The Ancient Well entrance was rather narrow.
Xu Nan and Qin Lele had to use the Strength of Nine Bulls and Two Tigers, even using the Lubricating Oil Qin Lele had brought, before they managed to stuff the rather plump A-Tang inside!
Fortunately, it was much roomier below. Once she had slid past the tightest part, the resistance lessened considerably.
With a splash, Xu Nan heard A-Tang fall into the water.
The two of them followed her down the rope. The Ancient Well was not very deep, and there was a little standing water at the bottom. Under the flashlight's beam, a bumpy path led into the unknown depths underground.
A-Tang lay on the ground in a daze.
Xu Nan comforted her. "It's fine, it's fine. We won't laugh at you for being fat."
A-Tang stared blankly at the well opening.
"I'm wondering how I'm supposed to get back out later."
Xu Nan and Qin Lele looked at each other. Clearly, neither of them had considered that problem.
Though Qin Lele had been shocked at first, after some time, she had gotten used to the fact that Xu Nan's friend was a giant panda—and that this giant panda could speak.
She thought for a moment. "It's okay. I still have half a can of Lubricating Oil left."
Xu Nan suddenly asked, "Why are you carrying Lubricating Oil around?"
A bashful look appeared on Qin Lele's face.
Xu Nan's face reddened. He immediately realized he should not keep asking, inwardly lamenting the decline of public morals. Qin Lele was still so young.
Then, in the next second, she said shyly:
"My lockpicking skills aren't very refined. Sometimes, rusty locks are easy to damage. At times like that, a little Lubricating Oil makes things much easier."
Xu Nan's expression froze. So he had gotten the wrong idea.
Well, it was perfectly normal for a thief to carry Lubricating Oil, wasn't it?
Awooo!
From deep underground came faint sounds resembling wolf howls, though they were so quiet that they could only be heard occasionally.
It seemed the dungeon built by the Gnolls was still some distance from the Ancient Well entrance.
Qin Lele took out an Operation Plan, her face flushed with excitement. She was clearly thrilled.
It looked like this was her first time too.
"This is the Strategy Guide I carefully researched."
"According to the drone's investigation, there are more than twenty combat-capable Gnolls in the Gnoll Camp. They have posted sentries at the entrance leading outside, so it would be best if we could sneak in without anyone noticing..."
Before she could finish, Xu Nan waved his hand. "It's fine. We have a better way to clear it."
Qin Lele asked in confusion, "Hm?"
Xu Nan waved. "A-Tang!!"
Though reluctant, A-Tang puffed out her chest and plunged headfirst into the darkness.
Before long, sounds of fighting rose from ahead.
Qin Lele asked anxiously, "Won't this alert the enemy...?"
Her voice drifted off on the last word.
Because when she and Xu Nan caught up, they saw only two scrawny Gnolls unconscious on the ground, presumably knocked out by a single slap from A-Tang.
"What alerting the enemy? Didn't you make thorough scouting preparations?"
Xu Nan was brimming with confidence. "Gnolls are just useless cannon fodder. If there aren't any other monsters, we can just watch. Oh, right, are you hungry?"
"I brought some food. We can follow behind A-Tang and eat later."
Qin Lele hesitated. "Wouldn't that be inappropriate?"
Xu Nan asked, "Want some chips?"
Qin Lele's eyes lit up. "I want two bags!"
From the darkness ahead came A-Tang's grief-stricken roar, followed by the terrified wails of the Gnoll sentries!
Before long, the group had descended several hundred meters along the winding path.
They were already some distance below the surface. The air had grown murky, but fortunately, they could hear the flow of the Underground River. Since the Gnolls had chosen to build a dungeon here, it proved the place was still suitable for habitation.
Along the way, the Gnoll sentries were no match at all for the giant panda A-Tang.
She charged fearlessly at the very front, slapping down one Gnoll after another. She was ferocious beyond belief.
Qin Lele had felt a little embarrassed at first, but later she happily accepted this entirely new way of clearing a dungeon.
Xu Nan was not surprised.
After all, giant pandas were naturally formidable creatures, and A-Tang was even more extraordinary.
Although after becoming his magical pet, her level had been restricted to the same level as his—level two—her health was still over two hundred points!
That number was already terrifying.
Although Xu Nan could not see her attributes, specialties, abilities, or spells, his intuition told him that this magical pet, who could still hide things from her master, was anything but ordinary.
Xu Nan had originally planned for this dungeon run to be cleared by Qin Lele and himself working together. Later, he changed his mind and decided to probe A-Tang's true capabilities.
The facts proved that useless creatures like Gnolls really could not test the abilities of a creature at the top of Earth's food chain, like a giant panda.
A-Tang had basic-attacked her way through the entire route without taking a single injury.
What Xu Nan found strange, however, was that despite being ordered around by him, she seemed exceptionally motivated and even somewhat excited.
Could this giant panda have a taste for slaughter?
"The Gnoll Camp is across the river? What should we do? Do you need me to sneak over and set a fire to disrupt their morale?"
After finishing two bags of chips, Qin Lele was eager to try.
Xu Nan shook his head and rejected Qin Lele's plan, even though it was the most reasonable one and the method most commonly used by adventurers in this other world.
"If Gnoll sentries can't force out her strength, then let the real Gnoll Warriors do it!"
After inheriting the Ron Sorcerer Bloodline, Xu Nan had unconsciously become more devious. Even selling out his own magical pet came naturally to him.
He pulled Qin Lele over to sit by the river, casually spread out a picnic cloth, and took out plenty of delicious food.
Then he pointed toward the Gnoll Camp across the river.
"A-Tang, it's up to you!"
Pet Edict!
The giant panda glared resentfully at Xu Nan, but she could only vent her anger on the pitiful Gnoll Warriors!
Howling, she swam across the not-so-shallow Underground River, slapped away the Gnolls' barricade with one paw, and caused a commotion among them!
More than twenty Gnolls began gathering. Among them were even Gnoll Archers and Imp Axemen!
Although Xu Nan was eating roast duck, he still activated Darkvision and closely watched A-Tang's situation!
A-Tang sneered. "All of you, kneel before me!"
The Gnolls chattered away in Gnoll Language. One particularly large Gnoll, carrying a long blade and a shield, tried to communicate with her in Common Language.
Neither side understood the other's language. It was awkward.
A-Tang grew irritated by the noise and swung her paw without another word!
Her strength was terrifying. The skinny Gnolls simply could not withstand it. Several of them surrounded her, only to be sent flying by a few slaps!
At that moment, a cold arrow emerged from the darkness and lodged crookedly in her shoulder.
A-Tang, who had been valiantly smacking Gnolls on the head, immediately let out a wail and sat squarely on one Gnoll's head, crushing it flat. "Wuwuwu, I'm hurt!"
From across the river came Xu Nan's chanting. He first cast Protection from Arrows, then Greater Heal and Enlarge Spell!
The giant panda, originally only half a person tall, immediately grew to nearly two meters and looked rather terrifying.
"Go for it, you can do it!" After finishing all that, Xu Nan went back to gnawing on roast duck.
A-Tang threw back her head and howled. Tears of a hero streamed down her face as she leaped up and crushed several more Gnoll Warriors to death beneath her backside!
The Gnolls threw down their weapons and fled. The Imps were even worse off. They hid in the corners, trembling. Their short legs told them they would certainly die if they ran, while surrender might leave them a chance at survival, so white flags began rising throughout the burrow.
"Trying to run? Did you ask my butt for permission?" A-Tang had slaughter in her eyes as she chased after the Gnolls and sat on them wildly.
Her jumping ability was astonishing, and her weight was equally devastating. Every time she landed in a cluster of Gnolls, she crushed several to death.
Just ten minutes later.
The Gnoll Camp had been completely steamrolled. Most of the Gnolls had died horribly, and the scene was extremely bloody. Eventually, even Qin Lele could not bear to watch and ran aside to throw up for a while.
After all, she was a girl who had never seen such bloody scenes before.
Xu Nan was much better off. Though he also disliked the sight, perhaps the power of his bloodline helped steady his emotions.
The two found a shallower stretch of river and crossed it.
By the time they reached the camp, A-Tang had already calmed down. The remaining two Gnolls and the Imps crouched in the burrow, too afraid to show themselves, while an air of grim killing intent filled the camp.
"I want a raise. I want the color TV in my bedroom replaced with the biggest one available. Also, you need to buy me a computer that suits me."
A-Tang sat atop a Gnoll corpse and said resentfully, "Otherwise, I'm going on strike."
"I'm telling you, next time you want me to sell my butt, you'd better come up with some better rewards. Magical pets have feelings too. If baby isn't happy, the contract might fail!"
Xu Nan looked closely and found that the magical pet panel indeed had an affinity option.
It had apparently been normal before, but now it read resentment. Once it reached hatred, the contract they had signed would probably automatically fail.
Xu Nan immediately comforted her. "The capable should do more work. A-Tang, you're so amazing. Next time, I'll get you Xin'er's autograph."
"Really!?"
Her affinity immediately changed to friendly.
The corner of Xu Nan's mouth twitched slightly. She really was practical!
At that moment, Qin Lele searched through the camp's supplies in confusion.
"Huh? Why are these Gnolls so poor? They don't even have a complete set of adventurer equipment?"
Xu Nan pondered briefly, then fixed his gaze on the calm and composed A-Tang.
The latter held her head high, her gaze utterly open and honest.
Xu Nan thought for a moment.
"Maybe... Gnolls are just this poor. Right, A-Tang?"
Before you continue