Prohibit Certain Players from Contacting the Dungeon NPC!

Chapter 21: The Misty Fishing Village

Mu Miao hugged the little bat tightly, eyes widening at the black gun barrel. He instinctively took a step back.

Lin Anqu stood tall, his sharp eyes behind his glasses fixed on the young man before him. His voice was low and strained, "Don't make me say it again. Hand it over."

The small patch of white fur in Mu Miao's arms was strikingly obvious, yet he tried to hide it, putting the little bundle behind his back.  He feigned strength and composure, "N-nothing. You're mistaken."

Mu Miao knew the little bundle in his hands was powerful; Lin Anqu and the others were no match for it.  Handing it over would surely anger it.

Though he disliked Lin Anqu, his dislike didn't extend to wanting to kill him. Besides, he needed the little bundle to protect Yu Kai and the others—he absolutely couldn't hand it over.

This thought strengthened his resolve, and he hid the little bundle even further.

This action enraged Lin Anqu, who was already wary of him.  Now that he was hiding something unknown, it was impossible to rule out the possibility of harm.

Lin Anqu pinched Mu Miao's chin, forcing his face up. He stared into those emerald green eyes, a dangerous glint in his own.  "Do you really think you're so important? I'm not someone easily swayed by appearances. Hand over what's behind you, or else…"

The gun in his hand was cocked. It seemed that if Mu Miao uttered a single word of defiance, he would be killed instantly.

Lin Anqu's absolute rationality made him understand his ultimate goal. Before achieving it, all obstacles could be removed.

Mu Miao knew he couldn't hide it any longer. His eyes were stubborn, and he said word by word, "I. Won't. Give. It."

Lin Anqu's eyes were bloodshot, his gaze fixed on Mu Miao, but his hand holding the gun trembled slightly.

Li Cong heard the commotion and nearly jumped out of his skin.  He yelled, "Lin Anqu, are you freaking insane?!"

He stormed between them, shielding Mu Miao, shoving Lin Anqu hard and protecting the other with both arms. "What do you think you're doing? You want to kill him? What did he do to you?!  Murder is illegal!"

Lin Anqu's eyes were icy, clearly furious. "Illegal? Utterly foolish! Do you think he's a real person? He's an NPC, an enemy who'll stab you in the back!  Get rid of that pathetic morality and kindness, or you'll end up like Er Yang!"

"No, you'll be worse than Er Yang. He was stupid, but more cooperative than you. You just got lucky."

Liu Xitu listened from the side, feeling uneasy. He even began to wonder if Er Yang hadn't chosen to flatter him and had instead stayed with Li Cong, perhaps he'd still be alive.

As Lin Anqu said, Li Cong, that idiot, was still alive and well.

Just then, Lin Anqu moved, and the rope on Mu Miao's wrist pulled him out of Li Cong's protection.

Mu Miao saw the gun pointed at him again and closed his eyes.  He wouldn't die in this world, anyway; it would just hurt.

He comforted himself, hugging the little bundle tighter.  The little bundle seemed to sense his tension and cried out anxiously.

Lin Anqu slowly squeezed the trigger, but at the last second, his hand veered. The bullet landed at Mu Miao's feet, kicking up dust and gravel.

Mu Miao shuddered, instinctively closing his eyes.

"Squeak——!"

The little bat sensed the threat to Mu Miao.  Its dark eyes blazed with anger. It furiously broke free from Mu Miao's grasp, flapping its wings and leaping into the air.

The tiny wings suddenly elongated, a colossal beast eclipsing the sky. The powerful gust of wind from its wings whipped up a dust storm. It glared down at the weak humans below, its voice sharp and piercing, "Squeak——"

Bats are ultrasonic hunters.  After mutation, their abilities are amplified, and their cries can kill silently.

It felt as if their internal organs were being torn apart. Lin Anqu gritted his teeth, suppressing the pain, and stared at the monstrous beast in the sky.

Liu Xitu frantically covered his ears, but the sound seemed to penetrate through his pores. He coughed up blood, horrified. "It's that albino bat that disappeared!"

They never expected Mu Miao had it.  Among NPCs, it's a survival of the fittest; the weak are devoured by the strong.

They thought Mu Miao, despite his ridiculously high system level, was weak. They never imagined a boss-level beast would be treated as a pet.

Lin Anqu's composure nearly shattered. He gritted his teeth, glaring at Mu Miao. "You're unbelievable!"

Mu Miao was indignant. "Why blame me? You shot at me, scaring the little guy. Why are you blaming me?"

Lin Anqu: "..."

He called this tens-of-meters-long bat a "little guy"? Was the world crazy, or was he?

Li Cong, closest to Mu Miao, was hit the hardest. The ultrasonic waves knocked him unconscious. Mu Miao quickly supported him, preventing him from falling face-first.

Mu Miao's face was anxious.  "Squeak, come back."

He held his hands up, waiting for the little bat to land in his palm. Seeing the bat hesitate, looking at him and Lin Anqu, he tried again. "Squeak, be good. They didn't hurt me, you don't need to protect me. Come back, okay?"

Under his gentle coaxing, the white bat gradually calmed down, its size shrinking.  But it kept a hostile gaze on the rope connecting Lin Anqu and Mu Miao's wrists.

Lin Anqu, surprised, wisely cut the rope and slowly backed away from Mu Miao, demonstrating his harmlessness.

The white bat seemed satisfied. It transformed back into a cute little bundle, a flying puffball, and nestled into Mu Miao's palm.

Just as the little furball was about to get cozy with Mu Miao, another brown, bald-headed owl swooped down. The two collided, owl and bat engaging in a furious brawl, fur flying everywhere.

"Woooowooo!"

"Squeeeeeak——!"

Mu Miao, the only one who could understand them, knew they were hurling insults—and not very polite ones at that.

Taking advantage of the monsters' infighting, Lin Anqu darted to Mu Miao's side in a flash. Bending down, he hoisted Mu Miao onto his shoulder and took off running, Liu Xitu following close behind, dragging Li Cong by the arm.

Mu Miao remained calmly perched on Lin Anqu's shoulder. He had no idea that Wuwu would suddenly appear. Listening to the two little creatures call each other names, he felt a complex mix of embarrassment and awkwardness.

It was like…being caught in the act of infidelity.

For once, Mu Miao didn't struggle, letting Lin Anqu carry him to safety.

In the distance, he saw the little owl and bat locked in a fierce battle, the owl's already sparse head feathers becoming even more precarious, and the bat losing quite a bit of fur as well.

Once they found a safe place, Mu Miao was still reeling from the shock, unable to shake off the surprise.

Lin Anqu stood with his hands on his hips, gazing at the sky, then glanced at the dazed Mu Miao, and let out a laugh tinged with anger.  "Are you feeling sorry for yourself? You're so powerful, why are you feeling sorry for yourself? I'm the one who should be crying!"

He wiped his mouth; his hand was covered in blood, fueling his frustration.

Mu Miao, chastised, lowered his eyelids. His voice was as soft as ever. "If you yell at me again, I'll let the bat bite you."

He might have a soft personality, but that didn't mean he lacked a temper. His mood was terrible.  Seeing Lin Anqu's surprised expression, he let out a frustrated humph and poked at the grass with his fingers.

He was furious; don't bother him!

Silence descended.  They were near the back mountain, where Mu Miao's closest acquaintance in this world lived.

Mu Miao couldn't help but gaze towards the small courtyard hidden among the dense forest. What would Yu Chen be doing now? He was probably sitting under that osmanthus tree again, sipping tea, and whiling away the time.

As he sat squatting, chin in hands, lost in thought, he heard a rustling sound nearby.

Mu Miao turned to look. In the grass, a small yellow head poked out. It had hook-like protrusions on its forehead—a…snake?

When Mu Miao saw its entire body, he was unsure.  He'd never seen such a fat snake before. Its fleshy body dragged on the ground, as if it could barely move.

Yes, it was crawling—like a caterpillar, inching along, not the sinuous movement of a snake.

Mu Miao stared, dumbfounded, at the strange snake slowly advancing at a snail's pace. After about half a meter, it stopped, collapsing on the ground. "Sss~ (So tired)"

Mu Miao: "..."

The snake sensed Mu Miao's gaze and turned its head. "Sss~ (Human, why are you looking at me?)"

"Sss~ (You smell really good)"

"Sss~ (Ah, I don't want to crawl anymore. Human, can you pick me up and carry me for a bit?)"

Mu Miao found the snake's lazy pronouncements amusing and quietly asked, "Where are you going?"

Si Qi had been comfortably nestled in the sand when he suddenly heard Belcher's echoing call. He remembered Belcher's unfinished task.

But should he go to Belcher or to that fish? Si Qi was conflicted, but too lazy to dwell on it. He simply chose a direction and began his slow crawl, leaving his fate to chance, letting the heavens decide.

Si Qi was surprised that Mu Miao understood him.  His tail tip pointed straight ahead. "Sss~ (Go forward)"

Mu Miao was about to bend down and pick him up when he caught sight of a dark spot flying towards them. He quickly scooped up the chubby snake, and Lin Anqu, grabbing Mu Miao's legs, swiftly dodged the unknown projectile.

The body hit the ground with a dull thud, kicking up a cloud of dust. Mu Miao coughed from the dust, waving a hand to clear it away.

He couldn't lift his other arm because the little fat snake was truly enormous; its weight was astonishing. Mu Miao's arm, pressed down by it, was completely immobilized.

Lin Anqu felt the weight in his arms was off. Looking down, he met the gaze of the snake in Mu Miao's arms.

Lin Anqu: "..."

He nearly fainted on the spot. Heaven knew how much he hated these soft-bodied creatures. He almost threw both Mu Miao and the snake away.

Mu Miao was almost suffocating under the weight of the little fat snake. "Lin Anqu, quickly help me move it! It's so heavy!"

Lin Anqu: "..."

He might as well just let him die.