Chapter 8: The Riddle (8)
I must admit, this bizarre world was way bigger than they imagined.
Unlike the ninety-nine peaks of the Small Thousand World, this place had stunning scenery, a perfect temperature, and a bounty of fruit trees in the forests, with little critters scurrying about gathering food as if they had zero worries about where their next meal was coming from.
For these little guys, it was like a paradise—absolutely nothing to fret about.
As the sunset began its descent,
the Male Character and Luo Ying hurried back home.
The moment they stepped into the courtyard, the sun had just dipped below the horizon, leaving only a last flicker of light in the sky.
Before long, darkness enveloped the land.
As soon as they landed, a Large Squirrel approached, wearing a poker face.
“Glad you’re back. The Master is waiting for you to have dinner,” it said flatly.
“Hey, Squirrel Butler, can I ask something? I saw a bunch of… uh, a lot of small… many people outside, and they seem so scared of us. The moment we get close, they scatter like cockroaches, and they can’t even say much…” the Male Character chimed in.
The Squirrel Butler tossed its head with an air of superiority. “They’re just a bunch of uncivilized wildlings. Sure, they look like humans, but honestly, they don’t even hold a candle to us, not to mention you hybrids.”
“Oh, I see…”
Seeing the Squirrel Butler turn to leave while the Male Character and Luo Ying were still processing that gem of wisdom, they hastily followed it.
Maybe their chat with the Master would shed some light.
The dining hall was right next to the reception room.
Inside, red candles were all over the place, illuminating the room like it was midday.
When they stepped in, the brightness was almost blinding. But hey, I guess that’s what being a master was about, dining in the warm glow of countless flames.
The feast laid out was extravagant, and after days of subsisting on who-knows-what, the Male Character and Luo Ying’s eyes sparkled with hunger.
This time, Si Ling didn’t go on a long-winded rant. He simply waved his hand with an air of benevolence. “I know you haven’t tasted such exquisite food before. This Master allows you to throw table manners out the window and feast to your heart’s content. But just this once!”
With a smile that seemed to belong to a benevolent deity, he gestured, and the Male Character could practically read his mind.
Ah, the noble act of a benevolent benefactor! Watching the two chow down like there’s no tomorrow only seemed to satisfy him more.
Suddenly, Luo Ying piped up, “Is there any wine?”
The Little Wild Cat paused for a second and then clapped her hands. “Who knew hybrids also knew about our manor’s magical brews? Alright, fetch a jar for her to try.”
The Squirrel Butler turned with a slight grimace, walking away like it had just lost a small fortune.
Before long, it returned with a jar about the size of a human head.
Without hesitation, Luo Ying snatched it from his hands and popped the seal.
In an instant, a rich aroma wafted through the air, making even the Male Character, who never drinks, take a few eager sniffs.
Si Ling raised his hand. “Go on, drink up. No need to hold back.”
Luo Ying had held off from drinking for so long that she couldn’t resist any longer—she lifted the jar and chugged it down like it was hydration on a sweltering day.
“Glug glug…”
After a huge gulp, she wiped her mouth and declared, “Good wine!”
And just like that, our dear Luo Ying polished off an entire jar of wine without even touching her food first.
Her impressive drinking skills had everyone, aside from the Male Character, staring in shock.
The Little Wild Cat, who assumed she’d take a sip and be done, was now nervously trembling at her fingers.
“Well, for the sake of letting these lowly hybrids bask in our glorious human civilization, what’s a jar of wine anyway?”
“Ha…”
Luo Ying gave a sound akin to someone gleefully finishing a bottle of ice-cold soda after a workout.
“Is there more?”
She slammed the jar back on the table, asking a terrifying question that made the Little Wild Cat shudder.
“No, no more,” the Little Wild Cat hastily waved her hands.
Even if there were, there was no way she was getting more; it felt like she was going to drink him dry at this rate.
Hybrids indeed had no sense of modesty! the Little Wild Cat grimly thought. Clearly, we’d better stop being so polite next time.
Hearing there was no more wine, Luo Ying let out a disappointed sigh and sat down.
The food on the table looked bland to her, but under the Male Character’s insistence, she managed to eat a bit.
“Master Si, I heard from the butler that those wandering humans outside are wildlings?”
The Little Wild Cat nodded. “Yep. Those folks do nothing all day but eat and drink. Totally unteachable. This Master has pretty much given up on them.”
The Male Character continued, “I feel like they’re a bit shy. The moment we get close, they bolt.”
“That’s a classic sign of rejecting education.”
The Little Wild Cat still looked a bit heartbroken over the jar of wine Luo Ying had downed in one go. Before long, she wore a stern face and left the dining room.
“Only a noble human like me can disregard societal norms to dine and drink with hybrids. You’d better remember this!”
As she departed, she didn’t forget to toss that line over her shoulder.
Watching the Little Wild Cat’s tail sh**t straight up like a flagpole, the Male Character felt an overwhelming urge to yank it down.
“Thud…”
With rosy cheeks and closed eyes, Luo Ying suddenly collapsed into his arms.
Perhaps it was the long drought of alcoholic encounters, but even the normally indestructible Luo Ying had succumbed to the effects of one whole jar this time.
The Squirrel Butler stood stiffly nearby, worried these two unruly rascals might turn the dining room upside down.
The Male Character could only help Luo Ying back to her room, fretting that something might go awry during the night. After some thought, he grabbed a blanket and settled into a chair beside her.
The night deepened.
Luo Ying was fast asleep, her rosy, delicate face bathed in the moonlight filtering through the curtains, making her look particularly tempting.
He stared for what felt like ages, before reluctantly tearing his gaze away.
Taking a deep breath, he planned to doze off, but just then a massive shadow suddenly blocked the moonlight, shrouding the window in darkness.
What on earth?
He quickly jumped up and dashed into his own room, then quietly pulled back the curtains to see what was going on outside.
But when he took a peek, all color drained from his face, and he felt rooted to the spot in disbelief.
There were shadows of enormous creatures wandering just outside the estate’s walls. He had thought each step would bring a tremor to the ground, yet they moved with a ghostly silence, swaying about like specters.
But what was astonishing was that each time they approached the wall, they would turn around and scurry away, as if that low wall that seemed easy to jump over had a terrifying aura to them.
The Male Character wanted to go out and see what these shadows were, but the thought of Luo Ying still inside kept him from acting on it.
However, when he returned to Luo Ying’s room, he was horrified to find the bed was empty.
Where was Luo Ying?
