Ikezawa wore a troubled expression and sighed. "At first, I thought this place was safe and the Beast-Eared Girls were cute, but now... well, I don't know anymore."
"Maybe this world is so desolate, devoid of humans, because of what these Beast-Eared Girls did," he muttered.
Lingsha didn't respond. She had taken off her shoes and was hugging her knees, her gaze fixed on her small, crimson feet. She carefully replayed the day's events in her mind.
In her view, the natives were relatively friendly. The most telling sign was that, despite being God-Eaters, they hadn't immediately attacked Ikezawa, who looked so much like a god. Instead, they had politely inquired if he was one.
When Ikezawa denied being a god, they treated him like an ordinary member of their tribe, showing no special treatment.
Ikezawa continued to grumble nearby, talking incessantly. But Lingsha could clearly hear the slight tremor in his voice. He must be terribly shaken by how close he had come to being eaten. That was a perfectly normal reaction, after all.
Lingsha pondered for a moment, then retrieved her incense burner. She drew out a wisp of fragrant smoke and dispersed it around the area. "This scent has calming and sleep-inducing properties. Stop dwelling on these matters and get some rest."
But this was a lie.
Meanwhile, in the chat group, Peace Dove launched her 'attack'.
Peace Dove: "@Daoist Wuwei, didn't you say you could trade Magic Treasures for Medicinal Pills? Can we do that now?"
Online, there are people known as "identity fraudsters" who exploit the anonymity of the internet to falsely claim to be police officers, doctors, or wealthy heirs, using these fabricated identities to show off or even gain personal advantages.
In regular online spaces, ignoring such pretenders is easy. But chat groups are different. This particular group had bound everyone together, forging bonds stronger than mere online acquaintances. When everyone else was being open and honest, one person hiding behind a mask simply wouldn't do.
Since Lingsha knew Ikezawa was putting on an act, she naturally intended to expose him.
Even though it was late at night in the Dragon Nation, Peace Dove's sudden message prompted the other night owls to chime in.
Shu Cat: "Huh? You actually have a Magic Treasure?! What kind of Magic Treasure is it?!"
Shu Cat: "Hmm, if Sister Peace is involved, maybe it's actually possible to get one?"
Invincible Bro: "Why the sudden interest in trading for Medicinal Pills? Did something happen?"
Red Cape Hero: "What kind of Magic Treasure? Can I take a look first?"
Seeing these messages, Ikezawa panicked. Why was everyone suddenly so eager to trade? He had nothing to offer!
The best course of action would have been to ignore the messages, lie low, and hope to weather the storm. But Lingsha wasn't about to let him off the hook.
Coincidentally, Lingsha adopted a thoughtful expression and murmured to herself, "This world does have quite a few rare medicinal herbs... Perhaps I could try making something..."
Her voice trailed off, and Ikezawa didn't catch the last few words. But it was enough. He immediately asked, "Lingsha, do you need any Medicinal Pills right now?"
Lingsha looked up at him. "I don't have any Medicinal Pills, but I do have some other medicines. Why do you ask?"
This was actually true. During the day, Lingsha had indeed handcrafted something using special medicinal herbs.
Lingsha's words gave Ikezawa a surge of confidence, and he immediately replied in the Chat Group.
Daoist Wuwei: What type of ailment are you looking to treat?
Peace Dove: Are there Medicinal Pills that can heal fractures or even regenerate severed limbs?
Shu Cat: !!!
Red Cape Hero: Sister Peace, what's wrong?
Invincible Bro: Are you alright?
Peace Dove: It's not for me. It's for a friend.
Of course, Peace Dove was making up a friend out of thin air, but no one could verify it.
Ikezawa immediately relayed Peace Dove's request to Lingsha, asking eagerly, "Do such medicines exist?"
Lingsha nodded. "They do, but what do you want them for?"
"Please, please!" Ikezawa pleaded. "Can you give me one?"
Lingsha instantly refused. "Absolutely not. You must understand, all medicine is three parts poison. A healthy person consuming something so potent would be no different from ingesting poison directly."
"This... this isn't for me!" Ikezawa stammered. "Remember my Equivalent Exchange ability? I can trade this medicine for a powerful item!"
Lingsha looked puzzled. "Why does it have to be a medicine that heals fractures and regenerates severed limbs?"
Ikezawa froze. That was a tricky question to answer. Just then, the Chat Group erupted with Peace Dove's impatient prodding.
Peace Dove: "@Daoist Wuwei, where are you? You've vanished!"
Shu Cat: "No idea."
Peace Dove: "Can we trade for Daoist Wuwei or not?"
Invincible Bro: "Feels like his connection's acting up."
The group kept spamming the chat, while Lingsha stubbornly refused to hand over the medicine no matter what Ikezawa said. He felt himself being torn between two conflicting demands.
Adding to the chaos, the "sleep aid" scent Lingsha had released earlier—which was actually a nerve-numbing anesthetic—was starting to make Ikezawa feel dizzy and confused.
Then, in the chat, Daoist Wuwei, the legendary Cultivator with an awe-inspiring backstory, pleaded:
Daoist Wuwei: "Please, Lingsha, just give it to me! I'll do anything!"
In reality, Ikezawa calmly replied, "Hold on, I'm still looking."
Chat Group
Shu Cat: "?"
Invincible Bro: "?"
Peace Dove: "..."
Red Cape Hero: "..."
Today I Want to Eat Soup Dumplings: "Huh? I just saw this. What's going on?"
In reality, Lingsha forced her lips into a tight line to suppress a burst of laughter. She tilted her head slightly, giving Ikezawa a puzzled look that spoke volumes: What on Earth are you talking about?
Ikezawa, jolted awake from his drunken stupor, stared back with a look of sheer terror.
Oh no! I messed up! I crossed over!
I'm gonna explode right here and now.
Is it too late to flee Earth?
Truthfully, even Lingsha, the ultimate Social Butterfly, felt a pang of secondhand embarrassment for him. But her motive for exposing his slip-up wasn't purely to enjoy the spectacle.
Only by forcing him to reveal his true identity would Ikezawa finally use the Chat Group's teleportation function.
Normally, escaping an Otherworld Dimensional Rift required finding the "Clearance Method." But this world wasn't connected to the Main World, so no such method existed. If they wanted to leave, they'd need alternative means.
At least Ikezawa now had a backup plan for escape—though the price would be steep.