"Then wait here. I’ll definitely take first place—remember to come find me when I do."
The egg nodded, as if urging her to hurry? Qi Xu was baffled again. Why do I understand everything it’s saying?!
After leaving the [Human Exclusion Zone], a notification suddenly popped up before Qi Xu’s eyes.
"Congratulations to player Invincible Black Whirlwind for uncovering the secret Easter egg of the zoo and gaining its preliminary approval! You’re just one step away from a flawless clear! Go, go, Black Whirlwind!"
Qi Xu rubbed her temples. Making it back by 8 PM from this distance was going to be a pain.
She took a deep breath and broke into a sprint.
"Damn, she’s still not back!"
"What do we do if no one shows up for the performance tonight?"
"We perform, obviously. What else can we do?"
"Lucky her, skipping rehearsals these past few days. She dodged so many pitfalls. With how loose her hands are, she’d be flat broke by the end of this dungeon."
At exactly 7 PM, a broadcast echoed throughout the dungeon.
[All animal trainers and performers, please assemble in the studio immediately! The judges will arrive shortly. Let’s greet them with our utmost enthusiasm!]
Hearing this, Qi Xu instinctively picked up speed, pushing forward at breakneck pace.
This dungeon had drained her completely. She just hoped the rewards would be worth it. Not once had she doubted she’d take first place.
Right now, Qi Xu looked about as rough as it got.
The high-tech combat suit she’d splurged on at the monster auction house was beyond repair—reduced to literal rags. Stabbed full of holes by the deformity monster in the [Human Exclusion Zone], her face was smeared with mud and dried blood. Though the Easter egg had healed most of her wounds, five days and nights without sleep had left her utterly drained.
Invincible Black Whirlwind? More like Invincible Dark Circles.
Not a single animal accompanied Qi Xu as she reached the rehearsal area. Only 10 minutes remained until 8 PM.
No time to head back to the studio. She followed the crowd straight to the final performance venue, staggering slightly but keeping a brisk pace.
An aura of killing intent radiated from her, palpable enough that people held their breaths and stepped aside as she passed.
Some players even recognized her—wasn’t this the VIP who got bowed to by all the owls during lineup? How’d she end up like this?!
Did her chosen animals turn on her? Ran out of money for props? Or… did she pick something way too high-level? A few couldn’t help but smirk, eager for the drama.
Five days in, players had exchanged notes and realized one thing:
The higher an animal’s rank, the harder it was to tame. More props were needed, and while the payoff could be huge, the cost was brutal.
Pouring money into props with no guaranteed return? Too risky.
Case in point—just look at her.
Qi Xu hoped her 20 animals had arrived. They should have had that much understanding, right?
Sure enough, as she reached the entrance, there they were—lined up stiffly, straining to look into the distance. The moment they spotted Qi Xu approaching…
They suddenly pretended not to care, glancing at the sky, studying the ground, or chatting idly among themselves.
Little Black stood front and center, flanked by a tiger and a black bear, both radiating resentment.
"You’re late! We didn’t rehearse at all—how are we supposed to perform?"
"Yeah, you’re so unreliable. Should we at least discuss a plan now?"
Qi Xu waved them off. "Relax. If I’m not worried about embarrassing myself, why should you be?"
Her half-smirk as she eyed the tiger and bear made the two freeze, suddenly feeling exposed.
"Let’s go."
Qi Xu strode into the venue first.
The audience was packed with players and animals, save for the front row behind the judges’ seats.
Her entrance drew stares—both for her disheveled state and the parade of animals trailing her.
Damn, no wonder she looked like hell. Twenty high-tier animals? Even one would’ve been a stretch without burning through props. Greedy much?
Only players from Server 88, District 666 stiffened. Wait… isn’t that Whirlwind? How’d she end up like this?!
The video Bian took had gone viral in 88666—everyone had seen it at least ten times. They knew Qi Xu’s face.
If not for how wrecked she looked, they’d have recognized her sooner.
Qi Xu took a seat in the front row, animals flanking her on both sides. Like her, they lounged back, oozing nonchalance.
Soon, the judges arrived—all monsters, thirty in total, each wearing plain white masks.
Qi Xu’s gaze zeroed in on the center judge’s three tails, pink-and-white, and its gait. Why did it remind her of… Taotao?
Behind it, a massive black serpent wore a mask so small it looked like a bottle cap stuck on its nose—barely covering its nostrils.
Further back, a grimy little goblin covered in rust stains.
Scanning the panel, Qi Xu spotted two more familiar faces: Princess Piggy and Warehouse Spider from the [Princess’s Banquet] dungeon.
They noticed her too. Princess Piggy sighed deeply after seeing Qi Xu’s injuries and her entourage.
Taotao kept sneaking glances at Qi Xu’s wounds. The black serpent fidgeted like it needed the bathroom. The goblin played it cool but tossed her a protective item on the sly.
For some reason, Qi Xu’s heart softened.
Little Black buried its face in its knees. Running into ex-colleagues here? Might as well bump into your college crush while working construction after going bankrupt.
The tiger, seated beside Qi Xu, raised a brow at the judges’ antics.
"You’ve got connections?"
"Monster connections."
"Pfft. Useless."
It snorted and turned away.
Soon, a lavishly dressed owl took the stage.
"Ladies and gentlemen! The decade’s grandest event in the animal kingdom—the spectacular Zoo Gala—officially begins tonight!
Every performer has poured their heart into this, honing their acts day and night to deliver the most dazzling show. Now, let’s give a thunderous welcome to our 30 esteemed judges!"
"They are…"
...........
