3: As long as I can live, I'm willing to act in anything.

"My good daughter, why don't you take your younger brother out for a bit?"

It had been a long time since Mother had spoken with such a pleasant tone.

Tu Nan stared at the withered flowers on the windowsill and exhaled the turbid breath from her chest.

After spacing out for a while, she eventually agreed.

She would treat it as repaying her for these six years of care, even though the so-called motherly love was never meant for her.

"Dongdong, how about Sister secretly takes you to the amusement park?"

"I want to ride the roller coaster! Mom and Dad won't let me!"

Of course they wouldn't... you silly child.

Tu Nan maintained a faint smile. No one who didn't want you to die would let you... Did her mother really expect her to take this child to play such thrill-seeking games?

All these bodyguards weren't just for show.

Her gaze turned slightly cold.

Getting into the car, she asked the bodyguard sitting next to her brother, "Did you bring the medicine?"

"I did. I took a new batch," the bodyguard replied, his gaze unwavering as he nodded.

She shook her head helplessly.

What was the use of her mother's amateurish medicine-swapping tricks? Hadn't they already been discovered?

Besides... if something really went wrong with her brother's heart, would she, his sister in name only, have to prepare to donate her own heart again?

Just like her first and only friend who disappeared into the Research Institute when she was ten?

But she had underestimated that woman's madness.

The phone rang, and her mother's frantic whispers murmured in her ear.

"Nannan, please go and die with him."

"I don't want to see you wearing that face that doesn't belong to you anymore..."

Tu Nan's heart could still be stung by her words.

The driver honked the horn frantically, and she suddenly looked up.

That large truck was crushing toward them with an air of absolute resolve.

Filling her entire field of vision was a light so bright it was deafening... ***

Tu Nan woke up startled from the nightmare.

She sat up in horror.

Hiss—the wound on her back was pulled, and her clothes, soaked in cold sweat, clung stickily to her body.

She was pulled back to reality.

Right, the last nightmare had ended, and the next one had begun.

She thought expressionlessly.

That strange man? That buyer?

She surveyed her surroundings.

This was a dimly lit room, very small. Aside from the bed, there was only a mottled wooden table covered in sand and dust, with a dusty backpack tossed on top.

In the corner was a bathroom, from which the clear sound of a shower could be heard.

As the sound of water gradually ceased, she immediately adjusted her expression to one of anxiety and fragility.

Before long, a puff of steam hit her face as the shower door was pushed open.

A man with bronze skin appeared before her eyes.

A bath towel was loosely tied around his waist; his waistline was smooth, and his legs were strong and powerful.

Water droplets condensed on his burly chest, and steam swirled around his freshly washed brown hair. He was casually drying his... ears.

Suddenly, his footsteps paused, and a wary gaze swept over. Tu Nan was timidly clutching the quilt, huddled on the bed, shrinking back.

He froze for a moment, grabbed his clothes, and quickly retreated back into the bathroom.

Tu Nan's gaze swept behind him; she didn't see a tail, which left her deep in thought.

According to what she knew, most people here had ears and tails, except for herself. A few had no tails, like this man.

The woman on the trading ship had said this meant they were either too weak... or too strong.

When the man reappeared, he was fully dressed.

Maybe he was shy? Tu Nan's smile quirked up slightly, but she immediately donned her disguise.

She spoke in a practiced tone of gratitude and unease.

"Thank you for buying me..." She rubbed the corner of the quilt, her eyes downcast with worry. "Do you want to use me right away? But my back hurts a lot..."

She forced herself to bite her lip. "Can we..."

"Recover from your injuries first."

The man's voice was muffled, held in his throat.

Oh... he didn't refuse, Tu Nan understood his underlying meaning.

But at least she could recover first, and take the opportunity to figure out this man's background.

And while she was at it, see what this System was all about, and what exactly a Genetic Defect was.

【Genetic Defect: The genetic chain completeness of the experimental Foster Mother is only 50%. Lifespan is short, and functions are incomplete. Current survival time: 3 years. For every 10% completion, lifespan can be extended by 3 years.】

In her field of vision, a line of small white characters appeared.

【Remaining survival time: 1090 days. Genetic chain completeness: 50%】

She shook her head from side to side; her field of vision changed, but the position of that line of text remained fixed.

System?

Tu Nan tried to find its trace within her mind.

[What other ways are there to fill Genetic Defects? Besides giving birth?]

The System made no further sound.

This really sounded like a cross-dimensional human trafficking System. To make her have Children, it provided her with a buyer and painted a bunch of grand promises for her.

But she had no choice now. Tu Nan tried to piece together the limited information.

This body was purchased by Old Bi from the Central Breeding Farm, but it was strangely frail. Would it really be scrapped after only three births?

This roughly matched what the System said about her only being able to live for another three years.

She had also discovered that the foundation of this body was incredibly poor. She would get out of breath after just a few steps, bearing no resemblance to her previous healthy, flawless body.

She mocked herself inwardly; that body must have been ruined beyond recognition in the car accident.

The past was the past... thinking about it more would only increase her troubles. Everything in front of her was what she needed to focus on.

A System with unclear motives, a strange world, and a buyer with an unknown background.

She would figure it all out eventually.

But regardless, being able to return from the dead was a miracle, even if it came with conditions.

It was just having Children. To stay alive, she could do it.

As for the man, or should she call him... an Orc?

Did it matter? She forced herself not to care. She would view it as a transaction.

"I am Tu Nan. May I ask how I should address you... is this your home?"

"This is an inn."

The man quickly answered her second question. After a long silence, a deep voice came through.

"They call me... Li."

Tu Nan was slightly stunned.

Who were 'they'?

This way of phrasing gave the name 'Li' a sense of detachment and loneliness.

Stealing a glance at the Orc ears standing upright on his head, Tu Nan guessed that this name might be related to some unpleasant past of the man before her.

In that case, perhaps he craved harmless care and innocent comfort even more.

Thinking of this, Tu Nan lowered her eyelids, deliberately making her expression more naive and dependent.

"I understand, Lord Li." Tu Nan adopted the most obedient attitude that fit her status, nodding gently like a kitten that had just entered a predator's territory.

She explained cautiously, "I've never left the Nursery before, and there are many things I don't understand... please don't think I'm stupid. I'll work hard to learn."

Li saw her lift her eyes to steal a glance at his reaction.

But as soon as she made contact with his gaze, she immediately shrank into a ball in fear. Yet, this Foster Mother still tried to hold her ground, making a stubborn declaration.

"I will definitely be good and listen... and give birth to a child for you as soon as possible..."

Her voice grew lower and lower, the last few words barely a whisper.

Yet Tu Nan's inner thoughts were completely opposite to her outward appearance.

Since they were going to sleep together, he had to be able to satisfy her. This man's strength should allow her to conceive quickly.

"Do you want to go wash up?" Li urged her.

So soon? Did he want to start right away?

"We're only staying in this hotel tonight." He tossed something to Tu Nan. "Here, a medicine pack."

"Stick this on; it's waterproof. You'd better wash tonight. I only paid for one night's room fee, and I'm out of money."

Li gave the instructions with a cold face.

"Couldn't you... buy me..."

Tu Nan's eyes widened, somewhat shocked.

From the reactions of the people around during the auction, she could see that sixty thousand Karu was by no means a small sum of money.

"That was all I had," Li said, unwilling to say more as he ended the topic. "Don't worry about it; I won't let you starve."

Tu Nan almost failed to maintain her smile.

She had prepared to sell her body in exchange for survival, but she hadn't expected she might have to do it on an empty stomach.

Could the System really not find her someone else?

With difficulty, she applied the medicine pack and finished her bath. She didn't truly believe Li's assurance, yet she still lay down beside him, fully prepared for anything.

But Li really did nothing but sleep the entire night.

His breathing was shallow, and he remained motionless, as if Tu Nan were merely a piece of decoration in the room.

The two of them lay on the same bed, yet it seemed she was the only one with a mind full of messy thoughts... the night was eerily calm.