Chapter 328 - 318: Hidden Dungeon

With the Elf Tree House, Moira Lynch and her friends no longer had to spend their days huddled around the fireplace.

Even the fruits and vegetables they had planted in the yard outside began to sprout one after another, their growth rate delightfully fast.

As the days went by and the start of the game drew nearer, Moira Lynch found herself getting busy again, just like before.

This time, however, things were much easier thanks to the robots.

Just then, Moira Lynch suddenly received a message from Patience.

[Master, the Cloudsea Whale has hatched!]

Hearing that the Cloudsea Whale had hatched, Moira Lynch instantly dropped what she was doing and hurried into her room.

Thankfully, she was the only one home at the moment; the others were busy elsewhere. Otherwise, her frantic rush would have been hard to explain.

She went through the Teleportation Gate to Cloudsea Planet.

Cloudsea Planet had completely transformed. What was once a lifeless place was now brimming with vitality.

Suddenly, a completely golden fish leaped from the water’s surface.

Just as Moira was admiring the sight, a massive, deep-blue fish with a streamlined body and smooth skin shot out of the water, swallowing the golden fish in a single gulp.

Through her bond with it, Moira Lynch knew that the great, deep-blue fish was the Cloudsea Whale.

According to the information she had found, Cloudsea Whales were amphibious creatures, capable of living in both the sea and the sky.

They could live in the sea, and they could also live in the sky.

An adult Cloudsea Whale was a virtually invincible being, whether in the sea or in the sky.

Moira Lynch watched the great, deep-blue fish frantically chase and devour schools of fish. It was a far cry from the image she had of a Cloudsea Whale in her mind.

Still, it was understandable. After all, the Cloudsea Whale had only just been born.

According to the Cetabeast, this Cloudsea Whale had only been born a few minutes ago.

The Cetabeast had also said that Cloudsea Whales grow incredibly fast at first, with their growth rate only slowing down much later.

Presumably, this was because the newborn stage was a period of great vulnerability, so they needed to grow quickly to pass through this dangerous time.

Just then, the Cloudsea Whale seemed to sense Moira Lynch’s presence. It abandoned the school of fish it was chasing and swam over to her.

Upon reaching Moira Lynch, the Cloudsea Whale began to circle her, its eyes like little black beans filled with joy.

It felt like a child, left at home for years, finally seeing their long-lost parents again.

Seeing the Cloudsea Whale’s smooth, glistening skin, she couldn’t resist the urge to reach out and touch it.

The Cloudsea Whale seemed to sense her intention. It stopped in front of her of its own accord, presenting its smooth back for her to stroke.

Seeing its offer, Moira Lynch gently placed her hand on it. It felt just as wonderful as she had imagined.

And, perhaps because it was a newborn, the Cloudsea Whale’s skin was incredibly smooth and delicate.

So delicate it felt as though the slightest pressure from her could tear its skin.

However, that was impossible.

Though the Cloudsea Whale’s skin looked delicate, it was actually incredibly resilient.

The hide of a Cloudsea Whale was hailed as the most flexible of all leathers. Clothing made from it was said to be impervious to fire and water, impenetrable to any blade or spear, and could even withstand the aftershock of a planet exploding.

This showed just how terrifyingly durable the Cloudsea Whale’s hide was. But for that very reason, they were hunted in vast numbers, to the point that they once neared extinction.

But even so, it wasn’t enough to stop the greed of poachers.

Feeling the soft, smooth texture beneath her palm, Moira Lynch’s eyes filled with resolve. "Don’t you worry," she said. "I’ll never let any harm come to you."

The Cloudsea Whale seemed to sense Moira Lynch’s determination and let out an excited cry.

The youthful sound was ethereal and lingering. For a moment, it was as if time itself had stopped.

Moira Lynch didn’t stay with the Cloudsea Whale for long. The game was about to start, and she still had many things to do.

Just as Moira Lynch returned to the treehouse, she received a message.

The message wasn’t from a person, but from the game system itself.

[Congratulations, player SoySauceDrunkard. Due to your outstanding performance in the "Elf and Sugar" instance, you have triggered a hidden game instance. You will automatically enter this instance at the start of the next round.

PS: This is a mandatory instance and cannot be refused. Please prepare accordingly and take protective measures.]

Reading this, Moira Lynch’s brow furrowed. But soon after, like a deflated balloon, she slumped onto the sofa as if all her strength had drained away.

Just then, Kai York walked in from outside. Seeing Moira Lynch’s utterly hopeless expression, he teased, "What’s wrong with you? You look so dejected. Did something unlucky happen?"

Moira Lynch remained expressionless, but her tone was laden with despair. "It’s not that something unlucky happened. It’s that misfortune itself has come knocking at my door."

Seeing that Moira Lynch wasn’t joking, Kai York immediately dropped his teasing expression. "What is it?" he asked.

Moira Lynch opened her mouth, but in the end, she just said, "Never mind. It’s nothing major. I can handle it."

’I’ll just have to deal with whatever comes my way.’

Moira Lynch comforted herself. ’A hidden instance means there are better things to be found inside.’

’As the saying goes, nothing ventured, nothing gained.’

’And another saying: go big or go home.’

’Worst comes to worst, even if I lose my player status now, I have enough in my storage space to live comfortably for the rest of my life. So what’s there to be afraid of? Bring it on!’

Just as Kai York was about to press her for more details, a frantic knocking suddenly erupted from outside.

Hearing the sound, the two of them went outside to see who was at the door.

Both Shane Rhodes and Hugh Finch were registered with the Elf Tree House and could enter directly, so it couldn’t be either of them.

It was still snowing outside.

The heavy, goose-down snowflakes drifting from the sky formed a stark contrast with the vibrant little vegetable patch.

Outside stood a figure bundled up in a thick, padded jacket, wrapped so tightly that it was impossible to make out their features, let alone whether they were male or female. They were knocking on the door with incessant urgency.

Seeing Moira Lynch and Kai York emerge, the person’s knocking grew even more frantic.

"Young lady, open the door! Let me in! I have something important to discuss with you."

The person’s voice was muffled by their thick clothes, but Moira Lynch still recognized it as the old woman from next door.

Moira Lynch stood a short distance away, watching the woman continue to pound on the door. "You can forget about coming in," she said coldly. "If you have something to say, ma’am, just say it from out there."

The woman seemed surprised by Moira Lynch’s response, and her pounding faltered for a moment.