Jiang Yan returned to his bedroom, and as soon as he stepped in, he saw the "Hunter" leaning against the headboard, his green eyes watching him with a smirk that was neither fully amused nor fully threatening.
"I never knew I had a little kitten at home, roaming around at night," the "Hunter" said lazily, his voice tinged with the remnants of sleep and an imperceptible danger.
Jiang Yan's heart skipped a beat. If the BOSS deemed his behavior inconsistent with his character, he could be erased without hesitation.
The players on the game forum were sweating for him:
[Shit! The BOSS is awake!]
[He won't be discovered, right? Oh no!]
[It's over!! I just found out about this little beauty!!!]
[He’s definitely doomed. Honestly, his intelligence could barely get him through two instances; it's a miracle.]
[Wuwu... No!]
Meeting the "Hunter's" gaze, Jiang Yan fought to stay calm. He walked to the bed, took off his socks, then climbed up and wrapped his arms around the "Hunter's" neck, pretending to be lazy. "I'm hungry; let’s go find something to eat in the kitchen."
"I remember you had dinner tonight."
"I don’t want to eat moose meat anymore." Jiang Yan lowered his eyelids, his voice languid and hoarse.
The "Hunter" lovingly embraced the little "sheep" in his arms and leaned in to sniff his ear gently. "But you smell of corpses. Did you go and eat your companions?"
"No, I just ran into the 'Corpse Driver' in the living room," Jiang Yan answered honestly.
"Oh?" The "Hunter's" gaze turned icy, his grip tightening around Jiang Yan's waist. One wrong word from Jiang Yan, and he would snap him in half.
[It's over!!!!]
[Is he stupid? Why is he saying everything he thinks!]
[Oh my god! Can someone save him!]
[His head is probably going to be bitten off by the Hunter!]
[I can't watch this anymore! I can't bear to see my beauty's head bitten off.]
The "Hunter's" cold gaze was terrifying. The wind and snow outside seemed to sense the unusual atmosphere inside, and the sound of it pounding against the window grew louder.
The players on the game forum were all anxious for Jiang Yan.
They prayed for him to do something; it seemed the "Hunter" was starting to question his character, and his death appeared to be a foregone conclusion.
However, Jiang Yan seemed to be self-sabotaging, offering no excuses for his actions. Instead, he buried himself under the covers and said to the "Hunter," "Good night. I don’t want to see moose meat anymore tomorrow."
[…………]
[It's over...]
[Wake up!! Aren't you going to struggle at all?!]
[Oh!!! No!!! My beauty!]
663 was also getting anxious: "What are you doing?!"
Jiang Yan replied lazily, "Have you ever raised a cat?"
Aren't cats known for wandering around at night, making a mess of the house, and then completely ignoring your complaints?
Sure enough, the "Hunter" could only laugh helplessly before pulling the buried "lamb" into his arms and whispering in Jiang Yan's ear, "Then I’ll get you something new to eat tomorrow."
"Good night, my Yan Yan."
[……What just happened?]
[Nothing happened.]
[I’m confused. Is this the game I know? Are we playing the same game?]
[Meanwhile, a real NPC next door was eaten by all the NPCs in the instance for saying the wrong word.]
[Is this good luck?]
663 sighed in relief: "Sometimes your luck really is too good."
"This isn’t luck; it’s a display of skill," Jiang Yan replied lazily.
"Are you talking about the skill of lying in bed for five days before deciding to get up and wander around?" 663 teased.
Jiang Yan chuckled lazily, "For those five days, I diligently played the role of a cat."
"How are you so sure he sees you as a cat and not a dog?" 663 asked in confusion.
"Because dogs need to be taken out for walks every day, while with cats, you worry they might run away from playing too much," Jiang Yan answered as if it were obvious.
"And his attitude towards me is exactly the same as my ex-husband's attitude towards my cat."
663: "…"
Jiang Yan: "…Ex-husband."
---
Today, going downstairs for a stroll was the most exercise Jiang Yan had gotten in days, so he slept particularly soundly at night.
In his dreams, there were cats and a pair of emerald-green eyes like water.
Jiang Yan woke up to the sound of the wind outside. He opened his eyes to see the "Hunter" sitting on the edge of his bed, his goat-like head resting lovingly on the bed, looking at him.
"Good morning." Jiang Yan reached out to touch his horn.
[Good morning! Lucky fish! You didn’t die after last night! What kind of divine luck is this!]
[I thought this morning the "Hunter" would have meat buns for breakfast, but I didn’t expect to see you.]
[Is he using some special item?]
[What item is so amazing? I’d be willing to sacrifice ten years of my life to trade for it.]
[This NPC's total score is only 100; he’s barely alive, how can he have points for items?]
[Sneak sneak!]
[Sneak!]
[Good morning! Absorb the good luck!]
"Good morning." The "Hunter's" voice was clear and beautiful, carrying the laziness of youth.
Jiang Yan paused; that "good morning" felt strangely familiar.
It must be an illusion…
"It's time to get up and have breakfast, my Yan Yan."
The "Hunter" lifted Jiang Yan out of bed and thoughtfully helped him wash up, then for the first time, dressed Jiang Yan in a thick coat.
The fireplace in the room crackled, roasting chestnuts, filling the entire room with a sweet aroma. Jiang Yan’s cheeks flushed from the warmth, wrapped in a double-breasted sheepskin coat, looking more delicious than the chestnuts.
The "Hunter" couldn’t help but plant a gentle kiss on Jiang Yan’s hair. "How I wish I could keep you locked in this room forever, so you could only look at me."
"Are we going out?" Jiang Yan asked.
"Today, we’re going downstairs to eat," the "Hunter" replied.
After saying that, the "Hunter" held Jiang Yan in a way that resembled cradling a child and headed downstairs.
As Jiang Yan observed the environment on the first floor, he realized that what had felt terrifyingly empty at night appeared to be a normal and cozy wooden house by day, with the wooden floor polished to a shine.
"This is the work of the 'Corpse Driver.' The 'Hunter' has severe obsessive-compulsive disorder," 663 explained.
[All NPCs; the "Corpse Driver" really has it rough.]
[Honestly, while staying next to the BOSS is scarier, Jiang Yan's character is really enjoying this!]
[Enjoying? If you don’t kiss the BOSS, you lose 100 points. Go ahead!]
[I can kiss him! Isn’t it enough to eat and sleep every day?]
-
Jiang Yan was carried into the kitchen by the "Hunter."
Inside the kitchen, the remaining five players were brought out from the basement and seated at a long wooden dining table. The "Corpse Driver" and the "Sheeps" stood on either side, staring intensely at them.
On either side of the kitchen walls hung processed heads resembling clay, with three on one side and two on the other.
Although there was a fire still burning in the kitchen, the players wore only thin, tattered clothing, and they shivered from the cold.
Fear and hunger intertwined, pushing them to the brink of collapse.
At the moment the "Hunter" entered the kitchen holding Jiang Yan, the main system began to broadcast:
【Instance: "Sheep's Forest," Progress: 39%】
【Players: Wang Yu, Zhou Hao, Lei Li, Xue Dun, Zhou Yun】
【NPC Clue Acquired: 0%】
Jiang Yan, nestled in the "Hunter's" arms, looked at the players at the table, whose expressions were a mix of fear and numbness. He recognized Wang Yu and Zhou Hao from yesterday; one was Li Xue's boyfriend, and the other was that overdramatic young man who wouldn't stop talking.
Lei Li was the short-haired girl; 663 had mentioned that she was Zhou Hao's friend.
The remaining girl with long hair, who looked cool and aloof, was likely Zhong Yun.
“Do you see that fat guy whose flesh is trembling?” 663 asked.
Jiang Yan responded, “Is he Xue Dun?”
“Yes, he has an item, but for some reason, he hasn't used it,” 663 replied.
Jiang Yan nodded. Since it was a game, each player would naturally obtain corresponding items, which could be exchanged for points.
Each person could acquire a maximum of three items, and the main system sold these based on the players' traits; they couldn’t choose for themselves, and the same went for NPCs.
The appearance and functions of the items were quite varied.
For example, "Corpse Driver" Ding Wanyu had a "Soul Calling Banner," which allowed him to hide his presence before the dead and could command low-level spirits. This was likely why the main system designated him as a "Corpse Driver" in this instance.
Logically speaking, Jiang Yan had already completed two instances, so he should have at least one item. However, due to his low points, he hadn't qualified to exchange for any.
“One other person has an item—Wang Yu,” 663 said. “Not sure what it is, but according to the system's assessment, he shows signs of using an item in this instance, though we don't know where.”
“Probably for Li Xue,” Jiang Yan said.
Thinking about how Li Xue managed to escape the dungeon and run so far in such thin clothing, it probably had something to do with Wang Yu using an item.
“Last night, my little Yan was tired of moose meat, so he wanted something new today,” the "Hunter" said as he sat at the head of the table, placing Jiang Yan on his lap.
At these words, the players present froze. What did this mean?
[Wow!]
[This instance is finally starting to pick up! The past few days had me anxious.]
[Anxious? Didn't you enjoy watching the little beauty sleep the other day?]
Jiang Yan reached out to gently stroke the "Hunter's" face, mimicking a cat stretching its claws in its owner's lap.
The "Hunter" thoughtfully took Jiang Yan's hand and said to the Butcher standing not far away, “Get Yan a cup of hot chocolate. No milk; his stomach isn’t good.”
Everyone watched in shock as the Butcher put down his bloody cleaver, washed his hands, put on clean gloves, and finally retrieved a packet of powder from the cupboard. He prepared a cup of hot chocolate and brought it to the master.
Jiang Yan snuggled in the "Hunter's" embrace, sipping the hot chocolate with evident contentment.
“Corpse Driver” Ding Wanyu watched this scene, his eyes widening. So there were clean things in this kitchen?
He hadn't dared to touch anything in the kitchen for the past few days; the sink was filled with human skin or limbs. How could he possibly move anything?!
Damn… suddenly, he felt that being a “sheep” wasn’t so bad.
“What… do you want to do?” Zhou Hao asked, trembling.
“Of course, I want to change Yan's flavor,” the "Hunter" replied matter-of-factly.
Zhou Hao's heart tightened. He thought the "Hunter" intended to take this opportunity to chop them all up and make them into char siu bao for Jiang Yan's meal, which made him quite agitated.
“You can't do this! We are his kind!” Zhou Hao shouted.
The other four players looked at him in horror, afraid he would completely enrage the "Hunter."
Ding Wanyu exchanged glances with Jiang Yan.
It's good for a young man to be brave, but it was clear they thought Zhou Hao was being a bit too brave.
The "Hunter" looked at the courageous young man and asked, “What do you think I should do?”
Zhou Hao was taken aback, not expecting the "Hunter" to respond with a question.
What should he do?
The "Hunter" chuckled softly and continued, “It's very simple if you don't want to become Yan's lunch. Something happened in this room last night; I lost something.”
All eyes turned toward him.
The "Hunter" casually played with a strand of Jiang Yan's hair, leisurely saying, “If you can help me find my lost item or catch the person who stole it, I can consider it a victory for your game.”
“Corpse Driver” frowned and said, “Are you changing the game rules, Master?”
“Yes,” the "Hunter" replied.
[Change the game rules?! No way! Isn’t this a B-level instance?]
[A B-level instance Boss can change game rules? Isn’t this something that only happens in an A-level instance? What’s going on with this boss? Is it a bug?]
[Must be a bug; last night's report was the same. This instance feels off.]
The "Hounds" in the basement began to howl, their ghostly wails echoing with the wind and snow outside, as if the entire house were trembling.
The "Hunter," holding his little “sheep,” began to announce the new game rules: “Now each of you is a ‘police officer,’ and each of you could be a thief. Find my item and return it to me.”
“Of course, the previous game rules still apply. If you can escape this forest, you will be free.”
Main System:
【Instance: "Sheep's Forest," Progress: 40%】
【Side Quest Triggered: Find the "Hunter's" Lost Item】
【Participants: Players Wang Yu, Zhou Hao, Lei Li, Zhou Yun, Xue Dun, NPC Jiang Yan, NPC Ding Wanyu】
Jiang Yan was taken aback and looked up at the "Hunter." “Do I have to participate as well?”
The "Hunter" said regretfully, “Because you sneaked out of the room last night, baby”
At this moment, the game forum erupted once again:
[Damn! The NPC is joining in?!]
[A-level instance players sometimes trigger side quests where NPCs and players work together.]
[Wait? This is a group of newcomers!! Plus, they brought a new NPC. How are we supposed to play this like an A-level instance?]
[Oh my god! The main system really doesn't want this group of players to survive!]
[To be honest, if this group of newcomers can make it out of this instance, they’ll definitely profit! All the guilds will start scrambling for them.]
[What do you mean profit? Don’t say the players, even that NPC named Jiang Yan might get buried here. The only one left standing will probably be the “Corpse Driver.”]
[Honestly, the quality of these players and NPCs is really not high.]
“Is it because I opened that specimen room yesterday that triggered the side quest?” Jiang Yan asked 663.
“Yes! Congratulations! Your opportunity to shine has arrived!” 663 said gleefully.
Jiang Yan: “…”
He didn’t want this opportunity at all.
“May I ask what you lost?” Ding Wanyu inquired respectfully, slightly frowning at the "Hunter."
The "Hunter" looked at Jiang Yan in his arms, his emerald eyes like an abyss: “A rose.”
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