Ling Yu's expression didn't change, but her eyes hardened faintly. Memories of blood and monsters flickered in her mind, the endless tide she had cut down, the system's relentless notifications, the weight of survival pressing on her shoulders.
"I survived," she said simply. "And cleared more than my share."
Song studied her in silence, then inclined his head once, as if to say he trusted her without needing further details.
Nie Ziyu, however, leaned forward, his curiosity unrestrained. "And that creature?" He nodded toward Fluffy, who was now nestled happily between him and Ye Qingxue, eyes half-closed in contentment. "Where did it come from?"
Ling Yu's gaze flicked briefly to the little puffball, then back to the boy. "…A basement."
Nie Ziyu stared. "That doesn't answer anything!"
Ye Qingxue laughed lightly at his indignation. "Does it matter? It's clearly harmless." She glanced at Ling Yu. "You're keeping it?"
