Wang Lingxin nestled in her warm, soft bed, wrapped snugly in a thick blanket. Her bedroom's design and furniture were noticeably different from the usual style of this world, inspired by Earth instead. The walls and furniture were painted in bright colors, giving the room a cozy and cheerful atmosphere.

  Crystals embedded in the room functioned as light sources, capable of generating illumination when infused with Qi. Orion had modified them to operate using LQ, ensuring they could provide bright light for studying at night. Currently, the bedroom was dimly lit, with a soft, faint glow from a small slime lamp at the bedside, creating a relaxing ambiance.

  The bed, dresser, and furniture were all crafted by Orion, which had attempted to make them cuter and more girlish. The large, comfortable bed was covered in plush bedding.

  Lined up neatly beside the sleeping Wang Lingxin was a collection of dolls of various sizes, from small to rather large. Though their stitching was somewhat crude and their shapes imperfect, they could still be recognized as stuffed animals—each handcrafted by Orion. Orion had used high-quality fabric, stuffing them with kapok to shape them into different animal forms. Since Orion couldn’t find a suitable material for the eyes, it had resorted to using precious gems, having deemed carved wood too low in quality.

  A dresser, study table, and chair sat to the side, along with a bookshelf filled with various books and scrolls. Another shelf held an assortment of trinkets—random items Wang Lingxin had found while playing outside and decided to keep.

  At the center of the room lay a large, luxuriously soft carpet made from the hide of a rare bear Spirit Beast. Its thick, plush fur provided warmth and comfort, making it an inviting spot to sit or lie down. The dense, high-quality pelt not only felt incredibly smooth underfoot but also offered excellent insulation against the cold.

  If sold, it would fetch an exorbitant number of spirit stones, as the material was suitable for crafting armor and artifacts. Yet, here it was, serving as an ordinary carpet. A small table sat atop it, where Wang Lingxin often enjoyed tea and snacks while watching cartoons and animated movies on her tablet.

  As she slept on her side, only her head peeked out from the thick blanket, the rest of her body fully cocooned in warmth. The night was quiet and cold.

  Bzzz... bzzz... crackle... crackle... rustle... rustle...

  The sound of trees swaying in the wind and other unfamiliar noises echoed outside, breaking the silence. Wang Lingxin stirred, briefly opening her eyes before turning over and drifting back to sleep.

  Bzzz... bzzz... crackle... crackle... rustle... rustle...

  Another sound. This time, she slowly opened her eyes, rubbing them groggily. Dazed, she lay still for a moment, staring at the ceiling as her thoughts slowly gathered.

  Then—the sound again.

  It was like the rustling of tree branches swaying in the wind, but there was another noise mixed in—something unfamiliar. And it was coming from the front of the house.

  The sound made Wang Lingxin a little afraid but also curious. She hugged one of her stuffed dolls, sat up, and tiptoed toward the window. The wooden frame made it impossible to see outside directly, but through a small gap, she peeked out. The sky was dark. Tree branches cast eerie shadows. But she could see something—a glow from below.

  Because she was small, she couldn't see clearly below her from the second floor. She quickly dragged a small stool over, stepped onto it, and carefully opened the window just a little for a better view. Peering out again, her eyes widened in shock.

  In front of the house, several wooden stakes had been driven into the ground, each topped with a glowing crystal light, illuminating the surroundings. But what caught her attention most was the massive, winged creature standing in the middle of the field.

  Seeing the mysterious, massive, intimidating creature, she felt a slight fear. Its imposing form, illuminated from below against the dark night sky, made it even more striking.

  But then, she noticed something—her master standing near the massive creature, completely calm and preoccupied with something, touching the creature and even hammering it with a tool, while the creature remained still, as if unbothered.

  Seeing that her master was unfazed, Wang Lingxin’s fear quickly faded.

  "Master!" Wang Lingxin swung the window open, waving her arms excitedly.

  "Hmm?" Orion, busy with its task, turned its head. "Sorry, did I wake you up? Go back to sleep."

  But Wang Lingxin immediately left her bedroom.

  Thud. Thud. Thud.

  The sound of hurried footsteps echoed as she ran down the stairs. She rushed through the house, grabbed her small sandals from the rack, and pushed the door open, stepping outside.

  "Why did you come out here? Go back to sleep," Orion said.

  "Master, what are you doing? And what is that big thing? Can I touch it?" Instead of answering, Wang Lingxin fired off a series of questions as she walked toward Orion.

  Now fully awake, she stared at Orion, her eyes wide with curiosity. Her hair was slightly messy, one side sticking up from sleep.

  Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

  "It's an ornithopter I made. I'm currently testing it," Orion said.

  "Orni... hopper?" Wang Lingxin tilted her head in confusion.

  "An ornithopter. Just like the SO-1 drone, but this one is bigger. You can ride in it and fly into the sky. Didn’t I already promise to make you a bigger drone that could take you flying?" Orion explained.

  "Hm..." Wang Lingxin tried to recall. Indeed, back then, her master had shown her the drone, and she had asked if he could make a bigger one that she could ride to the sky. That wasn’t too long ago, and now he was already making it? Her master was indeed awesome.

  "Wow, Master, you already made it? Can I ride it now?" Wang Lingxin asked eagerly.

  "Not yet. I'm still doing some testing and planning to conduct the first flight now," Orion replied.

  "Master, I want to join! Is there anything I can help with?" Wang Lingxin’s eyes sparkled with excitement.

  "No need. Just go back to sleep. After I finish testing, I’ll take you flying later," Orion said, trying to coax her back to bed.

  It was already past midnight, around 1 AM. The night wind blew, and the air was rather cold, yet Wang Lingxin was wide awake. Orion worried she might get sick. It had planned to test the ornithopter at night to avoid attracting attention from the nearby village. But now, somehow, it had woken Wang Lingxin, who kept insisting on staying to watch and join in.

  Despite Orion’s attempts to persuade her, she ran around the ornithopter, checking every detail up close, touching all over it, and bombarding Orion with questions. Energetic and excited, she ended up disturbing Orion’s progress. Orion had to keep watch over her, answering her questions, pulling her away from parts she wasn’t supposed to touch, and making sure she didn’t trip over the tools, cables, and other things scattered around.

  Finally, Orion relented and allowed Wang Lingxin to watch from the side—on the condition that she wouldn’t get too close or interfere. Orion went back to the house and returned multiple times, carrying a small table, a straw mat, a thick carpet made from Spirit Beast fur, a jacket, and other items. Since Wang Lingxin had run out of the house in her sleeping pajamas, Orion helped her put on a warm jacket, along with socks and gloves, and tidied her messy hair into a simple bun.

  Orion set up a comfortable spot for her to watch. First, it laid down the straw mat, then placed the carpet on top. It set the small table on the carpet, followed by a large umbrella for cover, which it staked firmly into the ground. Orion then drove bamboo stakes into the earth on three sides, draping long fabric over them, while leaving the front open so Wang Lingxin could watch. Now, she was shielded from three sides, with the top also protected from the wind.

  Orion then placed a small charcoal brazier nearby to provide warmth and to make tea. After pouring a cup for Wang Lingxin, it placed the pot back on the brazier to keep the tea hot. Once Orion was sure she was warm and comfortable, it resumed its work with the ornithopter.

  Wang Lingxin sat on the soft carpet, sipping tea and nibbling on snacks while watching her master work.

  She cheered for Orion from the side while also occasionally asking, "Is it done yet? Can I ride it now?"

  The ornithopter Orion had been working on for the past month, the AO-1 (Attack Ornithopter), was inspired by Earth's attack helicopter. However, instead of rotor blades, it used wings—four in total, each spanning about 13 meters, taken from a dragonfly Spirit Beast. The ornithopter's Dragonfly Engine was powered by LQ.

  The main body was primarily constructed from the exoskeletons of dragonfly and other insect Spirit Beasts, which were light, strong, and durable—materials comparable to Earth's composite materials, with some even stronger.

  The AO-1 was designed as a two-seater, with the pilot seated in the back and the co-pilot in the front. The cockpit canopy was crafted from the wing of a rare insect Spirit Beast, which was highly transparent. Orion further processed it to enhance its transparency, making it almost as clear as glass. However, at this stage, the cockpit was still empty, lacking avionics and controls, which Orion planned to install later. For now, it directly controlled the ornithopter by connecting cables to itself.

  On both sides of the fuselage, there were stub wings designed to carry weapons. At the rear, the tail section featured a V-tail design.

  The ornithopter’s fuselage was constructed from various insect exoskeletons, which had been cut, shaped, and assembled in a way that it doesn’t show any insect characteristics, avoiding an unsettling or grotesque appearance. Instead, the overall design was sleek and modern, taking inspiration from Earth.

  Since the exoskeletons came in different colors, Orion treated them with grey pigments to create a unified, aesthetically pleasing look. The ornithopter's color was a sleek, dark grey tone.

  For the landing gear, Orion used the legs of an ant Spirit Beast, modifying them so they could fold and retract into the fuselage for better aerodynamics.

  Since the AO-1 was designed for combat, Orion had been conducting R&D and experiments on weaponry in parallel with its development. Although the ornithopter was currently unarmed, several weapon systems were making progress and, after further testing and improvements, would be added to the ornithopter.

  Through a long cable connected to the ornithopter, Orion controlled it, testing all onboard control functions. Orion carefully tested the Dragonfly Engine, adjusting the wings' flapping speed and stroke angle while simulating various real-flight conditions and maneuvers. After numerous trials and experiments, successfully completing the test checklist, Orion prepared for the next phase—actual flight.

  The four wings flapped faster, stirring up strong gusts of wind, making the nearby trees creak and rustle. The same kind of noise was what woke Wang Lingxin up.

  Orion monitored every movement, ready to react if anything went wrong. If the ornithopter lost control or risked crashing, Orion would activate the pre-prepared energy barrier. It would immediately enclose the ornithopter, preventing any damage to Orion, Wang Lingxin, or the house.

  Slowly, the ornithopter lifted off, rising steadily until it hovered five meters above the ground. Its six extended landing legs remained deployed.

  Seeing the so-called ornihopper? actually take flight, Wang Lingxin could no longer sit and enjoy her tea and snacks.

  She had already jumped up, dashing over to Orion, grabbing its sleeve excitedly. "Master, master! It’s flying! It’s really flying! The ornihopper is flying! Wow!" she exclaimed, pointing at the hovering creature while tugging at Orion’s sleeve.

  Orion remained calm, continuing the test. The ornithopter performed simple maneuvers—hovering close to the ground, carefully moving forward, backward, and sideways, then slowly rotating.

  Having already mastered the controls through its experience with the SO-1, Orion had no trouble piloting the AO-1, only needing minor adjustments. As it recorded test results internally, Orion eventually landed the ornithopter and began fine-tuning it.

  Wang Lingxin, however, refused to return to her seat. She stuck close to Orion, practically glued to its side as it worked on the ornithopter. Orion simply let her be.

  "Can we fly now, Master?" Wang Lingxin squatted beside Orion, eyes sparkling with excitement.

  "Almost," Orion replied, still focused on making adjustments to the Dragonfly Engine, landing legs, wiring, and other components.

  "Master, you're so awesome!" Wang Lingxin said from the side, admiration shining in her eyes. As expected of her master—able to create such an incredible flying creature.

  Under the vast night sky, two figures crouched beneath the large, winged creature. One figure worked diligently in silence, while the smaller one chattered enthusiastically, breaking the quiet of the night.