Are Fierce Beasts These Reasonable Nowadays?

In the night, blue-violet light lit up.

That was Tang Ya's martial soul—Blue Silver Grass.

Though it was only an ordinary plant-type martial soul, under Tang Ya's control, more than a dozen vines whistled through the air and lashed directly at Red King's three heads.

At the same time, several nearly invisible golden streaks flew out amid the vines.

Tang Sect hidden weapons—Dragon Beard Needles!

These things were specially made to pierce protective qi. Once they entered flesh, they curled up, making them exceptionally vicious.

Facing a ten-thousand-year fierce beast in the middle of committing violence, Tang Ya had opened with a killing move, hoping to buy that unlucky child a little chance to survive.

"Bei Bei! Cover me!" Tang Ya shouted.

Though Bei Bei's heart was trembling, his movements were not slow at all.

He abruptly raised his right hand. Blue-violet lightning exploded, and his entire arm transformed into a thick dragon claw.

Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon soul skill—Thunderclaw!

One controlled while the other led the attack, and the two worked together remarkably well.

However, Red King, lying on the ground, did not even lift an eyelid.

It merely tilted its middle head slightly. Its eyes were filled with humanlike contempt, as though it were watching two fools charge at a tank with tree branches.

"Hmph!" Red King snorted out a blast of hot air.

As a fierce beast with three hundred thousand years of cultivation, even without using a soul skill, the Crimson Demon Fire Poison surrounding its body was enough to burn these two little Soul Venerables to ashes.

"Get lost!"

Red King opened its mouth, and a dark red fireball rapidly gathered in its throat.

It had just spent a whole game holding in its anger and was worrying about where to vent it.

A one-sided slaughter was about to unfold.

Snap!

A crisp finger snap rang beside everyone's ears.

The next second, something strange happened.

Tang Ya's imposing Blue Silver Grass vines had barely entered the five-meter range in front of the internet cafe when they seemed to have their life force drained away. They instantly withered, yellowed, and fell to the ground with a clatter, turning into dry grass.

The vicious Dragon Beard Needles stopped directly in midair before raining down with a series of clinks.

As for the flames Red King had been preparing to spit out, they went out like a cigarette butt being snuffed out. They bubbled once and vanished, leaving it to cough out a mouthful of black smoke.

"Cough, cough, cough..." Red King was choked by its own smoke until tears came out.

The entire scene fell silent.

Tang Ya still held the pose for activating her skill, completely dumbfounded.

Bei Bei's Thunderclaw flickered twice before its lightning awkwardly went out as well.

"I told you, fighting is prohibited in this establishment."

Lu Yuan pushed open the glass door and slowly walked out.

He still held an unfinished cola in one hand, while the other remained tucked in his pocket. He looked like a neighbor who had simply come out to watch the commotion.

He first glanced at the dry grass on the ground, then at the stunned Tang Ya and Bei Bei, and sighed. "Are young people these days really so hot-tempered? You want to wreck the place over a single disagreement?"

Bei Bei was, after all, an outstanding student from Shrek Outer Court, and he reacted quickly.

He immediately realized that this young man, who seemed to have no trace of soul power fluctuations, was the most terrifying presence here!

What had just happened was something he had never even heard of!

Bei Bei quickly shielded Tang Ya behind him and warily stared at Lu Yuan and Red King. "Senior! We had no intention of offending you! We merely stepped in when we saw injustice! That fierce beast... was harming that child!"

"Harming him?"

Lu Yuan raised an eyebrow and turned to Red King. "Did you hear that? They said you were committing violence."

Red King felt utterly wronged.

It was clearly waiting for that cheat to wake up and carry it to victory!

Red King indignantly extended a claw and nudged the unconscious Huo Yuhao on the ground. In a rough roar, it said, "Hey! Are you dead or not? If you're not dead, get up already! This king's hammer can't wait any longer! Get up and give me buffs!"

That shove was a little too forceful.

Huo Yuhao let out a muffled groan and groggily opened his eyes.

The moment he did, he saw three huge red-furred heads crowded in front of his face, all six eyes filled with "urgency."

"Mom!!"

Huo Yuhao screamed and instinctively recoiled.

"What are you screaming for?" Red King impatiently pressed a claw onto Huo Yuhao's shoulder. "Didn't that bug go inside you just now? Hurry up and use your martial soul to give me a full-map cheat! I'm going to beat that Odogaron's ass into a flower!"

Huo Yuhao was dumbfounded.

Bei Bei was dumbfounded.

Tang Ya was dumbfounded too.

A full-map cheat? Odogaron? Beat its ass into a flower?

What was this ten-thousand-year fierce beast talking about?

Why did they understand every single word, yet find them so strange when put together?

"Enough, stop scaring the kid!"

Lu Yuan walked over and pulled Huo Yuhao to his feet.

"You're awake? How do you feel?" Lu Yuan asked with a smile.

Huo Yuhao touched the spot between his brows. It felt as if a huge spiritual power had appeared there, and there also seemed to be a... plump little bug sleeping inside his mind?

"I... I'm not dead?"

Huo Yuhao looked at his hands in disbelief, then at Red King beside him, whose face practically said, "I'm in a hurry."

"You won't die. Congratulations on successfully joining." Lu Yuan patted Huo Yuhao's shoulder. "This is your new coworker, Red King. From now on, it'll be your VIP customer, and you'll be responsible for playing alongside it."

"Playing... alongside it?"

Huo Yuhao felt his worldview collapsing.

Lu Yuan did not explain further and turned toward Bei Bei and Tang Ya, who were still standing there in a daze.

"Has the misunderstanding been cleared up, you two?"

Bei Bei's throat bobbed as he looked at the three-headed demon mastiff obediently crouching beside Lu Yuan, as well as the golden lion next to it, lazily licking its paw.

The aura from either of those soul beasts was enough to crush them with ease.

Yet now, they were as docile as household pets.

"It... it has." Bei Bei drew a deep breath and cupped his hands in salute. "This junior was blind and did not know Senior was living in seclusion here. Please forgive our earlier offense. Since everything is fine, we shall take our leave and not disturb you..."

He wanted to leave.

This place was far too sinister!

Even a three-hundred-thousand-year fierce beast obeyed like a lapdog. Could this owner be a god?

"You've already come. Why not come in and sit for a while?"

Lu Yuan stepped aside and pointed at the brightly lit internet cafe behind him.

"The Star Dou Great Forest has heavy dew and lots of mosquitoes at night. This establishment has air conditioning, soft sofas, iced drinks, and the latest trials! I can tell you two have extraordinary bones. You're fine material for cultivat—cough, cough—for gaming!"

Tang Ya finally came back to her senses.

Her nature was already lively and carefree. Now that she saw there was no danger, her curiosity immediately took over.

"Senior, what exactly do you sell here?" Tang Ya craned her neck to look inside.

The interior design was far too unusual!

The floor was so shiny it reflected people's silhouettes. Rows of strange machines glimmered with flowing light, and there were leather chairs that looked comfortable at a glance.

"Since you have asked so sincerely!" Lu Yuan snapped his fingers. "This establishment is called Origin Internet Cafe. Our primary business is virtual reality trials, commonly known as—going online!"

"Going online?"

Tang Ya blinked her large eyes.

"Xiao Ya, don't..." Bei Bei had just started to stop her.

"Let's go in and take a look! Bei Bei, even that lion is inside, so it definitely can't be dangerous!"

Tang Ya was already tugging Bei Bei by the sleeve and pulling him inside.

Bei Bei had no choice but to follow stiffly, keeping his soul power taut throughout his body and ready to flee with Tang Ya at any moment.

The moment they entered.

"Hiss—so cool!" Tang Ya could not help exclaiming.

Compared to the stifling heat and humidity of the forest outside, this place was practically another world.

The air was fresh, the temperature perfect, and there was even a faint sweet scent of popcorn in the air.

"Sit wherever you like." Lu Yuan pointed at the price list on the wall. "Those are the prices. Fair to young and old alike."

Tang Ya and Bei Bei looked up.

Computer use: 2 Gold Soul Coins/hour.

Cola: 3 Gold Soul Coins/bottle.

"That's robbery!" Tang Ya cried out in shock, her eyes wide. "2 Gold Soul Coins an hour? I couldn't spend that much on a lavish meal in Shrek City! Is this some kind of scam shop?"

Lu Yuan shrugged and unscrewed a bottle of cola, handing it to the still-dazed Huo Yuhao.

"There's a reason it costs so much! Do you think a place that can make two fierce beasts willingly pay money would be some ordinary scam shop?"

Lu Yuan pointed at the auspicious beast and Red King, who had already impatiently put on their helmets.

"They are in a world called Monster Hunter, where all their soul power has been sealed and they must use mortal bodies to fight ancient dragons."

"In this kind of real combat on the edge of life and death, even a Titled Douluo would have to obediently line up."

Bei Bei's pupils suddenly contracted at those words.

Their soul power was sealed?

They had to fight dragons in mortal bodies?

That was too brutal!

For soul masters, what they often lacked most was not soul power cultivation, but genuine experience of life-and-death combat!

If they could experience such battles without actually dying... 2 Gold Soul Coins was practically being given away for free!

"Um... Boss."

Just then, Red King, who was wearing a helmet nearby, suddenly took it off. All three of its heads turned toward Bei Bei and Tang Ya with annoyed expressions.

"Hey! You two humans over there!"

Red King's middle head roared.

Bei Bei tensed all over and instinctively stood in front of Tang Ya. "What guidance does Senior have?"

Red King impatiently slapped the table. "Guidance, my ass! Do you know how to fight? If you do, hurry up, pay, and log in!"

"The more people in a party in this crappy game, the stronger the monsters get. That Anjanath is too powerful; the auspicious beast and I can't handle it alone! This kid looks like some squishy support who only knows how to hide in the back and take potshots!"

Red King pointed at Bei Bei as if it had found a lifesaving straw. "You've got lightning on you. You should be an assault-type, right? Hurry up! We need to make a four-person party! We're short on damage!"

Bei Bei: "Huh?"

Tang Ya: "What?"

At that moment, both of their worldviews shattered completely.

A legendary three-hundred-thousand-year fierce beast had not only failed to eat them, it was actually... inviting them to party up and play games?

It even disliked its teammate for being too fragile and wanted to find an assault-type fighter?

Was this really the infamous Red Demon Mastiff?

"Um..." Bei Bei hesitated somewhat.

"Stop dawdling! This king's Fire Crystals are almost gone! If I still can't beat that dragon, this king is going bankrupt!" Red King anxiously smacked the table. "If you help me clear this stage, this king guarantees you'll be able to walk sideways through the Star Dou Great Forest!"

Lu Yuan timely added another blow from the side. "The first hour is free for new users, and the first time you defeat the BOSS called Anjanath, this establishment will also reward you with a whole case of iced cola."

Hearing "free" and "reward," then seeing Red King's impatient expression...

Bei Bei drew a deep breath. The wariness in his eyes gradually turned into curiosity and fighting spirit.

As one of the twin stars of Shrek Outer Court, he too possessed the pride of a strong person deep in his bones.

If even soul beasts dared to challenge this game, what did Bei Bei have to fear?

"Fine!"

Bei Bei took out his money pouch, pulled out several Gold Soul Coins, and slapped them onto the table.

"Since Senior has so graciously invited me, this junior shall respectfully accept!"

He walked to the station beside Red King and sat down, imitating Red King's posture.

"Bei Bei, I want to play too!" Tang Ya also came over and sat beside Huo Yuhao. "I'm control-type. I can help too!"

Lu Yuan walked over with a smile and helped the two put on their helmets.

"Welcome to the New World, hunters."

"A friendly reminder: there are no martial souls in this game. There are only the blades in your hands and the teammates by your side."

As the system prompt fell, the consciousnesses of the five were instantly pulled into that savage primordial world.

When Bei Bei opened his eyes and saw the massive ancient tree that seemed to blot out the sky, along with the terrifying dragon roar coming from afar, the hot blood in his body instantly began to boil.

"So this is... another world?"

Before he could finish marveling, Red King's rough voice exploded through the voice channel. "Stop looking at the scenery! That mad dog dragon is charging over! You lightning kid, get up there and hold it off!!"

"Support! Mark its position! It's about to breathe fire!"

"Lord Auspicious Beast! Stop trying to cut its tail! Run!!!"

The internet cafe instantly became as lively as a marketplace.

Lu Yuan returned to the counter, opened a cola, and took a satisfied sip.

Looking at the pioneering team on the screen—a chaotic mixed squad of humans and beasts—he nodded in satisfaction.

"Now this feels like an internet cafe."

[ Ding! Novice mission completed: Receive the first batch of customers (5/5). ]

[ Mission reward issued: New game section unlocked—Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice! ]

[ Achievement obtained: Harmony Among All Races (achieve peaceful team formation between soul beasts and humans within the internet cafe)! ]