"Good morning, Chen Luo. You have rested for 7 hours and 27 minutes. It is now 5:43 AM."


    That was what my room system said right when I opened my eyes. Yawn. I finally woke up naturally and with enough time, as usual! It was even far from breakfast time! So it was the perfect time to... laze around while checking Helios.


    Uh, yeah. Getting up and starting immediately with active activities was good. But I wasn''t pressured by an urgent matter; constantly dedicating myself to my goal in a row could be mentally exhausting, especially considering I sustained intellectual effort all day yesterday... What was wrong with me spending a little time on freedom? Including the freedom to wake up and start the day slowly.


    After convincing myself like that, I began to turn my body. Face down. Buried my head into the pillow. And snuggling on it. Hmm, oh, yeah, soft. So soft! The best. Clinging to something so comfortable was very stress-relieving! Hmmm, um. Alright!


    Satisfied with savoring the warmth of my bed, I began to raise my face and gesture with my fingers. It was then—


    Beep!


    —a holographic screen appeared in front of me after the short notice sound was heard from Helios. Still half-buried in my pillow, I did a little searching before scrolling through the social media with minimal effort using my forefinger. The screen then scrolled, showing posts from people, news updates, and the occasional idiotic meme.


    ''Why are people drawn to these cringe jokes?''


    It was natural for me to ask this question as that post was crowded with thousands of comments! Oh, well, maybe they wanted escapism. But I really hope productive things like cooking videos weren''t this deserted. Also, most were women, whereas cooking should be a survival skill for everyone, not just tech—Oh!


    ''The talk about World: The Origin!''


    Threads about its lore passed by my homepage (even though I didn''t join their Grub). It must be because it was a hot topic. Fan theories, hidden Quests, detailed breakdowns of forgotten ruins, you name it. Made sense, though. It was history, fiction, and discovery all rolled into one. Most games these days try to pull off "deep lore," but few could actually deliver.


    Like Blade & Crown, where the lore was in these dusty old books you''d never read unless you were desperate to kill time, or Eon Scrolls, which sprinkled ancient myths around but still boiled down to smashing crabs for loot.


    But World: The Origin? That was a different matter altogether—it didn''t just tell stories; it lived them. Every item, every shadowy nook of ruin, even the ways NPCs glanced at you suggested layers of untold stories. Compared to most open-world games, where reading lore felt like homework, this game made its history as a survival; it was stitched into the gameplay, and failing to pay attention meant you''d miss how the world worked.


    That was why lore junkies couldn''t get enough of it.


    ''Maybe it is enough...''


    See this? Even when I was chilling out reading casual stuff, my mind was jumbled out, though my eyes were on the screen. In fact, my finger also occasionally pulled the header to check the time.


    ''Now is five minutes left before six, anyway.''


    With a deep breath, I pushed the holographic screen aside and sat up. I took a moment to rub my eyes and wipe my face. Then, I picked up the dirty dishes from last night''s dinner pile on my computer desk before going downstairs.


    While walking, to make use of the time, I planned what to do today; first breakfast, then a shower. Because brushing your teeth was best after eating. Next, check in with Guo Dai again before entering World: The Origin.


    I was halfway down when I spotted my father in the downstairs hallway in his casual clothes; his shocked face was clear from those slowly widening eyes. Seemed like he thought I''d shut myself in my room all day—or perhaps at all, considering how we had left things before. He opened his mouth. But then his words seemed to get caught as no sound came out.


    I deliberately went downstairs at a slow step.


    He turned awkward. Even the look in his eyes became somber, and he scratched his head—he seemed to have abandoned the idea of saying anything.


    Just standing there, weirdly.


    ''Uh, well...''


    I understood what Father was trying to do, so I continued downstairs.


    As soon as I passed him in the hallway, I turned my head to him to give a nod. He looked surprised for a few seconds before nodding back at me. With that, I quickened my pace into the kitchen.


    When inside, Mother was busy cooking breakfast; the delicious fragrance of fat melting in the heat wafted through the air. I approached her—in the back so as not to disturb her movements too much—and said, "Help?"


    "Oh!" That, unfortunately, surprised her; Mother jolted and almost hit the dishes I was carrying with her elbow, but I quickly lifted them up as I stepped back. As soon as she realized it was me offering help, she giggled. "My, my... Sure you can help! Please take over, dear, I will wake your sis. Oh, don''t forget the vegetables and synthesized nutrients!"


    Nodded. I put my dirty dishes into AutoDishes, then washed my hands before turning to the cooking counter. I took the spatula from her hand. Mother stepped out; from the kitchen''s half-open wall to the dining table, I could see she was preparing the table before heading to Chen Lin''s room on the second floor.


    I turned my attention to the sizzling filets.


    From the color of the flesh and scales, which are all white and gradually turn orange, this should be Silverin Darts. Cooking this fish was tricky because it quickly broke apart when flipped over. And the skin—the best part—could come off and stick to the pan. So, I carefully slid the spatula under the first fill to ensure it was underneath before gently flipping it over. The perfect golden crust on the skin greeted me.


    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    I proceeded with the same technique for the remaining pieces.


    ''Fish done, next... vegetables and synthesized nutrients.''


    While I was cooking like this, I heard footsteps in the hallway. One glance showed that Father was already seated. Another voice, another glance. There was Mother guiding sleepy Chen Lin, rubbing her eyes and yawning. Hair messy. Her eyes were closed. Yet, when the fragrance reached there, my sister opened her eyes and looked surprised.


    She even stood up from the table and shouted, "Whoaaa!! Big Brother is cooking!"


    Chen Lin rushed into the kitchen, while Mother only smiled at her behavior. She skidded to a halt beside me, eyes wide as she admired the beautifully cooked Silverin Darts and the sizzling vegetables. Her hand went up—Nope. I wouldn''t just glance this time; I quickly slapped her hand, which was about to grab the neatly arranged fish on the plate."


    Ouch!" She drew back her hand as if she had touched something hot.


    Before she could protest, I picked up the plate of Silverin Darts and handed it to her. "Put it on the table."


    "Fine, tyrant chef."


    She muttered those while puffing out her cheeks at me. But, soon, it was replaced with a smile as she walked over to the dining table and kept looking at Silverin Darts in her hands. Now, it was Mother who entered the kitchen, and we quickly finished other dishes. While Father... uh, made sure Chen Lin didn''t eat the fish before anyone else.


    With breakfast finally on the table, we all sat down, and the air filled with a comfortable silence that was broken only by the clinking of cutlery and my sister telling a story with every mouthful. Sure, if it wasn''t for her, we would have eaten so quietly that I wondered who this chatty kid descended from.


    ''Oh, well, that jest seems more appropriate for me.''


    "...right, Brother?" Chen Lin suddenly looked at me with a smile—


    Wait, wait.


    Did she talk to me? I wasn''t paying attention. Oh, whatever. I shrugged it off. But that made Chen Lin angrily shake my body, which was sitting directly beside her.


    "You weren''t listening, were you?!"


    I nodded. "I am."


    And that made Chen Lin appear satisfied? She nodded and patted my back. "Good, good! You are honest!"


    ''Is that really good...''


    Then, I heard another voice after his long silence. "Chen Luo..."


    I raised my face and looked like Father was again not going to continue speaking. Yes, keep doing your awkward interactions with me, just a little more! You could do—Okay, that was an overkill. He only tried to connect and make amends to me for what had happened, yet struggled with direct communication. Especially if it was spontaneous, as he was too reliant on established routines.


    And so, there you have it.


    I also preferred structured matter, so everything was easy to control. But I had no problem adapting—even though I disdain it for a bit—otherwise, I might become as stiff as a man sitting before me.


    I just put down my spoon and started talking to him to make this hanging talk less awkward. "Father, have you ever thought about how much games have changed lately?"


    The man sitting on the chair before me was confused hearing that, caught off guard. He looked at me for a while, likely to make sure the question was directed at him. Then he turned to look at Mother, likely asking for help.


    ''Guess that topic wasn’t what he expected.''


    "Back in the day, games were just games, right? But now, the lore is part of how you survive. Players must dig through hidden messages, analyze item details, and figure out the world''s secrets to move forward. It is like learning history but with consequences. At least, that is what I find in World: The Origin."


    Honestly, I didn''t bring this up because I thought Father would care about game mechanics. But talking about something I understood made the silence less awkward. Discussing games was safer than talking about... us. If anything, it was my way of reaching out without digging into uncomfortable topics.


    ''Coincidentally, I just read about this earlier, right?''


    Father''s face softened as he listened, still uncertain. On the other hand, Mother nodded as though she got the point and smiled slightly. While Chen Lin... excited, as always.


    "Oh, oh! Like when Brother spent hours reading through forums and guides? That game is really deep."


    I chuckled. "Yes. Unlike those games where you just follow a path while swinging a sword. This one requires more and provokes thought. And I kinda like it. Thinking, I mean."


    Father finally spoke, his tone cautious. "That sounds interesting. Is that the game you wanted to buy? Should I look into it?"


    "No need." I shook my head. "It is no longer in production, and if someone sells the secondhand, the price gonna be unreasonable. I don''t want to be given by you either."


    Father was silent. He looked slightly disappointed that his attempt to bond had been thwarted. But this man didn''t give up. He started to turn on the Helios'' screen and search for something, only to be made sulk even more.


    ''That makes me feel guilty. A little.''


    "I mean... I choose to buy things on my own and consider them based on its compatibility with what I am currently working on. And if I explain what I am looking for in detail to you, it will be difficult. So if you want to buy me something, better to bring me along."


    Father paused, fingers on the screen stilled, probably considering my words.


    "I see..." He glanced at me and smiled faintly; his gaze really became warm. "That makes sense. Let us plan—"


    "No. I have my own plans already."


    And he was sulking again.


    Ha!


    Here I was, lifting you high so I could slam you hard. And Mother just giggled at us, probably feeling Father deserved it (due to yesterday)? I didn''t know. One thing was for sure, despite her gentle appearance, my mother could be sadistic too...