Lethal Stunner: Kicking Off with Five Beast Husbands
Chapter 52 Don’t Call Me Puppy

Chapter 52: Chapter 52 Don’t Call Me Puppy

"Sister Bai, look, there’s a puppy here!" a tender young voice exclaimed excitedly.

An eight-year-old girl dressed in a red dress called out cheerfully to a ten-year-old girl in a white dress not far away.

Bai Yan frowned and approached, following the direction the younger girl pointed. Sure enough, she saw a small cub, covered in mud and filth, stuck in a mud trench.

The cub, disturbed by the commotion near the roadside, raised its head, revealing a pair of blood-red eyes. It let out a threatening growl at the two of them standing above the trench.

Bai Yan’s expression darkened immediately. "That’s not a dog; it’s a Mutant Beast cub."

"Can I save it?" Xiao Jinsheng asked.

"No!" Bai Yan said coldly, her gaze sharp. "It’s filthy."

"Xiao Jinsheng, are you coming or not? If you’re not coming, I’m leaving." Bai Yan urged impatiently, "When the terminal shelter closes, let’s see how you get back."

"Sister Bai, you go ahead," Xiao Jinsheng said as she began taking off her shoes and socks and descending into the trench. "I’ll save the puppy and go back myself."

"Xiao Jinsheng, I’ve already told you, that’s a Mutant Beast."

Bai Yan reiterated. Seeing Xiao Jinsheng stubbornly climbing into the trench only to slip and get covered in mud, she took a step back, expressing her disgust. "You said you didn’t need me to wait for you, so I’m heading back first."

Xiao Jinsheng nodded, speaking softly to the wary cub that eyed her cautiously. She carefully approached it. "Little doggie, little doggie, I won’t hurt you."

Bai Yan cast a quick glance at the girl in the trench, then turned and walked away briskly.

The cub struggled in the mud, but it was too weak. It could only let Xiao Jinsheng lift it out of the trench and place it on the grassy bank.

By the time Xiao Jinsheng climbed out of the trench, the cub, now resting on the grass and slightly regaining its strength, shook its body to fling off the mud specks before limping away, attempting to escape.

"Puppy, I said I wouldn’t hurt you! Why are you running!" Xiao Jinsheng panicked, stepping through the mud as she hurried over. She lifted the outer layer of her skirt and bundled the cub into her arms.

The cub struggled and, to her shock, spoke in a childish voice. "Let me go! You’re the dog!"

"Oh my gosh..." Xiao Jinsheng gasped in surprise.

But then she remembered—since she had already traversed into this world and grown up again, meeting a talking dog wasn’t that strange.

"Since you can speak human language, it’ll make things so much easier," Xiao Jinsheng said as she curiously reached out to touch the cub’s black, soft fur and the two small, bouncy, rounded horns on its head.

"Dogs don’t have horns, huh. Do you know what kind of animal you are?"

"Why should I tell you?" The cub tilted its small head up and snorted defiantly.

"Do you have a name then?" Xiao Jinsheng asked again.

"I’m not telling you!" The cub bared its teeth in mock hostility.

"Alright, puppy," Xiao Jinsheng seemed to compromise.

The cub’s fur bristled in anger. It shook its head furiously at her face, flinging specks of mud all over Xiao Jinsheng. "Don’t call me puppy!"

"Got it, puppy," Xiao Jinsheng responded as she tightened her hold on the cub, picked up her shoes and socks, and prepared to walk back barefoot.

But the gravel path hurt her feet, and there wasn’t any clean water around.

The trench water was mixed with dirt, making it exceptionally thick and sticky.

Having no better choice, Xiao Jinsheng grabbed some grass to wipe the mud off her feet, slipped her shoes and socks back on, and carried the cub as she headed back.

The cub, sensing she meant no harm, settled quietly in her arms, though its head remained vigilantly raised, glancing around their surroundings.

"Is anyone still outside?" A robot stationed at the entrance of the sealed fortress called out to Bai Yan as she re-entered. "Bai Yan, was Xiao Jinsheng with you when you went out? Has she returned yet?"

"There’s an abnormality outside the shelter today. The shelter will close at 5 PM."

Bai Yan stopped in her tracks, locking eyes with the robot’s expressionless gaze.

She glanced at the Star Map’s displayed time. It was now 4:50 PM.

The terminal shelter’s external access hours were from noon to 6 PM.

Hearing that it would close early today, Bai Yan thought of Xiao Jinsheng, who was still in the trench trying to rescue the so-called puppy. Bai Yan knew that if Xiao Jinsheng didn’t make it back before the shelter closed, she wouldn’t be able to get in tonight.

"Bai Yan?" The robot questioned again, seeing her silence.

"She... Xiao Jinsheng has already returned," Bai Yan replied.

"Is that so?" The robot nodded, then reminded her, "The shelter will close in ten minutes. Xiao Jinsheng enjoys running around outside; if you see her, remind her not to go out again."

As it spoke, the robot looked hesitant. "That’s it, I’ll notify her directly."

Seeing the robot about to pull up the Star Map to contact Xiao Jinsheng, Bai Yan panicked internally: [System, quickly! Alter its memory!]

System: [Received.]

System: [Memory skill successfully applied. Cooldown time: 15 days.]

"Huh?" The robot, now looking at its Star Map interface, appeared perplexed.

It froze for a few seconds before glancing toward the unpeopled path leading deeper into the shelter. "Xiao Jinsheng sure ran back fast."

"So, you went out earlier?" The robot turned toward Bai Yan, speaking in a business-like tone. "The shelter will close an hour early today. Don’t go out again."

It then marked Bai Yan’s and Xiao Jinsheng’s names on the external activity list.

It also reminded Bai Yan, "Xiao Jinsheng loves wandering outside. Since you’re neighbors, remind her not to go out today. It’s dangerous; there will be mist tonight."

"Alright, I’ll remind her," Bai Yan nodded.

She walked away slowly, glancing back at the robot as it operated the gates, her hand at her side clenched into a tight fist.

Xiao Jinsheng was the one who insisted on saving that so-called puppy.

Yes, she’s the one who chose to save that Mutant Beast cub.

If she dies out there, if she gets killed by the cub’s parents, it’s her fault for being disobedient.

Only with Xiao Jinsheng dead will no one in this terminal shelter be able to block her path!

Her heart resolute, Bai Yan strode quickly toward her dormitory.

"Wait! I haven’t gotten in yet!"

Xiao Jinsheng, clutching the cub, gasped for air as she sprinted toward the terminal shelter.

But when she was still 800 meters away, the thick, heavy door began to close.

Xiao Jinsheng glanced at the time on her Star Map—it was precisely 5 PM.

She frowned in confusion. "There’s still an hour left. Why are they closing the door?"

Moreover, the shelter’s robot should check for missing returnees. If someone hasn’t come back, they wouldn’t close the door, even if it’s time.

Xiao Jinsheng approached the tightly shut shelter door and knocked on the cold, heavy metal surface.

The cub in her arms raised its head and extended a tiny paw to scratch at the door as well.

"Forget it, don’t waste your energy," Xiao Jinsheng sighed, leaning against the cold shelter wall as she sat down on the ground.

"To ensure internal safety, once the doors close, all focus shifts to maintaining survival conditions inside. Those inside won’t know what happens outside. We’ll have to wait until tomorrow for the doors to open again."

"Were you abandoned by your family too?" the cub asked, looking up at her.

"I don’t have a family anymore," Xiao Jinsheng replied, her tone heavy with sorrow.

Since traversing to this world five years ago, she had been alone.

Except for Bai Yan, whom she had brought back to the terminal three years ago.

Xiao Jinsheng pulled up her Star Map to send a message to Bai Yan, but her age-limited spiritual power couldn’t sustain the Star Map for long.

With insufficient spiritual power, the message couldn’t be sent, nor could she receive any.

This was why the terminal protected all unmarried females on the Mist Continent within the shelter.

As dusk fell, darkness enveloped the area outside the terminal shelter.

Xiao Jinsheng found an abandoned cardboard box nearby and crawled in with the cub.

Holding the now-dry cub in her arms, she whispered, "Stay quiet. We’ll hide here for the night."

No sooner had she spoken, the cub slapped her face lightly with its paw.

The cub nudged her chin, signaling her to look up.

Xiao Jinsheng glanced up and saw, through the gap in the cardboard box, a Fog Corpse with blood dripping from its body. Its eerie eyes were locked onto her.