Chapter Five: You Know Too Much

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Because their parents had not yet returned, Qin Anyi made dinner for his younger brother—a meal that might not be called sumptuous, but was certainly nutritious. Their parents worked as laborers far from home and returned at uncertain hours. His younger brother, moreover, was disabled and unable to walk, so much of the responsibility for his care fell squarely on Qin Anyi's shoulders.

It is often said that the children of the poor mature early. This is because, in such families, children encounter the harshness and helplessness of society sooner than most, forced to accept realities that cannot easily be changed.

"Brother, tomorrow you’ll be starting your final year of high school. With all that studying, you shouldn’t keep working part-time. I can take care of myself at home. If it means you don’t have to work, let me do the cooking from now on," Qin Anle said, chewing his steamed bun and vegetables, a note of guilt in his voice.

"It’s nothing, really. It won’t affect my grades at all. Besides, do you know who your brother is?" Qin Anyi replied with a laugh, reaching over to tousle Qin Anle’s hair. Yet, inwardly, he felt a pang of concern. Had he not acquired the mysterious intelligent system today, even if he didn’t show it, he would have worried about how they’d get by in the coming year.

He was not truly brilliant; his admission into a top school and consistently strong grades were the result of relentless effort. Every moment others spent playing, relaxing, or even dating, Qin Anyi devoted to study. That was how he had achieved his current standing.

Yet the final year was nothing like the previous two. After all the material had been taught, that last year of review was crucial—a fact that required no explanation. For someone like Qin Anyi, who relied on diligence rather than innate genius, time was everything. Working part-time and caring for his brother would inevitably eat into the hours he could spend preparing for the all-important college entrance exam—a reality he was powerless to change.

But now, things were different. Although he still wasn’t entirely sure how much the mysterious system could help him, the transformation he had undergone earlier was proof enough: the changes it brought would be nothing short of revolutionary.

"Brother, you and Mom and Dad work so hard every day. I want to help, not just sit around waiting to be served," Qin Anle insisted, biting his lip.

"Don’t say that. Your main task now is to study. The transition from junior high to high school is critical; whether you get into a good school will affect your entire future. If you really want to help the family, study even harder—good grades are what make our parents happiest," Qin Anyi said sternly, scolding his brother before taking a few more bites of his own meal. Oddly, although he’d been busy all day, he didn’t feel the slightest hunger—no doubt a result of the bodily repair previously performed by the system.

Setting down his chopsticks, he smiled. "I ate plenty outside, so I’m not hungry. You go ahead and finish; I’ll do the dishes when you’re done. Save the leftovers for Mom and Dad."

"Don’t worry, brother! I’ll make sure the dishes are spotless—as good as new," Qin Anle replied eagerly.

Ruffling his brother’s hair, Qin Anyi finally returned to his room, smiling. He always let his brother handle the simpler chores, not only to prevent him from feeling too self-conscious but to give him a sense of participation and comfort.

Due to their limited means, the Qin family of four rented a one-bedroom house. The single bedroom was shared by Qin Anyi and Qin Anle, while their parents slept in the living room.

As usual, Qin Anyi took out his solid geometry textbook, exhaling slowly before settling down to study. Because he was so diligent, he never struggled with subjects that required memorization; those answers were etched into his mind. Only the open-ended questions, where there was room for interpretation, ever gave him pause. For everything with a clear answer, he was always quick and confident.

However, not being a natural prodigy, he found topics like solid geometry—where comprehension was key—particularly challenging. It was in these subjects that Qin Anyi invested the most time outside of class, yet even with such effort, he could only score in the mid-80s on math exams.

Tonight, however, something was different. As he opened his book, he was astonished by the speed and accuracy with which he could now analyze and solve problems.

"This… this… my computational and analytical abilities have reached such an extraordinary level?" he muttered, a wave of wild joy flooding his heart. He had to take several deep breaths to compose himself.

"This is insane… If this continues, the college entrance exam will be no obstacle at all! With a mind like this, I could even ace every subject."

For so long, his greatest source of strength had been his relentless pursuit of knowledge, yet now, he suddenly realized he no longer needed to dedicate so much time to study. Naturally, this left him feeling a strange emptiness.

"Master, your time is precious," the system—Kirin—spoke to him again. "If you spend it learning such elementary knowledge, it would be a sheer waste."

"A waste of time? Then what should I be doing?"

"Strengthen yourself. Make your body stronger. Physical prowess is the foundation of true strength. Right now, you are no different from any average person. You must follow the training regimen I have designed for you based on your current condition. Until your physical strength reaches a new level, you must devote yourself to the exercises I prescribe."

"Train myself? Does that mean I don’t need to go to school anymore?" Qin Anyi asked, surprised.

"No, you must still attend school. According to the information I accessed from your brain, under current societal conditions, unless you possess the means to protect yourself, it is unwise to stand out too much. A little distinction is beneficial, but too much will only bring endless trouble—even disaster. Being a student is an advantageous identity for self-protection."

"Protection? How strong do I need to be?"

"The information database is damaged. With my current data, I cannot provide an accurate estimate..."

"Alright. By the way, I’m curious—was that projection of you I saw earlier your true form? Why… well, why did you appear as a beautiful, unclothed girl?" Qin Anyi asked, pouring himself a glass of water.

"A combat AI is meant to be the host’s most intimate battle partner. Therefore, its external appearance is shaped by the image most desired in the host’s mind. Master, since you prefer beautiful, unclothed girls, that is the form I have taken."

"Pft… cough, cough…" Qin Anyi nearly choked on his water, spluttering and coughing for several moments before regaining his composure. Staring in disbelief, he finally managed a wry smile. "Kirin… you know far too much."