Fanatic Believer

[The landlord used intimidation to subdue the Gate of Divinity, and earned 2,000 Survival Points.]

When Zeng Mo heard the system notification, his eyes lit up. He immediately thought the person sprinting toward the Gate of Divinity might be a player who'd just joined the game.

In an instant, he rushed toward the player charging at the Gate of Divinity, shouting at the top of his lungs.

"Hey, you! What are you doing next time? Going to the bathroom?"

The player sprinting over heard Zeng Mo's words and tripped, tumbling head over heels and landing flat on his face.

After the player fell, the elderly couple and the other people nearby also tumbled to the ground for no apparent reason. That was enough to send the confused young streamer into a panic.

Nothing happened, and it almost felt as if he'd just had a nightmare.

Zeng Mo turned and walked toward the second floor of the shopping district.

[Warning! Warning! You have entered a dangerous shopping district. Beware! A group of terrifying, mutated beasts and dangerous supernatural entities are lurking here. Some are hidden, while others are in plain sight. They're eyeing you hungrily. Leave immediately!]

He ignored the warning ringing in his ears.

Zeng Mo arrived at a supermarket that sold all sorts of items.

The supermarket owner saw him coming and immediately put on a warm smile as he greeted him. "Young man, you're back again! Are you looking for those cute little cats and dogs you wanted last time? How about some toys?"

Zeng Mo thought for a moment, then shook his head.

"Anything else you'd recommend?"

"This brand of mint-flavored slime ball is really famous. It's also a very popular toy. Give it a squeeze or a pinch, and it releases an enticing smell that cats and dogs love. And it's completely safe." The supermarket owner pointed to a row of colorful, round balls on the counter, about the size of gumdrops.

"How much for the slime balls?"

"One hundred each. Ten for a thousand."

Zeng Mo fell silent.

That was a total rip-off.

Ten balls would cost as much as a month's rent.

But he had to take the toys home for the Green Jewel to use, and then arrange for the ritual, so he had to spend the money.

Zeng Mo considered it, then finally settled on five hundred. After haggling with the owner for quite a while, he managed to get five slime balls, then started heading out of the supermarket.

As he reached the door,

he became certain he wasn't going to sell those things.

It wasn't that they weren't worth the price.

It was that he needed too many, and carrying them around was inconvenient.

So, in the end, he decided he'd go back home, look through the pile of trash in the junkyard for a while, and put the useful stuff he found on the auction house. By noon tomorrow, the auction proceeds should be enough to cover his expenses.

He left the supermarket.

Zeng Mo hadn't expected to earn Survival Points from the supermarket owner.

After all, when he'd used his Eye of Truth to examine the owner, the reaction he got—and the reactions of most people in the shopping district—were just like those of dead bones lying in a mausoleum.

[Warning! Warning! The danger in the apartment is imminent! A level-three curse entity and its followers have appeared. They are not under the control of the previous landlord and have no allegiance to the landlord's followers. Please immediately gather your kin and lieutenants, and evacuate this area as quickly as possible. Otherwise, you'll be caught up in their cursed realm and killed!]

What a coward.

Zeng Mo heard the system warning again and returned to his room.

He yawned.

The door to the apartment opened, and a little white dog bounded in, barking excitedly.

"Woof!"

At the entrance, the little white dog that had been sitting still for hours wagged its tail. When it saw Zeng Mo come through the door, it barked and jumped around happily, as if it had been missing him.

Then—

A cloud of black-and-white light emerged from the little white dog. Only Zeng Mo could see it. The light drifted toward him.

[Congratulations, landlord. The three-headed dog of your land has developed a fervent faith in you. It has become your fanatic believer. You have gained 1,000 Survival Points and 100 Faith.]

"?"

Zeng Mo froze.

He was a little confused.

The little white dog he'd left at home for several hours had become a fanatic believer just from him coming back.

He looked at the little dog, still wagging its tail and circling him. It stared at him with adoration, even following him wherever he went, sticking close to his side.

At that moment, he thought of a certain kind of effect.

The effect of giving a dog a little something to eat and then doing it again. It would gradually become attached to its owner.

The little white dog had originally been a stray, taken in by him. No—rather, it had been a stray puppy who didn't know how it had ended up there. That was why it had been so grateful when he'd taken it home. It had developed a sort of attachment to him.

Zeng Mo finished washing up, picked up the little white dog, and sat down on the sofa. "Little White, when your owner wakes up, where would you like her to take you to play?"

"Woof!"

The little dog seemed to understand what Zeng Mo had said. Its wet nose sniffed around, and it looked at him with curiosity and delight.

"Haha, when your owner wakes up, I'll take you somewhere fun."

Zeng Mo smiled and opened the system store. After spending a while picking out some cat food and other supplies, he used his credit to pay a thousand, then went to his old desk and opened the Gate of Divinity.

Although he'd been trying to put it out of his mind, he still felt shaken.

Zeng Mo glanced at the Gate of Divinity. It was a message from his wife, Yu Lin.

"Honey, I'm home. My phone died too, so I didn't know what to tell you. Sorry for the trouble."

"Don't worry about it. I'll forgive you this time," Zeng Mo replied.

"Mm, I know, honey. I'm sorry. I'm nearly nodding off while I eat—I'm so sleepy."

Zeng Mo laughed at her tired voice and replied, "Haha, once you finish dinner and take a shower, you can go straight to bed, right?"

"Yes, honey. I've set my phone aside to charge. I'll eat quickly."

"Wait. Your wife knows where there's a Green Jewel you can reclaim."

"Reclaiming a Green Jewel? I have an uncle who runs a Green Jewel business in Goldsea City. Honey, do you want one?"

"Oh, dear, I have a few Green Jewels at home, so I'm not in a hurry. But your husband does have a big need for them. If you know anyone who can be trusted, could you help me find some?"

Zeng Mo answered as if it were obvious.

But he knew Yu Lin wouldn't believe him.

She was just going along with what he said.

Sure enough.

Just as he'd expected.

Yu Lin sent back a voice message with a smile in her voice.

"Honey, I'm only kidding. Since you need a Green Jewel, you should just say so. Don't worry about finding someone to help. When I get back, I'll take you to my uncle's store. I'm sure I can get you a good one."

Zeng Mo smiled to himself. He didn't need to explain too much.

"That sounds good. Go eat, sweetheart."

"Okay, honey."

Yu Lin sent a voice message, her tone lively, with a hint of mischief.

Zeng Mo replied with a smiling emoji, then put his phone aside to charge. He began to feel a little sleepy, so he opened the Gate of Divinity.

The Gate of Divinity opened in the living room.

The little white dog lying beside him instantly vanished. It reappeared in the divine realm, then sprang to its feet and hurried toward the Gate of Divinity.

Or, to be precise, toward the statue standing at the entrance of the divine realm—a huge wolf-like dog with a burning orb in its mouth. It headed straight for it.