Qi Xu took a moment to check on the two little ones. Their wounds were slowly healing, but they remained in a state of "weak unconsciousness." This training session had certainly pushed them to their limits—even the loud commotion of the "one-click protection" earlier hadn’t been enough to rouse them.
Bored in the evening, a few others who also had nothing to do decided to gather for a meal. They made plans to visit the Chinese Master Chef, figuring they could enjoy some good food while chatting and waiting for the night’s dungeon announcement.
The Master Chef’s tractor now hauled several folded spaces, including three kitchens, a bedroom, and a dining area. The dining area was set up perfectly for gatherings. Outside, a thunderstorm raged with lightning and heavy rain, making the cozy indoor atmosphere all the more enjoyable.
The group had initially been debating how to convince the Master Chef to prepare some non-diet meals. Though his diet dishes were just as delicious, they tended to leave everyone hungry. But the moment they arrived, the rich aroma of oil-braised shrimp filled the air...
Qi Xu couldn’t help but ask curiously, "Master Chef, giving up on the diet?"
The Master Chef chuckled cheerfully. "My skill, 『Fat Shield』, relies on fat reserves. Why would I diet now? Not only would it make me unhappy, but it’d also thin out my shield. After becoming an ability user, obesity doesn’t affect health anymore, so I dropped the weight loss plan immediately."
Dan Dan Qi laughed uproariously. "That’s great news! When your abilities align with your desires, it’s a perfect match!"
Bian nodded in agreement. "Makes sense. If it doesn’t harm your health, the happier, the better."
Dongfang Yuan stared impatiently at the pot, barely holding back drool. "So… is the shrimp done yet?"
The conversation flowed naturally, jumping from topic to topic without any deliberate direction, yet time flew by in the blink of an eye. Before they knew it, midnight had arrived.
Since no new server mergers had occurred after the latest monthly rankings, Qi Xu guessed the upcoming dungeon wouldn’t be excessively difficult.
Dan Dan Qi, ever the skeptic, disagreed and even made a bet with Qi Xu. "I’m calling it now—this one’s gonna be a high-difficulty nightmare of a dungeon. Let’s bet 100 survival coins!"
Qi Xu clicked his tongue. "Only 100? Add a few zeros to make it interesting."
"Small bets for fun, big bets ruin lives. 100 it is!"
Zhu Fu didn’t hold back, rolling his eyes at the stubborn Dan Dan Qi. "Why do you never learn, no matter how many times you get proven wrong?"
Dan Dan Qi defiantly stuck out his neck. "My day of victory will come eventually."
"Tch, your sixth sense might flip before you do."
"Hmph. Brat, I won’t stoop to your level."
"At least this brat’s better than an old brat like you."
Amid their bickering, the dungeon announcement finally arrived.
〖Hello, everyone! Your beloved, adorable, gentle, kind, humorous, and charming Qiuqiu is here!
Let’s get the unpleasantries out of the way first. This month’s dungeon isn’t just a ten-server collaboration—it’s mandatory for all players. Qiuqiu has thoughtfully auto-registered everyone for you.
Now, the important part: final rankings will be based on cross-server performance, but the top 100 in each server’s internal rankings will receive rewards!
Newbies! Don’t you dare drag Xuan Feng’s ranking down, or Qiuqiu will break your legs! Players ranked below 10,000 will receive a month-long, incurable toothache debuff!〗
The average players felt like the sky was falling. Since when were dungeons mandatory? Weren’t they supposed to be optional?
A month of toothache was bearable—after all, survival was already hard enough in this death game. But the real guilt would come from ruining Xuan Feng’s top-ranking streak.
Just as anxiety peaked, the dungeon’s name flashed before them, and suddenly, everyone felt a surge of confidence—even excitement.
〖3-Star Dungeon: Beat Up Qiuqiu〗
〖Dungeon Description: What’s there to explain? Just hit it! The dungeon starts at 6 AM sharp and lasts 144 hours, with no early exits permitted!
Rest assured, players—your health and safety are guaranteed. Qiuqiu can only take hits in this dungeon and can’t fight back. Unless you deliberately seek death, there’s zero risk of dying here.
Honestly, I’m just too kind. Seeing how exhausted everyone’s been lately, I prepared this as a stress-relief event. The ranking system is simple: the harder you hit, the more damage you deal, the higher you climb. Let it all out!
Note: Backpacks and all items (e.g., "Forced Dungeon Exit Cards") are prohibited. Daily mileage check-ins are also waived for the duration.〗
Another dungeon type Qi Xu had never experienced before. But by now… he was used to it. After reading the announcement, he quickly calculated—144 hours meant six full days.
Which meant they’d exit the dungeon just in time to dive straight into the Treasure Map Secret Realm. Hiss… wasn’t that a bit brutal?
Every dungeon left them utterly exhausted, and the Treasure Map came with three scheming teammates.
But there was no point stressing. The dungeon was mandatory, and Qi Xu wasn’t about to skip the Treasure Map.
"Are you kidding me?! Another dungeon I’ve never seen before?!"
Zhu Fu almost wondered if he’d lost his memory—but no way would he forget something this distinctive.
He expected Qiuqiu to ignore him, but instead, the orb burst into smug laughter.
"Ever since I found out you were in my server, I’ve been working day and night, analyzing data and crafting dungeons you’ve never played! Hahaha! Hard work pays off! As long as I’m in charge, don’t expect any repeats! Hahahaha!"
Zhu Fu jumped at the sudden roar. "You stupid orb, keep it down! Get out of my head!"
"Hmph. Fine, I’ll leave."
Qiuqiu immediately backed off. Arguing further would only bring suffering—better to play it safe. Not that it was scared, of course. It was just being considerate, not wanting to trouble Xuan Feng. Stupid mutt, always barking. Qiuqiu wouldn’t stoop to its level!
Qi Xu pretended not to hear and turned to Dan Dan Qi instead. "The bet. Hand it over—don’t make me ask twice."
Dan Dan Qi whimpered dramatically as he forked over the 100 survival coins, all while War Wolf 009 secretly recorded the moment and posted it in the group chat.
The night passed in playful chaos, finally easing the tension before everyone headed off to rest.
Qi Xu absentmindedly fiddled with his colored egg, slipping effortlessly into deep sleep. Ever since the egg had appeared, his sleep quality had improved drastically, and his mental energy had skyrocketed.
He suspected the little one’s innate skill was tied to mental energy—why else would it coincidentally shield him from psychic attacks while also boosting his mental stats during sleep?
Truly the dream companion for this stage of his journey. Hurry up and hatch, little one.
..........
