Lu Xin finished off all his black bread, and the two copper coins he got from trading the Fluffball Monster’s crystal core were used to buy wooden planks to repair his cabin.
He looked at his empty coin pouch and rice jar, then turned his gaze toward the abandoned yard behind the house and, further off, the edge of the Misty Forest, rich in resources.
“Forget it, I’ll hold off on challenging monsters for now.” Lu Xin recalled the final ripples from the Slime and the Fluffball Monster, deciding not to take risks until he found the right way to activate that infuriating skill.
He took a stroll around town, partly to see if there was any odd job available and partly to get a basic feel for Morning Breeze Town.
The town center, paved with smooth stone slabs around a square and fountain, was also considered the wealthy district.
The Town Mayor’s residence and the shop where Lu Xin sold the Slime Crystal Core were all clustered around the town center.
The reason Lu Xin hadn’t used 【Hair Grooming】 to steal business from the barber shop was that these shops in the center were all connected to the mayor, and he still needed to live in Morning Breeze Town for now.
The Adventurer’s Guild was also located here, with a yellowed quest board hanging by its entrance. Next to it stood the town’s only tavern, the Sleeping Giant, which was booming with business.
Leaving the square, the road turned into packed dirt, with dense wooden houses on both sides where most townsfolk lived.
Housewives buying bread with their children, and passersby occasionally noticed Lu Xin, whose clothes were different from theirs.
The small cabin where Lu Xin lived was at the very edge of town, near the wooden fence and the path leading to the Misty Forest.
The houses here were more dilapidated and sparse, home to outsiders like Lu Xin and Ailya.
He walked around town, asking a few shops if they needed help, but either they refused or required specific skills he didn’t have. Lu Xin couldn’t manage it.
Still, his trip around the town center and the Adventurer’s Guild wasn’t entirely fruitless.
He heard that on the edge of the swamp outside town, there grew an edible aquatic tuber. Though it tasted plain, it was a common food choice for adventurers low on supplies.
However, low-level Swamp Mud Monsters sometimes appeared there. Still, for the sake of food, Lu Xin decided to take the risk.
He picked up his self-made wooden spear and approached the stinking edge of the swamp.
Soon, he spotted his target. After confirming there were no signs of Mud Monsters, he quickly moved in to dig.
Just as he dug up a few mud-covered tubers and prepared to retreat, his foot slipped. With a plop, half his leg sank into the mire.
To make things worse, the mud beside him suddenly began to writhe.
A blurry, humanoid figure made of rotten mud and algae rose up—it was a Swamp Mud Monster.
It gave off a foul stench and extended a sticky tendril to wrap around Lu Xin.
“Crap!” Lu Xin cursed inwardly, trying to pull his foot out but only sinking deeper.
In a panic, Lu Xin swung his wooden spear wildly at the Mud Monster, but the spear sank into its body like it was just mud, doing little damage.
The monster’s arm had already grabbed his calf. The cold touch made Lu Xin’s hair stand on end, and then a pulling force tried to drag him deeper into the swamp.
At the critical moment, Lu Xin spotted the muddy tubers he’d just dug up. He grabbed one and hurled it at the monster’s supposed head.
Thwack.
The mud splattered across the monster’s face. Seizing the moment it paused, Lu Xin aimed his wooden spear at a denser area in the center of its body and thrust.
The Mud Monster let out a dull, bubbling gurgle, and the grip around Lu Xin’s calf loosened.
Lu Xin seized the chance to yank his leg free and retreat to a safe distance.
The Mud Monster twisted in place for a moment, then dissolved back into a pool of muck, leaving behind a single, dull, earth-yellow crystal core.
[Low-level monster Swamp Mud Monster defeated. Beginning random extraction of its inherent abilities…]
Lu Xin panted heavily, slapping the mud off his clothes while hoping for some unrealistic fantasy.
[Extraction complete. Ability gained: Stain Penetration (Basic)]
“Huh?”
He focused, trying to activate this new ability, and swept his gaze over his own mud-spattered pant leg.
The next moment, the scene before him subtly shifted. The mud spots seemed to become transparent.
But Lu Xin quickly realized—it wasn’t that the mud became transparent, but that his vision penetrated the stains, directly seeing the skin beneath the fabric!
This ability let him ignore surface stains and observe whatever was underneath.
At first, Lu Xin was a bit speechless. The abilities he’d gotten over the past few days instinctively made him think of daily life applications. Wasn’t this just for checking if clothes were clean?
But he quickly realized—if he used it on someone covered in mud or soup, wouldn’t that mean…
Damn, was this ability useless? No, this ability was incredibly useful.
It seemed his luck was turning. But the next second, Lu Xin shook his head, suppressing those dangerous thoughts.
In the evening, he was frowning at the old, broken earthen stove in his yard.
He used 【Precise Temperature Control】 and 【Liquid Manipulation】 to cook the food he’d foraged today. Though the combination made the soup smell tempting, his mind was still full of how to use 【Stain Penetration】.
Just then, Ailya’s voice came from outside the fence: “Lu Xin, what are you cooking? I can smell the delicious aroma from next door.”
Ailya’s head poked out from behind the fence, her slightly parted mouth revealing small fangs, her amber eyes full of curiosity.
She had clearly just finished training today, with sweat still streaming down her forehead, but that couldn’t compare to the drool dripping from the corner of her mouth.
Lu Xin had dug up plenty of tubers this time, so he waved to Ailya. “Come over, it’s just ready. Let’s try it together.”
Lu Xin thought of the expensive bread and jerky in town; this simple root was indeed a rare treat for him and Ailya.
Ailya let out a cheer and hopped right over the low fence.
Her clothes, still damp from training, had sweat-soaked patches on the chest and back, clinging to her skin, outlining a youthful vitality unique to a young girl.
Lu Xin’s gaze unconsciously fell on the sweat-stained fabric, and the 【Stain Penetration】 ability activated involuntarily.
In that instant, the scene before him pierced through the layer of cloth. The fabric fibers became clear in his perception.
Behind it… were her softly rising and falling breasts, soft and snowy white, with beads of sweat sliding down them.
Boom.
Lu Xin felt the blood rush to his head, his cheeks instantly burning hot.
“I…” he yelled, barely restraining himself, then turned his head away, nearly throwing the wooden ladle in his hand.
“What’s wrong?” Ailya was startled by him, puzzled as she stepped closer.
“Did the soup boil over?”
“No… no.” Lu Xin’s voice was off-key, looking down at the pot.
“The… the soup is almost ready. You… go wash your face first.”
Ailya tilted her head, watching Lu Xin, who was acting strangely with a red face. Though confused, she nodded obediently. “Oh, okay, but I want two big bowls later.”
As she spoke, she wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand.
This motion made Lu Xin’s peripheral vision catch the sweat-stained fabric under her armpit.
Lu Xin simply closed his eyes. This skill was a demon in his heart—using it was uncomfortable, and not using it was even worse.
Lu Xin wailed inside, feeling his integrity as an upright young man starting to crumble.
This otherworld wasn’t just twisted in its skills; it was going to twist his vision too.
Well… might as well let it twist.