Passive: Hen and Eggs in Ruin

Jiang Hao shrank back, a chill running down his spine. Had that she-dinosaur heard their wager just now?

Would she skin him alive when they got home? Rare beast crystals were hardly common goods. Beast pets came in seven quality grades: ordinary, low-grade, mid-grade, high-grade, rare, exceptional, and supreme. Three factors determined a beast pet's quality.

First, species.

Second, bloodline.

Third, comprehension.

Fourth, constitution (attribute values).

A monster's species determined its standing and directly affected its bloodline inheritance. A beast pet with extraordinary comprehension often found it easier to break through its limits, even the restrictions of its species and bloodline. Constitution and skills determined whether a beast pet fought at close range or from a distance. Melee pets were almost all fusion-type pets, while ranged pets were not necessarily enhancement types; they could also be support types.

Beyond beast pets themselves, the flesh of many monsters served as food for beast pets. Not only that, but beast pets were also quite fond of the beast crystals inside them. They could evolve by devouring higher-quality beast crystals. With good luck and high comprehension, a beast pet might even inherit one of the crystal's original owner's skills by swallowing it.

A monster's quality determined the quality of its beast crystal. The higher the quality, the higher its market value, and such crystals could only be stumbled upon, not sought at will.

He had gone overboard showing off just now, actually wagering a rare beast crystal. He was still a student, and his eldest brother Long Yun and second sister Liao Yunxiao controlled all his expenses. If he dared ask Liao Yunxiao for a rare beast crystal, he already knew the consequences. He would be courting death.

So, no matter what, he could not upset that she-dinosaur during this class.

An entire class period!

For an entire class period, Jiang Hao's eyes never left the blackboard or Liao Yunxiao. Such a rare sight! He behaved so well that she briefly wondered whether he had finally come to his senses.

Of course, she would not have questioned his motives if she had not watched the entire wager unfold before entering the classroom.

You little brat, I'll just sit back and watch you keep up this act. You'd better not open your mouth and ask for a rare beast crystal, or I'll strip that mangy hide right off you. Hmph!

For the entire day, Jiang Hao sat motionless in his seat, his eyes fixed on the podium at the front. Several teachers began questioning everything they knew. Had something happened to this academic flop? Why was he being so good? Had he turned over a new leaf?

That was not the case at all. Jiang Hao behaved this way because his mind was already immersed in the survival simulation game, leading his beast pet Big Hen into battle on a new map: the Addiction Mist Swamp below Heartwood City. The Addiction Mist Swamp was in normal mode.

He was easygoing by nature, neither impatient nor flustered when things happened, and good at taking life as it came. But that did not mean he lacked backbone or resolve. Now that trouble had come knocking, he would naturally meet the blade head-on.

Even the weakest monsters in the Addiction Mist Swamp, the Green Demonlings, were level 16, a full five levels above his Big Hen. Even their names were red. Their attacks hurt badly, and they had high health and thick defenses. Kiting a single monster took tremendous time and effort, but the rewards were equally generous.

In less than an hour, Big Hen reached level 12.

That was much slower than yesterday's leveling.

Jiang Hao was having so much fun kiting that he completely missed a monster not far away, much larger than the ordinary Green Demonlings, staring straight at him. If not for the rules its almighty game designers had imposed on it, it would have charged over and killed this fellow running all over the place long ago.

Jiang Hao also demonstrated perfectly what it meant to court death and find it. Step by step, he approached the giant monster. The instant he entered its aggro range, it grew excited.

It rushed impatiently toward Jiang Hao. He felt an enormous shadow bearing down on him, and the next second-

All that escaped him was an "Oh~"

His vision went black.

The Survival Simulator's notification sounded.

"You died. Game over."

Before Jiang Hao could react, he was back in reality.

*???*

What happened?

What monster had just one-shotted him?

And the sensation of dying had been far too real. Agonizing pain had filled his body, and he had been unable to breathe. For an instant, he had felt as though he had fallen into endless darkness. Even now, fear still lingered in his heart.

To find out what had happened, Jiang Hao had no choice but to open the simulator again, where he saw two notifications.

"Ding! Character death detected. Character leveling unlocked. This feature applies only within the simulated game world."

"Ding! Your death was caused by an attack from the Green Demonling Boss. Save feature 1 unlocked. This feature ensures that you retain acquired equipment and levels after death or exiting the game. Applies only within the simulated game world. Enjoy your next adventure."

"Ding! Save feature 2: retain all gains your beast pet acquires in this simulated game. Starting the next game will not reset them, and they will synchronize with reality."

In other words, with this save feature, all levels, attribute values, and skills his beast pet gained in the game would be preserved.

That would do nicely. Otherwise, each level only gave five skill points and attribute points, meaning reaching level 100 would give just five hundred points. Upgrading a skill once cost a hundred points, so that would only buy five upgrades. That would be far too much of a rip-off, running completely counter to his dream of creating a battle chicken.

And his character could actually level up now, with equipment available too. He was still wearing nothing but underpants and carrying a battered saber. Although this was limited to the simulated game world, it was already very accommodating. After all, he was still a glass cannon without the cannon, the sort who died the moment a monster touched him.

He was just about to enter the game when the simulator's notification doused him like a bucket of cold water.

"Ding! Your beast pet is too hungry and refuses to join you on your adventure."

"Fuck!"

Jiang Hao suddenly sprang up from his seat.

Chubby jumped in fright and hurriedly asked, "W-what's wrong?"

"Nothing. Got any more bread? I'm hungry."

"No bread. Want some dried fish? Spicy flavor. Packs a real kick."

"Give me two bags."

He had no idea whether Big Hen ate meat.

Taking the bags of punchy dried fish Chubby handed him, Jiang Hao sneaked up to the school building's rooftop. He looked around. Nobody was there.

Garbage littered every corner of the rooftop: liquor bottles, cigarette butts, toilet paper, and even used condoms. What an assault on the eyes.

Jiang Hao released Big Hen from the Beast Taming Space.

"Cluck-cluck, cluck-cluck."

The moment Big Hen appeared, she kept circling Jiang Hao, her clucks sounding very weak. The poor thing had ended up with an unreliable owner and started out starving for three days.

Jiang Hao hurriedly tore open the dried fish package. As he watched Big Hen eat, a twinge of guilt rose in his heart.

"Phoenix, oh, Phoenix, just help me win the Beast Pet Tournament, and I'll get you anything you want to eat."

Back in the classroom, Jiang Hao continued his campaign through the Addiction Mist Swamp.

He failed to notice Wen Ruxue coming down from the rooftop after him. A clear pinch mark marred her formerly snow-white wrist. She discreetly pulled her sleeve over it, her gaze toward Jiang Hao filled with complicated emotions.

This time, Jiang Hao went straight for his target and soon found the giant monster, the Green Demonling Boss. It was level 18, a full six levels above Big Hen.

The Green Demonling Boss had high attack and plenty of health, but its short legs made it slow. Unlike other monsters, which lost aggro once they left their fixed roaming area, it could be kited indefinitely, as far as he wanted, provided he did not lose its aggro. Jiang Hao finally figured this out after dying five whole times.

On his sixth attempt, Jiang Hao lured the Boss straight out of the monster-infested area. Without other monsters interfering, he would grind it to death even if that was what it took.

One thing worth noting was that the Boss stopped to rest every few steps. If he failed to control the distance properly, he could easily lose it.

Big Hen's pecks dealt very little damage, at most -10. Most hits were in the single digits, and sometimes she even got a MISS.

Two hours later.

Watching the Green Demonling Boss's health bar empty bit by bit, the mentally and physically exhausted Jiang Hao grew excited. His breathing quickened, and an inexplicable mixture of tension and anticipation enveloped him.

As its final sliver of health vanished, two enormous pillars of light erupted from him and Big Hen.

Big Hen jumped straight from level 12 to level 15.

Jiang Hao went all the way up to level 10.

"Ding! Congratulations to player Jiang Hao on successfully slaying his first Green Demonling Boss and making his name known throughout the world. This announcement commemorates his achievement."

Although he was the only person in the entire simulated game world, the sense of ceremony was impeccable. The game system still gave him the honor he deserved.

What interested Jiang Hao most, however, was the loot scattered on the ground. The Green Demonling Boss had been very generous, dropping several things: a weapon, a piece of equipment, a white egg, and a skill book.

"Cluck-cluck, cluck-cluck."

The instant Big Hen spotted the white egg, she rushed over and squatted on it. Jiang Hao could hardly bear to watch. You really are dedicated. See an egg, hatch an egg.

Complaints aside, Jiang Hao did not want to bother with her. His attention was soon drawn to the skill book. That was what he needed most urgently right now.

The instant he picked up the skill book, the Survival Simulator's notification sounded.

"Ding! Congratulations on obtaining the skill Fireball. Would you like your beast pet to learn it?"

Jiang Hao did not immediately have Big Hen learn it. Instead, he carefully examined the skill book's description. After all, the first skill would determine her development path: melee or ranged, defense or support.

He already knew what he wanted most. A melee pet did not suit him. Just imagining fusing with a hen was an assault on the eyes. Since he wanted to turn Big Hen into a battle chicken, defense and support pets were naturally out of the question.

Fireball: scorching fire elements can inflict the deepest wounds on any single enemy. Skill cooldown: 10 seconds.

One glance told him this was standard equipment for a ranged pet, and exactly what he wanted most.

Without hesitation, he had Big Hen learn Fireball.

"Ding! Your beast pet Ice Crystal Phoenix has learned Fireball. Current skill level: 1. Maximum level: 6. Each level adds one fireball, up to a maximum of six consecutive shots."

Next came the weapon and equipment on the ground.

Top-Grade Long Saber, level 18, attack 146/162, accuracy +17.

Fine Ringmail Armor, level 15, defense +85, magic defense +53.

He was only level 10. Clearly, he would have to keep fighting in his underpants with a battered saber for quite some time.

Since he could not use them yet, he would put them in storage. At that thought, a storage window automatically popped up beside him. He placed the weapon and armor inside. Heh, this Survival Simulator really was accommodating.

"Ding! Your beast pet Ice Crystal Phoenix has learned the passive skill Hen and Eggs in Ruin."