Chapter 23: Fearing the Price is Too High to Pay (Sincerely inviting all readers to join in creating a new world, mwah~)

System: "..." The thought process of these ancestors is truly beyond compare. Even a majestic system like itself feels inferior. What kind of audience would actually enjoy watching such chaotic nonsense?

To avoid further misunderstandings by the host's parents, the system had Yi Rongkun repeat its words word for word once more:

System: "Little Ancestor, tell your mother quickly that this livestream is completely legitimate. It will not violate your privacy; anything involving personal privacy will be automatically censored. Just like now, since your parents didn't want people to know what you just took out, I didn't broadcast it to the viewers. Also, tell your father that the Interstellar era I speak of is over three thousand years in your future; those people are your descendants. The living environment in the Interstellar era is extremely harsh, and people have lost both the land and the ability to farm. The reason for livestreaming your lives to the Interstellar people is to let them learn the basic skills of being a Dragon Country citizen from you. Choosing your family is because I have a fated connection with you, Little Ancestor, and have bonded with you."

Phew—finally, that was explained clearly. Wait, there was one more thing: "Oh, and tell your father that the livestream simply means I am presenting your family's daily life to the Interstellar people in real-time. This way, although you seem to be separated by over three thousand years, your time and theirs are flowing simultaneously through the broadcast. If you want to obtain anything from the Interstellar era, you can trade your family's food for it."

Reciting such a long string of information was difficult for Yi Rongkun. Fortunately, both the system and Yi Zhongxiang and his wife were patient, carefully going over her words bit by bit. Yi Zhongxiang and Liu Guoxiang exchanged glances, seeing shock, excitement, and hidden anxiety in each other's eyes. The idea that their lives could be seen by people three thousand years later, and that they could trade their belongings with those people—the couple found it hard to digest such monumental news. After a long silence, neither spoke.

Yi Rongkun, exhausted from the long recitation, picked up her cup and drank. She placed the lamp into her mother's arms. Only then did Liu Guoxiang remember the main reason they had brought their child back to the room.

"Little Sister, did Tongtong tell you what this thing is?"

Seeing her daughter drink a large amount of water and set down the cup, Liu Guoxiang held the item out before her. Yi Rongkun looked at it, tilted her little head, and thought hard, but still couldn't figure out its purpose. She had to ask the system in her mind: "Tongtong, what is this for again?"

System: "It’s an eye-friendly solar lamp. It can provide lighting for you at night without harming your eyes."

Yi Rongkun repeated the system's words to her parents, then added in her own words: "Mom, Dad, now I can use it to light up my homework..."

"Yes, that's right, now you can use it to light your way." Yi Zhongxiang patted his little daughter's head lovingly. He took the lamp from his wife's hands and examined it, but didn't know how to turn it on. The man looked at his daughter awkwardly: "Little one, ask Tongtong again how to make this thing shine."

System: "Just perform a voice registration, and you can command it to turn on or off directly."

Yi Rongkun relayed this to her parents, and her father handed the lamp back to her: "Then let Tongtong teach you how to set up the registration." Though the couple only half-understood, they both felt that since the item was a gift from Tongtong to their child, it was better for the child to handle it herself.

Thus, under the system's guidance, Yi Rongkun performed the voice registration for the lamp. Following the system's instructions, she curiously called out to the lamp: "Lampy, I want you to shine."

As soon as she finished speaking, the solar lamp gradually grew bright, eventually illuminating the entire room like daylight. The light was incredibly soft; even staring directly at it didn't cause any strain. It was indeed an eye-friendly solar lamp.

"Hiss... this is truly miraculous." Yi Zhongxiang and his wife were moved. "Does it cost money to use this light? If the 'oil' inside runs out, where would we buy the 'oil' for a lamp like this?"

System: "Don't worry, Little Ancestor and parents. This lamp doesn't need oil, and it doesn't cost money. It uses solar energy; as long as you leave it in a sunny place during the day, it will automatically store energy and can be used for lighting at any time at night."

Upon hearing Yi Rongkun repeat these words, Yi Zhongxiang and Liu Guoxiang looked at each other, their eyes filled with disbelief. They had lived for more than half their lives and had never seen such a magical object.

Yi Rongkun didn't fully understand the system's claims, but she loved the small, exquisite lamp that could chase away the darkness. She clutched it tightly, as if she had received the most precious toy in the world.

Liu Guoxiang couldn't help but reach out to touch the lamp, then quickly pulled her hand back, asking with concern: "Little Sister, won't this lamp be too hot to hold?"

Yi Rongkun was stunned by her mother's question, then held the lamp out to her: "Mom, touch it. It's not hot at all, it's just warm."

Liu Guoxiang reached out, and just as her daughter said, although the lamp was as bright as day, it wasn't hot at all. It was warm and gentle, and could even keep the child's hands warm in winter. She couldn't help but marvel: "This thing is truly amazing. It's so bright yet not hot—if every family in our village had one, that would be wonderful."

"It would be even better if we knew how to make them," Yi Zhongxiang added, a flicker of longing in his eyes. He had heard that people in the neighboring township had donated something very important to the state in exchange for a job quota for their children. If their family could donate the method for making this lamp to the state, could their two adult sons and their eldest daughter-in-law also receive jobs? In this fully public-owned social environment, Yi Zhongxiang never even considered building a factory to produce them himself.

System: "..." These ancestors were thinking quite far ahead.

After a moment's hesitation, it told Yi Rongkun: "Little Ancestor, tell your father that as long as you study hard, there will be an opportunity in the future to obtain the manufacturing method for the solar lamp."

Hearing their daughter repeat this, Yi Zhongxiang and his wife exchanged excited glances. They hadn't expected this thing called a "System" to be so accommodating.

Yi Zhongxiang thought for a moment and looked toward the system (though he couldn't see it, he knew it was by his daughter's side): "Tongtong, do you want something in return for helping us like this? Can you see if our family has anything you might want?" After a slight pause, he added, "I'm worried that if my family can't provide what you want, we might offend you."

What if this all-powerful system, in a fit of anger, harmed their whole family or the entire village?