C17 The Heroic Orange Tabby!
"Hiss, hiss~"
Stone was visibly delighted with the progress made over the past few days.
"Haha! Stone, here's your reward!"
At that moment, Lin Yih pulled a dark, glossy pill from his pocket and popped it into Stone's mouth.
Stone didn't hesitate, gulping it down with a tilt of his head.
"Woof, woof!" Tiny, who had been scampering around, now approached Lin Yih with hopeful eyes.
"All you do is play," Lin Yih chided, squatting down to give the dog an affectionate but firm head rub. Yet, he couldn't resist and soon tossed another pill into Tiny's eager mouth.
The pill was tiny, and Tiny chewed thoughtfully, not quite catching the flavor.
Watching Tiny still gaze at him with those big, expectant eyes, Lin Yih chuckled, "Off you go, you've done nothing but play and eat all day. That's it! The landlord's pantry is empty."
Lin Yih had obtained the black pill through the system. (Growth Pill (1 point): Speeds up the growth of young Bronze beasts.)
The pill proved to be incredibly effective. It had been four days since Stone's birth, and Lin Yih had been administering two growth pills daily.
Stone had grown from a mere 18 centimeters to a robust 28 centimeters, now half the length of Lin Yih's forearm, with its body's widest part as thick as three fingers pressed together.
"Scan!"
"Beep! Scanning..."
Name: Mutant Water Snake
Species: Reptile
Attribute: Water, ?
Level: Late Bronze Stage
Status: Juvenile, Excited
Quality: Perfect
Potential: Four Stars
Skills: Entanglement, Gaze, Water Spike, ?
Evolution Path: 1. Normal Evolution: Crystal Snake, ... (Not met) 2. Ancestral Evolution: Giant Water Python, ... (Not met) 3. Mutant Evolution: Rock Snake, ... (Not met) 4. Epic Evolution: Feather Snake, ... (Not met) 5. Bloodline Evolution: Mulin Snake, ... (Not met)
Introduction: Within its small frame lies a mysterious bloodline. Listen, it seems a mysterious force is calling out... The young one still needs ample nourishment...
Lin Yih was immensely pleased with Stone's updated attribute panel.
After three days of nurturing, Stone's frail condition had vanished, the negative descriptions were gone, and its level had successfully advanced to the Late Bronze Stage.
The progress was nothing short of miraculous.
The downside, however, was the expense. Over the days, he had used up dozens of Water and Earth Crystals, not to mention eleven Growth Pills.
Lin Yih's remaining assets totaled 195,000 in cash and 49 energy points.
"If I'm careful, I can make it last a month..." Lin Yih mused silently.
"Woof! Woof!"
Suddenly, Tiny's barking snapped Lin Yih out of his reverie.
On the grass ahead, a fat orange cat, resembling a pig, lay before Tiny.
Tiny barked and swiped at the cat, yet always missed by a good half meter.
Lin Yih rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Silly dog!"
"Meow~"
After toying with Tiny for a bit, the orange cat turned its almost human gaze onto Lin Yih.
With a sigh, Lin Yih said, "Ah... Tiantian, the landlord's cupboards are bare."
"Meow!"
Tiantian clearly wasn't buying it. After a defiant meow, it attempted to heave its plump body upright.
"Alright, alright, I'll give in!"
Lin Yih had no choice but to exchange another growth pill for the cat.
This fat orange cat belonged to Grandpa Lee, the chess player. Lin Yih surmised it must have seen him feeding Stone and decided to stick around. Initially reluctant, Lin Yih relented, considering his good relationship with Grandpa Lee, and gave it a pill.
But that single act had made the cat a regular visitor, demanding attention nearly every day.
Lin Yih was at a loss; the cat seemed quite powerful, always outwitting Tiny.
While feeding the orange cat, Lin Yih sneakily scanned it. (The system's detection range was limited.)
"Beep! Scanning..."
Name: Guangli Cat (Fatty)
Species: Mammal
Attributes: Light, Water
Level: Mid Silver Stage
Status: Aged, Hidden Illness, Disdainful
Quality: Elite
Potential: Two Stars
Skills: Light Refraction, Radiance, Scorch, Morning Light, Water Sword, Water Escape...
Evolution Path: 1. Normal Evolution: Morning Light Cat, ... 2. Ancestral Evolution: Dawn Teeth Beast Cat, ... (Not met) 3. Mutant Evolution: Dawn Cat, ... (Not met) 4. Epic Evolution: Dawn Flame Cat, ... (Not met)
Introduction: Once a Pet Beast of fair potential, it suffered a grave injury in its youth...
"This..." Lin Yih was taken aback.
But what truly astonished him was not Tiantian's impressive attribute panel, but its backstory.
Considering Grandpa Lee's past as a member of the Confederate States Army, the cat's injuries might be far from ordinary, and it might be more than just a pet cat, but rather...
As Lin Yih opened his mouth to speak, a thought struck him.
"Meow~"
The orange tabby seemed to pick up on Lin Yih's thoughts, giving him a knowing glance before gracefully climbing to its feet.
It sauntered off...
And the orange tabby never returned.
...
Some people drift through life unnoticed, others gain widespread fame... and there are those whose names linger on people's lips even when they've vanished from sight.
...
On the fourth day of his leave, at 6:30 AM, Lin Yih arrived at school early, with a good half hour to spare before classes began.
The classroom was deserted, save for Lin Yih, who was hunched over a book at his desk.
Time passed.
"Click!" The sound of the door signaled someone's arrival.
It was a girl – Nuo Juann!
Lin Yih hastily propped his book up to hide his face.
But as he caught sight of her, Nuo Juann's eyes fell on him too.
"Ah! It's Brother Yih!"
Nuo Juann, clutching a small bag, excitedly scampered over to the seat next to Lin Yih.
"Brother Yih, what brings you here so early?"
While speaking, Nuo Juann rested her hand on Lin Yih's back and gave him a gentle push.
"Hiss!" Lin Yih inhaled sharply.
There was no escape now.
"Good morning, Nuo Juann," Lin Yih managed, lifting his head to offer a polite smile.
"Hehe, good morning to you too, Brother Yih!"
"Yes, good, all good."
"Brother Yih, I haven't seen you in days. I... I've missed you so much!" Nuo Juann clutched Lin Yih's hand and gave it a shake. "Have you missed me too, Brother Yih?"
"Hiss..." Lin Yih shuddered, carefully withdrawing his hand.
"I don't think I've felt quite the same..."
"Ah! Brother Yih, you..."
Just as Nuo Juann was about to continue in her playful tone, Lin Yih was so overwhelmed with nerves that he broke out in a cold sweat.
"Click!"
