On the spacious bed, the light blue velvet quilt was bunched up into a mound, clearly indicating that Yu Deng was curled up inside it.
The individuals present were far from ordinary humans. Even though Yu Deng's murmurs were soft and muffled by the quilt, they could still hear what he was muttering.
Once again, the thoughts of these love rivals synchronized—this baby who hides away at the slightest trouble is just too adorable.
At that moment, they felt as though their hearts had been completely melted by his cuteness.
"Wife, you've been resting for eight hours. You should eat something to replenish your energy," Cheng Chaolin said, bending down gently by the bedside before anyone else could recover from their daze. With great care, he scooped Yu Deng out of the quilt.
Yu Deng, still with his eyes closed, felt himself being extracted and had no choice but to open them again, meeting Cheng Chaolin's gaze.
"Cheng Chaolin…"
The ghostly husband was holding him securely by the waist, and through his clothes, Yu Deng could feel the ghost's cold body temperature. The sensation was unmistakably real, which meant the others in his room weren't part of a dream either.
Sitting up, Yu Deng's messy black hair fluffed up like a bird's nest as he looked at them in a daze. "Oh… so this isn't a dream."
He confirmed it several times, utterly confused. "Why are you all here?"
And so many of you, too… Four boss-level dungeon NPCs showing up in the player hub—wasn't that a bit of an issue?
Sitting on the bed, Yu Deng tilted his head to look up at them. Wow, so many of them… The hidden bosses from the last two dungeons had all gathered here.
The vampire prince lowered his head, his silver hair cascading down, his red eyes obscured by his lashes, exuding a faint sense of sorrow. "Baby, do you not want to see me? I've been longing for you and yearning to meet you again."
Wen Luo knelt by the bedside, his tone earnest. "I feel the same, young master. I thought I'd never see you again… I'm truly happy today."
The werewolf, meanwhile, transformed directly into a large gray wolf, rubbing his furry head against Yu Deng's leg.
Yu Deng blinked. Hmm, for some reason, these guys were starting to feel like a pack of puppies begging for attention…
"I, I just find it strange that you were able to come here," Yu Deng clarified. "I don't mind having you around…"
The vampire prince pondered for a moment before quickly deducing the reason. "Baby, did you use my power?"
Yu Deng let out a small noise of surprise. So, could they sense it when he used their skills or items?
The werewolf howled softly in agreement, nodding his head. Cheng Chaolin coldly pushed the wolf away, who had been trying to nuzzle his "wife." "Indeed, we can sense it faintly."
Yu Deng couldn't quite figure out the mechanics behind this and instead chalked it up to the power of the infinite world and the contracts he had with these beings.
Was that why his ghostly husband had left him a note encouraging him to use their powers more? Did frequent use of their abilities allow these beings to appear in the player hub?
[Host, your reasoning is correct.]
Yu Deng nodded. Looking at the group of beings surrounding him and vying for his attention, he decided to change the subject. "I guess I am a little hungry. Can you all stop crowding in my room?"
Naturally, they obliged, competing to carry him to the dining room.
When Yu Deng arrived at the dining room, he saw the table already laden with steaming hot dishes. Taking a sniff, he gave an approving comment: "Smells delicious."
Cheng Chaolin lowered his gaze, looking exceptionally gentle and considerate. "I just finished preparing this. I'm not entirely sure about your preferences, but as long as you like it, that's all that matters, my wife."
The other men, who arrived a step later, remained silent for a few seconds before they all got up and headed to the kitchen. Each began preparing other dishes for Yu Deng, vying for the chance to win his favor. They even went so far as to use their abilities to cook.
"Wait, hold on a second..." Yu Deng looked up in confusion, his gaze falling on the chaotic scene in the kitchen. "I can't eat this much."
"It's fine. I'll take care of whatever the young master can't finish," Wen Luo maintained his impeccable smile. "It's my duty."
A few minutes later, Yu Deng found himself sitting dazedly at the very center of the dining table. The four men arranged themselves around him in a peculiar formation, maintaining a delicate balance.
Cheng Chaolin cast an expressionless glance at the other non-human individuals, silently contemplating how to get rid of these pesky eyesores.
The other men couldn't be bothered to spare a glance at their rivals. Their eyes were filled with Yu Deng, each calling him by their own term of endearment.
"My wife, try this. It's highly nutritious."
"Baby, open your mouth."
"Young master, are you satisfied with this dish? This is a specialty of the vampire clan's baking traditions."
The werewolf leader, whose cooking skills were the worst, took a different approach. Deviously, while feeding Yu Deng, he sneakily extended his tail for Yu Deng to pet.
Each man displayed sincerity in their actions. If Yu Deng refused to eat, they would look at him with dejected, pitiful expressions. Yu Deng couldn't bring himself to reject any of them, feeling overwhelmed as he opened his mouth left and right, being fed bite after bite without any chance to feed himself.
The two vampires even attempted to offer Yu Deng their blood.
Yu Deng sniffed the blood and hesitated before declining. "I don't think I'm a vampire anymore… Drinking blood feels kind of weird now."
The vampires couldn't hide their disappointment but understood that Yu Deng was speaking the truth.
Now that Yu Deng had returned to his human form, Ronald and Wen Luo both found themselves struggling to resist the urge to bite him.
"..."
The meal was utter chaos, leaving Yu Deng feeling more exhausted than when he cleared dungeons. Being constantly fed by the others left him dizzy and overwhelmed.
Perhaps the only silver lining was that the delicate balance between the men meant Yu Deng didn't have to worry about being bitten again or suffering from backaches this time.
Dazed and bewildered from the relentless pampering of his suitors, Yu Deng finally managed to get some rest a few hours later. The spatial energy in the house shifted, and the figures of the men from the castle dungeon began to fade.
Having made their first appearance, they were now forced to leave.
The vengeful ghost, however, sat steadily beside Yu Deng. Watching the rival who was forced to leave, he wrapped an arm around Yu Deng's shoulder and intimately bit Yu Deng's lips.
Yu Deng tilted his head slightly, a bit slow to react: "Cheng Chaolin? What are you doing?"
The vengeful ghost concealed the dark jealousy in his eyes and responded gently, "Hmm, I just suddenly felt like kissing my wife."
"…Oh." Yu Deng didn't struggle. He obediently allowed the ghost to hold him and nibble on his lips.
Cheng Chaolin tightened his hold on Yu Deng's slender waist, casting a sidelong glance at the disappearing rival. Finally, he felt a little better.
The other non-human entities in the room: "…" Hah.
At that moment, the hatred priorities of the supernatural beings temporarily shifted away from the vampire butler who had secretly consumed Yu Deng's blood and landed squarely on the vengeful ghost instead.
—Sooner or later, they'd get rid of that eyesore.
Of course, Yu Deng was unaware of the thoughts of his mission targets. Nestled lazily in Cheng Chaolin's embrace and kissed for a good while, he became somewhat dazed. Scratching his cheek, he had the vague feeling he had forgotten something.
[Host, would you like to proceed with the instance settlement?]
Oh, right, he hadn't settled the instance yet.
Snuggling into the ghost's arms, Yu Deng lazily told his system, "Let's settle it now."
[Ding, proceeding with the point settlement for the B-level instance "Guihuai High School."]
[Player Yu Deng, ID A3270, achieved the following performance in this instance:
Main quest completion: 100%. Reward: 50,000 points.
Triggered four special side quests: Reward: 90,000 points.
Due to the instance upgrading to Hard Mode, points are doubled.
Special mission completion: 100%. Reward: 90,000 points.
Instance exploration: 100%. As this was a solo instance, there's no contribution ranking. Since exploration exceeded 90%, points multiplier ×3.
Additionally, livestream viewers' tips have been converted at a ratio of 10:1, amounting to 690,000 points.
Total points earned in this instance: 1.8 million.]
[Congratulations, Player Yu Deng! This instance has been rated S.]
So many points!
Yu Deng counted on his fingers. His historical points from the previous two instances already amounted to 1.33 million. Adding this instance's points, he now had 3.13 million.
No wonder he managed to squeeze into the bottom of the overall leaderboard. Does this mean he's about to become a high-level player?
Yu Deng spent some time counting his points. Looking at his now-abundant account, he suddenly felt more confident about spending.
"Tongtong, did I get any items or skills from this instance?"
[You did. Please hold on.] System 01 replied, and the electronic voice resumed shortly after.
[Item Name: Scalpel
Grade: S-level
Effect: This scalpel was a doctor's favorite tool. It is lightweight, sharp, and portable. This item is extremely sharp and can cut through anything with a hardness below human bone. Using this item to inflict damage will cause enemies to suffer continuous bleeding. Additionally, it can be used to treat wounds by cutting them open (note: this does not negate pain).]
Yu Deng's eyes widened as he read the description.
Dr. Lin's tool is amazing! Finally, he has an offensive item! And it doesn't just attack—it also has healing capabilities…
Carefully holding the scalpel, Yu Deng examined it for a few seconds and was very satisfied with the item.
[Congratulations, Host.]System 01's tone seemed slightly uplifted, influenced by Yu Deng's joy. [You've also acquired two new skills.]
[Active Skill: Rational Thinking
Grade: A-level (Upgradeable)
Effect: When activated, this skill makes the user's emotions rational, significantly enhances mental agility, strengthens logical reasoning, and makes it easier to detect verbal traps. Duration: 10 minutes. Cooldown: 48 hours. Note: After use, the user will experience a 3-hour mental fatigue period during which clear thinking is impaired.]
Yu Deng's eyes lit up even more. An item that could save his empty brain! Lu Yan truly deserved to be the top academic achiever in his grade.
After being excited for a while, the system continued its announcement.
[Active Skill: Night Walker
Grade: A-level (Upgradeable)
Effect: When activated, the user gains night vision, increased movement speed, and enhanced focus. Duration: 10 minutes. Cooldown: 24 hours. Note: During activation, the user remains in a state of heightened excitement.]
Yu Deng repeated the skill description with some confusion: "…Night vision? Excitement?"
How odd. Why this skill?
From the items and skills he had obtained, as well as his mission targets' reactions, Yu Deng had begun to vaguely understand something. The items and skills seemed to stem from the individuals closely related to him in the instance. These people were usually his special mission targets.
Using this logic, the scalpel obviously came from Lin Qingxu, the rational thinking skill was related to Lu Yan, and this last one… must have come from Zhuang Lin.
"Tongtong, this skill is really strange," Yu Deng muttered, puzzled. "Is Zhuang Lin particularly skilled at night activities?"
System 01: […]
The system immediately recalled a certain night when the host's chest had been left with a noticeable pink mark. If that's the case, then this skill's origin… truly is quite perverted.
[…]System 01 took a deep breath. [Perhaps he has some unique habits.]
Yu Deng seemed to sort of understand. He checked his collection and, sure enough, saw the three individuals from Guihuai High School added to his contract compendium. He also inspected his other items and found that his wolf-fur sweater, which had blocked two attacks, was damaged. He wasn't sure how to repair it.
The items and skills gained from this instance all delighted Yu Deng, especially the scalpel and Rational Thinking. His eyes sparkled, clearly in a good mood.
Completely absorbed in tallying his spoils, Yu Deng momentarily forgot he was still nestled in the ghost's arms.
It wasn't until Cheng Chaolin wrapped an arm around his waist and corrected his grip on the scalpel that Yu Deng realized his vengeful ghost husband was still present.
Turning his head, Yu Deng noticed that Cheng Chaolin didn't seem the least bit surprised by his sudden ability to produce a scalpel.
—The bosses from the last two instances had all gathered at the Player Center today and already had their suspicions.
"You seem very happy, wife."
"That's because…" Yu Deng thought for a moment about how to explain, "because I received a gift I really like."
At this, Yu Deng recalled Cheng Chaolin's black mist skill. "I also like your gift."
The ghost's agitation immediately dissipated, replaced by a hint of a smile in his eyes. "It's my honor to be of service to you."
However, this reminded him—despite knowing his wife for so long, he had yet to prepare a proper gift for him.
The ghost fell into deep thought.
…
This time, Cheng Chaolin was not only able to appear during the day but also stayed much longer than before—almost the entire day before he had to leave.
Yu Deng was kissed several more times by the ghost. As for anything more… the ghost, knowing Yu Deng was still tired, considerately refrained from bullying him and decided to wait for a better opportunity.
After Cheng Chaolin left, Yu Deng spent two more days at home recovering. Feeling his energy return, he decided to visit the training hall.
At present, his fighting style relied entirely on instincts and skills, with no actual technique. He felt this would be a disadvantage. Plus, with his newly acquired offensive item, it would be unreasonable not to train.
Yu Deng pulled out his cloak and mask and headed to the nearest training hall.
The training hall was the only place in the Player Center where offensive items and skills could be used. As expected, when Yu Deng arrived at the entrance, he saw many players coming and going.
Carrying his newly acquired item, he confidently stepped into a single-player training room. First, he opened the player forum to search for tips on using blade-type items. Then, somewhat clumsily, he adjusted the training robot's parameters and began his combat training.
He was incredibly strong now! A mere training robot? Laughable, laughable! Watch him step forward to thrust! Dodge and counter-thrust!
Three minutes later, Yu Deng was being chased around in chaos by the robot. His mind went blank, completely forgetting the instructions. He swung the scalpel wildly, relying purely on instinct, and was quickly pinned down by the robot's arm.
The robot stopped and said, "Your skill level does not match the difficulty setting. It is recommended to lower the difficulty."
Frustrated and disheartened, Yu Deng felt his tears welling up, his eyes reddened with a faint shimmer of moisture.
"I already set it to the second-lowest difficulty..." he mumbled.
The robot remained unfazed as it analyzed the data. "However, your offensive capability and combat techniques indeed do not match this difficulty. It is recommended to switch to the first level of beginner mode."
Unconvinced, Yu Deng stubbornly retorted, "I can't be that weak... Again! Again!"
With his beautiful and delicate face taut with determination, he swung his scalpel at the training robot once more.
The robot's camera scanned his utterly unskilled attacks and then noticed his reddened eyes, scanning for a report in its database regarding the correlation between player mood and training effectiveness.
Ah, it understood—humans sometimes needed a bit of encouragement.
So, when Yu Deng swung his blade for another strike, the training robot deliberately fell over.
Holding the scalpel, Yu Deng froze, staring at the robot that collapsed a full twenty centimeters away from his blade. His eyes turned even redder, and tears were about to spill over.
He trembled and asked, "...Are you mocking me?"