She opened the book briefly. Inside were detailed explanations, terrain adaptation, animal classifications, edible and poisonous plants, medicinal herbs, even notes on beastman habits.
This alone was worth risking her life for.
She opened the book in the system space, there was no excuse she could use to explain as to how a book suddenly appeared.
She didn't want to be branded as a demon.
Before she could finish flipping through it, another item appeared.
A compact set of cooking equipment, stone pots, sharpened tools, containers, all neatly arranged, followed by a second book.
["Basic Primitive Cuisine"]
Shen Ningning's eyes lit up.
"…You actually gave me cookware?"
[Food intake efficiency directly affects host survival.]
Then, a third slot appeared.
But it was empty.
[Final item locked.]
"When do I get that?" she demanded.
[After punishment completion.]
She scowled. "Figures."
Then another thought occurred to her.
"By the way," she said, "we can't keep talking like this."
[Clarify.]
"You keep calling me Host. I keep calling you 'System.' It's annoying."
There was a pause.
[…Name assignment requested.]
[…Processing.]
[Designation complete.]
[I will refer to you as: Dumpling.]
Her brain short-circuited.
"…What?"
[Dumpling.]
Her lips twitched violently.
"That was targeted.." she hissed. "Absolutely targeted."
[Body composition reference only.]
She ground her teeth.
"Oh? Then I'll return the favor."
The system interface flickered faintly.
[…Specify.]
She smiled sweetly in her mind.
"I'll call you Doudou."
Silence.
Then—
[…Name acknowledged.]
[You may proceed, Dumpling.]
Shen Ningning nearly choked on air.
Weijie frowned as she suddenly trembled in his arms. "Are you injured?"
"No.." she said weakly.
She was annoyed, being called a dumpling was too much!
He didn't understand, but he nodded anyway.
The forest path stretched ahead.
And for the first time since arriving in this insane world, Shen Ningning felt like she had at least a "starting point"