Raising Little Monsters

Tang Xiao is a hardcore gamer. After majoring in the infamous "bio-pit" (biological sciences) in college, he vowed to forge a new path—becoming a professional gamer. A gaming prodigy and grind lord, no level is unbeatable for him. One day, his roommate recommends a full-dive VR game touted as the hardest ever, where countless pro gamers have met their ruin. Beating it would make him an overnight legend. Tang Xiao jumps in confidently… only to rack up endless Bad Endings. Every run starts as a lab grunt, and every finale ends with him devoured by the monster he raised. Tang Xiao: ? Well, this is interesting. After countless loops of battling the monster, Tang Xiao climbs from lab grunt to assistant researcher, then to full researcher—even landing a real-life bio grad school offer along the way. Tang Xiao: …Wait, why was I playing this game again? *(Addicted, brain fogged)* Whatever, just keep grinding! On the final loop, he stares at the little abomination he cultivated: crimson-red, a grotesque fusion of mushroom and beast, pure eyesore material. Somehow, the creature—now skilled at mimicking humans—presses close like an eager dog, none of its past-loop cruelty in sight. Tendril-like mycelia coil around Tang Xiao’s ankle as it rasps, “Promised. One vial of blood… for one kiss.” **Species:** Fungal Sovereign (Higher-Dimensional Being) **Threat Level:** ??? Tang Xiao scoffs. During a main quest, he rage-quits the game via dramatic death scene and uninstalls. *Trash game, ruined my youth! Screw this—I’ll be a Ph.D. candidate soon at this rate!* … Tang Xiao’s older brother holds a high-ranking government position. One day, he learns a classified truth: The global VR hit *Fungal Epoch* isn’t just a game—it’s a real parallel world. Due to cosmic shenanigans, the worlds are merging, and chaos looms. Then, a high-priority warrant is issued for a mysterious "Dr. Tang." His lab-originated monstrosity has gone berserk, spores and mycelia spreading worldwide. At the moment of fusion, it will ascend as a sovereign—but this is catastrophic, as its rage (sparked by *someone’s* disappearance) renders it uncontrollable. The brother stares at the warrant’s description of Dr. Tang’s traits… then at his carefree, game-obsessed younger sibling lounging on the couch. *To betray kin for justice… or to betray kin for justice?* **Reader Notes:** 1. *Non-human love interest (initially eldritch—see my Weibo @jjshizixingxi for visuals; gains human form later).* 2. *Not pure romance; includes career arcs.* 3. *"Science" is handwaved. Author is no expert. Timelines are compressed for pacing (tests/papers happen fast). This is wish-fulfillment fluff—don’t overthink it. Blatant errors can be fixed, but some plot-critical ones stay. If that bugs you, feel free to exit quietly.