With Pei Hao’s condition temporarily stabilized, Yun Zhen finally had some time to explore the system.

She tapped on the butterfly icon on the screen, which brought up two options: “System Messages” and “Voice Q&A.”

First, Yun Zhen opened the System Messages and found that she could view previous notifications.

The message she hadn’t had time to read when she first bound to the system was now available:
[During the novice protection period, all energy consumption will be temporarily covered by the system. Please collect Correction Points and contribute positively to the dimension to earn system points, unlock more features, and upgrade the system. If you fail to upgrade within 100 days, the time-space interaction system will be permanently shut down!]

Why did this sound like a threat? Would she lose something significant if the system shut down?
Yun Zhen was puzzled. After exiting the messages, she opened the Voice Q&A.

System: “Please use voice input to ask your question.”

Yun Zhen: “Why can’t the little people leave the bookshelf?”

System: “Interstellar law prohibits humans from different dimensions from crossing the time-space barrier.”

Yun Zhen: “…”

It seemed like an explanation, yet also felt like it was saying nothing at all.

Yun Zhen sighed and asked, “What are Correction Points?”

System: “You can earn Correction Points and system points by rescuing important individuals or making positive contributions to the dimension. Both can be used to upgrade the system, unlock more features, and receive countless surprises.”

Hmm… So she earned Correction Points by treating and feeding Pei Hao?
Could he be an important figure for his world?

Yun Zhen speculated as she returned to the main menu and opened the [World] function.

The screen immediately displayed detailed information about the current dimension:
[Current World: Disaster Apocalypse Dimension]

[World Time: Year 2143]

[World Background: The planet Blue Star is undergoing a cataclysmic disaster era, with different regions experiencing various natural disasters. It is estimated that 80% of humanity will perish in this catastrophe, and most of the original civilization will be wiped out.]

[Unlocked Map: Huacheng City]

[Correction value: 1%]

[Points: Currently unavailable]

Many of the terms used in this tiny world were similar to those in her own, but there was no city called Huacheng in her country.

Judging by the ruins left behind, Huacheng must have been a highly developed city. Unfortunately, it had been completely devastated by the floods, and its former prosperity was now just a memory.

Since this world was named the “Disaster Apocalypse Dimension,” it meant the natural disasters wouldn’t end anytime soon. There might be more calamities to come, and Yun Zhen wasn’t sure if the tiny inhabitants could survive.

She sighed, feeling a wave of compassion while also thankful that she lived in a peaceful and stable time.

She had already inspected the environment of Yulong Mountain. There were no edible plants or animals on the mountain, so how would Pei Hao survive going forward? Should she just take care of him herself?
Glancing at the makeshift shelter—the ceramic cup—she found it increasingly inadequate.

If it rained like this every day, the water level would soon rise and flood the cup. She needed to find or build a proper little house for him. Maybe she could look for one on some shopping websites later.

Yun Zhen propped her chin on her hand, contemplating what she needed to prepare.

She was so engrossed in her thoughts that she didn’t notice the footsteps coming from the staircase.

“Knock, knock.”

A soft but distinct knock suddenly sounded.

Yun Zhen turned around in shock and realized she hadn’t closed the door. Standing in the doorway was none other than her beloved mother.

Mrs. Yun looked at her with confusion. “Why are you staring at the bookshelf so intently? Did it break?”

Yun Zhen suddenly panicked, glancing nervously at the bookshelf. She wanted to say something but didn’t know where to start.

Mrs. Yun walked over to the bookshelf, leaned in to take a closer look, and then, with no change in expression, said, “It’s not broken, and there aren’t any bugs. Why haven’t you put the books from the storage box into the shelves? It’s a waste to leave them empty.”

Empty? Could it be that her mother couldn’t see anything?
Yun Zhen steadied her anxious thoughts, once again wondering whether what she saw was real or just an illusion.

How could her mother not see or hear the strange scene filling the entire shelf? Was it all just her imagination?
But what about the ceramic cup and bottle cap she put into the bookshelf? They couldn’t have just disappeared.

Unaware of her daughter’s internal conflict, Mrs. Yun noticed a small puddle of water on the floor and an opened bag of French pastries on the table. She couldn’t help but start her usual nagging: “Why is there water on the floor? Quickly mop it up—wooden bookshelves are vulnerable to moisture. You need to be more mindful of keeping things dry and clean. And don’t eat too many snacks; it will spoil your appetite. Tonight’s dinner is pan-fried shrimp, so go wash up and get ready to eat.”

Her mom could see the water on the floor?

Yun Zhen breathed a sigh of relief, wiping the cold sweat from her forehead.

She almost thought she was losing her mind, but thankfully, it wasn’t an illusion.

“I’ll mop the floor and come over right away.”

“Hurry up, your dad is already sitting at the table waiting.” Mrs. Yun urged before casually walking out of the study, her demeanor perfectly normal, with no signs of noticing anything unusual.

Yun Zhen listened to her footsteps, confirming that her mother had gone downstairs and left the room. She then turned back to the system and opened the Voice Q&A.

“Can anyone besides me see or hear the miniature world in the bookshelf?”

The system’s AI voice responded mechanically: “No one except the host can see or hear the scenes inside the bookshelf.”

Yun Zhen was a bit surprised by this answer.

She wasn’t opposed to sharing secrets with her parents, but this unique experience filled her with a sense of excitement.

After mopping the floor, she leisurely went downstairs to have dinner with her parents.

The meal was particularly satisfying. The pan-fried shrimp was as big as her hand, the braised eggplant was her favorite vegetable dish, and there was also her dad’s favorite steamed grouper, along with winter melon meatball soup and shrimp paste sweet potato leaves.

Yun Zhen ate happily, her tension and fluctuating emotions from the day finally easing.

After dinner, she took a walk with her parents before returning to her little home next door, eagerly heading back to the study.

In the bookshelf, the tiny world had entered dusk. Apart from the gentle sound of the waves, all was quiet.

The storm had passed, and the darkening night shrouded Yulong Mountain. Hidden dangers seemed to be awakening under the cover of thick shadows.

Yun Zhen checked on Pei Hao, who was sleeping peacefully. Seeing his steady breathing and normal complexion, she felt relieved and covered him with a piece of fabric she had just cut. It might not offer much warmth, but it was better than nothing.

She opened the system map to inspect Yulong Mountain again, finding no significant changes.

Geographically, the mountain wasn’t far from the city, so it was unlikely there were any large predators. Whether there were other survivors remained unknown, as the map didn’t display any information about people.

Yun Zhen took out a roll of paper towels and carefully soaked up the water around the ceramic cup. Then she opened a new box of LEGO bricks, planning to build a protective wall around the ceramic cup and the speedboat.

She had bought the LEGO set during her walk earlier, originally intending to build a house for the tiny man.

However, LEGO bricks are designed with interlocking structures, and most of their surfaces are covered with rows of tiny studs. To the little man, it would feel like walking on countless plastic pegs, making it easy to trip.

Moreover, the LEGO house would be too short, forcing the little man to stoop inside, and rainwater would likely seep through the gaps between the bricks, making it impractical.

Additionally, plastic releases some amounts of toxic substances, which may be negligible for a full-sized person, but potentially harmful to the tiny man.

Yun Zhen was troubled by the housing issue. After browsing through several shopping websites, she couldn’t find a suitable option.

After much thought, she concluded that custom-building was the only solution. But she wasn’t sure if any seller would be willing to take on such a small, custom order.