Hook's Affection Increased, Obtain Mobile Phone

"The scenery of Belobog's Underworld isn't half bad, especially those children—they're truly adorable." At this moment, March 7th and Stelle were walking over from a distance.

Beside them was a group of children.

Leading them was the very child Jing Yan had saved previously, the boss of The Moles, "Pitch-Black Hook the Great."

The large felt hat perched on Hook's head, along with the golden hair peeking out from beneath it, was exceptionally eye-catching even from afar.

Hook and the other children of The Moles organization marched toward them with a swaggering, cocky gait.

Although these children weren't even as tall as March 7th's waist, the sight of them with their short arms akimbo and short legs stomping forward was enough to make anyone struggle to hold back a laugh.

"Jing... Brother Jing Yan?" Hook had spotted Jing Yan, and her eyes lit up.

She faltered for a second, looking somewhat embarrassed, before rushing over with renewed excitement. She hugged Jing Yan's leg and looked up, asking innocently, "Brother Jing Yan! I heard you were the one who saved me before. Is that true? Sister Seele told Hook that, and she said Brother Jing Yan is super amazing!"

Seeing Hook, who was usually so cocky and acted like a little adult even when facing grown-ups, clinging to him like this, Jing Yan felt a bit unaccustomed to it.

He chuckled and said, "Little Hook, I didn't expect you to be so cute, haha!"

Hook suddenly realized her actions were a bit too childish and might cost her the prestige of being the leader of the children, "Pitch-Black Hook the Great."

She let go of his leg and resumed her signature pose, standing with her hands held out to her sides.

[Hook's favorability increased by 5%. Current favorability: 75%]

Jing Yan hadn't expected that saving Hook's life would boost her favorability toward him so significantly.

Yet, upon reflection, it seemed quite reasonable.

After all, her father was an old miner named Fersman. To support his wife and daughter, he worked incredibly hard in the mines, which often left him injured or ill.

He would frequently visit Natasha's clinic.

Jing Yan had once shared some fairy tales from his past life with Fersman, suggesting he tell them to Hook to help lift her spirits.

In that light, the child had likely known about him through her father's treatments and had been grateful to him all along.

It was just that Hook hadn't wanted to disturb him, or perhaps because she was quite capable and rarely got hurt despite her adventures, or maybe she had simply forgotten while playing.

There had never been an opportunity for Jing Yan to save her until now.

Now that she knew Jing Yan had saved her life, she was deeply grateful.

"Little Hook, what were you doing just now? Were you playing hide-and-seek with the new big sisters?" Jing Yan asked with a smile as he bent down to pat Hook's head.

"Mm-hmm." Hook nodded vigorously.

"These two sisters are really good! This is the first time The Moles have ever been found by adults during hide-and-seek!"

Hook said earnestly.

Her eyes betrayed a hint of stubbornness.

Jing Yan was momentarily at a loss for words.

He felt he couldn't exactly tell her that the only reason the adults hadn't found them was either because they didn't want to waste the time or because they were letting them win to make them happy.

In any case, looking at the adorable child before him, Jing Yan couldn't bear to shatter her innocent fantasy, so he just smiled.

"Well then, Little Hook, go ahead and keep playing with The Moles!"

Jing Yan stood up and said to her with a smile.

"Mm-hmm! Brother Jing Yan, you have to do your best too!"

"Work hard to win over Sister Natasha!" Hook added, having remembered something.

Jing Yan froze, rendered speechless.

He felt that what Hook had just said didn't sound like something a child her age should be saying.

"You..." Jing Yan feigned annoyance.

"Who told you that?" he asked.

"Hehe, did Brother Jing Yan catch me? Daddy told Hook that!" Hook said proudly.

Nearby, March 7th and Stelle walked over.

Their faces were wreathed in smiles.

However, by comparison, March 7th's smile was sweeter, while Stelle's was a mix of friendliness and awkwardness.

"I didn't expect Mr. Jing Yan to be so popular with children!" March 7th said with a laugh.

[March 7th's favorability increased by 5%. Current favorability: 68%]

"It's nothing, really. I didn't do much," Jing Yan said, shrugging.

"By the way, I'm planning to head to the Robot Settlement next. Do you want to come along? Also, where did Dan Heng go?" Jing Yan asked.

"Robot Settlement?" Stelle murmured the term, her brow furrowing in thought.

"Never heard of it."

Jing Yan: "..." He didn't pay her much mind after that.

He knew that was just Stelle's personality—she was a bit slow on the uptake, perhaps because she was a vessel for a Stellaron.

"Are you talking about Dan Heng, Jing Yan?"

"That guy Dan Heng just loves running off everywhere." Thinking of Dan Heng, March 7th pouted her lips.

She crossed her arms over her chest, looking somewhat dissatisfied.

"He's not nearly as reliable as Mr. Jing Yan," March 7th added.

Jing Yan: "..."

He didn't take her words too seriously.

The only reason March 7th said that was because she had just seen him interacting closely with the children, making him seem more trustworthy, whereas Dan Heng was naturally cold-natured.

When it came to socializing, Dan Heng pursued pure efficiency; unless it was absolutely necessary, he generally wouldn't bother interacting with any random passerby.

Furthermore, if he discovered something, his first choice would be to handle it himself, which left March 7th and Stelle feeling a bit bewildered by his whereabouts.

Nevertheless, March 7th pulled out her phone to send Dan Heng a message.

After a moment of thought, she suddenly looked up at Jing Yan. "Oh, right! Ever since we arrived on this planet, Jarilo-VI, we've been freezing our tails off. We owe you a lot for guiding us and bringing us here, so as a reward, I'll give this to you!"

March 7th handed something over.

Jing Yan saw what it was and accepted it immediately.

This gadget was the legendary "smartphone."

In his past life, Jing Yan had seen plenty of them, but here in Belobog, the last fortress on Jarilo-VI, they were completely non-existent.

"Oh, and I have one for Sister Natasha too, to thank her for taking care of me. What was it called again... treatment? Yes, that's it!"

March 7th added.

"And the cream soup Sister Natasha treated us to was delicious, too!" March 7th added.

As an outsider, she seemed to find everything in the Underworld both novel and interesting.