Xiao Jinsheng was startled by his sudden voice, worried that he might have overheard her conversation with Peng Qin.
After inviting Peng Qin to dinner and receiving her appreciative refusal, Xiao Jinsheng followed Que Zelian into the dining area.
"Why are you trembling?" Que Zelian turned his head, noticing Xiao Jinsheng's shoulders shaking with each step.
"It's because you appeared so suddenly just now; you scared me," Xiao Jinsheng retorted, deflecting the blame.
She looked up at Que Zelian, unsettled. "When did you come up behind me? You made no sound at all; it's easy to scare someone to death."
"I just came over and didn't even get close to you, only reminded you it's time to eat. Is being well-intentioned a fault now?" Que Zelian laughed in exasperation. "Or were you two discussing something illicit?"
"What could two girls possibly be discussing that's illicit?" Xiao Jinsheng scoffed. "You scared me yourself; don't try to change the subject and pin the blame on me."
Que Zelian was utterly exasperated by her.
In this situation, who was really deflecting blame?
Despite their minor squabble, Xiao Jinsheng still insisted on sitting next to Que Zelian during dinner.
Dinner consisted of mashed potatoes, pan-seared steak, and orange juice, all prepared by Huai Qing.
The edible meat in the Misty Continent came from slain mutated beasts.
Although males could transform into beast forms, transformed humans were entirely different from mutated beasts; the former were still human, while the latter were enhanced versions of animals.
Therefore, Xiao Jinsheng felt no apprehension about eating the meat.
Moreover, transformed humans only retained some characteristics of their beast forms; full transformation required reaching a ten-star ability level.
At least for now, Xiao Jinsheng had never seen a fully transformed beast-human.
Bai Yan's beast husband, Jin Ao, was currently an eight-star ability user. If he could reach ten stars and fully transform into a golden dragon, Xiao Jinsheng was certain Bai Yan would ride the dragon and circle her villa ten times, shouting for her to come out and watch.
When it came to annoying others, Bai Yan certainly had the talent.
"Now that we've met another female, should we inquire about how females enhance their mental energy?" Su Ye suddenly asked.
Xiao Jinsheng, who was drinking orange juice, choked, her breathing becoming ragged.
Su Ye was bewildered.
He had spoken politely this time and hadn't scared her.
Que Zelian, sitting closest, reached out and gently patted Xiao Jinsheng's back, comforting her. "There's no need to be so anxious if you want to ask. It's not too late after dinner."
After learning how to enhance her mental energy, Xiao Jinsheng could no longer view the five men with a normal mindset.
She was now feeling a mix of panic and inappropriate thoughts, her expression a little tense.
Fortunately, she managed to calm herself and spoke calmly. "I just chatted with Peng Qin and already asked."
"She said… star stones indeed cannot directly enhance a female's mental energy, but they can improve physical constitution."
"My mental energy star level is low because my physical constitution is too weak. Once I go on more missions with you all and strengthen my body, my mental energy will also improve through real combat."
After Xiao Jinsheng finished speaking, her hand beneath the table clenched nervously, and she looked up to observe the five men's reactions.
Mo Jiao sneered, "As expected, you're weak."
"No wonder," Yu Yunxiao said, as if suddenly enlightened. "Before marriage, the terminal served as a safety net, so you didn't need to go on missions. After marriage, even with beast husbands, you still didn't go on missions; you were either arguing with the neighbors or squabbling with us."
"What's that called? That's called digging your own grave. Now you realize the importance of physical exercise, don't you?" Yu Yunxiao mocked.
Xiao Jinsheng silently pursed her lips, suppressing the urge to tweak the cat's ear, and nodded in agreement. "That's why I said I was wrong. I'll go on missions with you all from now on and work hard to improve my mental energy."
"Systematic training can also improve physique and prevent being unable to defend oneself in dangerous combat," Huai Qing offered kindly.
Su Ye immediately stated, "If you want to train to improve your strength, I can teach you."
"Excellent, Huai Qing and Su Ye each get five points. Huai Qing is now at twenty-five points."
"Su Ye has finally gone from negative five points to zero. A great start, keep up the good work, Good Bro."
Xiao Jinsheng cheered them on with clenched fists.
Mo Jiao, standing nearby, scoffed. "Playing your scoring game again, Scoring Sis."
"Murderous Intent Bro, minus one point. You're now at negative fifty-four points," Xiao Jinsheng retorted.
"What about me? Why don't I get points?" Yu Yunxiao asked, dissatisfied.
"Murderous Intent Bro just mocked me, and you just brought up my past, but I'm in a good mood, so I won't deduct points from you for now," Xiao Jinsheng replied.
Yu Yunxiao was so annoyed that he wanted to sarcastically thank her.
But realizing that if he thanked her in such a sarcastic way, Xiao Jinsheng would immediately follow up with a remark about it being his privilege, he promptly shut his mouth and angrily gulped down his orange juice.
"Little kitty, orange juice can't drown your sorrows," Xiao Jinsheng teased from the side.
Dinner was exceptionally busy for Xiao Jinsheng.
First, she argued with Mo Jiao, then with Yu Yunxiao.
Fortunately, she didn't clash with Su Ye or Huai Qing tonight.
Regardless of what Xiao Jinsheng was arguing about with the other four men, Que Zelian remained like an outsider, elegantly dining next to her.
Only when Xiao Jinsheng finished her arguments did his gaze meaningfully fall on her face. "Who are you sleeping with tonight?"
"Huh?" Xiao Jinsheng was taken aback.
Had their relationship, in just one day, become intimate enough to discuss such a provocative topic?
"There are only two empty rooms on the right side of the dining area. Do you dare to sleep alone in one?" Que Zelian reminded her.
"I'll sleep with you." At the mention of sleeping, Xiao Jinsheng became fearful of sudden fog corpse attacks.
Not to mention that tonight they were resting in the west of the Misty Continent, where fog corpses were most active.
Que Zelian was not surprised that Xiao Jinsheng would choose him.
He chuckled softly, looking at the other four men. "Then I'll have to trouble you all with night watch tonight."
"Understood," Yu Yunxiao said, still irritated about Xiao Jinsheng not giving him points and calling him "little kitty."
Que Zelian and Xiao Jinsheng shared a room. Xiao Jinsheng slept in her portable tent, while Que Zelian made do with a clean blanket on the nearby sofa for the night.
The remaining four men, paired up, took turns on night watch.
Nights in the west of the Misty Continent were prone to attacks from fog corpses or mutated beasts.
Fortunately, their first night was a peaceful one.
The next morning, while Xiao Jinsheng was still waiting for breakfast, Peng Qin and her group arrived to bid farewell.
Before leaving, Peng Qin added Xiao Jinsheng as a star chart friend, agreeing to meet up and hang out if they had the chance after returning to the east of the Misty Continent.
Xiao Jinsheng was naturally delighted to have made her first friend in this异world.
Their wristbands had a durability of ten thousand points, which, under normal use, meant they could stay in the west of the Misty Continent for forty-one days.
However, injuries, dangerous environments, and changes in weather could accelerate the wristband's durability consumption.
Therefore, simply calculating the remaining duration based on consuming ten durability points per hour was inaccurate.
For example, when they were chased by fog corpses yesterday for half an hour, the wristband durability consumption was accelerated, directly costing them five hundred points.
Adding the two hundred and forty points of natural consumption over twenty-four hours, the six individuals' wristbands now only had nine thousand two hundred and sixty points of durability remaining.
"I hope we don't encounter any more fog corpses today," Yu Yunxiao prayed.
Xiao Jinsheng, her eyes gleaming, spoke from the side, "But with me here, fog corpses can drop star stones."
Although she didn't want to admit it, with her as a human fog corpse star stone bait,
As long as they provoked a wave of fog corpses and ran a lap, the fog corpses would have a one hundred percent chance of yielding star stones.
Wasn't this much more convenient than aimlessly searching in the west of the Misty Continent, which was a combination of forest and urban ruins?
"Be bait? With your courage?" Mo Jiao questioned skeptically.
"My timidness was yesterday's me; today's me has changed," Xiao Jinsheng said, reaching out to hug Que Zelian's arm. "I can lure the fog corpses, and then Que Zelian can carry me and run."
"Remember, it has to be a princess carry, that position is more comfortable," Xiao Jinsheng reminded him.
Que Zelian laughed in exasperation. "You certainly know how to enjoy yourself amidst danger."