Chapter 32: Could You Pass On a Message for Me?

Upon seeing the points displayed, the security guard’s eyes suddenly lit up. This child, who seemed a bit dim-witted, was actually so wealthy. Five hundred and fifty points—even if one played a dungeon at Hell difficulty every time, it would take eleven successful runs to accumulate that much. He had never expected this unassuming little girl to be so formidable!

Suddenly, the guard’s lips curled into a smile. "Distinguished little guest, please wait a moment; I will notify the administrator." With that, the guard picked up his walkie-talkie and spoke a few words to the other side. Moments later, the woman from last night appeared before Duoduo.

The woman was visibly stunned when she saw her. "Oh, little one, it’s you! Are you looking to rent a place here?"

"Yes!" Duoduo nodded vigorously. "Auntie, can I live here?"

"As long as you can afford the rent, of course you can." The woman smiled, reached out, and tapped lightly on Duoduo’s watch. After successfully deducting fifty points, the smile on the woman’s face became even more radiant. "Distinguished little guest, how about I take you on a tour before showing you to your room?"

"But I can't walk anymore!" Duoduo lowered her head, looking at her short legs. She had walked so very far today that her legs felt like they were filled with lead; she couldn't take another step.

The woman chuckled at this. "This is the VIP zone; we provide free sightseeing carts for our guests."

"I don't have to walk? That's great!" Duoduo’s round eyes brightened as she clapped happily. Chouchou cursed "little useless thing" under its breath and went back to pretending to be an ordinary ragdoll.

Watching Duoduo’s innocent display, the guard thought to himself that the child was putting on an act again. He had almost been fooled by her soft, adorable appearance earlier.

Duoduo followed the woman through the residential complex gate. Several sightseeing carts were parked on the right. At a single glance, Duoduo was captivated by a cart shaped like a giant panda. She pointed to it and asked tentatively, "Auntie, can I ride in that one?"

"Of course, my distinguished guest," the woman replied with a professional smile.

Duoduo’s eyes lit up. She ran over excitedly and climbed up with great effort. The woman quickly stepped forward to fasten Duoduo’s seatbelt before sitting down in the front left seat. The cart started up and began to move forward slowly.

"The outer circle is filled with shops run by players. As long as you have enough points, you can buy anything you want. Anything the outside world has, we have here. We also offer bodyguard services for you to choose from."

The woman felt that this adorable little child needed a bodyguard. She was young and wealthy, making her an easy target. Hiring a bodyguard would ensure the child’s safety while allowing the woman to earn a commission—it was a win-win situation.

When Duoduo heard the word "bodyguard," her eyes brightened immediately. "Auntie, is a bodyguard someone who can keep me safe?"

"Exactly!" the woman nodded. "The Player Base provides safety guarantees for employers. Once you sign an agreement with a bodyguard, they must protect you regardless of the danger encountered during their tenure. If a bodyguard flees in the face of danger or betrays their employer, they will be executed!"

"Then, can the bodyguard I hire go to the Ghost Forest?" Duoduo looked at the woman with anticipation, her round eyes shining even brighter. If she could bring a bodyguard into the Ghost Forest, she could have them protect her father the next time she saw him!

The woman was clearly taken aback by the question. She quickly regained her composure and shook her head. "That won't work. Bodyguards can only protect your daily safety; they cannot follow you into the challenges."

"Oh, then I don't need one!" Duoduo lowered her little head, a flicker of disappointment crossing her eyes.

The woman didn't lose her smile despite being rejected. Instead, she patiently continued to introduce the amenities of the complex. Duoduo, however, was no longer in the mood; the woman’s voice went in one ear and out the other.

The sightseeing cart toured the complex for over two hours. By the time it stopped in front of a villa, Duoduo had rested enough. The woman stepped out and lifted Duoduo down. As soon as Duoduo’s feet touched the ground, the woman smiled and said, "You're in luck; there is still an empty bed on the top floor of this villa."

As the woman led the way, Duoduo’s legs were so short that even though the woman slowed down, she still had to take three quick steps for every one of the woman's strides. Unlike the previous villa, this one had an elevator. The basement wasn't used for housing but served as a two-level parking garage.

The woman brought Duoduo to the top floor room and looked at her with a smile. "Distinguished guest, if you have no other requests, I shall take my leave."

"Auntie, do you know Director Mother?" Duoduo grabbed the woman’s hand, looking at her imploringly.

The woman’s eyes darted as she recalled the person from last night. "You mean the one you arrived with?"

Duoduo nodded vigorously. "Auntie, can you take me to find..." She stopped mid-sentence, as if she had suddenly remembered something. She pursed her lips and let go of the woman’s hand. She had snuck out and was afraid of worrying Director Mother. But Director Mother was biased toward April, and April was with her now. She didn't like April anymore and didn't want to play with her.

Seeing Duoduo hesitate, the woman understood immediately. "If there is anything you want to say, I can pass it on for you."

"Really?" Duoduo looked up at her. "Auntie, can you tell Director Mother that I'm not going back?"

"No problem!" The woman nodded with a smile and turned to leave.

Director Zhou had spent over two hours searching the streets for Duoduo, but to no avail. By noon, remembering that there was another little one waiting for her at the villa, she hesitated and turned back. She had just met up with April when she ran into the woman.

The woman walked up to them with a smile and relayed Duoduo’s message. Director Zhou was slightly stunned. She had prepared herself for the possibility that Duoduo would leave once she woke up, but she hadn't expected the child to leave without even saying goodbye.

"Did she find a place to stay? Is she used to being on her own?" Director Zhou asked, her eyes filled with worry.

The woman replied with a professional smile, "Don't worry, the place she is staying is better than here. The luxury zone is guarded by security; as long as she doesn't leave the complex, she won't be in any danger."

"You said... she is living in the luxury zone?" April’s eyes widened in shock. "How is that possible? She has only cleared one Hell-difficulty dungeon. Even with her starting points, she only had 60. How could she possibly afford to live in the luxury zone?"