Chapter 612 - 382: Familiar Aura (Part 2)

Chapter 612: Chapter 382: Familiar Aura (Part 2)

First, he could have Frost Jade or himself consume Spiritual Energy Liquid or Extraordinary Materials to slowly increase their strength.

Second, he could activate the panel and use the point allocation function to raise his strength.

Han Ning naturally chose the latter. All the materials he had collected so far would be used to activate the panel.

Sharpening the axe doesn’t delay the work of chopping wood.

He picked up the other two traits, one large and one small, and absorbed them one by one.

[Energy +1.1]

[Energy +0.5]

’The black dog actually had a trait, too. One of the people here must have been an Extraordinary Being similar to a Beast Master. I wonder if they were a Culinary Scientist.’

Even if they were, it wouldn’t be much help to him right now. What he needed was the Tier Eight Ghoul trait.

’The Energy gathered from killing two people is much faster than absorbing Spiritual Energy Liquid.’

After absorbing the Energy and tidying up the scene by flushing the black powder down the drain, Han Ning climbed back into bed, held Frost Jade and Egg Pancake close, and fell asleep.

...

The next evening, just after seven o’clock.

Han Ning didn’t head to Ruixin Coffee Shop right away.

Instead, he sat in the Starbucks Coffee Shop across the street, watching every move at the shop opposite him.

While waiting for Zhang Nengfa to arrive, he sent a message to Xie Mingke:

"Teacher Xie, have you compiled the list from the pet market yet?"

Xie Mingke: "Sorry, not yet. I had a full day of classes today, I’ve been busy teaching students. [Sorry ??]"

"Please hurry. Also, I’d like to ask you for another favor. Can you help me find a house that’s a bit more spacious and quiet? Preferably one with few people around."

"Got it. I’ll look for you."

"Thanks."

After a bit of idle chat, the time quickly reached 7:58.

Zhang Nengfa’s figure appeared across the street.

Seeing that he had come alone and there were no suspicious figures around, Han Ning paid his bill and walked over.

"Did you bring the items?"

"Yes, ten bottles of Spiritual Energy Liquid, three portions of blood from Extraordinary Creatures, three vials of Spiritual Liquid..."

Zhang Nengfa handed a package to Han Ning, then took out a metal token engraved with ocean waves.

"This is the token for the Blue Bay Bar."

"Good. You should head back now. It’s not good for us to be seen together too often."

Taking the package, Han Ning promptly sent Zhang Nengfa on his way.

"...Yes."

It was 8:00 PM, four hours before the black market opened.

Han Ning arrived early on a street near the Blue Bay Bar.

This was a small street in an urban village, and most of the passersby were migrants trying to make a living in Ludao City.

The aroma of cooking wafted from windows of all sizes.

The street was bustling with pedestrians and lined with shops. In small groups, workers just off their shifts sat by the roadside, ordering a few stir-fried dishes and a dozen bottles of beer, drinking and chatting heartily.

Han Ning turned past three self-built houses and saw a pitch-black alleyway ahead.

According to his navigation app, this was the most direct route to the Blue Bay Bar.

The Tangge Federation of this world, though extremely similar to the Blue Star Xia Country, was ultimately different.

The narrow, dim alley was filled with trash and sewage.

Han Ning turned on his phone’s flashlight and entered the alley. After walking a few meters, avoiding the trash blocking his path, he heard sharp hissing sounds coming from not far away.

Six eerie green points of light appeared in the dim passage.

Two fat, round tabby cats were pinning a scrawny little kitten beneath them. Strands of grayish-white fur drifted down slowly in the beam of white light.

SMACK! SMACK!

"Meeeow..."

The trembling little kitten didn’t understand why its own kind were so hostile toward it.

"Shoo, shoo, shoo! Where’d you wildcats come from?"

Just then, a human voice rang out.

The little cat instinctively covered its head.

But after a long moment, it sensed that everything behind it had gone quiet.

It hesitated for a moment before cautiously turning around, looking back with a timid gaze.

Then, it saw a tall human figure standing quietly before it, bent over with a gentle smile on his face.

"MEOW!!!"

The kitten shivered in fright and tried to run away on its short little legs.

But the next second, it felt itself being lifted into a warm embrace.

"Meow! Meow!!"

Suddenly being held, the kitten was terrified. It flailed its short limbs, trying to struggle out of Han Ning’s arms.

"Shhh, don’t be afraid. I mean you no harm."

Han Ning stroked the kitten’s head, his voice gentle.

As he had passed by the kitten just now, he had detected a familiar aura on it.

It was the Spiritual Aura of the Little Fatty Silkworm!

However, the kitten in his arms wasn’t the Little Fatty Silkworm, which meant it must have at least come into contact with it!

"Relax, relax."

He murmured, gently stroking the kitten’s back, trying to calm the little one down.

Having suffered malice from its own kind, the kitten, clearly just born and inexperienced with the world, couldn’t help but be wary of other creatures.

It was truly filthy, covered in dark stains. The grime and sewage had obscured most of its originally orange fur, and it gave off a foul stench.

"Meeeow..."

Feeling the warmth from his touch and hearing his gentle voice, the kitten gradually gave up resisting, its limbs hanging limply.

Mostly, it was just too tired and had no strength left to fight.

’No wonder it didn’t leave this alley. Its paws are injured.’

Holding the kitten, Han Ning could clearly see raw, open wounds on its short little paws.

Not only that, but its entire body was covered in shallow cuts of various sizes. Although they were only superficial, some of the wounds hadn’t been treated in time and were starting to fester.

The most urgent task was to find a place to clean and bandage its wounds.

Just as Han Ning was about to look for a place to treat the kitten...

TAP, TAP, TAP~

The sound of light footsteps approached.

A timid voice suddenly spoke up beside him:

"Um, excuse me, are you this little cat’s owner?"

Han Ning turned his head and saw a little girl, only about five or six years old, standing not far away.

"Meow!"

Hearing another human voice, the kitten was visibly startled. It curled into a weak little ball, its body trembling uncontrollably, looking absolutely terrified.

Han Ning held the kitten like a baby, stroking its back, and said to the little girl:

"No... Can I help you, little one?"

"Mister, actually... I always wanted to save the little cat, but I’m too small... I was scared to come over. I just saw you rescue it from my window at home, so I dared to come out!"

The little girl said shyly, her head lowered.

Han Ning smiled and nodded. "Yes, it was right for you not to come over. Stray cats are very dirty and carry a lot of germs. Even with this little one, you shouldn’t just touch it. Be careful not to get scratched and get an infection."

"So, little girl, what did you come over for?"

"Um... Mister, can I adopt this kitten?"

"Adopt it?"

Han Ning’s eyes darted. "Adoption is fine, but I want to ask you a few questions. If you answer them well, I’ll give you the kitten."

"Go ahead," the little girl said, her eyes sparkling.

"You said you were watching this kitten earlier. Besides those bully cats, did it have any other companions? Any that were nice to it?"

"Let me think..."

The little girl picked her nose, lost in thought.

As she thought, her brow furrowed more and more, and then she said dejectedly, "I don’t think so..."

Just as she finished, she shook her head again.

"Ah, no, that’s not right! I think there was a little bird. It rested on the kitten for a little while, and then it flew away."

"A little bird?!"

Han Ning’s eyes lit up. He quickly asked, "Did you see where it flew?"

"N-no... It probably flew into a nearby tree, right? My teacher says birds build their nests in trees." The little girl blinked.

"Uh... You can have the kitten, but you have to show me around the area, okay?"

"You’re not a bad guy, are you?" Hearing his request to be shown around, the little girl’s expression immediately became wary.