Chapter 50
Earning several hundred thousand contribution points in “Demon World” was achievable, but breaking a million required special abilities or resources.
The Luna Clan, for example, refined moon essence from their Radiant Moon Crystal mines, enhancing the moonlight in “Demon World.”
Ossi and Atylanthos earned points by cleaning the ocean floor, their magic clearing vast areas.
Ordinary demons, however, relied on smaller tasks like removing miasma or invasive plants, earning a few hundred or thousand points at a time.
The white egg, however, had a unique ability.
“Wee~” It rolled into the grass, looking abandoned, attracting predators. But as a demon approached, it flew up and struck the demon’s face, then spun rapidly, absorbing the black miasma from its body, leaving only a skeleton.
[Beep—Eliminated mutated demon! 18301 contribution points awarded!]
The egg, pleased, washed itself in the stream, then admired its reflection. A-Ran would like it clean~
These mutated demons were like a virus in “Demon World,” constantly appearing and corrupting others. Most demons avoided them. But the final round of the closed beta was demon extermination, each race allowed one cub participant.
Even with the “Beginner” difficulty, many clans hesitated. Powerful races had few offspring; risking their cubs for a chance to be with A-Ran seemed unwise.
Anvers, the Feather Clan leader, however, saw a notification: [Your clan’s spot is taken.] Which cub had signed up without his permission? He searched, but no cub was missing. He contacted Ser, Shao Mian’s secretary, suspecting a conspiracy. There was something wrong with their cub.
“A Feather Clan cub of unknown origin?” Shao Mian asked, having also noticed the cub’s unusually high score. The Feather Clan wasn’t known for their offensive magic.
“Yes, no cub from our clan is participating,” Anvers confirmed. “Perhaps someone is trying to use this to get close to the human NPC.”
Abyss, hearing this, exclaimed, “They’re trying to hurt A-Ran?!” “Demon World” had become more vibrant since A-Ran’s arrival, even inter-clan relations improving. If something happened to him, “Demon World” would return to its previous state. It couldn’t accept that.
Shao Mian, however, frowned. “Demon World” wouldn’t allow a hostile entity near A-Ran. But a cub of unknown origin was suspicious.
“Are you sure you’ve checked all your cubs?” he asked, looking at Anvers, whose large black wings had appeared, a rare display of his half-human form. The Feather Clan had very few cubs.
“It doesn’t matter. I’ll handle it,” he said, planning to observe the situation in “Demon World” with Abyss. He would eliminate any threat to the human in his territory.
Meanwhile, Lin Ran, having purchased the Advanced Encounter Card, received a message: [Cub is on its way. Please wait.] He waited, but nothing happened.
“They took my gold, and the cub isn’t here?” Snowball’s quest had started immediately. He felt like he had bought a house that wasn’t being built.
“Cheep cheep.” “Mew?” Sootball and Snowball also looked around, but nothing happened.
“I’ll finish my work then,” he said, and by evening, he had cleared and planted a section of the riverbed. The Golden Spirit sapling he had transplanted was thriving, creating a small oasis.
“Let’s go home! I wish Yuanbao was here to carry us,” he said, remembering the comfortable ride on the lion’s back.
As he walked home, the closed beta’s final round ended. The losers received C-Rank Interaction Cards, and the white egg, exhausted, activated its reward:
[Teleporting to target NPC!]
As it was being teleported, it saw a basket and quickly rolled aside. It looked at its dirty shell, then at the clean blanket in the basket, and decided to wash itself in the nearby stream.
While it was gone, a small, reddish-brown creature with white-tipped ears and a ringed tail peeked into the house, its nose twitching, drawn by the scent of milk. It saw the cozy basket with a bottle of milk and climbed in, happily drinking.
Lin Ran, receiving the “Cub delivered!” message, saw the adorable creature in the basket. A red panda! Number 13 on the list of cutest animals! It didn’t seem like an egg that needed hatching, but it was too cute to resist.
He cautiously approached the basket, Sootball and Snowball also curious.
“Cheep?” Sootball tried to greet it, but the red panda just glanced at it and continued drinking its milk.
“Cheep…” Sootball, ignored, looked at A-Ran, disappointed.
An Xun, also intrigued by the red panda, reached out a paw.
“Eek!” The red panda, startled, raised its tail and stood on its hind legs, trying to intimidate Snowball.
“No fighting!” Lin Ran said, picking it up. It struggled briefly, then, seeing Lin Ran, chirped and wagged its tail. Lin Ran chuckled and offered it the milk bottle. It quieted down, its paw resting on his wrist, its tail swishing.
Sootball and Snowball exchanged a look. Something was… off.
“Crash—!” A loud noise came from outside, and a golden figure appeared.
“Yuanbao! You’re here!” Lin Ran said, holding up the red panda.
“Look! Isn’t it cute? Our new fluffy friend! You’ll protect it too, right?” Since they lived in Yuanbao’s territory, it was best for them to be acquainted.
“…?” But Yuanbao seemed confused, carefully examining the red panda, even sniffing it.
The red panda, terrified by the lion’s presence, clung to Lin Ran, its fluffy tail wrapping around him. Lin Ran felt a surge of protectiveness. It was like turning on the AC to make a cat cuddle with you. Should he just keep Yuanbao around to make the cub cling to him?
“Are you scared, baby? Don’t be afraid,” he said, soothing the trembling cub. He was surprised by its intense fear; even Sootball and Snowball hadn’t been this scared of Yuanbao. And the encounter card wasn’t activating. But it was just too cute! Perhaps this “Advanced” card meant advanced cuteness?
Shao Mian, however, was equally confused. What did this creature have to do with the Feather Clan? It had no feathers and was terrified of him. And the human seemed particularly fond of it. Eliminating it discreetly would be difficult.
The egg, having washed itself, returned to the house, only to find its basket occupied, the milk gone, and A-Ran cuddling another fluffy creature. It froze, its heart sinking. It had killed so many monsters without flinching, but now, it felt like crying. It had been abandoned again. A flicker of black miasma appeared, then vanished, the egg motionless, as if losing its will to live.
“Cheep!” Sootball, noticing the white egg by the door, alerted Lin Ran.
A white egg?
[Beep—Cub detected! Hatching quest activated!]
“…?” The quest was starting now? Lin Ran, holding the whimpering red panda, looked at the egg, realizing he had the wrong cub. This one was just here for the milk?
O皿O#
But as he approached the egg, Shao Mian stopped him, his tail gently wrapping around his wrist.
“Yuanbao?” Lin Ran looked at him, puzzled, as he released his wrist and walked towards the egg, examining it carefully.
[No aura… but it’s a Feather Clan egg. The runes are damaged,] Abyss whispered, having examined it with its magic. A damaged egg was usually a dead egg.
Shao Mian, impatient, enveloped the egg in his golden aura, checking for corruption. But there was no reaction.
“Yuanbao, are you trying to hatch it?” Lin Ran asked, amused.
Shao Mian: ??? Who would want to hatch an egg?! His indignant look made Lin Ran chuckle. He picked up the egg, curious.
[Incubation: 1%. The egg likes being held. It’s sad and has fallen asleep. Please hatch it.] As soon as he touched it, a notification appeared, and the incubation level increased. It seemed easy enough. And it was sad?
“Are you sad because your parents abandoned you?” he asked.
[Beep—You guessed correctly. The egg is embarrassed now.] Lin Ran smiled. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to pry. Can I hatch you now?”
The egg remained motionless, as if considering his words. Shao Mian, watching, hesitated to tell him about the damaged runes. Even if it hatched, the outcome might be… undesirable. But he knew Lin Ran wouldn’t give up.
[But what if it doesn’t hatch?] Abyss whispered. Then A-Ran would only be disappointed, not heartbroken.
“…” Shao Mian wondered if he should ask Anvers about any abandoned eggs in his clan.
With two new cubs, Lin Ran was busy. The red panda, however, seemed to be an ordinary animal, terrified of Yuanbao, only calming down in Lin Ran’s arms.
“Yuanbao, control your aura! You’re scaring it!” Lin Ran said, petting Yuanbao’s mane.
Shao Mian, unaccustomed to such close contact in his beast form, pawed at the ground, then reluctantly retracted his aura. The red panda, no longer trembling, climbed onto Lin Ran’s shoulder, though it still hid its face whenever it saw Shao Mian.
Shao Mian wanted to grab its tail. It was annoying.
“Cheep?” Sootball, seeing A-Ran busy, sat on the egg, trying to help hatch it, its fluffy belly covering the egg.
“Mew!” An Xun, amused, also joined in, encouraged by Sootball.
[…] The egg remained silent, ignoring them.
After the red panda fell asleep, Lin Ran saw Sootball and Snowball huddled in the basket with the egg.
“Are you two trying to hatch it for me?” he asked, amused.
“Cheep cheep!” We’re helping!
“Mew…” An Xun felt embarrassed. They couldn’t possibly hatch an egg!
Lin Ran chuckled, carrying the basket upstairs, planning to spend the night in “Demon World.”
Shao Mian, seeing him in his pajamas, realized he was going to bed.
“Yuanbao, aren’t you sleeping? Staying here tonight?” Lin Ran asked, petting his mane.
Before Shao Mian could reply, Abyss clung to him.
[No! You’re not a cub! You can’t sleep with A-Ran! I’ll tell on you!]
Shao Mian: … He regretted bringing Abyss back. He nuzzled against Lin Ran’s hand, enjoying the petting, then settled down outside the bedroom door.
“Good night then, Yuanbao,” Lin Ran said, kissing his forehead.
Shao Mian: !? Even after logging out, he touched his forehead, feeling strangely flustered. Perhaps he shouldn’t try to find Lin Ran in the real world. Things were getting out of control.
“But you’re blushing, Shao… Ah!” Abyss started to say, then was grabbed by Shao Mian. Abyss was right about one thing: he shouldn’t exploit his beast form. If his human form was discovered, things would get complicated.
Lin Ran tucked the cubs into bed, kissing their foreheads.
“Cheep~” Sootball, enjoying its goodnight kiss, nuzzled against him.
An Xun also purred contentedly.
“Good night to you too,” he said, kissing the egg and placing it in its own little bed. “I’ll give you a name when you hatch.” He felt silly talking to an egg.
But the egg, after he fell asleep, thought about his words. A name from A-Ran? It wanted that… It looked at the sleeping cubs, then nudged them aside and rolled into Lin Ran’s arms. It really liked A-Ran.
