C23 Steamed Vegetables Become Spirits!

Due to the need to hop between sets, the system will employ the card-drawing rules of this world. Host, please direct your gaze skyward.

Mu Jin, who hadn't spotted the supply box, received a helpful nudge from the system.

...It's odd that the system, known for hopping between sets, is being so dutiful right now.

Muttering to herself, Mu Jin lifted her head to look at the sky.

As several blue and purple streaks of light shot across the sky, Mu Jin, squinting, thought she caught a glimpse of a golden light flashing by.

The Guardian of Cosmic Order opened her eyes, her unfeeling golden pupils scanning her surroundings. She frowned slightly but, finding nothing amiss, closed her eyes once more.

Quietness settled over the area again.

Unaware that she had narrowly escaped detection by the cosmic guardian, Mu Jin was still buzzing with excitement over her stroke of luck.

Based on her past card-drawing experiences, she was confident she had snagged some great loot! Yay!

Kiana truly was a beacon of hope for the luckless!

As the meteors vanished, the system's icy, mechanical voice reached Mu Jin's ears once again.

Ding! Congratulations, Host, on drawing the following items. They have been dispatched to your mailbox.

Blue quality items: Fox-Tempting Oil Tofu x1, Water Sprite Model II x1, Demon Blade Rain Village x1, Milk Dumplings x2, "Reincarnated as a Pink-Haired Fox, Then Became a Scrappy Woman" x1

Purple quality Character Card and items: Assault. Raiden Mei Character Card, Tianli Guardian's Exclusive Contact Lens x1, Eightfold Village Special Onigiri x1.

Gold quality item: Familiar Attire. Huberian x1

After scrutinizing her haul from the ten-card draw, Mu Jin nodded in satisfaction.

Regardless, she now had a second Character Card! Plus, she had the support of AIZ... No, the world's number one idol, Ai! With this, her adventures would carry far less risk!

Rubbing her hands together in anticipation, Mu Jin eagerly pressed the button to collect the email.

Tonight, she would get to test out Mei's Character Card!

What she hadn't anticipated was a chibi version of Ai materializing before her, eyes closed, resembling a plush toy.

In a hushed tone, Mu Jin whispered her name: "Ai?"

Ai slowly opened her eyes, her orange-red pupils focusing on the white-haired girl in front of her.

"...Ugh... Boss?"

Her gaze shifted from confusion to shock, and then to sheer joy.

"Wow! The boss is alive!"

Mu Jin allowed Ai to enthusiastically nuzzle her face.

"I have a feeling you and Paimon are going to get along just fine."

She couldn't help but wonder what kind of trouble the two little ones could stir up for her and the traveler.

"Paimon? No way, boss! You can't have other buddies! Ai is super strong! I can even steal electricity to support you!"

Torn between laughter and tears, Mu Jin simply extended her hand and affectionately ruffled Ai's small head.

She had always thought Ai's hairstyle resembled a cabbage in the game, and now, seeing it in person...

She still couldn't shake the image of Ai as a spirited cabbage.

"Come on, let's go meet everyone else."

"Oh!"

Ai floated by Mu Jin's side, her curiosity piqued by her surroundings.

Everything was a novelty to her, having just awakened.

Xiangling and the others remained seated on the couch, their excitement palpable.

They were likely discussing recipes or some culinary topic.

As Mu Jin entered the room, their eyes instinctively followed her.

Paimon was about to pounce on Mu Jin for some affection when she was unexpectedly intercepted by someone with a cabbage-like head.

"Who are you!"

"I belong to the boss!"

"Darn it! Paimon's going to give you a nasty nickname!"

"Hmph! I'll give you one too!"

Paimon and Ai locked eyes, their declarations made in unison.

"Cabbage Head!"

"Emergency Rations!"

Meanwhile, Mu Jin discreetly made her way to the couch, grabbed an apple, and began munching away.

Xiangling, clutching her rice crust, felt relieved once more that her snack didn't argue.

Ying appeared to have a headache, seemingly accustomed to Paimon's penchant for bestowing random nicknames.

Yet, it was a meeting with Paimon, and Mu Jin's first encounter with them... It should have been a joyful occasion... But why...

The atmosphere quickly turned to chaos.

As the two little ones bickered, Mu Jin simply chose to sit back and enjoy the show.

I never expected they'd end up squabbling right in front of me.

"Boss!" "Mu Jin!"

"Who's cuter, me or Steamed Bun / Emergency Food?"

Mu Jin, who was blissfully enjoying her fruit, looked up in bewilderment. "What?"

Seriously? I just managed to dodge Xiangling's lethal barrage of questions, and now this?