Chapter 533: What Is the Entrance Pass?
Chapter 533: What Is the Entrance Pass?
Since being given to Fang Cheng by Uka Kaori, Qingxue had wholeheartedly dedicated herself to assisting him.
Yet Fang Cheng never had any tasks requiring her help. Over half a year had passed since their master-servant relationship began, and he hadn’t assigned her a single proper job.
From childhood, Qingxue had formed the habit of helping Uka Kaori with tasks, making her master’s targets her own.
Now left neglected, she began feeling lost without clear purpose.
She mistook Fang Cheng’s indifference as proof of her own weakness, pushing herself through every brutal battle while clinging to this thought for motivation.
Hearing Fang Cheng declare he didn’t need her now made her question the meaning of six months’ struggle.
Qingxue felt her heart being hollowed out instantly, leaving only emptiness.
Fang Cheng stared in surprise.
The proud Snow Cat who always maintained cold composure now wore an expression full of grievances.
“Did you misunderstand?”
Fang Cheng clarified: “I do need you. I just want you to stop overexerting yourself and consider your own well-being.”
“I belong to you. Prioritizing myself would make me what?”
“That’s not my point.”
“Then what do you require of me?”
“I need you to properly care for yourself…”
“Stop dodging with wordplay.”
Qingxue gripped Fang Cheng’s shoulders tightly, her normally cold voice trembling. “You’ll always be my master. Phrases like ‘I don’t need you’ deny my reason for existing.”
She couldn’t return to Iron Fortress or her foster mother.
If even Fang Cheng rejected her, what purpose remained?
He’d destroyed her loyalty mark, granting freedom.
Yet this freedom left her directionless, without goals to pursue.
Noticing the tears glistening in Qingxue’s eyes and her bitten lip, Fang Cheng finally recognized his six-month neglect of her mental state.
Her words revealed everything – raised to view her master’s interests as her own life purpose through Uka Kaori’s deliberate training, Qingxue had become the perfect tool.
A tool left unused naturally doubts its worth.
“I’m not denying your value.”
Fang Cheng sighed helplessly. “I genuinely have no tasks for you. Should I request help with physical needs instead?”
Qingxue immediately froze against him.
“You’re… hopeless trash.”
Her gaze could’ve melted glaciers. “If it’s just physical needs, doesn’t Rin suffice alone?”
Fang Cheng snorted dismissively. “Kanzaki Rin? She’s just third-rate in combat.”
Truthfully, Kanzaki Rin’s fighting power remained formidable—she could easily handle all-nighters.
But compared to Fang Cheng, she fell far short.
“Perhaps I should thoroughly cleanse your brain of those filthy thoughts.”
Qingxue’s cheeks flushed crimson as she forced composure. “But first… I’ll devote myself to this work.”
A tinge of humiliation colored her resolve. She’d studied relentlessly since childhood to become accomplished.
Yet all her knowledge paled against mere physical appeal.
Seeing her take him seriously, Fang Cheng blinked. “That was just a joke!”
“No need to explain, Lord Cheng. I understand.”
“You understand nothing!”
Why did no one believe his honesty?
Qingxue clung stubbornly to her belief—Fang Cheng secretly desired her but refused to admit it.
Everyone knew his reputation as a lecher favoring large-chested women… and Qingxue’s figure fit perfectly.
Yet Fang Cheng’s intentions stayed pure. His days already overflowed with “supply deliveries” to Kanzaki Rin and Asaka Akihime, leaving no time for mischief.
Nangong Saye dropped constant hints while Takeda Masumi and Sato Mai watched like hawks.
If he truly craved action, he’d spend all 24 hours bedridden.
Seeing Qingxue’s fixation, Fang Cheng gave up arguing. So long as he behaved, she couldn’t assault him… right?
After administering Divine medicine, Fang Cheng tested Qingxue’s enhanced physique and spellcraft.
The serum boosted her significantly—her magic now rivaled Sato Hayato’s, nearing ace-level potency.
Combined with physical prowess, she qualified as Mechanical City’s third ace.
Returning from the training ground, they found Ye Yuqing back at the apartment.
She’d captured both Gargoyle and Two-headed Dog, now imprisoned in Mechanical City.
Fang Cheng inspected the captives, using Thought Reading.
The monsters served Alcmene, sent to scout Hokkaido from East Asia.
Alcmene—holder of the Lord of All Monsters entrance pass—planned to personally invade Hokkaido soon.
These subordinates had initially mapped suburban terrain and monster clans when Alcmene abruptly ordered focus on Mechanical City infiltration.
Their minds held no clues about her motives.
Fang Cheng frowned. Alcmene—the Western Kraken—posed terrifying competition for monster supremacy, her true strength unknown.
It wasn’t good for Mechanical City to be targeted by such a dangerous guy.
Fang Cheng casually took out the two creatures, gaining four lives, a rocky body, and swamp toxic gas ability – a small gain, but better than nothing.
Nightfall came before Kanzaki Rin returned home from her government job.
She didn’t usually pull all-nighters outside, still returning home occasionally.
She needed to prevent her “backyard” from being devoured by that lecher Fang Cheng, requiring constant supervision.
She greeted Others but deliberately ignored Asaka Akihime, along with Ye Yuqing, the brat who always provoked her.
Asaka Akihime withheld her usual “welcome back” greeting too.
Their cold war had lasted ages, known by all but unmentioned – no one dared mediate between the vice leader and the high-status big sister.
This stalemate made Nangong Saye abandon her scheming to drive wedge between them, knowing any mischief now would draw collective fury.
Kanzaki Rin genuinely welcomed Qingxue’s return.
Though this sneaky cat shared ambiguous ties with her man, their friendship meant mutual support.
A special dinner was held for Qingxue, yet the atmosphere turned awkward.
Despite efforts to liven things up, the mood remained stiff.
While eating, Takeda Masumi suddenly froze.
A foot was rubbing hers flirtatiously under the dining table.
She shot Fang Cheng an angry glare, cursing him silently.
This bastard couldn’t behave even during meals.
She stealthily shifted her other foot.
“Hmm?”
Asaka Akihime paused mid-bite, throwing Fang Cheng a pouty yet coquettish look.
“Ahem!”
Nangong Saye coughed while secretly glancing at Fang Cheng, her foot playfully tangling with his beneath the table.
Opposite her, Sato Mai reddened, nearly burying her face in her bowl.
Qingxue seemed calm, though a closer look would reveal her chopstick-holding hand trembling slightly.
This perverted guy actually dared foot-flirt during dinner.
Uka Kaori’s chopsticks wavered as she tried picking food, nearly dropping her grip.
She refused to look at Fang Cheng, furious yet secretly thrilled by his boldness.
The nine-tailed fox maintained elegant table manners longest, but even she struggled.
If not for fearing Fang Cheng’s strength, she’d have smashed her bowl into his face.
This pervert was definitely eyeing her. Even as she kept shifting her feet back, he still dared to chase after her.
Kanzaki Rin remained the calmest, brushing off his teasing as Fang Cheng suddenly acting weird.
“Ah!”
At that moment, Tsukikage Chuxia yelped while gnawing a chicken leg: “Who’s pinching me with their feet?”
She bent to look under the dining table before jerking upright, her worldview collapsing as if questioning whether she’d hallucinated from running too much that afternoon.
The fat cat glanced around and blurted, “Your feet—”
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Chicken legs, ribs, meatballs—over a dozen dishes smacked into her face and mouth.
Tsukikage Chuxia collapsed with a wail, lying completely still.
She wasn’t knocked out—she felt multiple murderous intents targeting her.
If she dared reveal what she’d seen under the table, she’d be turned into cat stew.
Fang Cheng peered beneath the table. Everyone’s feet had retreated properly. He opened his mouth but found nothing to say.
Finally, he sighed, “At least no one has athlete’s foot.”
The dinner ended in eerie silence.
Afterwards, Fang Cheng gathered everyone in the living room to discuss Qingxue’s report and the two monsters discovered that day.
The atmosphere turned heavy.
More foreign monsters meant the Lord of All Monsters competition was approaching.
Yet they knew little about it beyond it being a catastrophic event affecting vast areas.
Both Iron Fortress and Mechanical City would be impacted.
This place had become their home and livelihood—they couldn’t let it be destroyed.
Fang Cheng would protect Mechanical City, but Iron Fortress also depended on him. Oni Yuki had invested so much she’d nearly offered herself as his bedwarmer, all hoping he’d help them.
But the two locations were too distant to support each other.
Kanzaki Rin grasped the severity and temporarily paused her cold war with Asaka Akihime.
After discussion, Kanzaki Rin concluded, “First, eliminate Mechanical City’s threats like today’s monsters. Then determine the competition’s format, duration, and range to prepare. Finally, plan an exit strategy to save lives if all fails.”
Fang Cheng nodded and turned to the nine-tailed fox. “What do you know about the Lord of All Monsters?”
All eyes fell on her.
As one of Area 11’s three legendary monsters, she seemed the best informant.
“Why stare at me?”
The nine-tailed fox giggled. “I’m just a sweet 16-year-old fox. I might not know~”
Fang Cheng cut in: “If you don’t know, no gaming until the competition starts. I’ll confiscate your console every time I see it.”
“Might-not-know means I do know!”
She glared before continuing, “I’ll describe the last competition. No guarantees it’ll repeat.”
“You participated?”
“Heard it from a dear friend.”
She smiled pointedly at Uka Kaori, who looked baffled.
The Lord of All Monsters competition had only occurred once, details known only to survivors.
Though inheriting Tamamo-no-Mae’s memories, the nine-tailed fox knew little.
She explained the competition zone could encompass all of Hokkaido. When it began, the area entered a special state.
Competitors received random locations. Anyone else caught there faced extreme danger.
Each competitor held entrance passes. The goal: kill others and steal their passes.
Gamers in the group exchanged looks.
“This is battle royale!”
“Basically.”
Fang Cheng frowned. “I heard passes were created by first competition survivors.”
The fox shrugged. “Passes existed from the start as victory proofs. Later survivors repurposed them as entry tickets.”
Fang Cheng and Uka Kaori locked eyes, asking together: “What exactly are these passes?”