"Yaoyao, never show your attribute panel to anyone," Wang Xian said firmly, eyes serious. "Not unless you completely, absolutely trust them. And that skill—[Liu Yinhuaming]—don't use it unless you have no other choice."
Cheng Yao blinked. "Why? It saves lives, doesn't it? That's a good thing…"
"It's more than that," Wang Xian replied. "That skill doesn't just save lives—it rewrites the rules. And some people, some powers… they won't tolerate something they can't control."
Then, in a low voice, he walked her through the implications. The assassinations. The fear. The bounty. The consequences.
By the time he was finished, Cheng Yao's playful smile had vanished. Her face was pale.
"…Uncle, I didn't know. I—I won't show it to anyone. I promise." She said it with conviction.
"Good." Wang Xian nodded. "Keep that promise, Yaoyao. It'll save your life."
Then he squinted slightly. "Wait, why do you only have two death counters left? What happened to the third?"
"Oh, that?" Cheng Yao puffed her cheeks and crossed her arms. "I saw the cutest little thing ever! A chubby western dragon—round belly, stubby wings. I thought it was a pet… so I tried to hug it."
Wang Xian's expression went flat.
"And?" he asked, already knowing the answer.
"It sneezed fire on me!" she shouted, stomping. "Just poof—crispy Cheng Yao! So rude!"
Wang Xian pinched the bridge of his nose. "And now you want to catch it?"
"Why not?" Cheng Yao beamed. "It's adorable and probably strong. If we capture it, we'd be rich! Someone on the forums even got a pet already!"
"You're dreaming." Wang Xian flicked her forehead. "That was a dragon. A dragon. Do you know what level that thing probably was? Minimum fifty. Legendary boss at least."
He paused. "…How the hell is a western dragon showing up in the East anyway? I never heard of that in the last life."
"Uncle! You flicked me again!" Cheng Yao rubbed her forehead and pouted.
Wang Xian ignored her. "Let's eat something and head home."
"Wait for me!" Cheng Yao quickly followed.
As they walked, she stared at her reflection in her phone camera and giggled. "Uncle, don't you think I'm super pretty now?"
Wang Xian said nothing.
Cheng Yao tilted her head, all smug. "Do you want me to give you a chance to chase this beauty?"
She waited for the flustered reaction. She didn't get one.
Wang Xian walked faster.
Cheng Yao blinked. "Huh?"
She turned to say something witty… but he was gone.
"Uncle! Wait!"
She chased after him, all elegance forgotten. This wasn't just about the teasing anymore—this was about protecting her best leveling buddy, her golden goose, her walking [Compassion] XP fountain.
By the time she caught up, she plopped onto a log beside the lake, watching Wang Xian roast a red star rabbit in silence, cheeks puffed out in mock betrayal.
"Can you not stare at me like I ran over your puppy?" Wang Xian groaned. "I'm getting goosebumps."
Cheng Yao opened her mouth— "Big—"
"Don't say it." Wang Xian stuffed a piece of roasted meat into her mouth. "Eat."
She pouted, pulled it out, and glared. But then she took a bite and nodded in satisfaction. "Mmm. This is actually pretty good, Uncle Smelly."
"Eat fast," Wang Xian said, tearing into his own rabbit. "After we're done, you head back to your hotel. I've got to go home too."
"Can I come with you?"
Wang Xian raised an eyebrow. "…Wearing that?"
Cheng Yao looked down at her torn, barely-there clothes and quickly turned crimson. "…Hotel it is."
"I thought you were from Jecheng?"
"Nope," she replied cheerfully. "My cousin had a business thing here, and I tagged along. Thought I'd play around a little."
Wang Xian gave a neutral hum and didn't ask more.
"Before we split," he said between bites, "don't forget to assign your stat points. Put them all into Spirit. With your class and that 500% scaling, anything else is a waste."
Cheng Yao nodded earnestly. "Got it."
"Oh, and let's add each other as friends," he said, opening his interface and sending the request.
Cheng Yao's system beeped:[Brother Guang] requests to add you as a friend. Accept?
"Pfft. Brother Guang. Hmph. Uncle's so sneaky."
She accepted anyway.
Wang Xian saw the flash of mischief in her eyes and internally winced. Right. He'd given her a fake name earlier. That was going to bite him soon.
He was just about to confess when—
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Footsteps.
Heavy boots crushing dry leaves.
Wang Xian's expression shifted in an instant.
A dozen figures dressed in black tactical gear emerged from the forest, surrounding them silently.
Their movements were smooth. Coordinated.
Professional.
The lead man stepped forward, a well-built officer in his late thirties, his demeanor calm but firm. He flipped open a leather badge and held it up.
"Game Division 7. Wang Xian, come with us."
Cheng Yao froze mid-bite.
Wang Xian stood up slowly, eyes narrowing, and pulled the Scorpion Tail Sword from his pack. The blade gleamed in the firelight.
He didn't raise it—yet.
But every muscle in his body tensed.
"...On whose authority?" he asked, voice low.
The air turned heavy.
Cheng Yao stood too, stepping slightly behind him, clutching the edge of his coat.
Something was very wrong.