Chapter 17 Chocolate Black Forest

Chapter 17: Chocolate Black Forest

Seals move very slowly on land, primarily by belly-sliding, a method far less efficient than that of their similarly shaped counterparts, the sea lions.

After running with the crowd for only a short while, the jiggling blubber on his body began to protest, demanding a rest.

"Mmph...!"

Rui Rui panted heavily, the tiny whiskers on his muzzle twitching incessantly.

As one of the few members of the seal family proficient with a smartphone and even thriving in human society, Little Dumpling did not give up easily in the face of danger.

The oval blob of blubber tensed all over, becoming unprecedentedly round as he built up momentum—

"Scrape!"

Finally, as he continued to wave his flippers and slide, a patch of loose turf, not properly maintained, was miraculously torn loose by his sheer force, sending it flying into the air!

The intense friction from the soil and gravel jammed the baby seal in place, even scraping his soft belly.

It hurts...

The grimy black sesame ball let out a faint whimper, his shiny black eyes quickly welling up with tears.

It hurts so much.

The sudden pain was a perfect echo of a memory, and the chaotic world seemed to fall silent in an instant.

Many years ago, on the icy shores of the northern seas, seals gathered to give birth.

Mini Rui Rui was one of the many newborns.

His white lanugo was neither waterproof nor provided much warmth, so the milky-white little ball spent almost all day curled up in his mother's embrace.

The mother was not only responsible for nursing her pup but also had to venture into the sea to hunt for food to sustain herself, only letting go of her child once the pup gradually shed its white lanugo and learned to survive in the water.

The dark blue sea, dotted with floating ice, was treacherous, with killer whales lurking nearby. Every hunting trip carried the risk of death.

The little pup whimpered, shivering in the cold wind, waiting for his mother's return.

But she never made it back.

The little white ball of blubber quickly lost warmth in the blizzard, crying helplessly and trying to seek refuge in the embrace of other mother seals.

However, seals typically give birth to one pup at a time and are highly aggressive during the nursing period.

Amid a blur of crimson, the pup was severely scratched on the head and eyes, surrounded by nothing but cold and pain.

A soft little lump, as small as a snowflake on the ice.

If being killed by a killer whale shortly after entering the water was the mother's fate, then, by the cruel laws of nature, dying in pain and tears would become Rui Rui's fate as well.

Fortunately, the little one was saved by human intervention, cheating death.

Everything that followed became a blur.

...

Also sent flying was an unfamiliar noble hamster: "Squeak—!"

Lost in memories, the baby seal teared up, his mirror-like eyes reflecting the perfect parabola the little hamster traced in the air.

The dejected baby seal remained motionless, his gaze unfocused, seemingly unaware of the other's perilous situation.

The hamster blacked out mid-air.

If it fell, it could suffer fractures in its sleep at best, or die at worst.

Roll, roll, roll!

Little Dumpling quickly rolled over, exposing his belly.

"Don't be afraid!" he said, tearful yet effortlessly completing the rescue. "It's soft here."

With a few soft *thump* sounds, the fragile little hamster felt itself bouncing a few times on a vast, soft waterbed before landing safely.

"Tell me... your name?" The hamster's tiny claws desperately gripped a few strands of the seal's fur.

Seeing the hamster dazed, the baby seal looked up, attempted a sit-up but failed, instead folding his belly into what looked like an eighteen-pack.

He quipped: "You're welcome. I'm just an ordinary, unremarkable mermaid."

The nobles gathered in a chaotic crowd at the gate of the palace ruins, some calling for help, some wailing in despair, and a large group claiming they had witnessed the terrifying ghost of the prehistoric beast.

Many passersby stopped to watch, some even starting live streams: "Look, everyone, these rich folks are scared out of their wits..."

"Hey, even the security guards are retired alphas, and they don't dare go into the area to retrieve anything!"

Several omegas and betas also gathered, complaining about their heavy losses and demanding that the strong alpha bodyguards go in and search.

The bodyguards looked apprehensive, their faces pale at the mere sight of the foggy area.

After all, they had heard the monster's agonizing screams with their own ears!

"Everyone, please calm down. The weather's bad right now, and the grass and stone paths are slippery with moisture. If something dangerous happens, it won't be good for any of us. Perhaps we should wait—"

"Wait for what?!" a lady cried, tears streaming down her face, both angry and anxious.

"Go in and look for it right now! That's my husband's and my eighteenth wedding ring! If it's lost, you'll pay for it!"

"Everyone, don't panic. Leave it to me."

A clear, gentle voice rang out, like sunlight breaking through the fog, sacred and compassionate.

The noisy crowd turned to look and saw an omega with long, light golden hair walking gracefully toward them. He had a stunningly unforgettable face and was cradling an unconscious hamster with a bandaged leg in his hands.

"Please tend to the injured first."

A smudge of mud on his fair cheek made him seem even more like a divine savior in troubled times.

"Please tell me what each of you has lost. I will do my best to retrieve everything for you."

"You—" someone recognized him, shocked. "You're Major General Li's wife, the omega from the mermaid tribe!"

Realizing he was someone important, some of the ladies and officials urged him not to take such a risk.

The three birds also wobbled over, their thin bird legs trembling.

"Rui Rui, please don't go! You have no idea how terrifying that thing is!"

But what if I don't come back?

But none of them dared to speak the latter half of that sentence aloud.

Yet the elegant, godlike Omega fluttered his eyelashes slightly and said softly, "As a representative of peace between beastmen and humans, it is my duty to protect everyone when something like this happens."

"The heavy fog hasn't cleared yet. Please remain calm and wait. While I conduct the search, turn off all surveillance and recording devices, and do not enter the park under any circumstances."

Rui Rui picked up a cardboard box, his slim, graceful figure disappearing into the thick fog.

"He... he really went in?"

At that moment, everyone wept.

Turning back for a glance and finding the noisy crowd out of sight, the baby seal gripped the box with his mouth and continued belly-sliding: "Muh!"

That earlier fall was just a mistake!

Surely, with his speed on damp ground, even a cheetah beastman would struggle to match him.

Little Dumpling, with his black sesame-like appearance, lifted the cardboard box, scurrying around the park, tossing countless pieces of jewelry into the box with swift, swooshing motions.

The little one was filled with trepidation; he was afraid too.

But feeling a bit thirsty as he passed the pond, the small meatball lowered his head, his W-shaped muzzle gently touching the water's surface as he drank in big gulps, accidentally sucking in a few small fish.

The baby seal raised his eyebrows: "—!"

This is!

Chew, chew, chew.

Like bubble tea toppings—quite delicious.

-

"He's out!" someone shouted.

People of different faiths—some making the sign of the cross, others fingering prayer beads—sincerely prayed.

The kind and brave Major General's wife had triumphed over that bloody, vicious ghost.

Rui Rui walked out of the park carrying the box, only to find countless camera flashes aimed at him. He could no longer tell how many mainstream media outlets had arrived. For a second, he felt at a loss, but soon he offered a composed, dignified smile.

"I can do an interview, but please blur my face."

Li Hanchuan, having just finished a meeting at the military headquarters, stepped out of the conference room. On the large screen in the lobby, a live broadcast showed his young spouse being interviewed—

Headline: "Prehistoric beast suspected in city center; anonymous good samaritan saves countless broken families"

Concerned Citizen: Ruifulodite (face blurred)

Under the high-definition lens, the Omega's pale, glowing face was slightly dust-streaked, yet the flaw did not detract from his beauty—instead, it added the allure of a battle-worn beauty.

He spoke softly, "I was absolutely terrified at the time."

Li Hanchuan’s hand jerked violently, spilling hot coffee that scalded his skin, but he paid it no mind as he rushed out of the headquarters like a man possessed.