Chapter 26
Xing Nuo looked down at the big brothers and sisters from the second-floor railing.
His little cheeks squished against the bars, his expression stern.
“Zaizai sleep now. You sleep too.”
Thinking he was being very imposing, Xing Nuo bared his little teeth, issued his “threat,” and, huffing, covered his mouth with his hand and yawned.
Tears welled up in his eyes, sleepiness washing over him, his curls drooping.
Dragging his little feet, Xing Nuo ignored the guests below and returned to his bedroom.
The players didn’t dare make too much noise, afraid of angering the little monster and facing the consequences.
But if they didn’t make noise, the monsters would attack!
They were trapped!
They watched despairingly as Xing Nuo walked away. The moment he was gone, they felt the monsters’ predatory gazes from the shadows.
The monsters’ bloodlust was palpable, as if they couldn’t wait to tear the players apart!
There were no B-level or higher players among them. The highest level was C, no match for these monsters!
As the players braced themselves for another round of brutal attacks—
Xing Nuo stopped at his bedroom door, as if remembering something, and turned back.
His slippers padded softly against the floor. He gripped the railing, looked down, and spoke.
“Don’t play with servant brothers and sisters anymore. Be quiet and sleep.”
Xing Nuo was a light sleeper. He could vaguely hear the commotion between the monsters and the players downstairs, but he didn’t understand what they were doing.
But staying up so late was definitely wrong!
Having issued his instructions, Xing Nuo, satisfied, covered his mouth with his hand, his eyes half-closed, and sleepily walked back to his room.
The bedroom door closed, and the noise stopped.
Downstairs, the battered and bruised players, hearing Xing Nuo’s words, were both surprised and hopeful.
Maybe…there’s a chance!
They huddled together, their breathing shallow, watching the lurking shadows.
The monsters’ anger surged—
“We didn’t do it on purpose! It’s those humans’ fault!”
“They’re so cunning! The little master will hate us!”
“Ahhh, I’m so angry! It’s their fault!”
Just as the players expected another attack, the monsters, despite their anger, obediently vanished.
They couldn’t anger the little master.
The players, feeling the oppressive presence disappear, exchanged glances, tears of relief almost welling up.
Holy crap, the little master’s words are that powerful?!
A veteran player sighed in relief, then, after a moment of thought, spoke.
“It seems we have to stay on the little master’s good side. The monsters won’t disobey his orders. We can use him as a shield when we’re being chased at night.”
A newbie, sprawled on the floor, his hair plastered to his forehead with sweat, his lips trembling, said:
“That was close! Maybe now the monsters will be wary of us and won’t attack again.”
The veteran player wasn’t so optimistic. He just sighed.
“Hopefully.”
Thanks to the little master, the players had survived the night, albeit barely.
Having barely slept, they lay scattered across the living room as dawn approached, sleeping soundly.
The butler, his cane tapping against the floor, came to the living room to prepare breakfast for the little master. He looked at the sleeping players and gasped.
“My goodness! Master above, what rude guests!”
His wrinkled face creased further, his eyes flashing red with anger.
The mess the players had made infuriated the butler, who meticulously maintained the castle’s cleanliness.
The players woke up, startled by the butler’s blood-red eyes staring at them.
“Sorry! We’ll clean it up right away!”
They scrambled up, their faces covered in sweat, and started cleaning the sofa and carpet.
The butler watched for a while, his eyes returning to their normal grayish-black, and warned them coldly:
“I’m going to prepare breakfast for the little master. I expect everything to be back to normal before he comes down!”
“Otherwise,” the butler’s voice lowered, his expression sinister, “you won’t like the consequences!”
The players nodded quickly, their hearts pounding, and watched as the butler went to the kitchen. They quickly tidied up the living room.
Morning light streamed into the cozy bedroom, and the crystal lamp by the bed automatically turned off.
Xing Nuo emerged from under the covers, his curly hair sticking up in all directions, like a bird’s nest.
He hadn’t slept well and still looked sleepy and dazed.
After waking up a bit, he struggled to change out of his pajamas, his head popping out of the neckline with a sigh.
His forehead had a faint red mark from the tight neckline.
After getting dressed, Xing Nuo rubbed his aching head.
Having learned to brush his teeth and wash his face by himself, he got ready and went to find the butler.
The butler, seeing the little master awake, gasped dramatically, his eyes filled with self-reproach.
“Oh dear! It’s all those foolish humans’ fault for delaying me! I failed to attend to you!”
To think he had let the little master dress and wash himself! How irresponsible!
Xing Nuo, however, didn’t mind at all. He shook his head, his eyes bright.
“Butler Uncle…Daddy come home today?”
The butler bowed, a smile on his face, and replied respectfully:
“I’ve received a letter. Master will return this afternoon.”
Xing Nuo gasped, his eyes sparkling.
“Daddy coming home!”
He revealed his little teeth and, carried by the butler to the dining room, his eyes curved into a smile brighter than the moon.
Sitting in his chair, Xing Nuo swung his little legs and ate his breakfast happily.
In anticipation of their master’s return, the castle servants were busy from early morning.
The cook and pastry chef prepared delicious food, the male and female servants cleaned the castle, and the butler supervised, giving orders.
The players, having finally gotten some sleep, felt their hopes dashed upon hearing the news of the castle master’s return.
The monsters in the castle were already difficult enough to deal with!
Now the master was coming back too?
A newbie trembled and asked anxiously:
“Senior, has no one ever cleared this dungeon? Did the previous players also encounter the castle master?”
What level of monster was this “castle master”?!
A veteran player pondered this, frowning.
“Every dungeon changes after being cleared. To be honest, I asked around before entering, and the castle master never appeared in this B-level dungeon before.”
Dungeons changed constantly, but their type remained the same. This was definitely an exploration-type dungeon!
According to players who had cleared it, these types of dungeons usually involved uncovering a hidden truth.
Once the truth was revealed, they could escape!
The veteran player sighed, voicing his worst fear:
“If we’re unlucky, the dungeon level might increase.”
The newbie’s face paled. “What do you mean?”
The veteran player’s expression was grim. He closed his eyes.
“Dungeon levels are determined by the core monster’s level. Since the castle master is appearing, I suspect this might become an A-level dungeon!”
The newbie’s face was filled with despair, wondering if he would even survive until tomorrow.
Although there was no sun in the dungeon, the daylight was still bright.
Xing Nuo skipped down the steps, humming a song he had learned at kindergarten.
Dust motes danced in the light, clinging to his hair and clothes, making him look bright and cheerful.
He went to the small flower garden and, after inspecting his dad’s favorite roses, smiled.
“Gardener Uncle, I want pick pwetty wose…give to Daddy!”
The stocky gardener, wearing a straw hat, turned around, his tanned face creased with a smile.
“Little Master, choose the prettiest one. Master will love it!”
Hearing their conversation, the roses seemed to burst with life.
Their already vibrant petals bloomed even brighter, their stems standing tall and straight.
Being picked by the little master and given to Master was their greatest dream!
The sweet fragrance of roses filled the air, making Xing Nuo sneeze.
He stood by the flowerbed, his eyes wide, his face serious, carefully choosing a flower.
After a long time, he finally chose a perfect bloom.
The gardener came over with his shears, cut the rose, removed the thorns, and handed it to the little master.
“Here you go, Little Master. It would look lovely in a vase.”
Xing Nuo nodded, carefully placed the rose in a white ceramic vase, and held it, waiting for his dad’s return.
He waited all afternoon, until, sleepy, he was about to doze off on the sofa, clutching the vase, when he heard the sound of a carriage outside.
The butler hurried out, his demeanor respectful.
“Master has returned!”
Xing Nuo’s eyes snapped open, and he eagerly followed the butler outside, clutching the vase.
Daddy’s back!
