Hiyakura was momentarily stunned in place after hearing Tao Yao's request.
Relief...?
Is that what she meant?
Her heart was filled with confusion and unease, unsure if she understood correctly.
Seeing the confusion on Hiyakura's face, Tao Yao took a deep breath and slowly explained:
"In my last memory, Little Snow had already been tainted by the beast's calamity, becoming part of the Disaster Beasts, falling into madness and chaos."
"She is no longer the fox I knew, endowed with humanity and wisdom."
Tao Yao's voice carried a deep pain,
"And I don't want her to live in suffering. So... please help me!"
Hua Yu felt Tao Yao's inner struggle upon hearing this.
She herself felt uneasy.
"Wait... are you kidding? Tao Yao's favorite pet actually wants us to kill it?!!"
Hua Yu was slightly bewildered.
It was easy to imagine how difficult it was for Tao Yao to make such a decision.
To end the life of her beloved pet with her own hands—such pain was probably beyond words.
Hua Yu really wanted to refuse.
But the problem was, there was no option or button to refuse.
She felt a long-lasting discomfort.
Choosing the only option.
After Hua Yu made her choice.
Inside the game world.
Hiyakura looked deeply at Tao Yao.
Then gently nodded and said:
"I'll do my best..."
Upon hearing Hiyakura's promise, a glimmer of gratitude flashed in Tao Yao's eyes. She softly said:
"You are a kind person, and I am grateful to you. I think if I had known you before I lost my memory, I would have definitely liked you for this kindness."
After saying this, Tao Yao's figure once again transformed into pink mist, dissipating in front of the players.
As for what Tao Yao said before leaving.
The bullet comments showed an excited reaction.
"I didn't hear wrong, this is a confession, right?"
"This is definitely a confession!!"
"Streamer, did you hear that? Tao Yao likes me!"
"Nonsense, she likes me!!"
Not just the other players in the live broadcast room.
When the plot reached this point, Hua Yu's heart was also somewhat touched.
She had been playing this mode for nearly 9 hours.
Originally feeling exhausted from the prolonged battle.
With Tao Yao's words, she suddenly became invigorated.
She felt a surge of energy throughout her body, all drowsiness swept away.
Replaced by boundless enthusiasm and motivation.
Hua Yu excitedly spoke to the viewers in the live broadcast room:
"Everyone, I was feeling a bit tired earlier. But now, no matter what, I have to clear this level! I really want to know what happens next, even though the odds are... it might not be a good outcome, but I still want to know!"
The bullet comments saw Hua Yu suddenly become energized, and they began to tease:
"Oh my, who said they wouldn't stop streaming until fully clearing the mode?"
"Streamer, don't boast, be careful or you might end up streaming all night!"
Facing these teases, Hua Yu firmly replied: "I mean what I say! No matter how late it gets today, I must help Tao Yao find that Snow Fox!"
After saying that, she controlled the game character Hiyakura and began preparing materials according to Tao Yao's earlier hints.
First, she searched around the map for lotus flowers, gathering some fresh lotus seeds.
Then she found a few peach trees.
Carefully, she picked some delicate peach flower petals.
Though Hua Yu didn't understand the actual method for making this so-called flower soup, and she probably couldn't do it in reality.
Fortunately, the game had a synthesis system.
She placed the materials she collected into the synthesis slot and quickly produced a bowl of fragrant flower soup.
Looking at the exquisite flower soup graphics in the game, Hua Yu couldn't help but sigh:
"Honestly, if only it were this easy to make delicious food in reality."
Hua Yu muttered to herself, while secretly pondering: "Hmm... this dish seems pretty good. I have to learn how to make it properly when I have the chance. I'll definitely cook it for my younger sister; she'd be very happy."
After completing the dish.
Hua Yu cautiously carried the flower soup as Hiyakura.
At the same time, she began looking for the most conspicuous position on the map.
Finally, she chose a high ground and placed the flower soup there.
After placing the flower soup, Hua Yu patiently waited.
However, after a long while, there was still no response.
She muttered to herself in confusion:
"Strange, why is there no reaction at all? Did I do something wrong?"
Hua Yu began to suspect there might have been a problem in her synthesis process that led to the soup's quality not being perfect, causing it to fail the requirement.
So, she decided to try again.
She gathered materials once more, carefully following the steps to make the flower soup.
This time, she paid special attention to every detail and finally synthesized a perfectly rated dish.
However.
Even after her second try, there was still no reaction.
It wasn't that she hadn't made the dish.
Even though it was placed in the most noticeable position.
There was still no response.
Even after trying various methods.
Hua Yu couldn't help but feel a bit frustrated, saying in disbelief: "What's going on? Didn't Tao Yao say this would work? Why is there not a single reaction?"
As a detail-oriented player.
Hua Yu could usually solve various challenges in the game with ease.
But facing this seemingly bugged situation.
She was suddenly powerless.
In desperation, Hua Yu turned to the viewers in the live broadcast room for help: "Bullet comments, do you know what's going on? Did I miss a step?"
Seeing Hua Yu's confusion, the bullet comments replied in unison:
"You ask me? Who do I ask?"
"The streamer must not know; right now, you are the fastest player in this mode on the entire network, you are the only one who reached wave 99 of the beast tide."
"Seems like it. I checked the rankings, and besides the streamer, the fastest only reached wave 71..."
"That Snow Dog in the next live room, dark and noob, took forever to reach wave 14, and then got stuck there, anyway, they've already been humiliated and stopped streaming."
Seeing these comments, Hua Yu was stunned. She couldn't believe she asked: "What does that mean? I'm the fastest player in this mode? Seriously?"
Guided by the bullet comments, Hua Yu quickly found the extremely inconspicuous mode leaderboard in the game.
When she saw her ID prominently ranked first.
She was left speechless in surprise.
Hua Yu muttered, "I'm actually number one? How is this possible?"
Hua Yu stared at the leaderboard in disbelief.
Her eyes wide open, not blinking.
She repeatedly confirmed that her ID was indeed listed first.
But her heart was still filled with doubt and unease.
As a player with a clear understanding of her abilities, she knew she could only be considered average at best in "Fairy Journey," even somewhat mediocre.
"How could this be possible?"
At the behest of many readers, we are now launching the VIP member ad-free function.
Click to view.
Hua Yu murmured, "I know I'm doing okay, but I definitely wouldn't call myself top-tier. With so many players in this game, there are numerous tech-savvy pros; how could I possibly be number one?"
Her voice was filled with confusion and a hint of anxiety.
Hua Yu understood well that in such a large-scale PVE mode, her skill was at most below average.
She had seen too many players with high skills.
Those players' operations and strategies were far above hers.
Yet now, the leaderboard told her.
In this mode, she was unexpectedly the fastest player in the entire server.
This fact made Hua Yu feel incredibly unreal, as if she were in an absurd dream.
She began to suspect whether there was a bug in the game,
Or if something was wrong somewhere.
Otherwise, how could it be so ridiculous?
Just as Hua Yu was deep in confusion, the bullet comments in the live broadcast room suddenly exploded.
"There's no other explanation—because the streamer's luck is off the charts!"
"Your luck is the best on the entire network; if not you, then who?"
"I watched other streamers, and none of them have such good luck as you."
"Every round you get super strong buffs; I can only say it's exaggerated..."
"Hua Yu's dream peach heart is simply like having cheats; it basically triggers once every few waves of beast tides, and sometimes even consecutively triggered. Is that really only a 5% chance?"
Looking at these comments, Hua Yu was taken aback.
Suddenly, she realized that perhaps her gameplay was not exactly the same as others'.
With this question in mind.
She began browsing other streamers' live broadcasts, observing their gameplay.
Through comparison, Hua Yu was surprised to find that indeed, many streamers' operations were far better than hers, with quicker reactions and superior strategies.
However, their progress lagged far behind hers. The reason was simple—luck.
Those streamers had either been forced to struggle through difficult beast tides due to bad buff draws or had chosen to abandon their current progress to restart and replay from the beginning.
While restarting did not require them to recapture petals.
The speed was also much quicker than the first run.
At this moment, Hua Yu truly realized how outrageous her luck was.
She recalled her gameplay.
It seemed she could always trigger various probability bonuses at crucial moments.
Then, before she knew it, she reached layer 99.
Indeed, just as the bullet comments said.
This kind of luck felt almost like having cheats.
Realizing this, Hua Yu couldn't help but chuckle bitterly.
She had originally thought her gaming skills had made significant progress, not realizing she had actually climbed to this point mainly due to extraordinary luck.
However, the current situation was that no one could help solve the problem she was facing.
Other streamers had not yet reached this stage.
Naturally, they could not offer any useful advice.
This also gave Hua Yu a bit of a headache.
"Since others can't solve it, I can only rely on myself."
Hua Yu silently resolved.
She recalled what Tao Yao had said earlier:
"After placing it in the right position, it may appear..."
"Could it be that my luck isn't good enough?" Hua Yu thought to herself, "That shouldn't be the case; given the current situation, my luck should be quite good."
With this question in mind, Hua Yu decided to try a few more times.
She repeatedly made flower soup, each time carefully placing it in the most noticeable position.
Until she had placed the tenth bowl of flower soup.
Yet, there was still no reaction.
Just when Hua Yu was about to give up, Tao Yao suddenly appeared.
"Let me handle this." Tao Yao's voice was calm and gentle, ringing in Hiyakura's ears and conveying to the players through the screen.
Tao Yao continued to explain: "I suddenly remembered she seems to have only eaten the flower soup I made; perhaps only the one I made can catch her attention."
"I'm so sorry... for making you work hard for nothing; I'll compensate you later."
Upon hearing this explanation, Hua Yu sighed in relief, feeling both amused and helpless.
So that was the problem.
But thinking about it.
If the Little Fox mentioned by Tao Yao.
Only recognized Tao Yao's culinary skills.
Was it because the Little Fox once loved Tao Yao or because Tao Yao's cooking was delicious enough? Delicious to the point that the Little Fox, even after falling, instinctually wanted to seek out that flavor?
These reasons, Hua Yu couldn't fathom for now.
The game plot continued to develop.
Under Tao Yao's guidance, Hiyakura began collecting materials once more.
This time, Tao Yao appeared from time to time, helping Hiyakura select the most suitable materials.
"This lotus flower's petals are just right,"
Tao Yao said softly, "She loves this kind of pink and white mixed petals the most."
Hiyakura carefully picked the lotus, and Tao Yao guided her to find some ripe lotus seeds.
"These lotus seeds are plump and round; they will definitely be fragrant and sweet when cooked..." Tao Yao's voice was tinged with reminiscence, "The Little Fox always liked to sneak a few extra."
Under Tao Yao's guidance, Hiyakura quickly gathered all the required materials.
Next, Tao Yao began making the flower soup.
Her movements were gentle and practiced, as if she had repeated them thousands of times.
When the flower soup was almost ready,
Tao Yao sprinkled a few meticulously chosen petals on top.
"Alright," Tao Yao softly said, "This first bowl is prepared for you. Can you taste it for me? If you find it acceptable, then consider it my apology gift."
As soon as she finished speaking.
A prompt popped up in front of Hua Yu's screen:
[Received a gift from Tao Yao: Peach Blossom Lotus Seed Soup x1]
After receiving the gift, Hua Yu habitually opened her backpack and clicked on the item description.
[Peach Blossom Lotus Seed Soup]
Description: A delicious soup made from carefully selected lotus flowers, lotus seeds, and peach blossoms. It is fragrant and sweet without being greasy. Each bite contains the deep longing of the maker. This soup seems to hold some magical power that can evoke the best memories in one's heart.
Attributes: After use, all attributes increase by 60%, effect duration: 24 hours.
Hua Yu looked at the description and attributes of this item, unable to help but gasp.
Even though she was not a skilled player.
She knew very well.
How outrageous such a stat boost could be.
"Strange? It seems there's no forced consumption? The conversation can continue?"
Hua Yu suddenly noticed a detail.
At this moment, on the game map, Tao Yao was quietly waiting there.
With a big exclamation mark above her head.
After a brief thought.
Hua Yu continued the conversation.
Tao Yao on the screen asked the most concerning question:
"How is it? Does it suit your taste?"
As the voice came out.
Two options appeared in front of Hua Yu:
[Very Delicious!]
[Bad, It Tastes Terrible!!]