Shao Zifeng opened his eyes. Before him was a boundless sea of stars, with splendid starlight and a resplendent Milky Way. Beneath his feet, an unknown star system slowly rotated.
"Qiuqiu?"
Shao Zifeng looked around but couldn't find Qiuqiu, feeling a bit lost. He tentatively called out.
"Qiuqiu... Qiuqiu... Qiu... Wang..."
The echoes reverberated around him in layers, slowly fading away without any response from Qiuqiu.
Just as Shao Zifeng was at his wit's end, a nameless star in the distant sky suddenly flashed, sending a familiar feeling from that direction.
"Qiuqiu?"
Shao Zifeng tentatively called out again. After the echo died down, the nameless star flashed once more. Shao Zifeng was invigorated and started walking towards the star.
Shao Zifeng walked alone in the endless sea of stars, crossing star systems of various colors. Occasionally, meteors streaked past him, but otherwise, the vast starry sky remained unchanged.
He walked for a long time, or perhaps it was just an instant. When he felt he couldn't go any further, he finally arrived in front of the continuously flickering star and reached out his right hand, pressing it against the star.
"Thump thump~"
The star flickered violently, like a heartbeat. Then an energy line shot out from the star, connecting to another star.
"Thump thump~"
Another line shot out, connecting to more stars.
The heartbeat-like sound grew faster, with more lines connecting to different stars.
10 lines.
55 lines.
78 lines.
139 lines.
From a distance, Shao Zifeng was at the center, with countless lines connecting to stars, slowly outlining the shape of a giant dragon with wings.
After the final line was connected, the giant dragon formed by the star map seemed to come to life, roaring silently and soaring into the sky. After reaching a certain height, it turned and dived toward Shao Zifeng.
As it dived, the starry dragon grew smaller and more solid, becoming increasingly lifelike until the miniature starry dragon disappeared into the spot between Shao Zifeng's eyebrows.
"Dandan?"
...
The Contract Room was quiet, with various instruments emitting soft "beep beep" sounds. Chen Yixin led the working group, recording and summarizing today's identification registration reports, which would later be archived at the city identification bureau.
"Team leader, who is this guy? Why does he need us to personally identify for him..." A frail-looking bespectacled man, having finished his work, approached Chen Yixin to help monitor Shao Zifeng's various data.
"I don't know either. He must be someone the school highly values." Chen Yixin looked at the weak bespectacled man and gently replied without any irritation at the interruption.
"Valued? Tch, armadillo lizards are indeed rare, but this one is too weak to require the team leader personally..." The bespectacled man was dazed by Chen Yixin's gentle smile, then muttered softly.
Chen Yixin smiled faintly at his words, without responding, leaving the bespectacled man dazzled once more.
Chen Yixin was over thirty years old. Though not conventionally beautiful, her gentle and intellectual demeanor left a favorable impression on anyone who interacted with her.
Besides, she was a special professor at Su City University, leading a research team. Although it was just a third-rate university's research group, they had recently gained considerable recognition. The rising fame caused some members to become complacent, so much so that they dismissed the rare armadillo lizard.
Although it was indeed a bit weak... Chen Yixin felt something was off, as if she had overlooked something. Driven by curiosity, she personally handled Shao Zifeng's pet contract.
"Beep beep beep!"
Suddenly, the instruments in the room emitted urgent alarm sounds and flashing red lights, capturing everyone's attention and halting their work.
"A bonding reaction! There's a bonding reaction!" The bespectacled man was the first to exclaim. The calm of the Contract Room was broken, with everyone expressing astonishment.
"Quiet, everyone return to your posts and monitor Shao's physical enhancements in real time. Report the data to me," Chen Yixin commanded sternly, her eyes fixed on Shao Zifeng at the center of the array.
"Reporting to the team leader, the contract person's physical condition has shown slight improvement. However, due to the contract object's frailty, the overall enhancement is minimal. Report complete."
"Reporting to the team leader, the contract person's mental activity curve is abnormal with high peaks and low valleys... fluctuating disorder... activity returning to normal with slight improvement. Report complete."
"Reporting to the team leader, no attribute fluctuations have been detected around the contract person so far. This bonding reaction likely did not activate attribute enhancement. Report complete."
After all reports were completed, the alarms from the bonding reaction gradually subsided. Chen Yixin looked at Shao Zifeng in the center of the array with a sigh, "What a pity."
...
Shao Zifeng opened his eyes, feeling something he'd never felt before. It was an indescribable feeling but made him feel closer to something. This newfound feeling made him very happy.
"Ying ying ao~"
A dark shadow leaped into Shao Zifeng's arms, clutching at his chest, its small head nuzzling against him and occasionally making "ying ying" sounds as if telling Shao Zifeng something.
A warm feeling surged in Shao Zifeng's heart as he softly petted the little one's head.
"Congratulations on becoming a Combat Training Master, Shao," Chen Yixin approached Shao Zifeng with a gentle smile.
"I haven't received the certificate yet," Shao Zifeng responded shyly, like a boy not used to talking to a pretty older sister.
Qiuqiu lay in Shao Zifeng's arms, pouting human-like and biting the actor lightly.
"Have you felt any changes in your body, Shao?" Chen Yixin asked, smiling gently at the handsome young man. Inwardly, she thought he had such great skin she wanted to pinch it.
"Hmm... not much change, but the soreness from training these past few days has disappeared," Shao Zifeng replied hesitantly, frowning as he tried to feel the changes.
"Sigh," Chen Yixin sighed softly. It was hard to say if this child's luck was good or bad. He encountered the rare bonding reaction, but the contracted pet was too weak to provide significant enhancement. After a pause, she said, "Shao, you're lucky this time to have a bonding reaction during the contract. Treat your pet well. I'm sure you'll be great partners in the future!"
After speaking, Chen Yixin turned to leave, fearing she wouldn't be able to resist using her delicate, maiden-like hands to poke Shao Zifeng's cheeks.
...
The staff followed Chen Yixin out, and the Contract Room returned to silence. Shao Zifeng stood quietly where he was.
Watching the direction Chen Yixin had left.
"A bonding reaction, huh... interesting."
A smile appeared on Shao Zifeng's face, and a spark flashed in his eyes.