Who is being conquered?

Bai Jun's gaze drifted to the two lions lounging by the floor-to-ceiling window at the entrance. In the language of Xianzhou, these were large creatures, considered "cat companions." Watching these giants, big enough to swallow a person's head whole, roll around and act spoiled, Bai Jun felt an inexplicable amusement. It was likely a deeply ingrained impression from his past life.

He then shifted his attention to Ye Linna, who was nearby playing with some small animals. She possessed a hint of the capable demeanor of a career woman, a touch of maternal gentleness, a spark of girlish vitality, and an abundance of pure resilience and stable adaptability.

He recalled that she came from the Interstellar Peace Company. Logically, she should have experienced the luxurious and decadent life of the upper class, yet she was willing to return to a simpler way of life, befriending and playing with small animals. Someone like her seemed like a fictional heroine from a two-dimensional world, didn't she?

Bai Jun smiled and gently squeezed Zhang Zhang in his arms. The soft, warm feeling made him reluctant to let go. "Zhang Zhang, you must be quite happy to have a owner like her, right?"

{I'm friends with Ye Linna, not in a master-servant relationship... Wow, why do you smell so good? I really can't stand it!}

Before Bai Jun could react to the sudden thoughts appearing in his mind, Zhang Zhang, nestled in his arms, bit his hand.

Chapter 48: The Development of Stories Always Tends to Veer in Strange Directions

"So cute, little one, what's your name?"

Ye Linna gently stroked the fluffy, tri-colored fur on the small cat companion's head with one hand, while the other happily scratched its chin. The practiced touch quickly made the cat companion relax into a state of bliss, lying comfortably on the ground with its eyes half-closed.

"Its name is Laimi. It just arrived a few days ago, so it's a newcomer."

The pet shop owner, a woman with a very gentle appearance, put down her work upon seeing Ye Linna and approached her, explaining softly.

"Hello, shop owner. Long time no see, how have you been?"

"Long time... Heh heh, you're an Outworlder, so that's not wrong," the owner had a very strong impression of this lovely girl, as she had taken a small cat companion from here not long ago. "How is Little Eight doing with you?"

"Little Eight is great! It's very healthy and gets along wonderfully with the other small animals."

Ye Linna confidently patted her chest to guarantee it, her cute, self-assured upward tilt making the owner chuckle: "That's good. I'm relieved that Little Eight is with you. What brings you here today? Are you buying some cat food or something else?"

"Oh, nothing really. I just had nowhere to go, so I wanted to visit and see these little guys."

Ye Linna's gaze softened as she looked at the small animals on the floor. Cats and dogs of various colors all appeared healthy. Then, her eyes landed on a mysterious pink creature. "Wow, what kind of animal is that?"

A long-nosed, round-eared... pink little pig?

But it was really cute.

The owner noticed Ye Linna's confusion and explained with a smile: "That's a Dream Tapir. It also arrived here recently. It has a gentle nature and a sweet taste..."

"Sweet taste?"

Ye Linna's thoughts immediately jumped to the pink dessert called Tapir Roll she had after dinner last night. She quickly covered her mouth, a look of panic on her face: "Don't tell me that Tapir Roll is—!"

"No, no, no, Dream Tapirs are not edible. And aside from its color, the Tapir Roll has nothing to do with the Dream Tapir. Let me finish, little Ye Linna."

The owner quickly waved her hands, which helped to calm Ye Linna's trembling heart, filled with revulsion.

"Dream Tapirs are creatures that survive by consuming Memory Essence. Sleeping with one can improve sleep quality, treat insomnia and excessive dreaming, and alleviate anxiety and depression. This little guy prefers Memory Essence with strong flavors, so the more anxious you are, the happier it is to eat."

The owner picked up the Dream Tapir, and the little creature immediately waved its long nose, sniffing her body like a vacuum cleaner, as if absorbing something.

"See, it's roughly like this. The Dream Tapir can absorb the Memory Essence from you."

"That's amazing, but won't absorbing Memory Essence affect my health?" Although Ye Linna really wanted to hold the Dream Tapir, she chose to ask cautiously first.

"Not at all. The Dream Tapir only absorbs the Memory Essence that emanates from you. In Zhuming, Dream Tapirs are actually a method for treating insomnia."

The Dream Tapir finished absorbing for less than half a minute before retracting its nose contentedly. The owner gently stroked its fur, preparing to hand it to the young lady in front of her. "Try it if you don't believe me, it won't affect your body at all, you know?"

Ye Linna hesitantly reached out her hand. Just as she hugged the cute Dream Tapir that was handed to her, Bai Jun's scream came from the doorway.

"Gua—!"

Ye Linna immediately turned around and saw a very familiar scene – Zhang Zhang was biting Bai Jun's hand and, like an alligator, was doing a death roll.

"Zhang Zhang! Why are you biting him again!" Ye Linna rushed forward indignantly, pulling Zhang Zhang off Bai Jun's hand and giving it a few scolding pats. "You've disappointed me so much, Zhang Zhang!"

"Hoo hoo!"

Ye Linna didn't want to hear Zhang Zhang's explanation at the moment. She took it to a corner and gave it a good scolding.

Bai Jun rubbed his aching palm, recalling the words brought by the Mind Catcher, feeling both surprised and suspicious. Why did this creature always say he smelled so good?

Before he could ponder for another moment, he felt a suction force from his leg. Bai Jun looked down and saw a pink Dream Tapir.

"A Dream Tapir? What is something like this doing in a pet shop..."

Having dealt with these creatures quite a bit in Zhuming, Bai Jun looked at the familiar appearance of the little guy and spoke with a hint of nostalgia in his voice. He then picked it up.

The Dream Tapir had a very gentle disposition and lay obediently in Bai Jun's arms, pressing its long nose against his hand. Seeing this, Bai Jun gently stroked its head. He hadn't been sleeping well lately, so he thought he'd let the Dream Tapir help.

The Dream Tapir seemed to like Bai Jun very much, pressing against him with great delight, its long nose continuously absorbing his Memory Essence and emitting very happy sounds.

This immediately displeased Zhang Zhang. It suddenly broke free from Ye Linna's embrace and rushed towards Bai Jun, or rather, the Dream Tapir in his arms.

{You pink smelly pig, he's mine, don't you dare snatch him!}

Zhang Zhang's sudden thought seemed to explain its actions. Then, to the horrified gazes of Bai Jun and Ye Linna, it kicked the Dream Tapir out of Bai Jun's arms.

"Zhang Zhang! What on earth are you doing!"

Ye Linna, who knew Zhang Zhang's strength very well, let out a scream of fright. She quickly ran to the Dream Tapir's side to check its body. Fortunately, Zhang Zhang hadn't used its full strength, so the Dream Tapir was only a bit dazed and unharmed. Otherwise, it would have truly become a Tapir Roll.

After confirming the Dream Tapir was alright, Ye Linna's panic quickly turned into pure rage, directed at Zhang Zhang, who was lying innocently in Bai Jun's arms as if nothing had happened. She hadn't expected Zhang Zhang to become so brazen lately. If she didn't discipline it now, who knew what outrageous things it might do in the future. So, she grabbed Zhang Zhang and, like an angry mother, spanked its backside.

Bai Jun was about to step forward to stop Ye Linna when he was intercepted by the arriving shop owner.

"Are you Ye Linna's boyfriend?" Her expression was serious and earnest. She must have been angry about the Dream Tapir incident.

"Uh, no, I'm sorry about the Dream Tapir. Ye Linna will compensate you for whatever the cost is."

"So he's not her boyfriend, that's great..."

Under Bai Jun's wary gaze, the gentle woman suddenly flashed a knowing smile.

Meanwhile, Ye Linna, after tidying up Zhang Zhang, intended to quickly apologize to the shop owner. However, when she turned around, she saw the shop owner, her face flushed red, leaning close to Bai Jun and shyly, yet profoundly, declaring:

"My name is Jin Xi, I'm three hundred and thirty-two years old, unmarried, and I like raising small animals. I currently only run this pet shop. Could we get to know each other? Please! I have some money, I can support you! You just need to go out and play mahjong every day!"

Bai Jun: "..."

Ye Linna: "?"

Chapter 49: The Bloodline Flows with the Desire for Victory (4k)

This time, it was Ye Linna pulling Bai Jun away from the pet shop.

Although she wasn't sure why she was doing it, seeing the shop owner's lovesick expression gave Ye Linna an uncomfortable feeling, as if her own treasure was being coveted.

She wasn't greedy for money, nor was she obsessed with anything, yet she was experiencing feelings like jealousy or greed. She didn't quite understand it, wondering if she had taken the wrong medicine today.

"Thanks for helping me out just now, otherwise it would have been really troublesome."

A slight touch on her shoulder brought the distracted Ye Linna back to reality. Bai Jun gently patted her shoulder, a smile on his face as he thanked her for the earlier situation.

"It's nothing, but I'm a bit curious. If I hadn't helped you... what would you have done, Bai Jun?" Ye Linna shook her head, unable to suppress her curiosity, her clear azure eyes looking at Bai Jun.

"Tell her to scram, what else could I do?" Bai Jun stretched lazily, stating the obvious.

"Pfft—" Hearing the peculiar yet unsurprising answer, Ye Linna blinked her beautiful eyes and smiled. The faint dissatisfaction in her heart immediately vanished. "What kind of answer is that? She didn't provoke you, so why say something so harsh."

"It was just a hypothetical, a hypothetical. Things didn't develop in that direction, and where was I harsh?" Bai Jun pouted. "Let's not talk about this. Where are we going next, Miss Ye Linna?"

"Hmm, I haven't thought about it yet..."

Ye Linna propped her chubby cheeks with her hand, her gaze following the disorganized crowd. When she spotted a large advertising logo, her eyes lit up, and she had an idea: "I've got it! Let's go to the shooting range!"

"Shooting range?"

Bai Jun's gaze followed where Ye Linna was pointing, and he quickly saw an advertisement for a shooting range. He remembered there wasn't this type of facility here before; it must have opened recently.

"That's right, the shooting assessment is a mandatory part of the Interstellar Peace Company's new recruit entrance test. By the way, my score was perfect!"

Mentioning her strong suit, Ye Linna proudly lifted her chin, as proud as a victorious beast returning from battle. "It's okay if you don't know how, Bai Jun. I'll guide you well as a senior!"

"I never said I didn't know how..."

"If you know how, then even better. Let's go, let's go!" Having decided on their next destination, Ye Linna quickly pulled Bai Jun to the shooting range.

Because a certain hidden rich woman had booked the entire place, the range appeared quite empty. Compared to the clean and tidy exterior, the interior cement walls looked somewhat dilapidated, perhaps a so-called "battle-worn" style? A faint smell of gunpowder could also be detected in the air.

The worn and old walls were lined with various firearms, and the tables were covered with ammunition of different calibers, spread out in various boxes, looking somewhat chaotic. Most outrageously, Bai Jun even spotted a few round grenades among them?

"Are these all real guns and live ammunition?" Bai Jun casually picked up a rifle from the wall. The heavy metallic feel suggested it wasn't a fake.

"Hmm, probably not. I don't think the structure is like this."

Words were useless. Ye Linna found the most comfortable handgun, skillfully loaded it, turned, and struck a shooting stance. Without even looking, she fired rapidly at the target paper fifty meters away.

Three gunshots, and the head of each humanoid target had a clear, bright hole.

"As expected, they're high-quality replicas. The real ones should have much more power."

Ye Linna quickly reached a conclusion. If it were her company-issued firearm, those three targets wouldn't just have holes; they would surely explode into a shower of paper scraps with a bang.

Coolly holstering the handgun back into its waist holster, Ye Linna stylishly swept a strand of hair from her forehead, then looked at Bai Jun, who should have been startled. "Hmph, hmph, how was it? Am I amazing?"

"Ye Linna, not bad."

Bai Jun's tone was very calm. He nodded occasionally from the side, acting as if he had seen much more impressive scenes.

It felt like a long-awaited expectation had fallen flat, making Ye Linna slightly dissatisfied. She walked up to Bai Jun, playfully poked his waist, and used the favorite tactic of Xianzhou people: "Since we're already here, why don't you try it too, Bai Jun?"

"I'm not skilled with firearms, but you're right. Since we're here, it would be a waste not to try."

Facing the eager Ye Linna, Bai Jun stroked his chin and thought, feeling like it would be a waste of money not to try.

"Not bad, but I won't go easy on you! After all, giving your all is the greatest respect to your opponent." Ye Linna, who thought he would refuse outright, was somewhat surprised. She then hopped to the shooting platform and began adjusting the shooting mode.

"The greatest respect... you're right. I didn't expect to be lectured by you." Bai Jun murmured to himself, then smiled with sudden realization. His intention to just play along with Ye Linna vanished.

"Huh? Did you say something just now?"

Ye Linna, having finished adjusting the target settings, tilted her head in confusion. She hadn't clearly heard Bai Jun's muttering and only saw him loading bullets into the magazine one by one, then clicking the handgun back into place.

"Nothing, I will show you the utmost respect, Ye Linna." Bai Jun's lazy gaze gradually faded, replaced by a hint of seriousness. With the sound of the slide racking, his finger rested on the trigger guard to prevent accidental discharge.

"Hmph, such a bold statement?"

Although Bai Jun's current demeanor startled her a bit, Ye Linna still had confidence in her own skill. She was sure her shots would be true, and at the very least, she wouldn't lose to someone unfamiliar with firearms. A tie would be the most likely outcome... though a tie would still be quite embarrassing.

"Let me explain the rules. The range will simulate a combat scenario. What you need to do next is find the blue light spots and shoot them. However, before that, you'll have to deal with various enemy challenges. The enemies will also shoot at the blue light spots to claim them. This means you must break the blue light spots before the enemies do. Do you understand?"

To ensure Bai Jun understood, Ye Linna slowed down her explanation slightly.

"In any case, the final goal is to break the blue light spots, right?" Even though Ye Linna had explained it very clearly, Bai Jun still asked.

"Yes, that's right. The gun you're holding will remember the blue light spots you break, so don't worry about anything else. Oh, right, each person's range will only have ten light spots, so don't miss them," Ye Linna added.

"I understand."

Bai Jun grasped the entire process. In short, it was kill, kill, kill, and wipe them all out.

"Then the competition will begin in ten seconds. Remember to use your full strength, remember, your full strength." As Ye Linna's voice fell, several machines in the distance of the shooting range slowly started up.

Bai Jun glanced around his surroundings. Several human-shaped targets were also slowly rising. These should be the enemies Ye Linna mentioned.

10, 9, 8, 7... 3, 2, 1—!

With a piercing horn blast, three blue cursors gradually appeared on the shooting ranges of both individuals. Just as Ye Linna confirmed her aim and prepared to shoot, she heard three crisp gunshots by her ear, their speed even faster than her own.

Her attention was instantly drawn to Bai Jun beside her. The three blue cursors on his range were shattered the moment the gunshots rang out. That wasn't all; three more shots were fired, and the human-shaped targets that had risen around them were also headshotted, before slowly falling.

Clearly, Bai Jun's earlier claim of being bad with firearms was complete nonsense. This liar's shooting skill was clearly no less than her own.

Ye Linna felt both surprised and annoyed. She quickly shifted her attention back to her own shooting range, fired three quick shots to shatter the blue cursors, and then, just like Bai Jun, fired several shots in succession to take down the enemies.

After the first round of shooting, both of their scores were tied at three points.

The second round followed closely. The movement patterns of the blue cursors suddenly changed. The static cursors became dynamic, darting around the wall like flies. At the same time, the surrounding enemies reappeared, their speed evidently a few notches faster.

Ye Linna considered for a moment and chose the most reliable method—deciding to first take down the surrounding enemies, and then shatter the blue cursors on the wall one by one.

As the outline of her plan formed in her mind, Bai Jun on the adjacent range had already shattered the cursors on the wall with rapid shots. This couldn't help but make Ye Linna a little anxious. Fortunately, her skill was not to be underestimated, and after the second round, she also managed to keep all the blue cursors.

The final round's difficulty escalated sharply. The blue cursors and enemies appeared almost simultaneously, and many heavy obstacles rose from the ground, conveniently blocking the positions of the blue cursors.

In this situation, it would be quite difficult for an ordinary person to score even one or two cursors. However, Ye Linna was indeed the formidable individual from the Interstellar Peace Company's physical test who scored near-perfect marks. The moment the obstacles rose, she had already devised a countermeasure.

She fired several shots to deal with the troublesome surrounding enemies first, then fired several bullets at the same point on an obstacle to destroy it, and finally, picked her targets, easily taking down the blue cursors.

After completing all this, Ye Linna first looked at Bai Jun beside her. Just as she was about to see how far he had progressed, she realized he was already starting to eject the bullets from his magazine one by one, so relaxed and at ease as if he had only just warmed up.

"You liar, you said you weren't good with firearms." Ye Linna slowly placed her handgun on the table, sighing with a sense of powerlessness, as if she had been toyed with by him.