The Charm of the Camera, the System's Reward

Xiao Wu folded her arms across her chest and tilted her pretty face up slightly, her big eyes darting back and forth between Cai Kun and Tang San.

Cai Kun glanced sideways at Tang San, who was looking at him too.

A faint stream of pale white Qi circulated in Tang San's palm, a sign that he was using the Mysterious Heaven Skill.

The kid was already on guard.

The famous scene of a rabbit eating grass was about to unfold, and Cai Kun had no time to play with the rabbit.

"Ahem, that's a good question, miss."

Cai Kun cleared his throat and raised a hand to pat Tang San on the shoulder.

"San'er, as the saying goes, rabbits are born loving to munch on grass, and your Martial Soul just happens to be Blue Silver Grass. The two of you are natural enemies, as if it were written in the stars."

"You're the one who ought to fight this battle for the dorm leader's position."

Tang San frowned and turned to Cai Kun. "Kunzi, what kind of twisted logic is that?"

"Just stating the facts."

Cai Kun clutched his stomach and backed away two steps, neither blushing nor missing a heartbeat.

"My stomach's a little upset. I need to visit the privy first."

"Hold the fort for now, and stay sharp. Whatever you do, don't disgrace Holy Soul Village!"

Before the words had fully left his mouth, Cai Kun vanished from the spot.

"Hey! How can you run away on the eve of battle?"

Xiao Wu felt slighted and stamped her foot in anger.

Tang San sighed helplessly. He could only turn back around and set the coarse-cloth bedding in his hands aside.

"I am Tang San. My Martial Soul is Blue Silver Grass. Please enlighten me."

Behind the teaching building was a dense grove of mountain bamboo, secluded and sheltered from the wind.

Cai Kun sat leaning against a rock.

With a slight thought, a translucent screen immediately unfolded before his eyes.

[Nuoding Junior Soul Master Academy overall check-in progress: 20%]

Cai Kun focused on the mission details page.

He had been busy dealing with the traffic accident at the gate and hadn't had time to read the mission description closely.

On the first page of the guidebook, the completed entry stood out:

[Checked in: take a commemorative photo with the academy's legendary gatekeeper (completion: 1/1).]

Below it were the four remaining check-in objectives, each followed by a line of highly teasing commentary:

[Pending check-in 1: take a photo with Yu Xiaogang, the renowned theory grandmaster.]

[Commentary: the only comedy grandmaster in the history of the Douluo Continent whose theory far surpasses his practice. An extremely popular check-in attraction; more than 91% of transmigrators couldn't keep a straight face when they saw him.]

[Pending check-in 2: take a photo in front of the plaque over Dorm Seven's main entrance.]

[Commentary: a must-visit for 80% of transmigrators, and Nuoding City's foremost internet-famous location. All kinds of heaven-defying geniuses once lived here, earning it the name "the gods' transfer station."]

[Pending check-in 3: take a photo with Wang Sheng, Dorm Seven's original dorm leader.]

[Commentary: famous far and wide for publicly mocking Yu Xiaogang as a freeloader, and a favorite among the Daniel Wus from all walks of life.]

[Pending check-in 4: take a group photo with the central figures Tang San and Xiao Wu.]

[Commentary: more than 99% of travelers have had intense disputes with them, making them extremely popular. Tang San in particular has held the top spot on Douluo's must-farm list for years, thanks to the creator god.]

Cai Kun couldn't keep a straight face either as he read the comments.

He hadn't expected everyone to have more or less the same goal when they transmigrated to Douluo.

They were all old acquaintances, so getting it done wouldn't be difficult at all.

Bring up the guidebook. Let me have a look; I haven't read it yet, Cai Kun said silently.

The screen flickered, and a vast map of the continent unfolded.

It was a holographic map of the Douluo Continent, densely marked with red, yellow, blue, and green coordinates.

Red dots represented scenic spots and historical sites, yellow dots represented local specialties, and green dots represented the wilderness, full of danger and fresh, unspoiled nature.

Even remote villages and towns mentioned only in passing in the original story were clearly marked.

Cai Kun reached out and tapped the icon for Nuoding Soul Master Academy, where he currently was.

A message board instantly popped up on the interface, most of its posts bearing the irritable tone of postmodern netizens.

The top comment, which had received the most likes, hung at the top:

[Boring as hell! Apart from teasing Grandmoist and rubbing the rabbit's ears, there's nothing worth seeing. The food in the first-floor cafeteria is unfit for human consumption, the second floor is outrageously expensive, and they discriminate against work-study students. Not recommended!]

Cai Kun casually scrolled down. Every review below was a one-star complaint.

"Looks like the seniors suffered quite a bit here."

Cai Kun shook his head and dragged his finger south across the map.

But the moment his fingertip touched the border of the Star Luo Empire, the entire southern region suddenly turned gray-black.

Not just the Star Luo Empire, but neighboring Barak, the Far North to the north, and Sea God Island were all sealed behind fog.

A scarlet exclamation mark appeared in the center:

[Warning: the traveler's current physiological age has been detected as six years. The traveler is not yet an adult.]

[Under exit regulations, minors must be accompanied by a guardian for the entire duration of cross-border travel.]

[Cross-country and cross-region missions are temporarily locked and will unlock upon reaching the appropriate age. They may be temporarily unlocked if accompanied by a guardian.]

At present, Old Jack seemed to be his only guardian. Ever since he had taken Old Jack on that high-speed ride, getting him to come along would probably be difficult.

"I've come all the way to another world, so why is there still an anti-addiction system?!"

"Who did you learn this anti-addiction system from? Damn it!"

Furious, Cai Kun punched the Ten-Year Solitary Bamboo beside him, sending bamboo leaves rustling to the ground.

"Fine, I'll hurry up and fleece everything I can from what's in front of me first."

"The Heaven Dou Empire is pretty big. If I take my time looking around, I should be able to spend a few years here. By then, I can also develop discreetly and gain a few dozen levels. It won't be too late to head out afterward."

Cai Kun dismissed the panel, took the camera out of his storage slot, and strode toward the main building.

He had to act with the speed of thunder and the force of a gale. The sooner he finished, the sooner he could leave.

He first strolled back to the office of the three grandmasters.

The door wasn't shut all the way. Yu Xiaogang stood before the window with his hands behind his back, gazing up at the clouds on the horizon with an air of profound melancholy.

Cai Kun knocked on the door and poked half his head inside.

"Grandmaster, busy?"

Yu Xiaogang turned around and raised an eyebrow. Putting on airs, he said in a deep voice:

"Cai Kun, is it? What do you need? If you have something to say, hurry up. I'm busy right now. The study of Martial Soul Theory is a heavy burden and a long road; I don't have a moment to spare."

"Oh! Grandmaster, your learning truly encompasses heaven and man!"

Cai Kun's mind spun, and flattery rolled off his tongue:

"Back in the dean's office, the more I thought about your theory, the more exquisitely brilliant I found it. There's never been anyone like you before, and there never will be again!"

"I figured I might never meet another great talent like you, so I'd really like a portrait to carry with me and study day and night. Might you grant me that favor, Grandmaster?"

Yu Xiaogang was delighted by what he heard, and the corners of his mouth kept curling upward.

Although he hadn't managed to take this genius as a disciple, the boy had good taste and knew how to appreciate his learning.

Sure enough, geniuses all saw things the same way. Only those who didn't understand would reject his theories.

"Ahem, you do have a bit of a thirst for knowledge, child. Very well, come here."

Yu Xiaogang straightened his robes, his expression dignified.

Cai Kun strode forward, hooked his left arm around Yu Xiaogang's arm, and instantly raised the camera with his right hand.

"Look at the camera, Grandmaster, and don't blink!"

"Click!"

The flash left Yu Xiaogang seeing stars. By the time he rubbed his stinging eyes and recovered, Cai Kun had already pulled out the photo and dashed into the corridor.

"Thanks, Grandmaster! Enjoy your research!"

Cai Kun jogged downstairs and headed straight for Dorm Seven at the rear of the main building.

As he passed the entrance, he didn't break stride. He turned sideways and pressed the shutter, aiming at the shabby wooden plaque above the door.

[Ding! Dorm Seven entrance plaque check-in complete.]

Cai Kun shoved the dormitory door open.

The room was a mess, with tables and chairs overturned on the floor.

As soon as he entered, he saw Tang San tying Xiao Wu up, the Blue Silver Grass almost twisted into a braid.

Xiao Wu's little face was flushed red, and she was still huffing angrily.

The work-study students around them held their breath, not daring to make a sound.

"Third Brother is mighty!"

"Nice tying, Third Brother!"

"Take her, Third Brother!"

Seeing how chaotic the scene was, Cai Kun knew it would be hard to take a picture, so he came up with a plan and shouted into the room:

"King Cai Kun has arrived!!!"

Everyone in the room turned to look at him in unison.

Before Tang San could speak, Cai Kun leaned back, jumped, and slid over to them.

He thrust his head in beside Tang San and Xiao Wu and held the camera high.

"Come on, come on, it's a joyous occasion, the new dorm leader's enthronement! You two involved, get closer together and smile! Let me capture the moment!"

"Click!"

"So handsome!" Cai Kun exclaimed as he looked at himself in the photo. "Now I can say I have the average looks of the reader clan."

Tang San had already experienced Cai Kun's strange habits. He merely closed his eyes helplessly for a moment and loosened his grip.

Freed from her restraints, Xiao Wu rubbed her wrists and climbed to her feet, furious.

"Tang San, you sneak-attacked me! Again..." But when she heard the camera's gears mesh and saw a stiff piece of paper slowly emerge from the bottom, her anger vanished like smoke in the wind.

Her pink ears twitched slightly, and her big eyes filled with wonder.

"Wait a second... what kind of fun contraption is that?"

Xiao Wu hurried over and snatched the photo from Cai Kun's hand.

The picture showed her embarrassing position, pinned to the ground by Tang San, with even her aggrieved pout captured in the finest detail.

"Wow! This makes me look much prettier than a mirror does!"

"What's this thing called? It's amazing!"

Xiao Wu turned the photo over and over, her love of beauty instantly gaining the upper hand.

Cai Kun pointed at the camera and explained, "This is called a camera. It can print memories into photos. There's only one in the whole world... sigh, why am I telling a jungle bumpkin like you all this? I have serious business to attend to." With that, he started to leave.

She looked up, grabbed Cai Kun's sleeve, and shook it nonstop.

"No, no! I look too ugly in that one, pinned to the ground! Take a pretty one of me by myself. Hurry!"

Cai Kun was tugged back and forth, and he rolled his eyes.

Women really were the same no matter their age. Even a hundred-thousand-year-old wild rabbit spirit couldn't resist the temptation of a selfie.

"You're so noisy. Fine, I'll take one for you, all right?"

"Stand properly and don't move."

Cai Kun stepped half a pace back and aimed the camera at Xiao Wu.

Xiao Wu immediately struck a pose, putting both hands behind her back, tilting her head, and showing a sweet smile.

"Click!"

As soon as the photo came out, Cai Kun slipped it into her hand.

While Xiao Wu looked down to examine it, Cai Kun pushed off with his feet and became an afterimage, suddenly appearing before Wang Sheng, who was huddled in the corner.

Wang Sheng's face was black and blue, and a strip of cloth was stuffed in his mouth to stop the bleeding. He stared blankly at Cai Kun, who had suddenly appeared in front of him.

"Brother, give me a smile."

Cai Kun wrapped one arm around Wang Sheng's thick neck and raised the camera with the other.

Before Wang Sheng could even open his mouth to refuse, the photo came out.

Cai Kun looked at the photo and nodded in satisfaction, then patted him on the shoulder. "Much appreciated."

[Ding!]

[All Nuoding Junior Soul Master Academy series check-in missions complete!]

[Rewards have been issued. Please check them as soon as possible.]

The job was done!

He turned and tried to slip out the door.

"Wait! Don't go!"

Xiao Wu looked at her solo photo, pouted, and chased after him, grabbing Cai Kun's clothes again.

"This one still isn't good. My hair's all messy! Take a few more for me!"

Cai Kun's eyelids twitched.

Once you started taking photos with a woman, you could forget about ever finishing.

To get rid of this trouble, with her likely to keep chasing him for photos, he took a deep breath and simply aimed the camera at Xiao Wu and Tang San beside her, his finger frantically pressing the shutter!

"Click! Click! Click! Click..."

With a series of whirring gears, ten photos spurted out of the bottom of the camera and scattered across the floor.

"Take them and choose at your leisure. Look all you want! Stop bothering me."

While Xiao Wu bent down to grab the photos, Cai Kun immediately slipped away.

He stopped at the threshold, pointed at the bedding Tang San had put in the corner, and said loudly:

"San'er, my bedding is yours. You two can divide it however you like."

"This academy has too many bad reviews. I'm afraid living here would be bad for my state of mind, so I'm going back to Holy Soul Village to sleep tonight. From now on, I'll commute!"

Cai Kun gave them no chance to make him stay.

He suddenly sprang into motion like a wild horse breaking free of its reins, whipping up a gale as he charged out of the Dorm Seven corridor in the blink of an eye, leaving only a broken wooden door swinging back and forth.

He crossed the tree-lined avenue and went around the academy's shattered main gate.

Cai Kun darted into a deserted pine grove on the outskirts of the city.

Pines rustled in waves all around him, and birds sang in the quiet.

Panting heavily, Cai Kun leaned against the trunk of a large tree and eagerly closed his eyes, sinking into his sea of consciousness.

"System, isn't it time you brought out my reward?!"