Chapter 267

It was an expensive cruise to begin with, but as the Objects kept increasing, the Cruise Suite Room became even pricier.

On the balcony of that suite room, a man sat leisurely at a table with chairs, savoring coffee while enjoying the refreshing sea breeze.

The faint smile on his lips brought back hazy memories of once painful times.

“Just thought it was a painful journey for my younger sister… never imagined it would turn out like this.”

A life as a ‘Chooser,’ pushing his body to its limits in pursuit of his younger sister’s trail…

Now that hard work had paid off, transforming into a lavish trip with his younger sister.

Right now, the man stood at the starting point of a journey to see the entire world, fulfilling his younger sister’s wish.

What was supposed to be a lonely voyage turned lively and joyful with the resurrection of his younger sister.

The plush carpet in the cruise suite room.

The cozy sofa and large flat-screen TV.

The luxurious furniture made from teak wood.

The soft lighting illuminating everything.

If only the Purple Reaper hadn’t revived his younger sister, he wouldn’t have been able to enjoy all this properly.

Turning his head, he saw his younger sister and the Purple Reaper sitting at the dining table inside the cabin.

There she was—his younger sister, just as she appeared in those distant memories.

Her timeless presence felt so much like before that every time he closed his eyes, it seemed like this could all be a dream.

And there beside her was the Purple Reaper, wearing an eye patch over one eye.

The Purple Reaper who had sacrificed itself to protect the man was now significantly recovered.

Only one scar remained—a slight reddish hue around one eye, as if it were rusted.

Having noticed this, the Purple Reaper cheerfully fashioned an eye patch and wore it proudly.

His younger sister playfully poked at the soft cheeks of the Purple Reaper, teasing her.

Always fascinated by strange Objects, the younger sister took quite a liking to the Purple Reaper.

That’s why she often teased her.

With a mischievous grin, the younger sister handed the Purple Reaper a small espresso cup.

“Here, try this! Same coffee as what big brother’s drinking.”

Of course, for the Purple Reaper, the tiny espresso cup might as well have been huge.

Caught between mimicking the man’s actions and her natural aversion to bitter tastes, the Purple Reaper hesitated.

She cautiously stuck out her little tongue to taste the hot espresso.

Too bitter, apparently. With a sad expression, she stuck out her tongue again with a “Beee!”

Seeing this, the man got up, grabbed a sugar cube he didn’t particularly like, crunched it noisily, then offered some to the Purple Reaper.

Smiling brightly, she began nibbling on the sugar cube.

Watching her quietly, the man tousled his younger sister’s hair and said,

“Don’t torment her too much.”

In response, the younger sister muttered a slightly sulky “Okay…” before turning on the TV and sitting down in front of it.

[There are places beyond government control. Take, for example, the Free City Alliance here. The three cities forming this alliance are governed by their respective ruling families.]

[But beneath this freedom lies high crime rates and weak law enforcement. Beyond the reach of police, outside the boundaries of the law. What does life look like here?]

The documentary-style narration on TV showcased China’s famous Free City Alliance.

From bustling streets to dark alleys just around the corner.

People roaming freely under the bright, energetic night.

Indeed, given how advanced Object technology is in this city alliance, it presented a unique urban landscape.

“Free City Alliance?”

Muttering to herself while watching the screen, the younger sister’s eyes sparkled as she turned to the man excitedly.

“Big Brother! How about we make our next destination China?”

“No way,” replied the man, lightly tapping her head with his fist.

***

Mini Reaper Garden, Marshmallow Plains.

Plomp plomp.

Walking aimlessly across the marshmallows, I spotted plenty of Four-legged Golden Reapers.

Are they trendy these days?

Sometimes the Golden Reapers’ sense of style is baffling.

Compared to some of their other quirks, though, four-legged walking isn’t too bad.

Like when every washing machine in Sehee Research Institute was filled with wriggling Golden Reapers—that was hilarious.

The researchers’ shock upon seeing it was priceless.

Four-legged playtime…

I almost let it slide as another eccentricity of the Golden Reapers until something suddenly felt off.

A signal sent from my knowledge-filled yet wise brain.

“Hmm, even so, four-legged walking seems weird…”

Curiosity piqued, I closely examined the Four-legged Golden Reapers. Some immediately fled on all fours, shouting “Ack, run away!”

About 70% bolted while the remaining 30% didn’t notice me at all.

Lifting one of the lingering ones, I started inspecting it closely.

A chubby, sunshine-colored Golden Reaper with a potbelly.

As I stared, the powerful illusion dissolved, revealing its true form.

Its eyes had become buttons.

“!”

Another Yellow Reaper doll, huh?

Everyone’s four-legged movement was impressively skilled because of this secret.

I slowly unzipped the costume of the struggling Golden Reaper in my hand.

Inside emerged a cheerful Golden Reaper exclaiming “Oops, caught me!” with a wide grin.

Oh, it really was a Golden Reaper.

I thought it’d be a White Hungry Ghost inside, but turns out they were genuinely playing four-legged games.

Kinda disappointing.

While playing with the four-legged Golden Reaper, other Mini Reapers started clinging annoyingly.

Why don’t they just create Attached Humans instead of pestering me?

Observing them during my idle moments, I discovered something interesting.

Around 30% of Mini Reapers don’t have Attached Humans.

Strangely, this ratio remains consistent despite their explosive population growth.

Reminds me of how some ants do absolutely nothing but laze around.

“Such ant-like creatures!”

With renewed determination, I vigorously rubbed the belly of the Golden Reaper in my grasp.

Not understanding my intent, the Golden Reaper simply giggled happily, loving the skinship.

Oddly enough, none of the Orange Reapers have Attached Humans either.

They’re smart and kind, so why don’t they create Attached Humans?

Today’s curiosity runs deep.

***

Near Sehee Research Institute, a small studio apartment.

Plop plop.

The Pudding Reaper bounced around the small dining table.

Though still slightly scared that strange voices might return, none had sounded yet.

Listening intently toward the sky, faint whispers reached my ears.

“Mommy!”

“Delicious pudding!”

“Where’s the legendary pudding?”

Unlike the ominous red star voice, these were warm and comforting.

While waiting for my Attached Human to return, I listened to the sounds from above as the window slowly opened.

Creeeak.

The ominous creaking filled the air as a fluffy fur ball peeked through the window.

An orange face with playful eyes.

Definitely an ally from the Mini Reaper Garden.

Still, unease crept in, causing the Pudding Reaper to retreat cautiously.

The Orange Reaper approached with a large bucket, placing it with a thud on the table.

Then it began poking the Pudding Reaper, clearly asking for pudding.

Reluctantly tearing off a piece, the Pudding Reaper dropped it into the bucket.

The Orange Reaper continued staring silently, pressing for more.

This cruel exploitation went on until the bucket was full.

Hiiing.

Afraid of severe punishment akin to what the White Hungry Ghost inflicts, the Pudding Reaper obediently shared its pudding.

“This stays a secret from the Hungry Ghost Reaper.”

Leaving behind only this vow, the Orange Reaper departed.

***

The Orange Reaper flew sadly, surrounded by Cloud Fish, after being exposed for scamming the Golden Reapers.

The scheme involved passing off stolen pudding from the Pudding Reaper as “Legendary Pudding” to gain praise.

Since no Golden Reaper had tasted the treasured pudding of the Pudding Reaper, beloved by the Hungry Ghost Reaper, the plan seemed foolproof.

“Prophet sibling!”

“Oracle sibling!”

“Legendary pudding!”

Countless accolades rained down on the Orange Reaper.

Some Golden Reapers even built statues in his honor.

Behold, the statue of the Oracle Orange Reaper!

And the grand “Ice Palace for Adventurers Who Discovered the Legend” became his.

But the glory built on lies soon crumbled.

The cause? A terrifying-looking Hungry Ghost Reaper carrying the Pudding Reaper on its shoulder.

The Pudding Reaper betrayed the secret!

Once the truth came out, the giant statue shattered, and the majestic palace expelled him.

“A grudge formed by pudding must be resolved by pudding.”

Vowing revenge on the Pudding Reaper for breaking its promise, the Orange Reaper looked outward.

Unable to return to the research institute anytime soon, the Orange Reaper planned a journey.

Unlike many traveling Mini Reapers seeking Attached Humans, it merely wanted to explore far from Sehee Research Institute.

The destination: the bustling western continent.