Ling Cage, pick up Lu Mingfei at the start.

"Xia Dou's here too," Bai Yuekui said, resting one arm on the table and his chin on the back of his hand. His gaze swept over the three of them, pausing briefly on the brand-new game console Xia Dou was holding. A slight smile played on his lips before his eyes finally settled on Lu Mingfei. "How was your shopping?"

"Reporting, boss!" Maido immediately straightened her back, as eager as if she were reporting military intelligence.

"After leaving the 'Start Over' hair salon, we inspected 'Imperial Domain Sound Room', 'Life's Grand Ornament', and..." She listed the places she had visited one by one as if she knew them by heart, in a clear and organized manner, as if she were giving a mission briefing.

Bai Yuekui listened with a smile and nodded, "Yes, not bad, you've been to quite a few places." She reached out and ruffled Maiduo's hair with the loving kindness of an elder.

"And you, how are you feeling?" She looked at Lu Mingfei again. Where they went wasn't important; what mattered was the initial impression he had formed of Longgu Village through this trip.

"It's...very different from what I imagined." Lu Mingfei hesitated before speaking, organizing his thoughts, and continued, "While the level of prosperity here is far from comparable to my original world, the lively atmosphere and the...well, the sense of closeness between people, like family, are just as strong. Everyone seems to care about each other; the atmosphere is great. It's just..."

He paused, lowered his head somewhat embarrassedly, and gave an awkward smile. "If we could have an internet cafe, that would be perfect."

He's still a netizen addict, thinking about playing games right now.

After listening, Bai Yuekui chuckled, his understanding of Lu Mingfei becoming clearer: a timid, somewhat reclusive high school student who was not inherently bad, and who was indeed out of place in this world.

His previous explanation about "time travel" now seems more credible; otherwise, it would be difficult to explain why he would appear alone in that desolate wasteland.

"So, you're planning to stay?" Bai Yuekui continued to ask, her tone slightly teasing, as she wanted to see the boy's reaction.

Upon hearing this, Maiduo and Xiadou widened their eyes and looked at Lu Mingfei expectantly. It had been a long time since any new blood had joined the village.

A bitter look appeared on Lu Mingfei's face as he helplessly spread his hands: "Boss Bai, do you think I... have any other choice?"

"You're welcome to stay, of course. However," Bai Yuekui's tone shifted abruptly, revealing his true intentions, "Dragon Bone Village doesn't support idlers. We can't just let you eat and stay for free, can we?"

"Of course! Of course!" Lu Mingfei immediately patted his chest and assured him. His years of experience living under his uncle's roof had taught him the principle of "being under someone else's roof." "Boss Bai, don't worry! If you tell me to go east, I will never go west! If you tell me to go south... then I will definitely not turn back until I hit a wall! Of course, the main reason is that I'm afraid of breaking the wall and having to pay for it. You know, I'm currently penniless..." Even as he made his promise, he couldn't control his habit of talking nonsense.

"Hey, hey, hey," Bai Yuekui interrupted with a helpless laugh, "Is it that serious? If I told you to die, would you go too?" She found that this kid had a real talent for witty banter.

"What I mean is!" Lu Mingfei quickly tried to cover up, not daring to take on this dangerous topic, "I am your most loyal foot soldier! Although I may not be very fast... I am also the strongest meat shield in front of you! Although I may not be very durable... I am also your loyal guardian who will fight wherever you point! Although I can probably only shout for help when I encounter danger right now... I will try my best! Really!" He had thin arms and legs, and he was really afraid that the other party would think he was useless and abandon him when there was danger.

"Alright! You said it yourself, so it's settled then!" Bai Yuekui slapped the table lightly, a triumphant smile on his face.

That smile made Lu Mingfei's heart skip a beat, as if he had unwittingly jumped into a huge pit. Was it too late to back out now?

He only dared to think about it in his mind; he would never dare to say it aloud.

"Maiduo".

"Here!" Mai Duo, who was secretly suppressing her laughter with Xia Dou, immediately composed herself and responded.

"Tomorrow morning, go find Lu Mingfei and take him with your dad to participate in basic training. Keep a close eye on him and don't let him slack off," Bai Yuekui instructed, then pointed at Lu Mingfei, "With his current physique, if he really encountered a Devouring Beast, he probably wouldn't even be a match for it. Oh, by the way, he's staying in the empty room next to mine now, don't go to the wrong one."

Lu Mingfei felt an invisible arrow pierce his chest. Was he really that weak...?

"Okay, Boss Bai," Mai Duo replied obediently.

"Remember to attend training on time tomorrow~" She turned to look at Lu Mingfei, a meaningful smile playing on her lips, as if she had already foreseen some interesting scene.

Lu Mingfei nodded repeatedly, his ominous premonition growing stronger.

"Alright, now that we've finished the business, let's eat. What would you like to eat? It's on me today." Bai Yuekui pushed the menu in front of the three of them.

"Boss, it's your treat, so of course you can order whatever you want!" Maido obediently pushed the menu back.

Lu Mingfei, who was standing to the side, was eager to treat himself to a meal since someone was treating him. But as soon as he quietly reached his hand out from under the table, he saw that the menu had already been pushed away, so he had to reluctantly withdraw his hand.

Bai Yuekui took in his little tricks, secretly amused, but didn't give him another chance. He only had one chance, and the boy hadn't seized it.

She beckoned to the waiter: "One 'Mushroom Stew', um... and one 'Bitter Mushroom Stew', and then..."

"'Mushroom's Life Alone'!" Xia Dou chimed in, sounding quite adept at it.

Bai Yuekui laughed: "Well done, Xia Dou, you've even learned to answer first!"

"That's because you always order these same things, Boss Bai!" Xia Dou playfully stuck out her tongue.

Alone and lonely, miserable and miserable, a life of solitude... Is this dish name targeting me?

Lu Mingfei felt that ever since he entered this "Food is Steel" restaurant, he had been suffering from constant mental anguish. Being alone in another world was bad enough, but now even the names of the dishes reminded him of his loneliness.

He could only laugh awkwardly: "The name of this dish... is quite unique..."

Bai Yuekui glanced at him, his gaze sweeping over the handsome face that did indeed possess a somewhat melancholic air when quiet, and thought to himself: This kid does have some charm that could fool young girls when he's not talking.

She glanced at Maiduo and Xiadou, who were stealing glances at Lu Mingfei from time to time, and silently prayed that Wulan Aodeng and Xia Tianlai would keep a close eye on their daughter.

Soon, the three dishes Bai Yuekui ordered, mainly featuring mushrooms, were served.

Lu Mingfei was so hungry that his stomach was sticking to his back. He picked up his chopsticks and was about to start eating when he saw that Mai Duo and Xia Dou were sitting properly next to him, their eyes looking at Bai Yuekui.

He then realized that he should wait for the elders to start eating, so he quickly put down his chopsticks and sat up straight.

Seeing this, Bai Yuekui felt a slight pang of emotion. How adorable these two girls were when they were little, always following behind her and calling her "Sister Bai" in their clear voices. Now that they've grown up, they've started calling her "Boss Bai" along with everyone else.

She gathered her thoughts, her appetite whetted by the familiar aroma of the dish, and picked up a piece of tender stir-fried mushroom.

Seeing that she had started eating, the other three began to eat as well.

"Boss, Lu Mingfei... he really came from another world, right?" Mai Duo asked curiously while eating. Xia Dou immediately perked up her ears, her eyes sparkling with gossip.

"Hmm," Bai Yuekui swallowed his food and nodded, "When we found him, he was standing alone in the middle of the herd of beasts."

She then briefly recounted the situation at the time, including Lu Mingfei's bizarre "three-step forbidden zone" and his claim that he came from a peaceful world and might not be able to return.

Maiduo and Xiadou's eyes widened as they listened. When they heard that Lu Mingfei was facing the Devouring Beasts alone, they gasped; when they heard about the amazing "Forbidden Zone" ability, their eyes were filled with astonishment as they looked at Lu Mingfei; and finally, when they heard that he might not be able to go home, their eyes couldn't help but be filled with sympathy.

Meanwhile, Lu Mingfei, at the center of the conversation, was engrossed in his work, seemingly oblivious to the harrowing experiences and heavy fate that had befallen him. He was already used to all kinds of stares.

Bai Yuekui didn't eat much; he left most of the dishes for the three young people who were still growing.

She looked at Lu Mingfei, who was diligently shoveling rice into his mouth, and said, "After you finish eating, go back and get some rest. I'll take you somewhere this afternoon."

With his mouth full of food, Lu Mingfei mumbled an "Mmm".

For some reason, he always ate with a sense of urgency, as if he didn't know where his next meal would come from, whether it was the cold fried dough sticks in the morning or the "Three Mushrooms" feast at noon with its tragically named name.

After lunch, Lu Mingfei followed Bai Yuekui, said goodbye to Maiduo and Xiadou, and returned to his residence next to Bai Yuekui's.

"Get some rest." Standing at the door, Bai Yuekui left these words and turned to go into his own home without any further explanation.

Lu Mingfei returned to his room but did not lie down immediately. He walked to the window and gazed at the sunlight cleverly channeled in from the top of the cave.

The bright sunlight streamed into the village, making everything seem peaceful and full of hope, yet his heart was filled with confusion. He had walked many roads and met many people today, but he still had no clue where the future lay.

The troubles of youth come and go quickly. Perhaps it was because he was full, but under the warm sunshine, drowsiness gradually crept in. Lu Mingfei lay down on the bed and soon fell into a deep sleep.

……

"Knock knock knock!"

A firm knock echoed in the silent room.

Lu Mingfei groggily got up, rubbing his eyes as he opened the door: "Who is it?"

Standing outside the door was Bai Yuekui. He paused for a moment, then slammed the door shut instinctively.

Bai Yuekui stood outside the door, with what looked like several black lines hanging down his forehead.

A few seconds later, the door opened again. Lu Mingfei had quickly tidied his messy hair. Although his eyes were still a little sleepy, at least his appearance was neat again.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Bai." He forced a slightly stiff smile as he greeted him.

"Alright, all packed up? Let's go then." Bai Yuekui said calmly, turning to lead the way.

Lu Mingfei then suddenly remembered Bai Yuekui's instructions at lunch—that he should be taken somewhere in the afternoon.

He quickly followed, saying, "Alright, alright, let's go."

Bai Yuekui led the way, with Lu Mingfei following closely behind.

As he walked, the surrounding buildings gradually thinned out, and the population dwindled. Lu Mingfei's heart began to pound, and an ominous premonition welled up within him.

"Boss Bai, where are we... going?" he asked cautiously.

"The laboratory," Bai Yuekui said succinctly.

"A laboratory!?" Lu Mingfei exclaimed in shock, his mind instantly flashing through scenes from various science fiction and horror movies. He rushed to Bai Yuekui, knelt down with a thud, and tightly hugged her leg, wailing in a tearful voice, "Boss! Boss Bai! I was wrong! I'll do anything! Please don't take me away to dissect and study me!!"

In the distance, Xia Tian and a few others, who had just opened the laboratory door and were getting some fresh air outside, happened to witness this astonishing scene and were immediately dumbfounded.

Bai Yuekui felt the veins on her forehead throbbing. In the past two days, she had been speechless more times than in the entire previous decades combined.

"Get up!" She tried to pull her legs away, but found the boy holding her tightly. "Who's going to cut you?! It's just a blood draw for a routine genetic sequence and biochemistry test! You're from another world. We need to understand if your basic physiological structure differs fundamentally from ours, as this relates to environmental adaptability and potential risks! Let go!"

Upon hearing this, Lu Mingfei immediately let go of his hand, stood up quickly, and changed his expression faster than flipping through a book. He chuckled and said, "Huh? Just a little blood? You should have said so earlier, you scared me... No problem, I'll take as much as I want!" Having gone through the school's annual physical examination, he was not afraid of blood tests at all.

Bai Yuekui sighed, utterly speechless. He said nothing more, turned, and strode quickly toward the laboratory. Lu Mingfei hurried to catch up.

As soon as they arrived at the lab entrance, Xia Tianlai, Nanjixing, and even Xia Dou surrounded them.

"You little rascal! You've got some nerve! Daring to suck up to Boss Bai!" Xia Tianlai was the first to attack, blowing his beard and glaring.

Nanjixing was also standing next to him with his arms crossed, looking like he thought, "You're finished."

Xia Dou looked at Lu Mingfei with surprise, as if she were seeing him all over again.

"No...you...you all saw it?" Lu Mingfei's face instantly turned bright red, wishing he could disappear into the ground. This was just too outrageous!

"Stop dawdling, hurry up!" Bai Yuekui urged from inside the laboratory.

Xia Tian and the other two finally let go of the embarrassed Lu Mingfei, practically "escorting" him to the cold metal lab bench.

Lying on the hard tabletop, looking at the three people surrounding him, Lu Mingfei felt a chill run down his spine again.

"Begin sampling," Bai Yuekui calmly gave the order.

Xia Tianlai took out a huge metal syringe as thick as an arm, the needle gleaming coldly, as if he was about to pierce it.

"No! No! I was wrong! I really know I was wrong! Spare me!!" Lu Mingfei was so frightened that he twisted and turned on the lab table, begging for mercy repeatedly.

"Don't move!" Xia Tianlai said coldly, deliberately keeping a straight face.

"Alright, stop scaring him." Bai Yuekui rubbed his temples, feeling exhausted. These guys, they're all so childish.

Upon hearing this, Xia Tianlai chuckled and switched to a normal-sized vacuum blood collection tube. However, his gaze towards Lu Mingfei remained unfriendly. In his mind, he was raised by Bai Yuekui, who was his elder, and Lu Mingfei clinging to her was practically the same as clinging to his own mother.

Under Lu Mingfei's tense gaze, Xia Tianlai skillfully completed the venipuncture, drawing about half a tube of blood.

"Initiate full-sequence gene sequencing, and simultaneously perform basic waveform scanning of biological source material and detection of residual pheromones from other organisms," Bai Yuekui ordered a complex instrument.

The various devices in the laboratory immediately began to hum and operate. Light scanned the samples, and data streams scrolled rapidly across the screens.

Lu Mingfei watched all this with curiosity. The testing equipment here was completely different from the one in the hospital in his original world. The instruments here seemed to focus more on the energy level and some kind of life field analysis that he could not understand.

Time slowly passed as they waited. Several hours later, the complex analysis finally concluded, and a detailed report was printed on the screen.

Bai Yuekui, Xia Tianlai, and the others immediately gathered around, carefully reading the test results. As they looked, their expressions gradually became serious, their brows furrowed, and their eyes filled with shock and disbelief.

A dozen minutes later, they almost simultaneously looked up, their gazes once again fixed on Lu Mingfei lying on the lab table. Their expressions were incredibly complex, a mixture of astonishment, confusion, and an indescribable scrutiny…

It was as if what they were seeing was not a living, breathing person, but something... incomprehensible, defying existing understanding...

An anomaly exists.