After disconnecting the call with his cousin, Lixin sighed heavily in disappointment. If only he remembered the town name correctly, they would be playing together right now. His cousin was surely upset, but he felt the same too. He tried not to show his enthusiasm, but he had been really looking forward to learning the ins and outs of the game with his cousin.

Promising himself he would make up for this small misstep later, he continued his quest. He didn't have much time to waste. With the help of the map, he set off eagerly toward the location where the monster was most likely located.

Lixin gasped once he stepped outside the town. Walking along the trail through the woods, he was overwhelmed by the view. It was unlike anything he had seen before. Growing up in a city, this was his first time surrounded by so many trees. Even though they were only virtual, they felt more real than any image he had ever seen on television.

He let out a long exhale as peace and calm settled through him at the beauty of nature around him. But then quickly reminded himself that there wasn’t time to stand in awe of everything - he only had one hour and forty-five minutes left to get the leaves.

Glancing at the map one last time, Lixin searched for an easier path - something that would cut down on his travel time. After a few moments, he realized it would be quicker to leave the trail and travel through the woods. Without a second thought, he ran in that direction – only missing a sign just up ahead that stated: “High-Level Monsters Ahead!”

~

Lixin loved the feeling of the wind whipping around him as he ran through the woods. He had never felt so free. It was no wonder people enjoyed VR games. This feeling could become addictive.

However, what he didn't know was that he was stalked by an unseen entity. As he ran, a monster followed him. It was an experienced hunter and Lixin was the perfect prey - alone, unaware of its presence. The perfect meal.

At first, the furry beast was content to follow from a distance. However, when Lixin stumbled over an old rotten tree stump and straight into its path, it wasted no time attacking him. The monster pounced but missed him by inches as he rolled away just in time.

Lixin scrambled to his feet and was about to run when he spotted the creature. It was the cutest thing he had ever seen. It was a strange mix between a bobcat and a red panda. It had small tufts of fur around its ears, an orange-brown coat, and wide eyes glistening with innocence.

It had no malice in its eyes, only a weary plea. Lixin's heartstrings were pulled by this vulnerable creature. Instead of running away as his brain instructed him to do since the monster had a red aura, which meant it was stronger than him, he knelt down and allowed the monster to come closer.

However, that was what the monster wanted. As soon as he got close to it, the monster's face started morphing. Its eyes turned a deep red and its mouth enlarged, revealing multiple sets of sharp teeth. 

Now Lixin was sure it would tear him apart if he didn’t do something fast. But there wasn't much time, so he took a deep breath and did the only thing that seemed right – he punched it before it could finish transforming and ran.

'Why does it look so fluffy if it's a danger kitten?' Lixin wondered as he ran as fast as he could. However, he was only a few steps away when he heard a loud growl. The monster was right behind him.

He was so stupid he should have known better. This is why Zeyu made him research. Any idiot knows that if the monster had a red aura, it must be powerful. If it was yellow it would have been better. Although still stronger than him he would probably survive, but nope the first monster he had to run into had to be red.

Trying his best to survive, Lixin flitted through the dense trees as fast as he could, trying his hardest to avoid the monster’s sharp claws. He could hear the monster behind him crashing through the trees in pursuit. He was getting tired, and he knew he couldn’t run forever, not with his meager stamina.

He had to find a way to lose the monster, or he was done for. Which was challenging since the 'danger kitten' moved so fast. If it weren’t for him using the trees as shields, the monster would have probably made him its meal by now.

Pushing himself harder, he continued to run. If he could only lose it somehow-

Suddenly, his foot struck a root, and he tumbled face-first into a wildflower bush. Upon falling, he could hear the flowers breaking under his weight, their pollen engulfing him.

When he thought he was caught, the 'Danger Kitten' flew right over him, chasing an adversary that wasn’t there. He didn’t know if the creature couldn't find him because the flowers obscured his scent, but he was happy he had lost it.

Once he was 100% sure the creature was gone, he crawled out of the bush with a sigh of relief. He briefly admired his bad reflexes before dusting himself off. He was glad this was a game or he would have been sneezing like crazy.

Opening the map, he checked his location. Only to discover that he was a couple of feet away from his destination.

'Huh, I guess being chased by a dangerous monster was worth it,’ Lixin thought as he walked a few steps until he reached a clearing.

As he entered the clearing, he saw a beautiful field that contained a variety of beautiful flowers. However, the main star was these giant blue ones resembling starflowers. They were gorgeous. It was as though someone had plucked the stars from the sky and dyed them.

They couldn't, however, compare themselves to the massive tree in the center. It was considerably taller than any tree he'd ever seen before, in-game or in real life. It sprouted purple beans from its luscious foliage. Lixin recognized the Mucuna Prurien tree he sought with a single glance.

Don't misunderstand him. He wasn't a plant savant or anything, it was only that his passive talent Ingredient Seeking was activated. Throughout his journey through the woods, it taught him the names of each plant and what it could be used for. It was one of the reasons why he didn't lose his head at the sights around him.

Thankful for such a skill, he headed toward the tree after making sure there were no monsters around. 'Time to collect some leaves.'

~

Author Says:

MomoCatt: Seriously?! Getting fooled by something cute?

Lixin: I know, I know. After all, I have been through I should be warier.

MomoCatt: Damn straight.

Lixin: But come on you have to admit the cat creature was cute.

MomoCatt: …. Let me get you a glass of catnip tea.