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¹ "拿来吧你!" (ná lái ba nǐ!) is a popular Chinese internet meme meaning "Hand it over!" Used as a humorous, playfully aggressive catchphrase to demand something with exaggerated entitlement. Chen Shu is quoting this viral meme.
[Mission Name] Gather Green Blaze Grass
[Mission Difficulty]: Common Level
[Mission Details]:
Need to gather at least ten pounds of Green Blaze Grass. The only requirement is freshness - must be picked within ten days.
...
Green Blaze Grass was a common plant in Qingyuan Forest, serving as staple food for certain contract spirits. Long-term consumption could slightly enhance wood and fire attributes.
However, it needed to be fresh Green Blaze Grass. Otherwise, the internal fire attribute would dissipate significantly, rendering it mostly useless for contract spirits.
Chen Shu continued browsing through the other missions.
[Mission Name]: Hunt Iron-backed Bear
[Mission Difficulty]: Dangerous
[Mission Details]:
Employer wants to hunt a Black Iron rank mutated Iron-backed Bear in Qingyuan Forest. Seeking Beast Tamers to accompany.
[Mission Requirements]: Black Iron rank Beast Tamer, Alternate Dimension experience preferred!
...
[Mission Name]: Capture Azure-eyed Snake …
[Mission Name]: Find Lost Underwear…
[Mission Name]: Hunt the Ice Hare Lord…
Chen Shu couldn't help but roast them internally. *What the hell, who manages to lose their underwear? That's just ridiculous. Besides, who would specifically post a mission like this unless it's underwear made of pure gold?*
*Great, now the whole world knows you lost your underwear in Qingyuan Forest.*
Just as he was complaining, options suddenly appeared before his eyes.
Jackpot! Knew there'd be a pleasant surprise! Worth prowling around in the middle of the night like a street hooligan!
[Option 1: Accept any Common Level mission.]
Completion reward: Medium amount of Beast Taming Power
[Option 2: Accept the Hunt Ice Hare Lord mission.]
Completion reward: Skill 'Gigantification' +1.
Bonus reward: Title 'Lord Slayer'
Equip Effect: Contract spirit damage to Lord-rank beasts +5%
Chen Shu froze for a moment, thinking, Are you fucking kidding me? Telling me to hunt an Ice Hare Lord?
Ice Hares didn't have a powerful bloodline; the highest in their species were Lords with no Monarchs, showing just how mediocre they were.
But no matter how trashy it was, it wasn't something a measly Level 5 Beast Tamer like him could handle.
However, the Gigantification +1 reward was too tempting. As the slime's core skill, improving Gigantification meant all other skills would improve too. Size was the slime's primary attribute after all.
As his eyes darted around cunningly, he realized there might be some room to maneuver here.
Chen Shu looked toward the mission hall service worker and asked, "Excuse me, what's the penalty if I fail a mission?"
"Sir, accepting missions requires a security deposit. If you fail, the deposit is forfeited."
"How much deposit for the Ice Hare Lord mission?"
Chen Shu had about a hundred thousand Huaxia yuan. He could definitely afford normal mission deposits, but he worried this one might be especially expensive.
The service worker gave him a strange look. "This mission?"
Chen Shu's mouth twitched as he saw the worker's weird expression, and he kept chanting internally, That's not disdain, that's not disdain...
"This mission was posted by the military. No deposit required - if you successfully hunt it, you get the reward."
"Huh?" Chen Shu perked up. "So it's free?"
"Yes, sir!"
Chen Shu waved his hand magnanimously. "Do you have any other free missions? I'll take them all!"
Free missions? Gimme what you got!¹
"..." The service worker was speechless. You're here casting a wide net hoping to catch dumb fish?
"Sorry, this is the only free mission currently available."
Chen Shu shook his head with deep regret and accepted the Hunt Ice Hare Lord mission.
The service worker handed him the detailed mission intelligence, which Chen Shu cheerfully grabbed before strolling out of the Beast Tamer Association.
Meanwhile, the golden slime's Gigantification skill successfully upgraded.
Gigantification: Temporarily increases size by six times.
Speed is moderately reduced.
Though the size increase kept growing larger, the side effects increased as well.
The slime was already slow, and with Gigantification active, it would move like a snail on sleeping pills.
But with Level 3 'Charge' to compensate, it wasn't a huge problem for now.
Chen Shu studied the mission intelligence carefully.
[Mission Name]: Hunt Ice Hare Lord
[Mission Difficulty]: Extremely Dangerous
[Mission Details]:
An Ice Hare Lord has recently appeared in Qingyuan Forest, frequently commanding ice hare groups to harass the Spirit Suppression Army base. This hunting mission has been specially issued. No acceptance requirements!
[Mission Reward]: 50 Huaxia Credits
[Mission Challenges]:
1. The Ice Hare Lord's whereabouts are difficult to track with no concrete leads.
2. The Ice Hare Lord is powerful, requiring at least Black Iron rank Beast Tamers to contend with it.
3. Can command ice hare groups. If surrounded, total annihilation is possible. Beast Tamers should act within their abilities!
[Mission Tip]: Ice hares are extreme neat freaks. Their habitats are likely in clean, comfortable environments.
Chen Shu glanced over the mission details and immediately tossed them to the back of his mind.
Finding it would require extreme luck, and even if he found it, he couldn't handle it.
A solo Ice Hare Lord already required Black Iron rank Beast Tamers, so the idea of it acting alone as a Lord was complete nonsense.
Once surrounded by ice hare groups, it would be straight up GG - game over, no respawns.
Chen Shu had already given up on completing it. He wandered around Qingyuan Town aimlessly.
In the middle of the night, he yawned as drowsiness hit. He returned to the hotel.
"Oh? Still watching your show?"
Chen Shu saw the front desk clerk still enthusiastically binge-watching her drama.
"Mm." The clerk nodded.
"No need to watch anymore. The murderer is that guy."
Chen Shu immediately bolted upstairs after speaking, moving ridiculously fast.
"???" The clerk was dumbfounded. After a moment, she reacted: "What the hell! Spoilers!"
Hearing the furious shouts from below, Chen Shu contentedly returned to his room, humming to himself.
Another unsolved mystery was added to the world: How did Chen Shu survive to adulthood?
"RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE!"
The snoring in the room was still incredibly powerful, as if a thunder-type beast was unleashing its power inside.
"Time to stink you to death."
Chen Shu's eyes gleamed with mischief as he picked up Old Deng's putrid sock and delicately placed it over his nose.
"Mmm... mmm..."
Old Deng's brows furrowed tightly, and his snoring immediately quieted down.
"This sock actually has a suppression effect?" Chen Shu hadn't expected this. "Finally I can get a good night's sleep."
He lay comfortably on the bed and fell into deep sleep.
...
Early the next morning.
"Holy crap! Who put a sock on my nose?!"
Old Deng's shout jolted him awake.
"Brother Deng, what's wrong?" Chen Shu rubbed his eyes; though he hadn't slept long, it was enough for him.
Thinking about the adventure in Qingyuan Forest, Chen Shu's heart raced with excitement.
"Was it you, kid?" Old Deng glared. "I had fucking nightmares all night! Dreamed I was sealed in a jar of pickles mixed with stinky tofu. That sour stench..."
"Hehe..."
Chen Shu lowered his head and snickered, not expecting Old Deng to have had such a dream.
"I don't know. I just heard you talking in your sleep last night, saying you were hungry and wanted stinky tofu. Then it seemed like you grabbed something yourself."
"..." Old Deng was speechless. Did I really do it myself?
When did I become this perverted?
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