Chapter 56
After waiting anxiously, Tao Shu finally saw Lin Ran coming downstairs, a serious expression on his face. What happened now?
“Anything wrong?” he asked cautiously.
Lin Ran hesitated, then shook his head. “Nothing. I returned it.” He couldn’t exactly tell him he suspected Shao Mian was the mysterious big spender from his livestream. But seeing hundreds of juice boxes in his office had triggered a suspicion. Had Shao Mian also orchestrated this internship? It would explain the unusually specific requirements and the fact that he was the only intern hired. Though that seemed a bit narcissistic.
“Mr. Tao, am I the only intern this year? I didn’t see anyone else at the interview,” he asked.
Tao Shu: ??? He panicked. Why was A-Ran questioning the hiring process? He had to admit, in retrospect, it had been tailored for him.
“Of course not! There were other candidates. You were just the only one that day,” he lied, his mind racing.
“Oh, I see,” Lin Ran said, simply looking at him for a few seconds before turning away. Tao Shu felt like he had been seen through, A-Ran’s gentle nature preventing him from calling him out directly.
He realized A-Ran, despite his gentle demeanor, was difficult to deceive. He might not say anything, but his subtle disappointment was more unnerving than Shao Mian’s open anger. This secret hiring scheme could backfire. He prayed Shao Mian wouldn’t cause any more trouble.
The first half-day of work passed quickly. To Lin Ran’s surprise, the “Demon World” team didn’t work overtime, a rare phenomenon in the gaming industry. He wondered how they could afford such generous benefits and salaries.
“Rest is important for productivity! No 996 here! Your transportation allowance has been transferred,” Tao Shu said, hovering around him, worried he would overwork himself on his first day.
“Thank you, but is this too much…?” Lin Ran asked, seeing the 3000 yuan allowance. It was a nice bonus, but also seemed excessive.
“Mr. Shao specifically instructed us to give you more, since you’re commuting from so far. Thank him, not me,” Tao Shu said, having barely managed to prevent Shao Mian from giving him a six-figure sum. Who gave interns that much for transportation? He would have been suspicious, wondering if the CEO had a crush on him!
This thought, however, made him pause. Shao Mian’s recent behavior had been unusual. He hadn’t even been angry at A-Ran’s boldness, easily appeased by a few cuddles. Had he been oblivious all along? He looked at Lin Ran, waving goodbye, a sense of foreboding washing over him. Was this a good thing or a bad thing? Shao Mian’s interest in A-Ran was inevitable. And without the Maine Coon around, he was now resorting to real-world tactics? That was despicable! Shao Mian, a centuries-old demon, pursuing a barely legal human? Unacceptable!
Shao Mian, in his office, watched Lin Ran heading towards the subway. Why was he taking the subway, not a taxi, after receiving the allowance? Tao Shu was being stingy. Had he become too human, a capitalist exploiting his intern?
Lin Ran, on his way back, pondered the clues he had found, like unraveling a ball of yarn. The receptionist’s “documents” had been blank. Had “Demon World” recruited him because he was a dedicated player?
“Ee…” He heard a noise from his backpack, a gentle tapping against his back. The cub had been hiding inside all day, refusing to be seen, making him feel slightly rejected.
“Are you hungry? Or do you want to come out for a walk?” he asked, hoping it would finally show itself. It was still early; they could go to the park.
The cub, clutching its little mask, hesitated, then, sensing Lin Ran stopping, peeked out.
“Ten yuan each, two for twenty!”
“Here you go.”
“Thank you, young man.” A warm, soft rice cake was placed in his backpack.
“Not hungry after a day at work? Do you like these?” he asked, holding his own rice cake.
“Ee!” The cub nibbled on the cake, its wings fluttering. A treat from A-Ran!
Lin Ran chuckled, hearing the happy chirp. So easily pleased.
“I don’t know why you’re hiding, but you can come out anytime. I won’t mind,” he said, sitting on a park bench, wanting to talk to the cub. He wouldn’t have much time for it once he logged into “Demon World.”
“…” The cub, hearing his gentle voice, wanted to respond. It cautiously peeked out, its mask hiding its face, then, as it reached out to tug on his collar, a soccer ball flew towards them.
“Ee—!!” Lin Ran instinctively raised his arm, deflecting the ball, and a small, fluffy creature tumbled into his open jacket.
“Sorry! Didn’t hit you, did we?” a group of young boys called out, running towards them.
Lin Ran frowned. “Be more careful! There are elderly people here too!”
“What happened? Did it hit someone?” A boy, carrying a water bottle, ran over, speaking in fluent English, the others calling him “Captain.”
Lin Ran, however, clutching his backpack and the little creature inside his jacket, hurried towards the restroom. The boy with the water bottle stared at his retreating figure, a sense of familiarity washing over him.
Lin Ran found a first-aid kit in the restroom’s baby care room. “Are you okay, baby? Are you hurt?” he asked, opening his jacket, seeing a round, fluffy little backside. A white fluffball! Like a dandelion or a small cloud, its tail feathers a warm chestnut brown.
[The cub is unharmed, just scared.] The notification relieved him. But why was it hiding?
“Am I that scary?” he asked, feeling slightly insecure. His other cubs were always so clingy.
“Cheep…” The cub wiggled, still hiding.
Lin Ran gently poked its fluffy backside.
“Cheep!” Startled, it fanned its tail feathers, then transformed into a tiny human figure with small wings, hiding deeper into his jacket.
Lin Ran: ! What a cute little angel!
[Feather Clan cubs can transform into their human forms from birth, but their wings remain.] He remembered reading about the Feather Clan, their human forms with black wings. But this one’s wings were a mix of chestnut and black, like a little bird.
“Why are you hiding? Don’t you want to see me?” he asked, touching the pocket where a few feathers were sticking out.
The cub had lost its mask when it deflected the soccer ball. It couldn’t hide its burnt side anymore. It felt a pang of despair.
Lin Ran, however, had seen its reflection in the mirror: the angelic left side and the scarred right side, a startling contrast. So, it wasn’t hiding out of dislike, but fear.
“Ch-Cheep!” It peeked out, wanting to see if A-Ran was upset, then saw its reflection and quickly hid again, covering its face with the broken mask.
“Don’t run! It’s okay! I’ve seen it, and it’s okay. Really,” Lin Ran said, gently scooping it up, holding it close, his voice soothing. He had a feeling that if he hadn’t caught it, it would have flown away and never returned.
“Ee…” Held securely in his arms, the cub finally relaxed, dropping the broken mask, and snuggled against him. A-Ran had seen it… but he still held it.
“Let’s give you a name, okay? I promised you a name when you hatched,” Lin Ran said, trying to distract it.
The cub’s eyes widened, its burnt side giving it a strangely cute, yet unsettling appearance. A name… it wanted one.
“Your feathers are so pretty, and the colors are unique. How about… Little Feather?” Lin Ran said, stroking its feathers, and the Monster Notes appeared:
[Name: Little Feather (named by Caretaker)]
[Species: Feather Clan, Silver-throated Tit (Cub Stage)]
[Awakened Talent: Purification (Incomplete)]
Lin Ran’s eyes widened. An awakened talent from birth? Sootball and Snowball hadn’t had any. This Advanced Encounter Card was indeed special. But “Incomplete” suggested problems.
[Incomplete Purification attracts powerful mutated demons and causes unpredictable changes in those close to the cub: a strange allure.]
Lin Ran: ? So, the cub’s ability affected him too? Interesting. And the affection level was surprisingly high:
[Affection: 70/100] Even higher than Snowball’s initial affection. Checking the log, he saw 30 points had been added from his hug.
[The cub feels a strong connection to you. You saw its most vulnerable state and embraced it.] He felt a pang of sympathy. Had it been abandoned before? He also noticed Ossi’s entry in the Monster Notes, as an addendum.
Little Feather, finally, peeked out, its wings drooping, and looked at him.
Lin Ran chuckled and touched its cheek. “Finally decided to see me? I’ve been waiting.”
“…A-A-Ran!” It flew into his arms, and Lin Ran stroked its wings.
“You can talk already? You’re so smart, Little Feather,” he said, impressed by its quick development. Sootball was still just chirping.
“Lost!” Little Feather mumbled, looking up at him.
“Your name? Little Feather?” Lin Ran guessed.
“Ee—!” It chirped happily, delighted he had said its name.
Lin Ran, charmed, indulged it, repeatedly calling its name, and the cub responded each time, its joy evident. A-Ran had praised its feathers… His gentle gaze made it forget its scars, as if they didn’t exist.
“See? It’s okay. There’s nothing to be scared of. Let’s go back to the dorm,” Lin Ran said, putting on his jacket and backpack.
“Ee…!” Little Feather perched on his neck, not wanting to go back inside the backpack.
“You can’t stay like this. People will see you. Transform back, okay?” Lin Ran coaxed, and Little Feather obediently transformed, its burnt side still visible. It must have been painful.
“You’re so brave, Little Feather, hatching even with that injury,” Lin Ran said, stroking its feathers.
“…Ee!” Little Feather, looking at him, felt a surge of happiness, though it didn’t understand why. Was it brave? It remembered the explosion, the heat, the pain, the suffocation. Perhaps it was. But no one had ever told it that before. Only A-Ran. It nuzzled against his ear, its long tail feathers brushing against his cheek. I like A-Ran!
That night, in “Demon World,” Sootball and Snowball were curious about the new arrival.
“Cheep cheep~?” Sootball flew over, wanting to befriend the other flying creature. It had even helped hatch it! But A-Ran’s shoulder was crowded now. And its favorite spot was occupied.
“Cheep…?” It looked at Little Feather, wanting to share.
“Ee—” “Cheep cheep!?”
“Feather!?” To Lin Ran’s surprise, Little Feather, after being nudged repeatedly, suddenly kicked Sootball off his shoulder!
Sootball, caught off guard, almost fell.
“Mew—” Snowball quickly caught it. They both looked at the little bully bird on A-Ran’s shoulder, the atmosphere tense. Little Feather, however, just glared at them, as if wondering why Sootball had tried to push it off. It had been perfectly content on A-Ran’s shoulder.
