Chapter 33: Surprise

“Not good…”

Lu Fei’s heart skipped a beat as he realized what was happening. He immediately reached for the polygonatum by his side on the ground. After a careful inspection, he was relieved to find it unharmed.

He turned his attention to the spot where the polygonatum had just been placed. The rustling grew louder, and the earth on the ground began to bulge ever so slightly. Watching the steadily rising mound, Lu Fei quickly tucked the polygonatum into his storage space and kept a close watch on the swelling earth.

At last, a soft, pink, delicate white nose poked out from the overturned soil, sniffing the air incessantly. The lingering scent of the polygonatum hung in the air. The little nose stretched further as it sniffed.

Lu Fei eyed the creature burrowing in the earth and leaned back, trying to keep himself from being discovered. Soon, as the long nose fully emerged, a tiny white head followed, popping out from the soil.

The head resembled that of a mouse, white and small, and immediately looked left and right. In no time, its eyes met Lu Fei’s.

In that instant, the long-nosed white mouse darted to retreat underground. But Lu Fei was quicker; he had already extended his hand as the creature surfaced. With sharp reflexes, he pinched the mouse’s neck and pulled it from the earth.

“Chirp, chirp, chirp…”

The long-nosed white mouse squealed and snapped its jaws, ferocious and unruly. But Lu Fei, who had just advanced to the rank of second-level demon soldier, held it fast as a steel clamp; no matter how it struggled, his grip did not budge.

The mouse, seemingly intelligent, soon realized its struggle was futile and quieted, glaring at Lu Fei with its tiny, pitch-black eyes.

Lu Fei carefully studied the creature. Aside from its unusually long nose and a size larger than ordinary mice, its fur was pure white. Otherwise, it looked much like a regular mouse.

Yet Lu Fei knew this was no ordinary rodent. Its ability to track down his polygonatum proved it was extraordinary. Simple reasoning: if it could find his polygonatum, it could find other spiritual herbs as well.

“It seems I’ve caught a remarkable little thing…”

Realizing this, Lu Fei immediately set about doing what any demon with sense would do: control the creature.

The method was straightforward—leave a mark of his divine consciousness inside it. This was innate to demons, and one of the reasons ordinary beasts or wild animals could hardly resist them.

A thought stirred.

Lu Fei sent his divine sense into the body of the long-nosed little mouse. Sensing what was about to happen, the mouse bit and shrieked, struggling fiercely. Yet, no matter its resistance, Lu Fei easily planted his divine mark within it.

The moment the mark was set, the mouse seemed to understand its fate and ceased all struggle. Its previously lively gaze quickly dimmed.

Lu Fei placed it back on the ground. The mouse lay motionless as if stricken with illness.

“Is this…”

“Giving up on life?”

Watching his newly acquired creature deteriorate so swiftly, Lu Fei wondered to himself.

He recalled that, on his original Earth, some animals would refuse food and water until death when caught, and others would mourn the loss of a mate to the point of starving themselves.

If such creatures existed on Earth, how much more likely in this strange world, especially among magical beings that could seek out spiritual herbs?

With this thought, Lu Fei quickly devised a solution. Summoning a lower yellow-grade spiritual herb, polygonatum, into his hand, he presented it.

On the ground, the previously lifeless mouse lifted its head at the scent of the polygonatum. But upon seeing Lu Fei, it dropped back down, though its sensitive nose kept twitching, drawn to the aroma.

Lu Fei smiled, addressing the creature, “Look at you, all white fur, just like me. Our meeting is fate.”

“Isn’t that so?”

The mouse remained motionless.

Lu Fei carried on, whether it understood or not, “Here’s the deal: follow me, obey me, and this will be yours…”

He broke off a root from the polygonatum and offered it to the mouse.

He watched its nose twitch faster and faster.

At last, the mouse sprang up, clutching the root in its curved, sharp forepaws. But it didn’t eat right away. Instead, it held the root, half-upright, and gazed at Lu Fei behind it. Its previously dull eyes regained their dark, lively glow.

Seeing this, Lu Fei was secretly pleased. He smiled and nodded, “It’s yours. Go on, eat…”

No sooner had he finished speaking than the long-nosed white mouse began gnawing at the polygonatum root.

As expected…

He knew it could understand him.

Lu Fei’s joy grew as he watched the mouse devour the root as quickly as a spicy snack.

Once finished, the mouse raised its head, eyes full of longing for the rest of the polygonatum in Lu Fei’s hand.

This time, however, Lu Fei did not indulge it.

He reached out to pat the mouse’s head. The creature’s body trembled, but ultimately did not evade, allowing Lu Fei’s large hand to stroke its head.

“Perfect…”

Seeing the enjoyment on the mouse’s face as he petted it, Lu Fei knew he had succeeded. This little spirit herb seeker was now, in a way, his.

“Go back…”

“Don’t stray too far from here…”

“If you find anything similar to what you just ate, remember to come back and tell me…”

After stroking the mouse’s head for a while, Lu Fei refrained from feeding it more polygonatum and instead instructed it to return.

“Chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp…”

As if understanding him, the little creature stood half-upright and squeaked at Lu Fei, then turned and disappeared into the burrow it had emerged from.

Lu Fei sensed his divine mark swiftly move within the mouse and settle. He relaxed.

Next, he needed to determine exactly what kind of mouse he had tamed today.

At that moment, he sniffed the air: “Why is the herbal scent so strong…”

He looked at the polygonatum in his hand, noting the rich fragrance wafting from its broken root.

Only then did Lu Fei realize—the herb’s medicinal properties leaked out when damaged.

Understanding this trait, Lu Fei decisively popped the polygonatum into his mouth and began chewing, thinking as he ate, “I wonder how much cultivation this so-called lower yellow-grade spiritual herb can grant me…”