The Whole Family Are Villains, I’m the Group Pet 202

Chapter 202

Xing Nuo’s rest was minimal.

The surveillance drones were constantly appearing, and, even worse, he had spotted SIA patrol units.

They’re onto us!

He kept moving, heading deeper into the desert, following the route Lu Qi had calculated, the probability of detection decreasing the further they went.

Looking at the endless expanse of sand, the wind whipping his hair, the feeling of familiarity intensified.

I’ve been here before.

He clutched the small, metal orb and voiced his thoughts.

“I think…I’ve walked through this desert before. 067, what if…this is our second time?”

He had felt this way since arriving in the desert.

067, to conserve energy, could only be active for a short time each day, his responses minimal, often just a beep.

Xing Nuo, not needing a verbal confirmation, continued, his voice thoughtful:

“Look, I even know that up ahead…there’s a small hill…looks easy to climb…but it’s actually very tall.”

“We wasted a lot of time climbing it…and the patrol caught up to us…almost got us.”

067’s light flickered.

“I believe you, Xing Nuo. Do what you think is right.”

Since transferring his consciousness to the small metal orb, 067’s personality had softened, his blue light pulsing with affection for Xing Nuo.

He had changed.

He had become Xing Nuo’s most loyal follower, willing to support him unconditionally, even if he chose to become a villain.

Xing Nuo smiled, his voice warm. “Lu Qi. Nice name. Sounds human.”

067 replied: “Really? I’ll keep this name. And I’ll become human…someday.”

Then he could be like Xing Nuo.

Xing Nuo smiled and, his resolve firm, walked towards the small hill, wanting to test his theory.

He climbed quickly this time, his instincts guiding him, avoiding unnecessary detours, and hid in a crevice between two hills, waiting.

A few minutes later, figures appeared in the distance, following the path he had taken.

They had mechanical limbs, some even with metal heads, their movements swift and precise, following the drones’ tracking signal, climbing towards the hill.

Xing Nuo watched from above, seeing them follow his earlier path, his suspicion confirmed.

I’ve done this before.

Before Lu Qi could say anything, Xing Nuo stood up, revealing himself.

But the patrol unit, their eyes fixed on his earlier trail, didn’t notice him, even though he was just a few meters away.

Perhaps they weren’t supposed to see him yet. They had to climb the hill first, then encounter him, exhausted, and chase him, only for him to escape.

Xing Nuo looked at the sky, then at the swirling sand in the distance, and said:

“This is a memory.”

That’s why they were just following a script, their actions predetermined, even if he deviated from it.

He wondered what they would do when they reached the top and couldn’t find him.

He didn’t have to wait long. The next moment, a gust of wind and sand blinded him, and he found himself at the foot of the hill.

He looked up and saw the patrol unit standing there, yelling:

“Give up! Come with us!”

Xing Nuo, frustrated, I didn’t even steal any energy this time! And now I’m being punished because of the main system!

He clutched 067 and ran,

following the escape route from his memory, dodging and weaving, and managed to escape.

This time, it was easier, his movements more fluid, his breathing less labored.

He stopped running, a sudden understanding dawning on him, and continued walking, following the predetermined path.

It’s almost over.

I’ll soon know why I’m reliving this.

The patrol unit was close behind, but Xing Nuo, guided by his hazy memories, always managed to evade them.

But a new problem arose.

The discarded charging device he had found was no longer working.

067 was about to shut down again.

To find him a new energy source, Xing Nuo followed the same path as before, searching for a special kind of shelled creature that lived in the desert.

These creatures, their bodies almost the same color as the sand, resembled small crocodiles, but they were much smaller and burrowed quickly, making them difficult to catch.

067 explained: “These shelled creatures are the reason for the desertification. They emit a magnetic field that turns the land into sand. The environment becomes harsher, until nothing can survive.”

“And they’re hard to find, but they reproduce quickly. The humans in this world often send hunters to kill them.”

Xing Nuo, understanding now, walked towards the most desolate part of the desert and found one.

067, as a system, could absorb energy directly, as long as he was close enough.

Xing Nuo, not wanting to alert the creature, crawled towards it, making sure 067 was within range.

“Success!” 067’s voice, filled with excitement, echoed in Xing Nuo’s mind as he felt a surge of energy.

Xing Nuo, relieved, started searching for more shelled creatures with 067’s help.

His memories of this period were fragmented, like a fast-forwarded movie, and he felt like he had spent a lifetime in this desert with 067.

Thanks to the energy from the shelled creatures, 067 finally had enough power to take Xing Nuo away.

But before they could leave, the patrol unit, having tracked them with their drones, sent a message.

“Although your companion’s actions, stealing our world’s energy, were reprehensible, you have helped us by eliminating the shelled creatures. Your contributions outweigh your crimes. We thank you for your service.”

Xing Nuo, his face covered in dust and grime, hearing this, couldn’t help but smile.

He replied, “You’re welcome.”

“We won’t be hunted anymore.”

067, also relieved, feeling a sense of freedom, asked:

“Shall we leave now?”

Xing Nuo shook his head. “There are still many shelled creatures in this world. We can gather more energy. And we’ll have to face the new main system eventually.”

The new main system, ruthless and cunning, would surely try to eliminate 067, the last remaining system from his batch.

“It overthrew the previous system. It’ll be afraid of us doing the same.”

Xing Nuo thought for a moment, then added:

“I think we already defeated the main system once. But it somehow survived and pulled us into this world, trying to eliminate us again.”

067’s circuits buzzed, a flood of suppressed memories and energy surging through him.

But he didn’t say anything, unsure if the main system was monitoring them.

Fortunately, he and Xing Nuo were now so in sync that Xing Nuo sensed the sudden surge of power, even without Lu Qi telling him.

Xing Nuo paused, a faint smile playing on his lips, then said:

“We’ll gather more energy, then decide.”

Lu Qi beeped in agreement, his small, round body pulsing with a faint blue light.

Xing Nuo and Lu Qi continued their hunt for the shelled creatures.

Xing Nuo’s instincts had become incredibly sharp, his senses honed, and he could sense danger before it even arrived, quickly escaping with Lu Qi.

Lu Qi had also upgraded his vessel, from a dented, discarded orb to a sleek, new one.

Their charging equipment had also improved, no longer relying on outdated technology.

They continued their hunt, their small victories accumulating, until, unknowingly, they had driven the shelled creatures to extinction.

This shocked the world.

The conflict between humans and the shelled creatures had been ongoing, a stalemate, the monsters controlling the deserts outside the city, the humans confined within its walls.

Experts had tried everything, deploying advanced technology, but they hadn’t been able to eradicate the shelled creatures.

And now, a single outsider had done it?

The patrol unit captain went to see Xing Nuo.

No longer enemies, they sat down and had coffee together.

The captain, his voice filled with awe and respect, said:

“Our city is technologically advanced, but those shelled creatures were elusive, our greatest enemy. How did you do it?”

Xing Nuo smiled, finished his coffee, and said:

“That’s a secret. And since the monsters are gone, I have no reason to stay. I’m leaving. Please don’t hunt me anymore.”

The captain chuckled, his half-metal face a strange sight, and thanked Xing Nuo.

“We won’t. Farewell.”

They couldn’t force him to stay. Although human, he was from a different world, and they couldn’t be sure of his intentions, his potential threat once he regained his full power.

It was better this way.

Xing Nuo, leaving this world, continued his journey.

067, re-bound to him, but this time, without a contract, silently followed him, world after world.

They stole energy from various monsters, 067 growing stronger, even upgrading his core programming in a high-level world.

Now, he could track the main system.

“Lu Qi,” Xing Nuo said, “let’s steal the main system’s energy. A little at a time, like ants. We’ll drain it eventually.”