Time is like the stars beneath our feet, turning continually, never stopping for even a second for anyone.
The legendary dense forest seemed like a mirage, appearing once and then never again, leaving Zhao Lun with a complex mix of worry and anticipation as he passed the time.
Zhao Lun didn't go out again, instead staying at home, continuing to tinker with some things.
Strict restrictions were placed on outsiders entering their neighborhood, and further out, it seemed like a wilderness. Recently, although the danger near their home had dissipated, some previously rare animals began to appear. These creatures flocked to their estate, and the abundance of annoying rats became a significant nuisance.
Consequently, several dogs had to take on the task of catching rats, stepping in for the cats.
Even the snow sculptures in the trees had their idle moments, playing the role of an owl, assisting Zhao Lun and Maria's owls in catching rats to reduce the estate's troubles.
Zhao Lun's owl and Maria's owl were nearly overworked, constantly flying up and down the estate, clearing out these filthy pests.
Now, these two owls had become quite picky; after catching the rats, they wouldn't eat them but would instead follow the dogs and snow sculptures to Zhao Lun, seeking treats infused with the water from the divine realm, busying themselves endlessly.
Unfortunately, it seemed as if the estate held some fatal attraction, as these filthy creatures continued to arrive, unabated, even appearing during the day.
The people in the estate, no matter who they were, began to get busy, engaging in a battle against these rodents.
Traps, rat catchers, electric nets, bait—no matter how many they caught, the people in the estate were utterly exhausted, yet the pests kept coming.
These rats seemed almost sentient, growing increasingly cunning. They no longer ventured out during the day to meet their demise; instead, they employed tactics, mastering guerrilla warfare without any training, achieving a near-master level of skill.
The principles of "retreat when the enemy advances, disrupt the enemy when they camp, attack when they are weary, and chase when the enemy retreats" were executed to perfection by them.
Everyone began to consider calling for reinforcements—cats.
Thus, Maria exclaimed and went out to buy some cats. When she returned, Ian saw that these cats varied in size; some were large enough to catch rats, while the smaller ones were cute and pretty, becoming Maria's toys.
Ian chuckled at the thought of what ordinary cats could do. Well, he decided to accept them since they were bought.
These rats were no ordinary pests; even regular cats would struggle against them, but it should be fine, right? Ian was uncertain, but he didn't go to Diagon Alley to buy any wizarding cats.
With the school year approaching, and knowing he would soon leave home, Ian thought that as long as the rats didn't get inside, he wouldn't pursue the matter further. His mind was already elsewhere.
Most of the time, Maria stayed close by, cherishing every day together. The inevitable day was approaching; that evening, it was time to pack again.
"Alun, this is your clothing."
He had grown quickly, and the clothes he bought before the holiday felt a bit small; they were short and tight on him. Considering he would continue growing this semester, new clothes were prepared in abundance.
"And these daily necessities." New bedding and other daily life items had also been prepared.
Regardless of whether they would be used, everything was ready for Ian.
With his divine realm allowing for the storage of items he might not use, Ian felt no qualms about accepting everything. He simply placed everything together and waved his hand, storing all the items into the divine realm.
This skill, initially disguised as magic, had indeed shocked many. Ian had never explained it, leaving many classmates in awe of his profundity.
Could it be that he invented a new spell? Some students speculated.
Some wizards with more outstanding talents occasionally created new spells, not to mention that savior Potter's mother, who created a spell that not only saved his life but allowed him to grow up healthily.
His aunt's house had also set up a protective charm from her mother, safeguarding his growth there.
In the original story, Ginny used her modified Bat-Bogey Hex, making her a sought-after student invited by professors.
Ian's "spell" also amazed others, making them regard him with newfound respect.
"You can keep all these things."
Ian also retrieved all the mature fruits from the divine realm, storing them at home so they could eat them anytime, while also freeing up space in the divine realm for the fruit trees to bear fruit.
Soon, the underground warehouse at home was filled with these fruits.
After this flurry of activity, it was soon midnight. No one felt tired, but considering the farewell for Ian the next day, they all rested.
The next day, everyone woke up early, dressing up and preparing to send off Ian.
Some said women are born to love dressing up; Ian didn't believe it, but the current reality proved otherwise. The ladies in his home, both big and small, took great care in their appearances before heading out.
Originally, they were supposed to leave early, but after dressing up, they delayed for over half an hour. Ian had been mentally prepared and was quite touched; they were all reluctant for him to go.
They looked very beautiful and twirled in front of Ian.
"How do I look?"
"Very beautiful!"
Ian didn't hesitate to praise them, and the ladies beamed with joy, their smiles making them even more radiant.
"You should just become my girlfriend!"
Ian, enchanted, shamelessly proposed with a grin.
"Pfft! Little brat! You're too young to be so flirtatious."
Angela blushed, playfully scolding him. She had heard from Maria that Ian had prepared several girlfriends.
"Boss, I won't be a minor's girlfriend."
Monica shot him a glare.
"Wait until you grow taller!"
Niko looked down at him from her elevated stance, giving a huff and ignoring him.
Ian measured their heights; he was just about at her chest level, and the height difference was considerable.
"Sigh, it seems the road ahead will be tough."
"To become your girlfriend, I must grow taller!"
Ian shook his head with a sigh, feigning regret.
"Go! At your young age, you shouldn't be thinking like that!"
Angela tugged at his ear, giving it a light pull.
"Sigh, Zhi-jie, you're wronging me; I'm just talking about normal friendships, very pure relationships."
Ian grasped her delicate hand, putting on a wronged expression.
Maria scoffed, "Hmph! Brother is a bad person! Hurry and let go! Don't take advantage of Sister Angela!"
Ian: "…"
After the little interlude, breakfast began, prepared by Angela, whose cooking had greatly improved recently. She had put a lot of effort into it, and as they were about to part, Ian savored every bite.
After breakfast, they didn't linger, heading straight to the car for the station.
This time, the vehicle was different; the materials had upgraded, and even the style, craftsmanship, and technology had undergone a major overhaul, integrating defense and tools into one machine.
Most importantly, the onboard intelligent system was specifically developed for this vehicle. If nothing unusual occurred, this system would continue to update and be used as technology advanced. In the future, this car would serve as their family's dedicated vehicle.
This car had been tested and could withstand even rocket blasts without damage.
The vehicle's weight was only slightly heavier than ordinary cars, and it didn't look remarkable; once it was powered on, it could accelerate quickly. When it needed a speed boost, the onboard system could adjust its shape, allowing it to reach speeds of up to 500 kilometers per hour if given ample space.
Of course, after sustained high-speed use, components like the engine and vortex gears would suffer wear; in severe cases, they would need to be replaced, which Ian found somewhat flawed.
Ian thought he should consult Mr. Weasley about modifying the car to make it fly. That way, with further modifications, it could potentially operate in land, sea, and air—quite impressive.
"Wow! Brother, is this our new car?"
"It's so beautiful!"
The little girls' eyes sparkled as they beheld it, unable to tear their gazes away.
This new car was from the same batch as Niko's, both limited editions that had only recently been completed, and today was its first reveal to them.
"Yes, come and say hello to Michael."
"Michael? The name of an archangel?"
"Yep."
"Hi! Hello, Michael, I'm Maria."
"Monica."
"Niko."
"Angela."
"Aida." (To be continued.)
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