Mini World Game Console

December 9th, morning.

Don't ask Ren Suo why he knew it was morning; the sun was already shining in his eyes, like a great pugilist drilling into his eyelids with a 3,000 rpm golden drill. He could only pull the quilt over his head, hiding like an ostrich and trying to continue sleeping.

Ren Suo felt something wriggling on him, bobbing up and down.

No way!

Outside the quilt is the great beyond!

Sensing the danger of his quilt being pulled away, Ren Suo immediately gripped it tightly, using it as the strongest shield against all physical and light attacks!

The thing disturbing his sleep tugged at his quilt, but when it found it unmovable, it stopped.

Just when Ren Suo thought he could continue sleeping peacefully, he suddenly felt a chill on the soles of his feet. Then, a little thing crawled into his quilt, breaching his defenses from within and lifting the quilt from the bottom up!

"Wake up, Big Brother!"

There sat Little Jiu on Ren Suo's chest, her bright eyes and white teeth gleaming as she playfully pinched Ren Suo's cheeks, giggling.

She wore a plush, lace-trimmed, poofy, snow-white princess dress. Her soft little legs, clad in white tights, pressed against Ren Suo's hand. She looked both warm and adorable.

Her shoulder-length hair was neatly combed without a hint of frizz, possibly a special Trait of the Nine-Tailed Fox—Ren Suo remembered his sister's hair frizzing up terribly when he helped her comb it as a child.

"Good morning, Little Jiu." Ren Suo yawned, trying to sit up. But with Little Jiu sitting on him, he couldn't move. He lay there lazily and asked, "Did you and Cheng Ling come over to my place to play this early?"

"No way!" Little Jiu stretched Ren Suo's cheeks, pulling his mouth into a thin line.

As she played with Ren Suo's face, she laughed and said, "It was you, Big Brother, who came to our place to sleep. And you say this is your house... Hmm, but that's Little Jiu's house, and this is also Little Jiu's house. What's Little Jiu's is Big Brother's, so this seems like it's Big Brother's house too..."

Having just woken up, Ren Suo couldn't quite follow Little Jiu's logic, but he did understand one thing: this was not his house.

Only then did Ren Suo realize he wasn't sleeping in a bed but on the living room sofa. The coffee table wasn't his glass one but a wooden table with its four corners and edges deliberately smoothed—furniture Dong Chengling had bought specifically to prevent Little Jiu from scratching herself in daily life.

Above the TV hung five framed pictures, drawn with watercolor crayons. From the messy family portrait on the far left to the rather stylish landscape on the far right, all were clearly Little Jiu's artwork from her elementary school art classes. Although the Little Nine-Tailed Fox had never attended school before, her Learning Ability was strong, and her painting skills had already far surpassed Ren Suo's.

This was Dong Chengling's house.

Realizing this, Ren Suo found even the white ceiling above him looked quite familiar.

He remembered now. Last night, to test if the Miracle was effective, he had come to Dong Chengling's house and performed the Miracle on Dong Chengling and Little Jiu. However, the consequent drowsiness was truly intense; Ren Suo felt as exhausted as if he had played Minesweeper for 360 hours straight. While performing the Miracle, he had fallen asleep right there in Dong Chengling's house.

"Awake?"

Dong Chengling emerged from the kitchen, carrying a pot of porridge, which she placed on the dining table. Looking at the playful Little Jiu and Ren Suo, she smiled and said, "Little Jiu, don't sit on your Big Brother. Ren Suo, I've just made breakfast. Freshen up and join us."

Little Jiu giggled and climbed off Ren Suo. Ren Suo sat up, yawned, and nodded. "Alright, I'll just head home..."

"No need." Dong Chengling pointed to a towel, toothbrush, and rinsing cup on the wooden coffee table. "We happen to have an extra set of toiletries. Just freshen up here."

Ren Suo blinked. It felt a bit odd, but the trip home and back, involving four elevator rides, was neither long nor short and seemed like a bit of a hassle. Besides, Dong Chengling had already prepared everything, and he disliked refusing people. So, he nodded, took the towel and toothbrush, and went to the washroom.

Watching Ren Suo enter the washroom, Dong Chengling placed the freshly made custard buns, fried noodles, shrimp dumplings, Shao Mai Emperor, French dinner rolls, and phoenix claws in hundred-flavor sauce on the dining table. Little Jiu, who was already drooling, promptly sat down at the table.

However, having lived with Dong Chengling for so long, Little Jiu had learned human table manners quite well. She proactively arranged all the empty bowls, filled a bowl for everyone with plentiful lean pork and preserved egg porridge, then picked up her chopsticks, grabbed a shrimp dumpling with thin skin and generous filling, and stuffed it into her mouth. Having served porridge to everyone like a good girl, it was time for her to eat.

As she ate, Little Jiu asked, "Sister Ling, why are there four bowls?"

"Because there are four people eating," Dong Chengling replied calmly, also sitting down.

Little Jiu counted on her fingers. "Big Brother, Little Jiu, Sister Ling... Isn't that three people?"

Ding Dong—

The doorbell rang suddenly. Dong Chengling instantly teleported behind the door, opened it, and smiled upon seeing the visitor. "You're here? Perfect timing, we just started eating."

"Mmm," Qiao Muyi walked in, saying with some curiosity, "You suddenly invited me over for breakfast this early; I certainly wouldn't be late. Luckily, I have the day off... You're having quite a feast; it's enough for lunch. I don't even eat this much at the teahouse."

Qiao Muyi tilted her head, eyeing Dong Chengling, and said in a peculiar tone, "I thought that after that day, you wouldn't take the initiative to invite me over to the academy anymore... Huh?"

Among the Spells Qiao Muyi possessed, "Detective's Eye" was a special one.

It didn't consume much spiritual energy, yet it was very difficult to master, and even harder to use—it was a Spell that required extensive experience. It could help Qiao Muyi detect anomalies, but whether she could deduce the truth from them depended on her having sufficient known information and excellent reasoning abilities.

Qiao Muyi had accumulated enough merit to be promoted to Deputy Director of the Tactical Bureau based on her unquestionable qualifications and strength, and "Detective's Eye" had been indispensable. For Qiao Muyi, using this Spell was almost as natural as breathing. Whenever a strange feeling arose in her mind, she would use this Spell for scouting.

Scents, footprints, the messy sofa...

The lavish breakfast, four bowls, Dong Chengling's sudden invitation, the lit-up washroom...

All the anomalies, processed through split-second reasoning, unanimously pointed to the same conclusion.

The smile on Qiao Muyi's face froze. Her gaze was fixed on the washroom's glass door at the end of the hallway, her alluring, fox-like eyes narrowing slightly, emitting a dangerous aura.

Noticing Qiao Muyi's expression, Dong Chengling's lips curled slightly as she pulled Qiao Muyi to sit down. "Have some porridge to warm your stomach. Don't wait for him; it's cold, and the food will get cold quickly."

Qiao Muyi showed no unusual reaction, merely uttering an "Oh," and obediently sat down to eat her porridge.

I can't force it; I'm not yet at the fourth transformation. Even if my combat power is strong, she has spatial abilities, putting her in an invincible position. That would be the worst strategy.

"The sauce for these steamed phoenix claws is my own hundred-flavor sauce blend; it's quite sweet. Give it a try," Dong Chengling recommended with a smile.

Qiao Muyi picked up a deep-red phoenix claw covered in sauce and began to chew it slowly, her mind on other matters.

A Flourishing Sakura visa usually takes ten working days, but if I pull some strings, I can definitely get it in three.

While eating a custard bun, Little Jiu saw Qiao Muyi swallow a whole phoenix claw and suddenly felt a sense of kinship. So Sister Qiao is like me; she doesn't spit out bones when eating phoenix claws either, huh?

I'll have Yu Kuangtu summon him to Flourishing Sakura on official Tactical Bureau business. Then I'll change the itinerary and trick him into removing the Spatial Coordinates Dong Chengling gave him. After that, the sea is wide for fish to leap and the sky high for birds to fly; there will be plenty of time to turn things around. This is the best strategy. It's almost like flipping the table, but if not flipping the table means losing, then only a fool wouldn't flip it...

"Chengling—"

The washroom door suddenly opened. Ren Suo, wiping his face with a towel, poked his head out and asked, "Where should I put the towel, toothbrush, and rinsing cup? Should I take them home? ...Wow, you've already started eating? Wow, Young Master Mu, you're here early too?"

Seeing Ren Suo in the washroom, Qiao Muyi blinked. The gloom in her eyes vanished, replaced by a devilish smile.

She elbowed Dong Chengling's arm, nudged her chin towards the washroom, and asked, "Xiao Suo is asking you where to put the towel."

Dong Chengling's body stiffened. She took a deep breath and said, "Put the rinsing cup next to ours, and hang the towel on the hook inside. You'll be able to use them here in the future."

"Okay," Ren Suo replied, put the items away, and hurried out for breakfast.

Just then, Little Jiu suddenly remembered something important and asked, "Big Brother, can you use last night's Spell one more time?"

Ren Suo immediately shook his head. "No, I can't."

At most, Ren Suo could only retain that Miracle for five minutes. Even if he hadn't fallen asleep then, he wouldn't have been able to use it after five minutes.

"Last night? A Spell?" Qiao Muyi raised an eyebrow slightly, smiling as she asked Ren Suo, "What happened last night?"

"Ah, last night while I was researching awakened spells, I suddenly caught a hint of inspiration..."

Ren Suo told Qiao Muyi his excuse and what had happened last night. Qiao Muyi nodded repeatedly and exclaimed, "So you fainted, and that's why you stayed over at Dong Chengling's house. No wonder you were washing up in their bathroom~"

Dong Chengling calmly sipped her porridge.

Ren Suo looked at Qiao Muyi and asked with a smile, "How come you're here?"

"I'm on leave today, and Chengling invited me over early this morning~" Qiao Muyi chuckled, picking up a Shao Mai Emperor. "Look at this Shao Mai Emperor; there's a big piece of shrimp on it. The shrimp isn't in a shrimp dumpling; it's on the Shao Mai, as if this shrimp ran away from home to become part of the Shao Mai family. What a curious combination! So Chengling asked me to come see this Shao Mai Emperor."

Ren Suo blinked. Shao Mai and shrimp together, is that unusual?

Qiao Muyi jiggled the Shao Mai Emperor in her hand, and the shrimp on top promptly fell off. She said, "But you see, the shrimp and Shao Mai don't stick together well. If you want to eat shrimp, you still have to eat shrimp dumplings, all nicely bundled up. That's what tastes good, right, Chengling?"

Dong Chengling glanced at her, then looked away. "Next time, I'll make the Shao Mai myself and embed the shrimp directly inside. I'll guarantee they never separate and won't fall off."

She paused, then picked up a shrimp dumpling, piercing its thin skin.

"Even though shrimp dumplings are bundled together, the skin is very fragile, and the shrimp meat can easily come apart. They're not necessarily better than the Shao Mai Emperor."

Qiao Muyi quietly clicked her tongue. Even if this shrimp dumpling's skin is thin, you're a Fourth-Stage Cultivator; your control over your Force is immense. How could you possibly tear a shrimp dumpling by accident?

Qiao Muyi stood up and said, "Chengling, I don't think this is enough to eat. Can I go to your kitchen and see what other ingredients you have?"

Dong Chengling understood Qiao Muyi's meaning and also stood up. "I'll go with you."

The two of them entered the kitchen, one after the other. When Dong Chengling closed the kitchen door, Qiao Muyi cornered her against the wall, hands pressing on the wall behind Dong Chengling, effectively pinning her.

Although she had no advantage in height, Qiao Muyi's aura and that devilish smile made it seem as if she were looking down on Dong Chengling.

"Chengling, you've learned to be naughty."

Dong Chengling remained silent, her head lowered, staring at the kitchen floor tiles as if their patterns held the secrets of the Mysterious Sovereign's Secret Records.

"Were you hoping I'd get angry, sad, or misunderstand and leave as soon as I walked in? Hmph, and all that 'don't wait for him' talk, acting like an old married couple. I never expected you, Dong Chengling, to have the talent to be such a little vixen."

Dong Chengling turned her head, looking towards the kitchen's range hood, as if studying its brand.

"I knew it. You probably didn't want me to come to Heavenly Lotus Academy, yet you invited me over early this morning. You definitely had some ulterior motive... But I never imagined that you'd be so deviously clever as to use the small matter of Ren Suo asking you to test a new Spell to weave such a drama, trying to make me misunderstand and concede defeat..."

Dong Chengling turned her head again, gazing out the kitchen window, pretending to look at the distant scenery and trying to feign ignorance. However, her fair, pretty face was already flushed crimson, unable to hide her emotions.

Qiao Muyi hummed twice. "The ever-upright Dong Chengling, suddenly resorting to such schemes... But your plan is full of holes. I could see through it just by asking a few questions. Unless I were the heroine of a Korean Drama, how could I possibly fall for it?"

"However, given your personality, to come up with such a move in such a short time... you barely pass as a qualified little vixen."

Dong Chengling finally met Qiao Muyi's gaze and said softly, "People in love tend to have lower IQs..."

Qiao Muyi was momentarily stunned, then couldn't help but laugh. But as she laughed, she seemed to remember something, and her smile slowly faded. She said seriously, "That saying means that because you care too much about the other person and are afraid of losing them, their every move tugs at your heartstrings, causing you to overlook other things and be unable to make normal judgments... But I'm past that hot-headed stage."

Dong Chengling looked somewhat surprised. "You don't care?"

"I care, but I'm not afraid."

Qiao Muyi lowered her hands and began to play with Dong Chengling's ponytail, which cascaded over her shoulder. Her expression held an unshakeable calm. "Fear stems from a lack of self-confidence—not believing you can hold onto the other person, not believing you won't change your mind, not believing you can achieve a happy ending..."

"I am never afraid, because I believe that the future I hope for will eventually arrive."

Dong Chengling asked, "What if Suo doesn't choose you?"

Qiao Muyi smiled faintly. "That's impossible."

Although Qiao Muyi said that, she had already made up her mind. As soon as she got back, she would have the Tactical Bureau prepare Flourishing Sakura visas for her and Ren Suo. Then, if anything happened, she could immediately flip the table and go abroad to turn the situation around.

Dong Chengling didn't argue with Qiao Muyi; she had never been fond of verbal sparring.

At that moment, Qiao Muyi remembered something and asked, "By the way, why did you only invite me and not Bai Ji?"

Dong Chengling paused, thought for a moment, and said nothing. Instead, she puffed out her chest slightly, her clear, beautiful eyes brimming with confidence.

Her body language clearly conveyed her attitude: Bai Ji, that man, she could completely rely on her physical advantages to crush him fair and square, without needing to resort to any schemes.

Not to be outdone, Qiao Muyi also put her hands on her hips, sucked in her stomach, and puffed out her chest, showcasing her own impressive figure.

Soon, a smile touched Dong Chengling's lips, while Qiao Muyi frowned, realizing things weren't so simple.

Both were powerful cultivators, and Cultivation had accentuated the exquisite curves characteristic of East Asian women in their figures. Where they should be slim, there was no excess fat; where they should be full, they were firm and elastic, exuding a potent, blood-pumping allure.

Although most parts were comparable, Qiao Muyi, using her "Detective's Eye," keenly observed that Dong Chengling, whose loose pajamas were stretched taut across her chest, seemed to have a bust measurement that was... possibly... slightly... perhaps...

That little vixen Dong Chengling wasn't small at all!

Qiao Muyi was a Third-turn Cultivator and the Deputy Director of the Lian River Countermeasure Bureau. She was like a Great Demon King of negative energy, capable of unleashing a disaster at any time with no natural enemies to stop her. For the first time, she felt a bit of insecurity.

…

They're really going to make more food…

Several minutes had passed, and Qiao Muyi and Dong Chengling still hadn't come out of the kitchen. Ren Suo, bored, fumbled in his pocket, only to find his phone wasn't there.

By now, Little Jiu had finished eating and was engrossed in her phone. She suddenly exclaimed, "Big Brother, I can't believe you secretly ranked up without Little Jiu!"

"What ranking up?" Ren Suo leaned over and saw Little Jiu looking at his account's match history.

His account, previously Stubborn Bronze, was now a shocking Glory Gold!

Little Jiu said excitedly, "Big Brother, you actually reached Glory Gold! Little Jiu wants to reach Gold too!"

Ren Suo blinked, took Little Jiu's phone, and checked his account's match history. He discovered that his account had a winning streak of dozens of games late at night, going straight from Bronze to Gold.

Facing the jubilant Little Jiu, Ren Suo pondered for a moment, then glanced towards the kitchen and whispered, "Your Sister Ling doesn't like you playing on your phone, you know. If she sees me playing with you, she'll definitely get angry with us."

Little Jiu nodded. "Oh, right... How about we get Salted Fish to play with us? Then we can say Salted Fish insisted we play with her and blame it all on Salted Fish!"

Ren Suo tapped Little Jiu on the forehead. "Don't you dare frame others!"

Little Jiu held her head and pouted. "Little Jiu was just kidding... I wouldn't really do that... but Little Jiu wants to rank up too!"

"It'll be too obvious if we both play games together," Ren Suo said. "How about this: tonight, after I go home, you hide in your bedroom and play on your phone. Then we can team up for ranked matches together. What do you think?"

Little Jiu asked, "Why at night?"

Ren Suo replied, "Because elementary school students have a lot of free time at night. If we team up for ranked matches then, we'll easily get matched against elementary school student opponents, and then I can lead Little Jiu to crush them!"

"Crush them!" Little Jiu cheered.

After soothing Little Jiu, Ren Suo frowned, suddenly realizing things weren't so simple.

He was pondering a serious question: Doing chores and playing games—could these two activities be done simultaneously?