Chapter 8 – Bonds Forged and Paths Diverged

Qin Sheng sat at his small table, scarfing down a bowl of noodles. The Hunger System warning had come at the worst time, just after reaching Level 7 in the hidden dungeon. But real-life needs took priority—if his hunger passed 90%, the system would forcefully log him out, risking his survival.

Wiping his mouth, he muttered, "Back to the grind."

He logged in, his body materializing in the Novice Village. The bustling town square was filled with players shouting, trading, and arguing over prices. Qin Sheng decided it was time to offload the loot he had gathered.

Setting up a small stall, he began taking out weapons, armor, and monster parts from his inventory. Curious players swarmed his stall. One player pointed at a rare dagger, asking, "Hey, how'd you get this? Any tips?"

Qin Sheng, not one to hoard knowledge unnecessarily, offered, "Focus on hidden spawn areas. Monsters there drop better loot."

The player nodded gratefully and bought the dagger.

As the day went on, a girl approached his stall. She had long silver hair tied in a ponytail, wearing light leather armor that barely protected her fragile frame. Her name tag read Lia.

"Are these prices final?" she asked, pointing to a medium-grade bow.

Qin Sheng studied her. She looked like she had been struggling but had potential. "For you, 20% off. And some advice—this bow works best with agility builds."

Lia's eyes widened. "Really? Thanks! I've been getting wrecked out there."

They talked for a bit longer, and Qin Sheng found her presence surprisingly pleasant. After she bought the bow, Lia hesitated before speaking, "Want to team up sometime? It's brutal alone."

Qin Sheng paused but then nodded. "Sure, but I move fast. Keep up."

[Friend Request Received from Lia]

He accepted.

Later that evening, Qin Sheng decided to explore the areas beyond the Novice Village. Lia had logged off, so he ventured alone. While navigating through a dense forest, he stumbled upon a hidden dungeon entrance. Its jagged stone doorway glowed faintly.

"Another one," he muttered.

Inside, he battled through hordes of small monsters before encountering the first mini-boss: Gorath the Stonehide (F-Rank Minion Boss). The hulking creature swung a massive stone club but was slow. Qin Sheng, with swift movements and precise strikes, took Gorath down.

[System Notification: Gorath the Stonehide defeated! You can now contract him as a minion.]

Without hesitation, Qin Sheng formed the contract.

Further inside, the dungeon darkened. Shadows danced along the walls as he approached the final chamber. The Main Boss, Velnar the Shadowfang (E-Rank), emerged—a panther-like creature with shadowy tendrils swirling around it.

The fight was brutal. Velnar was fast, leaping from one shadow to another, but Qin Sheng used Gorath as a shield and distraction. Slowly but surely, he chipped away at the boss's health.

Velnar's Health: 40%

With a final, powerful slash empowered by Eclipse Dominion, Velnar fell.

[World Announcement] Player Qin Sheng has defeated the E-Rank Boss Velnar the Shadowfang! First Clear Achievement unlocked.

[System Notification: Velnar can now be contracted as a minion.]

Qin Sheng smirked and contracted Velnar.

[Loot Acquired: Shadowfang Armor (E-Rank), 500 Reputation Points, Mysterious Egg (Hatches into a Pet or Mount)]

His inventory shimmered with the new gear and egg. Examining the egg, it pulsed with a soft, golden light.

"This... could be interesting," he murmured.

Deciding it was time to return, he exited the dungeon and headed back to the Novice Village.

As he was packing up his stall for the night, Lia appeared again.

"You're back!" she greeted, a bright smile on her face.

Qin Sheng nodded. "Yeah, just finished a dungeon. Got some good loot."

She hesitated before asking, "Think you could show me the ropes tomorrow?"

He chuckled. "Sure. But you'll have to keep up."

The bond had started forming, and so had the path to something more. The beginnings of his harem had quietly, but definitively, begun.