Mike held the cat toy in his hand, swinging it left and right. Qiqi's gaze followed the toy, left and right, waiting for the right moment to pounce. Her small hands were poised to grab the toy each time, but whenever Mike jerked his hand, the toy slipped through her fingers. Instantly, chaos ensued on the beast-drawn carriage.
Watching Mike swing the toy back and forth, Qiqi jumped up and down in sync. The surrounding teammates were equally surprised. Although they knew Qiqi, being of the cat race, had a curious nature, they hadn't expected this attribute.
Cat-wandling wasn't a big hit in this world.
Eventually, Qiqi successfully caught the toy. By now, her excited face was flushed red. She looked at Mike with eyes that sparkled slightly.
"Wasn't that fun?" Mike smiled.
"So much fun, meow!" Qiqi nodded enthusiastically. But then her expression fell as she looked at the broken toy in her hand. "I broke it, meow..."
She had been too excited when she grabbed the toy, causing the simple grass and feather toy to break instantly.
"It's okay. If you like it, I can make a sturdier one for you," Mike shrugged.
"Really? You're a good big guy, meow!" Qiqi exclaimed happily.
Mike paused.
Did he just get a Good Guy Card?
After this incident, Mike and Qiqi's relationship grew closer. Mike leaned against the carriage, chewing on a piece of sweet grass casually. It tasted like mint, refreshing and sweet, and readily available everywhere.
In his previous life, Mike had often been dragged by his grandfather for exercise, working through the night forging iron. Chewing on sweet grass helped keep him alert and awake, somewhat similar to habits he had formed.
The crucial thing was that this stuff was a type of tobacco too. Grandpa always liked using the broad lower leaves of sweet grass for rolling cigarettes. Mike had tried a drag once, and it was pretty strong, stronger than the cigarettes in the wasteland.
Then Mike got a beating from his grandfather and was warned not to touch this stuff until he came of age.
Mike didn't care. In his past life, living with knives and blood, tobacco and alcohol were always close at hand. But since Grandpa said so, Mike just waited.
Now that Grandpa was gone, no one was watching over him. He had prepared the cigarettes long ago but hadn't smoked a single one.
Because he had a strange sense of ceremony.
This first one had to be lit amidst sword flashes and fires. That's what made it meaningful.
Maybe this was the romance of a mercenary.
Meanwhile, Qiqi was squatting on the cargo box, chatting non-stop above Mike's head.
The little Cat Girl had a lot to say and was always busy. Through her, Mike learned a few things.
Like how Qiqi was seventeen years old, which in the Cat race was already considered an adult. She was just small in stature, so people tended to underestimate her.
Or how Captain Geoff had a cute daughter who was three years old this year.
Or how there was a despicable force called the Seth Merchant Guild, dealing in the buying and selling of people. But they weren't selling humans; they were selling orcs.
Qiqi had almost been captured and sold by them when she first left home to explore. That's why she despised the Seth Merchant Guild so much.
Mike agreed. In the wasteland of his past life, there were plenty of factions and forces trafficking in people and organs. He'd wipe them out as soon as he saw them, not just because he abhorred such actions but because those people often lacked humanity.
The Diesel Gang in the wasteland robbed people. Giving them money likely wouldn't put your life in danger, but those who trafficked in people would not only rob but also kill, flay, and sell organic and synthetic organs to some unfortunate souls.
Such practices were taboo, and Mike had a teammate who had fallen victim to them. So when he encountered people like this, Mike made sure not to leave anyone alive.
It was a way of repaying society and the world for a body soaked in blood and sin.
"Oh, by the way, what rank are you, meow?" Suddenly, the little Cat Girl asked.
The power system in this world was very strict. Unlike the wasteland, where individual strength was entirely based on reputation and achievements, the classification here was straightforward and understandable. Whether you were a mage, a warrior, or any other profession, the ranks were unified.
There were known to be ten ranks, with the first five named after metals in this world.
From low to high, they were Brass, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Mithril.
The next five had colors associated with swords and magic.
From low to high, they were Folk Ballad, Title, Epic, Saga, and Divine.
The first five were easily understandable, being the most widely known and valuable metals in this world. The order of importance was defined by the value of the metal.
As for the next five, each had its meaning.
On this big road, many idlers were wandering around, such as the bard.
The meaning of folk ballad is that your strength has already qualified you to be sung about by wandering bards, spreading your story to more people.
Title means you have already qualified to leave your mark in history with a recognizable title of your own.
Epic is impressive, indicating you possess significant power and influence, allowing you to leave a profound mark in the annals of history, spreading your story for millennia.
Saga goes without saying; it signifies you belong to the most elite category, where every action you take has an unparalleled influence on both the future and the past.
As for divine, Mike doesn't understand it because Grandpa didn't either and didn't elaborate much. Based on Mike's understanding, it's probably close to divine or divine. Who knows?
"I am Silver, Silver Five Stars," Mike said.
Each rank has ten small stages represented by stars.
Legend has it that this naming convention originated from mages because every time a mage advances, they gain an additional "starlight" that surrounds them, which is quite dazzling.
For warriors, the advancement is marked by blood and qi patterns.
In this world, mages are considered the most colorful and dazzling profession, so Mike has always wanted to become a cool mage and has been striving for it.
However, while his muscles grew bigger, he hasn't gained a single "starlight"...
"Silver Five Stars, huh? Then you're not as awesome as me; I'm Silver Six Stars, meow~" The little Cat Girl boasted proudly, lifting her chin. Her furry cat ears twitched, and her fluffy cat tail swayed unconsciously behind her.
It's quite amazing. Mike had seen a few Cat Girls before, but their tails were like thick noodles. Qiqi was different; her tail was as fluffy as a chicken feather duster. Mike wasn't sure what breed she was, but he found her cuter than those with the thick noodle tails because it made her look fluffy.
"Well, then you better protect me," Mike joked shamelessly.
Surprisingly, the little Cat Girl took him seriously, blinked her big eyes, and said, "Don't worry, as a senior, I'll take care of you, meow!"
"Qiqi, reconnaissance," Captain Geoff interrupted, unable to listen anymore.
Any more chatting, and reconnaissance tasks would be neglected.
"Oh! I forgot, meow~" Qiqi playfully stuck out her tongue. Then with a nimble leap, she jumped off the carriage. "I'll go scout ahead, meow!"
"Go ahead, I need to catch some sleep," Mike waved his hand dismissively, closed his eyes, and soon his snores could be heard.
Ogthor beside him rubbed his forehead.
Seems like he is a rookie, lacking vigilance like this. Although this mission isn't very dangerous, it's not like you should fall asleep so soon after leaving the city gates, right?
But Geoff didn't wake Mike up either. It wasn't like they were friends, so there was no need to pay too much attention.
If you're in this profession without proper vigilance, you'll pay the price sooner or later. It's a mistake most rookies make, and also the deadliest.
He could remind him, but if the guy is doing missions with such a careless attitude, he might not take it seriously anyway. Might as well let harsh reality teach him.