Do You Have Any Opinion on Mechanical Cat Ears? (CAT EARS)
The hovercar paused briefly at the exit of the Miniature Garden as three cat-ball systems boarded in their usual carefully disguised forms, with the Main System's confidentiality agreement weighing heavily on them like a mountain.
...Yet by nature, they were inherently honest and kind-hearted—disguise and deception were their least proficient skills.
Sheng Songshi and his team had been closely observing, and sure enough, they could detect subtle cracks in their act. They noticed that while the cat balls appeared completely still, they actually greeted each other covertly—tails curling, ears twitching—expressing their joy at meeting right under their hosts' noses.
They likely had some internal communication channel too, as they seemed to know each other's recent status without exchanging greetings or scanning one another.
The Sea District was closest to the Miniature Garden, while the Forest District was considerably farther. To reach it quickly, the hovercar needed to ascend to a higher speed lane. As it prepared to accelerate, Ji Yiwei took out a medium-sized plush cat bed—specifically brought for System 2333 to ensure a comfortable journey.
The moment the cat bed appeared, System 2333's tail curled up confidently, inviting his friends inside with pride.
Come on in, make yourselves at home! All prepared by my host!
Other cat balls: "..."
Some people have all the luck with hosts.
Four cat balls squeezed into the single cat bed (which clearly had room for more), each with perked ears and neatly tucked tails, perfectly still. Zhou Yuechu's heart melted at the sight, and she instinctively reached to take a photo—but a woman's intuition told her Ji Yiwei probably wouldn't approve.
His possessiveness toward System 2333 ran too deep.
Sure enough, before she could even voice the request, Zheng Xibei activated his wrist device's camera module, adjusting lighting and focus to capture the pile of cat balls—only to meet Ji Yiwei's "friendly" gaze.
Cold sweat instantly drenched him as Zheng Xibei felt himself straddling the line between life and death, with the underworld's ghostly envoys waving welcoming banners in the distance.
At the critical moment, he abruptly flipped the camera, puckered his lips into a duck face, and took a selfie instead.
"I—I just prefer taking selfies like this!" he stammered unconvincingly before pulling Sheng Songshi (who was driving) into frame. "Brother Sheng! Come on—duck face!"
Sheng Songshi: "..."
Aside from their wariness toward Ji Yiwei, the cat balls were actually quite amiable toward the other hosts aboard.
As for Sheng Songshi—after hearing System 1001's complaints in their private channel about his dawn escapades—they unanimously turned up their noses and collectively squeezed into the corner farthest from him to express their disdain.
System 1314 even used its tail to smooth System 1001's ears in comforting strokes, causing 1001's slit-pupiled eyes to narrow and widen rhythmically.
Pet the anger away.
Sheng Songshi swallowed bitter tears—even at his most obnoxious phase in life, he'd never been this thoroughly disliked.
The technology of the Infinite Space far surpassed conventional worlds, allowing the hovercar to cross districts within ten minutes.
Upon reaching the Forest District, the lush woodland atmosphere instantly made System 2333 feel right at home.
His daily routine was quite limited, mostly shuttling between the sea zone and the system living quarters. Although Ji Yiwei often talked about taking him out for fun, System 2333 was always tied up with overtime work. Even when not working overtime, he was usually on missions. Being an earlier batch system, the performance standards set by the Main System were particularly demanding.
So more often than not, he experienced the world through Ji Yiwei's eyes during missions.
And System 2333 was already quite content with this arrangement.
This newly opened leisure club in the forest zone had modern decor and was reportedly established by a host then becoming incredibly profitable in no time.
Interestingly, because hosts operated under constant high pressure, they needed relaxation facilities more than ordinary people.
The Main System had once tried to capitalize on this by opening its own recreational center to earn points from both ends. Unfortunately, the venture failed spectacularly halfway through, completely missing the mark on host needs and being outcompeted by host-run businesses.
System 2333 had laughed so hard he nearly lost his ears at the time, and decided he'd recommend more money-losing ventures to the Main System in the future.
Since this club had blocked the Main System's revenue stream, System 2333 had always been curious about its business philosophy. Today he finally got the chance to see for himself.
Right after entering, they encountered System 6666 and his host Jiang Zhuo.
As a White Bird Project member, Jiang Zhuo had come ahead under Sheng Songshi's orders to make arrangements. Efficient as always, he'd booked a private room and prepared all scheduled activities.
"Brother Sheng, everything's ready," he said quietly.
Sheng Songshi nodded slightly and gestured respectfully toward Ji Yiwei.
"After you."
Ji Yiwei gave him a mocking look before turning with perfect grace toward System 2333 beside him.
"After you, Three-Three."
System 2333 was delighted. He floated lightly onto Ji Yiwei's shoulder.
"Let's go together!"
The logic of these cat-ball systems was simple: you treat me well, I treat you well, and we both benefit. Even if you don't like me or treat me poorly, then I...
Still wouldn't harm you.
The other cat-balls returned to their respective hosts and perched on their shoulders as if that's where they naturally belonged.
Zhou Yuechu was experiencing something extraordinary.
The revelation that cat-balls were sentient beings carried such significant implications that within the White Bird Project, only the three who'd gone to the elevator shaft that day knew—Jiang Zhuo hadn't even been informed yet.
Zhou Yuechu had always felt closer to System 1314. Now, observing the system on her shoulder, she noticed it was behaving quite gentlemanly—apparently mindful of gender differences, it wasn't fully resting on her shoulder but floating slightly higher.
This subtlety would have been easy to miss before.
Perhaps because Zhou Yuechu stared too long, the cat-ball turned to look at her. While this could be explained as a programmed response to host attention, Zhou Yuechu sensed something deeper—this mutual gaze conveyed a tacit understanding no program could replicate.
In countless small ways, the cat-balls clearly adored their hosts.
...Well, except for Brother Sheng and his cat-ball.
Sheng Songshi maintained a standard one-meter distance from System 1001. Whenever he tried to close the gap, 1001 would retreat. Sheng Songshi even attempted subtle hints like tilting his head to expose his shoulder—1001 accepted the hint while mentally sticking out its tongue.
"Searching for treatment methods regarding stiff neck. Host, please wait..."
It continued using its mechanical tone—mechanical, yet somehow expressive.
Sheng Songshi: "..."
System 2333 peered curiously from Ji Yiwei's shoulder, realizing this club's success stemmed largely from its well-curated leisure activities tailored to hosts' preferences—primarily indoor pursuits, with even outdoor options being low-intensity.
Makes sense. After scrambling through missions—scaling snow mountains, crossing deserts—hosts naturally preferred quieter entertainment.
Another key to its success? This establishment... actually offered services for accompanying systems!
This was truly exceptional.
At this moment, the cat-ball systems hovered motionless before the promotional display—outwardly still but inwardly popping champagne corks!
What kind of paradise was this?! Look at these offerings!
Supplement buffets, rocking cat pods, shell polishing services, ear maintenance, gentle current spa treatments, low-frequency white noise sleep chambers...
Zhou Yuechu had chosen this location. Since they aimed to observe systems, a purely host-centric venue wouldn't suffice. This understated yet wildly profitable club came highly recommended.
A friend's suggestion led her here. The dazzling array of system services initially stunned her, but then she wondered—would she actually spend points bringing her system here?
—Yes. Absolutely.
"This club's business philosophy is quite unique," Sheng Songshi remarked as he examined the service menu. His observation drew a derisive chuckle from Ji Yiwei, who gently stroked 2333's small ears.
"Unique to you, perhaps. Not necessarily for other hosts."
Ji Yiwei's dark eyes held 2333's gaze as the system slowly blinked its vertical-line eyes.
"Even as mechanical entities—in treacherous mission worlds where no one's reliable—only your system exhausts itself for you."
"Friendly NPCs, allied teammates—any could turn lethal. The only guaranteed loyalty comes from your system."
Warmth filled 2333 at these words, though it suddenly recalled something.
Host Qian Dafa of System 1818 had once approached Ji Yiwei about some matter. Denied entry to Ji Yiwei's territory, they conversed at the doorstep and 2333 had caught fragments of words—something about investments...
Wait. Could this place be...?
"I simply wanted San-San to have somewhere enjoyable," Ji Yiwei admitted freely. "As an investor, I added system services—initially just supplements and basic polishing. That created legions of repeat customers."
He concluded with a smile, openly acknowledging his connection to the establishment.
"The facts prove that everyone has a conscience, don't they?"
Sheng Songshi, the one without a conscience, remained silent, but Ji Yiwei wasn't about to let it go.
Sheng Songshi still owed him an answer regarding the ownership of the White Bird Project. Ji Yiwei didn't mind applying more pressure to force Sheng Songshi to make a choice.
Whether it was guilt and defeat overwhelming everything, leading him to hand over the White Bird Project, or stubborn resistance followed by being dealt with directly—there would only be one outcome: Ji Yiwei would obtain the White Bird Project.
He just didn’t want San San to witness the process of breaking someone’s spirit.
"San San, go have fun," he said affectionately. "There are so many activities here—no rush, take your time. We can always come back another time. Sheng Songshi and I will compete for some points as a bet, for both our systems. You can come back later to collect them."
System 2333 was overjoyed. Before leaving, it even floated up to Sheng Songshi to offer a heartfelt prayer.
Bodhisattva, thank you for sending me points.
System 1001 also drifted over to Sheng Songshi before departing.
Sheng Songshi was momentarily stunned and half-expecting words of encouragement. Instead, 1001 remained silent, only giving him a deep, meaningful look before turning away. Strangely enough, the sentiment in that glance was eerily identical to 2333’s.
It’s not like you’ll go bankrupt over this.
Good host who woke me up at dawn—lose a little more, won’t you?
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