| PN | Xiang Yue's Plan | 113
The next day, upon waking up, Qi Chao thought about matters concerning the association. He scratched his head, got out of bed, and headed to the basement to start making the fifth puppet.
The design sketch had already been completed two days ago.
Now, what Qi Chao needed to do was to shape the clay model. He put on his gloves and only then realized that the system hadn't appeared in quite some time.
Logically speaking, after the design sketch was completed, the system should have appeared, announcing the rewards or unveiling the side quest for the next week.
When Qi Chao made Li Bai, Xiang Yue, Shuang Jian and Xuan Jian, the system had appeared each time.
But this time, from the moment he started drawing the character design, the system hadn't shown up once.
A few days ago, when Qi Chao actively sought the system's help, it remained silent.
Initially, Qi Chao thought the system was just busy, but after several consecutive days of no response, it started to seem suspicious.
After calling out to the system a few times without success, Qi Chao realized that there might be an issue on the system’s end.
Thinking it over, he clicked on the "Report Issue" button.
After a craftsman arrives in a dimensional world, they are guided by a system. The report service exists to protect the craftsman's rights; if they believe the system's actions harm their interests, they can choose to file a complaint.
Qi Chao had always known about this feature but had never used it.
Now, with the system out of contact, his only option to reach the central world was through this method. He filled in the message board with the time the system went missing and details of their last conversation, then sent it off.
【 Ding—Your message has been delivered. A staff member will respond within fifteen working days. Please be patient.】
Qi Chao glanced at the notification and didn’t pay it any further attention.
Before the system went missing, he had just sent it a data source, and it left saying that the host next door had some issues—which was nothing out of the ordinary.
Qi Chao couldn’t think of what might have gone wrong. He only hoped he was overthinking things.
Suppressing his worry, Qi Chao shifted into work mode and focused on creating his fifth puppet.
The inspiration for this puppet came to him while picnicking in Maple Forest with Brother Shen. Qi Chao didn’t plan to make this puppet have the height of a child or the height of a teenager like Li Bai or Xiang Yue.
Her character design was that of a free spirit—a fairy.
In this case, the most fitting form for the character would be a girl about 60 centimeters tall.
On Blue Star, most puppets are proportioned like humans.
For one, small-sized mother stones are rare, and most are roughly the size of a human heart.
Moreover, when the mother stone is too small, it becomes incredibly fragile and it is prone to cracking during the awakening process, leading to failure. Because of this, puppets the size of fairies are extremely uncommon on Blue Star.
Still, Qi Chao was determined not to abandon his plan.
Tomorrow, he will go to the mines, Qi Chao thought, adding the task to his mental agenda. He put on his gloves and began working on the clay model.
In fact, compared to puppets like Li Bai and Xiang Yue, Qi Chao was more skilled at creating small-sized puppets.
For the first decade of his career, those were the only kinds of puppets he made.
At his current pace, the household’s new fairy would be ready for awakening in at most three months.
No matter how many puppets he made, Qi Chao’s excitement for a new one never waned.
Sitting at his desk, he meticulously refined the puppet’s details with his carving knife. It wasn’t until his alarm rang at midnight that he stood up and returned to the living room.
At this moment, the puppets in the house were gathered around the light brain, their heads down, occasionally whispering something to each other.
From the serious expressions on their faces, it was clear they weren't playing around, but focused on something important.
The kids really love learning, Qi Chao thought to himself, feeling a bit proud. He had always believed the surprise they were preparing for him was the result of diligently studying knowledge on the light brain.
The light brain had robust filters against harmful information, so Qi Chao wasn’t worried about them learning anything bad.
He fully supported their behavior.
After giving them another glance, Qi Chao smiled, then turned around and headed to the kitchen to start making lunch.
In reality, things were not quite as Qi Chao imagined.
The five puppets sitting on the sofa, their serious expressions unchanged, were not looking at a learning interface on the light brain.
Instead, they were rewatching a recording of Qi Chao’s livestream from the previous night.
Since waking up in the morning, they had been replaying Qi Chao’s conversation with Xiu Mei from the previous night.
Two lines, in particular—"Of course, I’ll take care of my children" and "If they want to go out on their own, I won’t stop them"—had been replayed several times by the puppets, again and again.
"Ever since I heard Dad say that yesterday, I’ve been so happy," Li Bai said, swinging his legs on the sofa, his golden eyes gleaming with excitement.
Even with his mask on, his good mood was unmistakable, and his little tiger teeth made his smile even more noticeable. "Having the light brain is so convenient. Dad’s livestream is saved forever."
Li Bai was thrilled that his father had said he could always stay by his side. As for the part about leaving on his own, Li Bai knew deep down that would never happen.
He wanted to stay with his dad forever.
Compared to Li Bai’s constant chatter, the other puppets remained more quiet.
However, from their unblinking focus on the light brain screen, it was clear they all enjoyed the video just as much.
Xuan Jian and Shuang Jian had been abandoned by their first father. While Li Bai could feel pure joy from their current father’s promise, their feelings were more complex.
They still couldn’t forget the moment when their previous father sent them to the auction house. Being abandoned by their father was far more painful and crushing than being caged and mocked by humans.
But now, their father had said he would always stay with them.
Xuan Jian and Shuang Jian held hands as they quietly watched the light brain screen.
Outwardly, they appeared calm, but only the two puppets knew how empty and uncertain they felt inside. It was as though they were standing on clouds—light, soft, and without any sense of reality.
However, as they continued to replay the livestream, watching Qi Chao smiling and repeatedly making those promises, the feeling of uncertainty gradually transformed into a sense of security.
Dad wouldn’t lie to us, both Xuan Jian and Shuang Jian thought at the same time.
Beside them, Xiang Yue, hearing the murmurs, glanced over at them briefly before turning his attention back to the screen. His tail swayed gently behind him.
After reviewing the video one more time, Xiang Yue turned off the light brain and suddenly spoke. "We should act tonight. We can't delay our plan any longer."
The other puppets, who had been happily rewatching the video, all looked up at Xiang Yue.
"Tonight?" Lan Luo furrowed his brow. "Are we sticking to the original target?"
"Yes," Xiang Yue nodded. "Agu told me that tonight Moss has some free time. If we delay any longer, Dad might achieve his goal before we even finish our plan."
"I want to help Dad," Xiang Yue said, his red eyes sweeping over the other puppets with a serious and determined look.
None of the puppets present could say they didn’t want to help Dad—especially after seeing the comments mocking him in the live chat.
Even Li Bai, who had the most gentle temperament, had trouble controlling his sharp nails when he saw those comments.
As for Lan Luo, with his fiery temper, and Xuan Jian and Shuang Jian, who viewed Qi Chao as their savior, the anger ran even deeper.
"Alright," Lan Luo agreed, thinking about those comments. His smile grew wider, but his eyes held a cold glint. "Let's finish the plan as soon as possible. I don’t want those people mocking Dad anymore."
Dad was the best person in the world, yet such a good man was being ridiculed by those people in the comment section.
Just the thought of it made Lan Luo’s emotions surge uncontrollably.
The puppets agreed to carry out the plan that night. Although they hadn't explicitly said it, the five of them tacitly kept it a secret from Qi Chao.
When night fell and the villa grew quiet, instead of sleeping, they silently jumped out of the windows and met up with Moss, who was waiting for them outside.
Moss leaned against a large tree near the villa, cradling a stuffed doll in his arms. It seemed he had been waiting for a while.
His ability allowed him to only teleport to places he had previously been, and it just so happened that the puppets' target was in Ganfen District—a coincidence that made their plan possible.
When he saw them emerge from the villa, Moss turned around and opened a spatial vortex. In his hoarse voice, he warned, "Ganfen District is chaotic. Find your target and leave as soon as possible."
Moss’s thin lips, hidden under his bandages, pressed into a tight line.
A long time ago, he had agreed to help Xiang Yue with the plan, though he was a little surprised that the puppets were acting so quickly.
However, after Agu showed him that video, Moss understood their urgency.
"Got it," the five puppets nodded in agreement.
Ganfen District was the poorest area in the Blue Star Empire. The poverty had led to mountains of garbage piling up in the region, and the air was thick with the stench of decay and neglect.
Puppets were considered luxury toys in affluent districts, but Ganfen District also had its share of them.
However, unlike the pristine and beautiful high-grade puppets in wealthy areas, the ones in Ganfen were mostly abandoned puppets, scavenged from junkyards across the land.
Cheng Qi, an A-grade puppet, was one of them.
Cheng Qi lived in the sewers of Ganfen District, a dark and damp place where dirty water constantly dripped from the walls. His skin had long since been corroded by this filth.
Despite his circumstances, Cheng Qi owned a light brain, something he had purchased from the black market in Ganfen by selling salvaged goods.
He had managed to disguise himself well; to this day, the humans around him still hadn’t realized he was a puppet.
But today was different.
Sensing something amiss, Cheng Qi pulled his cloak tighter around himself and hurriedly made his way toward the sewers.
As an abandoned A-grade puppet, Cheng Qi was physically weaker than S-grade puppets. His movements were stiff, and his expressions were notably emotionless—one of the reasons his former wealthy owner had discarded him.
In the darkness, Cheng Qi could hear heavy breathing. Glancing back, he could make out the vague figure of someone holding a wooden stick.
Robberies in Ganfen District were common.
Cheng Qi's corroded face showed signs of panic as he quickened his pace. Behind him, the shifty-eyed man, sensing his prey's desperation, also sped up.
Cheng Qi, a puppet with a boyish figure, couldn't hide his frailty even under the cloak, which is why the man had targeted him in the first place.
Last time, Cheng Qi had managed to hide in a garbage bin and escape, but now, in this narrow alley, there was nowhere to hide—everything was in plain view.
He had no choice but to keep running.
However, no matter how fast he tried to flee, a weak puppet like him couldn’t outrun a strong, well-built man.
The moment the man grabbed his cloak, Cheng Qi stumbled, and the black fabric was yanked away.
"A puppet?" The man's face lit up with delight.
In Ganfen District, it wasn’t uncommon for puppets to disguise themselves as humans, trying to blend in. The man hadn't expected to come across one today, and this discovery thrilled him.
This was a stroke of good fortune.
Judging by the puppet’s build, it seemed to be of a decent grade. Despite its shabby appearance, selling a puppet like this would still earn him enough to buy some alcohol.
There were always shady dealers in Ganfen who would pay for abandoned puppets.
Cheng Qi stared at the man in terror, his instinct telling him to back away. But before he could react, the man swung his wooden stick hard. It struck Cheng Qi's head with a sickening thud, leaving a gaping hole.
The fate of puppets taken away by humans in Ganfen District was often tragic, something Cheng Qi had witnessed firsthand.
His breath came in quick gasps, and fear shimmered in his eyes.
"Still crying?" The man’s glee grew. The fact that the puppet was crying indicated it was of a higher grade than he had thought. The bosses would probably be even happier.
Before Cheng Qi could process this, the man suddenly collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
Startled by the thud, Cheng Qi flinched and instinctively looked up, only to see a few puppets standing before him.
"Hello! I’m Li Bai!" The white-haired puppet greeted him cheerfully, exuding warmth.
In the dark, narrow alley, his presence seemed to brighten the surroundings.
Cheng Qi, still teary-eyed, stared in disbelief at the puppets before him. Why were these lucky puppets standing in front of him?
Cheng Qi owned a light brain.
During his time in the sewers, he had relied on his light brain to get by, and just last night, he had happened upon the livestream.
Those puppets had laughed so joyfully.
Cheng Qi could sense that their laughter wasn’t a façade to please humans but came from the heart. Their father was willing to stay with them always and respected all their choices.
So wonderful.
Cheng Qi had never known such a father. In fact, on the very first day of his existence, he had been sent to a wealthy family. Compared to the glamorous lives of others, he felt like a rat hiding in the shadows, destined to rot in the foul, stinking sewers.
"You all..." Cheng Qi stammered, unsure of why these puppets were here. They shouldn't be in this place.
Li Bai stepped forward and extended his hand.
"I'm so glad you're okay! That guy was really terrible, hitting you like that!" He said, pulling Cheng Qi up with a cheerful grin, revealing his little tiger teeth. "We arrived just in time!"
Xiang Yue and the other puppets stood quietly behind Li Bai, watching as Cheng Qi gradually relaxed under Li Bai's voice. They knew Li Bai had excellent social skills.
In contrast to their own awkwardness, the seemingly guileless Li Bai was actually the best choice for negotiations.
“Dad wants to elevate the status of puppets,” Li Bai continued. “We want to help him, so we came to invite you to join us. Cheng Qi, you're amazing! You've managed to survive in Ganfen District for months all on your own, and you even bought a light brain!”
Li Bai didn’t hide their intentions; his tone was sincere as he spoke about Cheng Qi’s experiences, making it clear to anyone that these were his genuine feelings.
Moss glanced at Cheng Qi, understanding that this puppet was indeed their target.
The puppets in the trial arena had all been gathered by Chi Yao and Ayu, and typically, they wouldn’t consider someone like Cheng Qi, who seemed devoid of any aggression or hatred.
Moss couldn’t grasp why Xiang Yue and the others had chosen this particular puppet.
Cheng Qi, oblivious to Moss's confusion, listened to Li Bai’s words, his expression becoming somewhat dazed.
Elevating... the status of puppets?
Could their father really want to do such a thing for puppets?
The thought of the carefree man who had smiled in the livestream made Cheng Qi’s lips tremble.
Only those abandoned could understand that, in the eyes of humans, they were nothing more than insignificant toys.
Moreover, there wasn’t a single abandoned puppet who didn’t long to break free from that identity.
Whether what these puppets said was true or not remained uncertain, but one thing was undeniable: upon hearing this, Cheng Qi developed a positive impression of Qi Chao.
However, even surviving on his own was a struggle, let alone assisting these puppets.
Cheng Qi lowered his head, looking at Li Bai with hesitation. He didn’t think he was as capable as Li Bai described; he could only scavenge for garbage.
In the past, he might have rejected such an invitation due to his lack of self-confidence, but after being saved by these puppets, he found it hard to voice his refusal.
After a long silence, he finally spoke up about his doubts, “I can’t do anything. The money for my light brain was earned by collecting garbage. If you want me to join, I won’t be able to help at all.”
“We’ll teach you,” Xiang Yue suddenly interjected.
Teach me? Cheng Qi felt somewhat bewildered.
At that moment, Li Bai stepped in with his usual enthusiasm, and with his warm encouragement, Cheng Qi, who was easily swayed, found himself agreeing to join them without fully understanding the implications.
It wasn’t until he returned to the sewer that night that Cheng Qi began to regain his composure.
He realized, with a sense of confusion, that he still had no idea what the puppets really intended for him by inviting him to join their cause.
Xiang Yue's plan was actually quite simple. Their father wanted to become a master-level puppet maker to elevate the status of puppets, and Xiang Yue's strategy was to ensure that humans could no longer look down on them.
He believed that only by gaining human recognition could they assist their father in achieving his goals.
To accomplish this, they first needed enough puppets to support them, and choosing the right kind of puppets was crucial.
“The next target is in the Linjing District?” Lan Luo looked up at Xiang Yue.
“Mm.” Xiang Yue nodded, his canine ears twitching slightly as if he were deep in thought. “That puppet has a complicated background, so we need to investigate further.”
Xuan Jian and Shuang Jian quietly followed behind, exchanging glances at Xiang Yue but expressing no objections.
Li Bai, although feeling a bit tired, also didn’t oppose the plan. For the sake of their father’s goals, he was more than willing to stay up late.
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