Chapter Sixty-One: Days of Leisure

“Hey! Stupid dog, I’m talking to you! What are you doing, you short-legged thing?” Luo Hanya had spent ages fussing over it at the clinic, and only after threatening to have it neutered did the short-legged dog finally stop struggling and wilt. But what Luo Hanya hadn't expected was that the silly dog was merely enduring humiliation for the sake of survival! The moment he brought it home, it began frolicking around with renewed vigor.

The short-legged dog bounced around the house, crashing into countless objects. “No! Be careful!” Luo Hanya cried out in horror. “That vase is worth hundreds of thousands! Don't you dare go near it!”

The short-legged dog rolled its eyes, sat up straight with its head held high, and nudged the vase with a paw, looking at the terrified Luo Hanya with an air of arrogance, its tail wagging nonstop.

At the sound of the name “Short Legs,” the clever corgi immediately protested, its dark eyes blazing as if to say, “Say that again, I dare you.”

This time, Luo Hanya learned his lesson. With little dignity, he fetched a sausage from the refrigerator and crouched down slowly. “Come on, let’s not fight anymore. I won’t call you Short Legs again, okay? How about I call you Koko?”

The little corgi eyed the sausage a short distance away, sniffed the air, then lay back down, sticking out its tongue and scampering over to enjoy the feast, completely oblivious to Luo Hanya sneaking up behind it.

Watching the corgi eat so heartily, Luo Hanya figured it wouldn’t notice him. He picked up the little corgi, still munching away, and said, “Oh? I hear you’re quite the troublemaker? Let me show you what comes of being so bold.” He turned the corgi upside down, grinning at its stunned expression, pleased with his own cleverness.

The corgi bared its teeth and growled, as if to say, “If you don’t put me down, you’ll regret it.”

“Oh, I’m so scared,” Luo Hanya mocked, unfazed. He grabbed the corgi’s tiny legs and carried it to another room, where a small cage in the corner was covered in dust.

“Consider yourself lucky; this cage once held our family’s treasure,” Luo Hanya said with a hint of nostalgia in his eyes. “It’s been years. I didn’t plan on keeping pets again, but then I ran into you, you little menace, and you wouldn’t leave me alone.”

With one hand, Luo Hanya mussed up the corgi’s head, ruffling its fur into a mess.

The corgi rolled its eyes, closed them, and ignored Luo Hanya, as if to say, “Who cares about you?”

Luo Hanya placed the corgi in the dusty cage, smiling at the little corgi playing dead inside. Suddenly remembering something, he slapped his forehead and left the room.

He soon returned, carrying a large basin. “Look at you, filthy as can be! The cage needs cleaning, too. Time for a nice swim.” Before finishing his sentence, he tossed the corgi, cage and all, into the basin.

No longer feigning death, the corgi flailed wildly in the water, casting a resentful glance at Luo Hanya as he turned to leave.

In the days that followed, Luo Hanya and the short-legged corgi waged an unprecedented battle of wits and courage. Eventually, they realized neither could truly best the other, and came to a tacit agreement.

Luo Hanya stopped calling the corgi by strange names and simply called it “little corgi.” He also committed to a steady supply of sausages. In return, the corgi ceased causing trouble for Luo Hanya. Thus, a temporary peace was established.

During these days of cunning and contest, Luo Hanya occasionally entered the game pod to play, only to be outsmarted by the corgi, stepping on traps it had laid.

Once the peace agreement was reached, Luo Hanya let out a long sigh, ready to relax and play a game.

Over these few days, Luo Hanya’s personal data had changed significantly.

Name: Cold Crow Luo

Level: 15
Experience: 103900/150000
Achievement Points: 34000
Inventory: 1720
Items: Little Girl’s Mirror, Chain of Health, Jester’s Gift, Testament of the Dead, 14 units of purified sulfur glycerin, Thompson Submachine Gun, Brave Heart, Mario’s Running Shoes, Turtle Shell of the Turtle Hermit School, Soul Equipment: Mysterious Ice Stone, Xuanyuan Sword Modified, Shoes of Support, Legendary Power Gloves, Invitation to the Mansion of Passion, Random Escape Dagger, Nightwalker’s Cloak, Small Life Potion.

The ragged clothes of a wanderer had been given to a beggar during a scenario, and the broken wooden sword snapped while fighting zombies.

As for the Random Escape Dagger, Nightwalker’s Cloak, and Small Life Potion, these were gained from recent scenarios.

Name: Random Escape Dagger
Type: Special Item
Quality: Fine
Effect: Usable once every twenty minutes, allows spatial traversal in a chosen direction, distance is random.
Note: Want to run? It all depends on your luck!

Name: Nightwalker’s Cloak
Type: Special Outfit
Quality: Fine
Effect: Magical accessory effect, makes you look spectacular.
Note: A garment left behind by a mysterious traveler from the East, brimming with an air of mystery.

Name: Small Life Potion
Type: Consumable
Quality: Ordinary
Effect: Relieves pain.
Note: Though called a life potion, its effects are quite mediocre.

In the knowledge library: Intermediate Occult Studies, Elementary Martial Arts, Elementary Alchemy.

Current Title: Game Explorer.

Skills: Rapid Start, Divination, Intermediate Demonization, Tai Chi, Mao Mountain Introductory Sword Technique.

Name: Intermediate Occult Studies
Effect: Enhances sensitivity to spiritual energy and increases damage dealt to spiritual entities.
Note: What exactly is occult studies? After all this time, you should have some idea, right? Sorry, I really can’t answer that.

Name: Elementary Alchemy
Effect: Slightly improves potion usage efficiency and virus resistance.
Note: You finally understand a bit about potions, though sadly it’s just knowing how to drink them and maintain hygiene.

At last, the days of chaos were over. Luo Hanya felt a surge of relief. He looked at the options before him in the scenario selection screen, and with an uninhibited grin, his eyes full of disdain, he declared, “Ordinary difficulty can no longer satisfy me. My journey is to conquer nightmares!”

Swelling with confidence, Luo Hanya casually selected Nightmare Mode, unaware that his nightmare was only just beginning.

Luo Hanya, Level 15

Please select your desired game mode.
You have chosen Solo Survival Mode: Nightmare. Please confirm.
Confirmed. Initiating mental link, scenario generation in progress.
Please select a title. Title selected: Game Explorer.
Loading, please wait.