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Zuo Chengan approached the despondent Wang Guangfei without a preamble. "Can I take a look at the item you got from the black sheep?"
Wang Guangfei, though partially broken in spirit, clung to a shred of hope. His mind raced, replaying every possible hiding spot of the elusive black sheep.
At Zuo Chengan's words, his eyes narrowed with suspicion. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Alright," Zuo Chengan replied with a knowing smile. "Let me be more specific. Can I see the bell you got from the black sheep? In exchange, I'll tell you where the twenty-first sheep is hiding."
"What?!" Wang Guangfei leapt to his feet. "How do you know I got a bell? Wait, what did you say? The twenty-first sheep? Where is it?!"
Zuo Chengan smirked, throwing Wang Guangfei's earlier deflection right back at him. "I don't know what sheep you're talking about."
It was a taste of his own medicine, served cold.
Wang Guangfei was momentarily speechless. "...Why did I even bother resisting?"
Despite his embarrassment, his hands moved swiftly. "Here." He pulled the bell from his inventory and handed it over.
The moment Zuo Chengan touched the bell, a system notification echoed in his mind.
...
[Ding! Key mission item discovered!]
[Shepherd's Bell (White)]
[Type: Item]
[Effect: A soundless decoration that makes shepherd dogs appear cuter.]
[Limitation: Wearing it to sleep will make you dream of sheep.]
[Description: One sheep, two sheep, three sheep, four… Zzz…]
...
In essence, the bell was nothing more than a decorative trinket for dogs. Without the right quest, it was practically useless—incapable of even being sold.
However, with the proper quest activation and the right triggers, the bell held valuable clues.
After examining it, Zuo Chengan pieced together the remaining fragments of the puzzle.
True to his words, he shared the information about the woolen carpet in the red house with Wang Guangfei.
Without doubting him, Wang Guangfei hurried to the red house's window and peered inside. Sure enough, a sheepskin rug lay spread across the floor.
By the time he returned to the sheep pen, eager to thank Zuo Chengan, the latter had already vanished.
...
While Wang Guangfei was busy crawling through chimneys, Zuo Chengan made his way to the tomato storage warehouse with the bell in hand.
The massive farm grew only one crop: tomatoes—a peculiar choice. Even stranger, the tomatoes bore faces resembling internet meme pandas.
Due to the peculiar nature of the "wailing tomato" variety and the rough handling during harvest, the warehouse was filled with the unsettling cries of infants.
Youyou, already irritable by nature, grew increasingly agitated in such a cacophonous environment. She slammed objects around as she worked, venting her frustration on everything within reach. Even a sheep passing by wasn't spared her verbal wrath.
The black sheep stared silently.
"You stupid animal! What do you think you're doing here? Get lost! This isn't your place!"
She grabbed its horns and tried to drag it away, but despite all her strength, the black sheep didn't budge. With a mere shake of its head, it sent her flying a few meters.
Youyou's physical strength was inherently low, and her cautious approach to new dungeons had left her with few Attribute Points. Most of what she had accumulated had been poured into Speed.
Having barely met the attribute requirement for the trial, she had rushed in unprepared. Now, even the sheep in the dungeon outclassed her.
If she hadn't quarreled with her boyfriend Wang Guangfei, she might have sought his help. No matter what he was doing, he'd have dropped everything to assist her. But their recent spat left her too proud to ask for aid.
In her frustration, Youyou grabbed some squashed tomatoes from a nearby basket and threw them at the sheep's feet. "Eat up, you dumb animal! Isn't this what you came for?"
The three baskets of tomatoes, trampled earlier by a herd of crazed bulls, had been her task to refill. Now, she needed to harvest even more to complete her mission.
Suppressing her anger, she steeled herself and stepped outside the warehouse. As she did, the black sheep darted past her into the storage area.
Her face paled. "No! You can't go in there! Get out!"
The warehouse wasn't a random heap of tomatoes. Every fruit was carefully placed in bamboo baskets stacked neatly on shelves.
This arrangement prevented the tomatoes on the bottom from being crushed under the weight.
The task of "filling the warehouse" simply meant loading all the empty baskets on the shelves with tomatoes.
The black sheep zigzagged between the shelves while Youyou chased after it. But in the cramped space, the animal's agility gave it the upper hand. A few quick dodges, and it disappeared into the depths of the warehouse.
Earlier that day, Youyou had already filled the baskets in the farthest corner of the warehouse.
Before being drawn into this game, Youyou had lived a pampered life. Her congenital heart condition made her the darling of her family and the concern of her teachers and classmates. Heavy labor was unthinkable; even stress was avoided.
Now, though the game protected her from death by illness, it forced her to do things she'd never imagined—heavy labor included.
She grumbled to herself, "I should've picked a boyfriend from a major guild. With their protection, I'd breeze through beginner dungeons. Now I have to think and work for myself? It's exhausting!"
The warehouse was dark, the shadows thick. The black sheep had long since vanished into some corner, blending into the gloom.
After bumping into a few shelves, Youyou slowed down, moving cautiously.
As her pace eased, a foul smell crept into her nostrils.
At first, she dismissed it as mildew. The warehouse was old, with mold spots scattered throughout—some rot was to be expected.
But soon, she realized the stench was eerily similar to the smell of the squashed tomatoes outside.
No—it was identical. The only difference was that the warehouse, with no ventilation, amplified the odor.
Dread bubbled up inside her. Trembling, she reached for the nearest basket, blindly plunging her hand into its contents.
Instead of firm, smooth tomatoes, her fingers squelched into a slimy mess.
The tomatoes had rotted entirely, their skins bursting under her touch. A putrid stench, like a week-old pile of garbage in the summer sun, assaulted her senses.
Youyou gagged violently, unable to hold back her nausea.