Chapter 33: It Does Not Want to Change, It Cannot Change

Adrian had not expected that one question from him would stir such a strong reaction in this old dog that seemed to have withdrawn from the world.

But this emotional fluctuation also added detail to the words in the Status column on the panel.

The Fortune Dog had a strong defense mechanism around its inner secrets. Once triggered, it would immediately show a stress response.

It had experienced ten evolutions, all failures, leaving behind multiple hidden injuries. It had also been examined by at least a hundred beast tamers with Spirit-attribute talents. Through many clashes with such tamers, it had gradually learned how to hide its worries.

And it had begun to detest these humans who tried to pry open its heart and make it change.

It did not want to change. It could not change.

Seeing this, Adrian suddenly had a headache.

What had this old dog been through?

It could react so strongly to just one or two keywords.

Ever since he awakened his dual talents, the Status column of various beasts would change according to their emotional fluctuations. If there was a problem, a specific solution would also be given.

This was the first time Adrian had seen only the problem and no solution at all.

Heartache.

That was an inner world. It could not be seen with the eyes.

"Fortune, good boy, calm down." Howard was also a little stunned for a moment.

The last time Fortune had barked this loudly was two months ago. He had invited a Four-Star Healer to his home. No matter how he soothed Fortune, it would not stop barking, and it even fainted from over-breathing.

Thinking of that, Howard quickly recalled it into the beast space.

The private room suddenly became quiet. Only the Wonder Shine Grass looked left and right. It noticed that the big dog uncle had disappeared, but it immediately trotted to Julian's feet, nestled against him, and fell asleep again in seconds.

"Adrian, sorry… Fortune usually isn't like this." Howard said apologetically.

"It's fine." Adrian waved his hand, while calculating inwardly.

The three ate in silence. The atmosphere suddenly became a little awkward.

Howard did not speak, and Adrian could not press further. That would be too rude.

Five minutes later, Julian broke the silence. "Dad, Adrian is amazing. Before he awakened his talent, many teachers could get inspiration from him, especially about understanding and sensitivity to beasts."

"Now he has awakened the A-rank Living Affinity. That talent is, at the very least, second only to the S-rank Instant Spirit Thought among mind-emotion perception talents."

"Maybe he really can sense Fortune's emotions. What if there really is something it does not want to tell us?"

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Howard had actually been absent-minded.

He knew under what circumstances his Fortune Dog would lose control.

What he was struggling with were the two words Adrian had asked about: "worries."

What worries were there that he did not know? Or rather, that Fortune did not want him to know?

Adrian had also been thinking.

Before the Fortune Dog was recalled, the updated information in the Status column was actually very useful.

Especially those eight words: "It does not want to change, it cannot change."

His keen intuition immediately told him that the "it cannot change" part was the core of the heartache.

For a beast, Adrian's philosophy was to respect their will and let them live in the way that made them most comfortable.

But Adrian had just discovered something he had never experienced. On a beast, he felt a tragic determination to rather walk to the end of its life than change anything.

And another feeling… a very firm sense of protection.

This was also what it wanted. But when "sick," was what it wanted… necessarily right?

Howard came back to himself. "Sorry, I was just thinking about other things. Adrian, Julian trusts you so much, so I will speak plainly."

"Over the years, many people have wanted to do business with me. A small number of them would specifically look into my past, hoping to use Fortune to trade with me and gain better benefits."

"I fall for that. As long as Fortune can live better and happier, I am happy too."

"You have been observing it since you entered. I believe you definitely looked into the story of me and Fortune."

"You are very smart. But in the end, we are here for a business negotiation today. This deal does not have much impact on Yellow Crane Tower Shop's business. It is just that I want Fortune to live its last two years better, so it is important to me."

"Before I tell you the details about Fortune, I must ask you one question very seriously."

"Your so-called sensing of its worries—did you truly notice something abnormal, or did you make it up to gain better benefits?"

Howard's voice was still warm, and his pace was not fast. But compared to the earlier atmosphere, the private room suddenly seemed tense.

Julian, beside him, also grew nervous. The familiar feeling of his father returned.

But this time, he felt he had no standing to speak for Adrian. Although he had always thought Adrian was amazing, this answer was important to his father, and to Fortune.

Adrian knew that using the Fortune Dog as an entry point to get a better negotiation result was his original intention, and it was only human nature.

He also knew that Howard, who had been in business for years and had seen countless people, could not fail to notice that.

Of course, he would definitely not lie for a better result. Whether it was the faint emotions he sensed or the concrete information described on the panel, everything verified it.

And in those five minutes just now, Adrian had actually made his own decision.

"Uncle Howard, I did not make it up. I sensed it. And during the time it barked at me until you recalled it into the beast space, I sensed even more emotions."

Adrian looked into Howard's eyes.

Howard put down his chopsticks and stared into Adrian's eyes for a full five seconds. Then he finally smiled.

This was also the first expression on his face today.

"All right. First tell me what you sensed, and then I will see how to respond."

"Mm." Adrian nodded. "When Fortune barked at me, I sensed its panic and fear."

"It wants to spend the last of its life quietly. It does not want even the slightest change."

"It does not want to change. It… cannot change."

"Its worries are very heavy. I think these worries are the root of why it does not want to change."

"Spirit Dew can treat hidden injuries caused by evolution. It can be seen that your Fortune Dog has experienced multiple failed evolutions. Its evolution failures… should be caused by its worries."

"I can sense this entanglement."

"It is like Violet, the beast at my home that produces Spirit Dew. She did not want to evolve before either, because of discomfort, because of worries."

"Once the worries are resolved, maybe it will work. Maybe… its lifespan can be extended."

Hearing this, Howard was a little dazed. This was the first time he had heard such an explanation.

"It does not want to change?"

There was an imperceptible tremble in his voice. "But before and after the contract, I could feel that it wanted to live longer!"

"Contracting it was to let it live longer."

"Letting it attempt evolution was also to let it live longer."

"Buying it more medicine and spirit products was also to let it live longer."

Hearing this.

Adrian was also dazed for a moment.

"Uncle Howard, tell me, is Fortune waiting for something? Waiting with the same body, the form before evolution, but it has never gotten what it was waiting for?"