Do You Have Any Opinion on Mechanical Cat Ears? (CAT EARS)
The left cat ear buzzed so loudly that System 2333's entire head was ringing. He had no choice but to yank off the left cat ear. Seeing Ji Yiwei still sleeping soundly, he thought for a moment before pressing the vibrating cat ear onto Ji Yiwei's head.
The cat ear had its own suction power. Perhaps because the material it touched was a bit unusual, the ear hesitated briefly before sticking firmly.
Ji Yiwei was successfully jolted awake. In that moment, he experienced the sorrow of clocking in for work. He had a temper when woken up, but in front of San San, that temper turned into morning sulkiness.
"San San," he whined pitifully, "I still want to sleep a little longer."
System 2333 patted his dog head benevolently.
"Go ahead and sleep, but Daddy here has to go work overtime."
Ji Yiwei's drowsiness vanished instantly.
What? San San was going to work overtime? Who? Who dared to make San San leave him to work overtime?
His voice softened.
"San San, what are you going to do? Can you not go?"
"If I don't go, the higher-ups definitely won't be happy." System 2333 shook his cat head. "It's that thing we've done a few times before, the annual one where all systems gather for a large-scale, connected world analysis."
Of course, this explanation was merely the Main System's official excuse—deliberately linking overtime work to the world analysis that hosts cared about most, so the hosts naturally wouldn't raise any objections.
That black-hearted big watermelon of a Main System talked a good game, but the so-called "connected world analysis" was actually just a ploy to conscript cat balls into mining. The mined energy stones would be extracted for the Main System's use.
System 2333 vaguely recalled that in the Infinite Space, energy was practically the second most valuable hard currency after points.
"It'll take much less time than our last vacation," he reassured the dejected Ji Yiwei. "Just half a day and one night, and I'll be back. If you need, I can leave you some more pancakes."
Ji Yiwei: "..."
He truly loved San San, but he really couldn't stomach any more pancakes.
"San San, do you really want to work overtime?" His dark eyes stared seriously at 2333.
If San San so much as shook his head, he would stop at nothing to ensure San San never had to work overtime again.
Seeming to sense the implication in Ji Yiwei's words, System 2333's screen expression turned solemn.
"I have to go."
He said it firmly.
Though he complained about the slave-driving higher-ups and the dog leader's targeting of him on the mining list—clearly, the Main System had deliberately assigned him to mining duty—System 2333 was actually glad to be on the overtime roster.
Because he remembered something: the temporary miner cat balls would be taken to the mining area on a massive spaceship, and the launch site for this ship just happened to be—
Aboveground in the System Living Area.
That place he could never glitch his way into! But it didn’t matter—once he got up there just once, he could glitch in anytime afterward!
How’s that for a plot twist, you big watermelon? This is what you call playing with fire and inviting the enemy in!
Aside from that, System 2333 was glad to be on the overtime list for another reason—the most important one.
Working together in the mines meant he could at least share hardships with his friends and prevent the Main System from pulling any shady tricks.
There was still a lot to prepare. System 2333 busily placed several orders for Ji Yiwei, portioned out by meal to avoid excess.
"Meals are ordered individually for you, and they'll be delivered on time." Seeing Ji Yiwei still sitting on the sofa staring at him longingly, his heart softened, and he comfortingly patted his head like petting a dog. "Go back to sleep for a while, I'll wake you up in the morning."
He left in a whirlwind, only to return a few seconds later to pluck the mechanical cat ears from Ji Yiwei's head and reattach them to his own before leaving again.
San-san left as swiftly as a tornado. Ji Yiwei remained half-seated with San-san's voice still echoing in his ears.
[Go back to sleep for a while.]
Angrily grabbing the small blanket in his hand, Ji Yiwei wanted to throw it to the ground. But remembering it was the same blanket San-san had used, he couldn't bring himself to do it and only tossed it onto the sofa instead.
With the cat ball gone, what's the point of sleeping?
System 2333 arranged the "big pancake" hanging around his host's neck and hurried toward the Miniature Garden.
Many cat balls listed on the roster were converging from all directions. Those still on missions didn’t need to come, with replacements filling in sequentially.
To their hosts, the cat balls uniformly claimed they were collectively establishing a big data network to analyze high-level worlds. This also explained why the systems selected for this sudden overtime were all from earlier batches.
System 2333 checked his tools and supply reserves. He had a habit of stockpiling, and with the recent construction of Restricted Zone 306, he had plenty of supplies—more than enough.
Though the cat balls would be gone for less than twenty-four hours, due to the time difference between the mining area and the Main System space, they’d actually be mining for a full month, working twenty-hour shifts daily—a truly grueling task. The Main System had deliberately included System 2333 in the list to spite him.
But System 2333 wasn’t afraid at all. Instead, he held his head high.
If the boss gives him a hard time, he’ll give the boss a bigger headache!
You make me work overtime? I’ll dig into your savings!
He’d been to the mining area before, but back then, the Main System’s level might not have been high enough to allow him to extract its energy. Now, perhaps... he could take some, just like he’d taken the fountain.
As soon as he stepped off the elevator, System 2333 saw System 4399 standing on tiptoe nearby and looking around like a worried old father.
Clearly, he’d heard the news and came to deliver supplies. The cat balls crowded together, and System 2333 emerged from the sea of spheres as System 4399 showed him the toolkit he’d brought in his tail.
System 2333 squeezed his way over, and System 4399 earnestly advised, "San-san, the labor intensity in the mining area is brutal. Take it easy."
"Don’t worry, Dad," System 2333 said as his mechanical tail split at the tip to reveal a tiny hand for precision work, giving a thumbs-up. "If it gets too tough, I’ll just break the supervisor robot. Won’t overwork myself."
System 4399: "..."
Well, you’re certainly the expert at that.
With the departure time so rushed, many cat balls had no time to prepare and were sending supplies to their friends.
System 6666 stood among the outer crowd, watching as the senior systems from the first thousand batches calmly formed large groups and whispered as they headed toward the other end of the underground level.
6666 spotted 2333 amidst the sea of floating spheres. He wanted to ask if he could help, but 5555 beside him gently tugged his tail with him and shook his head slightly.
"You can't volunteer. Only those assigned by the Main System can go. If you want to help, just send some supplements. Working in the mines for a full month is really tough and exhausting."
"I got transferred during my rookie period. This time, only experienced seniors are going—they know what they're doing."
6666 immediately pulled out the supplements he'd been saving and wanted to give them to the seniors, but he was still confused.
"There are so many robots in the Main System space. Can't we just send robots to mine?"
5555 shook their head.
"No. Only us cat-balls can detect and activate energy ore. The ore has to be activated before energy can be extracted. That's why only cat-balls can mine, though there are overseer robots supervising the work."
He shivered and let out a frightened "meep."
"Those robots are really scary and mean."
6666 was still puzzled.
"Then why not use other energy sources? Like charging, the way we do... Wouldn't that work?"
"No. To maintain the stability of the Infinite Space, the Main System can only use that specific energy source. There's no substitute, so cat-balls are sent to mine periodically."
5555 was also a bit confused.
The last mining operation was less than half a year ago—why another one so soon? Is energy being consumed that quickly? And the notice was so sudden...
Peaceful and tranquil Restricted Zone 306.
The ghostly lady's hair clung to her face as she desperately clung to her fountain because of the strong winds that made her sway like a fragile kite.
The ghostly soprano wailed in operatic "ahhs" while shedding icy-hot ghost tears.
Everything had been fine just before dawn.
She had been overjoyed when the black cat-ball brought back a bunch of inactive robots and spun her a grand tale, appointing her as foreman. He said once some program or other was developed, these robots could be activated to work, then hurried off.
Finally free from the backbreaking labor of moving bricks by hand, the ghost had nearly cried with relief.
The hero becomes the villain, the ghost becomes the foreman!
She imagined herself sitting atop the fountain and elegantly gathering her skirt while singing as armies of robots worked across the land.
The vision moistened her eyes—so moved she forgot she was originally a murderous, man-eating vengeful spirit, and that even this labor had been forced upon her by the cat-ball.
But the moment the black cat-ball left, the world was pierced by a shrill alarm.
[Mechanical units detected...]
[Outer defenses... constructing...]
[Stabilization... lacking...]
[Energy... replenishment... countdown...]
When the ten-second countdown ended, the ghost dumbly tilted her head skyward.
Without warning, the entire world was engulfed in raging winds as torrents of energy poured in from outside.
The barren desert began sprouting grass at a frenzied pace. Ruins were swallowed by overgrowth, while the peach blossom tree at the center of the ruins grew wildly—blossoming, withering and blossoming again—until it became a colossal tree that just kept growing taller!
Ghost: "...AHHHHH!!!"
Her fountain evenly spat out three exclamation marks, only for them to be swept away by the gale the next second.
The female ghost was nearly blown away too, so she kept clinging desperately to the fountain as she screamed—only to have her wildly flailing hair stuff her own mouth.
Help! Save the ghost!
A magnificent energy wind spread across the entire sky, generously replenishing this barren little world. The protective net that was Ji Yiwei's head cheerfully intercepted all debris except energy while beaming with satisfaction.
Yet this net didn’t reject one other thing besides energy.
The female ghost struggled to submerge herself in the fountain, barely resisting the raging wind outside.
Her widened eyes suddenly reflected a sight that shocked even a ghost—an entire massive landmass that were drained of energy, slowly approached from the distance.
The protective net opened, and with a deafening roar, the colossal landmass officially merged with Restricted Zone 306.
The female ghost: "...Ahhh!!!"
It felt like buying a one-bedroom apartment, only for the ceiling to collapse one day and suddenly give you a duplex.
The ghost shrieked "Ahh!" again, though this time it wasn’t out of fear—there was even a hint of excitement in her voice.
Kitty! Kitty, come back quick!
The construction site just got bigger!
Author's Note:
Ji Yiwei’s skull net (to energy): Haha!
Ji Yiwei’s skull net (to trash): Ptooey!
Ji Yiwei’s skull net (to a whole world): HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
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