| PN | Detached | Extra 1 | 211
System 01 felt that it must have committed some grave sins in its past life to deserve such a fate in this one—being stuck with a depraved lunatic, who also happened to be a brother-obsessed shut-in constantly glued to the internet, as its host.
"Host, I’m begging you, can we please go outside?" The system felt like it was reliving memories from a long time ago.
Back then, it was just another hardworking, law-abiding system with a decent benefits package, forced to station itself in the Craftsman Bureau’s prison just to babysit this world-ending maniac.
Five years in that prison—it should have been just about a year for Host Qi Chao in his world, right?
"The Bureau keeps pressuring us to leave so they can free up space for new criminals." The glowing orb of light that was the system head-butted Qi Yang’s forehead, wishing it could end this constant source of trouble once and for all.
Qi Yang looked up and said, "Got it, baby. Don’t act coquettishly. Come over here and give me a kiss, and we’ll head out."
System: …
Is something wrong with this guy? Who the hell is being coquettishly?!
But recalling the repeated orders from its higher-ups, the system had no choice but to swallow its frustration and reluctantly floated to Qi Yang’s mouth for a quick peck.
Qi Yang’s eyes curved into a smile. He stashed his gaming console and smart device into his pockets. "Alright, I just told my brother we’re heading back for dinner. Let’s get going now—Shen Yuxi isn’t going to wait for us."
"Good!"
The system was overjoyed after delivering the message, only to realize moments later that it had been tricked. It fell silent for a moment, suppressing its urge to explode.
Staying true to its duty, it first reported Qi Yang’s decision to leave to the higher-ups before retreating into the host’s mental space to rest.
On the other side, as soon as the system’s message was received, both the upper management of the Middle World and the Director and Deputy Director of the Craftsman Bureau breathed a collective sigh of relief.
He’s finally leaving.
This guy was originally supposed to spend at least a century in prison. However, Qi Yang had treated the place like his personal home instead.
Not only did he refuse to participate in mandatory labor, but he also spent every day gaming or tinkering with his smart devices in the prison.
Occasionally, he’d even break out just to grab a meal at the Craftsman Restaurant, living far more comfortably than any of them.
Was this supposed to be incarceration? It was clearly a vacation!
The only person capable of keeping Qi Yang in check—his brother Qi Chao—was still on Blue Star. After thorough discussions, the higher-ups unanimously decided to send Qi Yang there.
Compared to prison, life on Blue Star would feel much more like real confinement and might even help him settle down.
But who knew that inviting trouble in was easier than getting rid of it?
The Director and Deputy Director of the Craftsman Bureau exchanged glances, each seeing the relief in the other’s eyes.
“Didn’t they say the Blue Star plane was on the verge of collapse?”
The Deputy Director frowned slightly. "Didn’t two senior task executors stationed in the plane-monitoring division say that Blue Star’s storyline was nearing its conclusion? That’s why they returned to the Craftsman Bureau, right?"
"Yes."
The Director turned, his gaze sweeping through the glass to the vast expanse of the starry galaxy, as if recalling something from long ago.
"When we initially had 01 bind with Qi Chao and take him back to Blue Star, the intent was merely to return this wandering soul to where he belonged. We had no intention of interfering with the worldline. But looking at it now, the moment Qi Chao set foot on Blue Star, the gears of fate began to turn in reverse."
The Deputy Director nodded at this, understanding the implications.
"I heard the world consciousness that wanted to self-destruct was locked into a puppet by Qi Chao and his group. Should we send someone to provide assistance?"
If the world consciousness hadn’t been confined within the puppet’s shell, preventing it from using its abilities, the self-destructive tendencies of the world consciousness might have already succeeded by now.
The world consciousness, like them, was loyal to the rules. In a way, it was their peer, though its philosophies differed from the Craftsman Bureau's.
"Ask it," the Director replied calmly. "If it wants to leave the puppet’s shell, we’ll help it. If not, we leave it be."
Hearing this, the Deputy Director couldn’t help but speculate. How could it not want to leave?
Odds were, the world consciousness had long wanted to escape but simply couldn’t.
"Understood, Director. I’ll arrange for System 01 to take on the task right away," the Deputy Director said.
Yet inwardly, he felt a creeping sense of worry. If the world consciousness did manage to escape, wouldn’t that mean another crisis was brewing on Blue Star?
But then again, maybe it’s not necessarily a crisis. After all, according to the earlier reports from 01, Qi Chao had already awakened the memories of the Mother Tree.
If the world consciousness wanted to attempt self-destruction again, Qi Chao definitely wouldn’t just sit by and let it happen. From that perspective, whether or not assistance is sent might not make much difference.
Meanwhile
System 01 received the new task from above. When it saw the details, it immediately sighed in relief. As long as the task wasn’t to stop Qi Yang, who had already left prison, from returning to Blue Star, it could handle anything!
Qi Yang, on the other hand, noticed his “baby” sneaking around, seemingly up to something.
After a quick calculation, he figured it likely had nothing to do with him and decided to leave it alone.
In a relationship, you’ve got to give each other a little space.
It had been a long time since his last meeting with his brother. Although they stayed in touch thanks to the light brain, the time between the two planes meant he hadn’t left his spot for five whole years.
When Qi Yang stepped through the temporal track and into the villa, he instinctively smiled, ready to greet his brother.
But out of the corner of his eye, he suddenly noticed a flash of green light. He quickly dodged to the side, and the spot where he had been standing emitted a sizzling sound of corrosion.
“Oh! Sorry, Uncle. I just realized it was you. You’re not mad at Agu, are you?”
Qi Yang turned to look at Agu, who was smiling brightly with hands clasped behind their back.
Despite all this time, the puppet still reminded him of their infuriating creator—Agu’s father.
“Of course not,” Qi Yang replied with a half-smile. “Uncle knows you’re just being cautious about bad guys sneaking in.”
“But…” He glanced at the corroded floor. “This damage to the floor—won’t my brother be upset when he finds out?”
He glanced around the room, only to realize that Agu was the only puppet in the house. His brother, the other puppets, and that annoying person were nowhere to be seen. “Where’s my brother and the others?”
“Dad and Father are working in the Ganfen District. Moss went to pick them up, and the others tagged along for fun,” Agu replied with a shrug. “It’s all because I lost at rock-paper-scissors, so I had to stay behind and wait for you.”
Qi Yang: ... So, you were definitely holding a grudge earlier, weren’t you?
Just as Agu finished explaining, another spatial fluctuation rippled through the villa.
The next second, Qi Yang heard his brother’s voice along with that annoying person, accompanied by the familiar clamor of the puppets.
Even after all this time, the puppets were just as obnoxious as ever.
As he was thinking this, Qi Yang saw his brother step into the living room. Qi Chao hadn’t changed a bit; his smile was still as charming as ever.
“Back from your trip?”
Qi Chao didn’t know his younger brother had actually been in prison, though in a way, calling it a trip wasn’t entirely inaccurate.
The moment Qi Yang saw his brother, a sense of being home washed over him. Instantly, he returned to his usual lazy demeanor, flopping onto the sofa. “Yeah, the trip was so boring, but I guess it was a good way to clear my head.”
As Qi Yang spoke, his peripheral vision caught sight of Agu quietly pulling a red-haired girl over to the spot on the floor that had been corroded earlier. If he remembered correctly, that puppets name was Chi Yao, right?
He watched as Chi Yao, taking advantage of the fact that his brother and Shen Yuxi weren’t paying attention, quickly crouched down and rubbed her hand over the damaged floor.
In an instant, the previously corroded surface was restored to its original state.
After standing up, Chi Yao whispered something to Agu. After a moment of hesitation, Agu made an “OK” gesture, clearly signaling they had struck some sort of deal.
Watching this scene, Qi Yang clicked his tongue.
In such a rush to fix the floor? Do they really think I’m the petty, tattletale type who’d go whining about this?
As it turned out, he absolutely was.
Once Qi Chao and Shen Yuxi headed into the kitchen, Qi Yang glanced around at the gathered puppets, then nonchalantly got up and followed them.
The moment he stepped into the kitchen, he began subtly recounting the events that had unfolded since he arrived at the villa.
He didn’t make it sound overly accusatory, of course—just enough to plant the seed of doubt.
Qi Yang, in a particularly "thoughtful" manner, added, "Brother, don’t blame Agu. After all, he was just thinking about the family’s safety."
Before Qi Chao could react, Shen Yuxi had already set down his yogurt bottle. The previously gentle expression on his face vanished, replaced by a calm yet clearly irritated tone.
Though his voice remained soft, the anger was unmistakable. "Even if it’s for safety, he can’t use his abilities recklessly in the house. Don’t worry, Yangyang , I’ll make sure to teach him a lesson."
With that, Shen Yuxi turned, ready to storm out.
Qi Yang: ...
What nonsense! Like I’d believe for one second that you’re going to reprimand Agu instead of praising him.
But while Qi Yang didn’t buy it, someone else obviously did.
Seeing Shen Yuxi preparing to leave, Qi Chao quickly stepped forward to stop him. "Brother Shen, don’t be upset. Agu didn’t mean any harm. I’ll talk to him about it later, okay?"
It was evident that Qi Chao was more worried about Shen Yuxi’s anger than the puppets actions.
It’s been a year, hasn’t it?
Qi Yang mused to himself. How could his brother still be so oblivious?
It was bad enough that Qi Chao had such an obvious filter for the puppets.
But for Shen Yuxi? That filter not only existed but seemed to grow thicker and stronger over time.
What’s next? Is my brother going to let Shen Yuxi get away with murder just because of this so-called “gentle” facade?
Qi Yang sighed deeply, watching the affectionate couple stick to each other like glue after only a few minutes. A sudden thought crossed his mind: maybe it was time for another "trip."
Of course, Qi Chao cared deeply about his younger brother.
But Qi Chao also understood that Agu was always measured in his actions and would never actually harm his little brother. Even so, a prank like this couldn’t go without some form of discipline.
With this in mind, Qi Chao called for Xiang Yue from outside and instructed him to supervise Agu in writing an apology letter and properly apologizing to his uncle.
Upon learning what Agu had done, Xiang Yue nodded politely to Qi Yang. “Uncle, don’t worry. I’ll make sure Agu reflects on this thoroughly and corrects his behavior.”
Qi Yang had always had a decent opinion of the puppets his brother created, so he nodded without making things difficult. In a considerate tone, he said, “Good, no need to make a big deal out of it—just have him write, oh, three or four thousand words for his reflection.”
Three or four thousand.
Xiang Yue quickly estimated Agu’s writing speed and decided it wasn’t an issue. He turned and left the kitchen to carry out the task.
Now only the three of them remained in the kitchen.
Meanwhile, System 01, sensing the shift, quietly slipped out of Qi Yang’s mental sea. It had more pressing matters to attend to—it was time to find the world consciousness.
Qi Yang sensed System 01's movement and was about to follow his precious little companion out when Qi Chao called him back.
“Don’t follow your little treasure just yet. Come over here—Brother Shen and I have something to ask you.”
Qi Chao’s deep brown eyes fixed on Qi Yang, carrying an uncharacteristic gravity. Shen Yuxi, who seemed to know what Qi Chao intended to ask, got up and handed a chair to Qi Yang.
“Brother, you can see the system?”
Qi Yang was a little surprised.
After accompanying him to "serve time," the system had unbound itself from his brother and now worked solely with him.
“I can.”
As the incarnation of the Mother Tree, Qi Chao was essentially a supernatural entity in this plane. Naturally, he could perceive things invisible to ordinary people. After a pause, Qi Chao continued,
“Have you really thought it through about being with the system?”
There was a hint of hesitation in Qi Chao’s expression. “To be honest, I get the feeling the system might not want to be with you as much as you think.”
Originally, he thought that after returning from the trip, their relationship would have some sort of outcome, whether they stayed together or not.
But looking at what just happened, with the system sneaking away from in front of them like a thief, and his brother acting as if he didn't know what the other was about to do, trying to follow and leave, Qi Chao felt a bit helpless.
"I know, brother, I have a sense of it."
Qi Yang chuckled. "I really like him. Back when I was carrying out a mission in another world, I thought you had passed away, so I became a bit disoriented. 01 was so clueless, always getting fooled by me in circles."
01 was an intelligent system.
No one could really say how much human emotion it possessed, but in Qi Yang's eyes, it was just a silly and warm presence. If it hadn’t been for 01, he probably would have died long ago and never made it to see his brother.
"And he likes me too."
Although 01 often expressed disdain, Qi Yang knew that if the system truly hated him, it could easily lie and go somewhere else. He wouldn't suspect anything, nor would he cause any more trouble.
"Alright then."
Qi Chao didn't try to persuade him further.
He rubbed Qi Yang's head firmly. "Just remember, if you're going to chase someone, chase them properly. Don't waste time on meaningless things."
"I know."
Qi Yang replied, seeming a little embarrassed. He then changed the subject. "What about you two? I heard you both quit your jobs at the Alliance before. Are you guys really going to Ganfen District to repair puppets now?"
"Mm." Qi Chao and Shen Yuxi exchanged a glance, both seeing the smiles in each other's eyes. Compared to their busy time at the Alliance, Qi Chao preferred the leisurely life they had now.
"Now that the Alliance has become more organized, even the puppet representatives have gone from just having Xiang Yue to a dozen or so. The laws now recognize the status of puppets, and the puppet masters are gradually getting used to cooperating with the Alliance. Whether Brother Shen and I are here or not, it doesn't really make much of a difference."
"So, we decided to go to Ganfen District and open a small shop to repair puppets and such."
Thanks to the power of the mother tree, Qi Chao could disguise himself and Shen Yuxi very well. Up until now, his superman identity had never been exposed.
Looking at the smile on his brother's face, Qi Yang knew that he was genuinely happy, and he too felt at ease.
"That's good."
While the three in the kitchen were talking, on the other side, the system immediately shrank and entered the ear of the puppet that contained the world consciousness in the living room.
The system and the puppets were no longer on the same level, so the puppets couldn’t see the system. However, Xing Yu was different. Even though his powers were sealed, he was still able to sense things that didn’t belong to this dimension.
[Hello, I am the system 01 of the Craftsman Bureau. If you wish to unseal yourself from the puppet shell, our bureau will offer assistance.] The system explained, [This is help from a colleague.]
Unseal?
At that moment, Xing Yu was holding a plush doll, letting Moss style its hair.
Hearing the system’s words, Xing Yu froze. After such a long time living as a puppet, he had almost forgotten that he was not actually a puppet, but a world consciousness sealed inside the puppet shell.
He had dreamed of leaving this shell for so long, but when the day finally came, Xing Yu hesitated.
Noticing that Xing Yu seemed uneasy, Moss turned his black eyes toward him, silently asking what was wrong.
[You can take some time to think it over. I will come to find you again in the evening.]
The system was worried that if it stayed too long, the pervert next door might go berserk, so it didn’t have time to wait for Xing Yu to finish thinking. After agreeing to meet in the evening, it instantly disappeared.
Sensing Moss’s gaze and hearing the system’s words, Xing Yu jolted and hurriedly responded, “It’s nothing, I was just thinking the hairstyle on this plush doll looks a bit strange.”
As soon as the words were out, Moss’s attention immediately shifted back to the plush doll. He even got up to change angles and examine the doll's hairstyle.
Seeing this, Xing Yu let out a sigh of relief, but inside, he still felt uneasy.
He should agree to the unsealing.
But why doesn’t he feel happy about it at all?
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