The Cubs Can’t Possibly Be This Well-Behaved! – CH44

Chapter 44

Number Eight’s attention was quickly drawn back to the flute in his hands.

“Su Ci, did you bring this flute from your home to Prison Star?” Number Eight inspected the bamboo flute in his hand with utter fascination.

He was aware that the new caretaker had a spatial device. This flute must have been taken out of it just now—it almost looked like magic.

He was clever enough not to fall for such tricks!

Still, who would’ve thought the caretaker liked flutes so much that he’d bring one all the way to Prison Star? No wonder he played it so well.

Even A-Yan couldn’t help but glance at the flute.

It was a kind of instrument, wasn’t it? A bamboo flute, perhaps? Although it felt familiar, A-Yan couldn’t recall when he had ever come into contact with one.

How strange…

A-Yan stared at the flute in Number Eight’s hands for a moment, then reached up to touch the spatial button hanging from his chest—the one tied with the string made from the caretaker’s hair.

It was just a flute—not even a real one.

But he, on the other hand, had the spatial button personally given to him by the caretaker, along with the string made from his hair. There were countless treasures stored within the spatial button. This proved the caretaker liked him best!

With that thought, A-Yan shifted his gaze away.

Number Eight had asked his question on a whim and wasn’t expecting a response from Su Ci.

Sniffing the flute, he babbled on like the chatterbox he was. “What’s this made of? It smells nice! The sections aren’t painted on—they’re real! It’s just like the flute the shepherd boy plays!”

“A bamboo flute, naturally made from bamboo,” Su Ci replied, his gaze softening with a hint of nostalgia.

He recalled that the Sound Sect was situated on a mountain covered in bamboo forests. The sect’s disciples were skilled at cooking bamboo rice. Besides the Sound Sect elder’s famous peach-blossom wine, their bamboo rice was a specialty.

Now, he wasn’t even sure if bamboo existed anymore. But since scallions still did, perhaps bamboo wasn’t extinct either?

Maybe, someday, he could taste bamboo rice again.

Suddenly, a thought occurred to Su Ci. He warned the little wolf cub, “The membrane on this flute is very fragile. Be careful, or you’ll have to replace it if it tears.”

The flute in the activity room was made of a special material. Although the part resembling a membrane was tough and resilient, it wasn’t the same as the traditional bamboo flute, whose delicate paper membrane could easily be damaged.

“Got it, got it!” Number Eight earnestly nodded and quickly began trying to play the flute under Su Ci’s guidance.

As the familiar “woo-woo” sound echoed, the boy’s eyes lit up, his green irises brimming with vitality and exuberance.

Though his pitch was still off, it was an improvement over the pure noise he had made earlier in the day. Perhaps it was enthusiasm—or maybe the little wolf cub really did have a knack for music.

Of course, to Su Ci, it was still just noise. He stopped Number Eight before he could continue. “Why did you come looking for me?”

Caught off guard, Number Eight blurted, “I’m bored! It’s so dull being in my room alone. No one talks to me or plays with me!”

As soon as he realized what he’d said, Number Eight froze.

Panicking, he looked at Su Ci and stammered, “I-I didn’t mean I wanted to play with you or talk to you! Don’t get any ideas!”

“I see.”

Su Ci nodded. “Then I’ll be on my way.”

He turned and walked toward the door without the slightest hesitation.

“Eh? Why are you leaving already…?”

The little wolf’s face fell. Sure, he now had the flute to keep himself entertained, but… with the caretaker around, he could ask questions whenever he didn’t understand something!

Exactly. He wanted the caretaker to stay for this reason—definitely not because he feared being alone.

Having found his excuse, the little wolf cub spoke confidently, “If you leave, what am I supposed to do when I have questions? You promised to teach me, so you can’t go back on your word!”

Su Ci paused, shrugged, and said, “Figure it out yourself first. If you still don’t get it, ask me tomorrow when you’re in the activity room.”

He didn’t have time to play with him all day.

Number Eight pouted. He hadn’t expected the caretaker to be this cold!

Still, compared to the previous caretakers who treated him like a monster, filled with fear and disgust, he supposed Su Ci was much better…

Seeing that Su Ci was determined to leave, he hesitated for a moment before saying, “Then… can I go find Number Three?”

Su Ci looked at him, slightly surprised.

Afraid of being rejected, Number Eight hurried to reassure him. “Don’t worry, I won’t bully him. I just want to learn the flute with him…”

But the more he spoke, the less confident he sounded.

After all, he didn’t know when his berserk state might happen. It wasn’t something he could control. When he went berserk, he lost consciousness, and not even he could predict what he might do.

Still, if Number Four and Number Five could live together, why did he have to be alone?

Was it simply because they weren’t related by blood, so everyone assumed he’d hurt Number Three when he went berserk?

The little wolf cub was indignant. He refused to believe he would be controlled by his bloodline power and reduced to a mindless beast.

His resolve hardened, and he looked at Su Ci with determination. The boy declared with conviction, “I will control myself! Trust me!”

“Alright.”

The calm reply floated through the room, briefly silencing it.

Huh?

Number Eight, who had been racking his brain for ways to prove himself, froze. He stared blankly at Su Ci. “Did you just… agree? Do you really believe in me?”

“Mm.” Su Ci nodded.

Humans seemed to be social creatures, and it was indeed odd for a young cub to live alone in a room. If Number Eight really wanted to find Number Three to play with, there wasn’t any harm in allowing it.

Besides, after suppressing Number Eight’s bloodline power twice, Su Ci was confident there wouldn’t be any berserk incidents in the short term. As for Number Three… Su Ci was a bit curious to see what that child’s berserk state would look like.

“You really believe in me!”

After a moment of dazed disbelief, Number Eight leapt into the air, cheering. Even he couldn’t prove himself, yet the caretaker believed in him!

“Don’t worry! I won’t let you down!” The little wolf cub grinned ear to ear. “Hehe, since you’ve agreed, let’s go find Number Three right away!”

His eagerness was evident, as though afraid Su Ci might change his mind.

However, Su Ci didn’t move immediately. Instead, he gestured at the mess on the floor. “Clean up the room first.”

Number Eight’s eyes widened. “But this is…”

He wanted to say it was the job of the caretaker or the cleaning robots, but when he met Su Ci’s gentle, harmless gaze—accompanied by a faint smile—he suddenly couldn’t get the words out.

For some reason, he had a feeling something terrifying might happen if he refused…

“Fine, fine, I’ll clean it…”

Muttering to himself, Number Eight began picking up the crumpled pieces of paper scattered across the floor.

Besides the crumpled paper balls, there were also shredded bits of paper scattered everywhere. Unlike the caretaker robots, Number Eight didn’t have vacuum cleaner arms, so he could only pick them up by hand.

Fortunately, he was clever enough to sweep the scraps and crumpled balls into one pile before gathering them up and tossing them into the trash bin.

As Number Eight cleaned up, Su Ci once again sensed a wave of agitation emanating from the proto-book spirit.

Even from a floor above, its furious aura was palpable.

Su Ci glanced at Number Eight and rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

The proto-book spirit originated from the caretaker’s manual. As a spirit of order, its power grew stronger the more people adhered to its “rules.”

Both A-Yan cooking food and Number Eight cleaning violated—or simply ignored—those “rules.” Was that why the proto-spirit was so upset?

Interesting.

Number Eight, however, was blissfully unaware that the proto-book spirit was fuming on his behalf. Having seen caretaker robots clean so often, it was only now that he realized how tiring it was to tidy up a room himself.

And the worst part? After he finished sweeping up the paper scraps, the caretaker actually made him reassemble the broken table and chairs!

If the table and chairs were broken, wouldn’t it be easier just to replace them? Why did he have to put them back together?

Number Eight couldn’t understand it. He even suspected the caretaker was trying to torment—no, test him! Despite feeling like gnashing his teeth in frustration, the thought of finally being allowed to visit Number Three motivated him to comply. Begrudgingly, he set to work.

Because the cubs were notoriously destructive, the facility’s tables and chairs were made of highly durable materials that wouldn’t easily break. While they tended to fall apart under stress, most of the pieces could be reassembled, significantly reducing the replacement rate and extending their lifespan.

With his decent hands-on skills and quick thinking, Number Eight eventually managed to reassemble the table and chairs. The result was passable—except for the two or three spare parts left over.

Staring at the leftover parts, he finally pocketed them, pretending nothing was amiss.

“Look! I’m done cleaning!” he announced confidently.

Though it was his first time tidying up and the room wasn’t spotless, Number Eight felt he had done a great job, speaking with absolute conviction.

A-Yan overheard and couldn’t bear to look.

Picking up the crumpled paper and fixing the furniture was all Number Eight had done. The bed was still unmade, the floor was dusty, and the cup hadn’t been washed…

In A-Yan’s eyes, nothing about the room was up to standard.

However, this wasn’t a place where the caretaker or he lived. Despite being slightly irked, A-Yan chose to delve his spiritual sense into his spatial button instead, practicing with it while sorting through its contents for some amusement.

As for Su Ci…

He felt the little wolf cub’s efforts were decent enough—not so bad as to be annoying at first glance. Thus, he nodded and approved the job.

“Yay!” Number Eight cheered with excitement.

Seeing his enthusiasm, Su Ci decided to temper it with some reality. “But let’s be clear: if Number Three doesn’t agree to let you stay, you’ll have to come back.”

Hearing this, Number Eight froze briefly, then pouted before declaring boldly, “Don’t worry! Number Three will definitely agree!”

With supreme confidence, he puffed out his chest, his large tail wagging high behind him, embodying a smug little wolf who hadn’t even considered the possibility of rejection.

Su Ci admired his self-assurance and led him to Number Three’s room.

As Number Eight exited Room 503, the communicator beeped twice, alerting Su Ci that the cub had left his room during restricted hours. Su Ci, however, chose to ignore it completely.

As a caretaker, Su Ci had considerable authority within the nursery. Of course, he might have to face some questions from the assessors later…

Not that Su Ci cared in the slightest.

*

Room 403 of the Nursery.

Just like the last time Su Ci visited, Number Three was curled up in the corner clutching a metal ball, quietly hiding in the shadows. He resembled a delicate porcelain doll: lonely, cold, and indifferent to everything around him.

However, when the door opened and a familiar mist rolled in, the boy displayed a fraction more reaction than before.

It’s the caretaker…

His body tilted forward slightly, as if he wanted to stand.

But in the next moment, when a lively and enthusiastic figure leapt out from the mist, the boy’s foot slipped, and he fell back into his seat.

“Number Three! Look what I brought for you!”

Before he could steady himself or retreat deeper into the shadows, the wolf cub had already darted to his side like a firecracker. Grabbing Number Three’s hand, Number Eight dragged him out of the corner.

Small and frail, with slow reactions, Number Three had no way to resist.

Before he could utter a refusal, Number Eight had pulled him into the open, right under the ceiling’s sensor light.

The boy’s complexion turned pale, and he hugged his metal ball tightly, as if it were his only source of comfort.

Then, his right hand was pried open, and something was pressed into it.

When he felt the shape of the object, Number Three froze.

He lowered the metal ball from his other hand and used both hands to grip what Number Eight had given him.

A flute.

But it wasn’t the one from the activity room.

The cool, smooth texture felt pleasant to the touch, and it carried a faint, refreshing fragrance. Number Three was almost instantly captivated by the bamboo flute.

“Hehe, it’s a flute! The caretaker gave it to me!” Number Eight boasted, his fluffy tail practically wagging in the air.

Then he issued an invitation. “Want to play together?”

Play together?

Number Three hesitated, his face tilting toward the mist. Then, the caretaker’s voice broke the silence.

“Number Eight wants to play with you. How about letting him stay in your room for a while?”

Hearing Su Ci speak so directly, Number Eight widened his eyes, then quickly looked away, scratching his cheek with his finger, looking uncharacteristically bashful.

But Number Three’s reaction was unexpected.

Almost instinctively, the boy shrank back and shook his head vehemently in refusal.

Number Eight’s face fell instantly.

“Why not?” he asked, crestfallen. “Number Three, don’t you want to play the flute with me? If I leave, there’ll be no one to teach you how to play! This flute is mine, and if I leave, you won’t have it anymore!”

Number Three clutched the bamboo flute tightly, his brows furrowing slightly. His usually expressionless face showed a rare trace of conflict.

The flute…

He wanted to play it.

He wanted to see that colorful world again.

At last, under Number Eight’s expectant gaze, Number Three gave a tiny nod.

The movement was so slight that it was almost imperceptible, but Number Eight, who had been staring intently, caught it right away. He instantly forgot his earlier disappointment and cheered, his spirits soaring. Lifting his chin, he shot a smug look at Su Ci.

His proud expression seemed to say: See? I told you Number Three would agree!

Clearly, he had already dismissed Number Three’s initial refusal from his mind.

Su Ci glanced at Number Eight, who was practically glowing with triumph, then at Number Three, who was curling in on himself as much as possible, still clutching the flute tightly.

“Number Three, are you sure you’re okay with Number Eight staying?” Su Ci asked for confirmation.

Number Three stiffened, his mouth opening and closing silently before he finally gave a slow, soft “Mm.” His rarely-heard, gentle voice sounded pitifully small, like a timid little animal.

Adorable!

Number Eight, oblivious to Number Three’s reluctance, beamed with satisfaction. He had shared his flute—surely Number Three should be happy about that!

The wolf cub turned an eager gaze toward the caretaker.

Su Ci nodded. “Alright. Since Number Three agrees, you can stay here. I’ll come pick you up at dinnertime.”

“Yes, yes, yes! That works!” Number Eight replied impatiently, his excitement bubbling over. He began looking around Number Three’s room. Though it was laid out similarly to his own, with the same furniture, he felt that Number Three’s space was somehow cozier.

After all, Number Three wasn’t as rambunctious as Number Eight, and his room was one of the few among the cubs that remained clean and tidy.

Of course, this thought never crossed Number Eight’s mind. With characteristic ease, he grabbed the water cup from the bedside table and asked the little boy, “Number Three, do you want some water?”

Number Three shook his head.

“Oh, okay.”

Then, without hesitation, Number Eight continued, “I didn’t bring a cup. Can I use yours to get some water? I’m so thirsty…”

Su Ci quietly exited the room, the metal door sliding shut behind him, sealing off the overly lively chatter from Number Eight.

Looking down, Su Ci noticed A-Yan, who had been trailing beside him the entire time, still gazing at Room 403.

“Do you want to play with them too?” Su Ci asked.

After all, A-Yan was a cub as well. Although spirits weren’t naturally social, each one had its own personality, and Su Ci had observed that A-Yan’s behavior leaned more toward that of human children.

His designation as Number One suggested that A-Yan had likely spent more time in the nursery than any of the other cubs.

Previously, A-Yan couldn’t be seen or heard. But now, with his newly acquired phase-state simulation, he could finally be sensed.

While he still wasn’t fully visible, Su Ci believed this small problem could be overcome if A-Yan wanted to play with the others.

However, A-Yan shook his head in response.

He didn’t want to play with them. He was simply amazed—so it was possible for the nursery cubs to interact as amicably as Number Three and Number Eight?

Although Number Three seemed quite resistant to Number Eight at first, he eventually accepted him, allowing him to stay in his room and even letting him use his cup to drink water.

It was incredible.

And all of this… was because of the caretaker!

Seeing A-Yan shake his head, Su Ci paused for a moment before asking, “About that flute earlier, did you notice anything unusual about it?”

Was the caretaker testing him?

Unable to speak, A-Yan didn’t rush to write an answer. Instead, he retrieved a piece of paper from his spatial button—a plain, ordinary scrap he had picked up from Number Eight’s room.

But when it landed in the caretaker’s hands, it became something else entirely…

“You figured it out?” Su Ci asked, somewhat surprised.

Indeed, that bamboo flute wasn’t something he had brought from another planet. At its core, it was still the same “paper flute,” transformed by his spellwork.

So when he gave the bamboo flute to Number Eight, it was merely returning it to its original owner.

A-Yan nodded.

He wasn’t sure how he had managed it, but when he focused his spiritual sense on the flute, he could clearly see that what Number Eight held was still the battered paper flute.

However, as soon as he withdrew his spiritual sense, the paper flute would transform back into a bamboo one, capable of producing sound. It was truly fascinating.

A-Yan realized that his spiritual sense might have more potential uses than just operating a spatial button. If he could master more abilities, he could become even more useful…

At that moment, he heard the caretaker ask, “Do you want to learn?”

A-Yan blinked, tilting his head up to look at Su Ci. His dark red eyes sparkled brightly.

Can I?

Even without speaking, the desire in his gaze was unmistakable.

“Of course you can,” Su Ci replied.

Su Ci’s lips curved slightly. “But first, you’ll need to fully master your first heavenly script.”

Biting off more than one could chew would only slow progress. Once A-Yan achieved proficiency with the script, learning smaller spells like these would be far easier—quick and effective.

He was genuinely looking forward to A-Yan’s growth.

A-Yan nodded vigorously and carefully stowed the piece of paper back into his spatial button.

The two resumed their walk toward the elevator.

Before stepping into the elevator, Su Ci glanced toward the end of the hallway. As he looked, the brown-yellow tip of a tail with black stripes darted into the corner and vanished.

A-Yan, curious, peeked in the same direction, but Su Ci had already withdrawn his gaze and ushered A-Yan into the elevator.

*

Shortly after the elevator doors closed—

“Number Two, what are you doing here?”

The robotic nanny’s voice suddenly broke the silence, startling Number Two. He quickly turned to glance toward the hallway. Seeing that the caretaker had indeed entered the elevator, he exhaled in relief.

At least he hadn’t been caught…

The red-haired boy emerged from the corner, his brows furrowed in thought as he replayed the scene he had just witnessed.

Although he hadn’t heard exactly what the caretaker was saying, it was clear that Su Ci had been talking to someone. Given the faint presence he had sensed inside the elevator, the possibility that Su Ci was simply talking to himself could be ruled out.

So, who had he been talking to? Was it really Number One?

If Number One’s ability was invisibility, that would explain why no one ever saw him. But how strong was Number One? Could he become an obstacle to Number Two’s plans to escape the base?

The red-haired boy scowled deeply. Ignoring the nanny robot’s questions, he glanced at Room 403 before walking back into his own room with a grim expression.

*

Back at the dormitory, A-Yan quietly and diligently resumed practicing the heavenly script.

Meanwhile, Su Ci settled on the sofa and retrieved his spatial button. He began unpacking the items he had gathered during his trip to the cultivation garden.

Among his haul were two large bottles of maintenance solution, garlic sprouts, some dried vines from the Star-chain fruit plant, and—most importantly—a packet of 30 seeds.

Pouring out the seeds, Su Ci examined the contents. The seeds were packaged in white vacuum-sealed bags, with each bag containing three identical seeds. There were ten packets in total, each labeled with the plant’s name.

Su Ci gave the labels a quick glance and picked out three packets.

Though he didn’t recognize the seeds or the names on the labels, his innate intuition as the Earth Spirit guided him. He could sense that these three plants were what he currently needed most.