Chapter 9

System 001: [...]

Makamaka: "..."

Audience spirits: [...]

It’s definitely fuzzy, no doubt about that, but calling it a “little animal” is just absurd!

“Where is the Main Universe Infant Protection Association?! I want to file a complaint, can you hear me? I want to file a complaint!!!”

At this moment, the spirits of the audience inside the Main Universe virtual broadcast orb were in utter chaos. Everyone’s attention was fixated on screen 001, while some viewers kept an eye on Salvador in broadcast room 098, hoping this foolish half-orc warrior would quickly find a new escape route and not lead the wolf-shaped wild beast directly toward Su You.

But sadly, it was obvious that Salvador’s escape path was heading straight toward Su You’s location.

Makamaka, the host inside the virtual broadcast orb, had turned a dark green from extreme nervousness. Beads of sweat the size of soybeans dotted his head, and his two humanoid arms were tightly clasped in a praying gesture, clearly hoping the poor little one could survive this catastrophe.

However, as Salvador in room 098 drew closer to Su You’s position, the hope in everyone’s hearts gradually faded.

“This is just too cruel, and that’s only a three-and-a-half-year-old cub!”

“Hey, seriously, doesn’t this show have any protection measures for the contestants?!”

“I’m going to appeal. Your production team will definitely get the harshest penalty from the Main Universe!”

At this moment, Makamaka, as the host, was terrified.

After all, in the Great Universe Federation, where legal protections were comprehensive, the regulations protecting infants were vast and complex. If these complaints were upheld, the fines facing the production team would be astronomical.

Moreover, as the host, he himself might even face corresponding criminal charges.

Tension and fear permeated the virtual broadcast orb in the Main Universe, yet far away in dimension 12768, the three-and-a-half-year-old cub, with no real awareness, was still happily anticipating the arrival of the fuzzy little animal.

***

After running for a long time, Salvador was close to despair.

No matter how hard he tried to flee, the wolf-shaped wild beast behind him would use a simple wind blade to “correct” his course.

As the long chase wore on, Salvador could feel his strength rapidly depleting—and he realized that in dimension 12768, his energy drained several times faster than in his original dimension.

He couldn’t run away, nor could he fight.

Salvador no longer knew what method he had left to save his own life.

By the beast god above, if someone could descend from the heavens to save him, Salvador would willingly become their servant and swear eternal loyalty!

The poor half-orc warrior had gone from thinking himself the chosen one to nearly falling into the wolf’s jaws in less than one standard universe hour.

As his stamina waned, Salvador’s speed slowed.

He sensed that the cunning wild beast was losing interest in taunting him—once it stopped playing, it would be the moment he truly fell into the wolf’s mouth and met his death.

Salvador knew that accepting the variety show invitation and binding the system to challenge the title of Soldier King was an exceedingly dangerous endeavor.

He had considered the possibility of death—but he never expected that the moment he landed in this dimension, his life would already be nearing its end.

Despair gradually engulfed Salvador—he thought he was truly about to behold the beast god.

But… at that moment, Salvador witnessed an unbelievable sight.

Not far ahead, directly in his escape path—who could tell him why, in such a perilous wild grassland, there was a cub with such a high level of humanoid traits?

This cub seemed utterly unaware of danger, standing barely knee-high to him… What kind of parent would leave such a frail little one alone in this wild grassland?

As a member of the half-orc tribe, where birthing cubs was extremely difficult, Salvador naturally felt an overwhelming urge to protect this cub. Even though his own life was in peril, he still hoped to leave the last hope of survival to this little one.

So, when he was about 500 meters from Su You, Salvador gritted his teeth and turned to lure the wild beast in a different direction.

Seeing Salvador deviate from its planned path, the wolf-shaped wild beast behind him angrily swiped its claws and launched a giant wind blade at him again.

The blade barely grazed Salvador’s scalp as it flew forward—after passing his head, it struck the trunk of a massive tree, instantly slicing halfway through a tree so large that it would take two adults to encircle it.

This was the first time Salvador had witnessed the true power of the wild beast’s wind blade.

Startled, the half-orc warrior stopped running, turned, and drew his battle axe wrapped in bandages from his back.

Since he couldn’t escape, he would face the fight head-on.

A half-orc warrior was no coward afraid of death!

Yet, just as Salvador resolved to confront the wild beast, he saw something that made his eyes nearly pop out—earlier, the cub had been ahead of him, but now it had quietly moved behind the wolf-shaped beast?!

Damn it, whose cub was this? Didn’t their parents teach them to stay away from danger?!

***

In fact, system 001 had tried to guide Su You away as soon as it sensed the wild beast approaching.

But the little one had no idea what kind of danger the fuzzy creature in the distance represented.

As a Soldier King system, even with god-level power, 001 had to follow some fundamental protocols—once the Soldier King elimination began, the system was prohibited from guiding the host to avoid danger.

The previous advice was the last safe guidance system 001 could offer Su You, but the little one was unaware of the hidden peril behind it.

System 001 could only silently watch as the little one excitedly chased after the wild giant beast.

“Little animal!”

Even to Su You, the wild beast in front could easily crush him with a single paw, yet he was filled with wonder toward it.

In truth, the wild beast had noticed this little creature nearby.

But to the wild beast, Su You posed no real threat—he was even too small to be considered a proper meal.

After all, he was simply too tiny, barely enough to fill the beast’s teeth.

So initially, the wolf-shaped wild beast ignored the little one, focusing solely on hunting the larger prey ahead—after all, it had been chasing for so long and had already unleashed several wind blades; it was growing hungry and ready to feast.

***

But then, the wild beast noticed the little creature behind it wasn’t leaving; instead, it was getting closer.

“Go away, little one!”

Salvador shouted with eyes nearly bursting, trying to scare the cub away.

But he completely overlooked one thing—they weren’t from the same dimension, and the cub couldn’t understand his language. After his roar, the cub tilted its innocent face in confusion and repeated, “Awoo?”

Salvador: “...”

Damn “awoo”!!!

What was worse, apparently ignored, the cub quickly turned its attention back to the wolf-shaped wild beast.

“Gulu.”

Watching the cub’s actions, Salvador nervously swallowed.

He wanted to warn the cub to leave, but without shared language, he was powerless.

He thought the only thing he could do now was leap in front of the cub to shield it from the beast’s deadly jaws.

Salvador was ready to sacrifice his life—this was the bravest choice a half-orc warrior could make.

He told himself this wasn’t a meaningless sacrifice but a righteous one.

Just as Salvador silently invoked the beast god’s name, ready to give his life, the cub did something astonishing—this fearless little one reached out and petted the tail of the wild beast!

Inside the Main Universe’s virtual broadcast orb, the audience spirits exploded into colorful glowing fragments when they saw this scene.

At the scene in dimension 12768, while Salvador’s beastly eyes widened in disbelief, Su You gently stroked the giant wolf’s tail with a look of delight.

“Wow!!!”

Su You’s small hand lightly touched the enormous wolf tail, marveling at how soft and comfortable the fuzzy fur was.

The little cub looked up expectantly at the wild beast, which seemed like a mountain to him, and asked, “Hello! Your tail is so soft. Can I hug it?”

System 001: [...]

Salvador: “...”

The mountain-sized wolf-shaped wild beast: “...”

The enormous wolf beast stared at the cub, falling into a long silence—this utterly harmless little bean, did you even hear what you just said?

After a brief pause, the giant wolf beast finally realized another question—what was going on? Why could it understand the cub’s language?!