The apartment was plainly furnished. There didn't seem to be any traps or hidden mechanisms, but it also lacked any real sense of lived-in warmth. A thin layer of dust had settled over the TV and coffee table covers, as if they hadn't been used in quite some time.
Two slightly yellowed black-and-white photographs hung on the wall. The people in them resembled the boy somewhat, prompting W to silently avert her gaze.
It was a home devoid of personality—everything rigid, outdated. The only notable feature was the sheer number of books scattered everywhere.
W stepped into the bathroom Lin Guang had pointed out. Fortunately, the differences between the two worlds weren't so drastic as to make everything unfamiliar. She fumbled around, found the light switch, and turned it on. White tiles reflected her image back at her.
She cautiously turned on the faucet. Watching the clean water flow endlessly, she paused, then extended her hand to let it run across her palm.
How long had it been since she'd seen something like this?
Not just since arriving in this world—but even before that, when she had been wandering that brutal land while being hunted.
Back then, people killed each other for reasons that were rarely noble or complicated. Most of the time, it was simply for food and water.
After washing her hands and face, she looked at herself in the mirror.
She looked the same as before arriving here—just more worn down. The madness in her expression had receded somewhat, leaving her with a strange sense of unfamiliarity.
She patted her cheeks lightly, forcing herself to perk up, and once again put on that wild, reckless grin.
She couldn't afford to grow soft.
As she turned around, her gaze suddenly landed on the toilet with its pristine white seat.
Although, for some reason, she no longer seemed to have much need to use the bathroom since arriving in this world, curiosity still got the better of her. She stared at the buttons beside it, then reached down to undo her pants.
One minute later—
"Eeeek!!!"
The moment he heard the scream, Lin Guang rushed out of the kitchen. W, face flushed red and hurriedly pulling up her pants, looked up and bared her teeth, revealing a small, slightly cute fang as she snapped:
"None of your business! Go do whatever you were doing!"
Lin Guang's eyes briefly caught the dampness on the toilet seat and her clothes. Exercising remarkable restraint, he said nothing, adjusted his glasses, and turned back into the kitchen before his expression could crack.
After washing up and finding nothing else of interest, W returned to the living room. Watching Lin Guang busy himself with cooking, she suddenly felt a bit at a loss.
A "contract of equality," he said—but he was trusting her far too much. It was as if he had handed her absolute trust without hesitation.
W didn't quite believe it. She plopped down onto the sofa and stared at his back. Yet he remained completely focused, not sparing her a glance. She clicked her tongue, her black-red tail swaying restlessly behind her.
An hour later, dish after dish was finally placed on the table.
Grrr…
Her stomach betrayed her with an audible growl. W swallowed, unable to stop herself.
"Time to eat?"
Seeing that she still hadn't moved—or even gotten up from the sofa—Lin Guang asked tentatively as he removed his apron.
"…."
W said nothing, only staring at him with wary eyes.
It took him a moment to understand. With a shrug, he sat down and began eating first.
He picked up a piece of sweet-and-sour pork ribs—glossy, coated in a crystal-like glaze. Sweet but not cloying, tangy but not harsh.
He lifted a piece of fish from the belly of the braised fish—tender, melting in the mouth.
He grabbed a braised prawn, twisted off the head, and sucked out the rich roe—
…
Finally, he ladled himself a bowl of milky-white fish soup, sprinkled with chopped green onions. After blowing on it to cool it slightly, he took a sip.
The next instant, W sprang up from the sofa and landed beside the table. She tried using chopsticks like him, failed almost immediately, tossed them aside, and began devouring the food with her bare hands.
[You have fed W . Stardust progress has increased.]
[Stardust progresses 100%. Obtained 1 Stardust.]
As expected, the system worked just like in the game.
With a thought, a translucent blue crystal—visible only to Lin Guang—appeared before his eyes.
In reality, the crystal existed within his Sea of Consciousness; what he saw was merely a projection.
Inside the crystal were three faintly glowing white nodes: "Combatant," "Caretaker," and "Cultivator."
Outside it, a single Stardust orb revolved slowly. Once ten Stardust were gathered, they would condense into a Starlight—the embodiment of "miracles." In simpler terms, skill points that could be invested into the nodes to unlock skill trees.
As a veteran player, Lin Guang already knew the optimal progression path. Back in the taxi, he had decisively invested the initial universal Starlight into "Cultivation," unlocking the ability: All-Knowing Eye.
In short, he could now view status panels—his own, and those of his spirit beasts.
[Level]: 7
[Spirit Inscription]: None
[Talent]:Heart of W (Blue)
(Heart of W: Enables seamless communication with contracted W beings. Allows the fusion of potential between Spirit Tamer and W entity, projecting weapons most suited to their memories.)
[Abilities]:
Equal Contract Method (Mastery)All-Knowing Eye (Lv.1)
A blue-tier talent and mental strength far exceeding his peers were expected—but reaching Level 7 still pleasantly surprised him.
His talent had been stalled for half a year, and he hadn't even engraved a Spirit Inscription yet. Reaching this level meant his innate potential and meditation efficiency were both exceptional.
Closing his own panel, Lin Guang glanced at W —who was still wolfing down food—and opened hers.
[Species]: Demolition Imp (W )
[Origin]: W Continent
[Status]: Oripathy (Mild)
[Level]: 3
[Affinity]: 9 (0 → 9)
[Type]: Humanoid
[Attributes]: Dark / Fire
[Potential]: Blue (Elite, Level Cap: 60)
[Training Status]: Average (Average → Good → Perfect)
[Skills]:
White Tier:
Fear Face (Proficient): Frightens the opponent with a terrifying expression, greatly reducing their speed.Tail Wag (Beginner): Cutely wags tail to lure the opponent into carelessness, lowering their defense.
[Traits]:
Weakness Detection: Higher chance to identify weak points in living beings and structures.Explosion Expert: Increased power of explosion-type skills.
[Evolution Path]: Unlocks at Affinity 75+
[Preferences]: Meat, sweets, explosions
[Weakness]: Holy-type aether, studying