Puppet Notes (Wearing Book) - 137

 

| PN | Hat | 137

In order not to disturb the host and the villain's sweet evening, the system hurried back to the Craftworks Headquarters in the central world during the day with its work report.

This place is the home base of all Craftworks systems. 

01 was the most inconspicuous little system among them.

[System 01, monthly work report submitted, craftwork rank has been updated. Congratulations, the host you are responsible for is currently ranked: 2/43781.]

Inside the silver spherical hall, the senior system's electronic voice was calm and indifferent.

[Did you hear that? Rank 2, that's amazing! I heard it's still a new system! To get such an impressive host on its first job, it's so lucky!]

01 stood at the counter of the senior system and could vaguely hear the praises and envious conversations of the colleagues around it. Even the system itself could hardly believe it.

The craftwork's rank is determined based on the progress of completed tasks. 

Qi Chao's task was to create a 3S-level puppet, but in reality, the host rarely cared about the puppet's level and didn't usually put in any deliberate effort toward that goal.

However, the result of being ranked second clearly indicated that if the host wanted to create a 3S-level puppet, he could do so immediately.

The system was somewhat stunned.

Although its host was diligent and talented, they always made time to accompany the demon puppet every day. Now, they were frequently stuck to the villain in a sticky and affectionate manner. 

Even under these circumstances, the host's ranking was still so high?!

However, the host was exceptional to begin with.

Thinking this way, the system no longer found it strange. It surrounded itself with white light, sat down on the large fan in the hall, and prepared to head home the next day.

Every system had its own fan in the hall. However, most systems were responsible for managing two hosts at the same time and were extremely busy, rarely returning. The hall was mostly empty, with only a few systems resting.

Compared to the other busy systems, 01 felt like a failure.

Feeling both sad and guilty, it wrapped itself tighter in its white light cloak, ready to rest for a while. But just as it closed its eyes, the silver spherical hall suddenly started to shake violently. 

The sharp sound of alarms blared, and red warning lights flashed continuously, making the situation seem increasingly urgent.

[Warning, warning! Craftsman’s #346 has escaped. Warning, Craftsman’s #346 has escaped. System 01 responsible for this Craftsman, please proceed to the command station for immediate containment!]

Craftsman #346.

A twisted individual who had crossed the boundaries of species—a lunatic who had fallen in love with a system.

The system was stunned.

What?! That crybaby host actually managed to break out of the electronic prison? Wasn't the Craftwork Headquarters' prison system supposed to be the most secure in the entire central world?

The piercing alarm echoed sharply, and 01 quickly ran over to the command station.

Numerous large screens crackled with blue-purple electric sparks, and the smell of burnt circuits filled the air. Standing before the screens was Senior System A1, responsible for guiding new systems, and in front of A1 were the Director and Deputy Director of the Craftwork Headquarters.

"Is this 01?" 

The middle-aged Director's face was stern as he fixed his gaze directly on the system, his expression somewhat peculiar.

Given that systems without specially purchased bodies all appeared as uniform white spheres of light, it was baffling to the Director that Craftsmen #346 could have fallen in love with 01 under such circumstances.

"Y-Yes... that's me."

It was the first time 01 had ever faced such high-ranking officials. Its usually steady electronic voice stuttered nervously.

The Director nodded and then turned to the team leader, A1. "A1, take 01 to calm down Craftsmen #346. From what we can see, only 01 seems capable of controlling him."

He then turned his gaze back to 01. Even though he was trying to sound reassuring, the forcefulness in his tone was unmistakable: "Don't be afraid. Craftsmen #346 won't hurt you, and we will assign people to protect you as well. Your task is to make sure he stops causing any more damage."

System 01, being rather useless on its own, was used to dealing with hosts like Qi Chao, who had a very kind temperament. This was its first time receiving orders from top-level leadership, and all it could do was nod repeatedly in response.

When Senior System A1 called its name, 01 felt as though it had finally found its backbone and quickly followed behind.

Only the Director and Deputy Director remained at the command station.

"Is Qi Chao the host of System 01?" asked the Director.

"Yes, that's correct," the Deputy Director replied in agreement.

The Director looked somewhat troubled, not because of Qi Chao himself, but because the world in which Qi Chao resided was too problematic. His staff members were all administrative personnel, and even if they were sent on field assignments, they would be of little help in such a world.

It was baffling that the central world's main intelligence system had classified someone like Qi Chao as a craftsman and had even assigned him to their department.

"Craftsman #346 is also connected to Qi Chao, isn't he?" asked the Director, feeling an even greater headache forming. Ever since they'd accepted Qi Chao, the number of strange cases in their department had been on the rise.

"Yes, Director," the Deputy Director replied gravely.

"According to the data, before Mr. Qi Chao entered the Headquarters, the dimension he was in was considered a high-risk world. Craftsman #346 was actually Qi Chao's younger brother in that world."

"Brothers, huh?" The Director pulled out an oxygen inhaler from his pocket, taking a few breaths to steady himself, his expression growing even more pained. "If I had known that bringing Qi Chao in would be such a hassle, I wouldn't have agreed to it no matter what."

Thinking about it, he couldn't help but pity Qi Chao, wondering what kind of bad luck he must have had to draw such a terrible lot in life. 

In his last life, he was already in a high-risk dimension, and in this life, the world's danger level had somehow risen even higher!

Of course, the real misfortune fell upon their department. Ever since they took over Qi Chao, not only had they had to deal with intense scrutiny from above, but they were also forced to take on Craftsman#346 and endure this kind of terrifying individual.

The Deputy Director, hearing this, looked equally regretful.

"It's too late to say anything now," the Director said, wiping his face in frustration as he laid out the plan: "Send 01 to calm down Craftsman #346. As for Qi Chao, let an AI temporarily take 01's place."

"The puppet dimension that Qi Chao is currently in is bound to collapse and dissipate sooner or later."

"Even if the world lines are currently in disarray, the will of the dimension won't allow such changes to persist. As soon as the dimension collapses, immediately coordinate with the Space-Time Administration for a response."

"Understood," 

The Deputy Director acknowledged the command and then turned to handle matters on Qi Chao's end.

Qi Chao was indeed a talented craftsman. 

The Director looked at the screens filled with electrical sparks and sighed. If Qi Chao's location had been in a more peaceful dimension, they could have easily considered him as one of their own. 

But the fact was, Qi Chao currently resided in one of the top three most dangerous dimensions in the entire galaxy. The established world lines there were nearly impossible to alter.

Under these circumstances, simply contacting the administration to ensure Qi Chao's survival was already going above and beyond for them.

The next morning, when Qi Chao woke up, he received a message from the Headquarters.

"Dear Craftsman, your system, 01, has been dispatched on a business trip. For the time being, it will be replaced by an AI to carry out its tasks. We hope for your understanding."

Hearing the message in his ear, Qi Chao was taken aback. Last night, the system had still been telling him that it would return today. He hadn't expected it to be suddenly sent away on a business trip overnight.

It seemed like it might be gone for a long time.

Just as he was pondering this, he felt a cool fingertip resting on his waist. 

Qi Chao paused, then turned his head to see Brother Shen with his eyes closed. The man's eyelashes were long, his breathing shallow, and his brow was slightly furrowed, as if something was making him uncomfortable.

Qi Chao’s gaze shifted downward, and when he noticed the faint red marks scattered across Brother Shen's fair collarbone, his ears turned red for a moment. Instinctively, he reached out to pull the blanket up to cover Brother Shen more fully, tucking his cool fingers back under the covers.

Even though the room was still fairly cool, after doing all this, Qi Chao felt inexplicably warm. He brushed his hair back from his forehead, got up, and opened the window to let in some fresh air.

The movement seemed to make a bit of noise, causing Shen Yuxi's eyelashes to tremble slightly. He slowly opened his eyes, his soft, beautiful peach-blossom eyes still clouded with the haze of sleep. 

His gaze held a touch of trust and relaxation that he wasn't even aware of, and he unconsciously shifted his body closer to the source of warmth.

"It's alright, go back to sleep."

Qi Chao paused in his movements, and before he could think it through, his body leaned forward instinctively. Just like the night before, he affectionately kissed the corner of Shen Yuxi’s eye, his voice soft and comforting, "It's still early."

Having just woken up, Qi Chao’s voice was a little hoarse, carrying a unique blend of deep, gentle, and sensual tone.

Brother Shen was a light sleeper.

After opening his eyes, Shen Yuxi usually found it hard to fall back asleep. Qi Chao was just wondering how to coax him into resting again when he noticed that Brother Shen’s breathing gradually became steady, indicating that his earlier words had indeed had an effect.

His boyfriend was so well-behaved.

Thinking about Shen Yuxi's response just now, Qi Chao’s heart softened even more. He couldn’t resist giving a light kiss to Shen Yuxi's forehead, his movements becoming even more careful as he got up.

It was now seven in the morning, and Qi Chao didn’t feel like going back to sleep. He decided to go downstairs and make breakfast for his beloved boyfriend and the kids in their household.

Qi Chao had expected to be the first one awake, but to his surprise, when he went downstairs, he saw Moss and Ayu sitting on the sofa.

"You two are up so early?" Qi Chao asked, a little surprised.

Moss tightened his grip on the stuffed doll in his arms and nodded.

In reality, they had just returned from the trial grounds.

Their father had once mentioned that he wanted to make sure those in the trial grounds behaved themselves, and they indeed had been quite obedient lately.

However, there was a small incident this morning.

In order to avoid alerting Qi Chao to anything unusual, Moss and Ayu had quickly resolved the issue and rushed back home. Moss now regretted setting the vortex entrance point in the living room. 

If he had known he might run into Qi Chao, he would have chosen to appear directly in a room instead.

"Ayu, you..."

When Qi Chao suddenly spoke, both Moss and Ayu stiffened slightly, their backs tensing with nervousness. Just as Ayu calmed herself and looked up at Qi Chao, she heard him say, "What happened to your hat? It’s torn."

A look of confusion crossed Ayu’s usually cool face. She reached up to take off her sailor hat and finally noticed the visible tear on the top of the white hat.

Gently running her fingers over the tear, she quickly deduced the cause of the damage.

"It must have been scratched by a tree branch," Ayu said, her lips pressing together slightly, a hint of displeasure showing on her face. She put the hat back on her head, pulling the brim down to cover her eyes.

It was indeed a branch that had caused the tear. However, it wasn't an ordinary branch; it was one that had been scratched by those bizarre individuals controlling it. The little trouble they had gone to the trial grounds to handle had also been caused by those humans murmuring about some sort of plot.

Her father’s gift to her had been damaged.

Ayu’s lips pressed tighter together, revealing her displeasure. Had she known her hat would get torn, she wouldn’t have held back in the trial grounds. 

A shadow of resentment began to rise in her eyes, and she unconsciously placed her hand on the whip at her waist.

The next moment, the dark shadow around her suddenly brightened, and the dimness gave way to the brightness of day.

Ayu paused and looked up at Qi Chao, who was holding her hat, her expression filled with confusion.

"Don’t be sad, Ayu," Qi Chao said, bending down to meet her gaze. He gently placed the hat back on her head. "If you still want this hat, your dad can fix it for you. If you don’t want it anymore, we can just buy a few more. There's no need to be upset."

Although he hadn’t spent much time with Ayu, he understood her quite well. When her emotions were in flux, she liked to hide her eyes under the brim of her hat, as if retreating into her own world to calm herself down.

Brother Shen’s puppets were always so adorable. Qi Chao felt a smile creeping up but held it back. He patted Moss on the shoulder and said, “You can ask your brother; Dad is really good at sewing.”

Ayu raised her hand to cover her hat and, still a bit dazed, followed Qi Chao’s gaze to look down at her older brother.

“Dad is amazing,” Moss said, nodding after taking in the entire situation.

Ayu respected her older brother deeply. She bit her lip, hesitantly removed her hat, and held it in front of her. She wanted her hat to return to its original state.

However, lacking information, she wasn’t sure if she would be causing trouble for Qi Chao. In a moment of indecision, Ayu handed the hat to Qi Chao and looked up at him, saying, “Thank you… Dad.”

It was the first time Ayu had called Qi Chao "Dad."

“It’s nothing,” Qi Chao replied with a light chuckle upon hearing that. He took the hat and gently patted Ayu’s head. “You can go play with your brother for now; everything will be fine soon.”

Ayu and Moss nodded but didn't obediently go off to play. Instead, they stood behind Qi Chao, watching him meticulously repair the cracks in the hat with needle and thread.

Due to the difference in materials, the patched navy hat had a slight color variation. To make it more appealing, Qi Chao followed the shape of the tear and embroidered a few small stars along the seam with silver thread, creating a beautiful and natural look. 

If he presented it to someone outside, they would surely think that the designer had intended it that way from the very beginning.

Ayu adored the stars. After a brief pause, she looked up at Qi Chao, biting her lip as she asked, “Did dad know I liked stars from the beginning?”

In the trial grounds, Ayu's favorite thing was the night sky every evening.

Qi Chao didn’t deny it; he smiled and replied, “I heard Brother Shen mention it yesterday.”

Although Brother Shen was gentle, he treated the children at home like a strict father. He wouldn’t actively show affection or often praise them in front of them, which made him seem a bit distant. 

However, Qi Chao knew that Brother Shen liked them. Even if he didn’t say it out loud, he was very aware of their personalities and preferences.

Did father really know that she liked stars?

Ayu's cool expression was tinged with confusion, or perhaps disbelief. She glanced down at the hat and then looked up at Qi Chao, wanting to say something. 

But before she could voice her question, it was as if she already knew the answer. Trembling fingers reached up to place the hat back on her head.

Her father knew she liked stars. 

Dad had embroidered them onto the hat after learning this.

Everything felt so logical yet so surreal. However, her abilities quietly assured her that all of this was real. Ayu felt a bit dazed, instinctively pulling the brim of her hat down to cover her eyes, hiding her excitement.

Watching this scene, Qi Chao couldn’t help but smile. He thought Ayu resembled Brother Shen, especially when she was shy.

His boyfriend and the children at home were all so adorable and well-behaved, making him worry about them being bullied outside.

Meanwhile, the trial-goers, who had just been soundly beaten by Qi Chao's kids, struggled to get up while clutching onto tree trunks in a disheveled manner.

"Did we just encounter the White-Haired Witch?" 

The White-Haired Witch, an S-class female puppet crafted by the villain in the story, exuded an air of aloofness and charm, but her heart was as dark as it could be. 

In the end, she sacrificed herself for the villain's grand scheme, living her life solely for her father's desires.

Zhang Li was battered all over, his body marked with whip wounds that left him unable to move. His companions fared even worse; one was still unconscious beside him. 

They had merely aimed to disassemble the grotesque puppets using their abilities to uncover the mysterious shadows lurking within her. But that White-Haired Witch had emerged without warning, wielding her whip and mercilessly attacking them.

The witch woman's abilities weren’t supposed to be attack-based.

Yet her power was so overwhelming that it felt as if she possessed two different abilities. Zhang Li’s heart filled with increasing dread as he numbly pondered whether they could really escape from those demons amid the changes in the world line.

[Let’s go find Qiao Sheng.]

Lying on the ground, Li Ge wrote this with his finger. Zhang Li looked at his fellow book traveler, the leader, and after a few seconds of silence, nodded firmly. 

Since their abilities were no match for those puppets , they had no choice but to collaborate with the protagonists. 

He couldn’t believe that knowing the plot, with the Marshal’s strength and the combination of their skills, they couldn’t at least find a way to survive—even if it meant facing a trap set by Qiao Sheng.

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