The little green serpent blankly accepted this name, mainly because it had just hatched and didn’t understand much yet. It simply thought its owner’s smile was beautiful, so it felt this must be a good name.
Qi Xu soon heard the notification sound from the light screen.
[Pet Sweetie’s favorability has increased by 10 points, now at 15. If favorability is below 20, the pet may disobey commands in battle or attempt to escape.]
Qi Xu finally relaxed—this one was easy to please too.
She took out a small piece of steamed pumpkin from her space stone and placed it in her palm.
"Are you hungry? Want something to eat? What do you like to drink? Can you handle goat’s milk?"
Sweetie stuck out its tiny tongue for a taste, and it was as if a whole new world had opened before it...
[Pet Sweetie’s favorability has increased by 5 points, now at 20.]
Great. Qi Xu didn’t even need to ask—she already knew this little one loved food.
Before Xiao Qi could start feeling neglected, Qi Xu brought out an enormous pumpkin and fed it to him too. As an owner, she couldn’t play favorites—both babies were good babies.
Xiao Qi immediately perked up, his little tail spinning rapidly again. Even with a new pet, Master still loves me the most!
She only gave Sweetie a tiny piece of pumpkin, but mine’s huge!
Completely ignoring the fact that he was much bigger than Sweetie...
Though Qi Xu didn’t know exactly what Xiao Qi was thinking, his expression gave her a rough idea. This kid really knows how to cheer himself up.
She quickly used her other hand to ruffle his head. Sibling rivalry is the parents’ fault—no favoritism allowed here.
[Pet Xiao Qi’s favorability has increased by 10 points, now at 65. Simple communication is now possible.]
Qi Xu tentatively called out, "Woof woof?"
At the same time, she wondered... When Sweetie’s favorability hits 60, how am I supposed to talk to it? Hiss hiss?
Xiao Qi shook his head. "No, like this!"
Qi Xu’s lips twitched awkwardly. So it wasn’t her speaking animal language, nor the pet speaking human language—it was telepathic communication...
She pretended she’d known all along. "I was just teasing you."
Xiao Qi nodded vigorously. "Right! Master’s the best!"
Qi Xu flushed slightly—only Xiao Qi was this gullible.
Turning back to Sweetie, she saw the tiny snake had already devoured a pumpkin chunk bigger than itself.
Perhaps energized by the meal, it seemed livelier now, actively observing its surroundings as its initial wariness faded.
Qi Xu took out a large piece of silk fabric, folded it, and placed it beside Xiao Qi’s dog bed.
"Sweetie, sleep here for now. Later, I’ll get materials to make you a proper nest, along with a pet nutrient pod and growth serum—I’ll get you everything."
Sweetie wasn’t picky. It slithered off Qi Xu’s palm on its own.
Qi Xu placed its eggshell beside it, then introduced Xiao Qi and Sweetie to each other.
"Be good to each other, okay?"
Xiao Qi, acting like an overexcited fool, bounced around, thrilled to have a new companion.
Sweetie, however, remained indifferent, nodding before curling up to study its surroundings more carefully.
Seeing no issues, Qi Xu went to take a bath.
After five days in the dungeon, basic hygiene was manageable, but a proper bath was overdue, so she soaked a little longer than usual.
She also checked the chat lobby. Everyone was talking about her reaching Vehicle Level 6. The sour grapes who’d demanded red packets earlier had vanished without a trace.
Now, it was nothing but congratulations—not a single troublemaker in sight.
Guess showing off once in a while is necessary.
Either way, Qi Xu wouldn’t be handing out more red packets. Letting those types benefit felt worse than not gaining any bragging rights at all.
Perhaps because she’d progressed so quickly this round, the overall game pace seemed accelerated.
Last round, it took at least six months for someone to reach Vehicle Level 6.
Now? Including the 10-day beginner protection period, it had only been two months. Some preparations needed to be made sooner than expected.
Over the next three days, temperatures climbed relentlessly. On the final day, noon temperatures skyrocketed to a lethal 70°C.
Anyone without proper cooling in their vehicles was practically doomed. The chat lobby’s user list updated constantly with new blacked-out avatars—players who hadn’t made it.
Thankfully, most players hadn’t taken their vehicles into dungeons, so their onboard AC or ice-attribute crystals could still sustain them.
Qi Xu’s cooling sprays sold like wildfire. Gradually, others unlocked blueprints for similar sprays or cooling patches.
When someone posted the required materials in chat, everyone realized—Whirlwind Big Shot’s prices were downright generous. Put in her shoes, they’d never sell at those rates.
After all, making a cooling spray still requires ice... and in this kind of weather, producing ice itself is quite difficult.
Qi Xu’s little life was actually quite comfortable.
He kept a strict routine—early to bed, early to rise, three meals a day on schedule, with a perfectly balanced and nutritious diet, pushing his health stats to their peak.
In his free time, he’d bond with Xiao Qi and Sweetie, working on their coordination and rapport.
The limited space in the vehicle made it hard for Xiao Qi’s talents to shine, but Qi Xu got to witness Sweetie’s ability—"Camouflage."
Like a chameleon, she could instantly blend into her surroundings. Combined with her naturally small size and near-silent movements, she was incredibly hard to detect.
With a bit more growth, she’d definitely become a master at ambushes.
Qi Xu quickly mapped out their future combat roles: Xiao Qi would engage enemies head-on, drawing fire to create openings for Sweetie’s sneak attacks.
Once Sweetie struck successfully, Xiao Qi would follow up with the finishing blow—a flawless combo.
Qi Xu was already looking forward to the pet dungeon, but with so few players owning pets at the moment, it probably wouldn’t open anytime soon. They’d have to wait and keep leveling up.
The vehicle’s first floor was fully enclosed, and the automated collection arms would deposit loot crates on the middle level, keeping the scorching air from seeping in.
Once, Xiao Qi got curious after hearing a noise and peeked into the middle floor, only to nearly pass out from the heat. After that, he never wandered over again.
Thankfully, this heatwave was almost over.
As night fell, the temperature gradually dropped, making the suffocating heat more bearable.
With just 10 days left in the month, the 20-day streak of extreme heat had left the ground blistering. The group chats were flooded with players complaining about constant tire blowouts...
.........
