“Master… what’s that in your arms? So cute!” Chiyan, slumped in a wooden chair after work, was panting hard. But one glance at Filo’s cutie, and her eyes sparkled. She banged up from the chair, bolting to Filo.
Bending down, she eyed the critter, poking it with a finger. The cutie’s brows twitched, clearly not vibing with anyone but Filo touching it.
Its tiny paws reached out, trying to pry Chiyan’s finger off. No luck—it couldn’t budge her.
“Whine whine whine!”
The little panda puffed its cheeks, yanking Chiyan’s finger. Chiyan squinted, then flexed her finger. The panda’s chubby face went glitchy, and it let go.
It blinked, stunned, in Filo’s arms, then poof—buried its face in her chest.
“Whine whine whine!”
“…”
Filo and Chiyan locked eyes. Filo cracked a grin. “Looks like this cutie’s not into you.”
“How come? Why? I’m pretty hot, right? And as a girl, shouldn’t I have the edge over Master?”
Chiyan puffed out her chest—human D-cup level. Next second, Filo’s fist smashed her face to the floor.
Filo raised a fist, smiling, a vein popping on her cheek. She shouldn’t care about the girl jab, but getting dissed like that? Yeah, it pissed her off.
Soon, Bingpo strolled downstairs. One look at Filo’s panda, and her attention was hooked.
Normal. Nobody could resist this cutie’s charm, Filo thought. But…
“Where’d this dumbass come from?” Bingpo said.
“D-Dumbass?”
Filo glanced at the panda, dubbed a dumbass. National treasure, yo, and you’re calling it that? Though, yeah, it’s kinda dumb.
“Ahem, this is an Iron-Eater, aka panda. It’s small now. Bingpo, don’t you think it’s cute, not just dumb?” Filo said, lifting the panda, making its paws do a quirky dance.
Bingpo went quiet.
Cute? Sure, if you squint. But dumber than cute, no?
Master thinks this dumbass is cute? Wait—Chiyan said it was cute and got floored.
Got it. Master’s testing our taste—or teaching us not to fall for looks. Gotta answer carefully. “Cute” or “not cute” won’t cut it.
So, the answer is…
Seeing Bingpo deep in thought, Filo got lost in her own head. Why’s a simple question stumping her?
Is my taste off? Or was my question that lame?
Crap, now I’m freaking out. Is this world weird, or am I the weird one?
Well, this world’s definitely weird, and me? “Normal” ain’t the word anymore.
Bingpo finally powered up, took a deep breath, and spoke like a model student.
“It’s cute, sure, but also dumb. Or maybe it’s cute because it’s dumb. ‘Dumb-cute’ fits this little guy,” Bingpo said, dead serious.
Well, damn. “Dumb-cute”? Spot-on for a panda.
Filo set the panda down. It clung to her leg, paws gripping tight, not wanting to leave.
“Dumb-cute, huh? Clinging to Master like that? I’m getting jealous,” Bingpo said, grabbing its scruff like a chick.
The panda bared its teeth, glaring. Bingpo’s eyes went blank, her grip loosening. The panda clanged to the floor.
Poof!
“Whine… whine… whine…” Its chubby body bounced twice, sprawled on the villa’s floor.
“Bingpo! What happened?” Filo asked.
“Uh… I’m not sure what hit me. No, I know, but I don’t wanna admit it,” Bingpo said, staring at the salted-fish panda on the floor. She pursed her lips. “This dumbass’s bloodline’s at least dragon-tier.”
“What?!”
Filo gawked at the panda, recalling its stat panel. Its race was…
Ancestral Iron-Eater!
That “Ancestral” prefix jacked its cred big time—enough to rattle a dragon.
Filo grabbed its scruff, staring, half-wanting it to hit her with that bloodline vibe. But the panda quivered, too scared to try suppressing its “master.” Wouldn’t work anyway.
“Worthy of Huaxia’s national treasure. No wonder Chiyou picked you as a mount. You’re a real champ,” Filo giggled, poking its forehead. Despite its LV99 power, it didn’t dare fight back.
Bingpo, catching “national treasure” and “Chiyou,” lit up, hands clasped, eyes watery, staring at Filo.
“Master, it’s a national treasure? What’s that? And Chiyou? Sounds like a beastly big shot. Spill the tea!”
Bingpo’s excitement “accidentally” yeeted the panda, staking her claim.
Filo scratched her head, helpless. Huaxia myths? That’s a long story—tongue-drying, anti-salty-fish stuff. But those big, expectant eyes…
Fine, just this once.
Filo cleared her throat, channeling a storyteller grandpa, diving into Huaxia’s wild, sprawling myth system.
“So, when Pangu split the heavens and earth…”
Tftc!