On the path beside the lotus pond.
Song Linjia watched with interest as Li Ran chatted with the old lady in the distance.
For some reason, she always felt that there was a mysterious aura about Li Ran that drew her in.
Like a failing student admiring a top scholar—what was difficult for her could be easily solved by someone like him.
This must be the difference between people.
Maybe in this world, Li Ran was the kind of top-tier figure she had to look up to.
And this time wouldn’t be an exception—surely he’d complete the mission effortlessly.
“Mm, I have to cling tightly to this academic god’s thigh in the future. Collect more intel and be a useful little sidekick.”
Song Linjia sat on a big rock, resting her chin in her hands like a flower, her eyes filled with admiration as she gazed at Li Ran.
Though he was wearing a tattered denim jacket, Li Ran’s calm and confident aura truly captivated her.
“Damn it, confident men are just too charming.”
Just as she said that, the old lady at the pond suddenly lifted Li Ran with one hand.
To be precise, her hand transformed into a terrifying tentacle, wrapping tightly around Li Ran’s neck.
The plot twisted—everything changed in an instant.
Song Linjia’s face went pale, and she jumped up in fright.
Before she could react, Li Ran let out a miserable scream as the old lady flung him into the pond.
“Li Ran!”
Her face was as white as a sheet.
Just a moment ago, she was fantasizing about clinging to his thigh.
The next second, the thigh was gone—instantly killed by the old lady?
“It’s over, totally over.”
Panicked, Song Linjia hid behind the boulder, hands over her mouth, eyes brimming with uncontrollable tears.
“I won’t fall for it again. Don’t think you can fool me…”
The old lady stood by the pond, muttering to herself.
“You’re not my grandson… Not… Not…”
Suddenly, as if something dawned on her, her sunken eyes widened. Her limbs grew twisted, octopus-like tentacles and she leapt into the pond.
Seeing this, Song Linjia’s face turned to ash.
That meant Li Ran’s last chance at survival had also vanished.
…
Underwater.
Caught off guard, Li Ran had no time to resist before Grandma Mi’s tentacle tightened around his throat.
He could barely breathe before he was tossed into the pond.
Submerged and suffocating, he remembered the underwater breathing potion he had bought.
He immediately used it.
Just as he was about to pass out, he opened his mouth and gasped for breath.
But instead of drowning, he could breathe just like on land.
He kicked and moved his arms in the water, filled with lingering fear.
Once he calmed down, he realized the golden finger hadn’t been wrong.
Though he wasn’t initially recognized as the grandson, the lucky aura from the tattered jacket had likely saved him—he hadn’t been killed outright.
And now the breathing potion had kicked in too.
“If the golden finger wasn’t wrong… then what part of the plan failed?”
Just then, he noticed something at the bottom of the pond.
There, among the dense lotus roots, a half-buried skeleton of a teenager lay. Its clothes were mostly rotted away, and a black backpack hung from its left arm, one strap entangled in the roots.
Li Ran swam over and gently pulled the backpack from the skeleton.
“Could this be the real grandson?”
The tattered jacket he wore had been found near the pond yesterday—likely washed ashore after the corpse decomposed.
“The body’s a skeleton, but the clothes and bag just rotted?” Li Ran frowned slightly.
Maybe it was due to microorganisms, fish, and shrimp speeding up the body’s decay, or something else entirely.
In any case, now wasn’t the time to dwell on that.
As he examined the bag, he suddenly heard a splash.
He turned and saw Grandma Mi had entered the water too.
Her head looked the same, but her body was that of a monstrous octopus.
Li Ran paled.
“She’s an S-rank?!”
He kicked his legs like a motor, but there was no way he could outswim an octopus.
Before long, a tentacle wrapped around his right leg and dragged him out of the water.
He felt dizzy and dazed as he was flung back onto dry land.
Not that he didn’t want to resist—what could he do against an S-rank monster with unknown terror-level stats?
An S-rank could crush him like an ant.
Li Ran thought he was done for—that Grandma Mi was finishing the job.
But then, she gently gazed at him with teary eyes.
Her monstrous form vanished—now she just looked like a frail, grieving grandmother.
“My grandson… is that you? Let Grandma take a good look.”
Her weathered hands trembled as she reached out to caress Li Ran’s face.
He froze, letting her touch him.
She thought he was her grandson again?
Li Ran gave a wry smile. “So the tattered jacket did work—it just took a while.”
[Task triggered: Pretend to be Grandma Mi’s grandson]
[Reward: +10 Eerie Points, +100 Points]
The task notice rang in his ear.
Li Ran stared blankly at the tearful old woman before him. He could feel her rough hands, her overwhelming affection.
Maybe it was the jacket. Maybe it was the black backpack.
Whatever it was, her eyes now looked at him with tender love.
If she ever found out her real grandson had died in the pond… how heartbroken would she be?
Maybe it was better for her never to know.
Right now, to her—he was her grandson.
And not just because of the task—Li Ran truly felt sympathy for her. She’d suffered too much.
“Grandma.”
“Eh?”
“Grandma, grandma.”
“Yes, yes!”
She sobbed with joy, holding his hands tightly.
She was as happy as a little child.
Lying is wrong.
But what if a lie could give an old woman a second chance at life?
[Task completed: Pretend to be Grandma Mi’s grandson]
[Reward: +10 Eerie Points, +100 Points]
[New Task Triggered: Grandma Mi’s Request]
[Reward: +20 Eerie Points, +200 Points]
Another task notice rang in his ears.
Clearly, Grandma Mi’s mission was a whole chain—not something simple.
Anything less would be unworthy of an S-rank like her.
Not far away, Song Linjia’s jaw nearly hit the floor.
Just minutes ago, she’d already mourned Li Ran in her heart. Then a few minutes later, he came back alive and became Grandma Mi’s grandson?
What kind of insane plot was this?
There were no hints for this task. Could any ordinary person have done it?
Who would’ve guessed you had to get killed to trigger it?
The fact that Li Ran was alive and finished the mission was nothing short of unbelievable.
She’d bow to no one, but she’d bow to Li Ran.
Meanwhile, Li Ran continued playing the role of the dutiful grandson.
“Good grandson, your parents haven’t come back in a while. Go check on them—they run a lamb restaurant on the street by the north gate of Happiness Block. Your father, that man, always likes to meddle in other people’s business. He calls it a sense of justice. I don’t know what justice means, I just think people should be low-key, not too stubborn or proud. That kind of personality… it’ll get him into trouble sooner or later.”
“When you get there, give this to them.”
As she spoke, Grandma Mi took out a letter and handed it to Li Ran.
“Alright, Grandma,” Li Ran nodded and accepted it.
“If you don’t manage to deliver this letter to your parents, then return it to me the next time you come back.”
“I promise I’ll give it to them.”
“Okay then, off you go. Grandma needs to head home now.”
“Grandma, I’ll walk—”
Before Li Ran could finish his sentence, Grandma Mi transformed into an octopus-like monster and dove into the water.
He had thought she would be living in one of the apartment buildings like the other residents. Who would’ve guessed she actually lived in the lotus pond?
Then again, if she lived in the pond, how could she not have found that corpse?
“Sigh… Grandma Mi even mistook me for someone else. She definitely wouldn’t recognize a skeleton. And her mind’s a little muddled, too…”
“Well, guess I’ll just keep pretending to be the grandson.”
Li Ran shrugged helplessly and slipped the letter into his spatial inventory.
Then he walked back toward Song Linjia.
“Your 50 points—I’ve transferred them to you.”
The Points Mall allowed direct transfers between party members, saving the trouble of going to the Happiness Supermarket.
Li Ran was someone who kept his word. He never tried to take advantage of others.
Even the letter from Grandma Mi, he wouldn’t dream of opening it. That was a matter of basic principle.
Song Linjia looked at him with pure admiration, eyes sparkling. “How do you even do it?”
Li Ran couldn’t be bothered to explain. He’d done what he said he would, that was enough.
Right now, he just wanted to complete more quests, earn more rewards, and improve his strength as quickly as possible.
“Grandma Mi’s errand happens to be in the back alley. Might as well finish that rich bar lady’s quest while I’m there.”
(End of Chapter)