Livestreaming To Fame In An Infinite Flow World Chapter 77

​​​​Chapter 77: Folklore Horror (7)

It had long been said that demon hunters were all physically frail. The reason they were able to exorcise demons was purely because they could sign various kinds of contracts with sinister beings.

Using demons to fight demons had always been the standard method of demon hunters. As a result, demon hunter sects had come into existence. Once a young demon hunter was discovered, they would be sent to one of these sects to learn the general framework of demon-slaying knowledge.

After completing their training—

The sect would grant the demon hunter their very first demon bound by a master-servant contract, then send them out to train alongside other demon hunters of the same generation.

This was something all demons knew.

Fuzhu knew it as well.

—Under normal circumstances, his demon hunter would be a physically weak human with a very short lifespan.

Humans ate little and needed to be cherished.

This thought had been deeply rooted in Fuzhu’s heart. He had been determined to protect this frail human properly.

However, that deeply ingrained belief had quickly been shattered.

The “extremely frail” human in his eyes had subdued the Slit-Mouthed Woman with just one hand. He had taken a pair of scissors and sliced open her chest. Everything had been carried out in near silence.

Splash—

Blood had sprayed everywhere.

A lustrous white inner core had floated into the air, spinning several times before Jian Yuntai caught it in his hand.

Moonlight poured down.

Jian Yuntai had tilted his head slightly. His delicate features had been bathed in a layer of cool moonlight, and when he curved his eyes in a faint smile, it had seemed as if those pupils could hold one person—and only one person.

“Demon core—catch!” he had called, tossing it over.

Fuzhu had reached out and caught the core, then looked up steadily.

Perhaps the moonlight that night had been too hazy. For a fleeting moment, he had even felt as though—

There had been only him reflected in Jian Yuntai’s eyes.

Killing the Slit-Mouthed Woman had been for him.

Taking the demon core had also been for him.

All that effort had been for him.

What had pleased Fuzhu even more was that Jian Yuntai had been powerful—more powerful than any demon hunter he had ever seen.

That meant Jian Yuntai would be able to stay with him for a long, long time.

Before he had been separated from his clan, Fuzhu had once seen some members of the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox clan who were like walking corpses.

Those clansmen had once fought side by side with demon hunters and had experienced many dramatic, winding stories together. But demon hunters were far too physically weak; they could not withstand even the slightest upheaval.

With the smallest misstep, a demon hunter would die.

Even if they guarded against every possible danger, they still could not guard against the short lifespan of a demon hunter. A mere hundred years, in the eyes of a demon, passed in the blink of an eye—gone in an instant.

After the demon hunter died, the contract they had signed would automatically collapse, and the celestial fox would become alone once more.

Even now, Fuzhu vividly remembered the look in those clansmen’s eyes—like their will to live had been crushed, like life no longer held any meaning.

Back then, Fuzhu had not understood.

But now that he had his own demon hunter, he suddenly did.

Fortunately, his demon hunter had been very strong.

The future would be long—very long.

Thinking of this, Fuzhu could not help but smile.

“What were you grinning foolishly about?” Jian Yuntai walked over and looked at him in confusion. He took the demon core back, wiped it carelessly on the clean hem of his clothes, and said, “Eat.”

He held the demon core up to Fuzhu’s mouth.

The little fox stared at him without blinking, its fluffy white ears standing upright, its beautiful vertical pupils filled with intimacy. Then it lifted itself slightly and bit into the demon core from his hand.

Warmth brushed past Jian Yuntai’s fingertips and vanished in an instant.

His fingers curled involuntarily, and he could not help but sigh inwardly in self-reproach: What a fox spirit!

Most of the time, Jian Yuntai’s thoughts ran completely opposite to those of the livestream viewers. Yet at this very moment, everyone had somehow thought the same thing:

“Damn, when you’ve been single too long, even a fox starts looking refined and handsome.”

“Hahahaha it’s not just refined and handsome, okay? Those gorgeous fox eyes, that coquettish posture—too seductive! I suddenly understood why King Zhou of Shang liked Daji.”

Note: Daji was the King’s favorite concubine.

“Comparing him to Daji is a bit harsh, isn’t it? Don’t throw away human morality just because the fox spirit is too pretty, lol.”

“I’ll throw away morality first. I confess my sins, tat.”

“Ahhh I can’t wait to see what Fuzhu looks like after he transforms! Judging from his original form, once he transforms he’ll definitely be a stunning beauty full of charm!”

“Sorry, Cui Yu, I’m betraying you for one second. Turns out I’m more into the alluring beauty type that plays hard to get ＞人＜”

The traits of the demon race were always strange.

The night before, when the cat demon transformed, it had dug a hole on the spot and made Fatty wait foolishly for over half an hour. But when it came to Fuzhu, he didn’t dig a hole—he dug at Jian Yuntai.

The little fox’s claws hooked into the hem of Jian Yuntai’s clothes and tugged it down several inches. Forced to bend over, Jian Yuntai picked him up and squeezed his tiny paw. “Are you uncomfortable?”

Fuzhu: “Mm…”

Jian Yuntai: “Should I take you home?”

“Okay.”

Fuzhu’s ear tips twitched. He snuggled further into Jian Yuntai’s arms, pressing his ears tightly against Jian Yuntai’s chest.

Thump, thump—

Thump, thump—

Listening to that strong heartbeat, even the intense pain of what felt like shattered bones throughout his body seemed to be soothed.

Fuzhu closed his eyes in satisfaction.

【Player side quest updated】

【Congratulations, player has completed side quest step 1: Beast Transformation.】

Before Jian Yuntai could even smile, the instance’s background voice continued:

【Many years ago, the player dug out the demon core within Fuzhu, causing Fuzhu’s demonic power to be sealed. Now that he has swallowed a new inner core, Fuzhu is about to successfully transform. He will grow stronger day by day.】

【That demon core that was dug out is inside your body.】

【For every bit stronger Fuzhu becomes, the harder it will be for you to suppress the demon core’s power. At the same time, you will grow increasingly weak.】

【Player Jian Yuntai】

【You have gained the Light Injury buff】

As soon as the voice fell silent, Jian Yuntai suddenly felt dizzy and lightheaded. It was as if someone had stabbed a hole straight through his lungs. Each breath felt like a broken bellows wildly pumping inside his body. He found that he could barely hold Fuzhu anymore.

He forced himself to take two steps forward.

This time, even his legs trembled.

【Player side quest updated】

【Congratulations, player has triggered side quest step 2: No Longer Weak】

【Mother Goddess Village is filled with hidden dangers. Please remove the Light Injury buff as soon as possible. Otherwise, once the contracted demon beast fully transforms and grows stronger, the demon core may ultimately backfire against its master!】

“…”

Jian Yuntai lowered his eyes in silence.

Eliminating the “Light Injury” Buff?


The stronger Fuzhu became, the stronger the demon core within him grew, and eventually it would begin to devour Jian Yuntai. If he wanted to remove the light injury buff, there was only one possible way:


—the demon core had to be removed again.

As long as the demon pearl wasn’t inside him, no matter how powerful Fuzhu became, Jian Yuntai would remain unaffected.

The thought had barely formed in his mind when the instance’s background voice sounded again: [Player, please take note! If the demon core is removed, you will accumulate a “Severe Injury” buff!]

Jian Yuntai: “…………”

The livestream viewers almost exploded in uproar:


“Holy crap! Doesn’t this side quest basically force Jian Dadan to make a choice? Either tell Fuzhu the truth and get the core removed, gaining the severe injury buff, or hide it completely and endure the light injury buff.”


“I think it’s better to hide it. It might feel a little unfair to the little fox, but… I don’t want wife to be severely injured!”


“It’s not that simple! Didn’t you hear what the background voice said? Once he transforms, the little fox will grow stronger and stronger, and then Jian Dadan will gradually weaken. Eventually, the light injury buff won’t be so easy to withstand.”


“From the name alone, even if the light injury gets bad, it’s still far better than the severe injury, right?”


“Ahhh, this choice is impossible! I just want to know what Jian Dadan will do!”

Countless eyes converged on Jian Yuntai, but he merely lowered his eyelids slightly and looked down at the figure in his arms.

Perhaps noticing his prolonged stillness, Fuzhu forced himself through the agonizing pain, lifted his head, and asked with a smile, “What’s wrong?”

“…” Jian Yuntai lied, “I was thinking about what you would look like after transforming.”

Fuzhu’s face lit up with delight. “You’re really looking forward to it?”

Jian Yuntai’s voice was dry. “Mm…”

Their eyes met—the little fox’s filled with joy and excitement, his with a hollow melancholy.

This was it. This was going to end badly.

On the first day in the instance, the background voice had already said it: Fuzhu would like nothing more than to swallow his mortal nemesis whole. If Fuzhu discovered that Jian Yuntai was that very nemesis…

Old resentment from the pearl being removed, combined with the new betrayal of deception.

The overlapping hatred—Jian Yuntai couldn’t even imagine what the little fox would do.

Would he be killed?

Of course he would be killed!

Hide it, he had to hide it at all costs—this was Jian Yuntai’s first instinct. But soon, he faced a dilemma:

Even if he kept it hidden, what about this light injury buff? Should he just allow himself to weaken day by day?

Or…

Jian Yuntai looked at Fuzhu again.

Perhaps he had to suppress Fuzhu. As long as Fuzhu didn’t grow stronger, Jian Yuntai would not weaken.

It was a very difficult choice—so difficult that even when Jian Yuntai returned to Fatty, he still hadn’t decided.

“You’re back!”

Fatty patted his pants happily, stood up, and said to Xiao Liuliu, “See? I told you, Jian Dadan has his own plan in mind. You going there would’ve just slowed him down. No need to worry.”

Xiao Liuliu ignored Fatty, circling Jian Yuntai to take a careful look before urgently asking, “Why are you covered in blood?”

Jian Yuntai replied calmly, “It’s the Slit-Mouthed Woman’s blood.”

Xiao Liuliu froze, her jaw practically dropping. “You actually killed the Slit-Mouthed Woman?”

As she looked Jian over, her expression shifted to one of genuine surprise and newfound respect—as if saying: “I didn’t realize… you’re actually pretty capable!”

“Mm.” Jian Yuntai nodded, saying no more.

Since Fatty’s contracted demon beast had also transformed, he must have already triggered Side Quest Step 2.

Thinking this, Jian Yuntai glanced at Fatty with a hint of question in his eyes.

Having fought together through three instances, their tacit understanding was perfect. Fatty saw Jian Yuntai’s look and immediately knew what he wanted to ask.

He was just wondering why Jian Yuntai hadn’t mentioned the task.

God knew Fatty had been anxious!

He simply couldn’t keep things bottled up. If he could have spoken, he would have told them long ago. But he’d spent the entire day with the cat demon and Fuzhu, where talking was extremely inconvenient. So he had been holding it in all day, almost developing internal injuries.

Now, he finally had a chance.

Xiao Liuliu was still there.

Eager to speak about the important matter, Fatty placed his hands on Xiao Liuliu’s shoulders, forcibly turned her around, and muttered, “Stop playing. The night of fright is over. Lord Fatty will take you home.”

On the way back, they passed the chicken coop again.

Moonlight hazily fell on the coop, and the reed chickens flitted about inside, feathers drifting everywhere.

“Hey, those couplets…?” Fatty tiptoed forward anxiously and exclaimed in surprise, “Who’s so cruel as to tear apart the couplets at their doorstep?”

Hearing this, the little fox, who had been enduring pain and was in a daze, nervously opened his eyes to glance.

The reed chickens looked delicious, and in his weakened state after transforming, he was at the stage where he desperately needed nourishment. Normally, Fuzhu would have pounced on them without hesitation, but this time he restrained himself.

He wanted to eat the chickens, but he cared more about Jian Yuntai’s feelings.

When he tore the couplets earlier, he hadn’t thought much, and he didn’t know whether Jian Yuntai would be emotionally affected. Now he felt both guilty and worried.

Jian Yuntai stared at the tattered couplets for a long moment, his expression faint and unreadable.

No one knew what he was thinking.

But his pause already spoke volumes.

A match of mandarin ducks bound in harmony.


A blessed union lasting a hundred years.

Suddenly, a clamor rose from the single-story house. It seemed that one of the couple, getting up at night, noticed Xiao Liuliu was missing and was frantically searching the house, too scared to venture outside.

Xiao Liuliu dashed back to the house, and as soon as she opened the door, she was met with an endless torrent of scolding, mixed with crying and wailing.

“Where were you in the middle of the night?”


“Don’t you know it’s dangerous outside?!”


“Your sister disappeared just like this. If you keep being disobedient, you’ll end up like her!”

Xiao Liuliu’s shouts could be heard even through the door. “Crying, crying, crying, all you do is cry. Will crying like this bring my sister back? No, it won’t!”


“Stop using my sister’s past as a warning! She might not even be dead! Every time you talk about it, you act as if she’s already gone, without ever trying to find her.”


“I hate you all! I hate Mother Goddess Village!”

“Geez, they’re arguing so loudly,” Fatty muttered, hesitating at the door. He decided not to intervene. Household quarrels were too difficult to untangle; it was better to return to bed.

After a moment, he looked at Jian Yuntai.

“Shall we go?”

Jian Yuntai remained still for a long moment.

Fuzhu, wracked with pain, tried to coil his tail around Jian’s waist, but it didn’t draw any response.

He stood there for a long time, like an ice sculpture dusted with winter snow, his thin lips slightly pale.

If earlier Fuzhu had only felt guilt and worry, now he felt deep remorse.


He shouldn’t have taken his anger out on the couplets.


He shouldn’t have made Jian Yuntai so sad.

After a long while, Jian Yuntai finally drew his gaze back.


The quarrel from Xiao Liuliu’s house earlier seemed to have no effect on him; he had remained immersed in his own world, pressing his lips together and letting out only a faint sigh.

“Can’t even keep the couplets.”

That was the last thing Fuzhu heard before losing consciousness. The intense pain seeped into his bones like unraveling threads, yet it still couldn’t match the surge of grievance in his heart.

His demon hunter had someone hidden deep in his heart.

When a contracted demon beast was at its weakest, other demon hunters would bring all sorts of delicious foods to comfort them. But Jian Yuntai’s gaze had never rested on him.

Jian Yuntai didn’t know he was weak.


He didn’t know he wanted to eat reed chicken.


Jian Yuntai knew nothing; all he knew was looking at those cursed couplets and feeling so sad because of them.

Were the couplets really that important?


Or… was that person really that important?

Fuzhu didn’t know what was wrong with him. Seeing Jian Yuntai in pain made him hurt as well.


And he hurt even more than Jian Yuntai did.

Perhaps, after transforming, Jian Yuntai’s attention would return to him?

The elder had said humans always liked beautiful things.


The Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox clan was at its most beautiful after transformation. Thinking this, Fuzhu’s ear tips trembled with excitement, his whole body like it had been soaked in honey, eager beyond measure.

Even in sleep, he fantasized excitedly about reclaiming all of Jian Yuntai’s attention after his transformation.

※※※

Night.

After making sure the little fox and the cat demon were settled, Jian Yuntai quietly got out of bed.


He didn’t disturb Fuzhu.

He went to the main hall.

Fatty had been anxiously waiting and, upon seeing him, lowered his voice: “Side quest?”

Jian Yuntai nodded. “Quest two has been triggered.”

Fatty almost cried from relief. Originally, this task had been his headache alone.


Now, at least, they could suffer together.

Just as he was about to speak, Jian Yuntai suddenly pointed to the room behind them and asked, “What about Sun Bin?”

Fatty rolled his eyes and muttered, “Sleeping like a hog. Can’t wake him no matter what. Probably got scared during the day.”

Jian Yuntai was silent for a moment, then asked curiously, “What happened during the day that was so scary?”

Fatty laughed. “The female players went missing. He was terrified all day, scared he’d vanish too.”

Carrying scissors was inconvenient, so Fatty had a small tool that could store half a square meter of inanimate objects. He normally kept his items there, so Jian Yuntai simply handed the scissors over for safekeeping.


He planned to get a larger version later, not to store anything else, just food. That way, they wouldn’t have to worry about eating or drinking during instances.

But such tools were expensive. Jian Yuntai’s current funds were only 70,000 coins, so it was just a thought for now.

“What are you going to do about the side quest?” Fatty asked. During the day, with a contracted demon beast around, he had to watch his words. Now he could finally speak freely, so he asked directly.

Jian Yuntai’s expression didn’t change. “Hide it.”

Fatty let out an “ah” and hesitated, “Maybe it would be better to tell them. If we ‘surrender’ voluntarily, maybe the consequences would be lighter. If we hide it and they find out…”

He didn’t continue, but Jian Yuntai could guess his meaning. After thinking, he said, “After Hacker Bai blew up the city, he turned himself in. They still served the full sentence. Same here—we’d end up sitting in the Xiang’an Team’s jail.”

“Don’t bring up Hacker Bai, the situations are completely different.” Fatty shook his head with a wry smile. “How does your body feel now?”

“…” Jian Yuntai pressed his forehead.

How could it feel good?


He couldn’t lift anything. Walking a few steps made him pant, and every breath felt obstructed.

It was a bit like before the world distorted, before his body had evolved… no, maybe even worse. Back then, he at least wouldn’t pant after just a few steps.

Fatty felt much the same.

That was also why, when they had searched for the Slit-Mouthed Woman with Xiao Liuliu at night, he had been utterly exhausted.

They sat in the living room for a while, but couldn’t come to a conclusion. Finally, both agreed that the main quest was too dangerous, and they would rather endure the light injury buff in the field.

Of course, that was only one reason.

The more important reason—the instance’s background specifically said that if the inner core was removed, the player would accumulate the severe injury buff. That couldn’t just be for show.


Since it was mentioned, it had meaning.

So 99% likely, it was a flag.

If they confessed to their contracted demon beasts now, the player would likely face a ferocious retaliation.


This crisis was probably unavoidable and would carry over into the main quest.

Simply put, it was like a single-player game in the real world: the first level had a mini-boss, but also planted a time bomb. Defeat the mini-boss, and the bomb triggers in the second level as a big boss.

That was Fatty’s insight after completing countless “Life Crystal” instances—if they confessed now, it would be like pulling the second level’s big boss out before even defeating the first level’s mini-boss.

Two bosses would come together.

The instance’s difficulty would skyrocket.

Of course, this was only Jian Yuntai and Fatty’s speculation; it wasn’t necessarily true.

Before entering the room, Fatty peeked and whispered: “Do you think Deng Ran will disappear tomorrow?”

“…” Jian Yuntai didn’t answer and returned to his room.

※※※

The next morning, when it was still dim outside, a chorus of surprised voices drifted in.

“How could this happen?”


“This shouldn’t be!”

Jian Yuntai opened his eyes and saw the little fox curled up in the far corner of the bed, like a furry pillow, snuggling up pitifully.

He had buried his head in his enormous tail.

Every breath he drew was heavy, each inhale and exhale cutting through his chest like a blade. Jian Yuntai called Fuzhu several times, but he didn’t respond.

Forcing Fuzhu’s face out from under the fluffy tail, Jian Yuntai found his paw slick with cold sweat.

“Does it hurt?” he asked, worried.

“…” Fuzhu’s beast pupils squeezed shut, and he painfully opened his eyes, his voice weak: “Almost done.”

All night.


The transformation had taken him the entire night.

During the first half, Fuzhu had remained unconscious, completely unaware that Jian Yuntai had gone to the living room to talk with Fatty. In the second half, he had wanted to scream several times, but each time his gaze landed on Jian Yuntai peacefully sleeping, and he forced himself to hold back.

It was as if looking at Jian Yunta’s tranquil face calmed the restlessness in his heart.

Outside, the voices of astonished conversation grew louder, and Jian Yuntai straightened, glancing toward the door.

Fuzhu said, “Go check it out. Don’t worry about me.”

Jian Yuntai looked back. “I’ll go with you.”

The little fox’s eyes narrowed, the beautiful vertical pupils filled with trust and excitement.

He wanted to surprise Jian Yuntai.

By the time Jian Yunta returned, he would no longer be a little fox, but the most beautiful young heir of the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox clan!

Would Jian Yuntai like him even more then?

The thought made him eager beyond measure.

Fuzhu urged, “Go see for yourself.”

Jian Yuntai, utterly perplexed, was nudged out by the little fox—like a young wife being enthusiastically pushed to play mahjong while in labor.

He shook his head to rid himself of the absurd thought.

After washing up, Fatty finally got out of bed, toothbrush in hand, dumbfounded: “What’s going on outside?”

Jian Yuntai opened the door and saw a crowd of players forming a circle. Many still looked half-asleep, clearly their bodies were home while their souls had gone out.

“Seems like someone disappeared,” Jian Yuntai said.

Fatty gasped. “No way… could it be Deng Ran? She’s the only girl among us!”

“Don’t know,” Jian Yuntai said after a glance. “You brush your teeth first; I’ll go check.”

“Got it! Make sure to find out!”

Jian Yuntai nodded and stepped out swiftly.

He had assumed Deng Ran had gone missing, but as he approached, he realized she hadn’t.

Deng Ran was standing among the crowd, looking confused and helpless.

Seeing Jian Yuntai coming over, she hurried forward, frowning. “Someone’s missing.”

Jian Yuntai already knew that.

He asked, “Who’s missing?”

Before Deng Ran could even speak, two piercing cries of anguish suddenly rang out from the crowd: “Please, someone save her! She’s still so young—”

A couple fell to their knees, bowing and kowtowing to all the players. Nobody nearby could pull them up.

Guide Black Dog was there too, and villagers nearby pointed and whispered, their faces a mixture of pity and regret:


“I’ve lived in this village so many years, and I never realized she was a girl.”


“What’s the point of pretending to be a boy? She still went missing. She might as well have quietly stayed home as a girl; at least those who stayed home were safe.”


“Running around outside every day like that, maybe that’s why a demon targeted her! I’ve always thought she was too reckless!”

Words could sometimes cut like knives, stabbing directly at the hearts of the grieving parents.

They had no energy left to argue with the villagers. All they could do was keep kowtowing to the players, crying until their tears streamed down their faces.

“Save her! Please, someone save her! She’s our only child… how are we supposed to live without her?!”

Players moved aside, watching the couple coldly. Those with kind intentions stepped forward to offer support, but their expressions were just as troubled: “We… can’t save her either…”

Guide Black Dog scoffed. After a morning of dealing with them, he seemed to have reached his limit and scolded: “You can’t even take care of your own child. Now that she’s missing, what good is pleading to the Geological Survey Team? Stop causing a scene. Soon the High Priest will come around, and the village chief will give you trouble!”

The couple wailed in despair. Surrounded by indifferent stares, they felt utterly hopeless.

Seeing this, Jian Yuntai already had a guess. His expression darkened. “Xiao Liuliu is missing?”

“Yes, it’s her,” Deng Ran nodded. “I just spent a while listening over here to figure it out. Last night, Xiao Liuliu apparently went out. When she got home, her parents scolded her the entire night. At dawn, she left angrily, probably to escape their nagging, going to the village committee to pick up her annual allotment of rice and oil.”

Deng Ran sighed before continuing: “The village committee said she took the rice and then went home—but she never made it. There’s even rice spilled all along the road where she walked.”

“…” Jian Yuntai’s eyes darkened as he pondered.

After spending two days in the instance, he could be certain: the demons only appeared at night.


During the day, they hid.

Xiao Liuliu had disappeared during the day, which meant she, like the female players before her, was likely abducted by the Mother Goddess.

Following the likes of young women such as Nong Lingling and the other adult female players, now even a girl under ten had fallen victim… Who would be next?

Jian Yuntai looked at Deng Ran and asked, “Did you notice anything strange last night?”

If he hadn’t asked, it would have been fine. Hearing it, Deng Ran looked relieved. “All the female players went missing during the day. I became the only female player. Several male players insisted on protecting me, even crowding into my room. Eyes staring at each other all night. I thought it was annoying at first… but really, I was lucky the room was crowded yesterday!”

As Deng Ran said, many male players around them chuckled foolishly.

They seemed to think that as long as Deng Ran hadn’t disappeared, it was a partial victory for the players against the Mother Goddess.

As for Xiao Liuliu?


Who cared? She was just a local.

During the conversation, Xiao Liuliu’s parents were forcibly taken away by Guide Black Dog. They tried to seek help from the villagers, but all they got were scornful glances.

They tried asking the “Geological Survey Team” for help, but the outsiders had no intention of getting involved.

Truly, there was no help from heaven or earth.

When the couple was dragged away, their expressions were utterly despondent, as if they had lost all hope of survival.

Players whispered among themselves:


“It’s a bit tragic. But at least no one in our player faction is missing. If more disappear, people would start panicking.”


“This shows the men are fine; only the women are being taken. Let’s focus on watching over Deng Ran next.”

“…” Jian Yuntai quietly let out a low chuckle.

He was almost at his wit’s end with the male players in this instance.

These men—what were they thinking?

Xiao Liuliu was Nong Lingling’s younger sister. By her identity alone, she was a key NPC in the instance. One could say Xiao Liuliu was more important than any female player. Yet now the key NPC was gone, and the male players were still here, smugly thinking themselves lucky.

Jian Yuntai didn’t bother waking them up. With his hands in his pockets, he turned toward the temporary residential houses.

He needed to check the place where Xiao Liuliu disappeared.

But before that, he had to wait for Fuzhu to complete his transformation.

Elsewhere.

The first transformation of a demon of their kind was always excruciating.

It felt as if every bone in the body was broken and forcibly pieced back together. Blood surged backward to the crown of the head, and every meridian ached and spasmed.

Fuzhu trembled along the edge of the bed.

Even in this agony, he felt nothing but joy—no shadow of doubt in his heart.

The clan elder had once warned him: generally, one should avoid transforming. Only when one wished to tempt someone could they transform, using their appearance to seduce humans.

He indeed wanted Jian Yuntai’s attention.

This was what the elder meant… to seduce?

Fuzhu still didn’t understand.

But instinct told him that what he wanted in his heart was somewhat different from what the elder had described.

“Hiss—”

Fuzhu took a heavy breath. He could no longer think. Every stray thought in his mind was jumbled together, as if a massive iron rod was pounding inside his skull.

The pain suddenly intensified.

It meant—he was close to succeeding!

“Meow… meow…” Jinjin crouched at the doorway, flattening his body, peering fearfully at the closed room.

The cat demon and Sun Bin’s rabbit demon were even more timid than Jinjin. As demons, they could feel the oppressive power of the bloodline. Now, they didn’t even dare enter the living room and hid in fear.

Fatty paced anxiously at the door. The sounds of the bed shaking had stopped.

Could he be… dead?

Were there cases of demons dying during transformation?

Fatty’s curiosity got the better of him. He stealthily crept to the edge of the door crack, his eyes locked on the doorknob.

The livestream viewers shared his curiosity:


“I specifically came from Jian Dadan’s stream to Fatty’s—don’t hesitate, Fatty! Open the door and see!”


“Hahaha, I thought I was the only one who came over from Jian Dadan. No way, curiosity’s too strong… They say fox spirits are beautiful, I need to see this for myself.”


“Feels like another god-tier NPC, hahaha. Today Weibo’s gonna be wrecked again.”


“So what does he look like?! I’m dying to know!”

Amid all the anxious gazes, Fatty’s hand slowly rested on the doorknob.

He was about to twist it open in one swift motion—

But the door opened on its own.

He jumped back in shock, taking several steps instinctively, and chuckled nervously: “I—I wasn’t trying to peek or anything…”

Before he could finish, the end of his sentence seemed to be swallowed up.

“…………”

Fatty stared blankly at the figure in front of him. His expression felt as though he had just swallowed a ton of lead. It was as if a bolt of thunder had struck from the sky. For a moment, he thought he was dreaming—a very strange dream!

He immediately slapped himself.

The loud ‘smack’ echoed. Fatty only gradually realized this was no dream—it was reality.

How could this be?!

He was so frightened that he stumbled back several steps.

The livestream’s chat exploded instantly, and everyone’s reactions mirrored Fatty’s stunned disbelief.

“Holy… I’m completely dumbfounded.”


“AAAAAHHHHH my goosebumps just shot up, my whole body is trembling from excitement.”


“Oh my god, my goosebumps too… this is too… too… I don’t even know what to say.”

A loud ‘CLANG’ suddenly rang from behind.

Turning around, they saw Sun Bin frozen at the doorway, still holding a washbasin in his hands. The porcelain basin had already bounced on the floor several times, spinning crazily.

“Crack crack—”

A strange sound came from his throat. He seemed to want to speak but was too frightened to make a sound.

Once he realized what was happening, Sun Bin almost tumbled as he scrambled under the table without a moment’s hesitation. At the same time, he screamed at Fatty in complete panic, his voice hoarse from shouting: “What the hell?! How is he here?!”

Facing the two of them, who stared as if at a monster, Fuzhu raised his hand in confusion. Morning sunlight streamed through the door crack, gently illuminating his long fingers.

They were beautiful hands.

Fuzhu was very pleased.

There was a mirror in the living room. He only needed to tilt slightly to see himself—half of his body bathed in sunlight, casting a soft, pearly glow over him.

He was satisfied with this face. The Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox clan was naturally the most beautiful among shapeshifters. As the clan’s young heir, his face could command pride across the entire clan.

Tap tap—

Long hair fell over his shoulder, and Fuzhu reached out to catch the strand. A faint, dignified smile curved his lips.

It was as if the purest beauty in the world had been captured in his eyes. His light-colored irises glimmered like glass, mesmerizing anyone who looked at him, compelling them to bow in awe.

Everything was perfect.

Everything was just as he had envisioned.

Only… why did the two people in front of him look like that?

Fuzhu glanced at Fatty and Sun Bin in puzzlement.

Forget it.

These people didn’t matter.

All that mattered was Jian Yuntai’s reaction.

—Jian Yuntai, would he be happy too?

Just as this thought surfaced in his mind, a ‘creak’ sounded behind him. The wooden door slowly swung open.

Jian Yuntai had returned!

Fuzhu could no longer contain the joy swelling in his chest. He wanted to share it with Jian Yuntai.

In the suffocating gazes of Fatty and Sun Bin, Fuzhu turned around full of expectation—

But the smile he anticipated did not appear. Jian Yuntai’s face was pale, his eyes fixed on the mirror. Only after Fuzhu turned fully did Jian Yuntai slowly shift his gaze toward him.

When he finally spoke, his voice was dry and tense:

“…Cui… Cui Yu?”

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