"So, this is my main mission?"
Ethan Chen couldn't help but smile bitterly. Leading China to a national revival in a universe as dangerous as Marvel?
Sure, it sounded inspiring—passionate even. The kind of thing that makes your blood boil with purpose.
But come on. That was one hell of a tall order.
It sounded even harder than turning yourself into a superhero.
"Yes, this is the sole purpose of the Huaqiangbei System."
"To lead China, across all possible worlds, to the top of the global stage!"
The system elf's voice was calm and confident.
"Okay, um… Is there any punishment for failing this mission?"
Even though Ethan was somewhat stirred by the system's words, he couldn't help but ask the question.
I mean, what happens if I mess up? Am I going to get vaporized?
"Don't worry. The system will never force you to do anything, nor does it have any right to punish you."
"Whew… well, that's a relief."
So, in other words… I could technically ignore this whole thing, take it easy, and live a quiet life?
"As long as you can live with yourself, there's no problem."
The system elf continued calmly:
"You may have a great responsibility, but if you choose to lie low and live like a couch potato, nobody will stop you. In fact, nobody in this world will even know you've been given this 'responsibility' or 'mission' unless you tell them."
"..."
Wait a minute. Was that a guilt trip?
Ethan clenched his fists, then let out a sigh and offered a half-smile.
"If I had the choice, of course I'd want to see my homeland—this world's version of China—rise to greatness. But come on… I know myself. What could I possibly do? What skills do I have that could push a nation forward in a world this dangerous?"
And dangerous it was. Threats in this universe weren't limited to Earth. There were cosmic-level crises lurking in every corner.
Trying to push China toward a renaissance in a world like this? Nearly impossible.
"The system can help you."
The elf's calm response lit up Ethan's eyes.
"Right! You never did tell me—what exactly does the Huaqiangbei System do?"
If the system's mission was really to help him revive China in a world filled with gods, aliens, and billionaires in flying suits, then surely it had some powerful features.
"To put it simply, the Huaqiangbei System has three core capabilities: analysis, scientific research, and manufacturing."
The elf explained thoroughly.
"..."
Wait. Does this mean it's basically a high-tech knockoff machine?
Ethan went quiet for a moment, smirking to himself. What good would bootlegging be in this world? Could he really just knock off Iron Man's suit?
"Exactly. The Huaqiangbei System can replicate any technology."
The elf said it flatly, with zero irony.
"Any tech? Even Iron Man's armor?"
Ethan's eyebrows shot up.
"No problem at all."
"What about S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Helicarrier?"
"Easy."
"Thanos's spaceship?"
"Simple."
"…Are you sure you're not just messing with me?" Ethan took a deep breath. Could Huaqiangbei really be this overpowered?
"The only condition is proximity. The closer you are to the tech, the more detailed the system's replication."
So… just get close and I can steal the blueprints?
"Not bad. If that's the case, maybe I really can take a risk and get near some of this stuff…"
Ethan started thinking it over. The risk might be worth it.
"Take Iron Man's armor, for example. Within 100 meters, the system can gather data to produce a suit with about 10% of its power. At 50 meters, you can replicate up to 50%. If you physically touch it, the system can duplicate it entirely."
"That insane?"
Ethan couldn't help but exclaim. That was borderline terrifying. Just by getting close, he could recreate some of the most advanced tech in the world—and if he touched it? Full replication.
This kind of tech plagiarism was downright scary.
"And if you only have a photo—just an image—you can still make something. It will only have 1% of the original's capability, but it'll look identical."
So even a photo would do the trick, though the result would just be a shell.
"That's amazing! Just from a picture of Iron Man, I could make a suit that looks like his?"
Sure, it'd be weak—but visually? Spot on.
Now that's what I call a true copycat.
And I'm all in!
"Can I do this with any technology?"
Ethan asked, excitement building.
"Correct. As long as the object is within 100 meters, and the data and tech can be directly accessed, the system will reproduce it with full functionality."
Unreal. Just unreal.
Even if he only had photos, the system could make a visual copy—albeit a non-functional one.
"That's just the analysis function."
The elf clarified.
"So… what about scientific research and manufacturing?"
Ethan could barely keep his voice steady. If the analysis feature was this good, the other two had to be just as awesome.
"Research capabilities allow for technological breakthroughs after full analysis."
In other words, if you manage to fully replicate Iron Man's armor, the system could improve upon it—make it even better.
"..."
So I can make bootlegs that are stronger than the originals? That's got to sting for the people who invented this stuff.
"I see. And manufacturing?"
Ethan raised an eyebrow.
"Inside your body exists a Huaqiangbei-exclusive space. It can store materials and has a full-function production facility, allowing you to create items on demand."
So basically… a pocket factory.
A mobile workshop in your body. Nice.
"Oh, and by the way, do you even have a name? You keep calling yourself 'System Elf,' which is… kind of annoying."
"I don't have a name. You can name me if you'd like."
"Hmm…"
Ethan scratched his chin. This system elf was a bit clunky. If it was a little more polished, he'd just call it Siri.
But nah—this was about China, about making the homeland proud. Giving it a Western name didn't feel right.
"I've got it! Since this is all about bringing China to greatness, you need a proper local name. From now on, your name is… Xiao Ai!"
"Naming complete."
"Classmate Xiao Ai."
"I am here!"
Even though it still sounded a little odd, Ethan couldn't help but smile. It already felt way better.