If one possessed a War Wolf, given its strength, it couldn't possibly remain unknown. That proved District 888 didn't have one, so Qi Xu couldn't be bothered to say more.
He directly transferred 2000 Survival Coins to Xie Shaoning. "I'll pay your fine for you. You can leave now."
Xie Shaoning replied, "Alright, thank you, Boss Whirlwind."
He then walked straight over to Mountain Tyrant Tiger. "Are you still willing to come home with me?"
Mountain Tyrant Tiger answered with a roll of its eyes.
Xie Shaoning's eyes reddened. How did that song go? "Some people, once missed, are gone..."
Well, it applied not just to people, but to tigers too.
Xie Shaoning nodded, said "I'm sorry," and left the Treasure Map Secret Realm directly.
Qi Xu watched Xie Shaoning's retreating figure in silence for a long time. It wasn't necessarily true that he gained nothing; perhaps he was the one who gained the most.
If he could completely change his nature, learn the correct attitude and way to survive on the Survival Highway, he might go even further than before. How could that not be considered a gain?
The toxic family environment was an old scar etched into his heart, staining the very fabric of his life with a shadow difficult to fade.
It made his current self, whether in speech or action, always carry a selfish edge, sensitive antennae, the shackles of suspicion, and walls of self-absorption.
It annoyed everyone around him. Whether friends or pets, few could stand the sight of him, including his original allies who had unknowingly defected. If not for the Secret Realm's rules forcing cooperation, they probably would have disbanded long ago.
But life's journey is itself a long trek through both storms and warm sunshine. We all carry the hope for a better self, grinding down our rough edges with all our might through the mud and the smooth paths, striving to become slightly more perfect people...
Qi Xu suddenly smiled. The feeling of everyone slowly getting better together was truly wonderful. From the initial four people each scheming and wary, to finally beginning to learn to slowly open up and trust others.
This feeling was quite intoxicating. Even though he still didn't like Xie Shaoning now, it didn't stop Qi Xu from sincerely wishing him well, hoping he would find his own path and become stronger.
If this road is destined to be long, then having a few rivals of comparable strength is also a wonderful thing.
Taking a deep breath, Qi Xu finally spoke, "Qiuqiu baby, I'm here to pay the fine. The one for Xie Shaoning just now."
[Hehehe, Boss, how did you know it was me?]
Qi Xu scratched his ear tip. "Not sure. I just felt it was you as soon as I heard it. Maybe we're on the same wavelength."
[No need for the fine~ Boss, you've worked hard. Go back and rest. It's the middle of the night outside right now.]
Qi Xu shook his head. "Quick, deduct 3000 Survival Coins from me right away. If you won't take the fine, fine. My teammate was wrong to curse at you earlier. I'm paying compensation on his behalf. I'm really sorry. He's just a lunatic. Don't hold it against him. Consider these 3000 as compensation for the emotional distress he caused you."
Qiuqiu suddenly got excited. The boss was seizing the chance to give her private pocket money, and even found a legitimate reason for it! Love it, love it, I absolutely love this!
Seeing Qiuqiu obediently deduct the coins, Qi Xu also left the Treasure Map Secret Realm. This trip wasn't a loss. Never mind other things, just the 6 Vehicle Cores alone would allow District 666 to produce 6 Level 7 Vehicles.
Plus the materials for upgrading to Level 8 Vehicles and for hatching the Surprise Egg, all were urgently needed good items.
Especially the Golden Seed... Qi Xu had been looking forward to it for so long.
It felt like he had obtained it not long after the game started, and until now it hadn't even sprouted. That's really a bit much, huh...
Hurry up and make an appearance, little treasure!
As Qi Xu prepared to leave, Mountain Tyrant Tiger pitifully ambled over.
"Meow."
Qi Xu: ???
You're a big tiger, is that an appropriate sound for you?
"What do you want? Do you want to come with me?" Qi Xu asked.
Mountain Tyrant Tiger nodded, then looked at Little Seven, clearly expressing a desire to acknowledge Little Seven as its big brother.
Little Seven also wrapped an arm around Mountain Tyrant Tiger's neck, somewhat reluctant to let go.
Qi Xu suddenly had a good idea. He half-crouched, meeting the tiger's eyes at its level.
"Do you want me to help you find a new master? Completely different from Xie Shaoning. She will treat you very well, regard you as a life-and-death partner. But she's very weak and might need your protection."
Mountain Tyrant Tiger tilted its head in confusion. Very weak? How weak? Life-and-death partners? Is that possible? Not getting scolded every day would already be pretty good...
Qi Xu was thinking of Bian. She currently only had one pet, the little rabbit rescued from the car roof back then.
It was probably just hatched from a basic pet egg, with no skills. But staying with Bian every day, two life forms with similar experiences had completely healed each other, becoming each other's salvation.
But situations requiring pets would become more frequent. Bian lacked the courage and had no desire to open pet eggs. This Mountain Tyrant Tiger seemed ill-tempered but was actually quite sensitive at heart.
It might be a good match for Bian.
Mountain Tyrant Tiger was still hesitating. It actually didn't want to acknowledge a human as master anymore, except for the one before it. But this powerful human didn't want it.
Qi Xu patiently explained, "We are all very good friends and often eat and gather together. You would still get to see Little Seven frequently."
Only then did Mountain Tyrant Tiger muster the courage to nod. Qi Xu gently stroked the big tiger's head. The feel was pretty good.
Fluffy. Bian would definitely like it.
After teleporting back with the pets, it was the middle of the night. Mountain Tyrant Tiger would be fine; Little Seven would arrange everything. It had food and drink there.
Qi Xu needed a good sleep. Glancing at the time, it was already 3 AM, the deepest part of the night. He couldn't help but yawn.
As soon as he lay down on the bed, a feeling washed over him as if all the bones in his body had gone soft and melted into the surface. The warm quilt and mattress seemed to completely envelop him.
From the start of the [Beat Up Qiuqiu] dungeon until now, he could finally sleep well without any guard up, away from those three unreliable, scheming fellows.
Holding the Surprise Egg, Qi Xu fell into a deep sleep almost the moment he closed his eyes.
And the faint, fragmented glow emanating from the Surprise Egg once again slowly transmitted towards Qi Xu... rapidly repairing all the discomfort in his body.
So much so that when Qi Xu woke up at 7 the next morning, he was somewhat dazed. He thought he'd sleep until noon, but he woke up at 7? No early class to attend? What's up with this biological clock?
For a moment, Qi Xu felt like he had lost out on 5 million...
.........
