Yu Deng widened his eyes, staring at the skeleton nearby making a heart shape, unsure of how to react.
He had just accidentally kicked a few of its bones off…
Yu Deng and the skeleton stared at each other for a few seconds, and then he hesitantly said, "Hello?"
The skeleton stopped making the heart shape and waved at Yu Deng.
It had been dead for a very long time, and its human consciousness and memories were almost gone, so it didn't really know why it was making a heart shape to this little vampire.
But strangely enough, when it looked at Yu Deng, it couldn't summon any intention to attack.
Yu Deng turned to Qin Jun and said, "Qin Jun, look, it doesn't seem like it wants to attack me."
Qin Jun gently wiped the tear stains from Yu Deng's cheek and agreed, "You're right, baby."
Not just that it didn't want to attack, it was practically bursting with enthusiasm.
Yu Deng still holding onto Qin Jun's sleeve cautiously took two steps toward the skeleton, "Then, do you know how to get out of this room?"
The skeleton was stumped, glanced around the room, and shook its head.
Yu Deng sighed, his thick, curled lashes drooping with a hint of disappointment.
Qin Jun thought for a moment about the way the dungeon worked and made a guess, asking the skeleton, "Is there any wish you want to fulfill?"
The skeleton fell into thought, then suddenly seemed to realize something. It instinctively clenched its bony hand into a fist and slammed it against the other hand, only to knock off a bone.
The skeleton fell silent: "..." Oh, it forgot that it was just a skeleton now.
It awkwardly picked up the bone, extended a finger bone, shook it, and made a few flipping and writing motions with its hand, then extended two fingers and repeated the same actions. After finishing, it leaned on the pavilion, its gaze drifting.
Yu Deng: "?" This was a bit too abstract.
Yu Deng tried hard to figure out what the skeleton was trying to express: "Do you want to write? Draw? Look at the distance?"
The skeleton silently waved its hand. Yu Deng furrowed his brows, racking his brain to think.
[Baby looks so cute when he's deep in thought...]
[Don't laugh at the baby, our baby is thinking very seriously!]
[It's a hassle when we can't communicate, look how anxious our baby is.]
[This skeleton bro is so cooperative, hahaha, I reasonably suspect it's been mesmerized by the wife's beauty.]
Yu Deng listed several possibilities and finally, in frustration, casually guessed, "It can't be that your diary is lost, right?"
The skeleton nodded vigorously.
[Ding. Triggered side mission: Special Game – The Skeleton's Request. Please find the skeleton's lost diary within the limited time.]
Yu Deng: "?!?" He had just said it offhand, and it really was a diary?
Nearby, Qin Jun also heard the dungeon announcement, slightly surprised, his voice tinged with amusement: "You're so smart, baby."
Who would have thought, one day, he would be the one following an NPC to complete a mission.
Yu Deng, feeling a little proud, raised his chin: "Of course."
With the mission goal set, their efficiency immediately increased. The two began searching the room, trying to find the skeleton's lost diary.
The skeleton stood idly by for a while, then happily followed Yu Deng, helping search.
After several minutes, they had searched all the bookshelves and drawers in the room, but they hadn't found the diary anywhere.
The only place left was the closet where the skeleton had been hiding. It was likely inside there.
"Have you checked the closet for your diary?" Yu Deng glanced at the skeleton. "But, why were you sleeping in the closet…"
The skeleton didn't know how to respond, only shaking its head. It had indeed spent a long time in the closet, but now, as just a skeleton, it couldn't understand these magical things anymore, let alone use them.
The closet door was opened, revealing a completely ordinary wardrobe with a few disheveled clothes hanging inside.
Yu Deng gathered his courage and cautiously stepped inside.
The skeleton raised its stiff bones, wanting to follow, but when the male werewolf glanced at it, he followed the little vampire into the closet and effortlessly closed the door behind them.
The skeleton stood outside the closet, scratching its skull: "???"
Is something wrong?
Wasn't the inside its territory? It didn't want to attack the little vampire, but why was it left outside?
...
After the closet door was closed, the space inside underwent a transformation. Yu Deng looked around and realized that the closet was much larger on the inside, about one-third the size of a room. In the center, there was a small kerosene lamp.
Yu Deng thought, somewhat out of place, The magic world is great—it makes the most of every bit of space.
He looked up and saw many oval-shaped objects hanging from the clothes rack at the top. A quick glance revealed at least seventy or eighty of them. The surface of these eggs was dull and grayish, swaying gently in the dim light, giving them a creepy appearance.
Yu Deng's hand, still holding onto Qin Jun's sleeve, trembled slightly, and the next second, the man's hand grasped his.
"Don't be afraid. We're safe for now." Qin Jun's muscles tensed slightly as he spoke to Yu Deng. "The diary should be hidden inside one of those things."
Yu Deng flapped his small wings a few times, slowly flying up a little to observe for a few seconds. "I can't tell if there's anything else inside."
"It's fine."
The man reassured him, then gently picked up the fluttering little vampire and placed him on the open space behind him.
Yu Deng tilted his head in confusion, only to see Qin Jun pull out a short knife and quickly slice open one of the ovals.
Something wriggling fell out abruptly, causing Yu Deng's hairs to stand on end. But before he had time to feel disgusted, the wriggling thing was swiftly sliced into pieces by Qin Jun, and it made no more sound.
In just five minutes, Qin Jun had cut open six or seven of the ovals. Among the things that fell out were strange creatures, some rusted and damaged iron equipment, and one was completely empty.
Yu Deng stared at Qin Jun's swift movements, impressed and a little dazed. "So... this is how you do quests?"
[Yes, in the Infinite World, players typically split into two paths: clever problem-solving and brute force.]
Clearly, Qin Jun was taking the brute force route.
Yu Deng, seeing how a pro player tackled quests, praised him earnestly when Qin Jun turned to confirm his safety. "You're amazing."
"...Ahem, it's fine."
The man's smile appeared in his eyes, and his earlobes turned a barely noticeable shade of red.
Yu Deng's compliment seemed to mean more to him than it should have. Maybe other men should hear how a little vampire praises him.
With Yu Deng's praise, Qin Jun's movements became even faster. Soon, he had cleared away a large section filled with odd and strange things.
But it seemed that luck wasn't on his side today, just like during the game night when he triggered the magic circle the moment he entered. Now, as he searched for the diary, he ended up clearing everything but the last one.
Yu Deng flapped his wings, struggling a bit to dispatch a flying creature, and began to think that maybe he should be the one choosing which ovals to open next.
[Qin Jun's pretty strong; he just handled several bizarre creatures, and a player with weaker abilities would've probably been overwhelmed.]
[I bet if the game followed the usual process, the skeleton would've shown up to increase the difficulty—messing things up or trying to stop them. But with Baby's charm, it ended up joining the team instead.]
[But Bad Dog's luck is seriously terrible! It's like I'm watching myself pull the worst luck in gacha draws...]
"This is the last one. It doesn't feel right." Qin Jun wiped the blood off his short knife and warned Yu Deng, "Baby, stay back."
"Oh, oh," Yu Deng quickly moved to the farthest corner of the room.
Qin Jun's movements slowed as he cut open the last oval. A few seconds later, the oval exploded, scattering a shower of sharp enchanted stone shards.
Qin Jun instinctively leapt in front of Yu Deng, using a defensive item. The item blocked most of the shards, but a deep cut still marked his shoulder.
Yu Deng was perfectly protected.
"…Qin Jun!"
Yu Deng froze for a moment, then grabbed the man's shoulder and saw the deep wound that exposed the bone.
Qin Jun glanced indifferently at his shoulder. "It's nothing. Werewolves have tough bodies."
If he had a healing item, the wound would probably heal quickly, but unfortunately, they had used them all during the Fourth Night quest.
Yu Deng pressed his lips together, remaining silent.
Although he hadn't been particularly pleased with Qin Jun when they first met, Yu Deng wasn't one to hold grudges, especially considering the injury was caused by Qin Jun protecting him.
Yu Deng suddenly remembered he still had several healing potions in his personal space.
But if he pulled out the potions, Qin Jun would definitely realize he was a player, right?
Yu Deng hesitated for a moment, then had an idea.
Right! He could secretly give Qin Jun the potion.
While Qin Jun turned to search for the diary, Yu Deng swiftly took out a low-level healing potion and poured a sip into his mouth.
"Baby, come take a look..." Qin Jun's words abruptly stopped.
Because the little vampire had leaned in and kissed him.
Warm lips pressed together, and whether it was saliva or some other fluid, the exchange between their mouths tangled their breaths.
Qin Jun's breath hitched, and he instinctively held the young vampire closer, urgently and excitedly returning the kiss, his wolf tail flicking in rapid motion.
Yu Deng had only intended to feed Qin Jun a potion, not to kiss him. Annoyed, he pushed Qin Jun away and broke free from his embrace.
The young vampire ended the kiss, his eyes hazy, and raised his chin to casually explain his actions.
"As a reward."
Qin Jun's Adam's apple bobbed, and the fleeting thought of something being off was pushed aside. He didn't even notice that the wound on his shoulder was slowly healing; his mind was entirely consumed with the fact that the little vampire had kissed him.
On the floor lay a yellowed book, its cover adorned with a large smiling face—clearly the skeleton's diary.
Qin Jun picked it up, proudly holding it out to Yu Deng, his wolf tail high and wagging. "Found it."
Yu Deng hummed and gently flipped through the pages of the diary.
The diary contained many fragmented entries, most of which were daily training records. Due to the passage of time, some of the writing was illegible.
The last few pages had less ink and were somewhat clearer.
[x month 12th, sunny
We're setting out today, hoping everything goes smoothly. We can't afford more war.]
[x month 15th, cloudy
We've arrived at the legendary castle. There are many people here, so we need to be cautious and seize the opportunity.]
[x month 16th, sunny
How should I say this? After talking with them, most of them are actually easy to get along with.]
[x month 17th, rainy
A lot happened today... Mike actually betrayed Lilian... I'm in so much pain... I'm wondering if everything I've done really aligns with my ideals and justice.]
[x month 19th, cloudy
I, Jack, am the most foolish fool. I shouldn't have trusted those fake people! I've decided to hide that thing. There will be a better way to solve everything. Oh, my master, I found a good place. Wish me luck.]
Yu Deng finished reading the pages, his mind racing.
So, this skeleton had infiltrated the banquet as one of the people involved? What was the significance of the timeline here? And what did "false" and "that thing" refer to?
Right, he had triggered a hidden side quest. Were the clues he just found related to the past events of the castle?
"Let's go, hand this to the skeleton," Qin Jun had already committed the contents of the diary to memory as he spoke.
They left the space inside the wardrobe. The skeleton was forced to wait outside, and its gaze held some resentment as it looked at Qin Jun.
"Jack?" Yu Deng called out to the skeleton and handed over the diary.
It had been a long time since the skeleton had heard its name. It stood still for a moment, then nodded slowly, carefully taking the diary and opening it.
When it reached the last page, a single tear surprisingly rolled out from its hollow eye sockets.
The skeleton Jack held the diary and gave Yu Deng a smile, but the already fragile skeleton frame began to fall apart, bones rattling and crumbling to the ground.
The bones that fell turned to dust.
"Huh? What's going on?" Yu Deng was stunned. He saw Jack wave at them, almost as if bidding them farewell.
Before it completely disintegrated, the skeleton Jack pulled out a box from somewhere, slipping it into Yu Deng's pocket as a final gesture.
[Ding. Side Quest: Skeleton Jack's Request completed. Points will be calculated after the dungeon ends.]
Yu Deng was momentarily stunned as he heard the system notification, and he softly spoke to the dust in the air, "Goodbye."
"…"
Thanks to Jack's leniency, the side quest wasn't difficult and only took a little over an hour. According to the statistics from the live stream viewers, they were the fastest group to complete the task.
But in that short span of time, Yu Deng had received a lot of information, leaving his mind a little dizzy.
"Qin Jun…" The little vampire's voice was soft, "I don't really understand what just happened."
Qin Jun gently rubbed Yu Deng's furrowed brow, trying to smooth out the tension.
He had expected the young vampire from the Blood Clan's castle to understand more about the situation than the guests, but what he didn't know was that Yu Deng was actually a player. His character in the dungeon had only recently been transformed into a vampire, and he had no knowledge of the past events.
That strange feeling that had briefly surfaced earlier came to mind again. Qin Jun looked at Yu Deng and suggested, "I have some ideas. Would you like to discuss them with me later?"
"Discuss? Sure," Yu Deng replied, but then his stomach growled.
He suddenly remembered that the special game mode had started so abruptly that he hadn't even had dinner yet.
Just then, the room shook.
[Ding! Energy fluctuations detected! The status of the special quest target is unstable, with great destructive intent. Please complete the special quest quickly, Player Yu Deng!]
It wasn't the usual dungeon notification voice; this was the main system's voice.
Don't ask Yu Deng how he could differentiate the main system's voice—whenever it reported such things, it always sounded a bit frantic.
Yu Deng was confused. What had happened to his guide, the prince?
...
At that moment, the Vampire Prince was searching for his little vampire.
He knew clearly that the castle was filled with various magical arrays capable of creating independent spaces. But this was the first time something like this had happened—everyone had been transported without him activating the arrays.
Even the bond between the little vampire and him had been intentionally blocked.
Under the prince's darkened mood, the three-headed dog dared not act out. Their tails tucked between their legs, the three dog heads sniffed vigorously until they stopped at the door of a room.
"Such a hassle," the man muttered, looking at the room wrapped in mysterious energy. With a light sigh, he made a grabbing motion with his right hand.
A faint cracking sound came through the air, and in the next moment, the entire door—and even the surrounding wall—crumbled into dust.
Yu Deng's figure appeared before Ronald, and alongside him was a male werewolf. The werewolf had his arm around Yu Deng's shoulders, and Yu Deng's lips were slightly wet.
The prince found this sight extremely displeasing.
Perhaps this was entirely normal. After all, no guide would want to see their fledgling, who was not very familiar with them yet, embracing someone else instead.
"Baby." The silver-haired man slowly walked up to Yu Deng and extended his hand. "How was the game earlier?"
Yu Deng thought back and realized that during the mission, he hadn't really done much, as Qin Jun had protected him very well.
The prince pulled Yu Deng to his side, and Yu Deng replied, "It was fine. He's really strong. But I don't want to play again."
The things that had fallen out of the wardrobe were too bizarre, and just thinking about it made his scalp tingle.
Qin Jun, feeling the empty space in his arms, let the smile in his eyes fade, yet he couldn't help but feel a sense of pride due to Yu Deng's straightforward praise.
"Alright, I understand." Ronald gently pressed at the corner of Yu Deng's slightly red eyes. "Are you hungry? I'll have someone prepare food, and I'll accompany you for dinner."
Yu Deng nodded, then shook his head. "I am a little hungry... But I promised him that I'd discuss something with him." Yu Deng pointed at Qin Jun.
The prince paused for a moment, his red eyes scanning the werewolf with a commanding gaze. "Is that so? You should eat first."
Qin Jun met the prince's gaze coldly, clicking his tongue inwardly. With a pretended gentleness, he said to Yu Deng, "It's fine, your plans are more important. You can talk to me later when you have time. Don't worry about any conflicts between me and the prince."
[What a move to retreat for advancement!]
[Laughing my head off, this guy who can't speak is a tough, bad dog, but he's finally learned how to serve tea in this increasingly tense competitive arena!]
[No joke, that really was quite a fragrant tea just now.]
Yu Deng glanced at Qin Jun, then turned his head to give the prince a reproachful glare. "Although you're my guide, I still need my private space."
Ronald: "..."
The vampire prince looked at his beautiful but unreasonable fledgling, and instinctively softened his tone.
"I'm not limiting your freedom, baby. I just don't want you to go hungry. If a newly turned vampire goes too long without food, it could affect their strength development."
Yu Deng was swayed. "Oh…"
The vampire prince turned to Qin Jun. "Thank you for helping my little vampire. You're right, we can discuss the less urgent matters later."
Qin Jun: "..." Tch.
Yu Deng hesitated for a moment, but between Qin Jun's considerate concession and his hunger, he chose to fill his stomach first.
...
Yu Deng was led by his guide to the prince's private dining hall. He sat at a side position, while the prince took the main seat, watching him.
The dinner was prepared by the butler, Wen Luo.
Yu Deng glanced at Wen Luo's current demeanor, unable to tell if he had just participated in some special game.
The black-haired butler didn't have the servants attend to Yu Deng but instead personally arranged the dishes that the young master liked.
Wen Luo stood by, gazing at the young master, whom he hadn't seen for over an hour, and gently recommended, "These clams are very nutritious and perfect for vampire development. They also taste quite good, you should try them."
Yu Deng looked at the dish the butler recommended. The orange-red shells looked beautiful, and the smell was sweet and fragrant. Yu Deng reached for a fork and struggled for a while, but found he couldn't open it.
The young vampire didn't push himself and decided to give up. "I can't open it, I won't eat it."
Hearing the expected response, Wen Luo's lips curved slightly. "Let me help you."
Ronald, watching his butler's actions, tapped his fingers lightly on the table, his gaze darkening.
A competent butler handled such things with ease. Wen Luo quickly pried the meat from the shell and brought it to Yu Deng's lips.
Yu Deng cautiously took a bite and realized the butler hadn't lied. The taste was indeed delicious. He quickly bit down and finished the whole piece in one go.
However, he hadn't controlled the distance well. Not only did he bite into the meat, but he also caught Wen Luo's fingertip in his mouth.
The butler, however, didn't immediately pull his hand back. Instead, he pressed his fingertip gently on Yu Deng's small fangs.
"Agnes."
From his seat, the prince's expression grew more displeased as he coldly reminded, "Mind your behavior."
"I understand."
Wen Luo calmly withdrew his finger and offered a few more pieces of meat. He asked the young vampire, "By the way, young master, would you like to drink some of my blood?"
Before Yu Deng could respond, the vampire prince's expression darkened completely. He stood up and walked over to Yu Deng's side.
"Agnes, is this how you take care of him?" The silver-haired vampire coldly looked at the butler, power already gathering in his palm.
The sharp hum of the main system was about to sound.
The butler wasn't afraid at all. Calm and polite, he answered, "Your Highness, the young master is a newly turned vampire, and he needs blood to maintain his strength. However, he has higher requirements for blood, so I provide it for him."
The prince didn't respond but placed his finger on Yu Deng's neck.
Yu Deng, halfway through chewing the clam meat, suddenly realized his guide seemed to be angry. He looked confused and asked, "Huh? Can't I drink someone else's blood?"
Ronald nodded.
"But Wen Luo is right. I'll get hungry," Yu Deng tugged at Ronald's sleeve, looking puzzled. "You said earlier that you didn't want me to go hungry. You wouldn't lie to me, right?"
... Again with the acting cute.
The vampire prince's heart softened, and the power he had gathered dissipated completely.
He simply picked Yu Deng up and placed him on his lap in the main seat.
Yu Deng blinked, confused. "Hmm?"
The silver-haired man gently stroked Yu Deng's neck, confirming that the little vampire hadn't been bitten, which calmed his anger a little.
"Vampires should not casually drink each other's blood."
He was about to explain the reason when, for some unknown reason, the words in his mouth shifted.
"If my baby is hungry, you can try the blood I drink regularly."
If worse comes to worst, he could drink from him as well.
He was Yu Deng's guide, responsible for feeding the little vampire, and that was only natural, right?
Ronald didn't say the last few words aloud but had one of the vampire servants bring a cup of pale purple blood.
Wen Luo's task had been taken over, and he stood silently beside them, his gaze never leaving Yu Deng.
"What is this?" Yu Deng looked at the purple blood and cautiously leaned in to sniff it.
It smelled pretty good... though the color was strange. Whose blood is purple?
"This is the blood of a rare beast. It's very clean, nutritious, and the taste is quite good."
The picky little vampire took a small sip and his eyes lit up. He quickly drank half the cup, closing his eyes in satisfaction.
Although it couldn't compare to the blood of the men he'd tasted before, it was still quite good.
The vampire prince watched Yu Deng eat with a serious expression. He suddenly realized that he seemed to have no memory of turning Yu Deng—everything was a blur. It was only after spending time with Yu Deng that his memories of the little vampire began to become clear.
But he would never mistake the bond he shared with Yu Deng. He knew for sure that his first embrace, his true bond, would only ever be with this delicate little beauty in his arms.
The silver-haired vampire was infected by Yu Deng's joy and, without any prior experience, instinctively began to feed the little vampire.
At first, his feeding gestures were awkward, but after a few tries, he began to enjoy it.
Watching the little vampire's cheeks puff up as he ate so happily gave him an oddly satisfying feeling.
When another dessert was offered, Yu Deng shyly pulled back.
"...Hmm, I'm full."
The prince's palm gently rested on Yu Deng's stomach and gave it a light rub before pulling him closer and wrapping his arm around his waist.
It was a subconscious posture, full of possessiveness.
The butler, standing nearby, sneered inwardly.
The prince, who prided himself on being the guide, couldn't hide his feelings for the young master any more than they could.
The silver-haired prince's long hair cascaded down, its tips brushing against Yu Deng's waist. The sensation made Yu Deng squirm and tilt to the side, instinctively pulling away.
In that position, Yu Deng's hand hung loosely to the other side, where the butler, standing formally, discreetly took his hand, gently caressing it for a moment before letting go.
Yu Deng's waist arched slightly upward, the soft curve exposed as his clothes shifted, revealing a slim and pale waist.
The prince looked down, his red eyes darkening as they fixated on the slender waist of his fledgling, unable to look away.
A cold hand rested lightly on the side of Yu Deng's waist, hovering just over the soft skin.
Yu Deng, confused by his guide's sudden silence, asked, "What are you doing?"
Ronald, realizing his lapse in composure, slowly withdrew his hand. His peripheral vision caught the butler's gaze, also fixed on the young master's exposed waist.
Tch.
Ronald felt that, as the guide, he had to remind the naïve and defenseless little vampire about the intentions of others.
He carefully adjusted Yu Deng's shirt, covering the pale, exposed waist thoroughly.
Gazing at Yu Deng's delicate face, he appeared as calm and patient as any older, caring figure would.
"Baby, remember to dress properly."
Otherwise, those ill-intentioned, bad men would be drawn to the scent.