The mountain was steep and treacherous. Monsters ahead, pursuers behind—if that Yatou died first, her pet would follow her back to the Respawn Point. If the pet fell first, the situation would swing back under our control… Guild Leader, this win is locked in!”

“Mm.” Yujianlin, bare-chested in boxer shorts, nodded slightly. His subordinate had voiced his exact plan.

Ever since Yingning snatched all his gear in a flash, he knew this feud had turned lethal. If he couldn’t force her to cough up that green gear and her pet, he—the instigator—would bear every loss and consequence.

The price? Simple… Members deserting him. His Guild dissolving.

Even birds choose the best tree to nest in. No one would stay under a selfish Guild Leader. No one would linger in a Guild with no future.

Yingning finally had to set me down. The slope was too sheer; climbing one-handed with me would slow her to a crawl, letting pursuers close in.

Yet the path stayed eerily clear. No savage high-level monsters lurked here. The mountain lay silent—no birds, no rustling leaves, nothing.

Yingning and I tensed instantly. Such unnatural stillness always heralded unseen danger.

She hesitated, eyes worried on me, torn about climbing higher… Even if we reached the peak, we’d be cornered on the cliff, surrounded by players closing in from below.

But we had no choice. Stop, and we’d die instantly to pursuers. Climb, and we’d buy minutes.

“Xiaoya…” Yingning gasped between leaps to the next foothold.

It took me a moment to realize she meant me.

“Xiaoya… What’s your AI level?”

“A-Class.” The answer slipped out before I could think.

“A-Class? No wonder you’re a top-tier pet… Most pets are only C-Class—mindless followers. But A-Class… you have self-awareness.” She sighed heavily. “Do you understand hatred? If you die here… would you hate me?”

“No. I could never hate my master.” This time, my answer matched the system’s.

I could hate anyone but Yingning. That was the weight of being family.

Her gaze lingered on the silver-gray collar coiled around my neck like a ribbon. Her expression twisted. “Right… you truly don’t know hate…”

Suddenly, she gritted her teeth—grief and resolve hardening her face. “I’m sorry, Xiaoya! We can’t escape… Better to turn and fight! Make them bleed for this!”

She spun, sword drawn, staring down the pursuers. In that moment, she wasn’t a player. She was a true Female Warrior.

Was this the same Yingning I knew in real life? Soft-spoken, dreamy, quick to tears?

Without prior knowledge, I’d never link this resolute warrior to her.

“Master… do you trust me?” I leaped onto her boulder, tiptoeing to whisper in her ear. “Do Warriors have Knockback skills? Or long-range repels?”

“I haven’t learned any… but this weapon has a long-range Knockback skill.” Yingning froze. *Could a high-tier pet strategize for players?*

Then she remembered—this was a Nine-Tailed Fox. Embodiment of wisdom. Apex predator. If the devs hadn’t gifted it special traits, *that* would be illogical.

“Then I’ll ask once more… Master, do you trust me?” I widened my eyes, trying to look stern. To her, it was a fox-eared girl gazing up with pleading, watery eyes.

Perhaps her heart softened. Perhaps she had no other choice. Yingning gave a hesitant nod.

“Then climb! To the summit!”

True to her word, she granted me absolute trust. No hesitation this time—we surged upward.

Truthfully, she didn’t believe a pet’s plan. But women are creatures of feeling. Remembering this might be my final request, her heart ached. She couldn’t refuse.

Even if I was just AI… we’d shared sweat and peril.

This was the first time. Likely the last.

Burying the bitterness deep, the girl climbed resolutely toward the peak.