Chapter 24
A small child with rosy lips and pearly white teeth suddenly appeared in a B-level horror dungeon.
The child looked to be about three or four years old, with toddler proportions, wearing ordinary light blue pajamas with a star print, barefoot, his skin fair and delicate.
His hair was an unusual light golden color, curly, his eyes like sparkling black gems, his voice slightly teary and nasal.
“Found it!”
Xing Nuo, seeing the familiar castle he had lived in for two or three years, blinked, tears clinging to his eyelashes, his eyes filled with joy.
See, if Zaizai keeps walking, Zaizai can find way home!
The veteran players were on high alert. They all took a step back as the child approached.
The newbie, still confused, asked:
“Little boy, what are you doing here?”
Xing Nuo stopped in front of the strangers, tilted his head, his eyes filled with curiosity and a hint of fear.
“Zaizai find Daddy.”
Perhaps afraid of bad people, he quickly pointed at the castle at the end of the path.
“Zaizai’s home there. Daddy waiting for Zaizai.”
Unbeknownst to him, the players were far more terrified than he was after hearing that the castle was his home.
Could this be…the dungeon boss?!
Even the newbie sensed something was wrong. She chuckled nervously and took a couple of steps back, not daring to ask any more questions.
Xing Nuo pursed his lips and stared at the strangers with his clear, innocent eyes, making them break out in a cold sweat.
A female player with a buzz cut took a deep breath, trying to stay calm.
She was about to try and get some information out of him when the child spoke.
“I go home now.”
Xing Nuo had been out for a long time. If he didn’t go back soon, Daddy would be worried.
He started walking towards the castle.
The buzz-cut player, looking at Xing Nuo’s small back, was reminded of her little cousin. Without thinking, she called out:
“Wait, little boy! The dirt road is rough. I have some shoes.”
The moment she spoke, she wanted to slap herself.
Why did I call out to the little monster?!
But Xing Nuo had already turned around. He curled his bare toes, looking at the cool-looking big sister.
His feet were damp and dusty from walking, his toes red and raw.
The dirt road was rough, with many small stones. Xing Nuo really needed shoes.
He nodded and said politely:
“Thank you, big sister.”
The buzz-cut player was taken aback. This little monster is quite polite.
Despite the little monster’s harmless appearance, her fear didn’t subside.
She took out a pair of prop shoes, walked over, and stiffly placed them at Xing Nuo’s feet.
Xing Nuo thanked her again and stepped into the shoes, which were several sizes too big.
The next moment, the shoes shrunk, fitting perfectly.
Xing Nuo gasped in surprise, looked down at the magical shoes, and touched them.
“Not big anymore.”
He took a couple of steps, then smiled and thanked the big sister again.
“Thank you, big sister. I go now. You come play at my house sometime~”
The buzz-cut player, hearing the little monster’s invitation, quickly waved her hands, not daring to say anything, afraid of offending him.
Xing Nuo waved at the strangers and continued walking towards the castle.
The players watched him go, sighing in relief.
The castle looked close, but the walk was longer than expected.
Xing Nuo had only covered about half the distance when he stopped, exhausted, and sat down on a large rock, panting.
He wiped the sweat from his forehead and looked up at the castle, clenching his fists.
Almost there, Zaizai almost there!
When Zaizai gets home, Daddy will give Zaizai yummy cake!
He stood up, determined, and took a couple of steps when he heard a commotion behind him.
“Holy crap! It’s chasing us!”
“We shouldn’t have stayed there! Who knew those vines could attack?!”
“Run! Run!”
The players, panicked and disheveled, caught up to Xing Nuo, their faces and clothes covered in dirt, some with bleeding scratches from the monster vines.
Xing Nuo turned around, his eyes widening in surprise at their state.
“What…you doing?”
The buzz-cut player was about to warn him about the monster vines, but when she turned around, there were no vines in sight.
“Where are the vines?”
“They disappeared? What’s going on? It wasn’t an illusion, was it?”
“Let’s use a prop and see. Maybe they were scared off by us?”
Xing Nuo, looking at the strange, agitated strangers, pursed his lips and took a couple of steps away.
The floral scent in the air was mixed with a hint of blood, coming from the players, and Xing Nuo felt uneasy.
These strangers…are weird!
He took a deep breath, turned his head, and, ignoring them, continued running towards the castle.
The wind blew his hair away from his face, revealing his smooth forehead and determined eyes.
The moment Xing Nuo ran off, the players were attacked by the vines again.
A perceptive player realized what was happening and shouted:
“Run! Follow that kid! We’re safe from the vines only when we’re near him!”
The other players quickly followed, running after Xing Nuo.
Xing Nuo hadn’t run far when he heard the sound of footsteps behind him again.
He looked back and saw the same strangers chasing him, their faces contorted in fear, some screaming.
Behind them, the dirt road was shrouded in dust, the flowers and vines on either side covered in grime.
Xing Nuo didn’t understand what they were doing.
But seeing their panicked expressions and how they were desperately running towards him, his heart started to pound.
Zaizai…met weirdos!
But that big sister gave Zaizai shoes.
Xing Nuo’s little mind couldn’t process it all. He gritted his teeth and continued running.
The players behind him were faster and quickly caught up.
But unsure of what lay ahead, they slowed down, keeping a safe distance behind Xing Nuo.
Xing Nuo ran and ran, his small chest burning, his throat dry and scratchy.
Sweat dripped down his face, and he wiped it away with his hand, too scared to stop.
Good, the weirdos didn’t catch up.
Thinking this, he breathed a sigh of relief and finally reached the castle gate.
As they approached, the castle came into full view.
A large, ancient iron gate, the surrounding walls covered in green vines and blooming flowers.
A cobblestone path led inside, lined with beautiful red roses.
The vibrant, blood-red petals, swaying gently in the breeze, created a scene both romantic and terrifying.
The players stopped at the magnificent gate, not daring to go further, huddling together, their breathing shallow.
Xing Nuo ran to the gate and patted the iron bars with his small hand.
“Daddy, Zaizai home!”
He stood on tiptoe, too short to reach the handle, and tried to squeeze his face between the bars, calling for his dad.
After a while, getting no response, Xing Nuo thought his dad might be sleeping, so he called for the butler.
“Butler Uncle, it’s me, Zaizai’s home.”
The butler had been working in the castle since before Xing Nuo was born.
There used to be many servants in the castle: cooks, grooms, gardeners, nannies…all performing their duties, keeping the castle clean and tidy.
But when Xing Nuo was two, Shen Wen decided that having so many monster servants wasn’t good for the cub’s development and dismissed them all, leaving only the butler.
As if hearing his call, a butler in a tailcoat, leaning on a golden cane, slowly approached.
The butler, as if expecting visitors, his wrinkled human skin stretched into a stiff smile, spoke in an exaggerated tone:
“We have guests at the castle today!”
Xing Nuo, seeing the butler, smiled, pulled his cheek away from the bars, and shook his head.
“Not guest…is Zaizai.”
The butler stopped, looking down at the child who had mysteriously appeared.
“You are…?”
Then, he froze, his cloudy eyes widening.
“How…you have Master’s scent?!”
The butler, a high-level monster, having served Shen Wen for so many years, was more familiar with his master’s terrifying aura than any other monster.
Not only did this child carry his master’s scent, but the butler could also sense a faint blood connection between them.
What was going on?!
How could Master have a human child?!
Xing Nuo blinked, tilted his head, looking even more confused than the butler.
“Butler Uncle, what you saying?”
He then gasped, his eyes lighting up, and nodded.
“Zaizai…bigger now. Butler Uncle…no wecognize Zaizai?”
Xing Nuo hadn’t seen the butler since they moved to the human world.
He was a bit taller now, his speech more fluent, and he didn’t stumble and fall as much anymore.
He considered himself a big boy now.
It was normal for Butler Uncle not to recognize him.
Xing Nuo took a step back, his eyes sparkling like a silver sea, and smiled.
“Butler Uncle, look! Zaizai all grown up!”
He twirled around, showing off.
Unbeknownst to him, the butler’s mind was in turmoil, his eyes almost popping out of their sockets.
That light golden, curly hair…it looked just like his Master’s!
Except Shen Wen’s hair was smooth and silky like golden brocade, radiating sunlight.
Xing Nuo’s curls were lighter in color, slightly messy from running, making him look like a fluffy puppy.
The butler suppressed his surprise, his mind reeling, and gestured for a male servant to open the gate.
The moment the gate opened, the little cub with messy hair rushed forward and nuzzled the butler’s leg.
“Butler Uncle, carry me~”
Xing Nuo used to hate walking and would always act cute and coquettish, asking the servants or the butler to carry him.
The monster servants couldn’t resist the little master’s charms and would always pick him up, their hearts melting.
Seeing that Xing Nuo, even at two years old, still couldn’t walk properly, Shen Wen had to make the difficult decision to dismiss the monster servants.
Of course, Shen Wen’s own pampering was the biggest obstacle to Xing Nuo learning to walk.
The butler’s wrinkled face was stiff as he looked down at the human cub, his mind blank.
After a long moment, under Xing Nuo’s persistent cuteness, he finally reacted.
He handed his cane to the male servant, bent down, and awkwardly picked up the little cub.
It was his first time holding a child, especially such a fragile human child.
But the child’s scent, so similar to his Master’s, was impossible to resist. Despite his suspicions, he couldn’t refuse.
Outside the gate.
The human players, watching the child being carried away by the monster butler, sighed in relief.
Good thing we didn’t attack the little monster.
If they had been chased to the castle by the vines and the little monster was gone or dead, the butler would likely have become enraged.
“It seems the first rule is not to harm the little monster.”
A veteran player, observing the interaction between the butler and the child, whispered to the other players.
“Why do you say that?” A newbie was still confused, unable to understand how he had deduced this rule.
The veteran player, surprisingly patient, explained:
“Look at how they interact. The butler is treating the little monster with respect, which means the little monster is probably one of the castle’s masters, someone of higher status.”
“But we followed him all the way here, and he didn’t show any signs of being a monster. He seems like a normal human child.”
“If the child isn’t a monster, but is one of the castle’s masters, then the other monsters in the castle will definitely protect him!”
“The key to clearing this dungeon might be related to the child, so we absolutely cannot harm him.”
“And the dungeon rules mentioned ‘exploration.’ In these types of dungeons, as long as we find the correct rules, escaping is usually easy!”
The veteran player’s analysis made the newbies’ eyes light up.
“Senior, you’re amazing! I think you’re right. We encountered this human child as soon as we entered the dungeon. He must be the special little monster!”
The other players whispered among themselves, agreeing with this theory.
“Let’s follow this lead. We’ll definitely clear this dungeon!”
After their discussion, they continued to observe the interaction between the monster butler and the human child.
Xing Nuo, held by the familiar butler, clutched his clothes and mumbled about how tired he was from walking.
“Zaizai walk long time…dark dark…but not ‘fraid~”
Then, he lifted his chin and asked:
“Butler Uncle, where Daddy?”
He couldn’t wait to see his dad!
The butler, hearing the human child ask about his Master and call him “Daddy,” was even more bewildered.
“The new season’s flowers are in bloom. Master is inspecting the manors.” The butler explained.
Shen Wen, with his love for luxury and extravagance, owned many manors and castles, filled with various flowers.
With the flowers in full bloom, Shen Wen was inspecting them, making sure no one damaged his precious plants.
Xing Nuo nodded vaguely, then sighed, his head drooping, knowing he wouldn’t see his dad.
“When…Daddy come back?”
The butler, seeing the little one’s drooping curls, felt his non-existent heart melt.
He smiled and ruffled Xing Nuo’s hair.
“One or two days at the earliest, three or four at the latest.”
Xing Nuo counted on his fingers, then sighed again.
“Long time.”
He hadn’t seen Daddy for two days, and now he had to wait for two more.
He rested his chin on the butler’s shoulder and yawned.
“Sleepy…Zaizai wanna sleep.”
Xing Nuo had been woken up in the middle of the night and had walked a long way, suppressing his fear. He was exhausted.
He nestled against the familiar butler, his cheek squished, and closed his eyes.
Before the butler could say anything, he looked down and saw that the little one had fallen asleep.
Human children could fall asleep remarkably easily sometimes.
The butler looked at the child’s peaceful sleeping face, his long, dark eyelashes resting against his cheeks, and felt a strange warmth.
It was a softer emotion than water, like soaking in a hot spring, his heart melting.
If Master had a child, it would definitely be this cute and adorable!
No, wait, the butler thought, sensing the child’s scent. This could actually be Master’s child!
Perhaps he was being raised elsewhere and couldn’t be brought back to the castle before!
The butler pondered this for a while, nodding, gradually convincing himself.
He held the little one, feeling the faint blood connection to his Master, his stiff expression softening.
As he was about to carry the little one back to the castle, he suddenly remembered something and turned to look at the players standing by the gate.
“Oh, I almost forgot about you.”
Players: “…”
Are we that insignificant?
The butler gestured dismissively for the male servant behind him to let the uninvited guests in.
“Take them inside and settle them in.”
Then, holding the little one he had just claimed as his little master, a smile appeared on his face.
“I have more important things to do now, like preparing a big, soft bed for the little master.”
Human children were fragile. The butler believed only the softest feather mattress was suitable for the little master.
He returned to the castle, placed the little master in Shen Wen’s bedroom, and, with a serious expression, started giving orders, determined to provide the little master with the perfect experience.
Within just an afternoon, the news spread among the castle servants—
They had a little master!
The pastry chef, clutching his chest, stood in the kitchen, exclaiming dramatically:
“You haven’t seen him! The little master is as beautiful as Master, his hair a beautiful golden color, the most beautiful color in the world!”
The cook, a large, round woman, tasted the creamy mushroom soup and sighed dreamily.
“Perhaps the little master will like my sweet cream soup?”
The pastry chef snorted, lifting his chin, his eyes filled with disdain.
“Your soup is the worst in the world! How could the little master possibly like it? My cranberry biscuits are the most delicious! He’ll definitely love them!”
The cook, indignant, put her hands on her hips, her brow furrowed, and banged the counter with her ladle.
“Impossible!”
The two argued heatedly, while the kitchen maids, lower in status, stood in the corner, not daring to interrupt.
In the midst of their argument, they noticed the players who had entered the castle earlier.
“What are you doing here?!”
The cook yelled at the weak humans she could crush with a single swing of her ladle.
The players, startled, one of them smiled nervously and tried to gather information.
“We heard you talking about soup. Is there a change in tonight’s dinner menu?”
After arriving at the castle, the male servant had explained the rules.
They were allowed to move freely on the first floor, but the second floor and above were the master’s area, off-limits to players.
They had to be in the dining room on time for dinner and drink the soup prepared by the cook.
There were other, more specific rules, which the players listened to with growing numbness, thinking the castle master must be a monster with OCD.
Since the servants mentioned dinner, and they couldn’t see the little monster Xing Nuo, who was napping, they decided to try and get some information from the kitchen.
The cook spat, her chin held high.
“Who said I’m cooking for you? I only cook for Master, and now, for the little master. The rest of you monsters can’t even have a single bite!”
The cook held a relatively high position in the castle, and the other servants didn’t dare offend her, quickly echoing her words.
“These ants won’t live for long anyway. Calm down, Cook, it’s not worth getting angry over them.”
“Yeah, the little master is waiting for your dinner. Don’t waste your time on these foolish humans!”
“Just swallow them tonight. They’re an eyesore anyway!”
The monsters’ suggestions made the players’ blood run cold.
It sounded like they really wouldn’t survive the night.
The players exchanged glances, afraid of angering the monster cook, and quickly excused themselves.
The castle was full of active monsters, and during the day, the players couldn’t find any opportunities to explore.
They gathered in a bedroom on the first floor, whispering their plans.
“The monsters are active during the day, and we can’t go upstairs. We have to wait until night.”
The female newbie, lost in thought, suddenly spoke:
“If the cook isn’t making soup for us, what will we eat for dinner?”
A veteran player rolled his eyes, his voice cold.
“You’re still thinking about dinner at a time like this? Exploring at night will be dangerous. If we’re discovered by the monsters, we might die!”
The female newbie wanted to say something, but seeing no one was paying attention to her, she shut her mouth.
There was no sun in the dungeon. After the daylight faded, the sky transitioned instantly into a thick, blood-like darkness.
Xing Nuo, having slept all afternoon, sat up in bed, tilting his head, staring at the dark sky.
He called out for his dad, but instead of Shen Wen, the butler, who had been waiting outside, entered.
“Little Master, you’re awake?” The butler bowed respectfully.
Xing Nuo was used to this title. The butler and the other servants had always addressed him this way in the castle.
He nodded and was about to climb out of bed when the butler picked him up.
“How can I let you walk? Allow me to assist you.”
The butler’s old, stiff face attempted a gentle expression, his voice sincere and accommodating, as if letting the little master walk himself was his greatest failure as a butler.
Xing Nuo, who had been learning to do things himself at kindergarten, shook his head slightly.
“No, I walk myself.”
Daddy said Zaizai had to walk more to get better at it!
Although he occasionally acted spoiled, Xing Nuo, refreshed from his nap, put on the soft slippers the butler had prepared and walked confidently.
The butler, watching him, nodded approvingly, tapping his cane on the floor.
“The little master is truly remarkable, already able to walk at such a young age.”
The male servant beside him nodded in agreement.
“Indeed, worthy of being Master’s heir. The little master walked all the way to the castle from the path today!”
The butler continued to praise him, then, seeing Xing Nuo reach the stairs, quickly composed himself and went to assist him.
Within an afternoon, the efficient butler had completely reorganized the castle.
Sharp silverware had been put away, table and cabinet corners padded with soft cloth, the floors upstairs covered with thick carpets.
Even two new outfits for the little master had been made within hours.
The butler, carrying the little master, who wasn’t quite adept at going down the stairs, his human skin stretched into a stiff smile, described the castle.
“The spiral staircase leads to the living room on the first floor. The paintings on the wall are…”
“Daddy’s paintings!”
Xing Nuo pointed at the paintings in the hallway, recognizing them instantly.
“This woses…this jasmine…”
He looked around, then turned to the butler, puzzled.
“Where Zaizai’s painting?”
Xing Nuo’s sunflower painting had always hung in the most prominent spot in the hallway, with the best lighting.
The butler, seeing that he recognized all the paintings, was slightly confused.
“There’s no painting of yours here. If Little Master would like to hang one, you can paint one.”
Xing Nuo was even more confused.
“Zaizai painted alweady…no paint.”
He shook his head and quickly forgot about it.
The butler smiled and, no longer dwelling on it, carried the little master to the dining room.
The spacious, magnificent dining room could seat more than a dozen people. The long table was already set with various dishes, their aromas filling the air.
With Shen Wen absent, Xing Nuo, the little master, naturally sat at the head of the table.
The butler stood respectfully behind him, describing the dishes and serving him.
“This is the cook’s specialty, made especially mild for you, Little Master. Please try it.”
Xing Nuo ate very little and wasn’t picky, even praising Shen Wen’s strange, dark concoctions.
He took a bite of the cook’s fluffy, crispy bread and smiled, swinging his little legs.
“Yummy.”
Cook’s bread still so yummy!
The cook, hiding in the corner, watching the little master, sighed in relief and then swelled with pride.
See, even the little master loves my cooking!
Xing Nuo ate a few bites, then rubbed his tummy and said he was full.
The butler, his wrinkled face creased with concern, was about to encourage him to eat more when he saw the players entering the dining room.
“Hey, Xing Nuo, having dinner?”
The player who had learned the little monster’s name approached Xing Nuo, his forehead sweating under the butler’s death glare.
Xing Nuo, his mouth still smeared with breadcrumbs, sat obediently in his chair, his clear eyes fixed on the strange strangers.
“Yes,” Xing Nuo replied politely.
“What…you doing?”
The players, unfazed, gave their prepared excuse.
“Thank you for bringing us to the castle today. Otherwise, we would have had to sleep on the streets.”
The buzz-cut player, having interacted with Xing Nuo before, spoke with a bit more familiarity.
“Your castle is so beautiful, Xing Nuo. Could you perhaps give us a tour?”
Unable to find any other opportunities to explore the castle, the players decided to use Xing Nuo, the little monster.
As long as they stayed close to the little master, the monsters wouldn’t dare harm them!
The butler, his human skin stiff, stood behind the little master, glaring at the presumptuous humans.
“Where did these vulgar humans come from, daring to ask the little master for a tour?”
The butler, who only served high-level monsters, scoffed, his face filled with disdain.
“Our little master is of noble birth and is currently dining. It’s extremely rude of you to interrupt.”
The players cursed the arrogant butler inwardly but didn’t dare show it.
“Haha, it’s alright if we can’t. We’ll just go back then.”
They were about to leave when they heard Xing Nuo’s sweet voice.
“Can.”
Xing Nuo didn’t have such a rigid sense of hierarchy. The pursuit of freedom and bravery, the spirit of a knight, seemed to be ingrained in him.
He climbed down from his chair and walked over to the buzz-cut player who had given him the shoes.
Xing Nuo looked up, his little teeth showing, his eyes curving into a smile.
“Thank you for shoes, big sister. Where you want see?”
The buzz-cut player, looking at Xing Nuo’s sweet, innocent smile, his eyes sparkling brighter than the stars, couldn’t help but gasp inwardly.
This core little monster is incredibly cute!
She quickly composed herself and replied:
“Anywhere is fine. Being able to see the castle is already an honor.”
The castle was vast, with dozens of bedrooms on the first floor alone, a spacious living room with a crystal chandelier, a dining room that could seat more than a dozen people, and a long, elegant hallway.
Xing Nuo particularly liked the hallway. He stood on tiptoe, admiring his dad’s paintings.
“Daddy’s paintings…pwetty~” His eyes were filled with pride, his chin held high.
“Zaizai…also paint…lots and lots!”
The players frantically took notes, memorizing the details of the paintings.
After admiring the paintings, Xing Nuo led the players to the beautiful rose garden.
With no moon in the dungeon, the garden was illuminated by countless crystal orbs.
The blood-red roses bloomed brilliantly in the darkness.
A sea of vibrant roses, swaying gently in the breeze, would have been a famous Instagram spot if not for the fact that it was in a horror dungeon.
Xing Nuo ran into the garden and touched the flowers.
“My Daddy planted these!”
He stood among the roses, his dark eyes sparkling, reflecting the large blooms.
“Big brothers…big sisters…come see?”
He waved, his smile bright and cheerful, inviting his guests to admire the roses.
But the players, their faces covered in sweat, shook their heads vigorously, looking at the blood-red roses.
No way!
Absolutely no way!
is this instance set in the past or something?