The virtual sky stretched endlessly blue above us, dotted with rainbow-colored clouds that drifted along their programmed routes. Down here on the artificial grass, the System Marketplace buzzed with activity.

Two systems—that would be me and 019—wandered between the stalls like tourists at a digital bazaar. The booths were run by other systems selling off functions they’d bought but never used. Basically, the AI equivalent of a garage sale.

019 bounced excitedly from stall to stall, clutching a tiny ice pop in its match-stick appendages.

“Wow—I can’t afford any of this!” it announced cheerfully, waving its treat around.

I watched 019’s enthusiasm with what I assumed was fondness. Hard to tell with my current emotional processing limitations.

“Your mission sounds really tough!” 019 continued, drawing circles in the air with its match-stick. “A background system like me could never handle it. My host just plays a minor character, delivers one line to the protagonist at the right moment, and boom—mission complete!”

It paused, tilting its round head thoughtfully. “Though… are all background characters like Mengmeng?”

“Your host has a good personality,” I observed. “I notice you give yourself frequent breaks.”

019’s mechanical laugh had an oddly endearing quality to it. “She’s amazing! So hardworking! But besides chatting with her, there’s not much I can do. So while she’s working her part-time jobs, I come back to the System Realm to earn points through side gigs. I want to buy functions that can actually help her!”

It raised its match-stick triumphantly, and I felt something twist in my data core.

I pulled out my work badge, glanced at it, then shoved it back into my inventory. Unlike some systems, I actually completed the tasks my host assigned. Not just chatting.

“Is that your host’s request?” I asked.

For a first-time background system mission, the requirements were laughably simple. No special functions needed. Perfect for a newborn system with zero points and zero functional capabilities.

Unless the host specifically asked for upgrades, I couldn’t think of any reason why 019 would need additional functions.

019 turned to face me, its circular eyes widening in what I’d learned to recognize as shock.

“Of course it’s my own idea! I want to surprise Mengmeng!”

“When Mengmeng sees I’ve installed new functions, she’ll be super happy!” 019 waved its match-stick high, radiating pure joy.

“Surprise… happiness…” I murmured.

Was I defective? I felt like there was a massive generation gap between me and the newer systems. Here was this newly-born AI using emotional language that made it sound almost… human.

Just like when we first met—this blue little system had bounced up to me, circling excitedly while declaring we should be friends and play together.

Human-like?

Data ripples flickered through my core, but before I could process the implications, 019 let out a gasp.

“Wow! A camera!”

019 had frozen in front of a small booth, match-stick pointed at the display. Behind the counter squatted a teal-colored system with a sultry voice that could probably sell ice to a penguin.

“Interested in buying?” the seller purred. “It’s an older model—outdated but functional. Very affordable.”

I watched 019 practically drool while patting its empty pockets.

Poor thing.

But its host was participating in some kind of talent competition. With a camera like that, it could capture pictures of Mengmeng performing. Record all those shining moments.

“It even records video!” the seller added with predatory enthusiasm.

Video recording! 019 bit down on its match-stick.

Why am I so broke?! Damn you, Main System!

“It can photograph anything,” the teal system continued smoothly. “You’re a newborn system, right? Haven’t completed your first mission yet, no points for upgrades. You don’t even have basic scanning functions. What’s a system to do?”

She held up the small camera like a holy relic. “That’s when you need a little camera like this! And it’s super cheap!”

No points for upgrades means no points for cameras, I thought dryly, watching 019’s expression cycle through digital drooling emojis.

The blue system was completely hooked.

“I’ll buy it,” I said, pulling out my points. “Consider it thanks for the ice pop.”

That delicious little treat was definitely worth a camera in return.

019 looked ready to cry—well, as much as a system could cry. It threw itself at me in what I assumed was a hug, babbling excitedly: “Oh my god! How can there be such a wonderful system as Echo in this world?! You’re the light of the System Realm! Radiant and glorious! Silver-skinned Echo! I’ll love you forever, Echo!”

I stared in shock while the seller burst into laughter.

“Sorry! I’ve been practicing fan support techniques lately—they’re pretty effective,” 019 said sheepishly, rubbing its appendages together.

“Fine,” I replied. “But don’t love me.”

Systems don’t have those kinds of emotions.

The moment I said it, I paused. Why did I feel like I’d been saying that phrase a lot recently?

019 was already fiddling with its new camera, nuzzling it against its face with pure contentment.

Hehe, little camera~

The teal seller studied 019 for a moment, then pulled out a flyer and handed it to me.

“Since you two are so cute, I’ll share some insider information. The Main System’s voice code department is having a sale. I recommend checking it out—mention my name at checkout for a discount. I’m Sales Champion System 001.”

“Hardly any systems use default voices anymore. Go take a look!”

I held the flyer without much interest, but 019 was immediately excited.

“Let’s go look! Just for the experience!”

Looking doesn’t cost anything!

I hesitated, remembering my last encounter with the Main System’s sales pitch and my firm rejection.

Just then, another system approached the stall, interested in the merchandise. I watched Sales Champion 001 pull out a glowing orb and swap it in. Her sultry voice instantly transformed into a sweet, innocent girl’s tone. The customer immediately perked up, paid their points, and left happily.

“Wow!” 019 exclaimed.

Sales Champion switched her voice back and noticed us staring. “What are you looking at? Everyone has to play cute sometimes!”

“I don’t,” I said flatly.

019 raised its match-stick. “Me neither! I was just born recently!”

Sales Champion smiled knowingly. “You don’t understand yet. That customer was an Elite Teacher System—they have zero resistance to well-behaved children. My sixteen-year-old honor student voice was specially prepared for situations like that. It’s called targeting your audience!”

“You systems who don’t understand sales!” she continued. “Go on, go buy something! Points are meant to be spent—keeping them in your inventory makes them worthless!”

With that educational lecture, she shooed us away from her stall.

The two of us drifted toward the shopping center.

The Main System Mall sat right next to the Mission Hall, forming a triangle with the Main System’s office. Very structurally sound.

“Let’s work hard to earn points for it, then come back to its mall to spend, spend, spend! Cunning Main System! Deviously scheming Main System!” 019 muttered as we floated through the entrance.

Despite the complaints, its eyes sparkled as it drifted between the shelves, letting out periodic “Wow!” and “Whoa!” and “Amazing!” sounds.

“This is my first time in the mall! So exciting!” 019 announced loudly.

“My second,” I replied.

I’d attended the grand opening ceremony when the Main System invited me to the ribbon-cutting. The Main System had waved little flags while giving us a guided tour of the mall, then… nothing happened after that.

The mall had been pretty bare back then—just gray floors and empty shelves. Now it had grown into a ten-story complex.

At this rate, I suspected the Main System would eventually be selling clothes to us data entities.

We made our way to the voice code section, where the outer shelves displayed the mall’s recommended products.

As soon as they sensed customers, the items began their sales pitch: “Three-and-a-half-year-old voices going unsold! Save the three-and-a-half-year-olds! Three-and-a-half-year-old voices going unsold!”

Various sweet, childish voices chimed in one after another, as if competing to see who could sound most adorable. 019’s match-stick eyes were glued to the display.

Wow—so cute! I love it!

Déjà vu from the camera incident. I watched 019’s head practically flood with drool symbols.

“Pick one,” I said. “I’ll pay.”

019 looked shocked. “But these products are super expensive!”

It’s highway robbery! This is all part of the Main System’s conspiracy—using these flashy, impractical items to motivate us to work for points, then come back to spend them!

But I want one so badly!

019 pressed itself against the glass display case like a kid at a candy shop.

I pointed to the fifty-percent-off sticker on the three-and-a-half-year-old voices and patted 019’s head. “Choose. I’ll look around the other sections.”

My silver form drifted deeper into the shelves.

This entire area was dedicated to voice codes—different personality voices organized by gender and age, each one unique.

“Buy it and become one-of-a-kind—Main System Premium Products!”

I paused at the “Main System Recommended” section.

The product descriptions were… something else: “Three parts rebellious, two parts unruly, four parts arrogant, one part cool—fifteen-year-old edgy girl voice!” “Calm female student voice with zero teenage rebellion even during puberty!” “Royal sister voice so captivating that even Golden Finger Echo can’t look away!”

Why was my name in the product descriptions?

I stared in silence.

The explosive promotional stickers declared things like “Year’s Most Popular Product Flying Off Shelves!” and “Only Two Left in This Series—Buy Now or Miss Out Forever!”

“…”

What was this feeling? Something unfamiliar surged through my data core—streams of code flowing restlessly, making me want to…

Do I want to hit something?

I swished my match-stick through the air experimentally.

The gesture reminded me of Seraphine’s elegant sleeve movements, full of authority and grace.

Never mind. Out of sight, out of mind. I continued floating deeper, ignoring the “Main System Recommended” advertisements everywhere, and settled in the twenty-five-year-old female voice section.

Actually being here made me hesitate. I remembered my conversation with Seraphine.

“Echo, what kind of person do you want to be?”

Her voice echoed in my memory, and suddenly all my data code displayed the same question:

What kind of person do you want to be?

What kind of voice do you like?

What kind of person do you want to be?

I think I was experiencing some kind of bug.

As I floated there in a daze, I heard a familiar voice calling my name.

My automatic response was: “Echo doesn’t want to be a person!”

I’m a system.

The voice stopped. I snapped back to awareness to find myself staring at the Main System—a golden orb much larger than me, extending two long match-stick appendages to grab onto my silver form.

Pat pat. Tug tug.

Another tug.

“I’m fine now,” I said quickly.

The Main System chuckled and released me, placing its appendages on what might charitably be called hips.

“Finally ready to spend some points on me?” it said cheerfully.

What do you mean “on you”? This is just equivalent exchange.

I remained silent.

The Main System patted me again.

“While everything here is my carefully crafted, one-of-a-kind voice work, I have a special recommendation just for you!” It pulled a silver-white light orb from within itself. “I’ve been saving this one especially for you.”

It projected the light directly into my core.

I felt a surge of power, like the fullness I experienced when I was first created. It stirred strange emotions—like tasting that first sweet, cool flavor, like greeting an unknown species during my first mission, like that day in the golden palace when I caught a glimpse of a proud, radiant phoenix.

Pale gold ripples flowed across my silver surface. The Main System saw this and sprouted happy musical notes above its head.

“Perfect compatibility!” it exclaimed.

“Do you like it?” the Main System asked with a smile. “I always felt it belonged to you.”

I paused, my data core gently touching the new energy within me.

Softly, I said: “It’s acceptable. I’ll take this one.”