After the town mayor left, the four NPCs didn’t leave. They even blatantly stood guard at the canteen entrance, as if afraid the players would try to escape.

Seeing this, the players immediately felt like lambs waiting to be slaughtered.

These four NPCs, plus the dog, were probably sent specifically to keep an eye on them.

Before leaving, the mermaid town mayor had said that for the next three days, the town would provide free food and lodging for the guests attending the Mermaid Festival.

There’s no such thing as a free lunch, and the fact that the town was providing them with free food and lodging definitely wasn’t out of kindness.

Since they weren’t after money from these players, what were they after?

Or rather, what did these players have?

They only had themselves.

So, what this town was after was very clear.

They were after the players themselves.

Perhaps, in their eyes, the players were just a batch of “goods,” just like the town mayor had come in person not to welcome them, but to unload the “goods.”

But what value did they have to them?

With worried hearts, everyone entered the canteen.

There were quite a few people sitting inside. This time, they were finally no longer mermaids, but normal humans, probably other guest NPCs.

The town mayor had said earlier that the Mermaid Festival was the biggest festival of the year in Mermaid Town, and there were many guests.

This canteen was also a canteen specifically for guests.

The moment the players appeared at the canteen entrance, the large canteen fell strangely silent.

The guests, who had been engrossed in their meals, were suddenly as if a switch had been flipped. They all stopped eating and looked up at them in unison.

They were all expressionless. Their gazes, looking at the players, were numb and indifferent, not like they were looking at living people, but rather like they were looking at a group of…

“Goods.”

Yes, “goods” again.

It was exactly the same as the way the mermaid town mayor and the four NPCs had looked at them earlier.

Players: “…”

Now the players were finally certain that in the eyes of the NPCs in this instance, they weren’t being treated as people.

The players froze in place, their scalps tingling, their hairs standing on end from being stared at by dozens of gazes. For a moment, no one dared to take the initiative to step into this canteen.

Then they noticed that there were serving windows in the canteen, each with a dayi (cafeteria worker, usually female) standing behind it. They were a bit far away, but the players could see that the dayi all wore strange, exaggerated smiles, the corners of their mouths curving up so much they looked like fakes.

They were all staring at the players at the canteen entrance, their gazes eerie, not even blinking.

It was as if the words “Come here” were written on their faces.

Players: “…”

Was this a canteen? It felt more like a slaughterhouse!

To eat or to be eaten, that was the question.

The players all started to have second thoughts.

Did they really have to eat this meal?

They wouldn’t starve to death if they skipped one meal.

But they might have to stay here for three days, and they couldn’t go without food the whole time.

Just then, that childish voice rang out again, with an urgency that showed he didn’t grasp the situation: “Dagege, why aren’t we going in to chi fanfan? Tummy’s hungry.”

Lin Xingchi: “…”

Players: “…”

Canteen Guest NPCs: “…”

What was this? How could it be so small?!

–

This childish voice was like a thunderclap in the silent canteen, shattering the stillness.

Instantly, everyone’s gaze turned towards him.

Lin Xingchi frantically put a finger to his lips, making a “shhh” gesture to Gu Lin, but it was too late.

The other players, thinking of Gu Lin’s various actions since entering the instance, were now expressionless. They simply didn’t know what expression to make.

This little doll, he really didn’t fear death for the sake of food.

With his tiny body, he wouldn’t even be enough to fill the gaps between someone’s teeth as an appetizer.

Gu Lin was being held by Lin Xingchi. Seeing him standing at the canteen entrance and not moving, he patted him with his little hand, urging him: “Dagege, let’s go in quickly!”

His tone was so eager, as if the food would be snatched up if they didn’t hurry.

As he spoke, Gu Lin’s eyes shone as he stared at the serving windows at the far end of the canteen.

His eyesight was excellent; he could see the food in each window at a glance.

Unlike the other players, he automatically filtered out the irrelevant people in the canteen, not even glancing at them. His eyes were only on the food.

Seeing Gu Lin, the people in the canteen froze.

Like others who had seen Gu Lin for the first time, they clearly couldn’t understand how such a small guest could be here.

With all eyes suddenly on him, Lin Xingchi, holding Gu Lin, was also forced to endure these dozens of strange gazes. His scalp tingled, and he felt a chill.

Gu Lin himself seemed completely oblivious.

He saw that dagege still wouldn’t move, and knew that if he wanted to eat, he’d have to rely on himself, the cub.

Gu Lin said softly: “Dagege, put me down first.”

Lin Xingchi had been carrying Gu Lin the whole way. He wasn’t tired, but his arms were a little numb.

Seeing Gu Lin struggling to get down, he squatted down and placed him on the ground.

He wanted to tell Gu Lin that, given the current situation, it was better to observe first.

But before he could speak, the little dumpling, who had just been set down, spread his short legs and, like a little cannonball, dashed into the canteen.

Lin Xingchi: “?”

Lin Xingchi: “!!”

Holy crap!!!

Lin Xingchi reacted belatedly, but it was already too late. Gu Lin had already charged in ahead.

He was small with short legs; he stumbled even when walking, let alone running. When he ran, he wobbled even more, seeming like he would fall at any moment. But strangely, he managed to regain his balance each time, making everyone watching incredibly anxious.

Now, the entire canteen’s attention was focused on this little dumpling, wearing overalls and an Ultraman backpack, willingly walking into the tiger’s den.

Even the dayi at the windows, whose smiles were already exaggerated, smiled even wider when they saw this little dumpling running towards them, almost splitting their faces to their ears.

Lin Xingchi was terrified. Without thinking, he quickly chased after him.

Su Qiao, seeing that both of them had entered the canteen, and most importantly, that Gu Lin had gone in, gritted her teeth and followed.

Instantly, the child and the two adults became the focus of the crowd.

In the other players’ eyes, this child-rearing trio had become a suicide squad.

Just then, the Double-Cap Big Shot also took a step and entered the canteen.

The others, seeing that the Big Shot had gone in, didn’t hesitate any longer and followed.

They were afraid, truly afraid, but they were also truly hungry.

Even if they were to be slaughtered, they should at least eat their fill before being slaughtered.

–

Gu Lin had a clear goal, heading straight for the serving windows. His two short legs, which had previously struggled to walk, were now running so fast they were almost a blur.

He rushed to the serving window in one go, and then his little face froze, his little body stiffened, and he turned into a silly little statue.

He couldn’t reach the serving window!

Gu Lin: “…”

The tiny cub stood blankly in front of the serving window, small, pitiful, and helpless.jpg

Seeing this scene, the aunties in the livestream chat were all dying of laughter.

[Hahahahaha, it’s both funny and heartbreaking]

[Hahaha, I saw those little short legs blur, a fierce operation like a tiger, but his score is 0.5!]

[The cub is so pitiful, none of you are allowed to laugh at him, I’ll laugh alone!]

[Cub, seriously, why did you run so fast, only to arrive and not even be able to reach the counter?]

[Who dares to underestimate my cub? He’s a cub who can eat a whole mermaid [doge]]

–

Lin Xingchi and Su Qiao arrived close behind.

Seeing Gu Lin standing there motionless, frozen like a little stone statue, the fear in their hearts hadn’t dissipated, but they couldn’t help but want to laugh.

Why did you run so fast?

Gu Lin knew he was too small to reach the counter on his own.

His little brain whirred. He turned around and stretched out his little hands to Lin Xingchi, pouting pitifully, his voice childish: “Dagege, hug.”

Lin Xingchi: “…”

Su Qiao: “…”

Was this the legendary cuteness that could kill without bloodshed?

Who could refuse a soft, fluffy cub’s request for a hug?!

Lin Xingchi didn’t say a word. He immediately wanted to pick up Gu Lin, but Su Qiao was faster, scooping up the little treasure first.

Having snatched the cub, Su Qiao smiled: “Linlin, what do you want to eat? Jiejie will get it for you.”

Lin Xingchi: “…”

The cub was too popular; if you were a step late, you wouldn’t get to hold him.