Chapter 38
A freshly baked biscuit takes time. Xing Nuo, dressed in a light green robe, as fresh as new spring leaves, skipped out of the castle’s long hallway.
Shen Wen followed, carrying a small wooden trowel, his eyes on Xing Nuo’s small figure.
There were three or four steps leading down to the back garden from the north side of the castle. Seeing Xing Nuo crouch down, preparing to jump, Shen Wen’s heart leaped into his throat.
He frowned, his voice sharp.
“Xing Nuo, don’t jump!”
Xing Nuo, full of energy after his nap, had no sense of self-preservation.
Just a few small steps. How could they possibly be a challenge for a brave little knight?!
He looked back at his dad, flashing a sweet smile.
The next moment, he clenched his fists and jumped, trying to take flight!
But before he could even leave the ground, Shen Wen grabbed him by the back of his robe.
The soft fabric of Xing Nuo’s robe bunched up around his neck, choking him slightly.
Xing Nuo, dangling in mid-air, gasped, his arms and legs flailing.
“Can’t…bweave!”
After a moment, he was placed back on the ground.
Shen Wen’s face was cold as he tapped Xing Nuo’s forehead.
“Do you think you can fly?”
He then looked at the steps and sighed.
“They’re so high, almost taller than you, and you still dared to jump?”
Xing Nuo rubbed his neck, looked down at the steps, and then looked up at his dad, huffing.
“Zaizai can!”
And, “Zaizai vewy tall!” he yelled.
He wasn’t shorter than the steps!
Shen Wen rubbed his forehead, feeling like he had aged decades in just one morning.
Raising a child is this exhausting?
What am I even doing?!
He was about to tell the little one to behave when he saw Xing Nuo crawling down the steps.
Xing Nuo, having reached the garden, his eyes crinkling into a happy smile, his curls bouncing, pointed and declared:
“Daddy, Zaizai want plant…biscuits here!”
Shen Wen: “…”
“…You might as well try flying. That would be easier.”
Xing Nuo ignored him. He was highly attuned to emotions and could sense that Daytime Daddy’s tolerance for him had increased dramatically this morning.
Daddy must have remembered Zaizai!
He pushed his luck further, placing his little foot on the edge of Shen Wen’s patience.
“Then plant…milk?”
Xing Nuo imagined a garden filled with milk, where he could swim every day. His cheeks flushed with excitement.
Such a great idea! Zaizai should have thought of this sooner!
Shen Wen wanted to whack the little one with his trowel.
He gritted his teeth, struggling to control himself.
He’s my own flesh and blood.
He couldn’t bring himself to hurt him.
Shen Wen rubbed his forehead, looking at the little one, who was now digging a hole in the flowerbed, preparing to plant “milk,” and felt a sudden sense of bewilderment.
Would his future self also face such situations?
Although Xing Nuo was mostly obedient and well-behaved, children had strange ideas.
Had his future self truly accepted and tolerated all of the little one’s quirks?
Shen Wen couldn’t imagine it and decided not to dwell on it.
He put down his tools, picked up the dirt-covered little one, and dangled him slightly.
Dirt and dust rained down from Xing Nuo, coating his hair.
Shen Wen’s lips twitched. How did he manage to get so dirty just from digging a hole?
In just two minutes, the clean, little cub had turned into a dust bunny.
Xing Nuo, his head spinning from being dangled, stumbled when he was put back on the ground and landed on his bottom next to his dad’s leg.
“Daddy, Zaizai dizzy.”
He shook his head, trying to clear his vision.
Shen Wen smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling, his usually sharp features softening, his eyes sparkling.
But his words were cold.
“You must be sick again. Should we ask the cook to make some medicine?”
Xing Nuo’s eyes widened in alarm. He shook his head until his dizziness subsided, then quickly stood up.
“Not dizzy. Zaizai can walk!”
He took a couple of unsteady steps, his body swaying, almost falling.
But he managed to stay upright, straightening his back, and praised himself.
“Zaizai walk vewy well!”
Shen Wen closed his eyes, wanting to block out the self-praising little one.
He sighed and carried Xing Nuo to the steps.
“Stay here and don’t move. I’m going to weed this area.”
Xing Nuo, unfazed by being dismissed, nodded vigorously.
“Daddy work. Zaizai eat biscuit.”
Shen Wen: “…”
“…Fine. Go find the…pastry chef and ask him for your biscuit.”
Just get out of his sight. He was getting a headache.
Xing Nuo, afraid his dad would go back on his promise, quickly ran towards the kitchen.
The castle was vast, with several hallways and corners on the first floor alone.
If you weren’t familiar with the layout, you could easily get lost.
Fortunately, Xing Nuo, despite his frail body, had a good memory. He navigated the hallways and reached the central living room.
He panted, wiping the sweat from his forehead.
His face flushed from running, his weak body exhausted, he collapsed onto the sofa, unable to even move his feet.
Curled up in a corner, hidden by the pillows and the back of the sofa, he was almost invisible.
Just then, the players entered the living room.
The servants were cleaning the other rooms, and the living room was empty and quiet.
Baldy rubbed his head, looked at his teammate, and whispered:
“What do you think of Buzz-cut’s suggestion?”
They had discussed their plan last night, but couldn’t agree and had parted ways, unhappy.
Baldy looked down on the weak, clumsy little master of the castle.
He didn’t sense any threat from the little one.
Perhaps the little master was the castle’s biggest weakness?
If they captured the little master, who was still practically a baby, they wouldn’t even need to threaten him. He would probably tell them how to clear the dungeon himself!
Baldy had always resented Buzz-cut for fawning over the little master.
His teammate, having teamed up with him twice before, was one of the few people he trusted.
But remembering Buzz-cut’s words, the teammate hesitated.
“But…”
“No buts! We might not be able to get the cook’s soup tonight. If our emotions become unstable again, we’ll end up like that idiot last night!”
The crazed, blue-shirted player had gone to the rose garden alone last night.
This morning, they had found his dismembered body in the flowerbed.
One of his arms was stuck in the rose bushes, drained of blood, the skin dry and withered.
The other players, seeing this, knew the rose garden was a dead end.
But they hadn’t found the dungeon’s secret or the key.
They didn’t even know what the key looked like or where it was.
The rules were closing in on them. If they didn’t follow them, they would lose their minds.
And the occasional glance from Shen Wen, the SSS+ level monster, was enough to make them break out in a cold sweat, wanting to kneel in terror.
Trapped between a rock and a hard place, they had to take a gamble!
“Wen Xingxue must have cleared the dungeon last night. I’ve heard things about him. Relying on him isn’t an option anymore.”
Baldy wanted a cigarette, but this was a castle, so he just frowned and continued.
“If we can’t clear this dungeon today, our chances of survival will plummet.”
They had used invisibility charms to explore last night, and for some reason, the monsters hadn’t attacked them, allowing them to survive another night.
But what about tonight?
They were walking a tightrope, with no way back.
His teammate, clutching his hair, let out a frustrated groan.
“What is the secret of this dungeon? What’s the meaning of that stupid sunflower painting?!”
He then added:
“Don’t tell me that painting was made by the little master? Is it a hint?”
Hearing the words “little master,” Xing Nuo, who had been dozing on the sofa, peeked out, his cowlick sticking up.
Before they could reach a conclusion, the buzz-cut player arrived.
“What are you two doing?!”
She was slightly out of breath, her face grim as she looked at them.
Baldy scoffed, his expression disdainful.
“None of your business! We’re going our own way. Maybe I’ll clear the dungeon today! I’m done with your fake, ass-kissing act!”
He was sick of pretending to be nice to a child.
The buzz-cut player, her chest heaving, took a few deep breaths, still trying to reason with her former teammate.
“We just need to figure out why that sunflower painting suddenly appeared on the wall. That’s the secret of this dungeon. As for the key, the little master definitely knows where it is.”
Baldy snorted.
“The little master? Having the key?! Don’t you see how cold the castle master was to him? Maybe he’s not even his biological son!”
These words hit Xing Nuo like a bolt of lightning.
He peeked out from behind the sofa, his face flushed with anger, and yelled at Baldy:
“You wong! Zaizai Daddy’s weal son!”
His little voice cracked with emotion.
