DADH Chapter 37

Outside the rural courtyard, the NPC with a cold face continued to ignore the onlookers, only giving a slight glance when someone accepted a quest.

Jing Nian’s player invisibility system only worked on the players present, so when he approached the rural courtyard, Uncle Pipilu could actually see him. However, this time Uncle Pipilu didn’t pay him any attention.

Jing Nian remembered the inexplicable anger of Uncle Pipilu from earlier and was about to approach, but he was stopped by the little dragon in the Dragon Soul Space.

Jing Nian: ?

“What’s wrong, Ao Tian? Didn’t you want to see him? Are you shy?” Jing Nian playfully touched the little dragon’s head.

The little dragon tilted its head and rubbed Jing Nian’s palm, and then its two big eyes showed more confusion than Jing Nian’s.

“Hmm~ It seems like I can’t feel close anymore~”

Sensing the faint and hesitant consciousness in the little dragon, Jing Nian glanced at Uncle Pipilu not far away. Uncle Pipilu remained as cold and aloof as ever, showing no sign of shifting his gaze in Jing Nian’s direction.

Now, Jing Nian also felt a subtle difference in his heart. It wasn’t because Uncle Pipilu didn’t acknowledge him this time, but rather because Jing Nian, despite Uncle Pipilu being a cold character, was someone who had grown up surrounded by cold (big brothers). In a certain sense, he was much more sensitive to recognizing subtle expressions in cold characters compared to the average person.

Uncle Pipilu’s microexpressions had completely disappeared, and his every move was as precise as an AI. Although he was originally an AI, when Jing Nian came into this world, he didn’t know how people and animals in this world looked like from the players’ perspective. But from his point of view, everything was exactly the same as in the real world.

They had emotions, feelings, and their own lives.

For an AI to appear in a “real” world was quite strange.

Jing Nian slowly withdrew his hand, guessing that the reason Little Dragon couldn’t feel close might be related to this change.

At this moment, his three teammates sent messages asking if Jing Nian wanted to do the main quest together.

Jing Nian checked his quest list and found that the Warrior was not far from him. So he decided to let Gordon roam freely for now and go on the quest alone.

After all, walking around in a newbie village with a crossdressing male NPC was a bit eye-catching, and he didn’t want to attract more attention.

Gordon hesitated. Although he had signed the Master-Servant contract just to save his life, after signing it, not only would the servant instinctively develop a “protect the master” instinct from a soul-level perspective, but there were also many other constraints, such as the master getting hurt, which would also affect the servant and the inherent suppression that came with the dragon race’s life hierarchy. Once a contract was signed, it was of the highest constraint level.

Understanding Gordon’s hesitation, Jing Nian thought for a moment and asked him, “Do you still feel they are dangerous after you beat them up?”

Because of several elemental magic teachers who temporarily stayed in the Abyss Canyon and the residents of Mini Street, Jing Nian had a deep understanding of how other races on the continent viewed the outsiders (players) mentioned in the prophecy.

They were cautious and filled with fear because, in the local language, they were considered world-ending outsiders.

However, Jing Nian couldn’t tell Gordon that these players were nothing more than low-level beginners. Even the little dragon, who could barely use elemental magic, could easily crush these newbie players in the village.

Seeing Gordon’s hesitation, Jing Nian patted the little dragon in the Dragon Soul Space.

“Ao Tian, do you want to test your learning from yesterday here?” Jing Nian asked.

Ao Tian raised its little head, looking at Jing Nian with confusion.

Jing Nian explained earnestly, “Learning means you acquire knowledge and practice it repeatedly. The stronger your foundation, the more powerful you’ll become in the future.”

Ao Tian, not fully comprehending, was drawn by Jing Nian’s determination and tightened its small claws, showing determination to become stronger and protect its little brother.

Ao Tian clenched its tiny fist for a moment, then tightly hugged Jing Nian’s thigh and flapped its wings, seeking praise.

Jing Nian had a knack for comforting the little dragon. He gently stroked Ao Tian’s wings and praised, “Ao Tian, you’re great!”

“Now, use the [Explosive Fireball Spell] you learned yesterday on Gordon’s butt!” Jing Nian said while transferring control of his body to the little dragon.

The little dragon, still somewhat bewildered by Jing Nian’s encouragement, gazed with determination in its cute, large eyes. In response to Jing Nian’s encouraging words, it stomped its tiny feet and produced a baby-like voice.

“Crackle~”

The two small dragon horns hidden under the cloak began to heat up.

Jing Nian continued to encourage, “Focus your attention and don’t burn yourself. Look at Gordon’s butt!”

Encouraged by Jing Nian, the little dragon put even more effort into its “crackling” and “popping” sound effects.

Gordon, who had been contemplating with his head turned to the side, heard the little dragon’s sounds and realized that the “easy-to-deceive master” had come online. A smile began to form on his lips as he intended to stay by his master’s side using a roundabout tactic. However, in the next moment, he felt a scorching heat on his lower back. Lowering his head, he saw a burst of flames.

“Crackle-pop! Crackle-pop! Crackle-pop!!!…”

A series of small fireballs burst behind Gordon.

Although he was a mid-to-high-tier NPC, the little dragon’s unskilled low-level fire elemental magic couldn’t actually harm Gordon. However, his current attire was just ordinary women’s clothing, so it couldn’t withstand the flames. Consequently, while the little dragon’s Explosive Fireball Spell resulted in a MISS in terms of damage, it was extremely humiliating—he was now exposed!

Upon seeing Gordon’s exposed rear end, the little dragon collapsed on the spot, covering its belly and bursting into joyful laughter. “Ka-ka-ka-ka-ka…!”

It laughed uncontrollably, trembling like a little chick pecking at grains, almost rolling on the ground.

Jing Nian cleared his throat and patted the rolling little dragon in the Dragon Soul Space, laughing to himself. “Well done~”

Now, not only could Gordon rest assured about his and the little dragon’s safety, but he probably wouldn’t want to follow them anymore either.

The innocent and cute “Easy-to-Deceive Master Number One” surely wouldn’t do anything so wicked. Therefore, it must have been taught by “Master Number Two”!

Gordon, clutching his buttocks in embarrassment and anger, ran away.

Having played a prank and received Jing Nian’s praise, the little dragon obediently surrendered its body to Jing Nian. Although it didn’t fully understand what Jing Nian was up to, due to the shared consciousness, it subconsciously recognized that Jing Nian was doing something very important to him.

So, it wanted to help its little brother~

Back in the Dragon Soul Space, the little dragon once again hugged Jing Nian’s thigh. Its soft and well-behaved appearance melted Jing Nian’s heart.

While explaining things to the little dragon, Jing Nian found the warrior and began the main storyline quest.

Because the previous interactions were mostly conversations and basic information gathering, Jing Nian quickly completed them. After finishing his conversation with the warrior, the warrior disappeared.

The next step in the main quest was to go to the riverside.

Jing Nian’s three laid-back teammates, who had been in contact with him, were waiting for him at the river.

Jing Nian had half a loaf of bread to replenish his hunger value on the way.

As for the other half?

Well, of course, it was handed over to the curious little dragon in the Dragon Soul Space, who watched Jing Nian with pitiful eyes.

‘Little brother is so pitiful. The food isn’t tasty at all.’

Because when they returned to the Dragon Soul Space, the player system also returned to the Dragon Soul Space, Jing Nian couldn’t help but laugh at not getting the other half of the bread to satisfy his hunger.

The little dragon was even picky!

Perhaps sensing Jing Nian’s mood, the little dragon snorted twice and snuggled up to Jing Nian.

“Little brother, don’t be sad. When we get back to the Abyss, Ao Tian will share delicious food with you.”

Jing Nian, who wasn’t angry in the first place, burst into laughter. He ruffled the little dragon’s head.

“All right~ Thanks, my brother~”

“Hehe!” After being called “brother,” the little dragon immediately felt content.

Finally, it forgot to look at Jing Nian with pity.

Jing Nian: “…”

At this point, Jing Nian finally arrived at the riverside.

There were quite a few players gathered by the river.

Among them, he saw his three teammates squatting by the river planting mushrooms. The warrior, who had recently bid farewell, also appeared within his field of vision. However, he seemed to have encountered some difficulties and was in the middle of the river, saying, “Ouch, ouch.”

Jing Nian was about to open his quest list when he suddenly felt a reaction from the Nautilus Ring.

Before he could open the Nautilus Ring, Jing Nian understood what the reaction was because he watched his three laid-back teammates turn to greet him, each of them playing with a sleeping pufferfish in their hands.

Jing Nian was momentarily speechless: “…” Sleeping pufferfish.

The little dragon in the Dragon Soul Space also got excited when it saw the pufferfish. Its small claws tugged at Jing Nian’s pants, pointing outside and saying, “Fishies, friends~”

Clearly, the little dragon recognized the pitiable friends of the little mermaid.

Jing Nian took out the pearl that the little mermaid had given him, and he saw the pearl glowing.

Seeing Jing Nian approaching with a glowing pearl, his teammates curiously asked about the pearl in his hand.

“Where’s your pufferfish item? And what’s this one? Did you buy it from the shop?”

Watching a certain pufferfish squeak under the hands of his laid-back teammates, Jing Nian: “…”

He slowly approached the three teammates’ pufferfish with the pearl in hand but was surprised to find that not all three pufferfish reacted to the pearl.

Jing Nian was momentarily puzzled: Huh? Could it be that the little mermaid’s friends are only part of the items?

Just as Jing Nian was about to continue observing, suddenly the chubby teammate shouted, and the surrounding players joined in the commotion.

Jing Nian then looked at his quest list and saw a suddenly appeared purple-colored quest notification.

[Bounty: Catch the Thief Who Stole Mrs. Wang’s Clothes! (Note: Special mission, available for all players in the Little Fishing Village.)]

The chubby teammate’s scream and the excitement of the surrounding players were all due to this purple quest that had suddenly appeared.

Jing Nian couldn’t help but feel that there was something subtle about this quest notification.

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Translator’s corner:

Gordon in action HAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA