Chapter 121: The Child of Steel
The little girl stood at the entrance of the control room, illuminated by the rolling crystal orb at her feet.
She looked no older than eight or nine years old. Her face was strikingly beautiful in an almost ethereal way — delicate and doll-like, with smooth, flawless porcelain skin that glowed faintly under the soft light, completely unmarred by any imperfection. Her large, round eyes were a deep, luminous violet, framed by long, thick lashes that gave her an innocent, wide-eyed expression. The irises held a subtle inner glow, like stars trapped in glass. Her hair was long and silky, falling in gentle waves down to her waist, a pure silver-white color that shimmered with faint blue highlights when the light caught it. A few strands framed her face, giving her an almost angelic appearance. Her lips were small and pink, slightly parted in a neutral expression. Her cheeks had a soft, natural blush. Everything about her face was perfectly proportioned — cute, innocent, and heartbreakingly beautiful. If Lian hadn’t used his perception earlier, he would have sworn she was a real human child. She had skin, hair, and features that looked completely alive and warm.
Her body was small and slender, dressed in a simple white dress that reached her knees, with short sleeves and a modest collar. Her arms and legs were perfectly formed, with the same smooth, pale skin. She looked every bit like a living little girl — fragile, adorable, and harmless.
She bent down and picked up the glowing crystal orb with both small hands. The orb looked comically large in her tiny palms. She held it carefully, tilting her head slightly as she examined it with innocent curiosity.
Lian and Elara remained tense, blades ready. The girl took a small step forward.
“WELCOME, MASTER,” she said again.
This time, the voice came directly from her, not the bracelet. It was no longer mechanical — it sounded like a real little girl’s voice, gentle and clear.
Lian studied her for a long minute, his mind racing. Who is your master? he asked silently.
“You are,” she replied, pointing one small finger directly at him.
Both Lian and Elara exchanged a quick glance, confusion and wariness clear on their faces. They looked back at the girl.
“What do you mean I am your master?” Lian asked, voice low and guarded.
“The bracelet is in your hand and you woke me,” she answered simply, her violet eyes blinking innocently.
Lian looked down at the bracelet on his wrist, then back at her. The girl’s gaze shifted past him to the dead man still sitting in the captain’s chair. Her expression softened with a hint of sadness.
“I know my old Master is dead,” she said quietly, looking at the preserved corpse. “He died a long time ago... about a thousand years ago. So I went to sleep.”
Lian turned immediately to look at the dead man again. A thousand years. What kind of powerful being could preserve his body for that long? The aura lingering around the corpse suddenly felt even more imposing.
The girl continued, her small voice steady. “I don’t know how you got the bracelet, but since it is with you now, I am here to serve you.”
She took another small step toward him.
Lian stepped back instinctively.
“Stop. Don’t move.”
The girl froze immediately, not moving an inch. She stood perfectly still, like an obedient doll waiting for commands.
Lian turned to Elara.
“What she is saying... is it true?”
Elara hesitated, then nodded slowly. “I don’t know... but with everything that has happened, I think so.”
Lian turned back to the girl. When she had called him “Master,” something strange had jolted inside him. It felt odd — a little girl, or what looked like one, addressing him that way. It made him feel superior, powerful. A quiet, dark satisfaction stirred in his mind, though his face remained calm and cold on the outside.
This is what it feels like to be powerful, he thought. A good feeling.
He spoke again, voice firm. “We don’t trust you. We are wary of you. We don’t know who you are, what you are. I know you aren’t human. We don’t know what you are capable of. You are a stranger to us.”
The girl nodded, her silver-white hair swaying gently.
“I know,” she said softly. “I can feel it. I can feel it through it.”
She pointed at the bracelet on Lian’s wrist with one small, doll-like hand.
“I know you don’t trust me, but I am bound to you now, and I can’t harm you. If I do, I will die...”
Power Scale / Cultivation Realms (Quick Reminder)
Foundation Realm (Layers 1–9): Body forging, no external Qi.
Circuit Awakening Realm (Early–Peak): First Qi loop, internal bursts.
Core Condensation Realm (Early–Peak): External Qi release, short flight.
Stellar Circuit Realm (1–9 Stars): True flight, Qi armor, energy projection.
Nebula Dominion Realm and higher: Domain control, galaxy-level power, etc
Power Scale Reminder
Lian Yu: Stellar Circuit Star 1.
Elara Voss: Core Condensation Middle
Keep it as reminders
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