After entering Stealth mode, Soulshadow Tianyou walked openly and boldly into the Lost Fishing Village. Loli Monkey stayed semi-transparent too, cautiously jogging to her side.

Soulshadow Tianyou stood beside a humanoid statue and reached out to touch it.

"Master, be careful!" Loli Monkey whispered worriedly. "A monster could pop out and ambush us anytime."

"Little Monkey, I scouted this village from the mountaintop earlier," Soulshadow Tianyou said calmly, smiling as she analyzed. "It’s small, but the wooden huts are densely packed in a strange layout—shaped like the Chinese character ‘Yi,’ with one straight path through the whole place. No matter which way we go, we’ll pass every hut and end at the shore."

"I don’t get it…" Loli Monkey scratched the back of her head, blushing.

"Simply put, this isn’t an open exploration map. We only have one path: straight to the shore where the BOSS waits."

"Oh~ I see." Loli Monkey still didn’t quite understand.

"Some huts are completely sealed—just decorations or roadblocks. But others have entrances, clearly meant for us to explore," Soulshadow Tianyou mused, arms crossed as she stared at the ground. "We could rush straight to the BOSS, but the developers gave us exploration chances for a reason. There must be gear or items to make the fight easier. Though rewards always come with risks."

"Master, I don’t understand what you’re saying, but it sounds super thorough!" Loli Monkey flattered her.

"Enough talk. Follow me closely, Little Monkey. Let’s move!" Soulshadow Tianyou whispered.

They pressed on.

…

"Master, could these statues suddenly spawn monsters?" Loli Monkey gripped her Little Golden Staff tightly, trailing cautiously behind Soulshadow Tianyou.

"Not sure. Let’s avoid the statues and boats," Soulshadow Tianyou replied quietly. Her feet splashed in the shallow water, sending ripples across the village.

She kept her wolf-tooth dagger sheathed, moving slowly while staying semi-transparent in Stealth. Against monsters, this level of invisibility was enough—they were data constructs, blind without player-like detection skills.

If she wanted, Soulshadow Tianyou could turn fully invisible… She’d also realized why she lacked an off-hand weapon slot. Her class rarely used main weapons; even her short sword was just decorative stat-boosting gear.

Soulshadow Tianyou blended into the azure scenery like a chameleon. Her footsteps left no ripples now—only Loli Monkey’s splashes disturbed the water.

Loli Monkey watched her master in awe. Those deep violet eyes stayed half-lidded, pupils darting rapidly to absorb every detail.

A born Assassin’s instinct: ice-cold calm, razor-sharp focus, nerves perpetually coiled for battle.

No wonder he was that woman’s younger brother—their greatest enemy and brightest light on the path ahead.

Loli Monkey smiled with uncharacteristic wisdom as they reached the village’s first corner.

The path had been quiet so far. But now, something changed.

"The hut ahead is enterable," Soulshadow Tianyou halted, whispering to Loli Monkey.

A two-story wooden hut stood before them. Its single doorway revealed nothing useful inside—just darkness, with no signs of monsters.

Soulshadow Tianyou kept several body-lengths from the entrance, pacing left and right to scan the interior. Loli Monkey stood silently beside her.

"There’s a monster inside. A Beachcomber," Soulshadow Tianyou stated flatly.

Loli Monkey peered in. Sure enough, a faint figure stood motionless in the center of the ground floor—a fishman clutching a spear, facing away from the door.

"We can backstab it," Loli Monkey suggested.

Soulshadow Tianyou didn’t reply. Instead, she glanced upward. A broken awning separated the first and second floors.

Suddenly, she turned her back to the hut, crouched low as if sitting on an invisible stool. Her hands hovered over her bent knees, fingers interlocked with palms upturned, eyes locked on Loli Monkey.

Loli Monkey hesitated for a split second—then understood. Her expression turned serious as she sprinted toward her master.

She leaped, planting a foot squarely in Soulshadow Tianyou’s palms. With a powerful thrust, Soulshadow Tianyou launched her upward.

Loli Monkey flipped gracefully mid-air and landed lightly on the awning. She scrambled onto the roof in seconds.

"Master! There’s a hole in the roof—I can scout properly from here!" Loli Monkey called down, peeking her head out.

"Good." Soulshadow Tianyou gave her a thumbs-up.