I am drowning. Not in water, nor in debt (though that is close enough), but drowning in a sea of my own fur.

  I lie prone on the bed, face buried in the pillow, crushed beneath a giant "blanket" that is snow white, soft, yet incredibly heavy: nine fox tails fanned out in full display. It so happens that last night, after whimsically spending a decent amount of FP on premium fur oil, I devoted three whole hours to grooming and trimming every single tail hair. Even though the result is a coat so glossy it borders on perfection, I was too lazy (and exhausted) to retract them into my pocket dimension. I simply let them stay in that state of "full bloom" and went to sleep.

  The consequence: This morning, I cannot turn over.

  Ring! Ring! Ring!

  The alarm clock shrilling at 9 AM (System Time) drills straight into my eardrums. I groan, sticking a hand out from the pile of fur to shut it off.

  "Thank heavens, today is Sunday," I mutter into the pillow.

  I have to admit, the greatest invention the angels over at Heaven Inc. contributed to the Nexus is not "the salvation of souls" or some high minded philosophy, but the very concept of "The Weekend." Without it, lowly employees like us would likely be squeezed for every last drop of our labor 24/7 from one lifetime to the next.

  Of course, this rule has exceptions. Those doing field work like Zhen Shan’s Security Team have no concept of a fixed weekend. They have to split shifts, and whoever is off this Sunday must accept that they will plow through next Saturday and Sunday to make up for it.

  I scramble up, shaking my body to fluff out the tail fur, then grab my spirit phone.

  "Hello, Boss Tiger?" I call, my voice whining. "Free today? Come to the Myriad Bazaar District with me. Asgard Industries just released a limited edition hologram watch, I heard that it has a feature to convert human games into interactive hologram models."

  "I am in the Mundane Realm," Zhen Shan’s voice resonates, accompanied by the whistling of wind and the growling of an Anomaly in the background. "Go by yourself."

  Beep... Beep...

  "So dull," I pout, petulantly throwing the phone onto the bed. "Always work, work. Living like that leaves no room for joy."

  Well, I will find something to eat and then invite Nanao or Big Sister Alethea to wander around. Just as I intend to message the "Monday Haters Club" group, a new message pops up, making the fur all over my body stand on end as if electrocuted.

  Sender: Director Ariel

  Content: "Yo, free today?"

  The message freezes me for three seconds. What on earth is this?

  "Yo"? My majestic, dignified Lion Boss, whose every word usually carries a death sentence, is texting like this? Is his account hacked? Or is he testing me before assigning some suicide mission?

  I just gulp, typing at light speed, but deleting and rewriting three times for fear of grammatical errors.

  ItsukiK: "Yes… Director, I am free. Boss... do you have urgent directives? Or is there an incident in Market 1031?"

  Three ellipsis dots dance on the screen, torturing my nerves.

  Ariel: ":<"

  Ariel: "I just want to invite you to go shopping with me, why so tense. I am 'incognito' today."

  A sad face icon? Did Director Ariel take the wrong medicine today or eat a strange mushroom? But then, a thought struck me like a bolt of lightning.

  Damn it! What day is it?

  I glance at the calendar. The Conglomerate’s End of Quarter Party

  No wonder! Even a majestic Director like Ariel has to scramble to buy bribes for the superiors (those Prime Deities). Yet I, a lowly team leader, dared to completely forget my "internal diplomatic" duty.

  "I’m done for," I mutter, rushing into the bathroom. "Luckily my boss gave a subtle reminder."

  Anyway, seeing Director Ariel in this "friendly" mode also reduces my stress somewhat. Going shopping with the boss is a once in a millennium opportunity to flatter and... beg for budget.

  I decide to catch the Interdimensional High Speed Train instead of flying myself. Flying from Prisma District to Zenith District takes two hours, and making the boss wait would be asking for trouble.

  Stepping out of the space station, I am immediately overwhelmed by the heavy scent of FP in the air. This is not a place where the office worker class like us frequents. Zenith District is the sanctuary of luxury, the most expensive resort, shopping, and entertainment hub of the Nexus, where a glass of water costs as much as my weekly salary.

  Tonight, the end of quarter party takes place at the Jade Palace Conglomerate’s private estate here. Rumor has it the Jade Emperor himself will make a speech and go around toasting every table. If any department has the fortune of him stopping by to clink glasses, their budget for the next quarter is guaranteed to pour down like a waterfall, and the higher ups will be much more "easygoing," turning a blind eye to petty infractions.

  I walk leisurely on automatic marble paths. Walking is unnecessary here. The road surface consists of smooth energy conveyor belts, automatically delivering guests to the locations marked on their GodMap.

  Flanking the streets are skyscrapers that exist on a completely different level compared to the administrative districts. Each building is a unique architectural masterpiece: some curving like silk ribbons, some transparent like crystal, and others floating in mid air like flying islands. The atmosphere here is also fine tuned to "Luxury Class" mode: a soft golden light, warm as a Mediterranean afternoon, or sometimes switching to a romantic "Starry Night" mode depending on system time.

  At the main lobby of "The Pantheon Plaza" Commercial Center, Director Ariel is waiting.

  Today he wears a "casual" outfit that essentially reeks of designer brands: an unbuttoned white silk shirt (showing off his golden mane), cream trousers, and a pair of sunglasses clipped to his shirt pocket. Despite the comfortable attire, that unmistakable regal aura makes me fumble, not knowing how to start the conversation.

  "Yo, Itsuki!" Director Ariel waves, a radiant smile revealing shining white teeth.

  "I am coming right now, Boss!"

  I tiptoe beside the boss, trying to retract my fluffy tail as much as possible so as not to take up space on the automatic conveyor. Director Ariel today... is very strange. He whistles as he walks, muscular hands in his pockets, his golden lion mane swaying to the rhythm of his relaxed steps.

  Completely different. It is a world of difference compared to the iron faced Director, the man who drains the oxygen from the room every time he calls me into a private meeting. In the office, if he merely frowns, I have to review everything to see if I accidentally embezzled... I mean, accidentally overspent on anything. And now? He just looks like a wealthy uncle taking a weekend stroll.

  But this sudden "normalization" makes me extremely tense.

  "Is this the 'Carrot and Stick' strategy or the 'Lull into a false sense of security before slaughter' tactic?" I think to myself, cold sweat seeping out under my fur. Why do I always feel that behind those stylish sunglasses, sharp lion eyes are silently evaluating my every gesture and word? An unannounced character test? Or an evaluation for promotion capacity?

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  "Hey Itsuki," Ariel speaks up, his warm deep voice cutting through my panicked train of thought. "You have good taste. Advise me a little."

  "Yes, Boss, just say the word," I reply quickly, ears perking up to listen.

  "Besides the general gift for the Jade Emperor, I want to buy something special for one other person," Ariel stops in front of a magnificent jewelry store, observing. "The Grand Supreme Elderly Lord."

  My ears twitch. Bingo.

  The Grand Supreme Elderly Lord. One of the Three Pure Ones. A first generation Founder of the Jade Palace Conglomerate. This Ancient God has long lost interest in managing the business or fighting for FP market share. He retreated into seclusion, devoting all his time to a burning passion: Alchemy and crafting Divine Artifacts.

  The gears in my head immediately began to turn. If we curry favor with this deity... well, well. If he happily slips us a few "rejected" items that failed standards (but are still a hundred times better than market goods) or a few elixir pills to enhance cultivation, our Team 7 hits the jackpot.

  Ariel points at a jade gourd in the glass display, containing a liquid the color of amber, rippling with golden light. "I plan to buy this jar of 'Drunken Immortal Wine' aged 5000 years. I hear the elders like to drink."

  "Boss," I say, shifting my tone to expert consultant mode. "Wine is precious, true, but... it is too much of a generic choice. In tonight's party, I bet there will be at least ten other Directors hauling wine to gift him. At that point, your jar of wine becomes just a statistic in the warehouse."

  I look up at Ariel, my eyes full of persuasion. "Big bosses of Founder caliber, they have endless money and boundless power. They do not need flashy forms. What they need is a 'story,' something interesting, something to help them kill time in this boring eternity."

  Ariel raises an eyebrow, sliding his glasses down. "Makes sense. What do you suggest?"

  "Follow me."

  After leading the boss away from the luxury goods area, we go deep into a corridor decorated in a classical style, where high end stationery and intellectual toys are sold.

  We both stop in front of a shop named "Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion." The scent of agarwood and pleasant clicking sounds drift from within.

  "Here it is," I point to a Chinese chess set placed solemnly on a stone pedestal in the middle of the room.

  At a glance, it is just a normal chess set. But looking closely, the board appears carved from monolithic jade, brimming with energy currents circulating continuously inside. The chess pieces are not made of wood or horn, but are glossy black, heavy, and cold.

  "The 'Constellation Array' chess set," I introduce. "The pieces are carved from dead Neutron star cores, extremely high matter density, feeling incredibly solid in the hand. But that is not the selling point."

  I snap my fingers at the "General" piece on the red side.

  Immediately, the chess piece... stands up. It sprouts tiny limbs, brandishes a tiny sword, and starts screaming in a shrill but commanding voice:

  "Who?! Who dares to flick Us?! Do you believe we will execute your entire clan?!"

  Ariel starts, eyes widening in delight. "It can speak?"

  "Not just speak, Boss," I smile slyly. "They possess distinct intelligence, programmed with the personalities of historical generals. When playing, they can even discuss tactics with the player."

  I try pushing the "Cannon" forward one move. The Cannon immediately turns its muzzle toward the opponent's "Knight" and shouts: "Hey, you lame horse! Watch yourself! Your Daddy is going to blow your skull open!"

  The "Knight" on the other side is no pushover, neighing loudly and cursing back: "You loud empty barrel! Jump over here if you dare!"

  The whole chessboard erupts like a broken market. The sound of cursing, shouting, advisors offering plans ("That move is stupid, Your Majesty!")... creates a chaotic but extremely hilarious symphony.

  Ariel laughs heartily, his laughter echoing through the shop. He slaps my shoulder (nearly making my knees buckle).

  "Good! Approved! You are quite good, Itsuki! Take this set!"

  A cylindrical service robot, its outer shell polished brass, glides smoothly to our side. Its two mechanical arms extend a holographic control panel.

  "Welcome. Do you need it gift wrapped?"

  Director Ariel taps the "Yes" button on the virtual screen. I follow suit, selecting the additional "Premium Agarwood Box" option to increase the formality. While waiting for the robots to pack the expensive gift, I take the opportunity to wander around the shop.

  Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion really knows how to pick pockets. Besides that noisy chess set, they sell all kinds of intellectual games from across the universes: Tarot cards that predict lottery numbers, self solving 4D Rubik's cubes, and domino sets made from fossilized dragon bones.

  I stop before a large hologram board hanging in the middle of the hall, projecting videos introducing the origin and inspiration of the products. My ears rotate slightly toward the melodious narration.

  [Product: Constellation Array Chess]

  [Inspiration: Wizard's Chess - Human World No. 701]

  "Hmm... 701?"

  In the sample video, crude stone chess pieces swing swords and smash each other into dust whenever capturing a piece. It looks violent and lacks sophistication.

  Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion clearly saw the potential in that violence. They took the core idea (living chess pieces) and upgraded it to a new level: instead of mindless destruction, Heaven's pieces know how to think, swear, and have huge egos. Much more elegant.

  But mentioning World 701 gives me a headache. There, wizards and witches do not live separately as in other worlds, but hide as a parallel community right amidst modern human society. They have management agencies, laws, and even their own schools.

  This causes the faith market in area 701 to be extremely chaotic. The populace's Faith Power is occasionally disrupted violently by magic displays "accidentally" leaked, or dragons escaping to fly over major cities. The FP revenue chart there twitches like the electrocardiogram of someone with arrhythmia.

  However, within risk lies opportunity.

  I bring a hand up to stroke my chin, claws scratching lightly against the soft fur. World 701 is a goldmine for personnel. The Sensitives there... well, they use magic from childhood. They are even trained systematically in schools for many years.

  While Director Ariel is busy "discussing" military tactics of the Three Kingdoms era with the tiny General piece, I sneak behind a shelf displaying miniature universe models.

  Having accompanied the boss to buy gifts for the superiors, can I really arrive at the end of quarter party empty handed? That would be improper. I pull out my spirit phone, claws swiping quickly on the touchscreen, and open the "The Troublesome Trio" group chat (a name given by Sister Alethea, which I dare not change).

  ItsukiK: "Yo, my brother and sister. I’m at Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion with the big boss. Tonight is the party, we should also have a small gift for him, right? I just spotted a very cool item."

  I send along an icon of a fox rubbing its hands schemingly.

  ItsukiK: "Friendly price, only 100,000 FP. Everyone contribute to the common fund. I am broke lately, I can't carry this alone."

  Less than two seconds later.

  Ting!

  [Notification: Zhen Shan has transferred 50,000 FP to your wallet.]

  Truly an underground tycoon; working with rich people is delightful, they never ask too many questions. But the other one is not so easy.

  Alethea: "Snap a photo of the price list for me."

  Alethea: "Last time we bought a birthday gift for the boss, you inflated the ceramic vase from 40,000 FP to 60,000 FP, and I haven't settled that score yet. Don't hope to fool this lady."

  The fox ears on my head droop against my neck, the fur on my face puffing up slightly. I pout, lifting the phone to snap the hologram price tag listed on the item, then send it with a crying face icon.

  ItsukiK: "I am shining with integrity, yet Big Sis is as suspicious as they come."

  Zhen Shan: "If you agree to pay entirely out of pocket, this time we will believe in your integrity."

  I huff, typing back two curt words: "Dream on."

  After successfully extorting my two colleagues, I turn to the chosen item, a wardrobe.

  From the outside, it is just a classic oak wardrobe, carved with intricate vine patterns but not too ostentatious. However, the selling point lies in the pocket dimension inside.

  According to the product description, when opening the wardrobe door, the user steps into a separate dimension, several hectares wide. Its default setting is an eternal winter forest with romantic falling snow and rows of white covered pine trees. The owner can customize the weather of the four seasons at will with just a thought.

  Browsing the customer reviews on GodShop, sure enough, this item is very popular with lion deities.

  User: KingOfJungle99 : ????? "Great! I love the feeling of stepping through the wardrobe door and seeing snow falling. Very poetic, very fairytale-like. My mane looks much better under the snowy light."

  User: GoldenMane : ????? "Bought this just to hide inside and hibernate. Good soundproofing. Worth the money."

  I do not understand why the Big Cat clan (especially Lions) has such a strange passion for crawling into wardrobes to watch snow like that. Still, good reviews are all I need.

  After pressing pay, the service robot glides over, using a Shrink Ray device to blast the wardrobe. The giant block of wood shrinks to the size of a paperback book, wrapped in emerald green paper tied with a gold ribbon.

  I pick up the gift package, gently tucking it into my suit pocket.

  "Hope he likes this game of crawling in and out of the cabinet," I adjust my tie, then turn on my heel to find the boss.