Xu Xingyuan walked up to the black cat, squatted down, and asked tentatively:
“Senior Gu Nian?”
The black cat nodded reservedly and extended two paws toward Xu Xingyuan, signaling for a hug.
Xu Xingyuan hurriedly reached out and scooped Cat-Nian into his arms.
Only then did he realize why Gu Nian asked for a hug.
It had just rained, making the forest soil wet. Walking on it would get mud on the paws.
According to the Doctor, Senior Gu Nian had severe mysophobia.
Xu Xingyuan held Cat-Nian tight, resisting the urge to rub his face against the cat’s ears and check if the senior’s paw pads were pink. He asked in a whisper:
“Senior, since you turned into a cat, do I have to turn into a cat too?”
Cat-Nian looked up, the tips of his ears twitching. Although no emotion showed, Xu Xingyuan inexplicably sensed the senior’s speechlessness.
“Meow.”
Gu Nian meowed and extended a paw, placing the pink pad gently on the back of Xu Xingyuan’s hand.
The next second, Gu Nian’s deep and calm voice automatically appeared in Xu Xingyuan’s mind.
“Go inside the castle. Don’t be afraid. I will wake up if we encounter Remnants.”
After giving instructions, Gu Nian closed his eyes. His breathing quickly steadied, and he fell into a deep sleep.
Xu Xingyuan dazed out. The Doctor said that after entering the dungeon, he should do whatever Gu Nian did.
Now, Gu Nian had turned into a black cat.
And fallen asleep on the spot.
Xu Xingyuan could neither turn into a black cat nor fall asleep right there.
He struggled for three seconds, then quickly let it go. He would follow the direction Gu Nian gave first. He’ll cross that bridge when he gets to it.
Before going to the castle, Xu Xingyuan looked back to check his backpack. Inside was the Little Monster’s egg.
Once a Little Monster left the Monster Apartments, it would automatically turn into a pure black egg printed with bat wings, about half the size of a basketball, and not too heavy.
While Gu Nian was asleep, Xu Xingyuan grew bold. He pinched Gu Nian’s paw, rubbed it gently, and flipped it over to look.
It really was pink!
If kissing paw pads weren’t such perverted behavior, and if Gu Nian weren’t really a cat…
Xu Xingyuan would have kissed the little kitty in his arms to death, kissing it until it meowed chaotically, lay on its back, and let him rub its belly like crazy!
Of course, these were all Xu Xingyuan’s fantasies.
The cat the senior turned into was indeed noble and cold, lacking the silly, goofy vibe of a gluttonous orange cat.
Holding Cat-Nian in his arms and carrying the Little Monster’s egg in his backpack, he took the family towards the castle.
Xu Xingyuan encountered no obstacles along the way, thanks to his status as a Ferryman.
As a Ferryman, his status among NPCs was “below one person, above ten thousand.”
Dungeon monsters and NPCs generally had a natural favorability towards Ferrymen. They wouldn’t attack actively and would even give preferential treatment.
Xu Xingyuan entered the castle smoothly, pushed open the heavy, ornate doors, and walked inside.
“Newbie player?”
A female voice came from the right, with a hint of undetectable complaint.
Xu Xingyuan instinctively looked in that direction and saw the speaker’s face.
It was a woman with short hair and black-framed glasses, about twenty-six years old, exuding capability.
Next to her stood a muscular man with dark skin. His expression was fierce, showing impatience, and he looked tough to mess with.
The two seemed to be a couple, shoulders touching, leaning intimately against each other.
Xu Xingyuan didn’t make a sound. He quietly surveyed the surroundings. Besides this couple, another couple stood on the other side.
The girl had tears in her eyes, timidly clinging to a man dressed in designer clothes who looked irritable and kept cursing.
They were likely unlucky first-timers in the Infinite Flow world, not as calm as the first couple.
“You’re a newbie, right?”
A lively voice suddenly sounded in his ear.
Xu Xingyuan turned instinctively and saw the newcomer clearly.
This person had a fair, handsome face. His smile was honest and likable, with a small dimple by his lips. His eyes were clear with a hint of foolishness, like a college student who hadn’t graduated yet.
“I’m Shi Shu. I’ve participated in five dungeons. Although I survived them all inexplicably and confusingly, I count as a veteran player.”
He actively invited Xu Xingyuan. “As a newbie, you definitely don’t know the rules yet. It’s hard to survive alone. I’ll carry you!”
Shi Shu was very familiar, putting his arm around Xu Xingyuan’s shoulder like a buddy.
“Can’t even guarantee your own survival, yet you’re carrying a newbie.”
The short-haired glasses lady spoke up, her tone unkind and mocking. She glanced lightly at what Xu Xingyuan was holding.
“A newbie is one thing, but bringing a cat? A total burden.”
Xu Xingyuan frowned. In his view, the Monster Apartments had invisibly become half a home to him.
He hugged Cat-Nian tighter and turned his body slightly, blocking the glasses lady’s view.
“Tch, not a single useful person,” the muscular man said with disdain. “Looks like clearing this mission depends on us.”
However, having many newbies had its benefits.
Newbies who had never experienced a dungeon were ignorant and easy to trick.
Every dungeon had hidden death conditions. Triggering them meant death.
At this time, newbies were needed for trial and error.
Using newbies’ lives to deduce and discover death mechanisms.
Shi Shu tugged gently on Xu Xingyuan’s sleeve and whispered:
“Most veteran players are like this. Don’t take it to heart. It’s okay, I’ll carry you through this dungeon!”
Xu Xingyuan hugged Cat-Nian tight and thanked him politely, “Sorry for the trouble.”
“This is a 7-person dungeon. One player left.”
They didn’t wait long. About five minutes later.
The last player pushed the door open and walked in, wearing combat boots.
When the three veteran players present saw his face, they all froze!
The short-haired glasses lady said in disbelief, “Chu Xiu, ranked 10th on the Leaderboard?!”
Shi Shu also sucked in a breath of cold air. After recovering, he excitedly grabbed Xu Xingyuan’s wrist and muttered:
“My luck really is always good!”
Among all players, there was something called the Leaderboard.
Collecting clues in dungeons, completing main and side missions, killing Bosses, and obtaining and selling items.
All these added points.
Chu Xiu was a famous Item Hunter, ranked 10th on the Leaderboard.
They never expected Chu Xiu to appear in a D-Rank dungeon.
“Now we can just lie flat,” Shi Shu smiled, relaxed.
“Chu Xiu never does main missions; he only forcefully kills the Boss. We just need to play it safe, avoid triggering death mechanisms, and we’re guaranteed to survive!”
Chu Xiu was handsome, with a unique Tang blade at his waist. Tall and long-legged, he exuded the aura of a big shot.
After entering the room, he looked straight ahead, ignoring everyone.
Suddenly, Chu Xiu’s pupils constricted as if sensing something dangerous. Hand on his hilt, he whipped his head around!
He stared intently at the seemingly frail and harmless Xu Xingyuan, then his gaze moved down bit by bit—
Finally landing on Cat-Nian.