Xu Huo and Bubble Bean returned to the village one after the other. The painted woman had already cleaned up the house. She'd also put her social skills to use, borrowing local snacks from several neighbors—mostly wild fruit from the forest and edible wild greens—and laid out a small spread. She assured them that none of it had cost a thing.
Watching the two of them "talk," Bubble Bean entered the house with a gloomy look.
"How did it go?" the Yin Yang Master asked at once.
"I can't figure out what kind of person he is." Bubble Bean had gotten nowhere with his probing. "If he's pretending to be the hidden friend, he should've fought us to the death in the woods. He wouldn't have followed us here."
"Maybe he isn't confident he can win," the Yin Yang Master said. "After all, it's two against one. That woman looks like she has a screw loose and can't fight. Since he's a mental-type Super Evolver, it's normal if he isn't good at combat."
There was nothing strange about Super Evolvers relying on their Super Evolution powers. They'd encountered plenty of Players like that.
"We can't let our guard down. I've already agreed with him that we'll leave each other alone." Bubble Bean made a point of warning him. "Don't go looking for trouble. If they really aren't Dungeon Players, there's no need to antagonize them."
The Yin Yang Master had no choice but to nod. Just then, someone outside called to them, saying dinner was almost ready and inviting them over.
When the two came out, they ran into Xu Huo and the painted woman. They were no longer as stiff with each other as before, and exchanged friendly nods.
Since it was a communal meal, the tables had been