Steampunk: Sixth Era Epic - Chapter 426 The Restaurant Outside the Banquet

That afternoon, Roland received the most absurd gift imaginable—his stepmom handed him a System literally.That’s right. Not a game console. Not money. A real, cheat-like System... the kind usually reserved for transmigrators and chosen ones.Except Roland had transmigrated eighteen years ago, and nothing remotely “chosen” had ever happened since—until now.The catch? It wasn’t just any System. It was the “Mother's Little Tasks” System, formerly owned by his doting (mysterious) mother. And its first mission?[Mission: Go on a blind date.][Target Options: Yukino Yukio (Mom), Yukino Haruno (Elder Sister), Yukino Yuki (Younger Sister).][Warning: Once locked, your chosen girl can never marry anyone else.][Reward: 1000 Points, one self-selected supernatural ability from Mall]Roland: “...What kind of twisted matchmaking app did I just inherit?”After reading the mission, Roland was stunned. An arranged romance at 18 was already bad—but a binding rule that prevented the chosen girl from marrying anyone else? What if he failed the mission? Would she be alone forever?“And this is supposed to be a System?”“Mom! What the hell is this mission?” Roland asked, his face darkening.“It finally triggered! All those Points I spent transferring the System weren’t wasted,” his mother replied cheerfully, ignoring his outrage.“You set this up? Why?”“You’re nearly an adult and you’ve never even dated. Of course I’m worried.”“I’m only eighteen! I have college entrance exams next year!”“Exams don’t matter. But youth without love isn’t youth at all.”“...Is that something a mother should say?” Roland muttered. Most mothers pushed their kids to study harder—his acted like grades were irrelevant.“What kind of mom does this to her own son? And why is Aunt Yukio even on the target list? That’s just insane!”“Well~, I don’t know what kind of girl you like. The Yukino family has all three types—mother, elder sister, and younger sister—so I gave you options.”

Way, way, and very way before I was even born, my world was invaded. Actually, not just my world, my entire damn universe was overrun by another, led by a single race that called themselves the Eternals.And they were prepared. Very prepared. Every life we lost in the war against them was used by them. They didn’t just kill people, they captured their souls, forged them into Phantoms, and used the souls to twist beasts into Abominations. Our dead became their army.Three hundred years later, I was born. A guy with way too much energy. Sitting still? Impossible. Taking it slow? Not happening. I was always moving, always ready to burst into action. Then I awakened, and got a talent too.My Talent's Name Was Generator.Because of it I never ran out of energy. Ever. My muscles? Supercharged. My healing? Faster. My stamina? Please, I had no idea what being tired even felt like.So if the universe wanted to throw an endless war at me?Fine. I’d throw everything I had right back.I wasn’t born a hero. Never wanted to be one. But this war? It wasn’t just my universe’s fight anymore. It was mine. The Eternals made sure of that when they took my parents' souls.

There are 7 dimensions controlled by a Universal Government. Each dimension is governed by its own unique universal laws. There are a few things they have in common, there is always 1 the strongest and 1 the smartest. Except for the Universal Government, it’s forbidden to travel between dimensions. Interdimensional gates don’t close on their own and if left open, creatures that dwell in the darkness between the worlds will find their way through. Without warning, one of the dimensions disappeared without a trace. The remaining 6 in panic did all they could to find the reason why. They never found an answer. 12 years after the dimension vanished, a signal started appearing in the empty universe. Perhaps the answer is in that signal.Tsugi No Level

Lin Momo hasn’t had a father or a mother since she was very young and lives with the grandmother who picked her up after being thrown away. One day, a person claiming to be an agent approached her and asked her to pretend to be the daughter of a certain star and participate in the recording of a reality show, and she would be given 20,000 yuan after the filming was completed.

Looking at her poor family, Lin Momo thought for 2 seconds and agreed.

This reality show is called ‘Living with Dad’. Dad takes the baby and randomly draws a family background to experience a different life every week.

The night before the recording of the program, Lin Momo had a dream that after the program was broadcast, only the team of the former singer—Lin Cheng—had bad reviews: the daughter is not cute; the father has no fatherly love; and the father and daughter have no communication at all during the whole process.

The audience pointed out: ‘He doesn’t know how to take care of a baby at all’; ‘It’s really embarrassing’; ‘There is no sense of presence’, ‘I hate this pair the most’; ‘It’s not good-looking at all, I suggest you go offline’ and so on…

Later, more black material popped up, Lin Cheng’s career and reputation collapsed completely, and Lin Momo’s 20,000 yuan was also lost. She was forcibly sent to an orphanage with the ‘help’ of Internet celebrities and caring people.

In order to keep her 20,000 yuan, Lin Momo was determined to perform well.

However, the father-daughter combination of Lin Momo and Lin Cheng still became the contrast team and the audience reaction is palpably different:

Other teams: ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh so cute!
Contrast team: Hey, my daughter is so sensible.

Other teams: It’s great to be a star.
Contrast team: The life of outdated stars is so miserable.

Other teams: This is a parent-child interactive program.
Contrast team: This turned out to be a survival show?!

Other teams: Dad, come on, raise your children.
Contrast team who drew the [Unemployed Families] card: Daughter, come on and support Dad!

Lin Momo: “I have to work hard to make money, otherwise my father will starve to death.”

Lin Cheng: “I have to work hard to make money, otherwise I will have to take my daughter back to inherit tens of billions of property.”

——————

Lin Cheng, who hasn’t ‘appeared’ for half a year, received a call from his agent and was given a contract.

Lin Cheng: “Appearance fee?”

Agent: “None.” The appearance fee is 100,000 yuan, but the backer was invited to dinner for 300,000 yuan, so the remainder is negative.

Lin Cheng: “Script?”

Manager: “None.” The program team didn’t have time to write one.

Lin Cheng: “Draw lots?”

Agent: “Still no.” As the contrast team, there is no right to choose the family background.

Lin Cheng: “Is there a child?”

Manager: “Yes.”

Looking at the ‘fake’ child who looked too much like him, Lin Cheng had a weird feeling.

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