Night Visit and Feigning Sleep

The satiety and warmth brought by the special nutrient paste gradually permeated his limbs and bones. Lin Mo lay in his soft and comfortable private nest, feeling as if he were soaking in a hot spring, with every pore relaxing.

The shock, panic, scrambling, and even humiliation of the day seemed to be temporarily smoothed over in the face of this extreme material comfort.

Wang Keke played with him for a while, groomed his fur with an exquisite comb, and muttered many things to him—mostly about which parts of the house were off-limits, the need to be obedient, and growing up well—before being urged by her female bodyguard to go and rest.

In the massive room, only Lin Mo—the tiger—remained.

The luxurious crystal chandelier had already been extinguished, leaving only a few wall lamps with soft light that outlined the hazy contours of the room. Outside the window was the night unique to Northeast Base City, carrying a hint of biting chill. Occasionally, the beams of searchlights would cut across the sky, a reminder that this world was not at peace.

Having eaten and drunk his fill, his energy began to recover, and the restless heart of his human soul began to stir once again.

I cannot just be a pet waiting to die, Lin Mo thought. He stood up from the soft cushion and carefully stretched, his bones emitting a faint, crisp sound. He felt that his strength was much greater than it had been during the day; although he was still young, at least his movements were unimpeded.

I must familiarize myself with the environment of this 'home' as soon as possible. Only by knowing oneself and the enemy can one survive for long.

He decided to conduct a limited nocturnal exploration.

His goal: to figure out the basic layout of the floor where Wang Keke was located, especially potential escape routes (though he hoped he wouldn't need them), and to sense the hidden guard posts and dangerous areas he had perceived earlier.

He moved his small tiger paws, his pads landing silently. He first slipped to the door and pricked up his ears to listen for movement outside—it was dead silent. The door was closed, but he noticed a gap under the door that was not particularly narrow.

Hmm, the advantages of being in a cub form are already showing, aren't they?

He adjusted his breathing, lowered his body, and like a puddle of liquid, he easily slid out through the gap in the door.

The corridor was covered with thick carpet, which perfectly absorbed the sound of his footsteps. On both sides of the corridor were cold metal walls embedded with instrument panels he couldn't understand, emitting a faint blue light. The air had a clean scent, a mixture of disinfectant and energy.

He hugged the shadows along the base of the wall and moved forward slowly. His amber eyes were like the most precise cameras in the dim light, capturing every detail.

At the first intersection, he sensed a faint, iron-blooded fluctuation at the end of the corridor to his left. It was very weak, but carried a warning. That must be some kind of sentry post or safe room; I shouldn't get close. He decisively chose the right side.

There were several rooms on both sides of the right corridor, all with doors tightly shut. He tried to paw at one, but it didn't budge. He memorized these locations and continued forward.

At a corner, he saw the interior of the estate through a massive floor-to-ceiling window. Patrols with tamed, fierce-looking canine monsters walked by at regular intervals, and the automated defense turrets on the walls were slowly rotating to scan their angles.

Strict security, indeed... Lin Mo muttered to himself. The plan to sneak out to forage (devour and evolve) will have to be reconsidered.

He didn't dare go too far, roughly figuring out that this floor had a "square" structure. Wang Keke's room was located in a relatively safe inner position, while the outer perimeter was filled with various overt and covert guards and defensive facilities.

Just as he was preparing to return the way he came and end this adventure, an extremely subtle sensation suddenly descended.

It was as if an invisible ripple of water had swept gently yet irresistibly across the entire space, brushing over his body. This fluctuation carried no malice and was even somewhat warm, yet it could clearly perceive everything—the fibers of the carpet, the material of the walls, the dust floating in the air... and him, maintaining a Stealth posture in the shadow of the corner!

Mental scan?!

Lin Mo's tiger fur stood on end instantly! It was Wang Keke!

He didn't hesitate at all. The moment that mental fluctuation touched him, before it could fully lock onto the fact that he was "awake and active," he instantly relaxed all his muscles. His four legs went limp, and his entire body went "plop" onto the carpet. His little head tilted to the side, and he even let the tip of his tongue loll out slightly.

His breathing became extremely slow and even, his chest rising and falling weakly with each breath, looking for all the world like he was sleeping soundly, perhaps even drooling in a sweet dream.

A perfect, flawless... instant fake sleep!

That gentle mental energy lingered on his "collapsed" body for about two seconds. It seemed to carry a hint of confusion, gently brushing over the small lump on his back and scratching his chin (on a mental level), before finally receding like a tide and disappearing without a trace.

The corridor returned to silence, leaving only the sound of Lin Mo's "even" breathing.

A full minute later, Lin Mo dared to open a tiny slit in his eyes, extremely slowly and cautiously, to check his surroundings.

She's gone...

He let out a long sigh of relief in his heart, while simultaneously feeling a strong sense of wariness.

This girl, is her mental power that sharp? She can't even sleep soundly without scanning the surrounding environment? Good thing my reaction was fast!

He didn't dare linger any longer. Maintaining a "sleepwalking" and dazed posture, he wobbled as he stood up, stumbling (continuing the disguise) toward the gap in his room's door. He skillfully squeezed back in and crawled back into his soft nest, the whole process looking like the unconscious night-wandering and homing of a young beast.

Lying back in his nest, he truly relaxed, but his heart was surging with waves.

Wang Keke's mental power was even stronger and sharper than he had anticipated. This meant that he would have to be even more careful and cautious when acting near her in the future. Any "clever" move that exceeded that of a normal tiger cub could arouse her suspicion.

However, this was not necessarily a bad thing.

At the very least, it proved the immense potential of this owner. Following her meant no shortage of resources and (relatively) guaranteed safety. As long as he grasped the "degree" of his actions, he could enjoy the resources while secretly developing.

It seems I have to play the role of a 'slightly spirited' but generally 'ignorant cub' well, Lin Mo thought, licking his paw. A hint of cunning flashed in his amber eyes. I'll have to act cute in front of her and play the fool occasionally.

He curled up, burying his head in his tail.

The path of devouring and evolution was long and arduous. And in this wealthy mansion, just "surviving" required a great deal of effort and acting skill.

Sleep first, and tomorrow he would continue... drinking milk, acting cute, and secretly growing stronger!