The Villain Is Too Popular

Just as the viewers were cursing the Starts production team, tearing up while devouring the sweet moments and shouting how delicious it was, the anime's scene shifted to Caroline's flashback.

'Caroline, time's up, you should go study now.'

'Yes, Doctor.'

In the flashback, a young Caroline reluctantly put down her dolphin plushie and stood up, walking towards the Doctor. Seeing Caroline's small gesture, the Doctor thought for a moment, then extended his hand.

'Give it to me.'

The Doctor's words were calm, yet carried an unyielding authority that brooked no refusal. For Caroline, who had been raised in the base since childhood, the Doctor's command was akin to a royal decree. Thus, despite her immense reluctance, Caroline still picked up the dolphin plushie from the bed and handed it to the Doctor.

Upon receiving the plushie, the Doctor crushed it with force.

Bang!

The adorable dolphin plushie tore into pieces in the Doctor's hands. The stuffing inside scattered like snowflakes, fluttering before Caroline's eyes.

After doing all this, the Doctor threw the remains of the dolphin plushie onto the ground like garbage, his voice cold. 'Caroline, as an automaton tool specifically designed to assist Tendo, human emotions are the most useless things in the world to you.'

'Because those things will not only become your weakness but also affect your judgment of reality.'

'So, put away your useless hobbies and emotions, and strive to fulfill your responsibility as a tool, understand?'

'Yes, Doctor, I... understand.'

Caroline bowed her head, fighting back tears from falling.

'If you understand, then come with me. Don't keep Tendo waiting.'

'Remember, tools don't need to have their own thoughts.'

With that, the Doctor turned and walked out. Caroline looked up, her pair of green electronic cat eyes now devoid of any human emotion. There was only endless tranquility and coldness, as if Caroline at this moment wasn't human at all, but a cold, emotionless machine.

Outside the door, the young Tendo watched the Doctor and Caroline emerge one after another, his peripheral vision quietly lingering on the scattered plushie fragments on the floor for a moment. Then, as if he had seen nothing, he followed the Doctor to the classroom within the base.

However, halfway through class, Tendo suddenly, with a very clumsy excuse, asked Yun Meng if he could leave early. If anyone else had made such a request, Yun Meng, who was lecturing, wouldn't have agreed and would have severely punished them. But when the request came from Tendo, Yun Meng agreed without hesitation. After all, geniuses always deserved their own privileges.

But unexpectedly, after leaving the classroom, Tendo didn't go to the base's cafeteria, where he usually went. Instead, he went to Caroline's room.

Looking at the scattered plushie fragments on the floor, Tendo thought for a moment, then stepped away slightly. When he returned, he held a needle and thread, obtained from who knows where. Relying on the extraordinary vision of his 'Star Eclipse Eye,' Tendo quickly gathered all the plushie fragments, even the tiny bits of cotton stuffing scattered throughout the room.

Then, Tendo took out the needle and thread and began to sew clumsily. Though it was his first time doing needlework, Tendo still showed remarkable talent, his movements visibly becoming more skilled. Finally, after a long time, Tendo managed to repair the broken dolphin plushie just before Caroline's class ended. Although, due to it being his first attempt, the dolphin plushie re-sewn by Tendo wasn't as lifelike or cute as it originally was, it was still better than nothing.

Looking at the dolphin plushie in his hands, Tendo smiled, poking its belly and saying, 'A tool? Only incompetent weaklings think of relying on so-called tools. I, Tendo Simei, don't need such things.'

'Besides...'

Tendo placed the mended dolphin plushie on Caroline's bed, then stood up and walked out.

'...Compared to a boring tool, I still think the current Caroline is more fun.'

'Tendo, are you looking for me?'

The Doctor looked at Tendo, who had suddenly arrived, putting down the tablet filled with experimental data and looking up at Tendo. Without caring for formalities, Tendo sat directly on the sofa opposite the Doctor, crossing his legs and saying, 'Doctor, I think your education of Caroline has problems.'

'Oh?'

The Doctor looked up at Tendo, asking, 'Do you have any thoughts?'

Tendo uncrossed his legs and said calmly, 'I believe human emotions are never a burden to automatons. On the contrary, I precisely think they are the key to whether an automaton can successfully achieve godhood.'

'Why?'

'Because...'

Tendo stood up, his pair of cyan-blue eyes staring directly at the Doctor behind the desk.

'...Miracles don't suddenly descend upon an incompetent tool that only calculates gains and losses.'

'And humans are the species on this world most adept at creating miracles, aren't they?'

'...'

Faced with Tendo's assertion, the Doctor fell into a long silence. A moment later, the Doctor spoke.

'Understood. Then proceed with your ideas. I will no longer interfere with Caroline's growth.'

'Huh? You agreed that easily?'

Looking at the astonished Tendo, the Doctor smiled and said, 'Yes, I agreed that easily.'

'Why?'

Tendo, who was usually the one answering questions, was uncharacteristically the one asking today. Faced with his question, the Doctor answered without hesitation, 'Because rather than creating an unnecessary rift with you over this, it's better to simply follow your ideas.'

'After all, for me, a hundred Carolines combined aren't as important as one Tendo Simei. It's a simple math problem.'

'...'

Tendo looked at the Doctor in surprise, clearly not expecting him to say that. However, his astonishment didn't last long, quickly returning to his initial fearless and arrogant demeanor.

Tendo straightened his back, coolly saying, 'Doctor, it seems you automatons are indeed frighteningly rational.'

The Doctor smiled and said, 'But rationality doesn't bring miracles, does it?'

'That's true.'

Tendo turned and walked towards the door, waving his hand at the Doctor's back.

'Don't worry, Doctor. I will eventually truly bring the miracle you desire right before you.'

'And that day... won't make you wait too long.'

With that, Tendo disappeared down the corridor outside the door, under the Doctor's calm gaze.

After leaving the Doctor's lab, Tendo went directly to Caroline's room. He leaned against the doorway, watching Caroline standing still in the room with the dolphin plushie in her hands, a smile on his face.

Sensing Tendo's arrival, Caroline looked up, her voice hoarse as she asked, 'Did you do this?'

Tendo nodded, then casually said, 'Yeah, I was bored and thought I'd practice some needlework. Don't worry too much about it.'

'Also, that old stubborn Doctor has been convinced by me. He promised he won't interfere with your hobbies too much anymore, so you can keep this plushie without worry.'

Saying this, Tendo walked into the room, casually found a sofa to lie on, and shook his head, saying, 'To tell you the truth, that old Doctor is just stubborn. Who am I, Tendo Simei? I'm the pinnacle of the Starts pyramid, the solution to the Embers Equation.'

'For a super genius like me, who only appears once in a thousand years, if I couldn't function without so-called tools, then I wouldn't call myself the apex of Starts. I'd just find a wall and bash my head in early.'

'So, Caroline, rather than being a tool, I still think it's more fun for you to be a person.'

'And if you ever encounter something you can't solve yourself in the future, don't hesitate. Just come to me.'

'After all, whether in the past, present, or future, I, Tendo Simei, don't need to rely on anyone, nor will I rely on anyone.'

'At the same time, I don't mind occasionally letting others rely on me. After all, showing appropriate kindness to the weak is a necessary quality for a strong person.'

'Not to mention, we're the best partners.'

Tendo's words were arrogant and unpolished. But Caroline knew that this half-joking, half-serious tone was his unique way of comforting people. Because even though Tendo usually acted on his own whims, as if no one mattered to him, in reality, his thoughts were more meticulous and gentler than anyone else's.

Thinking this, Caroline's eyes gradually welled up with tears, and she said with a noticeable sob, 'Thank you, Tendo, thank you so much.'

'Ah, this... um, Caroline, don't cry. Why are you crying?'

Seeing Caroline suddenly laugh and cry, Tendo immediately panicked. Seriously, I was just trying to be cool, Caroline, why are you getting so emotional? I'm really not good at comforting girls!

At this point, Caroline's flashback sequence completely froze on this scene of Tendo awkwardly comforting her.

And through this flashback, the dimensional viewers finally understood why Caroline was always inseparable from Tendo. It was because these two were the best partners in Starts!

I handpick only the finest and most captivating novels for you. Don't forget to check out my other novels!

p@treon HongMengZi