Chapter 11: Winning Big

[(｡☉౪⊙｡)] [∑(;°Д°)] [(╬⁽⁽⁰⁾⁾Д⁽⁽⁰⁾⁾)] [!!!] [Did I hear that right?] [Wait, did I hear that correctly?] [Ninety percent?!] [The streamer’s affection score with Qiqi is actually at 90 percent?] [Damn, this is the first time I’ve ever seen someone with a first mission not even finished, and already have such a high affection score with the target.] [Master, I was wrong. I shouldn’t have doubted you.] [The master is still the master.] [Oh! Now I get it! No wonder the master used the “Safety Bubble” on Qiqi earlier—turns out it was to boost the affection score with her?] [Damn, I used to think the streamer was an idiot for not saving the “Safety Bubble” for himself, but now I’m kneeling in awe.] [I also cursed at the streamer for using the “Safety Bubble” on Qiqi just now. I take it back. I’m kneeling.] [Master is awesome.] [Everything the master does must have a deeper meaning. If you don’t get it, just shut up and learn.] [Master is awesome.]
.........
.........
On the track field, Wen Nan gazed at the round sigil that had appeared in the palm of his hand, lost in thought.
So... the target of the mission could become his exclusive companion?
He had had no idea such a thing as a “domination sigil” existed, and certainly hadn’t used the “Safety Bubble” on Qiqi because of some deep strategic calculation about affection points, as the chat was guessing.
He had given the “Safety Bubble” to Qiqi for a much simpler reason—he didn’t want to hide behind it himself, and, more importantly, he wanted to protect his girl.
But to think that such a simple decision would bring Qiqi’s affection to 90 percent and unlock this domination sigil...
A free exclusive character—of course he wouldn’t refuse.
Wen Nan: [Light up the sigil!]
As soon as he gave the command, the round symbol in his palm shone with golden light, the glow flowing up his arm and into his chest.
In that instant, he felt a strange spiritual connection with Qiqi—a thought flashed through his mind: Qiqi belonged to him alone, and was willing to do anything for him.
‘Qiqi.’
Wen Nan called her name in his heart.
A flash of golden light shimmered around Qiqi as she stared intently at the back of Wen Nan’s head, waiting for his command.
After a moment’s thought, Wen Nan issued an order: ‘Help me... talk to your aunt.’
The moment the order landed, a figure darted out from behind Wen Nan like an arrow released from a bow, speeding towards Lin Xuemei.
Before Wen Nan could even register what was happening, Qiqi had already latched herself around Lin Xuemei’s waist.
She opened her gaping mouth and, with razor-sharp fangs, lunged for Lin Xuemei’s throat like a tiger biting down on its prey, aiming for a lethal strike.

Yet Lin Xuemei would never just sit and wait for death. The instant Qiqi’s bloodstained fangs were about to pierce her neck, a layer of frost appeared around Lin Xuemei’s skin. What was once soft flesh instantly hardened like steel.
The moment Qiqi’s teeth struck Lin Xuemei’s skin, they shattered at once.
In the next instant, Lin Xuemei pointed the sharp tip of an ice spike forming on her finger directly at Qiqi’s throat.
“Hiss.”
Seeing this, Wen Nan instinctively rubbed his own neck, feeling a tingling in his teeth.
He only said to talk her into it—there was no need to be so intense...
.........
.........
[It’s over.]
[Looks like she’s going to get counterattacked.]
[Qiqi’s only three and a half stars—she has no chance going head-to-head with a four-and-a-half star ghost like the Bear.]
[What a pity, that domination sigil was just unlocked and now it’s gone so soon.]
.........
.........
However, as the sharp ice spike pierced Qiqi’s skin, it abruptly stopped.
Thick black blood seeped from the surface of Qiqi’s skin, flowing back along the ice spike to pool in Lin Xuemei’s palm.
In that instant, Lin Xuemei’s expression softened, all murderous intent vanishing from her.
9527: [Blood relation detected.]
9527: [Triggered key character relationship: Bloodline Suppression—
Target Lin Xuemei and target Liu Qiqi are blood relatives.
Lin Xuemei raised Liu Qiqi from childhood, loving and spoiling her as if she were her own daughter.
No matter what Liu Qiqi does to Lin Xuemei, as long as she clings to her like she did as a child, Lin Xuemei will forgive her unconditionally.
Bloodline Suppression is an inherent trait of the character and ignores star-level difficulty.]
Hearing the system’s explanation in his mind, Wen Nan let out a long sigh of relief.
He knew it—that one line in the character background about Qiqi and Aunt Mei’s relationship was no throwaway detail.
Luckily, he had gambled right.
Pushing Qiqi forward to help talk down Aunt Mei was the right move.
Now, all that was left was to deal with the little firebrand.
Just as he was thinking this, a roar sounded from behind him, followed by a tongue of flame shooting toward Lin Xuemei and Qiqi.
“Watch—”
—crack!
Wen Nan hadn’t even managed to call out “Watch out” before the fire was frozen mid-air into a pillar of ice.
Uh...
Wen Nan turned his head just in time to see that the little firebrand, who had been engulfed in flames a moment ago, was now sealed in a sculpture of ice.
It seemed...

It was over in a single move.
.........
.........
[Damn, just one star difference and their power is that far apart?]
[A four-and-a-half star ghost boss is truly terrifying.]
[Looks like the Bear really was holding back earlier—if she’d really wanted to go all out, the streamer would have died several times over by now.]
[Seems like maxing out his charm stat really paid off.]
[That charm stat is even more incredible than I thought—if I’d known, I would’ve picked it too.]
[But can you be as steady as the master? Can you stay calm before a female ghost like him? If not, then the charm stat is worthless to you.]
[I just realized: the streamer lit up Qiqi’s domination sigil, and Qiqi’s bloodline suppresses the Bear, so doesn’t that mean, roughly, he’s gotten two exclusive ghosts for the price of one?]
[That actually seems to be the case...]
[This is a massive win.]
[You see? While you were worrying about whether to use the “Safety Bubble,” the master was already figuring out how to capture two exclusive ghosts at once!]
[You’re on the first floor, the streamer is already in the stratosphere.]
[Awesome.]
[Master is incredible.]
[dlnb]
[dlnb]
[dlnb]
[Received reward: 50 gold coins credited.]
[Received reward: 50 gold coins credited.]
[Received reward: 100 gold coins credited.]
[Received reward: 1,000 gold coins credited.]
.........
.........
Who would have thought that a battlefield with three targets appearing at once could be resolved so smoothly?
Wen Nan looked up at the black mist in the sky, which looked about to dissipate, and let out a long breath.
But before he could finish exhaling, the system chimed in his mind.
9527: [Main Quest 1 has entered the final countdown.]
9527: [You have 25 minutes remaining.]
9527: [Your new player gift package’s three-hour trial is about to expire.]
9527: [In five minutes, your charm stat will revert to 4 out of 100.]
9527: [So far, there is still one target you have never interacted with. If you fail to make an appointment with the last target before the main quest ends, the mission will be considered failed. Please be advised.]