Chapter 53: Contact: [Go Die]

Ming Ruan hastily put a finger to his lips and beckoned him over, signaling to speak quieter and come closer.

The researcher reined in his excitement and came close, murmuring in a low, eerie tone: “All the animals have achieved — A-rank!”

He was now utterly in awe of Ming Ruan, admiration pouring from him.

Ming Ruan leaned back, matching his hushed tone: “A-rank? All passed?”

The researcher nodded fiercely, like a wind-up doll. He wanted to shout with excitement, but Ming Ruan wouldn’t allow it, so he could only vent through body language.

Though Ming Ruan was pleasantly surprised by this result, he wasn’t that surprised.

He knew his raised fluffies were the best! They deserved this!

He immediately responded with an even louder voice than the researcher had just used, booming praise: “Heavens! The babies all reached A-rank! They’re truly incredible!” terrified that the fluffies behind the door couldn’t hear.

Researcher: “…”

The researcher saw right through it: Ming Ruan was only exaggerating on the surface, like coaxing children. He himself was quite calm.

Lord Ming Ruan doesn’t understand what this means at all!

The group of people who’d followed the researcher, all wanting to witness history, were anxiously pinching their own hands, wishing they could rush up, grab Ming Ruan’s shoulders, and shake him awake: This was a full five A-ranks! Proof of a 100% A-rate among the beastmen personally cared for by Ming Ruan!

Researcher: “…Yes, you are truly too amazing!”

Ming Ruan disagreed: “It’s not because of me; it’s because the babies are too amazing!”

The researcher, having his passion doused repeatedly, finally gave a flat recitation: “…You’re right. The bab— I mean, they are truly too amazing.”

Compared to Ming Ruan’s calmness, the researchers immediately felt there was still something lacking in their own mentality. Could this also be one of the reasons they couldn’t stabilize beastmen?

Ming Ruan couldn’t wait to praise the fluffies. He asked: “Can they come out now?”

“Of course.”

Ming Ruan pressed further: “Could you please tell them the results individually?”

“Uh, sure.”

The researcher returned to the evaluation room, in front of Ming Ruan. He put on a full display of high-spirited joy, facing the fluffies with deliberate exaggeration as he once again announced this good news.

The beastmen, who knew the results even earlier than Ming Ruan, flawlessly performed the transition from nervousness to happiness.

Seeing the fluffies happy, Ming Ruan’s face showed a satisfied expression.

The researcher, playing along with this act: “…”

He grumbled inwardly: Ming Ruan’s relationship with these bigwigs is truly good. They spoil him too much.

But for these people to have met Ming Ruan — that was the real luck.

The group watched the five bigwigs file out, each walking up to Ming Ruan to receive a kiss on the forehead.

Ming Ruan happily announced: “Wonderful! Now we can all go together—”

Together—

Ming Ruan suddenly froze.

His arms, spread wide with joy, slowly retracted. One wrapped around his chest; one hand went to his chin.

Ming Ruan’s gaze swept over the four large beasts besides the fox. The words ‘go out and play together’ wouldn’t come out no matter what.

It was fine to say they were going out together within the sanatorium zone, but even if they passed evaluation, there was no way he could take four large beasts into the city, right?

Not to mention whether they’d disrupt street traffic — food, clothing, shelter, transportation — nothing would be convenient.

The bigwigs, slightly elated because of the evaluation results, also realized this problem. They looked at each other. The cheery atmosphere abruptly shifted.

Researchers who had never seen this kind of scene even forgot their excitement. They all took a step back, then forward, at a loss, unsure whether they should intervene.

From Ming Ruan’s perspective, this was just fluffies vying for favor. But from the researchers’ perspective, this was private grudges between various prominent figures — the Former Council Speaker, the Adjudicator, a High Noble, a Magnate!

“Alright, alright, stop with all the growling.” Ming Ruan walked up and gave each one a stroke, working both hands, thumbs on top, four fingers below, one hand pinching one mouth shut and the other pinching another, successfully eliminating the threatening growls.

“Do the evaluations require any documents to be issued?” Ming Ruan asked, still pinching the fluffy mouths.

This was the first time the researchers had seen how Ming Ruan interacted with these bigwigs. They were dumbstruck, stammering: “N-No, the information will sync to the Central Authority.”

Suddenly, it felt like compared to Ming Ruan and these bigwigs’ dynamic, the bigwigs’ 100% A-rate indeed wasn’t worth their astonishment…

After resting, Ming Ruan, under the group’s somewhat rude stares, took the fluffies and left the Research Institute, returning to his base.

As they say, fortune leans toward misfortune; misfortune lurks within fortune. After returning to his base, Ming Ruan paced around the house anxiously.

Whenever he was anxious, he had to squeeze something.

Ming Ruan walked to the window, solemnly kneading wolf ears.

— What should he do? He had promised to take all the fluffies out together.

Ming Ruan anxiously left the window. He walked to the fox’s bed, picked it up and shook it, taking the little fox that tumbled out into his hands and squeezing him from top to bottom.

— But he wasn’t familiar with the interstellar city. If he took them all, he might not be able to care for them properly.

Ming Ruan wandered over to the cat tree and tied a knot in the snow leopard’s hanging tail.

— But inequality of distribution is worse than scarcity. He had no reason to only take a few.

He stood up again, absentmindedly tying the lion’s mane into a head full of little tufts.

Fuxi: “…”

Everyone: “…”

Finally, as Ming Ruan was attempting to flip the white tiger over and squeeze his kitty-bits,

Su Yuyun instantly sprang away, out the main door in two or three strides.

Soon, Ming Ruan’s Light Brain received a call from Boss.

Ming Ruan collected himself and answered: “Boss.”

He looked so well-behaved, not at all like someone who’d just run through the entire gamut of playing with beastmen.

Su Yuyun got straight to the point: “Congratulations. The evaluation results were exceptionally excellent. Have you decided to take them all out?”

Ming Ruan absolutely adored this Boss of his who always appeared right when he had problems.

He voiced his concerns: “Actually, I hadn’t thought they’d all meet the standard before… Now I’m worried I can’t take good care of them.”

Saying it while thinking it. Was there really an employee like him in the world, just throwing problems at the boss to solve? Yes! His world view had expanded.

Su Yuyun, living up to his reputation as a highly professional boss, immediately provided a solution: “Let them each go home.”

Was that possible?

Ming Ruan was enlightened.

Having been with the fluffies so long, he’d forgotten these animals all had owners.

He just didn’t know their owners’ attitudes.

Ming Ruan hadn’t forgotten — these animals hadn’t been raised well before.

Ming Ruan: “So should I contact their owners?”

Su Yuyun: “I’ll arrange it.”

Great.

Ming Ruan hung up, satisfied.

For a moment, he wasn’t sure who was the owner of the sanatorium and who was here working.

The fluffies, who had been secretly perking their ears to listen to the whole conversation, weren’t entirely thrilled with this solution, but after thinking it over, it was indeed the best method.

With the fluffies’ arrangements settled for now, Ming Ruan started trying to arrange his own matters.

First, the next few days were fieldwork. He had to bring the little fox first to the designated location to complete the shoot.

According to Ye Fu, the collaborating party would provide accommodations during the field assignment.

The question was, after the shoot ended, where should he stay? And where should he go?

Based on Ming Ruan’s own ideas, tourism was nothing more than visiting natural and cultural landmarks, plus maybe some famous entertainment venues and representative commercial districts.

But confined to the sanatorium zone’s local network, the guides Ming Ruan could find were extremely limited.

“If only I had a tour guide.” Ming Ruan once again lamented his lack of connections.

In the house, the bigwigs’ ears all swiveled toward Ming Ruan.

The fox slipped out from under Ming Ruan’s hand and scurried into a room. Next, the gray wolf, lion, and snow leopard each walked up to Ming Ruan, rubbed against him, then returned to their respective rooms as well.

Ming Ruan, suddenly left with empty space around him: “?” That’s pretty unusual!

He scratched his head and lowered his gaze back to his Light Brain, about to browse his contact list, when he saw messages popping up one after another on the screen.

[Clarence – Old Butler]: “I hear Lord Ming has travel intentions. Please allow me to set aside my humility for a moment — the Clarence family can provide you with the finest tour guide experience.”

[Agent – Ye Fu]: “Sorry to trouble you this time. Shi Huai’s owner says he wants to thank you personally and introduce some fun places to you. If you have time, Lord, you can add him on WeChat. [Contact Recommendation]”

[A11 – Zhuo Yunqi]: “Heard you’re going out to have fun? Are you going to be okay on your own? Want me to introduce someone? Anything you don’t understand, you can ask him. [Contact Recommendation]”

[Stranger Request]: “Hello, I’m from Starnet Live Official…”

Ming Ruan shrank back into the sofa.

Why was it “think of something and it comes” again? So weird.

He studied the messages several times but found nothing wrong. Each one seemed to appear naturally and reasonably.

Inside the rooms.

Shi Huai and the others had long wanted to chat with Ming Ruan over Light Brain. Although they couldn’t reveal their identities and temporarily couldn’t transform back into human form, building up goodwill using their human identities would work too.

The moment Ming Ruan mentioned it, everyone knew their chance had come.

Now it was all about who would be chosen to be that ‘tour guide’ and seize the advantage during Ming Ruan’s holiday travel.

They had already figured out which of their properties would be suitable for Ming Ruan to rest in.

Ming Ruan was replying one by one at the moment. He hadn’t fully decided whose favor to accept.

Just then, his Light Brain suddenly received a few more messages.

[Go Die]: “When do you have time to come back?”

[Go Die]: “It’s been a long time. We can hang out and chat.”

That highly aggressive and impactful name startled Ming Ruan. He almost thought his Light Brain had been hacked.

He thought for a long time but couldn’t recall who this was.

Just as he was agonizing, the other party seemed to realize something and sent another message.

[Go Die]: “Take some time to come home, little brother.”