Blame the Villain – Chapter 243

Villainous Singer (15)

Song Xuyi only let out a breath and raised her head after assembling the final component and pressing submit.

The glaring red numbers at the front of the classroom were hard to ignore – the viewing count for this classroom had reached unprecedented levels. Song Xuyi frowned, belatedly realizing that everyone around was watching her.

The robot assembly task she received was indeed quite challenging. Song Xuyi didn’t fully understand it at first, but she explored and figured things out as she went along, gradually clearing her thoughts and becoming more proficient, with her operations becoming increasingly smooth.

In previous tests, she had always hidden her abilities, but now she wanted to display her full potential. Racing against time to complete the robot assembly, she only then realized how much her performance stood out—there was still half an hour left before the test ended, and she was the first in the entire classroom to submit.

According to the examination rules, the first three to submit would receive bonus points. Song Xuyi glanced around, observing the performance of the Ruoshui Star people and considering her own completion level. Though not daring to be overconfident, based on her current performance, securing a place in the top ten was practically certain.

Song Xuyi let out another sigh of relief.

Her completion put immense pressure on the surrounding Bilin Star people, who all began to speed up their progress. Song Xuyi didn’t watch the others anymore, closing her eyes to rest.

After being so tense, now suddenly relaxed, Song Xuyi’s thoughts unknowingly drifted to Lin Ruyu.

Lin Ruyu had disappeared since early morning, and she didn’t know where she had gone or if she had been watching her examination process…

While thinking, Song Xuyi recalled her performance. This test was very successful – how should she celebrate this victory with Lin Ruyu?

…

Song Xuyi realized then how little she understood about Lin Ruyu – she didn’t know her background or her preferences, to the point that she couldn’t even think of a way to celebrate with her.

Lin Ruyu said she would tell her secret after the exam, but Song Xuyi had a premonition that Lin Ruyu’s secret would likely be distressing – from that blood-stained corner of clothing and Lin Ruyu’s daily behavior, Song Xuyi had glimpsed something concerning.

Before Lin Ruyu could tell her secret, Song Xuyi suddenly wanted to give her a gift.

This thought came unexpectedly yet intensely, and Song Xuyi immediately took action, using the components on the desk to begin assembly…

Seeing Song Xuyi’s actions, countless Bilin Star people behind the screens began to whisper—

“Hasn’t she already finished? What is she planning to do now?”

“Could it be that she didn’t perform well earlier?”

“What a strange Ruoshui Star person…”

The camera switched to the instructors’ side, where they too began discussing Song Xuyi’s intentions. Finally, Professor Xu watched her operations, his eyes flickering as he smiled thoughtfully: “Her previous work was already flawless; she’s merely using the remaining components to build a small toy.”

“If I’m not mistaken, she’s crafting a humanoid robot. This Ruoshui Star girl is truly passionate about robots, not forgetting to build models even in this setting…”

Professor Xu’s words had practically confirmed Song Xuyi as the undisputed first place. Before the exam even ended, various media outlets monitoring the test had already released news, declaring that this Ruoshui Star girl had secured first place in the Bilin Star robotics graduation test.

The military was initially extremely dissatisfied with Song Xuyi achieving such results, with the high-ranking officials even flying into a rage. However, after learning that Song Xuyi was Song Yi’s daughter, their attitude underwent a subtle change—

Song Yi had turned his back on Ruoshui Star and was now Bilin Star’s dog. His daughter, mindful of her father, would surely lean toward Bilin Star. The officials thought arrogantly and with false sincerity: this girl’s first-place achievement must be due to Song Yi’s substantial financial investment. Although future Ruoshui Star people might not achieve similar results, this could serve as a perfect example, demonstrating to those defiant Bilin Star citizens—Bilin Star treats everyone equally, and those who submit to Bilin Star can also access advanced knowledge and technology.

However, when the military received Professor Xu’s message about taking Song Xuyi as his disciple, they instinctively expressed refusal—Professor Xu was different from others. Even though Song Xuyi seemed unlikely to betray Bilin Star, they instinctively didn’t want to teach advanced technology to a Ruoshui Star person.

Yet Professor Xu, who had always supported the military and made great contributions to the force’s development, seemed insistent on this matter. He proposed meeting the high-ranking officials personally to explain his reasons for wanting to take Song Xuyi as his disciple.

The military sensed there might be hidden implications in Professor Xu’s actions and agreed to the meeting. Although Professor Xu’s location was less than half an hour’s drive from the military base, after waiting for a long time, they never saw him arrive…

Meanwhile at the examination site, as soon as the test ended, the examiners announced the results. With Professor Xu’s endorsement, Song Xuyi was the undisputed first place winner, with the opportunity to pursue higher education.

All her long efforts had finally paid off. Song Xuyi hugged the robot framework she had built from the remaining components, unable to suppress a smile—

The sixteen-year-old girl’s smile was gentle and shy. Though her features weren’t exceptionally beautiful, her eyes sparkled like brilliant fireworks. She held a medium-sized robot framework, creating a strange yet harmonious contradiction: cold and warmth, humanity and technology… Like a small blade of grass that had painstakingly pushed through a crack, though tiny, it brought vigorous vitality and hope.

This image was captured, and many years later, through all of Ruoshui Star’s changes, this photograph of Song Xuyi remained displayed at the entrance of the Ruoshui Star Robot Museum—

This marked not only the origin of Ruoshui Star’s robotics development but also the beginning of the Ruoshui Star people’s resistance against their long enslavement.

However, the present Song Xuyi was simply happy.

She received the admission letter to the Advanced Robotics Research Institute issued by the Robotics Association, while also hearing news from the staff—Professor Xu wanted to have a private conversation with her tomorrow.

The staff member’s eyes were full of envy when looking at Song Xuyi, after all, becoming Professor Xu’s student was something many couldn’t achieve in a lifetime. Yet Song Xuyi felt no joy in her heart, instead sensing something amiss—with Lin Ruyu’s extraordinary talent preceding her, Song Xuyi felt her skills were merely ordinary. Professor Xu, at his age, had seen much in life, and though her performance was good, it shouldn’t have moved this experienced robotics pioneer…

There must be other hidden reasons.

But Song Xuyi couldn’t figure out why Professor Xu would seek her out, while everyone was saying he wanted to take her as a student because he valued talent… After some thought, Song Xuyi decided to stop pondering—whatever Professor Xu’s intentions were, everything would become clear tomorrow.

Thinking this way, Song Xuyi thanked the staff member and returned to her room carrying her half-finished robot.

If someone else had achieved what Song Xuyi had, the Ruoshui Star students would surely have been overjoyed. However, this was Song Xuyi—over these years, she had maintained a very low profile, and just as the Bilin Star military had predicted, due to Song Yi’s influence, seeing Song Xuyi pass the test left the Bilin Star students with complicated feelings, not knowing what expression to show when facing her.

Song Xuyi ignored these students’ complex gazes and returned to her dormitory.

But the military, to achieve their domestication effect, had already transmitted footage of Song Xuyi passing the test to Bilin Star and publicized it widely. As soon as Song Xuyi returned to her dormitory, she received a communication request from Song Yi.

Song Yi had always been steady, but now his voice carried a hint of choking emotion. Back then, he had given Song Xuyi advice, but hadn’t really expected this child to achieve something in this field, given Bilin Star’s nearly monopolistic position in this area.

Song Yi felt proud of this child, yet also unbearably sad for her.

“Child, you’re truly remarkable…” Song Yi repeatedly praised her through the interstellar communication, finally speaking with a strained voice: “I’m sorry, because of me, you’ve suffered!” Song Yi, being extremely perceptive, immediately understood the discrimination and criticism Song Xuyi would face after passing the test because of him.

Song Xuyi hadn’t cried when passing the test, but now listening to Song Yi’s words, her nose stung with emotion. In fact, Song Yi faced an even worse situation than her, and he might never receive forgiveness from the Ruoshui Star people. But Ruoshui Star needed such people in this era: someone to act as a pioneer, to bring in Bilin Star’s strengths, to burst the festering boil hanging over Ruoshui Star, to change their defenseless situation, to forge a path for survival in these harsh conditions.

So Song Yi stepped forward.

He chose to be tainted with corruption, chose to deal with tigers, chose to face widespread condemnation, bearing the Ruoshui Star people’s contempt while pressing forward, fighting desperately to reclaim a seed on Bilin Star for the millions of Ruoshui Star people. Though this seed had only just sprouted, someday it would grow into a towering tree, helping the Ruoshui Star people break through their shackles and face space and freedom…

Song Xuyi admired Song Yi.

But she couldn’t express this openly now, only quietly comforting and responding to Song Yi: “No, Father, you will always be my pride.”

Song Xuyi knew Song Yi understood her words, because after a moment of silence, he sighed softly, his tone carrying a hint of smile: “I heard that Bilin Star’s robotics titan wants to take you as a student, what do you think? I feel…”

However, before Song Yi could finish, an urgent voice cut in, interrupting him.

“Song Xuyi, you can’t go!” Luo Xi’s voice sounded extremely urgent. Seeming to realize the rudeness in her tone, Luo Xi took several deep breaths before continuing: “I met Professor Xu long ago! He had also expressed great interest in Lin Ruyu, which is why I’ve been bothered by this for so many years. After all, Lin Ruyu back then could make Professor Xu actively show goodwill, and if Lin Ruyu had continued down the path of robotics, her future would have been limitless…”

“But after returning, the more I thought about it, the more wrong it felt. Later, Lin Ruyu became a singer, but I also saw Professor Xu come looking for her.”

“I can’t describe that feeling—Professor Xu’s gaze when looking at Lin Ruyu was incredibly strange, and Lin Ruyu’s face would turn pale at the sight of him…”

Listening to Luo Xi’s words, Song Xuyi’s eyes widened. Thinking carefully, she recalled that Lin Ruyu had disappeared after seeing Professor Xu. Considering Lin Ruyu’s extraordinary robotics talent, could everything be connected to Professor Xu?

But there were too many mysteries involved…

After Luo Xi finished speaking, even knowing there might be people listening in, Song Yi made his stance clear—telling Song Xuyi not to meet with Professor Xu again.

Obviously, the Bilin Star people didn’t take kindly to Song Yi’s words: the consequence of his statement was that the communication with Song Xuyi was cut off before reaching the standard duration.

Song Xuyi listened to the ‘beeping’ sound from the other end, her feelings incredibly complicated.

From Luo Xi’s words, she indeed shouldn’t meet Professor Xu. But that would also mean endless trouble: after all, it would make the Bilin Star people feel humiliated—a Ruoshui Star person actually refusing their robotics titan was unacceptable to them, as evidenced by the cut communication.

Moreover, this involved Lin Ruyu’s past…

But Song Xuyi didn’t agonize for long, as shortly after hanging up, news came that shocked all of Bilin Star—Professor Xu had been killed on his way to the military headquarters!

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The author has something to say:

This small world is coming to an end, then we’ll return to the real world, followed by about 2-3 small world side stories. These side stories will be shorter, similar to honeymoon travels (#^.^#). The story is expected to be completed in early May. Everyone can tell me what kind of small worlds you’d like to see~

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LP: Re-translated on January 28, 2025

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