Yu Xiaoxiao came out of the neighborhood, it was already eight o'clock at night.
Just finished today's tutoring, the student is a twelve-year-old boy, very well-behaved.
After taking a shower, she sat on the bed and applied moisturizer. The orange cat stretched lazily, jumped onto the bed, and sat next to her.
The TV was showing an evening variety show, with several relatively high-profile young celebrities in a reality show, one of whom looked somewhat familiar...
BIBI -
(Xiaoxiao, can you come earlier today!)
The Slime sent a message.
Yu Xiaoxiao responded immediately - (Okay.)
Working in the dungeon for eight days, it seems that she has gradually adapted to this kind of life. She would make two meals each day, and have plenty of time for other work during the day.
However, there are still exams to take at school, and there should be more time during the summer break.
"Sand tea double squid rolls, pan-fried soft-shell crab, meatball steamed egg, dried scallop bean skin soup, pan-fried buns." Yu Xiaoxiao checked the food on the food cart, and added a small dish of pickled green beans.
Vivienne tied a small scarf around her neck, sitting on a wooden chair, holding a knife and fork.
Yu Xiaoxiao put a plate of crispy fried chicken nuggets in front of her, each piece covered in ketchup.
The little guy still comes to mooch food from time to time, and the Slime doesn't bother to scold it anymore.
Sometimes Yu Xiaoxiao is really curious, does Vivienne's family not worry about her roaming around the dungeon?
For example, its "brother", who is always mentioned.
"Sister, are you eating?" Vivienne picked up a piece of fried chicken with a fork and offered it to Xiaoxiao's mouth.
She shook her head, "I'm not eating, you can have it."
Vivienne ate happily, suddenly she widened her eyes and looked towards the stone door.
"It's raining."
Raining?
Yu Xiaoxiao looked outside in confusion - only the two sides of the kitchen had small lights, the rest was pitch-black. How could it rain in the dungeon?
Vivienne quickly took off the scarf from her neck, wrapped up the remaining pieces of fried chicken, and ran away in a flash, holding it in her arms.
"Such heavy rain -"
She shouted as she ran faster and faster, and Yu Xiaoxiao stood up and watched her figure blend into the darkness.
However, after spending time with her, she has gotten used to its impulsive nature.
Vivienne is very well-behaved and polite.
But what cannot be ignored is that its intelligence may have always remained at the stage of a four- or five-year-old child. Or even lower.
Yu Xiaoxiao had already cleaned up the kitchen, before leaving, she checked the ingredients in the fridge again.
The Slime takes care of the shopping in the dungeon, she only needs to write down the names of the items.
Most of the lights in the kitchen were turned off, only a small one on the bar was left.
Yu Xiaoxiao squatted in front of the oven, a few more minutes, and the egg tarts would be ready.
BIBI –
The communicator lit up.
Yu Xiaoxiao glanced at it, there were only two simple words on the screen -
(Hurry, run!)
"…"
Was it sent by the Slime? Yu Xiaoxiao's heart skipped a beat, and at that moment a distant sound came, she immediately turned off the last light.
There were footsteps stopping at the doorway.
Several men's voices came - "Is anyone here?"
"It seems like it's off work already."
"We wasted too much time catching the Slime! You, you, both check the sides!"
"Yes!"
Yu Xiaoxiao's heart was beating extremely fast, she hid under the stove, covering her mouth with both hands, not daring to even breathe.
Were these people here for her?
After all, she was the only one "working" in the dungeon.
The Slime sent a message before it was caught, she didn't know how the situation was now.
The footsteps faded further and further away...
She waited for a while, made sure there was no one at the door, then cautiously crouched and walked outside, clutching the communicator.
Next to the kitchen, there was a small crystal lamp on a low stone.
Yu Xiaoxiao directly picked her up.
She ran to the car in one breath, quickly determined the direction. At this moment, someone spotted her–
"Look! She's over there!"
She clenched her teeth, pressed the fastest speed, and the yellow spacecraft shot out from the orbit like lightning!
Swoosh! —
Yu Xiaoxiao held the small lantern tightly. Although she didn't look back, she could feel a figure following her from behind!
Run...
Run!
The speed of the small yellow car became faster and faster, but the direction was not the transfer point, but the residence of the Third Prince.
Even during military training, Yu Xiaoxiao had never been so nimble.
The potential in her body seemed to have been ignited, as she jumped off the spacecraft holding the small lantern directly.
The steps in front were steep, she used both hands and feet to climb up at the fastest speed.
A dark figure stopped below.
He did not choose to go up, but raised his right hand, and a flame gradually appeared in the palm of his hand.
Just one more step to go...
Yu Xiaoxiao ignored the deep abyss on both sides of the stone steps, and as she stepped across, a scorching burning sensation attacked her ankle!
"Ah!" Her feet slipped, and her body fell heavily to one side, along with the falling rubble.
The man in the black robe below did not let it go.
He came this time for revenge.
The Third Prince may be of high status, but those around him wouldn't let him live.
Whether it was the slime or the chef, they all had to accompany Shana in death.
A flash of murderous intent appeared in the eyes of the black-robed mage. Once again, he gathered the burning flames, aimed at the girl's body suspended in mid-air—
At the moment when the flames were released, the stone door suddenly opened.
A gust of wind swept down from above, and Yu Xiaoxiao abruptly stopped falling, suspending in mid-air.
Even the flames halted about a meter away from her.
In the darkness, the fire illuminated the figure of the girl.
Her eyes were dyed red by the flames, and an invisible force pulled her body back.
Gradually, her feet touched the ground, and she stood on the high stone platform.
The flames that attacked her also gradually dissipated, vanishing with the wind in the gloomy surroundings.
The figure of the dark-robed mage paused for a moment, and soon, he opened his robe, and the flames spread upwards from his feet.
In the dark depths, a hoarse voice came—
"Trying to escape?"
The open stone door revealed a pale hand to Yu Xiaoxiao.
He wore a loose dark robe, sitting on the ground with his face obscured by a hat.
His bony fingers slowly clenched inward, and the young mage below let out a low, hoarse roar, as if something was grasping his heart.
"What about it," the man asked.
The mage clenched his teeth, a flash of hatred in his eyes: "It's dead!"
"Oh," the voice of the Third Prince was deep and hoarse, as if it came from hell, pronouncing the death sentence: "After today, I will send your body back to the territory of the Geller family."
The young man widened his eyes, how could he know his identity!
Impossible!
When he was recruited to the royal capital, all traces of his past had been erased. The Third Prince had been living in the underground city, with not even a decent army by his side, how could he find out something so distant?
"You—," he wanted to say something, but the Third Prince did not give him the chance to speak again.
Yu Xiaoxiao saw the pale hand suddenly tighten, followed by a "puff" sound from below. The mage on the steps had fallen to his knees, his face twisted in agony.
What are you going to do?
What do you want with the Geller family?!
Similar questions, the black-robed mage would never be able to ask again.
"It's too bright," suddenly came a voice from the stone door.
A gust of wind blew in, and the small lantern extinguished.
Yu Xiaoxiao then came to her senses, she hurriedly hugged the small lantern and whispered, "I’m sorry, I'll pay attention next time!"
Back in the darkness, she had yet to recover from the slaughter just now.
Thinking of how close she was to death... but she also thought of what the magician said, that Slime was dead, and a wave of bitterness rose in Yuxiao's heart. She rubbed her eyes and asked softly, "Is it really dead?"
The people inside the stone gate did not answer.
Yuxiao did not leave either.
Her mind was in chaos, as if she had forgotten what she was supposed to do next.
"Master—" A sound came from below the stone steps, and soon Victor came up and said, "Oh, Xiao, you're here too!"
"Victor?!" Yuxiao exclaimed in surprise.
Slime touched his head and said, "Just call me Little Two."
Little Two was the name given to it by the master.
Its complexion was not too good.
"Wait a moment." Slime stopped five steps away from Yuxiao, and then suddenly emitted a sound from its throat, as if something had been expelled.
"..."
"..."
There was silence in front of the stone gate.
Slime clutched its belly and collapsed on the ground, saying weakly, "Accidentally ate too much."
"Master, five people came this time. I swallowed four of them."
"They are all here."
Slime did not appear as innocent and harmless as it seemed. It could swallow anything, especially living creatures, which would quickly turn into a pool of slime.
Yuxiao: "..."
"Preliminary judgment is that their target is me and you." Slime bounced to Yuxiao's side, grabbed her hand and said, "Are you scared? Let's go, I'll take you home first."
Guided by Slime, Yuxiao walked away.
As she left, she turned back and vaguely saw a pair of crimson eyes. Those diamond-shaped eyes didn't look much like human eyes, they were more like those of some unknown creature.
Soon, they were hidden in the darkness.
Yuxiao returned to her little nest.
She lay on the bed hugging her pillow, thinking about the experiences of tonight, feeling lingering fear.
The underground city, too dangerous.
The burning heat of flames was vivid in her mind, and when she pulled up her pants, she saw a circle of black scars.
Sss—
Previously, due to various reasons, the fear had overridden the pain, but now her ankle was starting to ache faintly.
Yuxiao opened the bedside drawer and found the ointment, then applied it.
"Meow—" The orange cat came to her side, looking at her with some concern. Yuxiao smiled and said, "It's okay, it's not very painful."
Indeed, money was not easy to make.
High-paying jobs with leisure time and simple work like this were much more dangerous than other common professions.
But strangely, Yuxiao was not very afraid.
She didn't even consider whether to continue working, as if she had no other choice now.
If she lost her job as a chef, where could she find a job that could make at least twenty thousand yuan in a month? Thinking like this, she felt full of motivation again.
Also, the little creatures she met in the underground city were all very cute.
Like Slime.
Like Vivian.
Like the group of dwarf mechanics who fixed the track for her.
...
"Wuwu, Lord Roko, you finally came."
Seeing the middle-aged man in a black uniform, Slime pounced on him, playfully imitating an octopus.
"There was a surprise attack today, and I was almost scared to death."
"In fact, not only did you not die, but you also swallowed a few—well done, Victor." Roko peeled off the green sticky substance from his body. He held a file and walked towards the "palace" of the third prince.
Slime was persistent.
It climbed onto the man's head, staring curiously at the file in his hand.
"Are these all candidates?"
Roche still had a faint smile on his face, although he was getting older, he was still graceful and was the dream lover of many young women in the royal city.
"Before we chat, I hope you go down first. I don't want to wear the same color hat as you," he said.
"Okay," the slime obediently slid down.
Bouncing up the stone steps, it stopped in front of the stone door and said, "Master, Lord Roche has arrived."
Roche, a first-level steward in the Imperial Palace of the Calia Empire. He was in charge of the internal affairs of the palace and was an elderly person highly valued by the king.
He got along well with the three princes.
This time, at the king's command, he came to the underground city to discuss with the three princes.
"Long time no see, Your Highness Lorde," Roche stood outside the door, bending slightly, with a gentle smile on his face.
"Hmm."
"The formal selection of stewards is tomorrow afternoon, and the King will come to the underground city with the final sixteen candidates. The final choice is in your hands. Here are the profiles of the sixteen candidates for your perusal," he continued.
The slime showed a surprised expression, sixteen! It seems that this time the King really put in a lot of effort! He found so many outstanding talents.
Roche continued, "The King said if you really don't want to be a steward, there is another option."
Pausing, he uttered two words - "marry a wife."
The slime looked helpless, perhaps this was even more difficult to agree to than being a steward.
Even other people couldn't tolerate it, let alone a bedfellow.
"Give me the documents," the voice of the Third Prince inside the stone door was cold and lofty.
Roche was delighted, "You agreed?"
He quickly handed over the documents.
Inside, a hand picked up the files.
"Tomorrow, I will treat them well."