Shadow Monster

"Let's set things straight first. I can help you, but it's my call whatever we do from now on," Cao Yan said. "Otherwise, I can leave you at any time."

The crybaby hesitated for a while. "I'll listen to you. However, you cannot force me to do… that kind of thing."

"Huh?" Cao Yan was stunned. What was this lady thinking of?

However, with the crybaby's looks, it was understandable that she would be so guarded. She had probably met many of those male honey bees who tried to pollinate her while growing up. She would naturally be more on alert against such things.

Cao Yan cleared his throat softly. "Tell me why you were kidnapped. Where are you from? What's your name?"

"I'm Wang Li. I live in the southern district of Magic Metropolis with my parents and my younger sister. I work in the city. One night, on my way home after work, I was walking down an alley when suddenly everything became black, and I was kidnapped. I don't know who the other person was and why they wanted to kidnap me. I haven't been home. I don't know how anxious my family would be. Can you please send me home first?"

Wang Li was filled with worries and her tone was a little panicky.

Cao Yan thought, she's indeed someone with a clean and normal background. Therefore, the other party's motive for kidnapping her would not be for ransom. Considering the trouble's looks, she was probably the reason for the kidnapping.

It was no surprise that there would be some people with status and power who would kidnap beautiful women just for their selfish desires.

In that case, the kidnappers were probably going after her looks. It also meant that the elderly man and his gang killed by the combat robot fighters were the kidnappers. However, they were probably just runners for the unknown mastermind.

Then, what was the motive of the combat robot fighters?

"Do you know this man?" Cao Yan asked as he pointed at the unconscious man.

"I do. He is the son of the owner of the trading center I work at. After work, he said he wanted to send me home. I rejected him, but he followed me…" Wang Li said with a little blush as she waved her fair little hand.

Cao Yan felt a little sorry for the pretty boy lying on the ground. So he was just trying to hook up with the girl but was unlucky enough to be kidnapped together.

She was trouble indeed. If he did not save them, this fellow would probably end up dead.

"Can you send me home?" Wang Li requested once again.

"No. You should not go home for the time being," Cao Yan said calmly.

Just as Cao Yan thought she would ask him why, Wang Li understood the reason after pondering for a while. "You're worried that the kidnappers would be afraid of exposing their crime, so they would go to my house to see if I have gone home. If I were to return, I might bring trouble to my family, right?"

Who said that you couldn't have both brains and looks?

Look, this lady's IQ was up there.

Cao Yan: "Since you understand, let's go."

"What about him?" The crybaby pointed at the pretty boy on the ground.

"Having one more person with us would increase our chances of getting found. We cannot bring him along. He's going to wake up soon. Besides, we're already near Magic Metropolis. He should know how to get back to the city if he's not dumb."

Cao Yan said coldly, "If he splits up with us, one advantage is, he would go over to your house to check once he returns to the city. Not only will it help us divert the attention of your kidnappers, but your family will also realize that you were kidnapped. Although they would be worried, they would also have the hope that you would return home one day."

The last line had apparently touched the crybaby. She softly whimpered in response and followed Cao Yan with small quick steps.

"Ding! Mission Save the Crybaby completed. Your reward is 30 mission points. Please accept your reward." The fake system in his subconscious sent him a reminder.

These 30 points came relatively easily. Cao Yan thought to himself.

Compared to the other ongoing mission of 100 points where he had to use his own capabilities to ensure that he would not have any worries training as a demon pet trainer, these 30 points did come easily.

Cao Yan was in a good mood. He glanced at Wang Li, who was beside him, and smelled the faint fragrance coming from her.

After a few steps, Cao Yan suddenly turned back and looked at the pretty boy on the ground.

He had saved that fellow's life, so it shouldn't be too much to get something from him, right?

Cao Yan squatted beside the boy and started searching him. Finally, he pulled out an object resembling a wallet and took the money inside. He put it in his own pocket without even hiding before he stood up to leave.

Wang Li was stunned as she watched him from the side.

Not long after Cao Yan left, the handsome boy, who was robbed of his money, started to get back to his senses. His face was pale, and he felt as though his body did not belong to him.

Trying to recall the earlier events, the scene of the kidnapping started to become clearer. At the same time, he realized that he was alone in the forest. The darkness frightened him so much that he almost peed his pants.

The fellow quickly checked himself up. Other than feeling a little giddy, he was not hurt and his *sshole was also fine. Only, his money was all gone.

So, that group of petty thieves had knocked him out to rob him?

The pretty boy believed that he had already figured things out. After calming himself down, he scanned his surroundings. He could see the faint moonlight shining through the dense canopy and make out the silhouette of Magic Metropolis afar. Not bothering about other things, he started sprinting towards the city.

He entered the city safely. When he reached home, it was already the early morning hours. It was then that he suddenly recalled why he was knocked unconscious: he was following Wang Li home. The memory frightened him a little. He would never stalk a beautiful girl anymore. It was way too dangerous.

The pretty boy's behavior was according to Cao Yan's expectations. At the crack of daylight, the guy rushed to Wang Li's house to take a look. He also brought the news of Wang Li's kidnapping to her family. One could imagine the scene in her house at that instant.

…

Cao Yan walked in front while Wang Li silently followed a step behind him.

From the back, Cao Yan appeared rather skinny. However, his back was tall and broad, providing others a sense of security.

Wang Li looked melancholically at Magic Metropolis as she walked, wondering how it was like at home now that she had not been there the entire night.

Cao Yan was vigilant the entire way because he did not want anyone to find him and Wang Li. He made sure not to leave behind traces.

Although the fake system said that Wang Li would not bring him any trouble, Cao Yan still did not dare to let his guard down. It was better to be safe than sorry.

There would be an endless stream of troubles once those kidnappers, whom he knew nothing about, found them.

Thankfully, it was late into the night and Cao Yan had taken a deserted path. He smoothly brought Wang Li back to the boat.

Once she got onto the boat, Wang Li exclaimed softly and widened her eyes.

A strange thing had stepped out of Cao Yan's shadow. It was as though space was warped, but it was just Eggy, who had been hiding in Cao Yan's shadow all this while. Its sudden appearance almost scared Wang Li to tears.

Thankfully, there were all kinds of demon beasts around, so although Wang Li was shocked, she quickly calmed herself down. She assumed that Cao Yan was a demon pet trainer because of Eggy. "No wonder he could save me. So, he's a demon pet trainer…"

Eggy glanced at Wang Li with its icy cold eyes: This female human had a lot of meat on her chest. Would it taste good?