Mini World Game Console

Before they parted after their late-night snack, Dong Chengling reached out and stroked Ren Suo's head again—if he had wanted to dodge, he could have, but he no longer minded.

"See you tomorrow," she said.

As they separated beneath the teacher's dormitory, Ren Suo, heading to the gate, spotted a Black Cat sitting there watching him. The Black Cat's neck was adorned with a Red Ribbon and a yellow bell, clearly belonging to one of the teachers.

When Ren Suo's gaze met that of the Black Cat, they instantly came to an understanding.

Ren Suo took the Black Cat to the convenience store to buy a packet of Spicy Fish Kid and a bottle of milk. Then, he tore open the package, feeding the cat the Spicy Fish Kid one by one. When the cat's mouth opened from the spice, Ren Suo quickly gave it the cold milk to drink.

A cat with a taste for Spicy Fish Kid was indeed a miracle of nature; heaven knows if its owner was from Shu State.

After the Black Cat had its fill, Ren Suo touched its head. "I live in 402. If someone tries to sneak in while I'm not around, remember to let me know, okay?"

The Black Cat nodded, pressed its paw on the Spicy Fish Kid wrapper, and meowed, as if to swear, "I pledge on the Spicy Fish Kid."

"I'll leave it to you, Black Bell," Ren Suo responded.

Petting the Black Cat, Ren Suo also slowly began to understand why people liked to stroke his own head.

The Super-Evolution Ren Suo chose was "Beast Mimicry: Cat," granting him passive Skills like Feign Sleep, Night Vision, and Agility. However, what affected him most was the vaguely described "Feline Aura."

This powerful aura not only allowed him to form a friendly relationship with any cat but also seemed to instantly turn him into a feline specialist—he could decipher what a cat was thinking through its eye contact and body language.

Previously, the most complex look Ren Suo had ever understood was during his sophomore year in high school. The math teacher had suddenly glanced at him, the math class representative, prompting Ren Suo to immediately understand. He ran to the teacher's office, retrieved the week's math test papers from the desk, and brought them back to the classroom.

This single act cemented Ren Suo as the math teacher's foremost lackey; serving as class representative for three full years was proof enough. But that was only because Ren Suo had recalled the date, which allowed him to deduce the 'I forgot the test papers' sentiment from the teacher's look.

But now, with just a glance at the Black Cat, Ren Suo could tell it was thinking, I want to eat Spicy Fish Kid while drinking cold milk.

Ah, if only I could apply this Skill to people, I'd be sure to win at Landlord every time.

Moreover, Ren Suo could now delegate tasks to cats using verbal instructions, provided the cats could understand what he was saying.

When Ren Suo got home, he didn't need to turn on the lights. The dim Moonlight from the windows was enough for him to see the details of his room clearly.

Night Vision enhanced his retinas' sensitivity to light to a new level; even the weakest reflection became visible imagery.

After showering, as Ren Suo combed his hair, running his hand through it, he felt a subtle softness.

His hair hadn't actually changed, but touching it now always seemed to bring a delightful sensation.

The "Feline Aura" caused Ren Suo to emanate a cat-like scent. Although his appearance hadn't changed, others who came into contact with him would get the peculiar illusion that 'he is a cat.'

This was why Dong Chengling and the others were so affectionately stroking his head—they subconsciously overlooked Ren Suo's true identity, stroking the hairiest parts of him as one would a cat, deriving a pleasure akin to actual cat-petting.

Ren Suo cracked open a can of chilled cola, gulped down half of it, and sat on the sofa, his mind as alert as if powered by "Unlimited Energy."

Feign Sleep was a curious feline instinct. Cats require a lot of Sleep—16 hours a day isn't unusual—but unlike humans who sleep for extended periods, cats sleep in short bursts. They can fall asleep quickly and wake up instantly.

Feign Sleep granted Ren Suo the same Ability, allowing him to fall asleep swiftly, although with his Good Dream Technique, he didn't necessarily need this Skill.

The key was that Feign Sleep gave Ren Suo the "Cat Time Clock."

For cats, they sleep 16 hours a day, usually in naps of two to three hours at a time; as long as they get enough total Sleep, it's fine.

Now, Ren Suo needed 42 hours of Sleep per week, typically sleeping about 8 hours at a time; this was also sufficient as long as he got the required total.

Stretching 'a day' into 'a week' showcased the potency of Feign Sleep—just two days and nights of Sleep would power Ren Suo for a straight five-day grind!

Compared to "Unlimited Energy," this was much more conducive to a healthy lifestyle.

Ren Suo checked the time—11:46. It was about time. He was preparing to wait patiently, but just then, the doorbell suddenly rang.

Opening the door, Ren Suo was faced with an unexpected visitor.

"Li Dan... Brother Dan?"

"Won't you invite me in?" Li Dan asked. As he moved to step past Ren Suo, he looked as if he wanted to raise his hand but quickly put it down again.

"Please."

Ren Suo offered a bottle of yogurt drink as a way of greeting him and sat down to ask, "It's so late, you didn't even call first... What brings you here?"

"A bit of private business."

Having not seen him for nearly a month, Li Dan's dark circles were more pronounced, and his cheeks were gaunt; he looked like an emaciated raccoon on its last legs.

"I Hope you can let me get some Sleep," Li Dan said bluntly. "If you want payment, just name your price, Ren Suo."

Ren Suo was a bit surprised. "That's fine, no need for money... But why the urgency?"

A flicker of pain crossed Li Dan's face. "I don't want to hear those voices anymore... Only in Sleep can I get a brief respite from the endless torment..."

Ren Suo asked curiously, "What happened?"

Li Dan gave Ren Suo a look, the chill in his eyes sending shivers down Ren Suo's spine.

But Li Dan soon regained his Calmness. "It's a confidential matter, sorry."

"No, no, I should be the one apologizing," Ren Suo said. "Do you want to sleep here?"

"My car is downstairs," Li Dan replied. "I'll feel a bit more at ease in my own car."

"Then go ahead downstairs," Ren Suo said. "I'll change my Clothes and come down."

Li Dan nodded, stood up to leave, but suddenly turned his head before closing the door and said, "Ren Suo, if you see anything on the road that catches your eye but seems to be unclaimed, never, ever pick it up."

"As Cultivators, we're stronger and perceive more than ordinary people, so we notice things they don't..."

"It's both a blessing and a curse. Ren Suo, some who seize opportunities succeed, but many more fail. Those who don't seize opportunities, who don't take risks, at least get to survive."

Ren Suo was slightly startled. He had originally intended to ask with a smile why Li Dan was being so serious, but seeing the grave look in Li Dan's bloodshot eyes, his own expression turned serious. "I'll remember."

After Li Dan left, Ren Suo, fighting to calm his pounding heart, quickly turned on the Mini-World Game Console, equipped the "Good Dream Technique," then went downstairs to find Li Dan's car parked by the roadside.

Ren Suo naturally sat in the passenger seat and said, "Once you fall asleep, I'll leave on my own."

Li Dan was silent for a moment, sitting in the driver's seat. "Please begin."

The "Good Dream Technique" once again took effect, and Li Dan quickly fell into a deep Sleep.

However, what followed was Ren Suo's time.

"Key detected."

"Key is in Sleep Status, beginning retrieval."

"A fully-formed Key has been discovered. Retrieval will take 403 seconds and requires constant contact. 402... 401... 400..."

Li Dan, from whom a Key had already been retrieved once... I haven't seen him for a while, and he's actually... produced a second Key!