Qi Xu cleared his throat lightly, "Ahem... well, not going today. Feeling a bit tired, want to rest. Anyway, we’ve got plenty of supplies."
Little Seven burrowed into Qi Xu’s arms, first acting coquettish, then scampered onto his lap and began rhythmically kneading his legs with her tiny paws.
Sweet Girl was just as amusing, climbing onto Qi Xu’s shoulders to massage them, her head and tail draped on either side, both working in unison. Surprisingly... it felt quite nice.
Qi Xu’s lips curled into a smile. No wonder people who keep pets tend to become more solitary—having a little creature that adores you wholeheartedly is far more relaxing and joyful than socializing or dating outside.
In the last round of the game, Qi Xu had longed for this but was too broke... Now, he was finally savoring the pleasure.
As he enjoyed the moment, Qi Xu turned his attention to the screen.
First, he pulled up the profiles of those he’d already decided to team up with and placed them in the front row.
Then, he reviewed the key candidates he’d shortlisted last night.
Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Chinese Master Chef. The kid’s combat style... was the same as in the last dungeon—hugging his shield and then... body-slamming enemies.
Qi Xu nearly laughed. So this was how he leveled up his monster-slaying skills? Chinese Master Chef seemed to find it fun too, cackling with glee every time he squashed one, thoroughly enjoying himself.
Qi Xu first observed Breaking Cocoon into Butterfly.
Her real demeanor didn’t match her nickname at all—she looked like a no-nonsense girl with a buzz cut, wielding a long spear reminiscent of the red-tasseled spears Qi Xu had seen in short videos before joining the game.
The first-level monsters were just oversized rats, hardly a threat.
With a single fluid thrust, she cleanly dispatched one.
Though the move was simple, Qi Xu could tell she had solid fundamentals. Her spear handling was polished—no amateur could execute it so smoothly.
When she crouched, it was obvious her stance was rock-solid.
Then again, most applicants today probably had some training. Raising all three stats to 60 in two months? Among 10,000 players, maybe 50 could manage it without insane luck scoring piles of stat-boosting pills...
But Breaking Cocoon into Butterfly? Her movements were effortless, her weapon mastery flawless—definitely years of disciplined practice.
After watching her breeze through four levels, Qi Xu added her to his roster, moving her profile to the top row.
Next, he clicked on "A Swimming & Fitness Coach Chen’s" dungeon replay.
His weapon was a pair of boxing gloves. Towering and muscular, he kept light on his feet, shifting side to side, fists guarding his chest. His attacks flowed seamlessly—punches crisp, combos lethal.
A quick replay check showed him one-shotting the first three levels. Even the fourth-level green-furred beast fell to a punch, elbow strike, and flying kick combo...
Qi Xu promptly promoted him to the top row.
Then came Blessed by Luck, a girl who seemed weaker overall—likely boosted by a lucky streak of stat pills.
Armed with twin long blades, she fought with reckless bravery, much like Qi Xu in his early days.
But her weapon control paled next to Coach Chen and Breaking Cocoon into Butterfly. Her movements were tense during combat.
She had the raw power but lacked experience. Qi Xu placed her in the second row as a backup, though he mused she’d benefit from gym sparring sessions.
Another candidate had reached the seventh level, but just as Qi Xu tuned in, the player died—eliminated by a Blackthread Serpent.
A review showed their skills were on par with Blessed by Luck, but they were rash and sloppy, so Qi Xu moved on.
[Congratulations to player Watch Me Cut You Down for being the first to clear the dungeon!]
[Congratulations to player Warwolf 009 for clearing the dungeon!]
The two finished almost simultaneously, a mere second apart, sending Watch Me Cut You Down into a gloating frenzy. First place! Heh heh~ So satisfying.
Rewards aside, bragging rights were everything. She immediately @-ed Warwolf 009 in their group chat:
Watch Me Cut You Down: "Who did the announcement say was first? My eyes must be blurry."
Warwolf 009: "Obviously you, Sis Cut Down! You’re amazing—carry me next time!"
Watch Me Cut You Down: "Tch... boring."
Qi Xu shook his head, amused. These two were always like this.
As eliminations piled up, the early "welfare" levels gave way to brutal later stages:
- Level 7: Blackthread Serpent
- Level 8: Rampage Bear
- Level 9: Flamewolf
- Level 10: Frostfeather Eagle
All formidable foes.
Soon, only two players remained. One was Chinese Master Chef, who’d luck-squashed the serpent but now cowered inside his shield, munching breakfast—an egg pancake so crispy Qi Xu could almost smell it through the screen. The kid’s blissful chewing made Qi Xu’s stomach growl again.
The other... was intriguing.
[Congratulations to player Song Peifeng for clearing the dungeon!]
Qi Xu caught only his fight with the Frostfeather Eagle. His weapon was unusual—a chakram, lethal both thrown and in close combat. His agility was breathtaking.
The final blow came from a explosive leap, hurling the chakram, then dodging as its return strike pierced the eagle’s heart.
Qi Xu was puzzled—how had he overlooked Song Peifeng?
A profile dive revealed an extreme specialist:
- Defense stat: barely 40 (one hit from a monster = game over).
- Vehicle: Level 3 (most skilled players had at least Level 4).
Such a mismatch... Was he, like Watch Me Cut You Down, cursed with terrible luck? Surely not...
