Chapter 124: Infinite Cannon Fodder (14)

Yuan Ju was momentarily at a loss for how to react, but he quickly found himself with no time to think.

NPC Lingling furrowed her brow, her gaze instantly turning cold. “You won’t eat it? Are you disgusted by me?”

Yuan Ju had come here specifically to earn NPC favor. Seeing Lingling’s fondness visibly waning, he hastily picked up his bowl and chopsticks. “No way! How could I…be disgusted?”

This is the best way to clear this level, Yuan Ju told himself. If I can just endure a bit longer, once NPC Lingling’s affection surpasses that of other NPCs, I’ll be able to easily defeat all those monsters through her alone. And after—after she’ll be as good as dead.

The corners of Yuan Ju’s mouth curved upwards in a light-hearted smile. “Seeing you enjoy your food so much, I do want to try some now.”

Yuan Ju had never used this method to clear levels before, so he wasn’t quite skilled at… pleasing others. But Lingling’s actions undoubtedly stirred his competitive spirit. He deliberately slowed down his movements, shoving the noodles into his mouth while carefully avoiding any contact between his lips and chopsticks. With a fixed stare on Lingling, he said, “It’s delicious.”

“I just knew you must be famished,” the woman said with a satisfied smile. Leaning against the table, she rested her chin in one hand and gazed at him, her face full of delight. “Be good now, finish all your soup.”

Yuan Ju remained silent.

He almost wanted to get up and leave, but he couldn’t do that yet—his goal hadn’t been achieved. Yuan Ju lowered his head and quickly finished off the remaining noodles.

Then, he heard Lingling say something rather meaningful:

“You need strength to work hard, after all.”

These suggestive words made Yuan Ju’s heart race for some reason. He felt like his plan had succeeded—the woman was only pretending earlier; how shameless! She’d been thinking about this ever since letting him inside—so flirtatious and promiscuous…

There was no way he could actually have any kind of relationship with an NPC. It seemed he still needed to find a way to bluff his way through.

“I…”

Before Yuan Ju could speak, having finished his noodles, NPC Lingling arranged things: “Go tidy up the bed.”

Yuan Ju paused. “Isn’t that not quite proper?”

Here it comes, here it comes! She can’t even wait a moment—it turns out she really is a shameless Sea King!

“Didn’t you come here to thank me? Won’t you even help me make the bed?” Tong Ling let out a cold huff. “Can’t believe I risked my life to help you catch that ‘serial killer’.”

Yuan Ju remained silent.

After all, Lingling hadn’t explicitly made any improper advances yet, so Yuan Ju couldn’t outright refuse her request. He walked over to the bedside, carefully smoothing out the bedsheets while keeping an eye on Lingling, ready for any sudden “attacks”.

He wouldn’t let her get away with it; instead, he’d keep her dangling, making her constantly think of him, and then…

“Why are you dawdling around like this?” Tong Ling complained. “Once you’re done with the bed, clean my room thoroughly. Oh right, scrub the bathtub in the bathroom too, and mop the floor…”

Tong Ling directed Yuan Ju’s work. After he finished cleaning everything, she lay down on the bed and gestured for Yuan Ju to leave her room with his bowl and chopsticks.

“Don’t forget to close the door behind you.” Tong Ling covered herself with the quilt, closed her eyes, and prepared to catch up on sleep. “Thank you.”

Standing at the doorway, Yuan Ju glared at the woman lying on the bed with darkened eyes. He wanted desperately to slam the door shut as he left but ultimately managed to close it gently, retreating without another word.

Yuan Ju descended the stairs with an empty bowl in hand, his face a mask of fury. He felt utterly humiliated, as if he’d been toyed with and made a fool of.

This isn’t supposed to be like this, he thought bitterly. It goes against all my plans. How could Lingling treat me so?!

After Mu Bai and his group had moved Li Yun’s body downstairs, they waited for Yuan Ju to emerge from Lingling’s room. But minutes ticked by, and still no sign of him.

Mu Bai couldn’t help but speculate, “He’s been gone for so long… I hope they haven’t been doing that, have they?”

“Ew, what kind of dirty thoughts are you thinking about?!” Chu Yue exclaimed, clearly disgusted. “They’re probably just talking, having a heart-to-heart. Yuan Ju is definitely trying to pry more information out of her.”

Zhuang Wu sighed, “To stay in Lingling’s room that long—he must have some serious skills.”

The players remained on high alert, ready to hush their conversations at any moment when footsteps approached from above. When Yuan Ju finally appeared, his face bare of any disguise, everyone was taken aback.

Upon seeing Yuan Ju without his mask, Chu Yue instinctively gripped Zhuang Wu’s arm, her eyes sparkling with unbridled excitement and eagerness.

Her preference was for handsome young men; otherwise, she wouldn’t have been so interested in Miya. Now there was a second beauty in the castle, even if he was a hard-to-approach big shot—it would still be worth it just to get a few extra glances!

Zhuang Wu clicked his tongue, no wonder Yuan Ju had such confidence in controlling NPC Lingling—he turned out to have this kind of face hidden away.

In these times, who wasn’t obsessed with looks? With such a appearance, Yuan Ju was sure to be popular outside. As for why Yuan Ju didn’t reveal himself, Zhuang Wu could guess the reason.

Looking too good and drawing too much attention wasn’t particularly beneficial when carrying out missions. To survive longer in endless dungeons, what ultimately mattered was hard power. Face? When people were fighting for their lives, who cared about faces?

However…the breakthrough point in this dungeon was NPC Lingling, and using a beauty plot might actually work.

Mu Bai wasn’t really in the mood to appreciate Yuan Ju’s looks. He only wanted to know if Yuan Ju’s actions had succeeded. “How did things go between you and Lingling?”

As soon as Mu Bai finished speaking, Yuan Ju’s expression became extremely unpleasant.

Develop? Did having him eat her leftovers count as developing? Did having him make up her bed count as developing? Did having him clean the room thoroughly count as developing?

Before he left the room, that woman had been lying comfortably on the bed he’d made up for her, even instructing him to close the door behind him when he left. From start to finish, there was no sign of any “interest” in him—she seemed to see him as nothing more than an obedient servant or slave. She accepted his overtures as a matter of course, ordering him around as if it were perfectly natural. At one point, Yuan Ju felt like, in Lingling’s eyes, he wasn’t human at all, but rather…a dog.

This was simply unbearable for Yuan Ju, with his high sense of self-respect. If not for their need for Lingling to help them clear the dungeon, he would have thrown down his tools right then and there, opting instead to kill this rude NPC once and for all.

“Uh…what happened?” Mu Bai asked cautiously, genuinely curious as to what could have put Yuan Ju in such a foul mood.

“It’s nothing,” Yuan Ju said tersely, unwilling to explain himself. He pulled his baseball cap low over his eyes, hiding the gloom beneath, and walked into the kitchen where he tossed the nearly crushed bowl and chopsticks into the trash.

The faint sounds of conversation from outside drifted through the air:

Mu Bai: “Did something happen between Yuan Ju and that NPC? Is he upset?”

Chu Yue: “It’s possible. With a beauty like that practically throwing himself at her, how could Lingling, a notorious playboy, possibly resist…?”

Zhuang Wu: “Considering how gorgeous the NPC Lingling is, I don’t think he has much to complain about.”

Mu Bai: “Should we go try our luck too?”

“Didn’t the Predictor Card say that even same-gender pairings could work…” Chu Yue ventured.

“But wouldn’t that be too chaotic?” Zhuang Wu protested. “It just feels so… discordant!”

Yuan Ju stepped forward with a cold expression. “She’s resting,” he said firmly. “Your interference would only make her lose her temper.”

“Resting?” Mu Bai remarked slyly. “Well well, Magician, with you here, we don’t even need to lift a finger ourselves.”

Chu Yue and Zhuang Wu fell silent, wishing fervently they hadn’t understood the implications of those words.

“You’re overthinking it,” Yuan Ju replied coolly, fully aware that his “teammates” had misinterpreted his actions. Yet, he refused to clarify anything. After all, how could he admit that he’d been cleaning up in Lingling’s room earlier? He couldn’t stomach such humiliation! It was only a matter of time—time until he finally mastered control over that NPC…

When Tong Ling woke up, it was already afternoon. She rose languidly from bed, only to find Bao Bei standing outside her door as soon as she stepped out. With genuine concern etched on his face, he asked, “Lingling, why have you slept for so long? Are you feeling hungry? I’ll go prepare some food for you right away.”

Tong Ling realized belatedly that she’d been so engrossed in her morning “detective work” that she hadn’t noticed any changes in Bao Bei’s appearance.

Her ex-boyfriend had always looked at best mildly handsome. Compared to Miya, Medius, or even other players, he seemed almost insignificant—a mere shadow among more vibrant figures.

Yet after just one night, although Bai Bei’s face remained unchanged, his overall appearance had subtly transformed.

His cold-white skin appeared even fairer, making his black eyes seem deeper in contrast. His hair hung smooth and straight, and a hint of color graced his lips. That endearing face, once perceived as weak, now exuded an intriguing allure. Especially when Bai Bei gazed at her with those drooping puppy-like eyes, Tong Ling found it unexpectedly difficult to look away.

“No need, I’m not hungry.” Tong Ling approached Bai Bei and instinctively took hold of his hand.

Bai Bei’s fingers felt icy against her touch. Despite rubbing them gently for a moment, she couldn’t warm them up. “A-Bai, why are your hands so cold? Is it due to poor circulation or being exposed to the chill?”

Tong Ling reached out again to caress his cheek softly. “Don’t worry only about me; you should take better care of yourself too, understand?”

A glimmer of amusement flickered in Bai Bei’s dark eyes. “I’m perfectly fine—I’ll always be well for you.”

He leaned down, pressing his lips tenderly against his girlfriend’s soft cheek. “Lingling, may I kiss you?”

The old Bai Bei would never have dared to act like this. He used to avoid touching Tong Ling casually, fearing any misstep might annoy her.

This was Bai Bei’s first time taking the initiative to embrace his girlfriend intimately, and he found this sensation absolutely delightful.

“You’ve already kissed me; why do you need to ask?” Tong Ling glanced sideways at Bai Bei. “Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten about our breakup? Who gave you permission to kiss me whenever you want?”

Bai Bei’s dark eyes fixed intently on Tong Ling. “Am I not allowed?”

“No, you’re not.” As soon as Tong Ling finished speaking, the temperature around her seemed to drop. Yet, as if she hadn’t noticed anything unusual, she wrapped her arm around Bai Bei’s neck and whispered into his ear, “Because you belong to me, only I can kiss you freely. You don’t have that right over me, do you understand?”

With those words, Tong Ling swiftly placed a kiss upon Bai Bei’s lips. She lifted her head, her gaze flickering with defiance, her lovely face adorned with an air of arrogance. “You must listen to me!”

Bai Bei’s icy heart instantly softened. His girlfriend didn’t reject him; she simply wanted to be in control. She would wound him with her cold words, then warm him with her touch—Bai Bei knew it was intentional, but he couldn’t help his feelings.

“Then you should kiss me more often,” Bai Bei ventured, boldly expressing himself. He leaned closer to his girlfriend’s face and added, “Just like… this way, I’ll always listen to you.”

“Greedy.” Tong Ling pinched Bai Bei’s face. “Are you trying to negotiate with me?”

Bai Bei nodded; he didn’t think there was anything wrong with his approach.

Tong Ling let go with a mocking laugh. “No way, A-Bai.”

“You’re not worthy enough,” she said coldly. “People shouldn’t force themselves to do things beyond their capabilities—you know that well.”

Lowering his gaze, Bai Bei sighed deeply. He stood up straight and said, “I understand.”

He shouldn’t have brought this request so early—not worthy… He still wasn’t worthy yet.

On the castle’s second night, Tong Ling chose to step out of her room.

Medius and Miya were injured and staying put indoors to recover. There was no need to worry about Bai Bei; after their recent confrontation, he wouldn’t come looking for her during the day.

The players wouldn’t venture out at night either, making the castle temporarily safe for Tong Ling under the cover of darkness.

Holding a lit candle, she slowly swaggered to the door where Arnold was being held captive.

She took out the key, inserted it into the lock, and the creaking sound as the door opened echoed distinctly in the night.

As soon as she opened the door, a damp, musty odor wafted towards her. The flame of the candle flickered twice. Shielding the light with her hand, Tong Ling peered inside.

The man in black cultivation robes was securely tied to a chair. He didn’t flinch at the sound of the door opening, as if he couldn’t care less who might come calling in the middle of the night.

“Good evening, Arnold,” Tong Ling said with a smile, lighting up the room and setting down the candlestick beside her. She greeted the handsome cultivator warmly.

Only then did Arnold raise his head to look at her, responding politely, “Good evening, Ling.”

If not for Arnold being bound to the chair, this scene would have seemed quite friendly.

Tong Ling closed the door behind her, approaching Arnold with light steps.

Since early morning, Arnold had been thrown into this room without so much as a sip of water or a morsel of food all day. One of his arms was broken, yet aside from slightly dry lips, he showed no signs of distress.

His expression remained composed, posture upright, eyes bright and clear. Even when facing Tong Ling—the one who had falsely accused him of murder—he maintained an amiable demeanor.

Tong Ling found this irritating; it felt too insincere, making her uncomfortable just looking at him.

So she spoke up, “Arnold, I’ll give you a chance to make a choice.”

Arnold’s gaze flickered. “A choice?”

“Choose me, and I’ll let you live,” Tong Ling’s voice was soft and gentle, like a lover whispering tender words into your ear. “Choose your ‘god,’ and I’ll kill you.”

“Arnold, how will you choose?”

Arnold’s expression remained unchanged. “My faith has never wavered.”

“No, it has changed.” Tong Ling chuckled softly. “Have you forgotten that you betrayed your god for my sake? Your devotion wasn’t wholehearted; you’ve already turned away from Him.”

The false smile vanished from Arnold’s face. His heart filled with anger, he hissed quietly, “I haven’t!”

“See, now that’s more genuine of you.” Tong Ling caressed Arnold’s cheek. “This time, if you continue choosing me, we can be together again, just as happily as before. One betrayal is not much different from two, Arnold. You’re a smart man; you should know what choice to make.”