Boohoo, Being a Fox Is Really Hard

"Squeak~"

The Dark Three-Tailed Fox let out several pained whimpers.

At that moment, its body underwent a dramatic transformation. The rotting chunks of flesh, clinging tightly to its body like colonies of parasitic fungi, visibly faded and fell away. The disgusting, earthworm-like bugs crumbled off one section at a time like withered wood.

Song Linjia's eyes widened like saucers as she stared in disbelief at the monster's transformation.

The stench and the aura of black curses radiating from the Three-Tailed Fox were also fading. Miraculously, fresh flesh and fur began growing over the rotted parts of its body. New flesh started to fill in the holes in its cheeks, and its sharp, ferocious teeth slowly shrank and disappeared into its mouth.

Its fierce, blood-red eyes gradually cleared, becoming a pair of bright, oversized eyes. Its irises were crimson, with a small black diamond shape at the center, giving it a lively yet eerie look.

"H-How could this happen?" Song Linjia stared in disbelief at the Three-Tailed Fox as it continued to change.

Before, the Three-Tailed Fox had been an ugly, foul-smelling monster. Now it was practically a different fox altogether, with a beautiful appearance, flowing tails, and an adorably dazed expression.

The Three-Tailed Fox could now clearly feel that the chronic ailment that had tormented it for so long was completely gone. Even its violent, bloodthirsty urges had inexplicably been soothed. Its mind had never been so peaceful—it felt wonderful.

It was a female fox who loved beauty. How could it bear the sores and rot on its body, let alone the stench? But it had been unable to control itself. It was as if an evil soul inside it had taken control of its body, forcing it to do things it loathed.

Curses, plague, and disease had tormented it relentlessly, disfiguring its beautiful body and shattering its pure heart.

All it had wanted was to become the powerful and proud Nine-Tailed Fox of legend.

Why had it been turned into such a hideous creature?

It had long since given up resisting. No matter what it did, the evil soul inside it could easily overpower it. Its heart had turned to ash.

Yet today, the human who had interrupted its meal appeared out of nowhere and used a strange potion to drive the evil soul from its body.

The evil soul that had tormented it for so long, causing it unbearable pain, had just vanished from its body?

"Did this human save me?" The Three-Tailed Fox eyed the human before it suspiciously.

The human wore a smile. He had even untied its ropes?

What?

"Human, aren't you afraid I'll eat you?"

"Wait, why would I think such an evil thing? It just saved me."

"But what does it mean? Is it going to let me go?"

The human and fox stared at each other.

Li Ran had no idea what the Three-Tailed Fox was thinking, but he knew that once the curse was lifted, it would become his most loyal companion.

Li Ran took some of Su Bingyao's favorite candied fruit from his Storage Space and offered it to the Three-Tailed Fox. "Here, eat. You must be starving."

"It's giving me food?" The Three-Tailed Fox stared at Li Ran in disbelief, instantly moved.

As far as it could remember, humans had always chased it away or beaten it. None had ever treated it so kindly.

"Is it... crying?"

Song Linjia gaped.

At that moment, the Three-Tailed Fox's lively eyes brimmed with tears, which streamed down as if they cost nothing.

"This is so good... Boohoo, I've never eaten anything this good." The Three-Tailed Fox burst into tears, completely overwhelmed.

Boohoo, being a fox is really hard.

"You can make yourself smaller, right?" Li Ran asked tentatively.

In the novels he'd read, the main characters' tamed monsters could shrink and curl up in their arms. They could even become the protagonist's best sidekick.

"Can it even understand you?" Song Linjia rolled her eyes, speechless.

Li Ran was actually trying to communicate with a fox. Humans spoke human language, and foxes spoke fox language. Could they really understand each other?

But just as she was thinking how ridiculous Li Ran's idea was, she saw the Three-Tailed Fox blink its lovely eyes and nod. Then its body slowly shrank and transformed. To Song Linjia's utter astonishment, it became a tiny, pitch-black Three-Tailed Fox with crimson eyes.

"Come here!"

Li Ran crouched down and placed his hand on the ground, gazing sincerely at the tiny fox.

The Three-Tailed Fox hesitated, but then it dashed over on its little paws and leaped onto Li Ran's hand. With nimble movements, it scampered up his arm and onto his shoulder.

"This..." Song Linjia was too stunned to speak.

If none of that had been a dream, then Li Ran, whom she'd called over to help, had just tamed a terrifyingly powerful Three-Tailed Fox?

Wasn't it her job to subdue it?

As she wondered about this, Song Linjia received a notification that the mission was complete.

"Mission complete?" Li Ran asked with a grin. He seemed to be in a great mood, playing around with the tiny Three-Tailed Fox.

"Yeah." Song Linjia nodded, still confused. "The mission was for me to subdue it, but you tamed it. How am I supposed to explain that?"

Li Ran kept feeding the tiny fox candied fruit without even turning his head. "Since the mission is complete, that means me taming the little guy won't affect what you have to do next."

"Is that how it works?" Song Linjia asked doubtfully. She felt like Li Ran was pulling one over on her.

She'd only asked Li Ran to come help. Why did it feel like he was the one who'd completed the mission? He got the pet, while she got the points and Mysterious Power.

That didn't seem fair.

"Your mission said to subdue it. There's a big difference between subduing it and taming it. Anyway, I should be thanking you for letting me get such an adorable little companion," Li Ran said.

"Hmph. You got what you wanted and still have the nerve to act humble," Song Linjia said with a pout.

Still, if she hadn't called Li Ran over to help, there was no way she could have completed the mission alone.

Li Ran was just lucky he happened to have the Enslavement Reins and Purification Potion.

Li Ran held out a finger, and the Three-Tailed Fox immediately wrapped both paws around it and began nibbling. The ticklish, tingling sensation made him burst out laughing.

"This human is so strong! I can't even bite through his finger!" The Three-Tailed Fox was amazed.

"From now on, you'll stick with me," Li Ran said.

"Squeak?"

What?

"You want me to stick with him?"

"That doesn't sound so bad. As long as there's something tasty to eat every day. Boohoo, I never want to go hungry again."

At the thought, the Three-Tailed Fox gave a gentle nod, agreeing to follow the human before it.

"Since you're coming with me, I should give you a name."

Li Ran rested his chin in his hand and thought for a moment. Then he casually blurted out, "I'll call you Mo..."

Song Linjia and the Three-Tailed Fox both widened their eyes.

Li Ran coughed awkwardly and continued, "Are you a boy or a girl? Let me check... Hey, don't run off!"

"Fine, with that personality, you're definitely a girl."

"Then I'll call you Scarlet Iris," Li Ran said.

Song Linjia and the Three-Tailed Fox both widened their eyes.

"Scarlet Iris?" Song Linjia looked at the Three-Tailed Fox's eyes. They were like crimson gems, so the name seemed fitting.

"Scarlet Iris? That's my name? Whatever. It's better than not having a name."

At the thought, the tiny fox's eyes curved into crescents as it stuck out its little tongue.

Li Ran would never admit that he'd been too lazy to think of a name. He'd just seen how pretty the tiny fox's eyes were and decided to call it "Scarlet Iris."

"Let's go, Scarlet Iris."

"Your master will take you to get something tasty."

"Squeak~"

Happiness Supermarket.

Li Ran spent 10 points on about a week's worth of food for Scarlet Iris.

He noticed Scarlet Iris was especially fond of sweet dried fruit, candied fruit, and preserved plums.

Li Ran would keep some snacks in his coat pocket so Scarlet Iris could crawl in and grab one whenever it got hungry. It was pretty convenient.

After deducting the 100 points he'd spent on the [Purification Potion], Li Ran had 3,050 points left in the store.

For 2,500 points, he could buy top-quality Fine equipment.

But he didn't want Fine equipment.

As the saying went, it was easy to move from frugality to luxury, but hard to go back again. That was true.

Ever since he'd gotten better equipment, he'd lost interest in the lower-tier stuff.

The prices of Rare equipment in the store varied widely, from 3,000 to 10,000 points.

The Rare equipment section had everything from ordinary pieces to top-tier gear.

But with 3,000 points, he could only buy Rare equipment without a skill.

"Higher stats are nice, but the value is nowhere near that of a Fine piece of equipment with a skill. If I buy Rare gear without a skill now, then get a quest reward with better stats and a stronger skill for the same slot, this piece will be a waste, and so will my points. I might as well buy a skill book instead. A Rare-quality skill is worth as much as a good piece of equipment. Besides, a skill book is something I can keep for good; it won't be replaced."

With that in mind, Li Ran gave up on the equipment section and headed straight for the skills.

He went directly to the Rare-quality section.

Before long, Li Ran picked out a skill he was quite satisfied with.

He wasn't choosing blindly. He'd considered the skills he already had and how he could make the most of a new one.

He spent 2,900 points in total.

Seeing that he had only 150 points left, he felt a pang of regret.

[Magic Shadow Bite]

[Quality: Rare]

[Requirement: Mysterious Power 500]

[Active Skill: Demonic Arm Transformation. When attacking, the arm bites like a Demon Shadow Wolf, inflicting Rending and Corrosion on the target. The effects last five minutes. While standing within the Darkness Domain, the player gains the (Demon Shadow Stomp) effect.]

[Passive Effect: When the skill is activated, Strength and Speed increase, and the transformed area gains increased armor. The larger the Darkness Domain, the stronger the (Demon Shadow Stomp) effect.]

"Shadow Escape, Shadow Assault, and Magic Shadow Bite. Now, even if my first strike fails, I can still fight head-on?"

"Now I won't have to worry about being useless if my full combo doesn't kill the enemy."

He'd finally overcome the awkward predicament of being a three-second wonder.

Li Ran was quite satisfied with his choice.

Next, he had to finish his own missions and get stronger faster.

The Marriage Certificate hidden by his wife, the next part of Grandma Mi's mission to find the real culprit, and taking out the Demon King of Killing.

Oh, and there was also a Beauty Salon ID Card.

Li Ran plucked Scarlet Iris, who was sneaking snacks from his pocket, out of it and poked its bulging belly. "If you keep eating, you'll turn into a fat little thing."

"Squeak~" Scarlet Iris protested. It wasn't full yet.

Li Ran's eyes rolled as a mischievous grin suddenly spread across his face. "Look at how rough your fur is. How about I take you to get a big sword?"

"Squeak?!"