Chapter 6 Sister, Hmm, Sister

At last, I ditched class.

There was no other choice. Attending class with a loli-like unidentified creature was bound to attract unwanted attention. The stern, perpetual menopause-afflicted homeroom teacher would most likely seize the chance to lecture me for half an hour. She'd probably escalate from sociology all the way to the heights of human moral indexes. But to leave this possibly dangerous unidentified creature alone... according to most movies and novels, the only outcome would be a lot of trouble sticking to me like glue. By the time I got home, a bunch of guys in black suits and sunglasses would have pinned me down, and one of them, with a grim smile, would pull out an automatic pencil and yell at me, "Cheese!"

... Analyzing all options, skipping class was the best. Besides, wasn't I feeling a bit unwell? Totally justified, totally justified!

Sis had already gone to work, leaving only me and Pandora at home. I had to use the time wisely to complete this unidentified lifeform's basic education.

"Alright, remember, your name is now Pan Lili," I repeated again. "You are my long-lost sister. Unless there are no outsiders around, you must never mention anything about the Xyrin Empire or whatever corner of the universe it's in. Okay, let me see that mark on your arm again — very good, constructed bodies are really something. Just remember not to slip up in front of my sister."

"Yes, ...Brother." Pandora seemed unused to the new name, hesitating before speaking.

This was my plan! To have Pandora pose as my long-lost sister. Anyway, I was an orphan adopted since childhood; no one knew my background. Suddenly having a sister wouldn't seem odd to anyone... I think. Why do I feel something isn't right, though?

Frowning, I looked Pandora up and down. She was now dressed in some old clothes, and something seemed off. But for the life of me, I couldn't pinpoint what exactly was wrong...

Ah, I got it...

"Pan... Lili, can't you smile?"

This was the crux of the problem. It had only just occurred to me: the little girl before me hadn't smiled once since we met — not just smiled, she hadn't shown any expression at all. She was like a lifelike doll. Moreover, aside from when she first explained the Xyrin Empire to me, she'd spoken very little since. Her reticent nature was uncharacteristic of a fourteen-year-old girl.

These were secondary issues, though; an extremely reclusive personality could be explained away with a fitting backstory. The real trouble was Pandora's eyes!

No focus. They were mere ornaments (though her body structure mimicked that of humans, her perception of the outside world had some differences; for instance, her vision didn't rely on the simplistic organ we call eyes). Her eyes drew attention wherever she went.

So...

A day quickly passed. Throughout it, I taught Pandora everything I could about human behavior. I wasn't worried about her remembering it. During this time, I also learned more about the Xyrin Empire from Pandora's reticent lips, including details about the 99.99999% unusable command set I was most curious about.

According to Pandora, the nearest Void Node was too far away, so every command signal I sent had to travel an incredibly long distance to reach the nearest Xyrin Colony. This distance was so vast that by the time the signal arrived, it had deteriorated to a level indistinguishable from cosmic microwave background radiation — essentially noise. Yesterday's long-range fire support incident was a rare coincidence, a moment when my brain performed extraordinarily.

Since I didn't understand these principles, I just decided to believe her.

"I can serve as an emergency Xyrin Terminal," Pandora said, "but through my enhancement, only less than ten percent of vague commands can be relayed. The conditions for relaying are also very stringent. Do we need to establish a Xyrin Outpost Base on this planet? Once established, you can initiate warfare anytime and turn this world into a new frontier of the Empire."

"No, thanks," I declined the enticing-sounding suggestion, beads of cold sweat forming on my forehead. "I have no intention of conquering the world."

Conquering the world? Ruling humans? This isn't some movie or novel! Ruling the world brings no advantages — I can't even boss Qianqian around...

Besides, most of those commands are for warfare. There's no way I'd use those massive weapons against humans. Hence, the command set was utterly useless, and establishing a base was a sheer waste. At least that's what I thought.

What's that? Someone said I could use them against petty thieves to show off in front of girls?

Are you stupid? Would you use the Xiling Directed Star Annihilation Cannon on someone who bumps into you? An ultra-space fire support system is absolutely inappropriate for showing off. Imagine using a nuclear bomb to grill kebabs...

"Brother, a carbon-based lifeform is approaching. Please confirm their identity."

"It's probably Sis," I said, looking at the clock on the wall. "Also, Lili, don't speak like that anymore. You need to sound human."

Just as I was speaking to Pandora, the door opened.

"I'm back," Sis said tiredly, then, with a surprised tone, "Eh? Ah Jun, who is this child?"

"This is Pan Lili," I gently pushed Pandora forward, trying to appear excited, "She's my sister!"

"Sister?" Sis was taken aback. The next moment, she thought of a possibility and exclaimed, "You mean she's your real sister?"

"Yes," I smiled. "I thought all my biological relatives were gone, but surprisingly, I have a sister."

"Hello." Pandora nodded slightly, greeting in her unique monotone.

Sis frowned, seemingly bothered by Pandora's cold reaction. Seeing this, I quickly explained, "Lili didn't have a good life before, and... she went through some difficult experiences, so her personality is a bit odd."

Only then did Sis notice the shabby clothes on Pandora, a hint of sympathy in her eyes, though her suspicion hadn't entirely dissipated.

I knew what she was doubting. I was brought home at less than a year old and couldn't possibly remember any family members, let alone a sister who clearly wasn't born yet. Sis was worried I was being deceived.

Smiling slightly, I took Pandora's arm and rolled up her right sleeve.

A small, nearly triangular birthmark the size of a fingernail — I had a similar mark in the same spot on my arm.

"This seems to be a family trait, not a birthmark, but a mark every direct relative has. Moreover, although it sounds mystical, Lili and I share a kind of perception. I'm certain she's my sister."

Thank heavens Sis had always been hopeless at biology. Otherwise, she'd quickly see through my poor lie — does such a strange hereditary trait even exist?

Fortunately, Sis never aced biology, so she believed most of my story. She also noticed the peculiarity in Pandora's eyes.

"Ah Jun, what's with this child's eyes..."

I showed an affectionate expression, stroking Pandora's hair and said, "Didn't I mention? She went through some bad experiences and lost her sight, and her personality changed as a result..."

"Poor little sister..." Sis's voice quivered with a sob. She bent down and hugged the expressionless Pandora. "Where do you live now? If possible, why not come live with us? I'll take care of you like a real sister..."

Sis's overflowing sympathy made her completely overlook how I understood this sister's past in just a day.

Sorry, Sis, I have to keep this from you for now. Speaking of which, it's touching how much you trust your brother... I'm speechless.