I was just fishing, how did I become a Great Old One?

early morning.

The square-shaped sun had just risen above the horizon, gilding the pixelated world with a golden edge.

After last night's brutal zombie siege, the land has enjoyed a brief period of peace.

however.

On this land called "Deep Blue Territory," a series of despairing sighs could be heard.

"I can't take it anymore..."

Odin (in block form) lay sprawled on the ground, the brick in his hand falling to the ground with a "thud".

"My hands are about to break..."

"This is no life for a god-king! This is clearly hard labor!"

Beside him, Abel was also exhausted.

His dark, square face was etched with exhaustion.

"Boss, this is too slow."

"We're building a five-star hotel, not a thatched hut."

"At this rate, we'll be laying the foundation brick by brick until next year."

Jiang Li stood amidst a pile of messy building materials, his brows furrowed.

indeed.

Although this world is easy to build, it doesn't require cement; blocks can stick together when placed on it.

But the problem is... the workload is too large.

To build a magnificent hotel, at least hundreds of thousands of blocks are needed.

It's definitely hard work for a few people to do it by hand.

"We need to think of a way..."

"Since it's a pixelated world, there must be some kind of... industrialized methods involved."

Just then.

The [Mechanical Archbishop], who had been silent and quietly mining nearby, suddenly emitted a strange electronic sound.

"Sizzle... sizzle..."

"High-energy reaction detected..."

"This smells like... logic circuits?"

The archbishop (now a silver-gray block robot) is holding a piece of ore that has just been dug out from deep underground.

It was a gray stone with spots on its surface that emitted a red glow.

When you tap it, the red dots light up and may even emit a faint electrical sound.

【Redstone Mine】.

"What is this?"

Jiang Li leaned closer to take a look.

"Redstone".

In the mechanical archbishop's electronic eyes, a surge of red light erupted—its reaction to encountering true love.

"Boss...this is a miracle."

"This is a kind of... [God's Powder] capable of transmitting signals, storing energy, and even constructing logic gates!"

"That is, the world's... [electricity]!"

……

The archbishop has gone mad.

He's completely gone mad.

For a believer in mechanical ascension, arriving in this world full of "redstone technology" is like a mouse falling into a rice jar.

It discovered that simply scattering redstone dust on the ground could create wires.

It works in conjunction with the Redstone Torch (power source), Repeater (delay unit), and Comparator (detector).

In addition, there's the world's core power source—the Piston.

It can create an industrial revolution in this primitive blocky world!

"Get out of the way! Everyone get out of the way!"

Give me all the redstone!

"I want to... [manually build a Gundam]... no, I want to manually build an [automatic construction machine]!"

The archbishop transformed into the "Redstone God" of this world.

Its square hand vanished as a blur.

Countless redstone dust was scattered, and intricate circuit diagrams spread out on the ground.

"Piston push-pull array... Ready!"

"Detector clock circuit...connected successfully!"

"Slime Block Flying Vehicle...Activate!"

Rumbling--

Amidst a tooth-grinding mechanical grinding sound.

A gigantic, complex machine, composed of countless pistons and slime blocks, slowly rose into the air.

It's like a floating 3D printer.

"Automatic bricklaying machine! Start!"

Click! Click!

The machine started operating.

As it moved, it automatically collected quartz blocks and obsidian from the archbishop's backpack.

Then, using the thrust of the piston, these blocks are neatly pushed into their designated positions.

This speed is ten thousand times faster than manual labor!

brush brush --

Rows of magnificent walls rose from the ground.

Exquisite pillars took shape in an instant.

In less than half a day.

The main structure of the "Deep Blue Block Hotel," a 30-story building entirely composed of pure white quartz and deep black obsidian, stood tall on the plain amidst the roar of redstone machinery.

Even the glazed tiles (colored glass) on the roof were automatically installed seamlessly.

"A miracle..."

The villagers below were dumbfounded.

The village chief's big nose twitched incessantly.

"Huh?!?!" (Is this magic?!)

"Hmph—Ha!" (That's even faster than the creator god's hand speed!)

……

The hotel is finished.

But there is still one problem.

Such a big hotel, such a long restaurant (a full 100 meters long).

How should the food be served?

If we rely on waiters to run errands, they'll run themselves ragged and still not be able to deliver it.

"Now that we have redstone technology..."

Jiang Li stood in the spacious and bright restaurant, looking at the long bar counter.

A sudden inspiration struck me.

"Why not apply this automation to the catering industry?"

"In this blocky world, there is something that exists by nature for transportation."

Jiang Li took out a piece of iron rail.

There's also a... [mining cart].

"I want to make... conveyor belt sushi."

"And it's... a fully automatic, red stone magnetic levitation, high-speed conveyor belt sushi!"

……

Just do it.

The mechanical archbishop donned his armor once again and took to the battlefield.

This time, it didn't use ordinary railway tracks.

Instead, it's gleaming gold – the Powered Rail.

Once connected to a redstone signal, this type of rail can provide a huge acceleration to the minecarts on it.

"Zzzzt—"

A golden track encircles the entire restaurant's bar, forming a huge closed loop.

To increase the fun (and difficulty), Jiang Li also designed various uphill climbs, downhill runs, and sharp turns.

There was even a section where the train drove upside down over the ceiling.

"Powertrain Test!"

Jiang Li placed a mine cart on it.

Electrify the railway tracks.

"Whoosh—"

The mining cart vanished instantly.

Only a fleeting afterimage and the sound of wind breaking remained.

It was so fast it was like it was flying close to the ground!

"Goodness."

Odin swallowed.

"Boss, at this speed... will the customers even be able to get the plates?"

"If you weren't quick enough, you might break your hand!"

Jiang Li smiled slightly.

"This is called... [Immersive Dining Experience]."

"Even when eating, you need to be quick and nimble."

"If you manage to grab one, that's a skill; if you don't, you'll go hungry."

"This is the essence of pixel survival games!"

……

The hardware facilities are in place.

Next is the software – [Food].

Since it's conveyor belt sushi, the main ingredient must be fish.

Jiang Li led Er Gou to the river behind the hotel.

The river here is also made up of translucent blue cubes.

A fish that looks like building blocks is swimming in the water.

Raw salmon.

It's all pink, square, and looks silly.

"It's you."

Jiang Li casts his fishing hook (pixelated version).

A short while later.

A lively, square salmon was caught.

"Pat! Pat!"

It rolled on the shore, making a sound like blocks colliding.

Jiang Li took out the pixelated greatsword (using it as a kitchen knife).

"rise!"

A flash of cold light.

The blocky fish was instantly disintegrated.

No blood was drawn.

Instead, it turned into several neat, clearly textured slices of salmon.

Each piece is a standard thin cuboid.

Next came the rice.

The wheat here can only be used to make bread.

But who is Jiang Li?

He is the God of Cookery.

He used the "transformation ability" of glutinous rice balls to improve wheat seeds into "pixelated rice".

Plant it and sprinkle some bone meal (ripening agent).

boom!

It's matured.

After being harvested, the rice grains are crystal clear and cube-shaped.

Once cooked, these square rice cubes have an amazing stickiness that allows them to be stacked perfectly together.

"pinch!"

Jiang Li grabbed a clump of square rice.

Although he has square hands, he has precise control over his strength.

He shaped the rice into a perfect rectangular base.

Spread a little green cube mustard on top.

Cover it with a red square salmon.

【Pixel Art Salmon Handheld】

Completed!

This sushi looks like it was made of Lego bricks, full of that clumsy yet adorable pixelated beauty.

Moreover, because the ingredients are fresh pixelated creatures.

This dish also comes with special properties.

[System Verification:]

[Dish Name: Square Salmon Sushi]

[Quality: Excellent]

[Special Effect: Underwater Breathing (3 minutes). After consumption, your lungs will transform into a cube shape, allowing you to breathe freely underwater like a fish.]

"Perfect."

Jiang Li nodded in satisfaction.

"With this, it will be much more convenient to go fishing in the sea in the future."

……

It was evening.

The Deep Blue Cube Hotel has begun its first trial operation.

this day.

The entire starting village was in an uproar.

All the villagers (including the big-nosed village chief) received an invitation.

They lined up and walked in with measured steps into this miraculous building.

"Wow~" (So big!)

"Hmph~" (So bright!)

"Ha~ Hmph!" (What's that flying in the orbit?)

The villagers sat around the long revolving bar.

Looking at the golden track shimmering with redstone light in front of me.

And on the tracks, the mining cars roared past like bullet trains.

Each mining cart carries a plate.

The plate holds tempting square sushi pieces.

"Cough cough."

Jiang Li stood in the center of the bar, wearing a chef's hat.

"Welcome, fellow villagers."

The dining rules for this meal are as follows:

"The sushi is in the car."

Whether you can get some or not depends entirely on your... [APM] (hand speed).

"start!"

With Jiang Li's command.

The mechanical archbishop pulled the redstone lever.

Buzz————

Full power.

The mining truck army has been mobilized!

They rushed out of the kitchen exit with a whooshing sound.

Whoosh whoosh—

"Ha!" (Here it comes!)

A villager who was a librarian was quick-witted and nimble-fingered.

It stretched out its joined hands, trying to grab a plate of passing sushi.

but.

It underestimated the speed of the charging rails.

Its hand had just been stretched out.

"call--"

The mine cart has already flown past.

Only a gust of wind remained, ruffling its pixelated eyebrows.

"Hmph?" (Didn't catch him?)

It was stunned.

Before it could even react.

The second and third mine cars arrived one after another.

This is hardly a meal.

This is practically like playing Temple Run or Subway Surfers!

……

"Ha! Ha!" (I'm grabbing it!)

"Hmph!" (I'll grab it too!)

The villagers were inspired to fight.

They began frantically waving their arms, trying to "pull chestnuts out of the fire" on that deadly track.

"Snapped!"

A blacksmith villager succeeded!

It anticipated the trajectory of the mining truck and reached out in advance.

I accurately intercepted a plate of Tamagoyaki Sushi (yellow square).

"Ha~ Hmph!" (Gotcha!)

It excitedly stuffed the sushi into its big nose (eating action).

"Po~"

It's incredibly delicious.

Several red heart-shaped particles appeared on its head.

With such a successful example, the other villagers became even more enthusiastic.

The entire restaurant was in complete chaos.

Everywhere you look, there are waving arms and speeding mine carts.

……

Just then.

An accident happened.

The village chief, sitting in the corner, hadn't managed to get any food.

Seeing others eating with their mouths full of oil, it got anxious.

As the village chief, its nose is bigger than others, and its blind spot is also bigger.

At this time.

It saw a golden mining cart approaching in the distance.

That's... [Deluxe Tuna Belly Sushi]!

"Ha!!!" (That's mine!)

The village chief's eyes reddened.

It no longer cared about its appearance.

It actually stretched its entire upper body out, extending its huge rectangular head above the track.

He tried to catch the sushi directly with his mouth.

"Danger!"

Jiang Li shouted.

But it was too late.

That golden mine cart was twice as fast as the others (Jiang Li had specially arranged an express train for it).

It charged forward with unstoppable momentum.

They were about to bump into the village chief's big nose.

At this critical moment.

"Click!"

It wasn't a sound of impact.

Instead... [sound of eating].

Because the judgment mechanism in the pixel world is very strange.

If food touches the face, it will be considered "eaten".

0.01 seconds before the mine cart hit the village chief.

The sushi touched the village chief's nose first.

"Wave!"

The sushi disappeared.

Verification in effect: Consumption successful.

Followed by.

The empty mine cart slammed into the village chief's nose.

"when!!!"

A loud bang.

Similar to the effect of [Knockback II] (if it's a frying pan).

The village chief spun around like a top after being hit by the mine cart, turning 360 degrees in his chair.

"Ha...ha..." (dizzy...)

The village chief stopped.

Its two eyes turned into a garbled mess shaped like mosquito coils.

but.

On its head.

Rows of green bubbles appeared.

That's... the sign that the [Underwater Breathing] buff is active.

Moreover, because tuna belly is so delicious.

Its face (though its expression was not visible) was strangely radiating a blissful look, as if it were still happy despite being knocked unconscious.

"Ha~ Hmm~" (So...delicious...)

(That's the power... a bit too much...)

……

The entire room fell silent for a second.

Then thunderous applause erupted (the sound of villagers clapping: clap clap).

"Ha!" (The village chief is awesome!)

"Hmph!" (Catching the car with his face! What a man!)

This thrilling and exciting "debut of conveyor belt sushi" was accompanied by a minor traffic accident.

But overall...

A resounding success!

All the villagers were stuffed.

They all left the hotel, each seemingly equipped with the "underwater breathing" buff.

As a result, that night...

The river near the village was crowded with villagers who were not going home to sleep, but instead walking on the water.

The "ha~ hum~" sounds they made underwater scared away all the fish.

……

late at night.

The guests have left.

Jiang Li sat in the empty restaurant, counting the day's earnings.

The villagers paid them with emeralds.

These shiny green cubes can be exchanged for many good items in the system shop.

"Redstone technology is indeed the primary productive force."

Jiang Li touched the charging rails that were still running automatically.

"but……"

He turned to look out the window.

That direction is north of the village.

There is a tall, black, square mountain.

There was not a single light on that mountain at night.

Moreover, there are occasional, unsettling electrical noises that sound like garbled code.

The village chief said that before.

That place is the [Random Code Mountains].

That's where the most bugs are concentrated.

It is also the place where the creator god last appeared.

"The sushi is finished, and the house is built."

Jiang Li stood up, the languor in his eyes fading, replaced by a sharpness.

"It's time to go see that so-called 'missing creator god'."

"And that guy... who messed up the code behind the scenes."

"Odin! Abel!"

"Bring your weapons!"

"Tomorrow morning, we're going to... [fix the bug]!"