Chapter 2: What Kind of Dog’s Life Do You Want to Live?

Chapter 2: Chapter 2: What Kind of Dog’s Life Do You Want to Live?

In the woodland outside the town, the morning mist had not yet fully dissipated.

Withered branches and fallen leaves rustled underfoot.

A man and a dog made their way through the desolate woods.

Hesia’s consciousness sank into his mind, where the mysterious ball of light floated silently.

He focused his Will to touch the ball of light. A ripple-like shimmer spread across its surface, and Bruce’s information appeared—he had accumulated 10 Points.

With a flicker of his Will, 10 Decryption Points flew into the ball of light like fireflies.

The ball of light flared brightly, then spat out a message:

[Hint: Extraction Mechanism Details]

[Current Extraction Mode: Random Single-Term Extraction]

[Next Stage Unlock: Two-Term Extraction, Choose One]

[Unlock Level: 10]

[You have consumed 10 Points to extract a Term from a Holt Region cattle dog—Territory Odor Mark.]

[Territory Odor Mark]: You have skillfully mastered the technique of precisely marking territorial boundaries and important locations with urine.

Was it practical?

Bruce thought it was very practical.

Hesia, however, grumbled to himself:

’Choose one of two? If I could choose, at least I wouldn’t have extracted this weird term about Bruce peeing everywhere.’

’Besides, relying on just Bruce and the ordinary livestock in town... it’s obviously impossible to hope for any powerful Terms.’

’To get powerful Terms, I have to find powerful creatures!’

’But this land...’

Norton Holt County was located in the heartland of the Jade Federation—the core of the Golden Grain Plain.

It was a granary, peaceful but also unremarkable.

The Lord, Count Laurie Holte, was an old merchant who had amassed a fortune through shipping and speculative trade to climb to his high position. With almost no military achievements to his name, he had successfully exchanged the hefty taxes he paid annually to the Federation Treasury for this Count’s Domain.

However, beneath the fertile facade of the Golden Grain Plain lay Count Holt’s predicament.

Far from the port cities and bustling trade routes that had made his fortune, he was like a fish out of water. His once-praised business acumen seemed out of place here, and his profits were naturally far less than before.

Worse still, the domain lacked any famous Demon Beast Mountain Ranges or ancient forests that would attract swarms of Adventurers. Consequently, it missed out on the dynamic tax revenue brought by those warriors who lived on the edge of danger.

By enfeoffing this seemingly fertile land to the newly rich merchant, His Majesty the King had both completed their transaction and kept the new Count’s influence far from the truly prosperous regions.

Hesia pulled back from his thoughts and looked at Bruce, who was currently raising a hind leg to solemnly leave his "artistic masterpiece" at the base of a thick oak tree.

"Bruce," Hesia’s voice held a trace of doubt. "Are you sure there are really high-level Magical Beasts in this blasted forest like you said?"

He scanned his surroundings. Besides ordinary squirrels and some harmless small wild animals, there was only the occasional birdsong.

Bruce finished his marking, turned his head, and said with a hint of grievance at being questioned, "Hesia! Are you doubting my nose? I may not have been ’a person’ for long, but I have over ten years of experience as a dog."

Hesia was speechless for a moment.

’So he’s renouncing his doghood, is he!’

But he still pointed out the reality of the situation earnestly. "Bruce, I have to remind you, you’ve only mastered the ability to speak.

Essentially, you’re still a dog—a very excellent dog, but... it’s like learning to eat with a knife and fork. It doesn’t make you a nobleman."

Bruce: "?"

"...Wh-what? Are you saying I’m not a person yet? I can just... just talk?

I thought I’d finally become a person! Just a little on the short side... I was even thinking about going to a Magic Academy to learn the Fireball Technique or something..."

His ears and tail drooped in dejection. A dog’s beautiful dream of attending a Magic Academy was shattered just like that.

Hesia looked at his dejected state and found the scene both absurd and strangely... wonderful.

It felt like his dog of many years had suddenly started talking one day, then told him with a straight face that its dream was to get into Tsinghua.

’Shouldn’t a dream like that be encouraged? Even if it seems a little unrealistic.’

"Ahem," Hesia cleared his throat, his tone consoling. "Listen, Bruce, being a dog is actually pretty great! Believe me, being a person is way more tiring than being a dog. You’re always worrying about one thing or another.

Besides, who says dogs can’t learn Magic? Aren’t those Giant Dragons, Tree-men, and demons all Masters in the field of Magic?"

’Although Bruce was still a long way from those legendary creatures... you’ve got to have a dream!’

Bruce was a dog of an optimistic nature.

His dejection lasted only a few seconds before a cheerful thought washed away his worries. "So you’re saying... I still have a chance to learn Flame Burst?!"

"Uh... theoretically, that possibility exists," Hesia said cautiously.

Bruce immediately perked up, his tail once again wagging like a little fan. He lowered his nose to the ground and threw himself back into the grand task of searching.

His motivation was clearly much stronger than before.

After they had walked some distance, the dense trees began to crowd their vision.

Bruce suddenly stopped, turned his head, and his voice took on a serious tone:

"Buddy, I just thought of a key question."

Hesia: "?"

Bruce: "If we really run into a tough one later... who’s going to fight it? Me... me?"

He lifted a forepaw and pointed at his own head in a very human-like gesture.

Bruce’s question was like a bucket of cold water, instantly jolting Hesia to his senses.

’I was so focused on finding a powerful Magical Beast to extract a Term from that I never considered whether I’d be slapped to death in one hit.’

But he quickly found his answer.

He remembered something Wang Jiaming had once said: life is a gamble. If you don’t dare to bet everything to fight for first place, what’s the difference between that and surrendering at the very start?

He had gone through so much to get to this Otherworld; he certainly didn’t want it to end here.

But if he were to just barely survive in fear like a maggot, only to eventually be consumed by the Curse anyway, he might as well risk it all in one bold move!

Of course, Wang Jiaming was his roommate, a gambling addict who loved playing Golden Shovel.

"Don’t worry, Bruce," Hesia’s voice steadied, filled with a strange confidence that Bruce couldn’t comprehend. "I have a way to handle it.

You just need to remember that if I think things are going south, you need to turn and run immediately. Otherwise, I can’t guarantee I’ll be able to look out for you."

"Oh... okay!"

Bruce never doubted Hesia’s words.

’If Hesia said he had a way, then he definitely had a way!’

’As a loyal dog, he wouldn’t doubt his master’s guarantee!’

...

The air in the forest grew damper and deeper.

Bruce’s pace slowed. He was no longer sniffing around aimlessly. Instead, he kept his nose pressed firmly to a faint scent trail on the ground, leading Hesia deeper into the woods.

Suddenly, Bruce stopped!

His body instantly tensed, muscles trembling faintly beneath his brown and white fur. A suppressed whimper escaped his throat, and his tail was tucked tightly between his legs.

Hesia also stopped dead in his tracks, his breath catching—

The light ahead was blotted out by an immense shadow.

It was no ordinary tree!

It was a "living" brown hill!

Its incomparably massive body was like an extension of the earth itself. Its dark brown fur was as stiff as thick steel needles, and a condensed, earth-yellow glow flowed over its surface.

A pair of giant claws covered in thick, calloused skin hung at its sides. Just from their natural resting position, one had no doubt they could easily plow deep furrows into the ground beneath.

Its amber eyes, filled with the wisdom of ancient ages, calmly looked down at him.

The pressure assaulted Hesia’s nerves.

This was the first time he had come face-to-face with a true Extraordinary Creature since crossing over.

Hesia had wanted to find a powerful creature, but he hadn’t expected one *this* powerful.

Merely standing in the shadow cast by that incomparably massive figure made his legs go weak uncontrollably.

’This is an Extraordinary Creature?’

’...Extract its Term?’

The thought that had been burning within him moments ago now flickered, and he couldn’t help but want to retreat.

At that very moment, a brown-and-white figure shot past his leg like a cannonball, taking two quick steps forward to plant itself firmly between him and the giant bear!

Bruce’s limbs were as rigid as stone, and all the fur on his body stood on end. Though he trembled like a leaf, a low, hoarse roar erupted from deep within his throat!

Hesia’s heart trembled. He forced himself to steady his mind and focus his Will—

[Race: Earth Bear]

[Decryption Points: 0]

[Term Extraction: 520 Decryption Points required]

[Hint: Required Points for target creature are too high]

[Possible Method 1: Help the target grow or break through to obtain a large number of Points]

[Possible Method 2: Kill the target for a low probability of gaining one direct extraction opportunity]