In the scorching noon, not a single cloud dotted the sky, and the blazing sun burned the earth.
Shen Qi removed the sticky mud that had baked onto her skin and washed her face.
Continuing like this was not a solution—it was not only uncomfortable but also clogged her pores, which was bad for her skin.
“The System Store function is now open. The Host can use Points to exchange for needed items. Items in the System Store will refresh periodically.”
Shen Qi opened the System Store page, which displayed only a handful of items: a sharp knife, a lighter, tissues, mouthwash, a toothbrush and toothpaste, Concealing Cream…
Her gaze settled on the Concealing Cream.
“Xiao Yu, are tasks triggered randomly?”
“Yes, Host. They are triggered randomly or based on events in the current situation.”
Shen Qi understood. Just as she finished washing her face and stood up, a faint rustling sound came from the nearby thicket of weeds. Her hand moved to her waist, touching a hard object.
“Task: Capture five white rabbits. Reward: 100 Points.”
As soon as Shen Qi heard the task notification, a large white rabbit, bigger than both her palms combined, leaped out from the rustling grass.
She narrowed her eyes, looking at this sudden rabbit.
The rabbit instantly sensed danger enveloping it and tried to flee on its short little legs.
She threw the knife in her hand toward its neck, and the rabbit was killed instantly before it could escape.
“Task progress: 20%. Four more to go. Keep it up, Host.”
“50 meters ahead, a rabbit is hiding.”
Following the System’s directions, Shen Qi quickly moved forward and indeed spotted a rabbit hidden in the grass, nibbling on plants.
Unaware of the danger quietly approaching, the rabbit continued chewing the grass in its paws with its two front teeth.
Without a second glance, Shen Qi stabbed it with her dagger, ending its life.
“Task progress: 40%. Three more to go. Keep it up, Host.”
Shen Qi continued following the System’s directions to locate the remaining three rabbits and soon completed the task, earning her first commission in this world.
“Task completed. 100 Points have been issued. The Host can exchange for items in the System Store with sufficient Points.”
Shen Qi immediately found the item she needed—Concealing Cream.
She spent 20 Points to purchase it outright, and a small container, about the size of a snow cream jar, instantly appeared in her hand. Opening it, she found a black paste inside.
Shen Qi dabbed a bit with her finger and applied it to her face. Instead of the expected heaviness or foreign sensation, it felt cool and seemed to blend seamlessly with her skin.
She tried washing it off with clean water but found it wouldn’t come off.
“Xiao Yu, how do I remove the Concealing Cream?”
“Concealing Cream cannot be washed off with water. After application, it will fade after three days. The Host can apply it in advance.”
“I see.”
Shen Qi looked at the five rabbits lying on the ground and tied their feet together with a sturdy vine.
Carrying the five rabbits back, she plucked their fur and prepared to roast them.
After cleaning the rabbits and setting up a simple roasting rack, she had just skewered them when Bai Yuwei appeared, dragging several large wild beasts.
Bai Yuwei smelled the blood and saw the rabbits in her hands. “Did you go out again?”
“No, I found these rabbits in the grass by the river.”
Seeing the doubt in his eyes, she added, “These rabbits were hiding in the grass. They’re usually hard to spot.””That’s good, you mustn’t go out. You might encounter Evil Beasts outside, and it would be terrible if they discovered you.”
“Evil Beasts?”
“Evil Beasts are Beastfolk that all Beastfolk despise. No, they don’t deserve to be called Beastfolk. All Beastfolk loathe them. They force Females to satisfy their base desires, completely disregarding the Females’ feelings!”
“All Females fear them, and Male Beasts with Females never let them go out, afraid they might be harmed if they encounter Evil Beasts.”
“Moreover, Evil Beasts are very powerful. Many Beastfolk are no match for them. Dealing with Evil Beasts is very troublesome.”
“Near our area, there’s a place where Evil Beasts gather, called the Dark Gloom Forest. I heard that not long ago, an even more powerful Evil Beast arrived, defeated the original Evil Beast King, and made him his subordinate. They were already difficult to deal with, and now it seems Evil Beasts are even more troublesome.”
“I’m only at the fourth rank now.” Bai Yuwei sighed. “Qiqi, don’t look down on me for my low rank. I’ll work hard to improve my rank as soon as possible!”
Shen Qi had already noticed the beast patterns on his arm—four of them. It seemed they represented his rank.
“How do you improve your abilities? Just through regular hunting?”
“Hunting only accounts for a small part. Mostly, it’s by killing magic beasts and eating their beast cores. That strengthens our abilities. The higher the rank of the magic beast, the greater the enhancement, but of course, they’re also harder to deal with.”
“Are magic beasts also wild animals that have lost their Spiritual Intelligence? Except they have beast cores with ranks?”
“Yes, there were no magic beasts before, but at some point, Beastfolk discovered their beast cores and found that eating them could increase their strength.”
“Can Females also enhance their strength by eating beast cores?”
“Females who can transform can enhance their strength, but those who can’t transform cannot. Very few Females can transform.”
So her abilities here were at most slightly stronger and more agile than the Females here. Compared to Beastfolk who could transform, she could currently handle low-rank Beastfolk, but what about higher-rank ones…
Moreover, she had noticed that each Beastfolk had different abilities. For example, Bai Yuwei could turn into a Tiger Beast and run faster than other Beastfolk in their Beast Forms. The Eagle Tribe also had their own advantages—they could fly, which already gave them an edge over some Beastfolk.
Shen Qi clenched her fists. Her martial arts skills might be insignificant in front of high-rank Beastfolk, so she needed to train even harder…
If she encountered high-rank Beastfolk, along with some useful items from the System Store, even if she couldn’t defeat them, she might at least be able to hold them off.
“Qiqi, don’t worry, I’ll protect you!” Seeing her tense body, Bai Yuwei comforted her.
“Mm, same here.” He was the first Beastfolk she had encountered in this world and the first to accept her. He had taken her in, and she would do her best to help him in return. Although he could be a bit improper at times, he was still quite cute sometimes.
“Qiqi, you’re so good!” Before Shen Qi could react, Bai Yuwei couldn’t help but hug her, burying his face in the crook of her neck. He smelled a sweet, refreshing fragrance that filled his entire nose.
The warm breath against her neck felt a bit ticklish. Shen Qi’s eyelashes fluttered slightly. “Let go!”
“Okay, okay.” Bai Yuwei released her and looked at the roasted rabbit beside them, which was already a bit burnt.
He flipped it over and continued roasting it. Seeing the barbecue seasoning nearby, he imitated her earlier method, sprinkling some on before flipping it again.Shen Qi raised an eyebrow. “You’ve learned quite well.”
“Hehe, it’s all thanks to Qiqi’s excellent teaching.” Hearing her praise, Bai Yuwei beamed with delight.