268: Chapter 248 IZ*ONE Dormitory: Slime, Krabby Patties, and a Desperate Tomorrow

Having finished a long and "fulfilling" day of filming (plus an information-overload Haidilao dinner), Choi Yena returned to the IZ*ONE dormitory, clutching a cardboard box labeled "TG Entertainment Prop Department."

Her face wore an expression mixed with exhaustion, excitement, and an inexplicable sense of mission.

"Kids! I'm back! Come see what I brought!" As soon as she walked in, she shouted impatiently, carefully placing the box on the low table in the living room.

The other members, who had already washed up, were wearing pajamas and lounging in various lazy positions around the living room; they all turned curious gazes toward her at the sound.

"What is it? Yena Unnie, is it a consolation gift from PD Jiang? Snacks?" Jang Wonyoung sat up from the sofa, her eyes brightening.

"It wouldn't be another orion pie, would it…" An Yujin guessed with a hint of post-traumatic vigilance.

"Or maybe… dried fish?" Kwon Eunbi joked, recalling the "bloody storm" during the afternoon shoot.

Choi Yena shook her head mysteriously, then gently opened the box.

Inside, lined with thick cushioning foam, sat a pale green, translucent, jelly-like object with a soft luster—it was none other than her partner in battle (?) from the shoot, Lemm.

Its pale green, translucent, jelly-like body shimmered with a moist, soft luster under the lights, with several delicate little gears resting quietly inside, and those yellow "eyes" were currently in sleep mode, leaving only faint breathing light spots. It stayed there quietly, looking… indeed like a well-made, sci-fi-looking, peculiar toy.

Choi Yena sat cross-legged next to Lemm, her face showing undisguised affection and excitement; she reached out a finger and gently poked Lemm's soft, bouncy body, triggering a slight "click" of the gears inside (a pre-set faint reaction).

"This is…" Miyawaki Sakura leaned in closer, examining it carefully.

"Is that… from the show? That little jelly thing?" Kim Minju also recognized it.

"Yes! It's Lemm!" Choi Yena introduced it excitedly, carefully holding Lemm out and placing it in the center of the table, "PD Jiang said I could keep it! Isn't it super cute?"

A brief silence fell over the living room.

All members' gazes focused on the pale green jelly mass that was "sitting" there quietly.

Cute… right?

Indeed, the design was unique, the color fresh, and the texture looked bouncy. But thinking back to the afternoon (or what they saw in online clips) of its various squirming, deforming, and even "flowing" into railings to press buttons—its miraculous (creepy) performance, and its nature as a "robotic Slime"…

Everyone felt a complex mix of emotions.

But looking at Choi Yena's eyes, which were clearly shining with love, and considering how hard she had worked today (and contributed a large amount of comedy/black history material), everyone tacitly chose to… support her.

"Ah… right, right, right." As the leader, Kwon Eunbi broke the silence first, her tone carrying a subtle sense of doting and helplessness, "Yena, as long as you like it."

"Yeah, it's quite… special." Jo Yuri nodded.

"Take good care of it, just don't let it crawl out in the middle of the night to scare people." Honda Hitomi joked.

"What do you feed it? Batteries?" Lee Chaeyeon recalled the "motor oil" meme Choi Yena had mentioned in the group chat earlier.

Yabuki Nako leaned in curiously, muttering in Japanese: "Mochi mochi shiteru (soft and chewy)… like high-end wagashi."

Kang Hye-won… Kang Hye-won's focus was completely off, staring at Lemm's jelly-like texture, she swallowed her saliva: "This color… looks like green apple flavored jelly… or… matcha daifuku?"

And Miyawaki Sakura, from the moment Lemm entered, had kept an almost blank expression on her face, her eyes already losing their luster. Compared to this strange "pet," her mind was swirling with another more imminent and more "destructive" matter.

Choi Yena didn't pay much attention to everyone's complex reactions; she was completely immersed in the joy of having a new "partner." She picked up the thin "Simple Operation and Maintenance Manual" with the TG Entertainment logo that Jiang Zhiyu had sent with Lemm, and flipped through it with great interest.

The manual's text was concise and accompanied by cartoon illustrations. She flipped to a certain page, her eyes lit up, and she read out the prompt aloud:

" 'Fun Form Switching' function: After the host (referring to Choi Yena) issues a clear command 'Lemm, activate Super Transformation Form!', Lemm can, according to pre-set programs or simple mental guidance, briefly change its appearance to increase interaction fun. (Note: Only appearance and simple physical properties change; core functions remain unchanged. Each change consumes a small amount of energy; please do not use frequently.)"

"Wow! It has this feature too!" Choi Yena was even more excited; she immediately put down the manual, and facing Lemm on the coffee table, shouted in a clear and expectant voice:

"Lemm! Activate Super Transformation Form!"

Everyone: "???"

What? Super Transformation Form? What kind of setting is this again?

Just as everyone was puzzled, they saw the stationary pale green jelly mass on the table suddenly light up with a faint blue glow from within, and several small gears began to turn slowly with a "click." Then, under everyone's astonished gaze, Lemm's soft body began to, as if being kneaded by invisible hands, **slowly transform**!

Its body gradually widened and flattened, the edges became regular, the top and bottom slightly bulged, and in the middle, two thin, slightly darker colored "layers" even "grew" out… In a few breaths, a **lifelike, pale green, translucent "burger"** appeared on the table!

The surface of the "burger" even simulated sesame seeds (smaller raised light spots) and slightly melted "cheese" (a small piece of flowing pale yellow luster) effect!

Everyone: "!!!"

Stunned.

"A burger?!" An Yujin was the first to cry out.

"Wow… it really turned into a burger!" Yabuki Nako exclaimed.

"It's just… the shape that changed!!!" Kim Minju retorted sharply, "It's still the same color! The same texture! It just went from a lump to a pile (burger-shaped)!"

"Is… is this… a burger?"

That's right! That shape, that structure with two pieces on the top and bottom and a layer in the middle, combined with the "sesame seeds" on the surface and the color layers, it was exactly a Q-version, jelly-textured burger!

Choi Yena was also stunned for a moment, leaned in to look carefully, then flipped through the manual quickly, and then let out an "Oh!" as if suddenly realizing something.

"This isn't a burger!" She pointed to the explanatory text on the manual and corrected loudly.

Everyone twitched their mouths and asked in unison (internally: What the hell, if this isn't a burger, what is it?!):

"If it's not a burger, then what is it?!"

Choi Yena pointed to the name written in exaggerated artistic font and read it out word by word:

" 'QQ-Nienie-Delicious-Spinning-Krabby-Patty!' "

Everyone: "…"

Krabby… Patty?!

The air froze again, this time with a thick sense of absurdity.

A few seconds later, everyone's mouths began to twitch uncontrollably and violently.

"Krabby Patty?! How is that any different from a burger? Aren't they both two pieces of bread with something in the middle?!" Jo Yuri couldn't help but retort.

"This is completely ripping off SpongeBob SquarePants! Theirs is called 'Krabby Patty,' what kind of knockoff extended version is your 'QQ-Nienie-Delicious-Spinning-Krabby-Patty'?! What kind of twisted taste does PD Jiang have?! Did he pay the copyright fees?!!" Jang Wonyoung couldn't help but say.

"This is completely ripping off SpongeBob SquarePants! Krabby Patty?! Why not just call it the Sea King?!!" Yabuki Nako also joined the ranks of retorting, she felt speechless about such childish naming.

Honda Hitomi was already muttering in Japanese: "Yabai… kore wa kanzen ni pakuri da yo… (Terrible… this is totally plagiarism…)"

Lee Chaeyeon held her forehead: "TG's naming style… is as 'unique' as always."

Kim Chaewon was already too lazy to retort: "Forget it, as long as it's happy… (referring to Lemm)"

Kim Minju whispered: "Actually… the prefixes 'QQ-Nienie-Delicious-Spinning'… are also quite concerning…"

Just as everyone was collectively speechless by this bizarre "Krabby Patty" form and even more bizarre name, and the living room was filled with various frantic retorts, Miyawaki Sakura, who had been sitting quietly in the corner with eyes that had completely lost their luster, spoke slowly.

Her voice was calm, but carried a weariness as if she had seen through the mortal world, instantly overpowering all the noise:

"Compared to debating whether Yena's Lemm should be called a burger or a Krabby Patty…" She paused, her gaze slowly sweeping over every member present, "Shouldn't we first think about what to do about the fact that we have to continue filming the main quest of 'twelve star envoys'—'Duck X Project'—tomorrow?"

"Duck X Project?" Kwon Eunbi was stunned, then immediately remembered something, her face instantly turning pale.

The other members also seemed to have been pressed with a pause button, their expressions switching rapidly from the breakdown of retorting to the fear and anxiety before filming.

An Yujin wailed: "Wait! In the script… there seems to be such a follow-up plan! Is it the plan to rescue the member who was captured by the Star Demons Claws… uh, representing the 'duck' (most likely Choi Yena)?"

Jang Wonyoung also remembered the relevant setting, her little face sagging: "And it seems to be a very important main quest, there will be many… 'exciting' segments."

Lee Chaeyeon nodded silently; as one of the participants in the "Protect the Duck" operation, she had a deep understanding of the power of PD Jiang's "plans."

The atmosphere in the living room instantly plummeted from the absurdity of the "Krabby Patty" into a heavy premonition and tension regarding tomorrow's filming.

"Eh—!!!! Tomorrow?!!!!" Don't know who shouted it first, full of disbelief and despair.

They felt they had just barely recovered from the lingering shame of the "Captive of the Demon King's Castle" special, how could they be facing the "devastation" of the main quest again?!

Just as everyone was wailing and starting to think about how to "go to their deaths" tomorrow, one of the central figures of the event—Choi Yena—suddenly seemed to remember something, her eyes lit up, and she said in a low voice, with a hint of uncertain expectation:

"Ah! Right! From the script's timeline… shouldn't I still be in the Candy Castle, being treated as a 'captive' right now? Then tomorrow's main quest 'Duck X Project' is to go rescue the 'duck' (which is me), right?"

The more she spoke, the brighter her eyes became: "Then… then tomorrow, do I… not need to participate in filming? Can I… can I sit on the side and be a spectator?!"

This thought was like a ray of dawn, instantly illuminating Choi Yena's world! No need to face PD Jiang's "creativity," no need to wear shameful costumes, just watch the teammates struggle in the deep water and hot fire, and maybe even sneak a laugh… Ah, what a wonderful prospect!

However, as soon as her voice fell, she received a uniform glare from her teammates that seemed capable of burning through her, full of "murderous intent" and the implication of "going down together."

Kwon Eunbi smiled without warmth: "Yena, do you think… PD Jiang would let go of an opportunity to let you 'stay out of it'?"

An Yujin gritted her teeth: "Maybe there will be a 'real-time broadcast from inside the castle' or a 'captive's remote support' segment~"

Jang Wonyoung looked dangerous: "Unnie, sharing joy is better than enjoying it alone."

Even the gentlest Kim Minju added softly: "Yena Unnie, don't forget, you are the 'Pisces Saintess,' the 'core target' of the mission..."

Choi Yena: "..." The tiny flame of hope that had just ignited was ruthlessly extinguished with a "poof" by her teammates' icy glares and the cruel reality.

She silently picked up Lemm, who had returned to its original form and was innocently "bo-bo"-ing on the coffee table, and buried her face in its soft, cool body.

Forget it, she might as well just depend on her Krabby Patty (crossed out) Lemm.

As for tomorrow... let fate decide.

—

The morning sunlight filtered through the gaps in the curtains, stingily spilling into the IZ*ONE dormitory living room, but it couldn't dispel the heavy haze lingering in the air called "imminent death (filming)."

The girls, about to head to the filming site for the new main mission of "twelve star envoys" — "Duck X Project," were like dolls whose souls had been sucked out, slumping listlessly on the sofa, carpet, or anywhere they could lean.

They were wearing casual clothes, their hair was messy, and their faces were written with despair and a deep fear of the unknown "shameful challenge."

The girls looked as if their bodies had been hollowed out.

Kwon Eunbi leaned against the sofa armrest, her eyes unfocused, muttering: "We have to face PD Jiang again... What will it be this time? A hundred shameful ways to 'save the ducks'?"

An Yujin hugged her knees, burying her face in her arms, emitting only muffled whimpers.

Jang Wonyoung listlessly combed her long hair, as if trying to preserve her final shred of dignity.

Even the usually energetic Yabuki Nako and Honda Hitomi were listlessly leaning against each other, like two frost-bitten little mushrooms.

The entire living room was filled with a tragic atmosphere of "the wind blows, the river is cold."

However, amidst this gloom, there was an out-of-place corner radiating an air of relaxed joy, as if having "survived a disaster."

Choi Yena sat cross-legged on the carpet, holding the pale green, translucent Lemm, which was rising and falling slightly with her breathing, her face filled with undisguised glee and relaxation.

Last night, she had secretly (avoiding her teammates' "murderous" glares) sent a message to Jiang Zhiyu, cautiously asking: "PD Jiang, for tomorrow's 'Duck X Project'... do I, the 'captive,' need to participate in the filming?"

Jiang Zhiyu's reply was quick and direct: "No. You've been captured; you are the rescue target. We'll join together for the next filming when you're rescued and we do the 'Twelve Saintess Power Recovery Special Training' variety show."

Seeing this reply, Choi Yena almost cheered out loud! No need to participate! She could watch!

This meant she could temporarily escape PD Jiang's clutches today, just staying backstage or behind the monitor, sipping drinks, and watching her teammates struggle in the depths of misery (while silently sympathizing for a second)!

This was simply the best news ever! So, at this moment, she was the only person in the entire dormitory who could still smile.

Holding the soft Lemm in one hand and the "Lemm Operation and Maintenance Manual (Simplified Version)" in the other, she read with great interest, as if it were the most fascinating book in the world. On the coffee table next to her sat a glass of her own water.

Looking at a "Simple Household Assistance Command" in the manual, Choi Yena's eyes rolled, and she suddenly felt playful. She put down the manual, picked up her phone, opened the simple voice control app paired with Lemm (provided by the production crew for basic interactive demonstrations), pressed the voice input button, and said in a clear, slightly commanding, and probing tone: "Lemm, pour me a glass of milk."

The tragic and sluggish atmosphere that had permeated the living room showed a crack due to this abrupt command.

The members, slumped everywhere, cast looks of curiosity, distrust, or "what kind of trouble are you causing now." Pour milk? With this jelly Slime? Are you kidding? It doesn't even have hands (claws? tentacles?)!

However, the scene that followed made everyone's eyes widen instantly, their jaws nearly dropping to the floor.

Lemm, in Choi Yena's arms, saw its internal pale green light flicker, as if "confirming the command." Then, like the most obedient puppy (?), it quickly "flowed" out of Choi Yena's arms and landed on the carpet.

It didn't roll directly to the kitchen but began a rapid transformation on the spot! Its round body quickly stretched and flattened, turning into an oblong, pale green, translucent "tray" with slightly upturned edges! The surface of the tray even simulated wood grain (though it still had a translucent jelly texture)!

Then, this "tray Slime" slid rapidly toward the kitchen (much faster than its usual crawling speed), and a few seconds later, it slid back. On the "tray" it had become, it was steadily "carrying" an unopened 250ml carton of milk!

What was even more amazing was that when it slid in front of Choi Yena, the center of the tray-formed Lemm bulged slightly upward, forming a small, stable protrusion that balanced the milk carton on its "head" (if a tray could have a head), and then it stopped, its body light flickering steadily, as if saying: "Master, here is your milk."

The entire living room was silent. Everyone was stunned.

What?! This Slime... actually went to pour milk?! And... it can transform into a tray?! And it can balance milk on its head?!

Choi Yena was also dumbfounded; she had only been trying it out, never expecting such... shocking results! Looking at the "tray Lemm" in front of her, balancing the milk carton and waiting quietly, her face was quickly replaced by a huge, pleasant surprise, as if she had discovered a new world!

"Wow—!!!" She cheered, grabbed the milk carton, and touched the edge of the Lemm "tray" with her other hand (the texture was still bouncy and cool), "I didn't expect it would actually work! Lemm, you're amazing!!"

Her cheer seemed to have pressed a switch.

Kang Hye-won, who had been slumped on the sofa and had lost interest in everything, saw her eyes light up with a "whoosh," brighter than any lamp in the living room! She sat up straight, looking at Lemm with unprecedented, fervent eyes, the gaze of someone who had seen their "ultimate dream"!

"Then in the future..." Kang Hye-won's voice trembled slightly with excitement, "do I only need to lie on the sofa... and I can eat whatever I want to eat, and drink whatever I want to drink? Even... can I even get it to help me pick up takeout?"

As soon as this idea was proposed, it instantly ignited the entire living room!

"Eh—!!" The other members couldn't care about the tragedy of "going to die" anymore, all attracted (or rather, scared) by this highly tempting future vision.

Kwon Eunbi gasped: "It, it's simply a lazy person's gospel..."

An Yujin immediately retorted: "No! This is clearly the source of corruption!"

Jang Wonyoung imagined the scene, her small face turning pale: "By that time... what will we, IZ*ONE... become??"

As if to respond to her "prophecy," a concrete, grayish cloud of imagination appeared simultaneously above everyone's heads: inside the cloud was the IZ*ONE dormitory in some future parallel universe.

Twelve members had all turned into "couch potatoes" deeply embedded in soft sofas and carpets, each with a satisfied yet decadent smile on their faces, wearing loose loungewear, staring with unfocused eyes at the mobile phones, tablets, or game consoles in front of them.

Floating above their heads was a uniform title, flashing with an ominous green light: [Lazy and Decadent Girl Idols].

And that pale green Lemm was imagined as a flashing green, flying "Slime Burger/Tray/All-purpose Little Assistant."

The cloud images switched rapidly: [Kwon Eunbi lazily raised her hand: "Lemm, go get my package."] The Slime burger flew to the door.

[An Yujin stared at the game screen, not even lifting her head: "Lemm, potato chips."] The Slime tray steadily delivered a bag of potato chips.

[Jang Wonyoung applying a face mask: "Cola, iced."]

[Kim Minju: "My Switch is out of battery, power bank."]

[Yabuki Nako (whispering): "Yesterday's... smelly socks? (Stared at by everyone, shrinks her neck)"]

[Takeout arrived, no need to even open the door; the Slime turned into a tray, "flowed" out through the door gap, took the takeout, and "flowed" back, accurately delivering it to everyone's side. Even... in one of the most decadent fantasy shots, someone was too lazy to even lift their hand, just opening their mouth, letting the Slime use a transformed "little spoon" to feed food to their mouth...]

The cloud image finally froze on twelve satisfied (and useless) smiling faces, and one green blob of light busy running around (but still happily "bo-bo"-ing).

Laziness! It was too decadent! It was simply disqualifying for an idol!

However, just as everyone collectively shivered from the horror of this future fantasy, Kang Hye-won seemed to see heaven; the excitement on her face didn't fade but grew even more intense, and she even muttered to herself: "That is simply... too wonderful..."

The others immediately cast complex looks at her that were hard to describe, mixed with "you're hopeless," "traitor," and "but we seem a bit tempted too."

Just as this clash between the fantasy of a "lazy future" and vigilance made the atmosphere in the living room weird and lively again—

"Kids! Get ready to go~ The car is already waiting downstairs!"

The Manager Unnie's energetic voice came from the door. She pushed the door open, poked her head in, and then her gaze was immediately drawn to the pale green jelly creature in the center of the living room, which was balancing an empty milk carton (Choi Yena had already finished it) and was returning to its original form.

"Wow! Is this... Lemm?" The Manager obviously had heard of this production prop, "Yena, when filming is over, props need to be returned to the crew. Stealing props isn't a good thing!"

Choi Yena quickly waved her hands: "It's not stealing, not stealing! PD Jiang said I could play with it! There's a manual and spare parts!"

The Manager looked skeptically at the manual and the small accessory box next to it, then at the innocent-looking Choi Yena and the seemingly harmless (yet functionally dangerous) Lemm, and finally nodded: "Alright... since PD Jiang agreed. But take good care of it, don't break it. Alright, everyone else, stop spacing out, hurry up and pack, get ready to go! Today's mission is heavy!"

"Yes..." A chorus of listless responses rang out.

The fantasy of laziness was ruthlessly shattered by the reality of the filming mission. The girls sighed and began their final preparations sluggishly. Choi Yena happily picked up Lemm, which had returned to its round form, patted it gently, and whispered: "Lemm, be good at home, wait for me to come back tonight~"

Lemm: "Bo-bo~"

Kang Hye-won took one last lingering look at Lemm, as if watching a distant dream called "Lazy Person's Heaven" fade away.

IZ*ONE's new day (filled with the risk of "social death") journey was about to begin. And in the dormitory, a small green creature that might trigger countless "lazy crises" and wonderful stories in the future was left behind, quietly glowing.