Chapter 24: Sometimes the NPCs in Cocoon Village are even scarier than the guest characters in the dungeon...
Yu Naixin hadn't slept well to begin with, and when the fox demon priest urged her like that, she sat up with a dark expression.
Yu Naixin removed the blanket from her body, ran straight to the door, and kicked the tailor shop door open from the inside.
Wait a minute, what's this newbie doing?! Is he tired of living in the safe zone?! Why does he insist on opening the gate for the domain lord himself?!
[Even if she wasn't fully awake and her mind was foggy, it shouldn't be this bad! She's managed to escape from the fox demon several times before, and to be honest, luck played a big part. Did she really think a domain lord could be so easily fooled?!]
[A newcomer blinded by accidental success, who becomes arrogant and conceited, has no idea what it means to be overconfident and ignorant.]
[This is only her first instance of gameplay; she probably doesn't even know what a Domain Lord is. It's quite possible she misjudged the fox's strength...]
[The show "Heartbeat 1000%" has had guests who liked to pull off outrageous moves before, and these kinds of guests are most likely to ruin their own careers. Is this newcomer trying to follow in their footsteps?]
The fox demon priest was determined to take Yu Naixin away no matter what. He stood in front of the tailor shop, only half a step away from the wooden door.
Yu Naixin's actions were so swift and decisive that even the fox demon priest never expected that this fragile human, whom he had already sentenced to death in his heart, would be so arrogant.
In a moment of carelessness, the fox demon priest was hit directly in the face by the wooden door that Yu Naixin had kicked over.
Although the wooden door transformed into a phantom and debris before actually touching the fox demon priest, and didn't actually hit her, the gust of wind generated by the rapid movement of the wooden door still smeared the fox demon priest's face.
The fox demon priest's hair was blown wildly by the wind. He already had long hair that flowed down his back, and he wore a priest's crown on his head. Now, many strands of hair on his shoulders also flew up, making him look quite messy.
Fox Demon Priest: "..."
【? ? ?Grass? ! 】
[I'm seriously speechless! I switched to the fox demon's perspective to watch, and when he was ghostly approaching the tailor shop and menacingly demanding that the female guest go on her way, the oppressive atmosphere was so strong it almost jumped out of the live stream screen, and then the next second I got this?!]
[Nothing within the instance's domain can harm the domain lord; even if it does, it will dissipate before reaching the lord. However, a slightly strong gust of wind won't harm the lord, so it can still affect him. Thinking about it, this actually makes sense?]
[Hahaha, I'm dying of laughter! This newbie's ability to create hilarious moments is always impressive! Hahahaha!]
[It's obvious this newcomer really doesn't respect the domain lord. Sigh... what can I say? Good luck to her.]
The fox demon priest's face was already darker than the sky over Cocoon Village.
Yu Naixin never expected that the wooden door she kicked out would disappear by itself. She looked at the door frames on both sides with great curiosity, and then looked up without any hesitation, meeting the fox demon priest's gaze that seemed to want to tear her to pieces.
She even deliberately stood on the threshold of the tailor shop to shorten the height difference between herself and the fox demon priest, so that she wouldn't get too tired looking at his posture: "Wow, why did you only arrive after noon?"
Yu Naixin tilted her head and gave the fox demon priest a big, mocking smile: "Didn't I remember someone once saying that his patience was only enough to wait for me until dawn?"
"So, the words spoken by the dignified priest were just empty talk?"
[Holy crap, this newbie really loves messing with the domain owner's code, how many times has this happened?!]
The tailor shop is gone, she's completely exposed to the domain lord, and she's even deliberately getting closer. It's hard to say she's not courting death...
Last time, at least she had a skeleton and a paper doll protecting her. Now, the skeleton has been almost completely destroyed by her. Can a single paper doll really withstand a domain lord who has been thoroughly enraged?!
The paper doll boy continued to protect his master as always.
The moment he sensed the fox demon priest's anger, the paper doll boy grabbed his scissors and rushed to the door.
A giant pair of scissors, half the height of a person, was placed squarely between the fox demon priestess and Yu Naixin, making the already close space between them even more cramped.
"Stay away from Miss Yu!" the paper-figure boy growled viciously.
Seeing the paper boy who usually hid in the shadows, timid and afraid to even raise his head, now showing no sign of backing down even while bearing his own pressure alone, the fox demon priest really wanted to tear him to pieces with one claw.
But now that they are on the other side's home turf, this thing that should be the easiest thing has become difficult to achieve.
Despite her extreme anger, the fox demon priest calmed down.
Based on his previous experience dealing with Yu Naixin so many times, although this female guest is very good at courting death and being shameless, she is not a person without any sense of proportion.
On the contrary, behind every seemingly crazy or irrational act of Yu Naixin, there was always some other purpose hidden.
This time, Yu Naixin is provoking him like she's completely reckless and doesn't care about her life. What exactly is she planning to do this time?
Did she really want to see if he could break through the other male guests' home turf?
To be honest, if she insisted on forcing her way into the tailor shop, the fox demon priest herself didn't know what the consequences would be.
The paper doll boy's tailor shop and the white bone scholar's house are the only places in the entire Cocoon Village that cannot be completely controlled by the fox demon priest.
Even at the altar built to the north of Koko Village for the Mountain God, the fox demon priests within the thick fog have complete control over it.
The fox demon priest could only vaguely sense that if he forcibly took back these two places, his status as the "Lord of the Domain" would likely be severely restricted.
It has even become undeserving of its name.
This is unacceptable to the fox spirit priest.
To put it bluntly, Yu Naixin, as a female guest, actually had very limited appeal to the fox spirit priest.
Unlike the White Bone Scholar who wanted to absorb Yu Naixin's flesh and blood to increase his strength and escape from Cocoon Village, the Fox Demon Priest was almost the only god in Cocoon Village, with no room for further advancement.
Even if Yu Naixin leaves unscathed in the end, the worst outcome for the fox demon priest is simply the loss of a rare and interesting little trinket, and the lives of the male guests will return to normal.
Although it was a stagnant pool that offered little interest, the fox demon priest was still the sole ruler of it.
[The atmosphere has reached this point, why hasn't the Domain Lord destroyed all the paper figures and female guests yet?]
[I've never heard of a domain lord before, so I don't know much about them, but this fox is such a coward! The female guest was practically pointing her finger at him and yelling at him, and he just let it go?!]
[That's right. Even with so many viewers in the live stream, the vast majority have never actually seen a Domain Lord. Does that mean the Domain Lord isn't as powerful as we imagine?]
Why is everyone so focused on the fox spirit? Has no one noticed how loyal the paper doll is? I absolutely adore it!
[Congratulations to the female guest on the show "Heartbeat 1000%"! You have received 18 Sweet Coins from a viewer with the ID "Why Won't You Let Me Type Random Code"!]
[At least the domain lord was seen by someone, but the scene of the dungeon guests turning against each other with swords for the sake of the show's guests is truly unique. This female guest must hold on a little longer, I want to see more!]
[Congratulations to the female guest on the show "Heartbeat 1000%"! You have received 32 Sweet Coins from a viewer with the ID "Shura Field is the Best"!]
Seeing that the fox demon priest's expression was becoming more and more composed, Yu Naixin could only shake her head: "Tsk... Where is my hometown at sunset? You're really boring."
Whether the fox demon priest couldn't break in or didn't want to, Yu Naixin couldn't find out, but she was certain that the tailor shop would be very safe while she was in Cocoon Village.
Yu Naixin patted the paper doll boy on the shoulder, indicating that the dog no longer needed to be wary of the domain lord outside the door. Then she pointed into the tailor shop, asking the paper doll boy to bring her a chair.
The paper doll boy immediately complied, so Yu Naixin stepped down from the threshold, took a half step back, and sat down at the doorway.
"Anyway, I'm about to set off soon," Yu Naixin said, putting away all her sarcastic tone and starting to chat with the fox demon priest in a very calm tone, "Priest, you wouldn't mind answering a few of my questions, would you?"
The last time I said this to the fox spirit priest was in the simulator.
At that time, she tried every means to carefully gather information, but she had no idea whether the other party would cooperate or tell the truth. She was in a completely passive position.
But now, Yu Naixin has unknowingly taken the lead.
So these men really need to be properly disciplined.
The fox demon priest glanced at Yu Naixin, whose toes, even when she was crossing her legs, were strictly confined inside the tailor shop door, and scoffed disdainfully.
Regardless of what happened before, this female guest still values her life, doesn't she?
"So your strategy was to stall for time." The fox demon priest conjured a folding fan with his spiritual power once more. He waved the fan, completely reverting to his usual demeanor. "Once the wedding ceremony cannot be held after noon, we can return safely."
Knowing what Yu Naixin was really up to made the fox demon priest feel a little more at ease subconsciously.
【Why do I feel like my brain isn't keeping up again?】
[...Neither this newcomer nor this domain lord is easy to deal with!]
[That just startled me! I knew a newbie like that wouldn't be so impatient, and sure enough, there's a reason for it!]
Are you guys really not going to fight? I want to see rivers of blood!
Yu Naixin did not directly respond to the fox demon priest's speculation. Instead, she directly asked her own question: "You seem to have no pressure about killing me. Could it be that your mountain god has a necrophilia?"
Fox Demon Priest: "..."
The fox spirit priestess, who had just been elegant and composed, was almost choked by Yu Naixin's words.
...What kind of nonsense is going on in this female guest's head?!
"Otherwise what?" Yu Naixin retorted confidently. "If I kill myself, then I'll just be a corpse, right? If the mountain god doesn't mind that the bride is a corpse, then what is he if not a necrophiliac?"
[Holy crap, this newbie's thought process really lives up to expectations, hahaha!]
Why do I get the feeling that these two are strangely well-matched as they chat?
[Congratulations to the female guest on the show "Heartbeat 1000%"! You have received 2 Sweet Coins from a viewer with the ID "Peaceful Years"!]
The fox demon priest felt his temples throbbing: "...If I kill you, your flesh and blood will naturally be mine to enjoy! A dead bride will not be offered on the altar!"
"Wow," Yu Naixin exclaimed expressionlessly, "So you have so much power, High Priest? You even got away with embezzling the Mountain God's bride?"
The fox demon priest had to admit that when it came to being infuriating with her words, Yu Naixin was definitely a master.
“…Never mind.” The fox demon priest rubbed his temples, frowned, and made a decision. “Anyway, it’s basically impossible for me to get you out of the tailor shop now.”
"After you left, I could only wait, not knowing how much longer I would have to wait, or even if there would be another female guest. Meeting someone more interesting than you was practically impossible..."
"There's less than 45 minutes left, so I can answer one of your questions."
So that's what the newcomer's goal was?!
She estimates she'll be clearing the game soon; she's at least 90% complete on the paper doll side and has solved quite a few mysteries, so the rewards at the end will definitely be substantial!
I've started following this newcomer; she seems like a rising star among the show's guests!
Just like in the simulator, when the fox spirit priest said this, she emphasized the word "one".
Yu Naixin raised her eyebrows slightly.
That bastard's character really hasn't changed.
The fox demon priest said, "The mountain god will not mind an occasional oversight in the wedding ceremony."
After saying that, as if worried that she would hear something she didn't want to hear from Yu Naixin again, the fox demon priest turned around and left without any further explanation.
Turning around, the fox demon priest realized that countless villagers from Cocoon Village had gathered around the tailor shop.
Seeing the familiar fear and trepidation on the faces of these villagers, the fox demon priest was puzzled, wondering why these lowly ants dared to approach her.
However, the fox demon priest quickly realized that the villagers' target was not him at all, but Yu Naixin in the tailor shop.
It didn't matter to him, the priest, for giving up a bride once, but for these villagers, it would be a huge problem if they couldn't prepare a bride for the altar every month!
No one who has survived to this day dares to disobey the will of the Mountain God.
It's already 15 noon, and there are only 15 minutes left until the deadline for the ceremony. The villagers are really nervous, afraid that they won't make it in time.
Even though the fox spirit priest was right in front of the tailor shop, they had no choice but to bite the bullet and find an opportunity to greet the bride.
Seeing that the fox demon priest had finally stopped blocking the tailor shop's door, many villagers breathed a sigh of relief and began to cautiously and quietly approach the tailor shop.
For the first time, the fox demon priest found the villagers' petty actions surprisingly pleasing to the eye.
His fox-like eyes narrowed, curving into a smile along with the corners of his mouth.
The villagers of Cocoon Village were always considered the most lowly ants in the eyes of the fox demon priest, and he would never even think of them.
This caused the fox demon priest to subconsciously forget that he couldn't force his way into the other male guests' territory, but the villagers didn't have this restriction.
Even if the other male guests could kill dozens or even hundreds of villagers, there are still more than 3,000 villagers in the entire Cocoon Village. When they gather together and try to forcibly kidnap Yu Naixin, neither the Paper Doll Boy nor the White Bone Scholar can stop them!
These ants, however, can be of some use in crucial moments.
The fox-spirit priest, waving his folding fan, made way for the villagers who were eyeing the tailor shop with a beaming smile.
In any case, judging from the outcome, he was unable to devour Yu Naixin's flesh and drink her blood raw as he wished. So whether Yu Naixin herself was able to return safely or was sacrificed to the mountain god, it didn't really make much difference to the fox demon priest.
Rather, he preferred to see Yu Naixin struggle and scheme desperately, only to find herself facing a dead end.
The fox demon priest turned his head and looked at Yu Naixin, who was still sitting at the entrance of the tailor shop where the wooden door was gone, and revealed a rather wicked smile: "Miss Yu, see you at the altar."
[Holy crap, the NPCs in this show were so barely noticeable I almost forgot about them! They really can do things that even the guest stars in the episodes can't!]
[I thought the live stream was about to end, but there was a twist?!]
That's why they say NPCs can sometimes be scarier than the guests in a dungeon!
This is going to be interesting, hehehe~
Is there any way to help this newcomer? Can the paper doll protect them this time?
[She shouldn't have been so reckless as to kick the door down! If there had been a door, the tailor shop would at least be an enclosed space, offering some protection against NPCs for a while. She only needed to hold out in the safe zone for half an hour, and the paper dolls could probably help hold them off! How long can a safe zone with such a huge hole protect her now?!]
[This newcomer made a mistake from the very beginning, starting with messing with the skeleton! If the skeleton had been there to help, even if the door and windows were gone, the two male guests combined could have bought enough time. But she insisted on making the skeleton look like that!]
The fox demon priest originally thought that, faced with the sight of a large group of villagers surrounding the door, Yu Naixin would at least be somewhat tense, if not panicked.
However, what the fox demon priest saw was that Yu Naixin didn't seem flustered at all, and even waved towards the door.
"Hey! You're all here to send me off on my wedding day, right?" Yu Naixin smiled sweetly and obediently. "I asked the tailor at this shop, and it seems an older woman will be coming to help me with my makeup and dressing up?"
"Hurry, hurry! The auspicious time waits for no one, we have to hurry!"
Fox Demon Priestess: "...?!"
The fox demon priest never expected that Yu Naixin would be even more enthusiastic than the villagers.
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Author's Note: Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 04:07:47 on June 20, 2024 and 10:08:21 on June 26, 2024!
Thank you to the little angel who threw the landmine: Yunyanxin9 (1 landmine);
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
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