“Yo, haven’t succeeded yet?”
In the courtyard, a silver, four-legged lizard blocked Nuobai’s path.
‘Silverback Dragon, what does he want?’
Nuobai was confused. This guy usually ignored her; why was he taking the initiative to stop her today?
“This is your twenty-seventh failure.”
The Silverback Dragon looked down at her with a condescending grin, his large mouth split wide.
“You certainly have persistence!”
“Unfortunately, it’s all in vain.”
Nuobai wasn’t intimidated by his appearance, and her attitude remained indifferent. “That’s none of your business.”
She made to move around him. It was about to rain, and Nuobai didn’t want to get caught in the downpour.
Snap!
The air whistled as it was displaced.
Nuobai dodged just in time as the Silverback Dragon’s tail slammed into the spot where she had been standing, leaving a crater in the ground.
The Silverback Dragon swung his tail casually, his eyes filled with a mix of disgust and mockery.
A mere Ornamental Species should just focus on being a good pet and learning how to please its master.
Practicing combat skills every day and dreaming of entering competitions was laughable.
Last year’s Survival Tournament had been full of trash, allowing a stupid cat to win the championship.
And he had actually become a prize for that stupid cat—a stain on his reputation he could never wash away!
“What are you doing!”
Nuobai arched her back and bared her claws, her eyes fixed on his tail.
“Nothing much. I just want to play with you. You shouldn’t mind, right?”
The Silverback Dragon teased, flicking his tail toward her with mocking strikes.
Nuobai leaped left and right, dodging the tail, her movements looking somewhat frantic.
She had no choice; this Silverback Dragon was Long Qianwu’s second beast and had already reached the Tier 2 young stage. Nuobai hadn’t even reached Tier 1 yet.
A piece of gravel grazed Nuobai’s cheek, tearing away a few strands of fur. Remembering his Beast Master’s instructions, the Silverback Dragon stopped his attack.
“So weak.”
“Snow Joy Cat, combat isn’t something an ornamental pet like you should touch. You belong in our Master’s arms.”
Nuobai panted heavily. “It’s none of your business what I do.”
None of his business?
Not necessarily.
The Silverback Dragon wore a satisfied expression. “The Master will no longer support you.”
“In the future, learn how to please people and earn resources like a good girl. That’s the only way you’ll have a place here.”
“What do you mean?” Nuobai didn’t react immediately.
“It means sending you off to be a pet, selling your smiles for money. With your looks, plenty of women will take pity on you.”
“Shut up!”
Nuobai roared, her whole body trembling. She would never become a pet just to beg for sympathy.
“I want to see Long Qianwu!”
“You should call her Master, you uneducated thing.”
The Silverback Dragon swatted her away. Jealousy burned in his heart.
Why was he bound by a Master-Servant Contract while this stupid cat had an Equality Contract?
He raised his tail, prepared to kill Nuobai right then and there, but a faint contractual ripple from the house stopped him.
“Cough, cough…”
Nuobai calmed down and directed her question toward the house.
“Are you going to break our agreement?”
No one inside responded. Instead, the Silverback Dragon spoke.
“Nuobai, you’ve failed so many times. The Master has already been more than generous.”
“Stop wasting resources. Just be a pet, and you’ll still be her favorite beast.”
“Sometimes, if you aren’t destined for it, don’t waste your effort… cough, cough.”
At this, the Silverback Dragon gave a dry cough.
“Be a pet? How ridiculous. Long Qianwu, you promised me back then—if I won the championship, you would support my combat training and evolution.”
“That was the only reason I contracted with you. I fulfilled my end of the deal, and now you’re going back on your word!”
The courtyard fell silent as the dark clouds overhead grew heavier.
“Snow Joy Cat, don’t make the Master sound like some treacherous villain. You’re the one who failed to live up to expectations.”
“You’ve failed so many times and haven’t even reached the juvenile stage. You’ve even caused the Master to be mocked by others.”
“Shouldn’t you reflect on yourself? Your ambitions are as high as the sky, but your fate is as thin as paper.”
“The Master is still willing to keep a useless thing like you. You should be grateful.”
Nuobai gave him a cold look, then shifted her gaze toward the house behind him.
Seeing her ignore him, the Silverback Dragon was about to move when the contract restrained him again.
“Long Qianwu, have you really made up your mind to turn me into a pet?”
Nuobai’s voice trembled slightly, tinged with self-mockery.
“I thought you were the one who understood me. I didn’t realize I had entrusted myself to the wrong person.”
Beasts had no human rights. Even with an Equality Contract, if Long Qianwu set her mind to it, Nuobai would be reduced to a pet with no future.
Aunt Qin was right; Long Qianwu had stabbed her in the back.
“Nuobai, don’t be temperamental. You were born an Ornamental Species.”
“The Master pities you and can’t bear to see you get hurt.”
“Besides, didn’t you enjoy yourself before?”
“What do you mean?”
Nuobai’s pupils constricted as she glared fiercely at the Silverback Dragon.
“Last Friday…”
The hazy memory became clear. Being held in the palm of a hand and toyed with, the strange, lingering numbness in her spine… that was no dream!
She had been drugged and sent to be someone’s plaything?
The fur all over Nuobai’s body stood on end.
“Long! Qian! Wu! Get out here!”
There was still no movement from the house. ‘Are you feeling guilty? Is that why you’re hiding?’
Letting the Silverback Dragon speak for her and resorting to such underhanded tactics like drugging.
‘How could I have ever recognized you as my Beast Master? Ridiculous. Utterly ridiculous!’
A contract appeared on her right paw, then shattered bit by bit. Her dark red right eye began to glow faintly.
A flash of excitement crossed the Silverback Dragon’s eyes. This stupid cat really was betraying her master. He knew she wouldn’t tolerate being a pet.
His constant whispering in their master’s ear hadn’t been in vain. It was a pity; if the cat wasn’t an Ornamental Species, he might not have been able to convince Long Qianwu.
What a waste of talent, but Ornamental Species were simply not born for combat.
However, he couldn’t quite understand it. She was just petted a couple of times; why such a big reaction?
If he could gain resources just by letting people touch him, he would jump at the chance!
Until the very end, when the contract broke and a bloody mark appeared on the back of Nuobai’s paw, Long Qianwu never showed her face.
Seeing her weakened state, the Silverback Dragon’s tone softened. “Do you want to rest for a couple of days?”
Nuobai didn’t even give him a glance before turning to leave.
Drip, drop. Rain began to fall.
The Silverback Dragon had been sincere. Now that Nuobai had betrayed her master, there was no more conflict between them. Long Qianwu only had him as a beast now.
He didn’t mind if Nuobai stayed to recover for two days. To be honest, he admired her for her hard training and dedication to learning.
It was only his dragon-like arrogance that made it impossible for him to accept being the prize of a cub-stage Ornamental Species.
Creak. The door opened.
Long Qianwu stepped out of the house in crystal high heels, her long legs carrying her forward. Her narrow eyes were filled with a touch of sorrow.
“Nuobai is far too willful. I spoiled her.”
“I hope she finds a good home in the future.”
The Silverback Dragon internally rolled his eyes. Suffering from the backlash of betraying her master, injured by him, and now stuck in a downpour… she was just a cub.
It was a question of whether she could even survive, let alone find a “good home.”
“Silverback Dragon, it’s time to go back to training. You must make the most of the Bloodline Potion Nuobai earned for you.”
“You must take first place in the assessment one year from now.”
“Yes, Master.”
……
Black rain poured down as a demonic wind raged.
Nuobai’s fur was soaked, smelling of rain as she curled up under a set of eaves. A puddle of gray water mixed with bright red blood pooled beneath her.
The backlash from betraying her master caused her agonizing pain. It felt as if countless needles were piercing her body.
Every breath took all her strength, as if she were sinking into the deep sea.
Air and light gradually vanished.
‘Human hearts are hard to predict. I, who was once human, actually forgot that.’
As her life drained away and her consciousness blurred, Nuobai struggled, wanting to find Qin Nian.
She couldn’t die here. She didn’t want to die yet. She wanted to take human form and truly experience this magical world.
Forcing out one last breath, she ran forward.
She was almost there, just through the alley. Suddenly, she stumbled and collapsed to the ground, vomiting a large mouthful of blood.
It was so cold. It was the first time in her life she had ever felt this cold. ‘Long Qianwu, you liar!’
Meow!
With a final, shrill roar of indignation, Nuobai fell unconscious.
“Huh? What was that sound?”