Wang Keke held Lin Mo, who had all but given up on life, and happily nuzzled his fur. The boy beside her, Wang Xin, had evidently taken her "advice." Pointing at the stockiest Little Tyrant—the one that had just bullied Lin Mo—he told the caretaker, "I want that one. Yeah, the fiercest one!"
The Little Tyrant seemed to sense something. It bared its teeth and growled at Wang Xin, looking ready to fight anyone who crossed it. That only made Wang Xin more pleased.
"Haha, what a temper! I like it! Now that's what I call a future king of beasts!"
Li Wei wasn't about to be outdone. He picked another equally sturdy young tiger with a fierce gaze. The girl named Hu Lili wasn't very interested in tigers. Instead, she ran over to a nearby enclosure and came back carrying a little fox with snow-white fur, bright, sly eyes, and a fluffy tail—a Phantom White Fox. She was clearly more concerned with looks.
The last boy, Zhang Wen, was a little quiet. He chose a Flame Hound pup with fiery red fur and a lively, spirited air.
The group of boys and girls chattered excitedly as they picked out the battle pets they wanted. Then, led by a caretaker, they toured the other animal enclosures and looked at young monsters of various species. Finally, satisfied, they headed for the checkout counter at the Breeding Base.
Held in Wang Keke's arms, Lin Mo rested his little head on her shoulder and calmly surveyed the area with his amber eyes.
The closer they got to the exit, the louder the alarm bells rang in his mind.
The tall walls were topped not only with electrified barbed wire but also with rows of concealed gun ports. Thick cannon barrels peeked out from behind some of the armored panels, their metal gleaming coldly. Guards in standard-issue powered exoskeletons stood watch at key points along the corridors, holding large-caliber firearms. Their eyes were sharp as eagles' as they scanned every corner.
Holy crap... This security... It's way over the top! Lin Mo's heart skipped a beat. This isn't a breeding base. It's a military fortress! The human race must be facing an even harsher struggle to survive in this world than I thought.
At the front desk, the staff processed the "ownership transfer" for each chosen pup, scanning their chips and confirming their identities.
When it was Lin Mo's turn, he heard the price the worker quoted, and his ears immediately perked up.
"Mutated Winged White Tiger cub, ID XT-07. Condition: good, though slightly underweight. Potential: pending evaluation... Price: 80 million Huaxia Currency."
E-Eighty million?!
Lin Mo's little heart thumped wildly a few times.
In his previous life, he'd studied diligently, dreaming of finding a good job and being grateful for a salary of a million a year. Now he was worth 80 million?! The money wasn't going into his pocket, of course, but seeing his "value" stated so plainly still left him dizzy.
But then he heard the prices of the other cubs.
Wang Xin's Little Tyrant: 120 million.
Li Wei's cub: 110 million.
Hu Lili's Phantom White Fox: 150 million (rarity premium).
Zhang Wen's Flame Hound: 98 million.
...So he was the cheapest one here?!
The little pride that had just begun to rise in him vanished instantly. Lin Mo grumbled inwardly, Damn it! Discrimination! Blatant fur-color discrimination! Just wait until my wings grow in. I'll blind you all!
Then he thought about it again. Wang Keke had spent 80 million on him without batting an eye, ignored all those pricier "premium picks," and chosen him, the "discount item"...
This little girl's got a good eye! She knows how to invest in a promising prospect! Lin Mo immediately found Wang Keke much more likable. Even the humiliating name "Mimi" didn't seem quite so hard to accept anymore. He instinctively burrowed further into her arms, finding a more comfortable position.
Once payment was complete, the group carried their battle pets out of the Breeding Base. Several rugged-looking, clearly modified off-road vehicles were parked outside.
Wang Keke headed for the most luxurious and spacious one. A young woman in a neat combat uniform stepped out at once. Steady and capable, she respectfully opened the car door for Wang Keke.
"Miss."
Wang Keke nodded and climbed inside with Lin Mo in her arms.
Watching this, Li Wei couldn't hide his envy. In a low voice, he said to Wang Xin, "See that? Two female bodyguards at the early Battle General level! One drives, and the other stays by her side to protect her. The Wang Family really goes all out for Keke. I heard they've been pouring even more resources into her since she awakened her Spirit Reader talent."
Wang Xin sighed too. "Can't be helped. She's a Spirit Reader genius. We'll just have to make our own way."
Their voices weren't loud, but Lin Mo's keen tiger ears caught the key words.
Spirit Reader! I knew it! Bodyguards at the advanced Battle General level? And two of them? Lin Mo sneaked a glance at the two women in the driver's and passenger's seats. Their presence was as steady as bedrock, and he was secretly amazed. My cheap caretaker's got an even more impressive background than I thought! Northeast Base City... the Wang Family... one of the five great families?
The vehicles started up and left the Breeding Base, heading into the Base City.
Through the car window, Lin Mo curiously studied this unfamiliar world. Skyscrapers stood alongside futuristic technology. People hurried along the streets, many of them armed, and the air was filled with a tense but orderly atmosphere.
The convoy eventually drove into a heavily guarded estate district. High walls, electric fences, patrols, hidden sentries... Its security was even tighter than that of the Breeding Base. After passing through several identity checkpoints, the vehicles stopped in front of a huge villa that blended modern design with classical gardens.
"Mimi, we're home!" Wang Keke carried Lin Mo out of the car and happily walked into the mansion.
As soon as he entered, Lin Mo was slightly stunned by the luxury and grandeur. A high-ceilinged foyer, an ornate crystal chandelier, precious wood and stone finishes... Everything spoke of deep roots and power.
Even more unsettling, he could sense more powerful presences lurking beneath all that luxury. They were faint, but unmistakable—the Wang Family's internal guards.
He felt hidden eyes sweeping over him, this "strange" tiger cub. They scrutinized him, then soon looked away.
An elite family... There's a lot going on under the surface. Lin Mo steeled himself and became even more determined to keep a low profile and grow stronger quietly.
Wang Keke didn't linger. With Lin Mo in her arms, she headed straight to her private area on the villa's third floor. She opened a door to a bright, spacious room, furnished to feel warm and comfortable. In one corner stood a luxurious pet bed lined with a soft cushion, with delicate food and water bowls beside it.
"Look, this is your little home!" Wang Keke set Lin Mo down in the bed.
Then she took out a sealed metal canister. Inside was a pale golden paste that gave off a rich energy.
"This is special nutritional paste for young beasts, made by our family's pharmacist. It's much more nutritious than the beast milk at the base! Try some!"
The aroma drifted into his nostrils, and every cell in Lin Mo's body seemed to leap with joy! Forgetting all about dignity, he plunged headfirst into the food bowl and wolfed it down.
The paste melted in his mouth and became surging waves of heat that swept through his whole body! Compared to this, the beast milk he'd had before was practically watery soup!
Now this is the good stuff! This is what a future Starry Sky Behemoth deserves to eat! Lin Mo ate like he'd lost his mind. He could feel his body growing fuller and stronger by the second, nourished by the energy.
Watching him eat with such gusto, Wang Keke smiled until her eyes curved into crescents. She gently stroked his back. "Slow down. No one's going to take it from you. Eat up and grow big and strong. We'll be competing together in the Pet Battle Tournament three months from now!"
Pet Battle Tournament?
Still gobbling up the nutritional paste, Lin Mo perked up his ears.
It seemed his peaceful days of keeping his head down wouldn't last long. Still, with top-tier resources like these at his disposal, maybe that wasn't such a bad thing?
He licked his lips. A distinctly human gleam of calculation and anticipation flashed in his amber tiger eyes.
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