"At most, I'll be busy for another half a year. Once the gene nucleic acid enhancer is fully developed and tested, I'm quitting my job for good. After that, I'll just stay at home, be a good wife and mother, and strive to be the perfect homemaker." Lucas Bennett relaxed her brows and said with certainty.

Kevin Carter shook his head with a wry smile. "If you really quit your job at the research institute, then I'll give myself a long vacation too. The three of us can go on an interstellar trip together and visit all seven major planets."

"It's a deal! I've contributed enough to the Federation. If the institute won't let me go, I won't let them off the hook..."

Lucas Bennett smiled and said, "Enough talk, I've still got a pile of things to do. Oh, and say hi to Little Brian for me. Also, tell that kid to study hard. If I remember correctly, in two months it'll be time for him to fill out his college applications. After all, he's our son! He can't be too much of a slacker..."

Before Kevin Carter could respond, Lucas Bennett's virtual image had already disappeared from the Skynet, leaving him with nothing but a bitter smile. "Honestly, my wife is probably even busier than the Federation's president!"

Chapter 5: The Undying Legend

When Brian Carter gradually regained consciousness, the first thing he saw was a breathtakingly beautiful girl. Her long sapphire-blue hair, skin as smooth and white as milk, deep blue eyes like the ocean, and a uniform somewhat resembling a maid outfit—though with very little fabric, leaving her nearly half-naked.

It took Brian Carter quite some effort to recover from the stunning beauty of the blue-eyed girl before him. Swallowing hard, he looked around at his surroundings, then pinched the soft flesh at his waist with all his might. The sharp pain confirmed that he wasn't dreaming.

Not far ahead stretched an endless desert, dust and sand as far as the eye could see. Hundreds of tornadoes, some near and some far, wandered across the wasteland. The closest one was only a few thousand meters from where Brian Carter now stood.

When Brian Carter, still confused, finally focused his gaze on the blue-eyed girl, she placed her delicate hands together in front of her and bowed to Brian Carter at a 90-degree angle. Her dangerously short skirt nearly revealed everything. In a sweet voice, she said, "The Undying Program has been activated. Master, please immediately enter the Death Black Desert to begin the trial."

"Who are you? Where is this place? What is the Undying Program? Why are you calling me master..." Compared to most people, Brian Carter was already quite calm, but he still blurted out a string of questions.

His last memory was being struck by a falling piece of metal at the Qinmei Shopping Center. He should have passed out on the spot, so he should have woken up in a hospital or at home... There was no way he should be in a place like this!

The blue-eyed girl's sweet and pleasant voice sounded again. "My name is Lindsay Brooks. I am the intelligent system of the Undying Program, an internal component of the Godsmith Trial Device. This is the first trial scenario after the Undying Program was activated. It is also an independent space created by the Undying Program after merging with your brain domain and separating your sea of consciousness..."

"Due to the Godsmith Trial Device being struck by an antimatter energy core explosion while passing through two different parallel universes, the device automatically initiated the disassembly program. As one of the main components of the Godsmith Device, the Undying Program's recognition of its master is irreversible. Master, please immediately enter the trial scenario. If you do not act or enter the trial scenario within three minutes, the system will implement certain punitive measures."

"What the heck is all this!" At least half of what the self-proclaimed intelligent system girl said was completely beyond Brian Carter's understanding, and it all sounded utterly fantastical.

"Since I'm your master, can I give you orders?" Brian Carter asked, holding onto a sliver of hope. If she answered "yes," then maybe he could slowly figure things out.

"Yes." Lindsay Brooks bowed expressionlessly.

"Then I order you right now to immediately send me out of this messed-up space. I want to return to the real world." Brian Carter was delighted and spoke bluntly.

Lindsay Brooks replied in her seemingly constant tone, "Unable to fulfill master's request. Once the Undying Program is activated, it is irreversible. Only when master achieves over 70% completion in the three main trial scenarios can you leave."

"Then explain to me what exactly the Undying Program is, and what these trial scenarios are all about."

Lindsay Brooks responded respectfully, "Due to damage to the Undying Program component, some data cannot be restored. The information master requested cannot be found or answered by Lindsay Brooks."

"Damn, you don't know this, you don't know that. Then if I order you to take off all your clothes, can you do it?" Brian Carter, infuriated by Lindsay Brooks's answers, blurted out something random.

"I can fulfill master's request." Lindsay Brooks still wore a sweet smile. In less than ten seconds, she had already stripped off all her clothes, revealing a flawless, jade-like naked body to Brian Carter, every detail on full display.

Brian Carter had only said it offhandedly, never expecting her to actually strip in an instant. You have to know, in all of Brian Carter's eighteen years since birth, he had never been so "honest" with a girl his own age!