People are in Star Iron; who says they're just NPCs?

It was Tingyun, the ferryman of the Luofu Immortal Ship Tianbo Division who was rescued by Lin Li, and the head of the "Minghuo" Chamber of Commerce.

Not long after Lin Li left yesterday, Tingyun woke up. With Ruan Mei's help, she recovered well, with a rosy and full complexion, and you could not tell that she had just experienced a life-or-death crisis.

Lin Li first teleported to Estádio and chatted with her for a while before arriving at Ruan Mei's laboratory.

When she saw a man walk in through the door, Tingyun instinctively turned her gaze over, a hint of amazement flashing in her eyes.

Even someone like Ting Yun, who manages a merchant guild and has traveled extensively between different planets, had to admit that Lin Li's appearance was indeed stunning!

“Miss Tingyun, this is Mr. Lin Li who woke you up yesterday. He's the one who told me your name. You can ask him any questions you may have.” Ruan Mei’s tone remained as calm as ever.

"I am Tingyun, and I thank you for saving my life!" Tingyun bowed gracefully, her posture gentle and elegant, her eyes filled with gratitude.

After being attacked by Huanlong, she was still filled with resentment in her dying moments. She had many regrets that she had not yet made amends for, but she did not even know who attacked her before her consciousness fell into darkness.

She thought she would die with many regrets and resentment, but fate gave her a glimmer of hope, allowing her to be reborn from destruction and giving her another chance.

She was naturally incredibly grateful to the person who saved her life!

"Miss Tingyun, you're too kind. It was Ruan Mei who truly saved your life. Without her help, you probably wouldn't have made it to me."

I simply woke you up sooner and eliminated a potential threat. Even without my help, Miss Tingyun's unwavering will meant she would have woken up sooner or later anyway.

Lin Li wasn't being modest. Ting Yun was inherently gentle on the outside but strong on the inside. Even without meeting him, she could have woken up from her delusion through her own willpower. Lin Li's intervention simply accelerated this process.

"Both of you are my saviors. I have no way to repay such a great kindness. Please do not hesitate to ask if you need anything. I will go through fire and water for you!"

Tingyun was a typical refined young lady from the immortal boat; even when expressing gratitude, her manners were impeccable, and Lin Li quite liked her gentle and graceful demeanor. "Alright, I don't have any requests anyway. I just wonder if Miss Ruanmei has any needs?"

Ruan Mei glanced at Lin Li with a hint of speechlessness, remaining silent, her eyes conveying the message that she would leave the matter to Lin Li to handle.

Although Ruan Mei is now asking Lin Li for a favor, she is aloof and dislikes socializing, so she tries to avoid such occasions.

Lin Li glanced at the [Life Baking Box] and saw that there was still no movement, so she winked at Ting Yun, signaling her to come with her.

“Miss Tingyun has just woken up and must be eager to know who attacked you and what their motive was. I know all of that. Let's talk over here and not disturb Ruan Mei's research for now.”

"I will obey my benefactor!"

Tingyun naturally wanted to find out the details of what had happened to her, so she followed Lin Li to another place, to Ruan Mei's temporary office.

In the office, Lin Li briefly explained Huanlong's plan to her: how to attack her, then impersonate her to infiltrate the Immortal Ship, and attempt to overthrow the Luofu Immortal Ship.

Lin Li was quite good at storytelling; the whole process was full of suspense and twists and turns, keeping Ting Yun on the edge of her seat.

When Tingyun finally heard that it was Lin Li who single-handedly thwarted Huanlong's conspiracy, causing Huanlong to suffer heavy losses and return home with the immortal ship basically safe and sound, her gratitude was almost overflowing!

If Huanlong really uses her identity to plot against Luofu Immortal Ship, even if Tingyun survives in the end, she will definitely live with guilt for the rest of her life after learning this news.

"My benefactor not only saved my life, but is also a hero who saved Luofu. I could not repay him even if I died ten thousand times."

"Alright, don't be so polite. I don't need you to repay me ten thousand times over. If you really want to repay me, stay here for the next few days and help me as Mei's assistant."

"Eh? To be a genius's assistant? But all I know is how to handle interpersonal relationships and communication; I'm completely clueless about scientific research!"

"I know nothing about scientific research either, so don't worry. When there's something I can do to help you, I'll just let Ruan Mei know."

Chapter 337 Lin Li's Life as an Assistant, Ruan Mei's Changes

Tingyun smoothly became Ruanmei's assistant.

Ruan Mei is aloof and doesn't like socializing. She prefers to immerse herself in her research, so having a capable assistant like Ting Yun to connect with the space station is actually quite good.

Of course, she didn't trust Tingyun either. If Lin Li hadn't asked her to, she would have had to be given some anti-vomiting medicine.

In Lin Li's view, Ruan Mei was stubborn, but he did not judge the right or wrong of Ruan Mei's various behaviors. He simply tried to change Ruan Mei's habits in his own way.

Ruan Mei was indeed quite obsessive and crazy.

Since her parents' death, her obsession with resurrecting them has led her to become obsessed with life science research. She ignores existing laws of life and disregards the meaning of life, yet her research progresses faster and faster.

She nearly destroyed the evolutionary laws of a planet, and was finally close to completing her self-determination of resurrection and matriarchal co-existence. It was at this moment that the vision of the learned Venerable descended.

The watchful eye of [Intelligence] shattered her plan to resurrect her mother. From then on, she left her hometown and lived a hermit-like life, becoming increasingly indifferent and immersed in her research.

She only studies the essence of life.

From then on, Ruan Mei kept pushing her understanding of "life" in order to get closer to the Venerable Master Bo Shi.

[Intelligence] The Star God's warning was unforgettable; she wanted to understand what kind of being the Star God truly was, and whether she was also a form of life.

It was Black Tower's project of simulating the universe, which could simulate the stars, that piqued her interest and forced her to participate in the social interactions among these geniuses.

Indeed, in her view, her interactions with the Black Tower were also forced.

She felt that simulating the Star God was worth the time investment, but not worth the forced social interaction.

Yesterday's conversation with Lin Li wasn't exactly pleasant, but strangely enough, Ruan Mei sensed a different quality in him. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but she didn't dislike talking to Lin Li.

This is one of the reasons why she was willing to try loving Lin Li once.

Ruan Mei knew what love was. Although her parents had many arguments, they were also very loving. She grew up in a warm family and was deeply influenced by her mother, never lacking love from a young age.

But it was precisely because of this that the death of her parents drove her into a state of paranoia; beneath her calm exterior lay an unimaginable madness.

In fact, from that time on, she had subconsciously forgotten her mother's last words before she passed away.

In her final moments, this scientist mother wasn't thinking about her unfinished research; all she cared about was whether her daughter could be happy.

Immersed in her research, Ruan Mei forgot her mother's last words and never thought about finding a partner. In other words, everyone was a research subject in her eyes, and she would never label them as "partners".

Until she met Lin Li yesterday, Ruan Mei's long-established routine was gradually disrupted as Lin Li revealed his mystery and power to her.

This forced her to shed the label of "research sample" from Lin Li and look at him from a different perspective. Her long-dormant heart was stirred by Lin Li, creating ripples.

It was at this moment that she suddenly remembered her mother's dying words, awakening the humanity that had not been completely extinguished deep within her.

She became obsessed with her research after her parents passed away, but she also retained a shred of humanity because of her mother's love for her.

Lin Li sensed this glimmer of humanity and decided to nurture it, allowing it to regrow. The following days were quite fulfilling for Lin Li.

During the day, without fail, he came to assist Ruan Mei. Although he was called an assistant, Ruan Mei didn't tell him what to do and let him do whatever he wanted.

The creations in the [Life Baking Box] were cultivated the next day, and a bunch of cats, dogs and pastry-shaped artificial life forms ran around the laboratory.

When Ruan Mei created these creations, she added different kinds of fillings and emotions, which made the different creations have different personalities. The only thing they had in common was that they all regarded Ruan Mei as a mother figure.

Some of these, once activated by the synesthetic beacon, can even communicate directly with humans.

Lin Li has been spending the last few days with these creations. Ruan Mei is their "mother," so he naturally becomes their "father."

He doesn't know how to raise children, but these creations aren't really children either. Lin Li only needs to maintain order, teach them some basic rules and principles, and make sure they don't run away and cause trouble.

In the original script, Ruan Mei sought out Xing Bao because some creations had escaped from the laboratory and caused considerable trouble on the space station, so she asked Xing Bao to help find them.

Lin Li eliminated this possibility directly to avoid future trouble. Ruan Mei wouldn't concern herself with these creations.

She was essentially modifying the "Life Baking Box" instrument, a process of exploring the essence of life. For her, these creations by Ruan Mei were at most the experimental results at a certain stage.

Before this, she had tried to cultivate a "genius," but that experiment failed.

The "Life Baking Oven" is only a preliminary achievement; the equipment is still in the experimental stage. Ruan Mei has even bigger goals, and her energy...

They are all focused on this more important project.

Lin Li can only be active in the real world for eight hours a day, so of course he won't spend all his time on Ruan Mei's research.

Besides helping her with her research, he would also spend time with Heita and Estella, occasionally playing duo queue in their offices or rooms. After get off work, he had even more free time, and back in the NPC world, he lived a carefree life, switching between different pairings.

Kafka and Silver Wolf have officially moved into Guili Garden, met with March 7th Star Treasure, and become members of the Starry Sky Train. Their original residence was not sold but preserved as a secret base.

After several days of work, Himeko finally raised her favorability rating to 150 points, fulfilling one of her dreams.

The girls from Belloborg also take turns coming to keep Lin Li company in the evenings. Bronya, Sylvanas, and Seele's bond levels have also increased quite a bit, but they are still a little short of the 150 mark.

These peaceful and tranquil days lasted for seven years.

Ruan Mei's changes over the past seven days have been quite noticeable. She, who was originally very indifferent to things outside of her research, has become more human when facing Lin Li.

She even occasionally has simple interactions with those Ruan Mei's creations.

Lin Li could see that she was no longer as indifferent to these creations as she had at the beginning; she had gained more of the warmth that a "mother" should have. The part of her humanity, which she had retained because of her mother, was finally being nurtured and strengthened at this time.

This was, of course, inseparable from Lin Li's help. He and these creations of Ruan Mei worked together to deliberately create the warm atmosphere that a "family" should have, subtly influencing Ruan Mei.

On the seventh day, Ruan Mei, Lin Li, and Ting Yun gathered at another experimental site, quietly observing the area.

Her research is almost complete!

Two chapters released in a row! Thanks to Navelette for the monthly ticket support!! Please vote with more monthly tickets!

Chapter 338 Happy Birthday, Nguyen Mai An Tse!

In the very center of the experimental site, a huge and ugly worm was slowly forming.

This is precisely the result of Mei's research: an artificially bred envoy—the Shattered Star Master Insect. "Is this a sure thing for success?"

The experiment was nearing completion, but Lin Li and Ruan Mei didn't seem particularly nervous. Ting Yun, on the other hand, was much more anxious—this was about cultivating an envoy!

Her position on the Luofu Immortal Ship was not low either. She had always been regarded by Yu Kong as the future successor of the Customs and Maritime Affairs Bureau, so she naturally understood what the word "commander" meant.

That is the ultimate being capable of destroying galaxies with kinetic energy; only the Star God is stronger than the Commander!

Huanlong attacked her merchant ship, and she didn't even see what the enemy looked like before she was on the verge of death. If she hadn't been lucky enough to run into Ruan Mei, she would have been reduced to ashes of destruction long ago!

Now that she is about to witness the process of a breeding envoy being cultivated, how could she not be nervous?!

“It will succeed, but the main insect won’t survive for long, 57 seconds!” Ruan Mei said calmly, or rather, confidently. “Huh? It can only survive for 57 seconds?”

“You think the Commander is so easy to cultivate? Being able to survive for 57 seconds is already an extremely terrifying improvement!” Lin Li shook his head. “However, I can try to extend its lifespan.”

I'll go and have a look at it!

Lin Li opened the safety door next to him and stepped towards the center of the field.

"Be careful, I have a backup plan, in case you can't beat it...!" A hint of concern appeared on Ruan Meiqing's usually calm face.

This was something that would never have happened to her before. In the past, she would just indifferently watch the experimental samples she had chosen go in and fight the king insects, and she would never reveal her backup plan.

Tingyun's face also showed worry; after all, this was a breeding envoy! "Don't worry, trust me! Just keep good data records!"

Lin Li decided to personally confront this King Insect, not only to help Ruan Mei test the King Insect's strength, but also to test his own true combat ability.

He wasn't worried about his life, after all, he had powerful skills like [Immobilize], [Cleanse], and [Restore], making it almost impossible for a single Envoy to kill him.

As he stepped into the experimental field, the Star Shattering King Worm fully formed and officially gained life! Lin Li, holding a baseball bat, charged forward!

The baseball bat was borrowed from Xingbao. Lin Li has never had a weapon for his hands; he just uses whatever he has. He has a skill called [Fighting], which allows him to adapt to different weapon fighting styles.

Facing a King Insect of the Commander level, Lin Li naturally held nothing back, using all his skills except for those bug-level powerful abilities.

Master-level combat skills and the use of various different destinies' powers left Ruan Mei, who was recording data on the side, with a look of astonishment. She knew Lin Li was powerful, but she didn't expect it to be like this!

[Preservation], [Hunting], [Destruction]... different destinies appear alternately. These completely different powers are in his hands as if they were his own limbs, and he wields them with ease, even with a touch of composure and elegance.

In terms of sheer strength, Lin Li was indeed no match for the Star Shattering King Worm, which was at the Commander level. However, by controlling and coordinating various destiny powers, he managed to fight the King Worm to a standstill!

Lin Li himself felt that he had become stronger, and the power of destiny he could control was much stronger than before! However, he hadn't made any significant improvements recently, and the world level of the NPC world was still a long way from being upgraded.

The only visible improvement is his affinity with the girls. Could it be that the increase in their bond level also helps him control the girls' corresponding destinies?!

Lin Li tested it out and found that Fu Xuan, Qing Que, and Yu Kong had relatively low affinity levels, so their [Hunting] destiny strength was indeed not as good as [Protection].

There are many people in the [Preservation] faction, and Belloborg is considered to be in the [Preservation] faction. Moreover, most of them have a relatively high bond level, so their destiny power is stronger.

The benefits of increasing favorability go far beyond what's on the surface; there are other aspects worth exploring! As Lin Li tested his strength and adjusted his power usage, time gradually passed.

Soon, 56 seconds had passed, and the ferocious main insect began to fade and disappear. But at that moment, Lin Li used the [Recovery] skill to attack, saying, "Don't rush off, fight me for another minute!"

Ruan Mei, who was outside the field, kept recording various data. She had already prepared for the experiment to end, but then she saw the ethereal Star-Shattering King Worm solidify again.

"Huh?!" Although she didn't know what had happened, Lin Li said he could extend the lifespan of the main insect, and he really did it! Without time to think about these random things, Ruan Mei started recording a new round of data.

About two minutes later, Lin Li put away Xingbao's baseball bat and slowly walked out of the test field. The Shattered Star King Worm had ended its short life and completely disappeared.

He used the [Restore] skill twice to extend the life of the King Insect. The nearly three-minute battle left Ruan Mei with a vast amount of valuable research data.

This made Ruan Mei's gains today far exceed her initial expectations!

"Alright, the experiment is finished, time to relax." Lin Li walked out of the testing field and winked at Ting Yun. "Relaxation time?" Ruan Mei tilted her head slightly in confusion; she didn't know Lin Li had made this arrangement.

Lin Li didn't explain further, but simply took Ruan Mei's hand. "Let's go, you'll find out when we get to the office!"

Their relationship has progressed, at least it's not as distant as it was at the beginning. Ruan Mei doesn't refuse to hold hands or anything like that. She doesn't say it, but she actually enjoys it quite a bit.

This wouldn't have been possible without Tingyun's great assistance. Tingyun was a very shrewd and charming person on the Immortal Ship, and her greatest skill was reading people and dealing with them.

With her abilities, she could naturally see the subtle relationship between Lin Li and Ruan Mei, and she also understood Lin Li's intention in asking her to stay and be Ruan Mei's assistant.