Unbeknownst to Yu Yu, her note and a video had sent shockwaves through certain circles.
"Found anything?"
"Nothing. They were extremely cautious, leaving no traces. In the video, they wore cosplay outfits, completely covered."
"No similar young women were caught on ferry or roadside cameras. They likely didn't drive—probably walked."
"No fingerprints either."
"All we've got is this girl?"
"Yes, but she's still unconscious. Also, her uncle returned this morning and immediately transferred her to a private hospital."
"Investigate. Wait until she wakes."
The young man hesitated. "Her uncle's strongly resisting us, and he's not just anyone. We can't get close."
The middle-aged man's expression hardened. "Major case. He doesn't get to dodge. Tell him to come to the station himself."
"Yes, sir."
With anomalies rampant, were they even human?
What about that girl attracted monsters?
The Federation's power was vast. Tasks assigned in the morning yielded reports by noon. Reading it, the middle-aged man sneered dismissively. Another rich person's dirty secrets. Disgusting.
Meanwhile, Shu Tu received a call.
"…Yes, she's at XX Hospital," Shu Tu replied without hesitation, having gotten Yu Yu's text. "…I don't know, but convincing a hospital to transfer her isn't easy. Could be a family member?"
The caller hung up abruptly. Shu Tu frowned, thought for a moment, hired a driver to deliver her car to Yu Yu, and took a taxi to XX Hospital. Her plans for the day were scrapped, but…
Shu Tu sighed. She was used to it.
Hah, big cat.
Yu Yu rubbed her hands, waiting for it to doze off. Since morning, she'd cast seven or eight Sleep spells. Now the cat slept like a dead pig. Everything was ready—just needed the car. Once the cat was gone, Yu Yu could raise chickens, pigs, cows…
The time had come. The cat was out cold. Yu Yu grabbed the prepared rope, cautiously approaching. From afar, it was hard to tell, but up close, Banban's fur was sleek, not the rough, wild mane she'd imagined. Glossy and smooth, its belly rose and fell, sleeping deeply. Yu Yu couldn't resist running her hand over it, even pinching its tail.
Wow.
Fluffy.
She'd touched a tiger's thigh! And its tail!
The tail was heavy, like ten pounds. Its yellow-black stripes looked majestic. Its paws were massive. Yu Yu compared her hand—its paw was bigger, thicker.
Truly Banban.
But a tiger was a tiger, and Yu Yu wasn't a ranger with animal affinity. A fragile spellcaster, she couldn't let a big cat roam her doorstep. Suppressing her fondness, Yu Yu coldly draped the rope, binding its legs, paws, and tail tightly. She tied while watching for signs of waking. Maybe the Sleep dose was strong—it didn't stir, sleeping soundly. The car arrived, and Yu Yu took the keys.
Farewell, big cat!
Stuffing a tiger in the trunk might not be ideal, but Yu Yu wasn't picky now. Final step: Mage Hand.
She couldn't lift a cat herself. Luckily, Mage Hand was reliable, with roughly 10 Strength, though it drained mental points over time. Yu Yu struggled mightily to get the cat into the car, panting from the effort. This cat was heavy.
Midway, it twitched, possibly from pain, showing signs of waking. Yu Yu hurriedly cast another Sleep. Leaving the trunk open, she drove through the city with a tiger in tow. Boldly cruising under roadside cameras, she headed for the suburbs. Rong City's suburbs had mountains. Yu Yu feared returning it to the zoo would just lead to another escape. That'd be a waste.
In the past, she'd have been hauled in for questioning within steps. But now, she drove out of the city without a single stop. Passersby hurried along, and frantic vehicles sped by, none sparing a glance for the massive cat. Anomalies were spreading chaotically. No one knew who'd be next. They seemed to love crowded places.
Shu Tu's car, years old, still ran fine. Back in her flush days, Yu Yu had learned to drive and bought a car.
Gone now, of course.
The fog had lifted, the sunlight as fierce and dazzling as half a month ago. The asphalt shimmered with heat, skyscrapers sliding past. Yu Yu cruised slowly on the ring highway. Traffic was sparse, often leaving long stretches empty. Savoring the rare calm, Yu Yu relaxed. Smelling the car's faint fragrance, she spotted a cigarette.
?
Did she smoke?
The driver's, probably. Reaching the outskirts, Yu Yu found a scenic spot and parked.
Cat drop-off!
No need for details—she untied the ropes, ensured no one saw the sleeping cat, and sped off. Finally rid of the nuisance. Time to buy chickens. Soon, Yu Yu ordered eight chickens, two piglets, set for delivery to the station tomorrow, and headed home leisurely. Cows were too pricey, always exorbitant.
Sigh, she craved beef.
"Hello?"
Yu Yu answered absently.
"Oh, got it."
She tweaked the navigation, heading to the hospital.
"How's Changyu? Any issues?"
Shu Tu, having endured a drama, relayed to Yu Yu, "…Her parents were already here, and the authorities intervened, so I didn't care."
Yu Yu rubbed her chin. "Changyu… has it rough."
In short: frail since childhood, Changyu was deemed unlikely to survive to adulthood. Her cousin needed a kidney, and the match was perfect. While her parents were away, they seized the chance to take her for the transplant.
According to Shu Tu's description, Changyu was already anesthetized and on the operating table when her parents rushed in, saving her. As for their family disputes, Shu Tu didn't bother elaborating, but Yu Yu could guess. Yu Yu thought of Changyu's high Will. Was it tied to her circumstances?
"Since she's survived this long, her parents clearly love her," Yu Yu said lightly, shrugging. "They've taken over, so we're done."
"Let's go."
Yu Yu strode to the driver's seat. Shu Tu paused, then took the passenger side.
"You smoke?"
As Shu Tu sat, Yu Yu offered the cigarette. Shu Tu glanced at her, flicked it precisely into a roadside bin. "Drive."
…Didn't take the bait, tch.
Yu Yu: "I sent the big cat away."
Shu Tu: "?"
Yu Yu: "You don't mind, right?"
Shu Tu was speechless. "…Asking after? That's pretty insincere."
"Oh, is it? My bad."
Shu Tu buckled up, reminding, "Seatbelt."
Yu Yu fastened hers. "I bought chickens, pigs, and I'm planning a pond for fish."
Chatting casually, Shu Tu scrolled her phone. She often browsed for info, maybe because staying indoors made the internet livelier. Information flowed constantly. Still curious, Shu Tu searched keywords.
#Banban(Deleted)Tiger#
After scrolling, she tried #BigCat#
[Today at noon, a big cat darted out by the road, scared me silly!!!]
[Images] *9
The pictures showed the cat's back.
Shu Tu thought, then turned. "I found your landlord's contact. Want it?"
Yu Yu: "…?"
Prepared for this, Yu Yu stayed calm. "Yes."
Shu Tu sent the info. At Shu Tu's place, Yu Yu tossed her the keys and biked off. Shu Tu was always action-oriented, no surprise. Compared to skyscrapers, the river suburbs suited Yu Yu better.
But… sigh.
She might have to move again. Shu Tu, the rich girl, could buy anywhere. Yu Yu couldn't. Where would her home be?
When could she save enough for a house?
If anomalies kept raging, would housing prices drop?
A tiny hope.
If not, she'd find a sparsely populated spot, build her own place, and go feral. Perfect for raising chickens and pigs. Passing a roast duck shop, Yu Yu bought two, treating herself. The outside chaos was settled for now. She could finally game in peace.
Sipping hot milk, devouring roast duck, Yu Yu sprawled contentedly on the table. So good, wouldn't trade it for immortality~
Once she had cows, she'd eat steak. Half an hour till login, Yu Yu browsed the forum, casually discussing Allen Peninsula script with 'TomorrowWillBeBetter.'
She tried bugging again, attempting to stuff roast duck into her inventory.
No luck by login time.
Yu Yu sighed. "Knew bugs weren't easy to trigger."
Casting Summon Rain to water the backyard, she logged in!
Meanwhile, a lost big cat wandered, gradually sensing a direction. With small, spirited steps, it set off.
"You're here?"
Yu Yu set down her book, Allen Peninsula's Thousand-Year History.
"You can read books in-game?" Zi Shu asked, curious.
Yu Yu handed it over. "Yup, pretty interesting. Take a look."
When 7788 and Shu Tu arrived, they found Yu Yu and Zi Shu engrossed in reading.
7788: "Where'd the book come from?"
Yu Yu: "Academy library."
"You guys ready?"
Before they answered, she added, "This quest might keep us out of the city for a bit. Stock up. Need anything, I can lend money."
Zi Shu's eyes glinted. "You've got money?"
Yu Yu hedged, "Not that much."
She looked at Shu Tu. "Need more arrows?"
Arrows were consumables. Without them, Shu Tu was useless. In Yu Yu's plan, Shu Tu was key firepower.
Shu Tu: "Could buy more."
Zi Shu: "I want a new skill."
7788 raised her hand. "Me too!"
Yu Yu didn't mind. "Let's go. I won't charge you any interest."
"You'd charge interest?" 7788 gasped. "Aren't we teammates!"
"Teammates still pay interest."
Yu Yu paused, eyeing the front desk. Yunlun was helping a player.
Shang Wei.
7788: "Whoa! It's Crimson Boss!!!"
"Isn't she Shu Tu-Shen's teammate?! Shu Tu-Shen…" 7788 turned, freezing. Shu Tu stood, arms crossed, not sparing a glance. What happened?
Did Shu Tu and her teammate fall out?
Xiang Qin and Zhong Ye were there too. Sensing their gazes, Zhong Ye glanced over. Her expression stiffened. "Captain?"
Her words drew all three's attention. Yu Yu sneered, turned, and walked off.
7788: "Hey, wait up!"
Shu Tu followed silently, ignoring the calls behind. Reflecting now, that incident was riddled with holes. Destiny fired an employee soon after the scandal, but the public outcry was too loud—no one believed Xiao Yu.
As players, even top-tier ones, they couldn't challenge the game company. Plus, her own team wasn't exactly clean. After captaining so long, Shu Tu was exhausted. Better to step down and let her deal with it. She just felt bad for Xiao Yu… sigh.
Shu Tu shook it off and caught up with Yu Yu. Yu Yu stayed cold the whole way. Zi Shu sensed it instantly, and even 7788 stayed quiet. They exchanged looks. Friends with Shu Tu-Shen and such a skilled player? Must be a big name.
But no [Yu] in the Hall of Fame. Maybe a renamed boss?
And she seemed to hate Crimson Boss. Why?
"Long time no see," Feng Ran looked up. "Yunlun said you went to Silver Moon. Back already?"
Seeing an NPC, Yu Yu's mood softened. "Haven't gone yet. I'm doing the assessment quest."
"It's tied to Woodheart Camp. I'm here to ask if the guards have any intel."
"Also," Yu Yu glanced at 7788, "she wants to learn skills."
Feng Ran eyed 7788. "Go learn yourself."
She fell in step with Yu Yu. "We should have info, but I'm not sure. Qiaqia would know. I'll take you to her—she's our quartermaster."
"You can sell or buy stuff through her later."
She winked at Yu Yu.
Yu Yu got it. "Understood."
Woodheart Camp was full of humanoid monsters, likely to drop skills.
Feng Ran grinned. "Thanks. I told Captain Keya we won't shortchange you."
Yu Yu's eyes sparkled. "I get it."
Her rise owed much to the city guards. She liked them a lot. At least NPCs were cuter than players. The quartermaster was… uh…
Seeing Yu Yu's face, Feng Ran smirked. "Never seen one?"
"Qiaqia is a member of the elemental elf clan. She is one of the elemental companions of the Archon and is very gentle."
Before them, a round, watery blob sat behind a desk. "What's up?"
Her voice rumbled richly. "Xiao Feng Ran applying for something?"
"No, it's Yu Yu. She's asking about Woodheart Camp."
Soon, under 7788 and Zi Shu's envious stares, Feng Ran escorted Yu Yu out of the barracks.
Feng Ran: "Sure you don't need our help?"
Yu Yu wanted it, but…
"It's my assessment quest. Can't accept aid."
"Fine." Feng Ran looked bummed.
Leaving the barracks, Yu Yu addressed their envious looks. "Don't overthink it. Probably just tired of city players causing trouble. She wants to tag along to slack off."
"NPCs are smart too."
Maybe not NPCs…
7788, sour: "They all said that you have a special relationship with the guards. I didn't believe it, but now I do."
Zi Shu: "When I came, guards didn't even pause. You show up, and they're greeting you the whole way."
"On quests involving the guards, I was lucky not to get yelled at. She personally took you to the quartermaster. Players don't even know the quartermaster's a water elemental!"
Yu Yu mused, "It's still the element of the Grand Archon."
"I knew the Grand Archon was a summoner, but an elemental as quartermaster? That means the Archon has tight control over the town guards."
Add that the town Archon was a spellcaster too, then…
Duke Silver Moon… what did he even do? Mascot?
Yu Yu didn't get it. She hadn't truly entered Silver Moon's inner circle. Maybe she'd learn later.
"Don't change the subject! Who cares how badass the Grand Archon is? That's not someone players can reach!"
Yu Yu nodded. "Fair. Senior Felix told me."
7788 gritted her teeth. "You're not even hiding your flex?"
Yu Yu: "Heh~"
"No heh-ing!"
The four laughed and chatted as they left the city.
First team monster hunt!
Gold, riches, shiny coins~