The Rock 'n' Roll of a Cat and a Kitten

"Runner? What kind of trash Career Path is that? It's useless garbage, and as a follower of the Mother Goddess, you're willing to take that profession?"

"It won't affect anything. Lots of people take part-time professions. I heard low-tier professions don't matter much in the early stages."

"How embarrassing! Heh, a Runner?!"

"Then point me in the right direction. Let me make this clear first: if you dare screw me over, I'll make you become an uploader—the kind who plays piano naked in nothing but an apron."

Sure enough, there was no sound from the other end after that.

Having truly come into contact with the supernatural world, Lu PingAn was immediately overwhelmed by choices. There were too many "paths," and he had no idea which one to pick.

Men feared choosing the wrong profession. For Secret Keepers, their primary Career Path seemed incredibly important.

"The only thing everyone agrees on is that the Career Path most compatible with one's 'innate ability' has to be chosen as the main path if there's to be any future in it. But how am I supposed to know which path suits my Life Bank best?"

Ask Xia Qin? The word "eliminate" from the surveillance file was still fresh in his memory. Lu PingAn had no intention of revealing all of his abilities to any outsider. Even now, he was still hiding his first ability, intending to "naturally awaken" it after some time.

At that moment, he naturally consulted the "old grandpa" he carried around with him.

Chris's answer was also full of mockery and disdain. Still, communication itself had meaning. Lu PingAn felt that she was gradually accepting reality.

In truth, even if Chris dared to speak now, Lu PingAn might not listen.

Since he didn't know which one was best, he would choose one that wasn't bad.

Runners were not particularly strong in combat, but they ran fast and had high survival rates. Many of their professional techniques and Profession Skills were quite practical, and plenty of high-tier Secret Keepers took it as a part-time profession. There was no loss in picking it up.

From the limited information available, taking part-time professions—at least low-tier ones—did not seem to have any impact.

"...Before deciding on your main path, don't take more than three part-time professions. Otherwise, you'll regret it."

Chris suddenly added that of her own accord.

For that instant, despite Lu PingAn's efforts to remain calm, a faint smile still touched his lips.

He still didn't believe her, but since she had taken the initiative to show goodwill, even if she was not yielding, it was at least a good sign.

"Three, huh? Thanks."

Rarely, he did not mock her. He even returned her smile with thanks. You couldn't keep beating a hawk with a stick forever.

On the other hand, Lu PingAn had made up his mind not to take more than two part-time professions. Better yet, he would take no more at all.

Yes, he still did not trust Chris, but there was no point in telling such an easily exposed lie.

Since she said too many part-time professions were harmful, it was best not to take any more. The limit of three might not have been an exact number.

"It'd be great if you could point me in the right direction. From the information I read, you had Beast Tamer, Healer, and Black Warrior paths, right? Would they suit me? The Black Warrior path doesn't seem to be among the fifty-three common paths."

What Lu PingAn truly needed was not this world's "common knowledge," but Chris's "expert experience."

Yet no matter what Lu PingAn said, there was no response from her.

Lu PingAn smiled and gave up for the time being.

He was not in a hurry, anyway. Just meeting the requirements for "Runner" might take more than these fifteen days.

"For a few extra points on the college entrance exam, am I really going this far..."

Sitting in the stands and watching the two Runners below work so hard, he wore the delighted expression of a farmer looking over his crops.

Black Iron Grade client Lei Shui Yun, credit: 1.

Black Iron Grade client Lei Huo Ren, credit: 7.

Besides them, there was another client, Xia Qin, credit: 13.

At present, Lu PingAn still did not know what exactly "credit" was used for. It increased by one or two points each time he used his ability, so it was probably part of his ability's accumulation.

Lu PingAn guessed that since rule-type abilities were based on the user's self-perception, perhaps only after his credit rating rose would new functions unlock. Life Bank VIP, premium VIP, and so on—being an East Country person, that was probably already ingrained in his subconscious.

"...Credit needs to accumulate. Skills and abilities need to accumulate. Even the number of clients needs to accumulate. It's clearly a growth-type ability that needs time to take root and sprout. Yet what I lack most is time. Is this fate mocking me too?"

He shook his head. Half a year in the hopeless ward had taught him that sometimes, looking too far ahead brought nothing but negative emotions.

"Observation is also a form of learning. Let's see how they run."

As a Tier 2 Striker of the Runner path, Lei Huo Ren ran extremely fast. As he ran, he flickered in and out of sight, using Ground Shrinking to his heart's content.

Lu PingAn noticed that he did not strictly follow a pattern of flashing every five steps. Sometimes it was four steps, or even three!

His younger sister was far more straightforward. As she gritted her teeth and sprinted, apart from endurance and speed that made even Lu PingAn, a man, feel ashamed, she displayed nothing supernatural.

"Looks like she's also a Tier 0 prospective Runner. But maybe I'll break through faster."

In fact, Lu PingAn had profited, but Lei Huo Ren and Lei Shui Yun had not lost out either. On the contrary, they had profited enormously.

One point of Life Force meant one day of life. The improvement was naturally not so simple or obvious.

It meant being in peak condition, along with additional vitality. A single flash of inspiration often surpassed ten days of hard work. Lei Huo Ren was attempting to unlock a new Profession Skill and needed to be in better condition. He did not possess a rule-type ability, but he could still sense his gains exceeding expectations every day.

Ten percent for Lu PingAn? When his actual daily gains had reached three hundred percent of normal and he frequently received sudden bursts of inspiration, what did that ten percent even matter?

Lei Shui Yun was also working toward a Profession Skill, trying to become a Tier 1 Runner before the college entrance exam and earn bonus points and preferential treatment.

Lu PingAn had not guessed wrong. The Little Girl below was already regretting it so much her guts had turned green. She could already picture the pained expression she would wear when he raised his prices.

Her condition was far better than expected. She felt that every step brought gains, as though she was not far from the threshold of a breakthrough.

But the better she felt, the more miserable she became.

"If he really raises the price, then this week I'll have no choice but to eat leftover cat food with Xiao Bai. The fish-and-salt flavor should taste okay..."

Why had she guessed that Lu PingAn would raise his prices? Heh, if it were her, how could she possibly not raise them!

Look at that old Silver Coin up there, smiling at her with ill intent. Wasn't he mocking her shortsightedness?

"Keep it up!"

As he passed her, he even nodded at her. Was he really mocking her that directly? Was she truly that stupid?

But what could Junior Schoolmate Lei Shui Yun say at a time like this? She did her best to force out a smile.

"Thanks. Your ability is amazing, meow. Let's work hard together and get in together, then become classmates next year, meow. Haha, haha."

After saying that, she gave a silly laugh, turned away, covered her mouth, and ran off in tears.

"This kid is so happy she's crying."

Lu PingAn was very pleased, pleased that his ability could help her.

A win-win situation. Both money and ability improved. I won twice, while you won once and lost once—money.

"Meow..."

This time, he was sure he had not misheard. Her verbal tic really was rather strange.

But seeing the Little Girl sprint away while covering her mouth, he could not be bothered to ask.

In this world, Secret Keepers always had secrets, and the name of their profession itself implied that investigating another person's secrets was the greatest act of hostility.

Sitting in the stands and observing her closely, Lu PingAn could naturally see through Lei Shui Yun while she was using her ability.

Beneath the hair pressed down by her hairclip, there seemed to be something white and furry. And between the two ribbon-like decorative cords hanging from her back, a furry object of the same color was quietly swaying.

"Is that... a cat?"

The innate ability "Cat," one of the most common beastification abilities in the Transformation-type's self-transformation branch.

Its ability was to turn you into a "cat," and its negative curse was also to turn you into a "cat."

The most obvious feature of beastification abilities was their enhancement and alteration of the body. A "cat" with both strength and agility was indeed well suited to starting out as a Runner.

"I heard that Black Iron Grade beastification abilities can easily grant twice the strength and speed of an ordinary person. It's considered a pretty strong combat-oriented ability in the early stages."

That meant Miss Lei Shui Yun could tear him apart in a single encounter right now.

But in everyday life, it seemed to be a burden.

That hood with the Cat Cat pattern and the white knotted ribbon cords were probably her usual disguise.

"Tch. There's even a bow on that tail. Is she pretending it's a decorative tail? Cat Cat hairclip plus a fake cat tail—when she gets exposed, does she just pretend to be a Frenzy Cat Lover?"

But Little Girl, were you sure that an extra hole in your underwear and a "decorative tail" sticking out behind your butt would not draw even stranger looks and people with unusual tastes?

Judging from her somewhat uncontrollable verbal tic, she needed to complete her profession as soon as possible and use the power of her "profession" to restrain the growth of her innate ability.

Perhaps shame and worry made the girl clutching her hood run even faster. She easily overtook her Tier 2 brother, who was using Ground Shrinking.

Little Sister Shui Yun's disguise was not very successful, while Brother Huo Ren flickered in and out of sight even more conspicuously. Yet the people running around them did not seem surprised at all, merely silently avoiding them.

That scene alone made Lu PingAn even more certain that supernatural forces in this world were likely far more common than he had estimated.

Seeing how obediently the leeks were growing, Lu PingAn did not waste any more time.

Since he was here, he might as well practice more and get familiar with the new Profession Skill he had acquired.

"Black Iron Curse Technique: Ground Shrinking. From the system's prompt, it needs running techniques, Breathing Method, and Space Perception as support. So the claim that 'the stronger the professional techniques, the stronger the Profession Skill' should be true as well. Then I need to practice running more too."

Then he practiced for ten minutes.

"Forget it, I should go home and play games. I trained by myself all morning and gained zero proficiency points, while Lei Huo Ren gave me thirty-three directly yesterday! Let professionals handle professional work. I should stop doing pointless labor and focus on raising leeks. Mm, I successfully took a profession today and gained a lot. I've worked hard."

Cat's Little Theater.

"Xiao Bai, meow, I ran into something good today, and something bad too. Which one do you want to hear first, meow?"

The lightly dressed girl exposed her white Ears and tail as she lay across a beam in her room.

Half her body hung casually in midair, yet she remained perfectly at ease, as though she were standing on level ground.

The narrow beam held comics, bags of snacks, and an adorable little white cat.

It meowed expectantly at its "kin returning from the hunt."

"The good news is that I found a great opportunity. My chances of getting into Gu Da have greatly increased!"

"Meow!"

Hearing that, Shui Yun smiled even more happily.

"Hehe, once I get in, meow, we'll eat and drink the best stuff. We'll buy a whole reservoir's worth of fish and raise them at home. Who would eat fish-flavored Cat Biscuit then? Uh... ah... mm."

Watching Xiao Bai eat in front of her, the girl unconsciously swallowed.

"Now that the good news is over, the bad news is... if I want to maintain that 'opportunity,' all my living expenses will probably go over budget. Ta-da! Cat Cat's great living-expense crisis. So, can you share some with me?"

"Meow? Share what?"

The innocent little pet curiously questioned its "kin."

It did not yet understand the dangers of the human world, nor what its master's unwavering gaze meant.

"Cat Biscuit, of course. I don't want much. Let me try some first. If I can handle the flavor, the two boxes at home should last until the exams are over! Once I have money, I'll buy you three boxes to pay you back, meow!"

"Meow! No!"

"Let me make this clear, it's not that I've wanted to try the taste for ages! I'm really out of money, meow meow! Why are you scratching me? If you don't want to, just say so! You're still scratching me! Stupid cat, bad cat! You stingy little cat!"

Then, over a box of Cat Biscuit, one person and one cat began wrestling on the beam.

No matter how fiercely they fought, even rolling around, neither of them fell.

The girl's strange posture remained balanced even amid the playful scuffle, just like a real cat.

"One bite, just one bite, meow. Think of all the food I bought you before, meow. Don't be stingy, meow."

Uh, even the way she drooled over food resembled one.

"Beep."

Just then, her phone received a text message. It was from her always "fast" brother.

"You should be out of money, right? I got some meal tickets. Remember to come mooch a meal. Even though you were joking when you said at noon that you'd eat cat food if you got hungry enough, I'm honestly worried you might actually do it. Sis, casually breaking through the limits of humanity isn't good. At the very least, you should still act like a human."

It seemed that her brother, who was used to being one step ahead, was a little more reliable than Shui Yun had expected. He also knew exactly how low his sister's bottom line could be.

"Meow-ow! I won, meow!"

But her fast brother was still one step too late. The delighted girl had already won the cat-and-kitten rock 'n' roll, happily stuffing the cat food into her mouth.

"Eh, it's actually really delicious! What a bargain!"

With puffed cheeks, the girl chewed with a thoroughly satisfied expression, her smile filled with genuine happiness.

While Lu PingAn happily estimated how many new leeks he could harvest tomorrow, in some corner of the city, a group of Cat Lovers were gathering in a pet shop.

On their table were only a few line drawings.

They were emblems of the missing Sacred Beast: lifelike designs with a cat's head, tiger stripes, and a snake's tail.

"Our god disappeared here."