Love and Care Orphanage?

Mo Bai felt that the name sounded familiar.

She had definitely seen those words right after entering the game!

However, the phone kept ringing nonstop, leaving Mo Bai no time to think where exactly she'd seen that name. She had to deal with the call now.

Whether it was good or bad, she couldn't avoid it. Ignoring the call wouldn't make the danger disappear, and she might even miss a crucial clue.

Staring at the flashing phone screen, Mo Bai took a deep breath and answered.

"Hello, Mo Bai. This is the staff of Love and Care Orphanage. We've reviewed your application form. We're sorry to inform you that you do not meet the admission requirements."

The voice on the other end was that of an adult woman, calm and mechanical, like an automated customer service bot.

Mo Bai blinked. "Wait, when did I even fill out an application form? Hold on, aren't you supposed to take me to the orphanage, rather than informing me that I can't go?"

This was completely different from what she'd expected. She had thought the orphanage would be an enemy she'd have to face next, not a rejection notice.

"That's correct," the woman replied. "We cannot take you in. Please find your own shelter."

Still confused, Mo Bai decided to dig for more information before the line went dead. "Wait! Can I at least know why I was rejected?"

The woman replied, "According to your application, your Mommy suffered from mental instability, and your Daddy was abusive, so you could not survive in that household. You requested our orphanage to take you in until your newcomer protection period ended."

"Newcomer protection period?" Mo Bai repeated mechanically.

The staff explained, "Player Mo Bai is a probationary citizen. You have lived in Peach Blossom Land for less than a month, which classifies you as a newcomer, or in other words, a minor. We are obligated to protect newcomers and give them time to adapt."

"Oh, I see. That's… considerate of you," Mo Bai nodded.

"However," the voice continued, "you don't meet the criteria."

"What do you mean? My Mommy was insane, and my Daddy was abusive. Those are facts," Mo Bai said defensively.

The woman calmly replied, "Our orphanage only accepts weak, naive, and defenseless minors. A player capable of killing both their Daddy and Mommy does not fall within that category."

“…”

At that moment, she began to understand what Xiao Qi meant earlier by a bigger problem.

The Love and Care Orphanage, just like the Playing House game, was part of her newbie instance.

According to the system's original setup, she was supposed to survive three days under the torment, or protection, of her parents.

Whether they fought each other or she barely endured, the result would have been the same. Either her guardians were deemed unfit, or they both died, which qualifies her for orphanage admission.

After clearing Playing House, she would have gone to Peach Blossom Land to rest for a few days, then enter the next stage: the Love and Care Orphanage.

A supposedly gentle introductory scenario designed to help newcomers settle in.

By independently killing both Daddy and Mommy, Mo Bai had essentially disqualified herself from being treated as a helpless child. Thus, the newcomer instance no longer had a place for her.

"So… since you're not taking me in, where am I supposed to go?" she asked cautiously.

The staff replied, "Someone who has committed patricide and matricide should be sent to trial and imprisoned. However, since both parents were mentally unstable and posed a threat to your life, your actions fall under self-defense. Therefore, the Tribunal cannot judge you."

Mo Bai exhaled in relief. "So no prison? That's not bad."

The word 'prison' already felt like the name of a more terrifying instance.

The staff continued, "In any case, our orphanage bears no responsibility to shelter you. Player Mo Bai, please find your own place of refuge."

And with that, the call ended.

Mo Bai lowered her phone and sighed, her expression growing serious. "Xiao Qi, what happens if I don't have a follow-up instance?"

"Normally, after a player spends seven days adapting in Peach Blossom Land, they would enter their second instance. These beginner instances help players earn more points, master their abilities and titles, and collect items. The difficulty is low and the survival rate is over ninety percent."

Mo Bai checked her points. "I earned a decent amount from Playing House. If I skip the next one, that's fine, right?"

Xiao Qi's tone was filled with pity. "Dear player… your instances are mandatory."

"What do you mean?"

"To prevent players from idling or avoiding challenges, the system assigns compulsory instances. The first three are mandatory for all newcomers. The second one begins seven days after the first, and the third begins three months after entering Peach Blossom Land.

After that, the mandatory interval increases. Every three months for beginners, every six months for intermediate, and every twelve months for advanced players."

"So the instance prepared for me by the system is gone? What happens if I don't participate?"

"Normally, when the timer expires, the system automatically sends the Player into a suitable instance. But you… You are a special case. There is no record of this ever happening before. Xiao Qi does not know. Maybe the system will just drop you into outer space?"

Mo Bai stared blankly. "Isn't that just death?"

She groaned and pressed a hand to her forehead. If she knew that there were going to be subsequent instances, she would've held back for a few more days.

Why did she have to kill both of them?

She slumped in her wheelchair and held her forehead to think about life. In that scene, she looked like the very picture of fragile helplessness.

Even though Xiao Qi was just an AI, it was still affected by the Broken Porcelain Doll effect. Seeing her look so weak triggered its own protective urge.

"Player, do not worry. Xiao Qi has already reported your case to the main system. We should get a reply soon," it said.

"Mm," Mo Bai murmured, still looking grim. It was hard to tell if she was even listening.

While Xiao Qi was anxiously waiting for a response, Mo Bai had already wheeled herself around the room, using her grabber tool to turn over Daddy and Mommy's corpses.

"Player, what are you doing?" Xiao Qi asked.

Mo Bai replied, "You mentioned that beginner instances usually provide players with items, right? It just occurred to me that if this is really a game, defeated monsters should drop loot or coins. I might as well look. No matter what happens next, I need to prepare a few tricks up my sleeve."

"... Player, you truly have a resilient mind. Xiao Qi's concern was wasted."

It had thought that Mo Bai was depressed and hopeless, but it turns out that she was actually calmly preparing for her next battle.

After searching the room, Mo Bai actually found something. Two faintly glowing items, one from each body.

One was Mommy's remaining hand.

The other was Daddy's skin.

They shimmered faintly in the dark, almost unnoticeable unless you looked closely.

When Mo Bai picked them up, they transformed into cards that hovered in her hand, which displayed their descriptions.

[

Name: Corrosive Claw

Type: Item Card

Grade: B

Effect: Instantly kills all monsters below B-rank and deals lethal damage to those of equal rank.

Usage: Equip on dominant hand.

Uses: 2 times (one per hand, you can't expect your Mommy to have three hands).

Details: The claw of the Homebound Corpse, a C-rank monster obsessed with the idea of a complete family. They crave a perfect home, yet their instincts drive them to harm loved ones, destroying every home they touch. Each time a Homebound Corpse kills a family member, its claw evolves to match that victim's level, making the Corrosive Claw even stronger.

]

[

Name: Ironhide Skin

Type: Item Card

Grade: B

Effect: Provides resistance to physical attacks, water, fire, and all C-rank offensive items. Due to its inactivity, it lost its self-healing ability.

Usage: Wear as armor. It will protect you just like Daddy did.

Uses: Until completely destroyed.

Details: The B-rank Enhanced Mutant once dreamed of becoming armor for his beloved Phantom Butterfly, vowing to protect her with his life. That dream drove his evolution toward defense and regeneration. Unfortunately, he was eventually targeted by a Homebound Corpse, forced to become part of its "family," and never reunited with his lover.

Special Note: The holder of this card will gain the hatred of the A-rank monster, Phantom Butterfly, and will be hunted by her to the ends of the earth.

]

“…”

Mo Bai stared at the cards blankly. There was too much information to process.

Wasn't this supposed to be a beginner-level stage for newcomers to practice? She had thought Daddy and Mommy were just low-tier monsters. Like tutorial enemies. Why did they have such complex backstories and ties to higher-level creatures?

And this Phantom Butterfly. Was she the same "mistress" Mommy had mentioned? The one Daddy spent 1,000 points on for that trip to Horror Valley?

Now, an A-rank monster… would chase her to the ends of the world?

"Xiao Qi, are you absolutely sure this was just a beginner stage?" Mo Bai asked, still in disbelief.

"Positive," Xiao Qi replied. "Also… the main system has responded."

Mo Bai tensed. "What did it say?"

"The main system said that you can find another if you lost your next instance. If you have no new instance within seven days, then you will be erased.'"

Mo Bai rubbed her face. "Yeah, I guessed right."

Her tone was calm... Too calm that she almost felt resigned.

"Player, don't panic. Xiao Qi will search the database for similar cases. Maybe there is a precedent." Xiao Qi replied with concern.

"No need," Mo Bai picked up her phone. "I'll make a call first."

Her expression turned steady and composed, as if she had already had a plan.