Chapter 10: The Bet.

【Congratulations on completing the task ‘1, 2, 3, Wooden Man!’ Rewards received: Experience +100, Ghost Coins ×50, Blood Doll’s Favorability.】

Task completion text appeared before White Sugar’s eyes.

Holding the teddy bear carefully as if it were a rare treasure, the Blood Doll looked at the candy in White Sugar’s hand with a dazed expression, her attention fully captured.

“Is… this candy for Emily?”

“That’s right. But remember what Big Sister said. Next time you want to play games, you can’t pick on people like Big Sister.”

The Blood Doll thought for a moment, hesitated, then nodded and reached out to take the candy.

“Okay, Emily remembers.”

To be honest.

If she hadn’t known through the Eye of Breaking Delusion that the Blood Doll’s mind was only equivalent to a kindergarten child, and that the task reward explicitly included the other party’s favorability, White Sugar definitely wouldn’t have dared to make such a direct request.

It wasn’t that she wanted to nobly protect all the unfortunate humans who had fallen into this world.

She simply thought that if she could encounter fellow humans later, they might be able to exchange information and find a way back to Earth. It was at least something to hope for.

While the Blood Doll carefully unwrapped the candy and popped it into her mouth, White Sugar shamelessly made another request.

“Emily, are you free right now?” White Sugar took out two more candies from her pocket. “Big Sister needs to go to a place called the ‘Goat Tavern’. Can you take Big Sister there? I still have more candy.”

White Sugar’s peripheral vision glanced at the anomalies still staring covetously not far away.

If she continued heading to her destination alone as a human, the malice and probes she would encounter along the way would definitely not decrease.

In this situation, finding a simple-minded Blood Doll who posed almost no threat to act as a ‘guide’ was undoubtedly the wisest choice.

Seeing White Sugar take out several more candies, the simple-minded Blood Doll’s eyes lit up. She immediately accepted them and patted her chest seriously.

“No problem! Leave it to Emily!”

Her appearance really was just like an adorable little child, completely different from the Blood Doll who had wanted to eat White Sugar moments ago.

The Blood Doll eagerly grabbed White Sugar’s hand.

“Big Sister, this way, this way!”

………

Just as White Sugar had expected.

The anomalies they encountered on the rest of the road were no fewer than before. Many of them drooled at the sight of White Sugar, but the moment they clearly saw the Blood Doll whose hand she was holding, their expressions changed instantly.

They obviously assumed the two had some close relationship.

In that case, no matter how greedy they were, they could only endure it.

Anomalies of different races were usually selfish by nature. Without cooperation, no one was willing to fight a Blood Doll of equal strength just for a moment of appetite.

Otherwise, if they were heavily injured, the one who might end up being eaten could be themselves.

Before long, the two arrived at their destination—the Goat Tavern, decorated in a western desert style.

“We’re here, this is the place!” The Blood Doll looked at White Sugar with sparkling eyes.

White Sugar smiled helplessly.

“Big Sister only brought this much candy today. I gave all of it to Emily on the way. But if Emily wants more, you can come find Big Sister at Undead Street No. 111 Grocery Store when you have time.”

“Remember to come during White Night, okay?”

“Okay~”

After watching the Blood Doll’s figure disappear into the distance, White Sugar checked that the letter she needed to deliver was still safely with her. She took a deep breath and pressed her straw hat lower.

She pushed open the fence gate and walked into the tavern.

The moment she entered, a pungent mix of alcohol and sweat assaulted her nose. White Sugar couldn’t help but frown.

The tavern was packed with anomalies. Some sat around square tables drinking and cursing loudly, while others were engaged in pure gambling.

“Damn it, it’s another fucking bomb!”

“You really have to taste it. Paired with beer and wind, it feels like riding a horse!”

“…….”

But all of this changed the instant White Sugar arrived.

Countless gazes shot toward her at once. The entire tavern seemed to freeze for a moment as various thoughts surged.

Among them, the most blatant was the giant wolf-headed anomaly sitting at a round table in the farthest corner. Its body was covered in dense, steel-needle-like black bristles.

Noticing White Sugar’s gaze, the wolf-headed anomaly slightly opened its sharp mouth, revealing fangs as sharp as daggers.

“Tsk~”

It exhaled a puff of white breath. The way the wolf-headed anomaly looked at White Sugar was like staring at prey that had finally delivered itself after a long wait.

It gave White Sugar a thumbs-down gesture.

White Sugar remained expressionless. Ignoring the crowd of anomalies, she walked straight across the entire tavern and stopped in front of the bar counter.

Behind the counter stood a fat, Mediterranean-style anomaly.

This was precisely the recipient White Sugar had come to find.

Maintaining her service attitude, White Sugar put on a standard professional gentle smile, showing eight teeth. She looked pure and sweet.

“Hello, are you Mr. Walker? There is a letter here that requires your signature.”

“Letter delivery is cash on delivery only. Please prepare 200 Ghost Coins before signing for the letter, Mr. Walker.”

White Sugar took out the envelope her teacher had given her that morning along with a quill she carried with her, and placed them in front of the Wine Barrel Butcher, waiting for him to complete the signature.

“It’s me.”

Whoosh~~

Bending down, he grabbed a handful of Ghost Coins from the drawer, counted out 200, and scattered them on the counter. The Wine Barrel Butcher picked up the quill and wrote his name in the signature area. A dark black light flashed, completing the receipt.

White Sugar collected the exact 200 Ghost Coins. The process went so smoothly it felt abnormal, far beyond her expectations.

Throughout the entire process, aside from the wolf-headed anomaly’s initial provocation, the other anomalies did not make a single move. It was as if they had known she was coming beforehand.

Something felt off.

“Thank you for your support, Mr. Walker. If there are no other issues, I’ll take my leave. Please visit the Post Office Grocery Store when you have time.”

With unease in her heart, the girl turned around, intending to leave the tavern.

At that moment, a tall figure suddenly appeared, blocking the only exit.

It was the wolf-headed anomaly who had provoked her earlier.

At the same time, the Eye of Breaking Delusion provided information.

【Name: Eric】
【Race: Werewolf】
【Level: Malevolent Ghost Level】
【Faction: Chaotic Evil】
【Introduction: A common race in the hell world and the prototype for ‘werewolves’ in classic Western fairy tales. Possesses extremely strong strength and self-healing abilities. Becomes frenzied under a blood moon.】

White Sugar remained expressionless, her eyelids lifting slightly.

“Do you need something?”

The werewolf slightly opened his mouth, leaned down close, and sniffed White Sugar’s scent. He slowly closed his eyes, showing an expression of pure enjoyment.

“Miss, don’t you know the rules of the Goat Tavern? No matter who you are, before leaving you must at least play a round~”

The werewolf tossed a chip high into the air. “Care to have a fair bet?”

White Sugar stayed expressionless.

“Bet on what?”

“Your life, Miss.”

Fuck! So this was where they were waiting.

One wave had barely settled before another rose. Did this damned constructed world even want to let people live?!