The Villain Is Too Popular

"Tendo, you... you were doing it on purpose, weren't you?"

Inside the special shield at the Sunken Ship Grand Restaurant, Caroline spoke casually to Tendo beside her, all while comforting the little white dolphin, who looked wronged after being startled by him.

At her words, Tendo jolted, his body stiffening, and his breath hitched for half a beat. If anyone else had said that, Tendo wouldn't have thought much of it, simply assuming they were referring to his prank on the little dolphin. But when those words came from Caroline, the outcome was different!

Just as Caroline understood Tendo well, Tendo understood Caroline equally well. As one of the few Star Children who had been meticulously cultivated by the base since birth under the Starts Project, Caroline was not only highly intelligent but also exceptionally skilled at quickly deducing the truth of events from various subtle details. Therefore, Caroline's words were definitely not a whim; they held a deeper meaning!

Although Tendo knew he might have been exposed, he decided to play dumb until the end. "Wh-what on purpose, Caroline? Wh-what are you talking about? I don't understand at all."

Caroline looked at Tendo meaningfully, her expression a half-smile that made Tendo incredibly guilty, terrified of being seen through.

Fortunately, Caroline didn't press the issue. She considerately ignored the topic and turned to look at the little dolphin outside the barrier. Outside the shield, the afternoon sun pierced through the sea surface, casting shimmering golden light on the nearby waters. The little white dolphin, which had been nuzzling Caroline's palm, perhaps got bored or felt it shouldn't be too close to Tendo, that 'dog.' After making a retaliatory grimace at Tendo beside Caroline, it wagged its chubby little tail and swam off, chasing a school of jellyfish in the shallows.

Caroline didn't try to stop it; instead, her lips involuntarily curved into a gentle smile. At that moment, there was none of her usual rationality and maturity; only the innocence and carefree spirit unique to a young girl.

Seeing Caroline's heartfelt smile, Tendo couldn't help but smile too. It seemed Caroline had received the 'gift' he had given.

"Tendo, do you think we'll be as happy as it is when we grow up?"

Hearing this, Tendo smiled and looked up, the reflection in his black sunglasses mirroring the little white dolphin happily chasing jellyfish.

"I don't know if you'll be as happy as it is, but I know you'll definitely be as free as it is."

"Really? Then that's enough."

Caroline gazed dreamily at the free-spirited little dolphin in the distance. She completely missed that Tendo's answer just now only included her, not himself. Caroline, who had been so meticulous for so many years, was—here—careless for the first time.

Three days earlier, on the day of Caroline's birthday plan.

'Tendo, among us, you and Caroline have the best relationship. What do you think we should give Caroline for her birthday?'

Facing Chen Xing's question, Tendo thought for a moment, then replied, 'Let's give her a beautiful memory.'

'Huh?'

Chen Xing and Chen Kong both looked puzzled. They clearly didn't understand what Tendo meant by 'memory' or why it could be considered a 'birthday gift' for Caroline.

To this, Tendo calmly explained, 'You don't understand Caroline, so you can't understand what I mean.'

'Caroline is different from us. She grew up in the base, which means her only way to learn about the outside world was through her electronic tablet and what others told her.'

'Do you know why Caroline likes little dolphins so much, or why she became an Automaton Star Envoy?'

Chen Kong on the sickbed and Chen Xing by his side exchanged glances, then both shook their heads, indicating they didn't know.

Tendo stood up and walked to the window beside the sickbed. He looked at the bright sunlight outside, uncharacteristically speaking in a low tone, 'That's because the beach next to the base was the furthest place Caroline could reach for a very long time.'

'At the same time, the ocean horizon was also the furthest sight her eyes could reach for a very long time.'

'The world in your memories is vast, but the world in Caroline's memories has always been very small.'

'Those things you take for granted, things you don't even care about—for the old Caroline, they were all tiny, unattainable wishes.'

As Tendo spoke, he pushed open the window in front of him. In an instant, a gentle evening breeze blew into the sickroom, sweeping up the two white curtains, making them flutter freely like a bird's white wings within the room.

'So, Caroline doesn't like little dolphins because she finds them cute; it's because she envies the freedom they possess.'

'She didn't become an Automaton Star Envoy because she loved automatons; it's because the virtual online world, which is fake to you, was already one of the few realities for her.'

'Because only there could she truly be herself and gain brief, incredibly precious freedom.'

'Therefore, what Caroline truly wants has never been anything materialistic, but simply a normal childhood, just like any ordinary person.'

As his words fell, Tendo turned to look at Chen Kong and Chen Xing, whose expressions were complex, and suddenly smiled. That smile revealed not his usual playful mockery and extravagance, but an indescribable warmth, like sunshine.

'A person's past cannot be changed, but I believe a person's future must be full of hope.'

'Since Caroline has lived for others for so long, she should now start living for herself.'

'At the same time, I also want to use this opportunity to let Caroline know that she's not a useless tool without me. She should have her own thoughts, her own joys and sorrows, and her own beautiful future.'

'So, the name of our operation this time will be Freedom.'

Hearing Tendo's words, Chen Kong and Chen Xing in the room fell completely silent. They hadn't expected that Caroline, always known for her cold rationality, would have such ordinary and simple desires at heart. And what surprised them even more was that Tendo, who always gave off an impression of arrogance and high-profile behavior, possessed a meticulousness and gentleness completely at odds with his personality.

No, perhaps they had never truly known Tendo from the beginning. After all, the powerful Tendo, in their eyes, had always been an existence they could only desperately chase after. How could they truly understand him if they couldn't even get close?

Meanwhile, outside the dimensional screen, the viewers, looking at the gentle Tendo on screen, somehow felt an inexplicable pang of heartache. Because having seen the previous flashback, they understood that Tendo's later words were not some beautiful expectation for the future, but rather a veiled, silent 'farewell' to everyone.

Everything was just as Tendo had once said. He, Tendo Simei, whether in the past, present, or future, did not need to rely on anyone, nor would he rely on anyone. Regardless of whether others wished it or not, Tendo had already imposed his chosen future on everyone. It was beyond refusal, and there was no way to refuse it. And this was both his unique domineering nature and his unique gentleness.