"Love's Embrace"

Seeing this, Xiao Sha stood guard on the flank, branches trembling faintly as if scanning the surroundings.

Xiao Xi perched atop Xiao Sha's crown, extending vines to strike at the two skeletons in the lead.

"Snap." The moment the vine coiled around a skeleton's leg, Ji Xinghe swung her sword forward. A level-one monster had only 100 HP, and with one normal attack, the enemy crumpled.

[Experience Points +0.1]

But she stuck to the tactic anyway—there were still stages ahead, and they might as well use this time to build synergy...

The ancient voice rang out again, [Skeleton monster slain. Remaining skeletons: 9]

Ji Xinghe ignored it, her long sword flashing in rapid strokes.

With her two pets coordinating, it took only moments to wipe out all ten monsters.

[Dungeon cleared. Time: 00:00:39]

[Current rank: 1]

[Player 001, choose to return to the island or continue the challenge? Choosing to challenge will grant a dungeon time-limited reward.]

No hesitation. Ji Xinghe chose: "Continue the challenge!"

[Player chooses to continue the challenge. Dungeon time-limited reward granted: Defense +5 (valid until dungeon ends)]

[Second stage: Slime. Quantity: 30.]

[Countdown: 00:01:00]

The time-limited defense appeared on her stat panel—she could read it at a glance.

The dungeon gave one minute to rest. Ji Xinghe crouched down and used her Talent to Drain the attributes of the ten monsters.

[Talent Drain successful. Strength +0.1]

[Talent Drain failed. No attribute gained this time.]

Ten skeleton monsters, twenty Drain attempts. Her haul: Strength +1, Constitution +0.3, Agility +0.1.

She gave Xiao Xi and Xiao Sha a quick word of encouragement, then hugged the Star Feather Sword and waited for the second stage.

A minute later, the strange sound echoed again.

Ji Xinghe looked up at the swirling vortex gate above. From the dark opening, green Slimes began hopping out.

Same level-one monsters. Same strategy.

But this time, Xiao Xi slipped up—the Slimes were too slick, and her vines couldn't hold them steady.

Ji Xinghe eyed the slimy green blobs. "Xiao Xi, when this happens, just stretch your vines under their feet."

Xiao Xi hummed in acknowledgment. The vines shot downward, tripping the front Slimes, triggering a chain reaction...

"Splat-splat~ splat!" Like dumplings being dropped into a pot, one after another tumbled over.

Maybe because they were so slippery, they couldn't get back up. Under the rules of the stage, they slowly slid and crawled toward Ji Xinghe.

Ji Xinghe suppressed the smile at her lips and thrust her sword into the Slimes.

A steady stream of squelching sounds followed.

Soon, the last Slime was dealt with. Ji Xinghe's skirt was only slightly dirty.

She clicked her tongue. So many monsters, and only 3 Experience Points gained.

[Dungeon cleared. Time: 00:00:36]

[Current rank: 1]

[Player 001, choose to return to the island or continue the challenge? Choosing to challenge will grant a dungeon time-limited reward.]

"Continue the challenge!"

[Player chooses to continue the challenge. Dungeon time-limited reward granted: Tang Dao (valid until dungeon ends)]

[Third stage: Zombie. Quantity: 50.]

[Countdown: 00:03:00]

Ji Xinghe pulled the Tang Dao from her inventory.

[Tang Dao: Attack +10]

She silently stowed it back. This reward wasn't even as good as her own gear.

She used Drain again.

Three minutes later.

A horde of rotting-flesh Zombies dropped from the vortex.

"Sss—roar!" The shambling corpses bellowed at her.

Harsh, grating sounds, mixed with the stench of decay and blood, churning her stomach.

This time, no command was needed. Xiao Xi and Xiao Sha moved on their own.

One minute later, it was perfectly resolved, leaving only stinking rotting flesh and debris scattered everywhere.

[Clearance successful, time: 00:00:59]

[Current rank: 1]

[Dungeon broadcast: Player 001 scores a triple kill, reward: limited-time skill "Love's Embrace". Remaining players, keep up the good work!]

[Player 001, choose to return to the island or continue the challenge? Choosing to continue will grant a dungeon-limited reward.]

Ji Xinghe froze for a moment. She knew about the triple kill—it went to the first player to clear consecutively—but... Love's... Embrace?

"Love's Embrace: Control-type skill"

"Consumes 5 Spirit. Activate on a target; the hit target is forcibly teleported to your side, makes a heart gesture at you, then hugs you.

Skill duration: 1.5 seconds, cooldown: 120 seconds."

"This... ridiculous... but practical."

A system countdown sounded in her ear, snapping her back. She clicked: "Continue challenge!"

[Player chooses to continue challenge, receives dungeon-limited reward: Critical hit rate +5% (until dungeon ends)]

[Level 4: Abyss Guard, quantity: 1. Common Skeleton Guard, 10.]

[Countdown: 00:10:00]

The Level 4 boss fight was here.

Ji Xinghe first used her Talent Drain, then sat down to rest and prepare.

In her past life, she hadn't made it to this level and didn't know how it went, because the avatars of players who chose to challenge it had all gone gray.

To be safe, Ji Xinghe still thought up a few tactics.

"When the monsters descend later, Xiao Xi, you use your Vine to entangle the Skeleton Guards. I'll attack with my crossbow."

"Xiao Sha, you keep an eye on the boss. Report any movement to me immediately."

"We'll take out the small fry first, then focus fire on the boss."

The two obediently nodded. Ji Xinghe glanced at the limited-time skill on her panel and thought, if worst came to worst, letting the monster hug her... wasn't entirely out of the question.

But she had to watch the timing. If she couldn't take the target down within 1.5 seconds, she'd be in danger.

The ten-minute rest period ended.