After saying this, Qi Xu directly pressed a different option for each of the three pets.
Qi Xu kept his eyes fixed ahead, pretending not to hear, and focused intently on Sweet Girl and Little Seven.
The first challenge began quickly, and the opponent was a long-unseen green-haired monster. Although Qi Xu no longer lacked basic resources like green fur, he had always made it a habit to pluck the fur before fighting the creature whenever they crossed paths.
As a result, Little Seven and Sweet Girl had also learned not to aim for the monster's weak spots but instead to return each time with a mouthful of green fur.
Qi Xu awkwardly rubbed his forehead—the frugal combat style had clearly rubbed off on the two little ones. He hadn’t taught them that last night; it must have been through osmosis.
Still, this worked well, aligning with the battle strategy the three had discussed the previous night. While the opponent was weak, they could use the opportunity to get into the rhythm of combat, adapt to the arena, and warm up...
Pets that successfully cleared the challenge could rest on the platform, while their owners could check real-time rankings and even watch live battle footage of other players' pets.
The first to complete the challenge was A Bao. Qi Xu gave Old White Dragon a thumbs-up, and Old White Dragon puffed up with pride like a father whose child had just been praised, standing tall with his hands on his hips.
The first round was relatively simple, and most pets succeeded. Sweet Girl and Little Seven only finished off the green-haired monster after confirming they were warmed up and in the right state.
Since the hall where the owners waited didn’t restrict player interactions, many people were chatting.
Quite a few kept glancing at Qi Xu—was the first round really this difficult for them? They were almost at the bottom of the rankings.
Some had initially thought that being grouped with the "Invincible Black Whirlwind" would make winning first place tough.
But now they realized... just because Invincible Black Whirlwind was strong didn’t mean her pets were!
Qi Xu leaned into the act, shaking his head and sighing dramatically. The others didn’t understand what was going on and had no idea about Little Seven and Sweet Girl’s true strength—but Old White Dragon in the Waves knew all too well...
Sister Cut You had nothing but praise for Little Seven, and while Sweet Girl hadn’t made many appearances, could any pet that followed the Whirlwind Boss possibly be ordinary?
After the first round ended, players had 30 seconds to comfort their pets.
Qi Xu spent the entire time showering each pet with exaggerated compliments.
Since neighboring players sat close by, the girl next to him overheard every word. Outwardly, she remained expressionless, but inwardly, she was rolling her eyes.
No wonder your pets are so useless—you’re practically treating them like they’re your golden children! If you’re so worried, why even bring them to this dungeon?
Instead of using the time to strategize or address problems after such a poor first-round performance, you just keep praising them nonstop. Unbelievable.
But this was good... This counted as insider information, right? It could probably sell for a fortune!
"Shocking! Explosive! The so-called 'Invincible Black Whirlwind’s' pets turn out to be the weakest in history? Truth exposed, the internet erupts!"
The girl was already imagining her scoop going viral.
She completely failed to notice Old White Dragon in the Waves on her right whispering mysteriously to his pet, which had just taken first place, for a long time.
The second round’s monster wasn’t tough either—a wild boar.
Though it was fast, Little Seven and Sweet Girl were even more agile. When there were no monsters around, the two either sparred with each other or trained with their owner.
If they ever slowed down even a little, they risked being thrown dozens of feet away—Qi Xu never went easy on them in that regard...
So the two mostly dodged without attacking, eventually exhausting the boar to death on the platform. Their ranking improved slightly but still lingered outside the top 20.
Notably... A Bao, who had taken first place in the previous round, unexpectedly landed in 19th place and seemed to have been injured.
This round introduced a replenishment option, costing 100 survival points—but players had to supply their own items.
Hardly anyone chose to use it.
Again, there were 30 seconds for communication. Qi Xu stuck to his praise, saying nothing else. The two little ones had their own rhythm—if they wanted to break into the top 10, they needed to conserve energy early on.
Old White Dragon in the Waves was practically bursting with impatience. Why weren’t the people around him striking up a conversation? He had no stage to show off!
Finally, he couldn’t hold back anymore. "Whirlwind Boss, my A Bao got hurt, but I didn’t give him any medicine—I even scolded him just now. Ah..."
This outburst instantly let everyone nearby know that A Bao, the first-round champion, was now struggling...
Qi Xu was momentarily stunned. What was Old White Dragon in the Waves plotting? His exaggerated expression made it obvious he was acting—but what was the act for?
"How could you scold the poor thing? They’re fighting so hard out there—they don’t deserve that!"
The girl sitting between them: See? I told you Black Whirlwind treats her pets like they’re her "golden children"!
By the third round, the two little ones had fully settled into their rhythm. But Qi Xu had instructed them the night before: "Aim for the greatest victory at the smallest cost. The perfect battle is one where you don’t get hurt."
So they fought with extreme caution. Though Sweet Girl ended up in 12th place and Little Seven in 15th, the gap between them and the top-ranked pets had widened significantly.
If two pets cleared the same number of rounds, their ranking was determined by completion time.
Qi Xu didn’t choose replenishment—the kids had just warmed up; the real fight hadn’t even started yet.
Before the fourth round began, the dungeon suddenly announced: "Time to make some money! As strong players, your judgment must be sharp. Just as you can predict a person’s future at three years old, three rounds are enough to foresee the final outcome.
All players must quickly place bets on the pets they believe will take the top three spots. Successful bettors will split all the wagers among themselves! Qiuqiu only takes a tiny service fee.
All pets will also be notified of the betting situation—it’ll motivate them to fight even harder!"
Qi Xu’s eyes lit up—what perfect timing!
Old White Dragon in the Waves grinned like a cat that got the cream. As expected, following the boss always paid off!
Qi Xu suddenly noticed many eyes on him—they must be deciding who to bet on.
Old White Dragon in the Waves set the stage. "Whirlwind Boss, how about throwing a vote for my A Bao?"
Qi Xu nodded. "Then you should vote for my Little Seven and Sweet Girl too. Otherwise, if no one supports them, they might feel disheartened."
"That’s exactly what I’m worried about. Otherwise, I’d have voted for..." Old White Dragon in the Waves abruptly stopped short at the critical moment.
Eavesdroppers: Go on! Finish your sentence!
But whoever they bet on, it definitely wouldn’t be your pets.
Qi Xu didn’t push further. Overacting would ruin the illusion—subtlety was key.
He glanced enviously at the girl beside him, hesitating before finally, at the last second, placing his bets on his own two pets and Old White Dragon in the Waves’ A Bao!
..........
