[Chinese Premier preparing congratulatory message for Hyeonak.......]

[Chinese Foreign Ambassador expresses only goodwill for Korea’s growth, hopes for mutual prosperity moving forward.......]

On Suhyeong lowered his phone with a troubled expression.

There had been a brief surge of national attention over what kind of response China might have to On Jurim’s insulting remarks.

Everyone had expected them to retaliate hard, but instead, China’s reaction came off as so mild it bordered on submissive. As a result, analysts were scrambling to understand the situation.

There were quiet speculations that it might be about securing a deal over [Kritato], but the item was still only F-Rank. It had potential, yes—but nothing more than that for now.

There’s no way China would grovel over an uncertain future.

And now, having read the articles at home, Suhyeong had come to his own conclusion.

“Looks like Jurim caused another incident.”

Sure, the boy never made a fuss no matter what people said, but if the Chinese side had acted first and reached out like this, he must’ve scared them good.

The Premier himself sending a congratulatory message? He must’ve really gotten spooked.

Didn’t I tell him—making more enemies never leads to anything good?

“And he’s the only son I have left, yet all he ever does is get into trouble.”

China’s a massive market, you know...

Suhyeong sighed and glanced out the window toward the road.

Srrrk—

A familiar sedan slipped into the neighbor’s driveway.

Looked like Guru had arrived.

***

“Pe’fect!”

Guru’s third filial piety factory, the Kritato Reactor Seed Potato Automation Farm, had been moved to the backyard of the second house.

All of it was the result of a deal with Jurim—Guru wouldn’t be interrupted during her experiments, in exchange for delivering Kritato Reactors to Hyeonak and Doan Gnnovation.

“Now Gwuu’s bag not gonna be a potato disastuh no mo’!”

Guru was perfectly satisfied.

The factory work had been left to the three Unfinished Bear Units, now jobless: No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3.

Each one handled seed potato production and watering on the first, second, and third floors respectively, and they performed their tasks reliably no matter where the factory was moved.

“Hmm.”

Guru brought the flowerpot she carried like a honey jar every day and planted the elixir beside the farm.

Ever since she started juicing Woojoo based on Chuen’s advice, the elixir had grown to 88%. It wouldn’t be long now before she could harvest a perfect elixir.

“Gwuu save Sabbuu, and Sabbuu save Daddychann.”

This was the chain of filial piety!

As she puffed out snorts of breath and patted down the dirt, humming an anime theme song—

“Beep!”

Mephisto suddenly yanked Guru’s hair in alarm.

“Wuh?”

When she looked up, she saw the two tiny leaves on Snow Bunny’s head trembling like crazy.

And then, Bears 1, 2, and 3, who had been watering the seed potatoes, let out shrill beeps and started running in all directions.

“Uuuung?!”

Gulp! Gulp! Gulp!

Suddenly, as if the elixir stem were sucking something down, it gulped audibly—and at the same time—

The potatoes!

All the potato stems in the farm turned gray and withered on the spot.

“All da tatoes died?!”

My potatoes!

Snow Bunny had eaten them all!

[Bloodline ‘Snow Bunny’ is eligible for evolution. Proceed?]

“E-Evowution?”

Was it from eating all those reactors earlier?

Guru glanced back and forth between the shriveled seed potatoes and the elixir.

Evolution? No way she could resist that.

She wouldn’t forget the sacrifice of those poor seed potatoes.

“Snow Bunny! Evowve!”

Like a Gundam pilot hitting the launch button in an anime, Guru shouted and slammed the “Confirm” button.

“Kyuuu!”

The plump bunny stretched out one arm and shot up out of the ground.

“Oh!”

This must be the start of evolution!

And then...

Plunk—

An acorn rolled off Snow Bunny’s head.

“Kkyung!”

Landing in a dramatic superhero pose, the bunny glared fiercely at Guru.

“Is it starting now...?”

Guru clutched her chest in excitement, imagining glowing lights gathering around Snow Bunny and a dramatic transformation.

Ba-dump.

“......”

Ba-dump.

“......”

Ba-dump.

“......”

“...Is... is it over awweady?”

Then Snow Bunny grinned goofily and replied—

“Kkyung!”

So... it was over. Guru crouched down with a slightly disappointed look and picked up the acorn.

“Didn’t even change dat much......”

She could’ve just said an acorn grew.

“All she did was kiww da tatoes......”

“Beep beep!”

Guru muttered bitterly, and Mephisto flapped his wings.

From the way he pointed one sharply at Snow Bunny, it looked like he was scolding her for being useless.

Veilach, triggered by the traitorous behavior, growled low—his trauma from Husubay evidently stirred—and Snow Bunny trembled in fear, tears welling up.

A long string of snot dripped from her tiny nose.

“Kkyuuuung......”

“Don cwy. You got boogies. Sniff!”

“Kkyung!”

The bunny blew her nose. Her eyes were red and puffy.

“Kkyuu kkyuu.”

Maybe she was sad—Guru gently patted Snow Bunny’s butt and pulled her into a hug.

On Snow Bunny’s head, a new sprout had appeared.

[Elixir-Infused Sprout]

[Resting...... 0%]

Judging by the status window, it looked like it’d take a long time for the elixir to regrow.

‘It gonna be okay?’

More importantly—

‘Gotta make mo’ seed tatoes.’

Guru poured a bunch of pre-purchased D-Rank mana stones into the funnel, like dropping coins into a slot.

The stones, now shrunk, clinked down into the round machine and stacked up with the potatoes.

Seeing this, No. 1 ran over and pulled the lever, activating the metallic armor changer mounted on the cylinder. The barrel began spinning like a washing machine.

And before long, pop!—a potato rolled out onto the conveyor belt.

‘Oh! It’s a D+-Rank seed potato!’

So the seed grade changed depending on the input material?

Meanwhile, No. 2 and No. 3 busily started planting the seed potatoes.

Guru wished she had more workers, but the factory was still low-level and only allowed three.

She could level it up with [Filial Piety Points], but those were already needed just to make seed potatoes, so she had to be careful with spending.

‘It’d be gweat if dere were mo’ ways to earn [Fiwiaw Piety Points].’

Still deep in thought, Guru absentmindedly began petting Snow Bunny, then slowly turned to Mephisto and Veilach.

They tilted their heads, not knowing why she was staring.

Guru studied Snow Bunny again, then Mephisto, then Veilach with increasing focus.

Diagrams were starting to form in her mind.

‘Snow Bunny + Kritato Reactuh = Evolution’

So then...

‘Mephisto or Bayi + Kritato Reactuh = ?’

Wouldn’t the result also be evolution?

There hadn’t been much change besides the acorn, sure—

—but even the fact that Snow Bunny could live in rabbit form now might be a result of evolution!

When Guru gave a soft, mischievous laugh, Mephisto chirped along with her—but Veilach took a step back, as if he’d sensed something.

“Mew......” (Get outta there...)

“Beep?”

“Mew!” (Run!)

“Wets pwant you.”

“Beep?!”

Guru scooped the soil with a trowel, digging out handfuls of dirt.

Then she grabbed Mephisto and Veilach, who were both trying to escape, and planted them into the holes, covering them with soil.

“BEEEEEP—!”

“MEEEEEW—!”

Soon, only their heads stuck out as their cries of despair echoed through the yard.

“Don cwy. If it goes like Gwuu thinks, Mepi and Bayi gonna evowve too. Isn’t dat gweat?”

Speaking like a mad scientist, Guru wiped the tears welling in their eyes.

“Guru, what are you doing?”

“Eep!”

‘Gwampa?!’

Guru glanced sideways while greeting her grandfather.

‘He’s gonna find da Fiwiaw Factowy!’

“J-just pwayin’!”

“Aha, I see. Is this a factory? Let me take a look......”

Ba-dump!

Suhyeong turned the factory around, inspecting it with admiration.

“This is pretty well made. Must’ve been tough /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ getting it to run this smoothly.”

Just one compliment and Guru’s face lit up like sunshine.

“But how exactly does it work?”

“You put tatoes and manastone in dis funnel. Den dey go down here into da tube and spinny-spinny—den boom! Seed tatoes come out! Den dey get pwanted on da 2nd and 3rd floor, get watah, and grow!”

“Hm... the workflow doesn’t look super efficient. The design could be......”

Is it bad design?! Guru gaped, but Suhyeong smiled gently.

“The design’s actually very clever. I just think with a few tweaks, it could be even cooler. Mind if Grandpa makes some adjustments?”

“Yeshh!”

“Since it’s for growing crops, it’d help to open a window on this side for more sunlight. Temperature and ventilation matter too... Guru, would it be alright if Grandpa drew up some blueprints?”

“Gwuu wuv dat!”

“Alright, I’ll be right back. Oh, what did you say this factory produces again?”

Beaming brightly, Guru replied loud and clear:

“Kwitaeetoh Weactuh Seed Tatoes!”