Chu Mo sat up in bed and reached for the space that came with the Chat Group.
He hadn't been lying. The pills he made and Xiao Lu could indeed speed up cultivation. They wouldn't make anyone a Titled Douluo overnight, of course, but even a small boost could ease the pressure weighing on them.
And most importantly, after they'd slandered him like that, wouldn't it be beastly of him not to do something about it?~
Knock, knock, knock!!!!
While he was still thinking, someone suddenly pounded on his locked door!
"Chu Mo, are you in there? Open up for this great lady!"
One listen was all it took to know who it was: Wang Dong'er, who was currently disguised as a boy.
Hearing her shout reminded Chu Mo that they seemed to be staying right next door.
Did that mean he'd just exposed himself? But he hadn't planned to hide his identity anyway. The other person had chosen not to join the group, and members could leave whenever they wanted. The group only erased their memories; it didn't take their lives. So betrayal by a group member was unlikely.
But why was she pounding on his door? Chu Mo couldn't figure it out. He set the pills he'd just taken out aside and headed for the door.
"Coming, coming. Stop knocking."
Click.
The door opened to reveal a furious Wang Dong'er, with a shy little girl, Huo Yu'er, standing beside her.
"You—!"
Wang Dong'er had just been about to let loose when she saw who had opened the door. She froze, her finger stuck in the air and her words lodged in her throat.
"Hello, Big Brother Group Leader!"
Huo Yu'er was the first to speak. Head lowered, she glanced at Chu Mo, her fingers fidgeting as she spoke in a timid voice.
"Heh, Yu'er, just call me Chu Mo. You don't have to call me Group Leader."
She was indeed thin, probably malnourished. Chu Mo felt a pang of sympathy and beckoned to her.
"Come inside first. Let's not talk out here."
The two went inside. The onlookers outside, who'd been hoping for a show, immediately lost interest. They'd expected a fight, but things had turned out to be remarkably peaceful.
Chu Mo led them into the room, closed the door, and turned to face the two girls.
Huo Yu'er kept her head lowered and asked in a timid voice,
"Um, Group Leader—no, Big Brother Chu Mo. Could I use the thing you mentioned that can speed up cultivation?"
Chu Mo blinked. Had they come all this way just to cultivate? There was no need to make such a commotion over it.
A glance at Wang Dong'er and Huo Yu'er was all it took to understand. Huo Yu'er was the one who wanted to get stronger, while Wang Dong'er had some other reason for coming.
"Of course. My Martial Soul is right over there. I'll have it open a field, and you can try cultivating."
Wang Dong'er and Huo Yu'er followed his gaze and spotted Xiao Lu, munching on fruit atop the bed.
Xiao Lu noticed them too and stopped chewing to look over. When it saw them staring, it quickly hid the fruit behind its back. It had gotten those by selling its soul and body; there was no way it would share them with anyone!
"Wow, it's so cute!"
That was Wang Dong'er's first comment since arriving. She stared straight at Xiao Lu.
"Mm!" Huo Yu'er nodded too.
Their reaction was much like Xiao Xiao's when she'd first seen Xiao Lu.
"Heh, it's my Martial Soul. Xiao Lu, stop eating and open up a field so Yu'er can cultivate."
Chu Mo hurried to the bed and gently stroked Xiao Lu.
At that, Xiao Lu reluctantly put away its fruit. As they watched, its round body began to wobble, shrinking from the size of a basketball to that of a pillow. Green light rose around it, covering half the room.
"Gurgle~"
"Wow, that's amazing!"
Huo Yu'er instinctively took a couple of steps closer and gazed at Xiao Lu. She could sense how extraordinary it was, but she still didn't begin cultivating.
Unable to resist her adorable expression, Chu Mo reached out and patted her head. Then he picked up the pills he'd originally prepared for Tang Ya.
"Yu'er, these are cultivation pills. Take one and cultivate nearby. See if it helps you progress faster."
That reminder brought Huo Yu'er back to the main reason she'd come.
"Okay. Thank you, Big Brother Chu Mo."
Why was she accepting someone else's gift so readily?
Obviously... because Huo Yu'er had already decided how she would repay him in the future. It might not be enough, but she would do her best.
"Dong'er, tell me why you came. What was with all that noise?" Once Huo Yu'er began cultivating, Chu Mo turned to Wang Dong'er.
Wang Dong'er had been watching Xiao Lu, but at his question she suddenly grew uneasy and stammered,
"I-I just didn't want you deceiving Sister Tang Ya, so I came to check on you!"
Chu Mo knew her real gender, so Wang Dong'er didn't bother hiding it from him, though she was still dressed as a boy.
"Oh, all right. Wait here, then. Once Yu'er's done cultivating, you can ask her yourself."
"Hm?"
Wang Dong'er was furious. He thought he could brush her off with just a few words?
Watching her puff up in anger, Chu Mo found it a little funny.
"What's wrong? Is there something else?"
"Of course! Can't you give me some of what you gave Yu'er?"
Wang Dong'er didn't think she lacked courage. But they were both group members, weren't they? If the Group Leader was handing things out and Yu'er got something, why didn't she?
"You're being so nice to Yu'er. Are you planning to make a move on her?"
Chu Mo found her train of thought baffling. Looking at the furious, pufferfish-like Wang Dong'er, he felt a little strange. If she'd been dressed as a girl, he might have gone soft, but she was dressed as a boy!
"If giving Yu'er something means I'm making a move on her, then giving you something would mean I was making a move on you. Are you saying you want me to make a move on you? Or have you already fallen for me?"
"Drop dead, you scumbag! I'd never fall for you!"
Wang Dong'er's face flushed bright red. She yelled at him, then ran off.
Bang!
Once Wang Dong'er had left, only Xiao Lu and Huo Yu'er remained in the room, both still cultivating.
Chu Mo had been smiling the whole time, but his expression crumpled in an instant. Bracing himself against the wall, he dry-heaved...
"Ugh, I feel gross too. Even if she was disguised as a boy, that was still so gross!"
[Ice Frog is Stronger than Poison Frog: Martial Soul, what Martial Soul? Can I see it? It can actually speed up cultivation.]
[Ice Frog is Stronger than Poison Frog: Why aren't you saying anything?]
[Ice Frog is Stronger than Poison Frog: @Chu Mo, @Chu Mo, @Chu Mo.]
Revenge Girl was a sharp one, just as you'd expect from someone who relied on her brains. Her guess was spot-on. If Chu Mo hadn't been so handsome, Wang Dong'er's fist would already have landed on him.
After recovering, Chu Mo lay down beside Xiao Lu and opened the Chat Group interface.
[Chu Mo: My Martial Soul is a Slime. I'll show you once Yu'er finishes cultivating. I've also made some pills that can speed up cultivation. When Tang Ya gets here, she can take a pill and cultivate in the field. She'll naturally make quick progress.]
[Ya: 10 minutes.]
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