NOVEL NEXT Chapter 21: Entering the Underworld
On the light cone screen
On the light cone screen Luoluo could see Wende, wearing a white lab coat, had a determined look on his face. The sunlight behind him cast his muscular upper body in and out of view through the coat, while the lightning needles in his hand radiated energy
Gulp
Luoluo, looked at the "perfect" scene on the light column and swallowed nervously.
【Gulp……】
【Oh no, I drooled.】
【Oh no he’s hot!】
【Ah! I want to lick lick lick lick! I want to hug him directly!】
【I’m going crazy!】
【Scared.jpg】
【Hehe, MiHoYo, you underestimate my spending habits! I’ll just pull for the light column right now! Who’s Seele? Never heard of her!】
【Sorry, I just passed out. Did the they pull Seele yet?】
The screen in the live stream showed Luoluo, with a flushed face, quickly closing the light cone interface and then frantically pulling from the gacha pool as if there was something urgent happening.
Whether it was due to this frantic desire or something else, she actually pulled Seele on her 70th pull. Although she was still ten pulls away from the guarantee, it was still good news that it didn’t go wrong.
Originally, Luoluo, should have continued pulling from the light column for this "lucky person" since there were still plenty of tickets available.
However, she, didn’t do that. Instead, with a flushed face, she rapidly exited the lucky person’s account, logged into her own account, and crazily bought several top-ups.
“Hehe… Wende! My Wende! Let me touch your abs ah ah ah ah!!!”
The formerly gentle older sister had instantly turned into a yandere-like figure, pouring her substantial funds into the Seele gacha pool.
【Oh no, the up she’s going crazy.】
【Ah, I just came from another stream, it’s about the same there.】
【I think… people shouldn’t, at least not…】
【I got Seele and Wende’s light cone】
【Who asked?】
【Seele: Look at me! Look at me! I’m the limited 5-star!】
In the end, the well-known streamer spent 5000,000 jades and maxed-out Wende’s light cone, along with getting a Seele with 6 constellations and another maxed out light cone.
Unexpectedly, during this process, two additional Wende were pulled, making Luoluo’s Wende maxed out as well.
After pulling all this, Luoluo, collapsed onto her gaming chair, her gaze empty as she looked at the maxed-out Wende and the maxed-out light cone.
What was she doing earlier? What was she supposed to do? Why do people live? What is the meaning of her existence?
【Oh no, it seems Luoluo has entered sage mode!】
Still questioning life, Luoluo seemed to notice the r comments in the live stream, so she got up and gently apologized to the stream before shutting it down.
“Sigh… so tired.”
Luoluo, took off her coat, looking exhausted.
She took off her pink slippers, stepped barefoot onto the fluffy carpet, and collapsed into the warm, soft bed next to the computer desk, hugging the newly arrived Wende body pillow and slowly closed her eyes.
Soon, even breathing and murmurs full of Wende could be heard…
Meanwhile, on the other side.
Another streamer, Kakaya, was currently facing the viewers' scrutiny because of his inexplicable comments about Wende’s body illustration.
【Tell us! Do you have socks on!】
【Tell us! Are you gay?!】
【Tell us now!】
“I was wrong, okay? I repent! I just envy his strong muscles! Isn’t that normal?”
Kakaya tried to argue defensively, but the barrage of comments was coming in with increasingly rapid-fire responses.
【Really? I don’t believe it.】
【Admit it, you’re horny with Wende.】
【Wende: Unfilial child! Unfilial child!】
“Impudence! That’s our father! How could we commit such a heinous act!”
Kakyaya was indignant and refused to admit it!
【Yes, yes, pay attention to the light cone, okay? I only care about Wende.】
【See, I told you there would be trouble!】
【Feeling sorry for Wende…】
【To be honest, doesn’t this pose look a bit familiar?】
【If you hadn’t mentioned it, I wouldn’t have noticed.】
【Hmm, I have a bad feeling.】
………………
Back in Boulder Town
“Everyone, this is Boulder Town. I apologize for not hosting you properly. I’ve already booked the best hotel rooms in Boulder Town for you. Please follow me.”
After entering Boulder Town, Sampo acted like a real tour guide, introducing the famous landmarks of the town while explaining its history.
As they walked and stopped, amidst the curious gazes of the underworld’s residents and Bronya’s contemplation, the group finally arrived at Sampo’s so-called “luxury hotel.”
“This is… the luxury hotel?”
March 7th looked at the dilapidated hotel with a sign that looked like it might fall apart at any moment, and looked at Sampo with doubt.
“Of course! This is the best hotel in the underworld!”
Sango nodded confidently and led the group inside the hotel.
Under the enthusiastic hospitality of the hotel owner, the explorers finally saw what Sampo referred to as the “luxury suite.”
“Uh…”
March 7th glanced at the calm Wende and Dan Heng, then at the guilty-looking Bronya, and finally tugged on Stelle’s arm, looking at her for help.
“Can we sleep with you?”
“Sure.”
So, with the hotel owner’s cheerful smile, the traiblazers successfully settled in the underground and were finally able to rest properly.
As for Sampo, after collecting a “voluntary” week’s worth of accommodation fees from the explorers, he was let go of by Wende. That amount of money shouldn’t be too much of a burden, right?
Wende tossed the several shields in his hand, reflecting on Sampo’s pitiful smile that was worse than crying before he left.
“Everyone, rest for now.”
Wende addressed the group and then turned his attention to Bronya. Since entering the underground, she had been gloomy, likely due to feeling guilty after seeing the state of the lower district…
Wende didn’t approach to comfort her. Some things are best resolved through personal reflection.
The situation in the underground was as bad as, if not worse than, the overworld. There were no Silvermane Guards protecting this place, and the defense relied on the “Wildfire” organization formed by the local residents to combat the fragmentum. However, spontaneous resistance can only do so much.
Sigh
This town was one of the only two safe zones underground, the other being Svarog’s robot settlement.
He wondered if anything would happen to Svarog’s mechanical settlement in these seven days.
Wende shook his head, deciding not to dwell on it. It’s good to prepare for the worst, but overthinking can be paralyzing.
That evening, the enthusiastic shopkeeper brought them local delicacies from the underground.
Including bread as hard as stones, black beer that tasted like waste water, barbecue made from sewer lizard meat, and underground hermit crabs that didn’t resemble crabs at all.
March 7th and the others, who were expecting a gourmet feast, were stunned upon seeing this “extremely lavish” meal.
“Is this… really edible?”
Bronya, who was called out by March 7th and Stelle, gently poked the black bread on her plate with a knife, finding it felt like poking a weight.
Clang!
The sound of metal clashing came, followed by sparks flying between the black bread and the knife.
“Uh…”
Bronya decisively put down the knife and looked at Stelle, who was chewing on the unknown meat.
“Yuck!!!”
March 7th immediately spat out the underground hermit crab she had tasted.
She then looked in amazement at Stelle, who was devouring the food.
“Uh… I’ll pass.”
Dan Heng put down his cutlery and walked towards his room.
“Sigh, is this how the underground residents live?”
Bronya fell into reflection.
Pull, pull…
March 7th tugged at Wende’s sleeve, looking at him with a pitiful expression.
“Creak…”
Dan Heng had already left the room.
Chew chew chew
Stelle was still eating.
Smack!
Wende slapped his forehead in frustration; he couldn’t watch anymore!
“Enough, stop eating.”
Looking at Stelle’s face turning pale from eating, Wende gently handed her a lightning rod and helped her induce vomiting.
“Urgh!”
Watching Stelle rush to the hotel’s bathroom to vomit, Wende sighed.
“Does this place need me to cook for them?”
He decided to borrow the kitchen from the hotel owner.
Fortunately, he had anticipated such a situation, so he had brought some Xianzhou rice and ham in his backpack. Considering that eggs might get damaged during transport and he needed to save space, he only brought these two items. Otherwise, he could have made ham and egg fried rice.
All he needed to do was cook the rice, stir-fry it with the ham, adjust the flavor a bit, and a simple ham fried rice was done.
Wende looked at the pot of fried rice.
This should be the first and last meal he would have in the underworld.
After all, his backpack wasn’t a dimensional pocket; it had limited space. He wasn’t Doraemon!