Daniela's face was already flushed red.
She knelt on the floor, and given her height, her position was… awkwardly perfect.
"Good job," Ma Jun said gently, offering calm encouragement.
"Th-thank you…"
Daniela replied hesitantly.
For her, this was an entirely new kind of experience.
The warmth spreading through her body eased the stiffness in her flesh that had been frozen by the cold.
That warmth flowed through her limbs, bringing with it a strange sense of comfort she had never felt before.
[Congratulations, Player! You have gained Daniela's Admiration!]
[Congratulations, Player! You have gained Daniela's Dependence!]
System notifications rang out one after another.
Ma Jun felt both physically and mentally refreshed.
So this was the feeling of a giant loli.
Not bad.
According to the system's prompts, Daniela would no longer attack him.
He could even keep her around and use her as an entry point to clear the entire castle.
"Alright," Ma Jun said.
Daniela seemed a little reluctant to part.
After he told her to stand up, she still lingered, clearly unwilling.
"We'll talk later. We have plenty of time."
"Oh…"
Daniela replied obediently.
Her attitude had completely changed.
Gone was the arrogant menace—now she looked shy and well-behaved, like a 1.9-meter-tall little girl.
"How should I address you?" she asked bashfully.
Ma Jun smiled.
"If you don't mind, you can call me Master."
Daniela froze.
Once again, she deeply experienced Ma Jun's shamelessness.
Using a life-and-death threat to coerce a hundred-year-old 'little girl'—
This could no longer be described with a simple word like shameless.
Yet when she recalled what had just happened, her face heated up again.
That strange comfort…
She wanted to feel it again.
Thinking about it that way, calling him Master didn't seem so unacceptable.
"…Master."
Daniela called out shyly.
"Mm. Not bad," Ma Jun nodded.
"Since you called me that, I'll give you a reward."
"Really?!"
Daniela's eyes lit up, and she subconsciously moved closer.
"Stop. Little girls shouldn't be thinking about weird things,"
Ma Jun said righteously.
"Oh…"
Daniela shrank back, looking wronged.
"The reward I'm giving you—you'll definitely like it," Ma Jun continued.
"You're curious, right? About how I knew your weakness?"
"Yes!"
Daniela nodded quickly.
Even though she no longer wanted to drink Ma Jun's blood, she was far more interested in something even more exciting.
Curiosity was simply a little girl's nature.
"Why does Master know?"
"Because," Ma Jun said calmly,
"I am a seer."
"My eyes can see through all the secrets of this world."
"The rules governing everything—nothing escapes my sight."
Daniela's mouth fell open.
Her eyes were filled with shock, mixed with doubt.
She might be the youngest in the castle, but she wasn't stupid.
"You don't believe me?"
Ma Jun smiled. "Fine. I'll prove it to you."
"Do you know where Moro's reservoir is?"
Daniela nodded rapidly.
"Of course!"
Moro was one of the four great nobles under the Mother Goddess Miranda, just like Daniela's mother, Lady Akuna.
He lived year-round at the reservoir.
"Go to Moro's reservoir now," Ma Jun said.
"I'll draw you a map. Follow it and bring something back."
"That item is this village's hidden treasure."
"Really… really?!"
Daniela was clearly tempted.
A treasure hunt!
She had lived in the village for nearly a hundred years—could there really be secrets even she didn't know?
She quickly fetched paper and a quill and handed them to Ma Jun.
Ma Jun began to draw.
"From the reservoir, there's a small path."
"At the end, there's a broken lever. Pull it to lower a small bridge."
"Cross the bridge, take a boat, and head south along the river."
"You'll find a pond."
"In the pond, every twenty minutes, a yellow fish appears."
"That fish's meat will be extremely beneficial to you."
Daniela's eyes grew brighter and brighter.
She was already about seventy percent convinced.
These places were incredibly secret—she herself only had vague impressions of them.
And yet—
Her Master had just arrived at the village.
Unless…
He truly was a seer.
"Master, I'll go right now!"
"Go. I'll wait."
Daniela was all action. The moment she finished speaking, she dashed out the door.
Ma Jun's eyes gleamed with anticipation.
He hadn't lied.
That yellow fish was a hidden item.
He had only discovered it back then by sheer coincidence.
Cooking and eating it would permanently increase movement speed.
As for what kind of effect it would have in the Shock Horror Game—
Even Ma Jun was looking forward to finding out.