Jasper flicked his tiny paw and said, "Farm, livestock farm, ranch, mobile base, JunkEater, and fish pond—you can pick any two new functions to unlock!" Caroline's eyes widened, and a smile tugged at her lips. She had not expected such a pleasant surprise. Sure, the upgrade would consume more energy, but she was not too worried. She had already planted plenty of mutant plants in her space, which provided a steady energy cycle. Plus, she still had stored mutant beast corpses prepared for the mobile base, and she knew the military would keep sending more in the future. Once the great heat began, mutant creatures would multiply, making it easier to hunt them down for energy. So Caroline did not hesitate. She unlocked two new features right away. Her choices were obvious. "The Vibrant Fish Pond and the Mobile Base," she decided. The fish pond had not yet unlocked its ability to produce by-products, and now that she had caught such a powerful fish, she wanted to see what kind of special product it could create. Besides, she had been craving salmon ever since she started raising them in there. As for the mobile base—no question about that. It was something she'd definitely need soon. Hearing her decision, Jasper twirled twice in midair, his tail flicking with excitement. "The Vibrant Fish Pond! You're the best, Caroline! I love fish too!" Bang! The giant fish rammed against the invisible barrier again. Apparently, every time it heard the word fish, it went berserk, thrashing wildly as if the mere mention of it offended its dignity. Just as Caroline expected, unlocking a new skill for the Vibrant Fish Pond activated the production of by-products. The salmon produced fresh fillets. The crucian carp made soup. And the giant fish ... Caroline stared at the description on the screen, momentarily speechless."Creature name: Super Mutant Delicious-But-Inedible Silver Arowana "By-product: Cursed Boiled Fish. This dish is infused with the creature's intense resentment, which even the Vibrant Fish Pond cannot purify. The effect of consuming it depends on the arowana's mood that day. Possible results include a variety of cursed effects. "Note: As for why this arowana harbors such deep resentment, Caroline, you probably know best." Caroline sighed. There it was again—that feeling of being relentlessly mocked by her own space. No one seemed more disappointed than Jasper. His tail drooped as he lay on the ground, listlessly poking at the leaping fish with one paw. "It looks so tasty," Jasper sighed. "Why can't we eat it? That's no fun at all." Caroline silently agreed. She really wanted to ask the same thing. She was looking forward to it! Still, she decided to ignore the cursed fish for now. She produced a batch of soup and salmon instead and shared it with Jasper and Raven. That perked Jasper up immediately. Even Raven wagged his tail nonstop, licking the bowl clean before looking back at Caroline with those pleading eyes. Another serving, please! And honestly, Caroline had to admit that this was the best salmon she had ever had. The freshness and flavor of the space-grown fish were unmatched. Even the carp soup was unbelievably rich and fragrant. "If I had some extra ingredients to stew in it," she murmured, "it'd be perfect." Before leaving the space, Caroline went to check on the week's random creature. She had not been managing her space much lately, and she had completely forgotten to see what had appeared this time. But when she reached the ranch, she was stunned to find a giant tree sprouting from the "Weekly Creature" section. She searched around but saw no animals until she opened the interface. "This week's creature: Pygmy Marmoset"By-product: None "Note: Feeling unhappy in the apocalypse? Just call "Marmy!" and the pygmy marmoset will appear by your side! He'll stay for one week. Let his bright, shiny eyes soothe your weary soul. When you hug him, gaze into those sparkling orbs and feel the warmth within his adorable heart." Caroline did not know what to say. Her space truly never failed to surprise, or to mess with her. There was no limit to its nonsense. Still, half-curious, she gave it a try. "Marmy ... " The next instant, she felt something small and soft grip her hand. When she looked down, a tiny creature with enormous, sparkling eyes gazed up at her. Those eyes shimmered like starlight, full of innocence and sweetness—so pure it made her heart melt.