Chapter 35: The Pet Shop Discovery

  Chapter 35: The Pet Shop DiscoveryLeaving the market, Lan Chi didn't plan to go home immediately. After being busy at home for several days, he wanted to walk around a bit and get some fresh air.

  After just a few steps, Kaelen suddenly stopped, her eyes darting vigilantly left and right, her hand resting on the sword hilt at her waist.

  Lan Chi also stopped and asked in a low voice, "What's wrong?"

  Kaelen shook her head. "Maybe I'm being too sensitive. I keep feeling like someone is watching me."

  "Really?" Hearing this, Lan Chi also vigilantly scanned the area. The street was crowded with people coming and going, but nothing seemed particularly out of place. "Be careful. Let's go somewhere else."

  With that, he took Kaelen's hand and headed toward the boutique commercial street across from the market.

  The boutique commercial street was much more refined than the market. The entire street was paved with neat blue stone slabs, the road surface clean and wide. On both sides were imposing stone-built shops with storefronts, no cluttered street stalls in sight. Exquisite signs as far as the eye could see, exuding an atmosphere of quality.

  Most of the shops here were blacksmith forges. Each had a sign forged from quenched fine iron hanging in front. The sound of hammers rose and fell from within. In the display windows were displayed razor-sharp swords, sturdy yet lightweight armor, precise and durable tools and mechanical parts. Their cold gleam was restrained, every item a masterpiece.

  In addition, potion shops, rune stores, alchemical workshops, and various other establishments were lined up in order, each with its own character.

  There were far fewer people here than in the market. Most of the passersby were wealthy adventurers and merchants, their gear noticeably more advanced than those in the market.

  Lan Chi's sharp eyes caught sight of a crowd gathered ahead. He parted the crowd and pulled Kaelen inside.

  It was a newly opened magical beast pet shop. Standing under the sign at the entrance was a human wearing a strange mask and a black cloak. He cleared his throat and called out to the gathered crowd:

  "Greetings to all the craftsmen, mercenaries, and adventurers passing by. Today, my humble shop—the Magical Beast Pet Shop—officially opens for business.

  All the pets inside are well-trained, gentle-tempered magical beast cubs. Some for riding companionship, some for reconnaissance and early warning, some for companionship and entertainment. Each and every one is healthy and lively.

  Whether you need a loyal companion or assistance on your travels, you are welcome to come in and have a look, browse around. Everyone who enters today will receive a small gift, and there will be discounts on pet purchases. Welcome, everyone. Come on in, sit for a while, choose a magical beast partner that suits your heart, and explore this world together."

  With that, he stepped to the side and made a gesture of invitation.

  The crowd surged in, and Lan Chi and Kaelen followed the flow of people inside.

  Inside the magical beast pet shop, rows of cages made of fine iron and rune wire stood against the walls, stacked layer upon layer, neatly arranged like shelves.

  Each cage held an adorable magical beast cub, quietly sitting or lying inside. The cages were lined with dry hay. There was no foul odor in the air, only a clean scent faintly mixed with herbs and the milky smell of young beasts.

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  On the outside of each cage door was a wooden label, with the cub's name and type written in clear script, neat and orderly at a glance.

  Lan Chi examined the magical beast cubs in the cages one by one. Whether it was his imagination or not, he kept feeling as though something was writhing on these little creatures. That strange sensation was exactly like what he had felt when he first arrived in this world, on those eerie giant trees.

  An illusion? Lan Chi rubbed his eyes. When he leaned closer for another look, the strange feeling vanished without a trace.

  As he was looking, Kaelen suddenly tugged at his sleeve.

  "Master," her voice was very low, but couldn't hide the excitement, "look at that one."

  Lan Chi followed the direction she was pointing.

  In a cage centered against the wall, a ball of white fur was curled up. The little creature seemed to sense their gaze, twitched its ears, and slowly lifted its head.

  It was a cat-like magical beast, but larger than an ordinary house cat. Its entire body was covered in fluffy white fur, except for the tips of its ears and the end of its tail, which were tinged with a light gray. Its eyes were a pale gold. At this moment, it was tilting its head, quietly observing the two people through the iron bars. Above the cage, a label read: Snowball Beast.

  "So cute..." Kaelen stared at that white ball, her eyes lighting up.

  Lan Chi glanced sideways at her, then looked back at the fluffy creature in the cage. He asked quietly, "Want it?"

  Kaelen was startled for a moment, then nodded vigorously, her eyes filled with undisguised anticipation. "Can I keep it?"

  "If you want to keep it, buy it," Lan Chi paused, then added, "but you'll have to take care of it yourself." He wasn't particularly interested in keeping pets.

  A smile instantly spread across Kaelen's face, her entire demeanor brightening. "Mm! Thank you, master!"

  She immediately crouched down, leaned close to the cage, and whispered through the bars, "Little one, from now on, I'll take care of you."

  The white magical beast inside blinked and, following the sound, gently shifted slightly toward the cage door.

  Lan Chi turned and walked toward the counter to pay.

  The counter was set up next to a row of glass display cases. The cases were lined with fine sand and moss, and several fist-sized ants were crawling inside. Lan Chi originally only gave them a casual glance, but then his footsteps suddenly stopped.

  He leaned closer to the display case and carefully looked at the ants inside. It wasn't just one ant, but a colony. Each ant had a distinct division of labor—some were carrying debris, others were clearing passages. It was like a complete miniature society.

  He looked up at the label above the display case: [Omnivorous Ant Colony]

  [Omnivorous Ant Colony] A complete, mature ant colony with clear division of labor and stable reproduction. Their digestive systems are unlike ordinary beasts, with extremely strong digestive capacity, capable of eating almost anything.

  Consuming ordinary waste can produce fine sandy fertile soil. Consuming iron ore can directly produce pure iron sand. Economical, efficient, and ore-saving. A private little workshop for craftsmen, blacksmiths, and alchemists.

  Lan Chi's eyes lit up. A complete ant colony, with worker ants and a queen ant. He remembered that after the hut had consumed an entire colony of scorpion-tailed bees, it had been able to directly nurture mutated scorpion-tailed bees. If he bought these ants back, he wondered if it could clone new species.

  He tapped on the glass of the display case and waved to the sales guide behind the counter.

  The sales guide was a young girl, wearing the store's uniform. She hurried over: "Sir, how can I help you?"

  "This ant colony," Lan Chi pointed at the display case, "is it complete? The kind with worker ants and a queen?"

  "Yes, yes," the guide nodded repeatedly. "All the ant colonies in our store are complete colonies, guaranteed to include a queen. Look here," she pointed to an ant in the corner of the display case that was noticeably larger, "that one is the queen. She's laying eggs right now."

  Lan Chi stared at that plump queen ant and nodded with satisfaction. "How much?"

  The guide quoted a number: "Two thousand Phosphorus Crystals. Fixed price."

  Lan Chi drew in a sharp breath. Two thousand—a bit expensive, but still within his means.

  "Alright, I'll take it." After saying this, he pointed in Kaelen's direction. "And that Snowball Beast too, add it to the bill."

  The guide's eyes lit up. She quickly calculated: "Snowball Beast is eight hundred Phosphorus Crystals, the ant colony is two thousand. Total is two thousand eight hundred."

  Lan Chi nodded, took out the Phosphorus Crystals from his wrist guard, and poured them into the spatial storage box the guide indicated.

  After the guide collected the payment, she deftly prepared two receipts and handed them to Lan Chi. "Would you like delivery? The glass case for the ant colony is a bit awkward to carry."

  Lan Chi took the receipts, glanced at them, and nodded. "Alright, deliver it." He then left the address of his rental house. "By the way, do you have any other pets that are complete colonies? Insects, or other animals?"

  The guide shook her head. "Not at the moment. This ant nest was only obtained by chance."

  "Alright." With that, Lan Chi left the pet shop with Kaelen.