Hidden Mission Complete, Spirit Pet Su Mei!

"Nonsense! Compared to the gift you have bestowed upon me, this is but a trifle. If it can save you some time, this old man is more than gratified!"

Flattery is a two-way street; compared to the intelligence on the Red Ghost King that Gao Xu provided, the Ink Mystery Juice was truly nothing.

Furthermore, there was another important reason for Mr. Yi's readiness: he had never lowered his guard against Gao Xu. Even if he could no longer force him back to the space due to social niceties, he certainly did not want him lingering in Heishui Town any longer.

Thus, upon learning that Gao Xu's mission objective was none other than the Ink Mystery Juice, the smile that bloomed on Mr. Yi's face was even broader than Gao Xu's, and he immediately picked out a bottle of the highest quality to present to him.

Indeed, Mr. Yi possessed more than just one bottle of Ink Mystery Juice; he had prepared a significant quantity. As mentioned earlier, this was the very item capable of resisting the miasma within the General's Tomb, which explained why he had used the term "procured locally."

This unexpected windfall delighted Gao Xu. From nearly being forced back to the space and seeing his mission fail, to completing it ahead of schedule without any effort, it was a complete reversal of fortune—a true light at the end of the tunnel.

Do not be fooled by how easily Mr. Yi produced a bottle of Ink Mystery Juice; it was only because he had begun preparing supplies long ago. Combined with the flow of goods in the space market, he was able to acquire this unique medicinal ingredient from before Heishui Town was corrupted. If it were Gao Xu, he would likely have spent a great deal of time just searching for clues.

Lin Tiannan's sword qi was incredibly sharp. Before they left yesterday, Doctor Han had told them that for every minute delayed, the injuries to Su Mei's internal organs would worsen. Gao Xu had only rested for a few hours last night before rushing to Heishui Town this morning, driven by the desire to act as quickly as possible.

Therefore, what seemed like a mere gesture of convenience to Mr. Yi was a massive favor to Gao Xu. With both parties satisfied, they did not linger and bid each other farewell.

Before leaving, Gao Xu said mysteriously, "You are likely to have a noble person assist you on this trip, sir. Here, I wish you smooth sailing and a triumphant return!"

"I shall accept your kind words, haha!" Mr. Yi laughed heartily and waved goodbye. The last of the group to leave was the imposing giant, who stared fixedly at Gao Xu and asked, "My name is Shang Yan. Can you tell me how you bypassed the level 5 authority space scan?"

Gao Xu felt a mischievous urge and sighed, "If I told you I really am a fresh-faced newcomer, would you believe me?"

Shang Yan turned and walked away, holding his right hand high to display a large middle finger.

Watching them disappear, Gao Xu and Lin Yueru returned the way they came. Along the way, he explained away the many questions the young mistress had, and after finally managing to fool her, he looked up to see the apricot tree at Doctor Han's house in the distance.

When Gao Xu handed the final medicinal ingredient to Han Mengci and waited for nearly an hour, the emblem in his palm suddenly vibrated. Several notifications that filled Gao Xu with joy flooded his mind:

Number 1897 has completed the A-rank hidden mission: Heal Su Mei. Mission duration: 15 hours and 23 minutes. Ingredient quality: High. Total completion: Perfect. Rewards obtained: 2000 points, 3 random attribute points. Favorability with plot character Su Mei increased; current: 100/100.

Favorability with plot character Su Mei has reached maximum value. Special rewards unlocked:

Please select two from the following rewards:

First: 1 Free Attribute Point.

Second: 1500 points.

Third: Skill Scroll · Low Howl *1.

Fourth: Recruit Su Mei as a Spirit Pet. She will be bound to Reincarnator 1897, can be taken out of the Chinese Paladin world, and summoned in other plot worlds.

Note: Su Mei is a growth-type Spirit Pet with high intelligence. Once chosen as a Spirit Pet, you must fulfill her greatest wish: to rescue the Snake Demon and Fox Demon trapped in the Demon Locking Tower. This mission is extremely difficult; please consider carefully!

"To think she could be a Spirit Pet—this little fox is truly heaven-defying!" Even with Gao Xu's experience, he nearly cried out in surprise.

Every plot character in every world could be taken out. Through a series of missions, building favorability, and fulfilling their "Destined Duty," there was a chance to make them partners or followers to face the trials of the Main God Space together.

Countless reincarnators had once dreamed of taking powerhouses like Demon Lord Chonglou or the Grand Tutor Yuwen Tuo across the space, but they all found it to be a pipe dream with no possibility of success.

First, the basic requirement of maximum favorability eliminated 99% of reincarnators. Even for a bit-part maid like Dongmei, raising her favorability to the max required completing difficult side missions. One could only imagine the level of missions required for protagonists and powerful supporting characters.

The difficulty of the "Destined Duty" was even higher than that of favorability. The so-called Destined Duty was the role a plot character played in the original work; to complete or fundamentally change it involved a vast scope. For example, for a popular character like Zhao Ling'er, one would need to return to the Miao Frontier, resolve the conflict between the Black and White Miao, fulfill the mission of the Nuwa descendant, and suppress the Water Demon Beast!

A reincarnator would need to accompany Zhao Ling'er through all of this and ensure she survived the final battle to bring her out of the Chinese Paladin world.

As for whether Li Xiaoyao would be willing or try to stop them by then, that was another story entirely.

Su Mei had no "Destined Duty" in the first Chinese Paladin, and her favorability was already maxed out. Even so, the method provided by the space was not a formal partnership, but rather allowing her to become a Spirit Pet based on her demon identity, with an extremely difficult follow-up mission attached!

From this, one could imagine just how difficult it was to recruit plot partners!

Gao Xu excitedly chose the first and fourth rewards and walked into the house according to the prompts. As soon as he pushed the door open, his eyes were met with Su Mei's bright gaze. The little fox pounced into his arms, bared her fangs, and gave his neck a light nip. After a sharp pain, Gao Xu felt a close mental connection established with the little creature, and the Spirit Pet option appeared on his character panel.

Su Mei: Spirit Pet. Strength 8, Agility 10, Constitution 10, Spirit 15, Aptitude 11; HP: 100, Defense 5, Growth 87, Loyalty 0; Skill 1: Poison Smoke, releases a wisp of smoke that inflicts Poison status on a single enemy, reducing HP by 3 per second for 15 seconds; Skill 2: Low Howl, stuns enemies within a 4-yard radius for 1-3 seconds.

Spirit Pet Space unlocked. When the distance between the Spirit Pet and the master is less than 100 yards, the master can store the pet in the space or have it return on its own. However, staying in the Spirit Pet Space for long periods will lower loyalty; please arrange accordingly.

After the bond was confirmed, the intimacy between Su Mei and Gao Xu reached a new level. She nuzzled her furry body into his arms and said something that left him both laughing and crying:

"Big Brother, I'm yours from now on, so you have to treat me well~"

******

The first loli acquired; the cultivation plan officially begins~

What, you ask about Lin Yueru? Please see the next chapter!

As for Zhao Ling'er, the difficulty of acquiring her is too high, but no matter how high the mountain, we must climb it, right? So, hehe, it will take a bit more time...