“Waaah! It’s a lollipop!”

“This—this is chocolate!”

“And marshmallow cake!”

Ke Er hugged the sweets, her big eyes sparkling with starry delight. She glanced left and right, rubbed her cheek against the lollipop, then looked up at Ou Tao with pleading eyes. “Um… Father… may I taste the candy?”

Her eager little face melted Ou Tao’s heart. *So this is what a candy-craving loli looks like?*

“Ke Er, see? Uncle Goblin worked so hard to bring these for you. Good kids share, okay?” Ou Tao smiled, ruffling her hair.

The goblin uncle nearly teared up. “Gaga! (Goblin: Swordmaster, you’re truly kind—not just to this dead goblin, but teaching your daughter so well!)”

*Let this fifty-gold-piece buddy test for poison first,* Ou Tao thought calmly.

After eating, the goblin remained lively and bouncing. Safe!

“Alright, Ke Er—they’re all yours!”

“Yay!” The girl jumped joyfully. Ou Tao had bought her a common village storage pouch—low-grade, cheap, oversized. Slung on her back, it looked like a sack-style kids’ backpack, making Ke Er resemble an adorably tiny schoolgirl.

She snatched a lollipop, tore the strange magical wrapper, took a bite, then yanked open the pouch and greedily stuffed candies inside.

“Why does this feel so familiar?” Watching Ou Tao’s POV, Hamiyou Logistics muttered. *Isn’t this Ou Sanguang’s legendary “looting” move? This kid’s been corrupted!*

Ou Tao, still puzzling over the event mechanics, went to inspect the snowman’s remains.

Suddenly, a round black shadow swallowed Ke Er’s small crouching silhouette. She leaped back, clutching her candy pouch. “Wah! Who are you? These are from Father—I won’t share!”

Another holiday snowman—but different. A mouth of downward-curved black pebbles formed a sorrowful frown; a black scarf wrapped its neck.

“Candy… pouch! You’re back!” Ke Er shrank away. “Why so scary? You won’t eat me, right?!”

The moment their eyes met, the snowman hopped angrily toward her—bumping uselessly. Zero strength.

“Stop it! Don’t come closer! Annoying, annoying!”

Terrified, Ke Er squeezed her eyes shut, turned her head, and kicked it in a huff. To an adult, it was cute pouting. To this snowman? Fatal.

*Pfft!* A fart-like sound. A puff of black smoke.

Ke Er screamed.

Ou Tao spun around. “Ke Er, are you okay?!”

“Waaah~ So gross! Sticky, wet… L-let me go!”

Ke Er floated mid-air, wrapped by a translucent blue slime. Her little legs kicked helplessly; white cotton socks and cheeks smeared with goo. Struggling, face flushed red—a sight that resembled… a certain *doujinshi*.

*Well, not that kind of creepy. Why’s a slime here?*

“It itches! Uncomfortable! Father, Ke Er’s scared!”

Ou Tao’s thoughts raced—but his hand didn’t pause. *Ami’s Persecution* flashed out.

70 STR. Orange-rarity legendary blade.

*Iaido Slash!*

The level-5 slime vanished.

Drenched Ke Er landed, shivering into a ball. Her clothes corroded down to a thin white mini-skirt, clinging wetly. Flushed cheeks. Petite frame half-exposed. A strand of blue goo stretched between her calves.

“Father… so sticky! All over me! And it stinks… Ke Er’s covered!”

Ou Tao sighed. *Only a bath will do… but where’s hot water on a winter night?*

Back at camp, a cold gust blew. A snowman with a white scarf and cheerful smile landed softly in the center.

Ou Tao pulled Ke Er back. “Fifty-gold-piece buddy—test it again!”

He tossed the rapier. A meter-tall cat spirit materialized.

“Meow~ (Female Cat Spirit: As you command, Swordmaster!)”

One claw swipe. The snowman burst.

A wooden tub appeared—steaming hot water inside. Exquisitely carved planks emitted a faint fragrance. Milky-white bathwater swirled with crimson petals.

*A tulip milk bath?!* Ou Tao’s eyes widened. But he’d already lifted Ke Er—her frail body couldn’t endure the chill.

He lowered her gently.

“Mmm~" Ke Er let out a soft whimper, then sank into the bath like melting marshmallow.

As Ou Tao noticed the tub fit her *just* right—a flash of insight struck.

“Could it be?!” A faint smile curved his lips. “I get it now. *That’s* the mechanism.”