he truly loved Chen Wenwen or if he was merely a simple admirer. In fact, Lu Mingfei believed he should just be a straightforward admirer of beauty. There were many beautiful girls in his class, and he had feelings for quite a few of them, but the only thing that made Chen Wenwen special was her tenderness towards him
Lu Mingfei believes that Ayanami Rei is more suited to the name 'Zero', as 'Zero' is more fitting for her. She bears a heavy fate, yet the value of her own life is merely that of a trivial artificial life form that can be mass-produced
The situation in Lu Mingfei's dormitory is quite awkward now, but the awkwardness does not stem from the atmosphere. The atmosphere is actually lively, with Sakamoto Maaya singing love songs to stir things up, and a group of onlookers, who are oblivious to the truth, cheering on as they follow Lu Mingfei and Cardock in their gambling, having made quite a bit of money.
Indeed, it seems that casually dealing with things is just enough to get by... (Classic Galgame male protagonist Asashi tendency + 10)
Those who can touch the depths of the heart are either thick-skinned and unafraid of the thorns on a hedgehog, or they are individuals who do not mind getting hurt at all, or perhaps they are those who have long been scarred and thus have become indifferent to it all
As Lu Mingfei reflects on his impulsive confession from a few minutes ago—rather than calling it a confession, it would be more accurate to describe it as the habitual self-deprecation of a hapless child
Sima Qian once said, "All men must die, some heavier than Mount Tai, some lighter than a feather." Although the metaphor is quite strange, the feeling that Mashu gives to Lu Mingfei is precisely that peculiar sensation of being "lighter than a feather" as mentioned by Sima Qian
Mashu
Currently available public intelligence
The frail child and the melancholic, attractive youth are distinct. The frail child often does not give the impression of being reclusive, as their loneliness is compounded by the fear of being perceived as lonely. Therefore, frail children tend to be very cheerful; they deliberately act foolishly and play the clown to blend into the atmosphere.
Before this, Lu Mingfei did not know Mashu, yet he inexplicably felt a sense of familiarity. "Miss, have we met somewhere before?" Such a clichéd pick-up line was something Lu Mingfei felt too embarrassed to say out loud, but now he suddenly realized what this familiar feeling he found in Mashu was.
The friendly inclination of Lu Mingze towards Mashu (Zero): 1D100 = 50 (He has always been indifferent)
6. Stop it, Lu Mingfei! She is still a minor! Although it is said this way, he actually starts to care a lot about Mashu (latent loli complex tendency + 10)
What is 1D10
Zero's name is as it is. The Mashu before me gives off a feeling of 'Zero' to Lu Mingfei.
Unlike Lu Mingfei, whose physical fitness test scores are generally mediocre, this girl exudes an air of mystery from head to toe
What is 1D10
Lu Mingfei lowered his head, pretending to study the ice ball floating on the beer after the glass was shattered, while in reality, he was secretly stealing glances at Mashu's profile out of the corner of his eye
Upon noticing that Lu Mingfei was peering at her, Mashu used 'feeding' on him (directly determining what kind of feelings Lu Mingfei had for Mashu at that moment)
If one must say who the truly awkward person is, it would be Lu Mingfei. Lu Mingfei awkwardly smiled as he dealt with the birthday wishes from the onlookers. Although there were no gifts, only blessings, Lu Mingfei generously took out the Qingdao beer that his previously useless senior had given him and opened it.
1D2 = 1
What is the next step? Is it to live together with a beautiful girl?
What does Lu Mingfei think about it himself? What are his thoughts on the recently received affirmative response regarding the "confession punishment game"?
1D10 = 9
Lu Mingfei cautiously stared at Mash, as if he were dealing with a fragile glass artwork. Mash sat upright on Lu Mingfei's bed, her thighs wrapped in translucent black stockings sinking into the soft bedding. One hand held a plastic tray containing the homemade strawberry cake that Roman had dropped and shattered on the floor, while the other hand held a plastic spoon, taking small bites of the white cream.
10. Chaotic Super Expansion
The dividing line of the story
At this time, there are approximately six months remaining
Lu Mingfei's gaze followed Mashu as she brought the cream to her mouth in small bites. He observed the girl's plump thighs, accentuated by her tight pants, then her slender arms, and finally her thin, slightly pale lips. As she brought the cream to her mouth, she emitted a sound of satisfaction that was completely oblivious to his current state, reminiscent of an old lecher fixated on a flower girl. The girl's soft hum of enjoyment, mingled with her breath, spread the sweetness of the cream across her taste buds, delicate and almost imperceptible, just like her.
It seems to be incorrect as well, after all, Mash is very cute and has the appearance of a beautiful girl. Someone like Lu Mingfei, who is purely attracted to looks, naturally cannot help but like her. However, she has always been outside the mainstream circles, and the atmosphere in Chaldea has intentionally or unintentionally pushed the girl to the margins, turning her into a 'dispensable ordinary existence'.
The girl's hair is an unnatural light purple, reminiscent of books, and her demeanor is somewhat ethereal, not the kind of ethereal typically used to describe beautiful and mysterious fairy sisters in fantasy films, but rather a very 'light' feeling
Roman specifically mentioned that Masha is now fifteen, an age that falls between that of a high school student and a middle school student, and she is not yet of legal age to drink alcohol. This made Lu Mingfei feel even more embarrassed and guilty, while deep down he awkwardly thought to himself that he finally knew the girl's name.
Roman wore a look of a distressed father witnessing his own cabbage suddenly being uprooted by a pig. Cardok seemed to be the person present who knew the most about the situation. Although he was also celebrating Lu Mingfei's birthday, for some reason, his gaze towards Lu Mingfei was filled with compassion.
1. It seems quite acceptable to take advantage of the situation, doesn't it? (Tendency towards indulgence + 10)
About the development of this world line
待续
2. While it is possible that Lu Mingfei's thoughts are influenced by Mashu, he does not care about Mashu's life itself
At the age of fifteen, one could only be a Master in the Execution Department in Chaldea, but Lu Mingfei had not seen her in any of the various physical training courses of the Execution Department. He couldn't help but think that this was because Mash often took leave or skipped classes. Firstly, she did not seem like the type of bad child, and secondly, the instructors in the Execution Department, who were said to be specially recruited from the original Navy SEALs and were as burly as bears, did not appear to be the kind to show tenderness towards the weak.
In this way of thinking, Yan Gou Lu Mingfei also seems quite humble; he likes a beautiful girl who treats him well, and the attribute of being a literary girl is an additional bonus. For instance, at this moment, he finds the Mashu in front of him incredibly cute
1. The vigilance of a brother complex towards the awakening of a sister complex in an older brother
However, her presence is indeed somewhat low. Although she is a beautiful girl, the people around her seem to intentionally or unintentionally overlook her existence, to the extent that Lu Mingfei has been here for almost a month yet has little impression of her
However, Lu Mingfei is not shy; he is simply shameless. It is true that Shinji Ikari is melancholic and withdrawn, but he is an excellent student, a talented cook, and a androgynous beauty who can play the cello. In contrast, Lu Mingfei is merely a loser and a fool who has somewhat prematurely evolved from a typical adolescent phase into a more advanced stage of teenage angst.