An A Tentacle Monster's Guide to Surviving in Space

Blurb: After being contaminated by a tentacled monster, Wen Beimou was reborn thirteen years in the past. She knows that in six months, the entire wasteland planet she lives on will be plunged into an apocalyptic crisis. To survive, she becomes the queen of side hustles, working three jobs a day. Gradually, people notice that the Awakened Forum has a grind king who takes on missions without a care for his life. [Three radiation zones in one day? Am I seeing things, or is she crazy?] [A thousand points in three days. This big shot's points are climbing faster than a rocket!] [Who is it!! Just who is this terrifying person!!] Wen Beimou, working at a convenience store, glances over. "It's not that bad." She's just broke. In the midst of her hectic work life, Wen Beimou meets a beautiful omega mermaid in her mental sea. The mermaid is kind and adorable. As long as Wen Beimou cuddles up to him, her damaged mental power can be healed. Wen Beimou has always thought the mermaid is a product of her mind. Until the day she represents her military academy at the Awakened Tournament, when she sees someone on the awards platform who looks exactly like the mermaid. The person is dressed in uniform, cool and solemn, his silver fish tail shining in the sunlight. Only later does Wen Beimou learn that his name is Qi Xingci, one of the Federation's three top generals, commander-in-chief of the Third Military District, and the last mermaid in the universe. __ Qi Xingci's mental sea is severely damaged, littered with mental debris. He originally thought he would be trapped there for the rest of his life, until a little octopus accidentally wandered into his mental space. At first, the little octopus just quietly devoured his mental debris. Later, its tentacles began to twitch with curiosity, cautiously tugging at his hair and touching his ugly fish tail. The little octopus is a little pitiful, and often leaves itself covered in wounds. After struggling against it several times, Qi Xingci eventually lies flat and lets it touch him. It's just that he never expected the little octopus's tentacles to grow longer and longer, and get more and more outrageous. Note: A slow-paced, everyday-life story, not a fast-paced power fantasy. The male lead has little presence early on. A preview of the story I want to write next: "Pretty Cannon Fodder Leads Players to Pass the Civil Service Exam" Blurb: Wen Qianqu is an unremarkable third-grade clerk at the Special Affairs Office. She earns 4,000 yuan, has social insurance and a housing fund, and works five days with two days off. Wen Qianqu is very satisfied with this easy job. She thought life would go on peacefully and uneventfully like this. Until one day, the game "Variant Species" arrived. Wen Qianqu was selected by the game. Like the other selected players, she could travel back and forth between the game world and the real world. After becoming a player, Wen Qianqu immediately reported her situation to the government. Before long, her supervisor came to see her. "I've got a new assignment for you: recruit the players." "Uh..." Wen Qianqu, who has social anxiety, hesitated. "If you're willing to become captain of Squad 096, your base salary will be ten times what you make now. You'll get six types of insurance and two housing funds, plus double performance bonuses." Wen Qianqu: "!!" "...I can do it!" The survival game "Variant Species" is shrouded in mystery. Many players begin to evolve and develop supernatural abilities. Xiao Lian is one of them. A recent college graduate, he makes a fortune by reselling game intelligence and becomes a famous profiteer in the game. Until one day, just after returning from the game, he's surrounded by a group of people in uniform carrying weapons. At the front is a pretty female college student who looks like she hasn't graduated yet. She presses a gun against his head and asks with a shy smile, "Hey, would you consider joining the civil service? A monthly salary of 7,000 plus performance bonuses, six types of insurance and two housing funds, with meals, lodging, and body recovery included." With the gun against his temple, Xiao Lian says, "...Okay." More and more players are being selected by the game, with new players constantly joining. The newcomers discover that at least four of the top ten players on every game's leaderboard have a number beginning with 096. Unable to hold back, one newcomer posts on the game forum: [Who exactly is 096? How do they top the leaderboard in every world?] [Especially that 096-1. They're in the top three in every world. How are they so good??] [Newbie, you wouldn't understand. That number one maniac can tear variant species apart with his bare hands!] [I heard the government is taking action. That number one is so brazen, they're probably finished.] As the most discussed number one maniac on the game forum, Wen Qianqu curls up on the sofa with a face mask on, browsing the forum. She casually makes a post of her own. 096-1: ["Notice Regarding the Recruitment Assessment for the 096 Special Awakened Squad"] 096-1: [Government position, great benefits, meals and lodging included, six types of insurance and two housing funds. All players are welcome to apply.] All the players: "!!!" [So they're the government team!!] [The government team really is powerful!] [What are the exams like?! Where's the list of positions??] -- Planned game worlds: Apocalyptic Wasteland - Cyberpunk Future - Interstellar Mecha - Cyberpunk Fantasy Theme: Protecting the environment