Is four or five updates in a single day not a substantial release? And surely the quality hasn't been completely unwatchable, right? Yet, despite this burst and my plea for support, my monthly ticket count only edged up by a dozen or so.

That truly stings... Is there any point in burning the midnight oil like this? …… Vermin...

Utter vermin. These monsters, with their terrifying pair of green eyes, weren't anything extraordinary; they were, in essence, just rats, albeit slightly larger ones. As for just how large?

About the size of your family's Husky. Imagine making a Husky lie down, strapping two green lenses over its eyes, contorting its face into a baring-teeth grimace, and then populating your mind with dozens of Huskies looking at you with that exact attire and expression—only then might you grasp the 'terror' Lin Luo and the others felt as this pack of giant rats stared them down... Provided, of course, you actually own a Husky.

However, while these giant rats looked as ridiculous and goofy as a Husky, their aggression was worlds apart. They radiated viciousness, unleashing sharp, killing intent. But killing intent is one thing; actual combat effectiveness is quite another.

Though Qiqi was small in stature, her combat prowess was undeniable. With a single pounce, she vanished into the darkness, transforming into a streak of white light. This light not only illuminated a radius of several dozen meters but also saw her tear through the giant rats like a tiger among sheep.

They were given no chance to retaliate, met only by ceaseless shrieks. The battle started fast and ended even faster, with absolutely no suspense. By the time Qiqi returned to his shoulder, every last one of the giant rats had reported to the underworld.

Although Qiqi had previously shown her decisive lethality on the way here, she had mostly dealt with natural traps, never displaying such a dominant, cold, and ruthless side. Watching from the side, Xiao Xiao felt a chill run down her spine. Only then did she truly understand the meaning of 'never judge a book by its cover' or 'the ocean cannot be measured by a ladle.' While she had never shown mercy to bandits, compared to this little Shiniang, it was like comparing heaven and earth.

She almost felt sorry for those bandits; if it had been Qiqi dealing with them instead of herself, not a single one would have survived. Lin Luo, however, remained remarkably calm in the face of this bloody savagery. No one knew Qiqi better than he did.

To describe her in one phrase: Still as water when resting, swift as thunder when moving. If she didn't make a move, she was harmless, like a defenseless little creature. But once she struck, the opponent's only fate was death...

At least, to Lin Luo's knowledge, among all those Qiqi had fought with killing intent since ancient times, he was the only one who had survived. "It should be clear now, right?" Lin Luo then asked Qiqi. Xiao Xiao didn't understand the meaning behind Lin Luo's words, but she knew that her Master had been fond of acting mysterious for more than a day or two.

So, she didn't bother inquiring; she was certain she would find out once everything was over. Qiqi nodded. "Judging by the residual energy, a second wave shouldn't be coming." "So, this was their final trump card, huh," Lin Luo clicked his tongue, displaying a hint of disdain.

However, he forgot that without Qiqi, with his own combat strength barely registering a five, he wouldn't have been able to defeat even one of those rats. "This way," Qiqi slipped off Lin Luo's shoulder and flew ahead to guide them. Lin Luo quickly followed, and Xiao Xiao kept close behind him.

Although Lin Luo and Qiqi appeared brimming with confidence, the young woman clearly still held a degree of anxiety, watching her surroundings vigilantly without relaxing her guard in the slightest. But just as Qiqi had predicted, no enemies appeared after that moment. Forget the giant rats that looked like clowns; even the hair-raising white puppets from earlier were nowhere to be seen.

After walking for about ten minutes, the trio reached the deepest part of the castle. At the end of the corridor was a room sealed by an iron door nearly two meters high. Judging by its construction, it appeared to be locked from the inside.

"This is it, indeed," Lin Luo murmured after a careful look, nodding his head. Xiao Xiao didn't fully grasp the implication of his statement, but she soon noticed something strange. Everywhere they had walked so far was dilapidated and filthy—cobwebs, moss, the smell of decay, as if no one had lived there for centuries.

Yet, this specific room was different. Although the iron door was equally old, even rusted, it was entirely free of cobwebs or moss; it even looked somewhat clean. Crucially, the crack beneath the door wasn't completely sealed by age; distinct slivers of light were visible.

If she wasn't mistaken, this door must have been opened frequently, or it wouldn't be in this condition. But... a castle apparently uninhabited, yet showing signs of regular use on this door?

Could it be? With that thought, a fresh wave of dread washed over Xiao Xiao. Simultaneously, Lin Luo placed both hands on the door and pushed several times.

Despite exerting his full strength, the iron door remained completely unmoved; clearly, it was bolted from within. Qiqi stirred, seemingly preparing to use her usual method to "trim" the door down. However, Lin Luo stopped her preemptively.

"No need for that. Let me handle it." 'Let you handle it?' He can't even budge it, Qiqi thought before Xiao Xiao secretly grumbled the same sentiment. If it were her, she'd be confident in opening that door.

But... she couldn't be sure what was inside, and it felt a bit frightening. Since Master seemed confident, she would let him proceed, staying behind to provide cover.

Thump! Thump! Thump...

The sound echoed—not the beat of a heart, but Lin Luo knocking. "I know you're in there. You should know we're out here.

I'd rather not cause destruction, so if you're sensible, open the door quickly. Otherwise, we'll have to force our way in." Lin Luo threatened as he knocked. He waited a few seconds; there was no response from within.

Lin Luo didn't lose heart, continuing his threat: "I'm a man who keeps his word. I'm in a good mood now, which is why I'm negotiating. If we have to break in, I can't guarantee my mood will stay the same...

I'll only count to three before we enter by force. One, two..." Before he could utter 'three,' a click sounded from inside—the sound of a lock being disengaged. Xiao Xiao stared, dumbfounded.

What on earth was going on? Only Lin Luo smiled enigmatically. He gently reached out and pushed the door.

With a creak, the iron door swung open. The room was pitch black, with no lights and no sunlight penetrating; it was so dark one couldn't see their hand in front of their face. Whatever was inside, Xiao Xiao certainly didn't dare enter alone.

Lin Luo, conversely, acted as if this castle were his personal garden. Without a word, he stepped inside, vanishing instantly into the darkness... Qiqi, still perched on his shoulder, vanished along with him.

"Master? Shiniang?" Instantly, Xiao Xiao's face turned a sickly green. Qiqi had been maintaining her self-illuminating state via alchemy, and she hadn't stopped.

The fact that the door opening hadn't lit up the room's interior was one thing, but now that Qiqi had entered, the room remained utterly dark, as if both of them had simply evaporated... How could that be explained? Xiao Xiao was both confused and terrified, filled with worry.

Yet, she finally gritted her teeth and rushed inside, only to be... ...Left utterly stunned. Contrary to the exterior view, she stood in a brightly lit room.

This spacious chamber resembled a fairytale princess's boudoir, perhaps even surpassing it. There was an exquisitely beautiful, circular bed topped with a sheer canopy, from which strands of beautiful gems hung down like curtains. Curtains woven from mist-like, dreamy silk draped across the entire room, giving an ethereal, cloudy impression.

In one corner sat a carousel large enough for a dozen people to play on, alongside countless other items Xiao Xiao couldn't have imagined. Looking at these things, Xiao Xiao felt this wasn't a room, but a dreamlike kingdom. Naturally, she also saw Lin Luo and Qiqi, standing not far in front of her, their gazes fixed ahead at something unknown.

Xiao Xiao turned to look in that direction and finally saw the room's occupants. They weren't the demons, monsters, or puppet masters she had envisioned. Huddled in the opposite corner, trembling and watching them with eyes full of worry and fear, were more than a dozen beautiful little girls.

The tallest of these girls stood only half the height of a normal person, their frames much smaller as well, yet their faces suggested they were about seventeen or eighteen. The smallest measured barely fifty centimeters long, appearing even smaller than a newborn infant, with innocent expressions that seemed to be only four or five years old. The slightly older girls shielded the smaller ones tightly behind them, seemingly gathering their courage to glare back at Lin Luo, though they couldn't hide their inner terror; their gem-bright eyes trembled.

Though momentarily shocked by the room's splendor upon entering, seeing these girls, Xiao Xiao quickly realized the truth... they were puppets, but puppets possessing self-awareness! What she couldn't fathom was how these puppets had managed to survive.

Lin Luo had told her that no one in this world had yet created a truly self-aware puppet. Although legends spoke of master artisans creating living puppets, they never survived long, and her brief research into puppet masters' records confirmed the legends were true. But these puppets before her shattered her understanding.

In a castle abandoned for hundreds of years, living puppets actually existed! What in the world was going on?