The scene where Niuniu watches her mother through the door crack is gut-wrenching. You can feel her confusion and dawning fear even though she doesn’t fully understand death. The author does a great job of staying in Niuniu’s limited perspective—she notices her mom’s rosy cheeks and swollen eyes but can’t piece it together. That dramatic irony makes the reader hurt even more.
The combat system is basically: poison apple > enemy eats > enemy dies > drain XP and magic. It’s simple but effective. I wish we’d see more creative uses of Magic Perception or Rhizome Generation in fights, but maybe later. The early chapters are about establishing the basics.
I want to know more about the baddie Zhou Liqiang. He's a woodcutter strong enough to threaten Xu Ling? He offers chickens to a demon. He seems like a coward who relies on outside help. But will he become a recurring antagonist? Or will the weasel demon betray him? The way the demon demanded "tender chickens" suggests it's willing to upgrade to humans if it gets a taste. That could backfire on Zhou. That's a risk I hope the story explores.