“It’s just a D-Rank dungeon. Don’t be afraid, Xingyuan. Gu Nian will be guarding you.”
If any other Ferryman were taking Xu Xingyuan, even if they were reliable, the Doctor would still worry.
But in this world, no one was more reliable than Gu Nian.
“After you enter the dungeon, do whatever Gu Nian does. If it’s inconvenient to speak, just imitate him.”
Even without the Doctor’s instructions, Xu Xingyuan would have done so.
“I will try my best not to become a burden to Senior Gu Nian!”
The Doctor was very reassured about Xu Xingyuan.
Although the kid was physically weak and had little strength, he was observant and very receptive to advice.
People often say curiosity kills the cat, but Xu Xingyuan avoided this perfectly.
His curiosity was very low, so he would definitely not become the kind of teammate who drags everyone down in horror movies.
For this dungeon trip, Ah Jiao made ten candies for Xu Xingyuan.
Watching Ah Jiao stuff the candies into Xu Xingyuan’s palm, the Doctor clicked his tongue in wonder:
“We’ve known each other for so long, yet this is the first time I’ve seen you so generous. Usually, you hoard them like crazy, but you’re very willing to give to Xingyuan.”
Hearing this, Xu Xingyuan paused and asked instinctively, “Ah Jiao, are the candies you gave me very expensive?”
Definitely expensive!
This was why the Doctor said Xu Xingyuan had zero curiosity.
Having lived together for so long, the Doctor and the others had more or less exposed traits that weren’t normal.
Like the Doctor’s snake pupils, or the Nun covering herself from head to toe without showing an inch of skin.
Ah Jiao had strange aspects, too.
It is said that when mermaids cry, their tears turn into pearls, priceless and beautiful.
Ah Jiao’s identity wasn’t just a simple mermaid.
Everyone who could become an NPC in the Monster Apartments had a complex background.
Any one of them could scare outsiders to death.
Once Ah Jiao cried, his tears turned into priceless pearls.
The candies he gave Xu Xingyuan were all made from pearls formed by his tears.
Each one was an S-Rank item, capable of regenerating flesh on dry bones and bringing the dead back to life in an instant.
Players outside couldn’t get one even if they begged.
But here with Xu Xingyuan, such precious S-Rank items became candies for coaxing a child.
The candies Ah Jiao gave Xu Xingyuan before were from his stock of tears from earlier years.
Knowing Xu Xingyuan was entering a dungeon for the first time, Ah Jiao looked at his remaining three candies and fell into deep thought.
This led to the Doctor passing by Ah Jiao’s room that night and seeing a shocking scene.
Ah Jiao was smoking his eyes with chili peppers, a wooden basin placed under his face specifically to catch the tears.
Seeing this, the Doctor blurted out, “Holy crap.”
He inexplicably felt a sense of competition.
Berus gave Xu Xingyuan an S-Rank item.
Ah Jiao gave ten S-Rank pearl candies made from tears.
The Doctor fell into thought. If he didn’t give something, it would be unjustifiable!
As the Doctor’s eternal frenemy, Berus saw through his thoughts at a glance.
“No way,” Berus said with an exaggerated tone. “You didn’t prepare anything for our Xingyuan, did you?”
Doctor: “…”
Very well, the Doctor was speechless.
Just then, the Nun came over, holding a small bunny plushie.
“Xingyuan, this is the plushie from your backpack. I made a small protective shield with it.”
The Nun handed over the plushie, which was now clean, fluffy, soft, and smelling fragrant.
Xu Xingyuan was pleasantly surprised. He took the plushie carefully and rubbed it against his cheek.
This little bunny plushie held extraordinary significance for Xu Xingyuan.
It was a birthday gift from his mother when she was still alive.
While it was cheap and the bunny’s mouth was sewn crooked, making it a crooked-mouth bunny, Xu Xingyuan cherished it dearly.
Even after so many years, he couldn’t bear to throw it away.
“Thank you, Sister!” Xu Xingyuan threw himself into her arms, his eyes slightly red.
The Nun smiled gently, patting Xu Xingyuan’s back lightly as if comforting a child.
“Even the Nun gave something. What about you? No way, no way, Jörmungandr! You didn’t prepare a gift for our Cutie, did you?”
Berus spoke very loudly, his tone asking for a beating.
The Doctor broke out in a cold sweat. He really hadn’t prepared a gift for Xu Xingyuan.
Because in his opinion, Gu Nian was the biggest cheat code. Those S-Rank items looked awesome, but could they be more awesome than Gu Nian?
But with the atmosphere like this, the Doctor coughed and pretended to have confidence as he retorted:
“Who said I didn’t prepare anything!”
The Doctor asked Xu Xingyuan to take out the dagger, then tapped it lightly with his fingertip.
A silver-white circular magic array symbolizing time slowly merged into the dagger.
The Silver Dragon’s Fang, originally only S-Rank, had its stats refreshed directly!
[Item Name]: Silver Dragon’s Fang
[Item Rank]: SS-Rank
Item Info: Blessed by “Jörmungandr,” its space-tearing ability enables communication with the bridge of past time.
“I think you didn’t prepare anything at all,” Berus rolled his eyes. “But that magic just now cost you quite a bit, so I guess it counts as sincere.”
“By the way, when is the Gardener coming back?”
Besides the Doctor, the Nun, Ah Jiao, and Berus, there was one last NPC in the Monster Apartments.
Xu Xingyuan had only seen this Gardener on his first day at the apartment.
He was a shota, only 1.6 meters tall, with a cute face, a soft, sweet voice, and big eyes.
“There are too many Remnants to clear out, so I had to send him out to help.”
The Doctor rubbed his forehead helplessly. They needed a large number of Ferrymen, but the selection criteria were extremely harsh.
For a long time, there had been very few good candidates to become Ferrymen.
“It’s okay. Maybe when Xingyuan comes back from the dungeon, he can meet him.”
Berus hooked his arm around Xu Xingyuan’s shoulder. “Next time, make him give you a gift too.”
For the four people present, a D-Rank dungeon was like their own backyard—zero risk.
Yet the day before Xu Xingyuan was to enter the dungeon, they were all incredibly nervous, constantly reminding him of various precautions.
Outside the main gate of the Monster Apartments was the dungeon entrance the Doctor had set up in advance.
The time arrived at 12:00 AM.
The four big shots were still surrounding Xu Xingyuan, nagging him without any intention of stopping, like four sparrows in a meeting.
Finally, Gu Nian couldn’t stand the chirping in his ears anymore and gave a simple side-eye.
Everyone muted their mics.
Gu Nian looked down, his lowered eyes watching the slightly nervous Xu Xingyuan. He actively raised his hand, gently pinched the boy’s wrist, and led him toward the dungeon entrance.
Just as he was about to enter, Xu Xingyuan heard the Doctor shouting:
“Don’t be nervous inside! Just do whatever Gu Nian does!”
Before Xu Xingyuan could respond, he was swallowed by the light in front of him and lost consciousness completely.
When he opened his eyes again, he was standing at the edge of a gloomy forest.
Directly in front of him was a very European, Gothic-style Rose Castle.
Xu Xingyuan remembered the Doctor’s instructions: Do whatever Gu Nian does.
So Xu Xingyuan immediately looked to his side.
“S-Senior?”
Gu Nian was gone. In his place was a black cat whose expression and movements closely resembled the senior’s.
Wait… Gu Nian turned into a black cat?!
Xu Xingyuan was bewildered. Looking at the black cat helplessly, he asked blankly:
“Must I become a cat too?”