Bell

In the lounge area, Cheng Xiaoyu ate lunch while thinking about the special key he had obtained in Demon City last time. If he had some free time over the next few days, maybe he could just use it.

And since he had come to the imperial capital, he could enter the [Demon City] here to have a look and grind some levels while he was at it.

"Cheng Xiaoyu."

Hearing someone call him, Cheng Xiaoyu looked up and saw Mo Fan and Zhao Manyan walking over with trays. The two sat down across from him, and the latter spoke first.

"Senior Cheng, everyone's been talking about you and that school beauty from Imperial Capital Academy lately. You two have been getting along pretty well these past few days, right?"

"Uh... Those people really have nothing better to do. Anyway, it's been all right."

Cheng Xiaoyu sighed helplessly. The thought of becoming everyone's idle mealtime gossip felt a little strange, and he shrugged.

As if sensing someone's gaze, he tilted his head to the side and looked over, only to see the girls at Mu Nujiao's table looking at him.

Seeing that the person in question had noticed, Mu Nujiao quickly withdrew her gaze, though her expression seemed a little downcast and lost. Bai Tingting, on the other hand, smiled sweetly and waved her Jade Hands.

Cheng Xiaoyu stared at Mu Nujiao's slightly dazed appearance, a hint of something unusual showing in his eyes. Then he turned his head and stopped looking at her.

Before long, the teachers from Mingzhu University arrived and announced the joint Wilderness Training that would follow between the two academies.

After hearing it, Cheng Xiaoyu frowned slightly, muttering inwardly.

There's actually no teacher accompanying them, and they're sending the students straight Outside Safe Zone to conduct surveys?

He had experienced an exchange-student training last time too. The difference was that not only had teachers accompanied them in secret, but the places where they fought were all familiar areas, so accidents generally would not occur.

But that Jinlin City might have even more terrifying demon beasts... Maybe they were only saying this for now, and there would definitely be teachers following in secret.

"Teacher Qiu Yuhua, may I join the team?"

"Mm, of course. This is actually President Xiao's intention as well. You only need to act when there is danger. Do not interfere at any other time."

"Understood."

Since Cheng Xiaoyu had asked the teachers, he had to bring the team back completely intact. Besides, he also wanted to protect Mu Ningxue.

After leaving the lounge area, he found Mu Ningxue and explained that he had some matters to handle tonight and would not be staying at the apartment.

"Oh, Ningxue, so this is your boyfriend? He's pretty handsome!"

Today, Mu Ningxue was not alone. Beside her was a woman with outstanding looks and figure.

The woman had an oval face, a pair of watery big eyes, a fine nose and cherry lips, and smooth, jet-black hair draped behind her head. It trembled slightly as she walked, glimmering with specks of luster.

She wore a white off-shoulder A-line dress, exposing skin as fair and delicate as suet jade to the air. Her swan-like neck, exquisite collarbones, and round, smooth shoulders all radiated temptation.

Her neckline was stretched wide by her abundant assets, and two locks of hair fell over her full chest, forming two exaggerated curves. One could not help but marvel at this woman's astonishingly ample capital—it was simply shocking!

The dress clung closely to her skin, its slim design setting off her slender, soft waist, narrow enough to be held in one hand.

The hem of the dress covered her plump, pert Jade Hips, only reaching the middle of her round, smooth thighs. Below them were shapely, tender calves.

A pair of petite Jade Feet stepped in exquisite little white shoes, paired with small white socks, looking extremely delicate.

The woman's Jade Hands were clasped behind her back. She was like the "white moonlight" in men's hearts—beautiful, pure, and not to be profaned!

"Hello, Handsome Guy. My name is Nanrong Ni. I'm Ningxue's good bestie."

"Hello, my name is Cheng Xiaoyu. I'm Xiaoxue's boyfriend."

Cheng Xiaoyu greeted her, then turned to look at Mu Ningxue and could not help teasing her.

"What's this? I thought you didn't have many friends at school. I was worried for nothing."

"Those words... make me very uncomfortable..."

Mu Ningxue gripped her left arm with her right hand, her gaze somewhat evasive as she refuted him stiffly.

"All right. Contact me by phone if anything comes up."

Cheng Xiaoyu had originally wanted to ask Mu Ningxue to go out for a stroll in the afternoon and then have dinner together in the evening, but the two of them had probably already made plans for the afternoon, so he left first.

Of course Mu Ningxue wanted to stick together with her boyfriend, but she had already promised Nanrong Ni before, and it would not be good to stand her up.

Watching Cheng Xiaoyu's departing back, a hidden glimmer flashed through Nanrong Ni's Beautiful Eyes. The corner of her lips curved into a sly smile, and no one knew what she was thinking.

"Ningxue, you two should have already... right?"

Seeing the gesture Nanrong Ni made, Mu Ningxue's pretty face reddened. Even though she was rather cold on the outside, she would still feel shy when talking about this kind of thing.

"Don't try to argue. Even if you do your best to hide it, you can't fool me, your good bestie."

"Mm..."

"How was it? Did that kind of experience feel good?"

Cheng Xiaoyu had no way of knowing the conversation between the two girls. That evening, after finishing dinner, he arrived in the deserted outskirts of the imperial capital.

He took out the [Cursed Key] he had obtained in [Demon City]. He had also been notified about the [Class Advancement Quest] earlier, so this was the perfect time to complete it.

[Notification]

[Do you wish to accept the Class Advancement Quest?]

"Accept."

[Begin Job Change Quest]

[Please enter the Dungeon through the portal]

In an instant, the air seemed to freeze. The once-vivid world sank into a sheet of gray, and everything lost its breath of life.

The next second, lightning flared before his eyes. Purple arcs of electricity wove and flashed through the air, until finally, a dark-purple hollow appeared in front of him, like an eyeball staring at the one who had arrived.

But after his first experience with the [Job Change Quest], a scene like this was hardly enough to amaze Cheng Xiaoyu. He stepped straight inside.

His vision shifted, and what entered his eyes was an enormous cavern. Sharp stalactites crowded the ceiling, and an inexplicable chill hung in the air.

Cheng Xiaoyu let out a breath, his brows furrowing slightly. From the moment he entered this cavern, he felt as if countless pairs of eyes were watching him.

An ambush right after I get in, huh? Seems pretty interesting...

Pairs of crimson eyes lit up in the dim cavern. Tiny sounds echoed through the air, unlike those Demon Beasts—more like the sounds made by some kind of insect.

Wait, wait, this looks like... ants?

Under Cheng Xiaoyu's clear gaze, he saw that he was far from alone in this enormous cavern. Nearby, large red insects lay sprawled on the ground, and several more of the things clung to the Stone Pillars and stone walls.

Judging by their features, they looked more like ants—but what ant was this huge? And they even had two pairs of thin wings on their backs. Had they evolved or something?!

"Screech!"

Suddenly, a much clearer sound rang out, accompanied by an extremely powerful aura rushing toward him head-on. That aura alone was enough to make a person feel fear.

A layer of cold sweat broke out over Cheng Xiaoyu's back. This was only the second time he had sensed the breath of death. The first had been when he encountered the Steel-Toothed Demon Wolf.

A soft yet heavy footstep sounded. He immediately focused his gaze, his nerves stretched taut as if facing a formidable enemy, his body already entering a state of alert by instinct.

A pair of crimson eyes flickered, and a tall, upright figure slowly walked out. Its entire body was covered in a smooth black-brown exoskeleton, as if wrapped in a glossy suit of armor, with two pairs of thin wings spread behind it.

Its limbs looked especially long beneath the armor. Unlike the scrawny legs of an ant, it appeared extremely powerful—especially its sharp Claws, which seemed capable of slicing through iron at will.

At the front of its mouth was a pair of well-developed mandibles, their edges lined with fine serrations, like two pincers capable of tearing and biting.

[Ant King—Bell]

Under Cheng Xiaoyu's wary gaze, Bell slowly dropped to one knee before him and lowered his noble head to his king.

[My King, this subordinate has finally awaited you.]

Hearing this, Cheng Xiaoyu's tense nerves slowly relaxed. He understood that this ant should be the same as Yegelite from the previous [Job Change Quest], and he slowly let out a breath of relief.

How is this a quest? This is clearly a reward the system gave me!

He swept his gaze over the enormous crimson ants around him, then looked at the powerful Bell kneeling before him. The corner of his mouth lifted into a smile full of anticipation and excitement.

"Stand up!"