Soon.
Mao Ruirui handed Lin Yu a pair of clean gloves.
She was wearing a standard pair herself.
But the pair she found for Lin Yu was a thicker, bite-resistant model.
Although the injured stray dog didn’t seem aggressive at all,
safety always came first—there was no room for overconfidence.
Inside the pet grooming room,
a small cage rested on a sturdy rack.
Given what he’d heard—that the dog had been hit by a car and lost its stray companion—
Lin Yu had instinctively assumed the rescued dog would be a larger breed.
But when he saw the small, brown-furred puppy lying weakly in the cage,
he couldn’t help but startle, turning back to say:
“It’s… this tiny?”
Mao Ruirui nodded and replied,
“The one that passed away was about the same size—a mixed breed.”
“They might’ve been two strays born from local dogs.”
“Or maybe someone abandoned them because they couldn’t handle raising too many puppies.”
Lin Yu quickly pieced things together.
If that was the case,
the one that died wasn’t just its companion—it was family.
The feeling of losing family…
Lin Yu’s chest tightened inexplicably.
In his past life, he’d already been approaching forty. Now, reborn into a second life,
many of the unbearable pains of youth, like parting, had faded with time.
But still,
working alone in the city, there were nights when sleep eluded him.
Familiar faces, once as steady as mountains, would appear unexpectedly in his dreams.
Maybe on a drowsy afternoon.
Maybe after a night of empty bottles.
Those wounds he thought had healed would suddenly pierce his defenses and stab straight into his heart.
Some people…
You never consciously think of them, yet you never truly forget.
Lin Yu pulled over a small stool and sat in front of the cage.
Food and water were already prepared inside—no need to fetch more.
All he had to do was convince the puppy to eat.
With the Beast Command in his possession, issuing a direct order wouldn’t be difficult.
Given the dog’s fragile state, obedience was practically guaranteed.
Yet Lin Yu didn’t resort to that. Instead, he spoke softly:
“Hey, little one… It hurts to lose family, doesn’t it?”
“That feeling where sadness chokes your appetite—I get it.”
“I’ve lost family too.”
He leaned closer, addressing the small mutt in the cage.
At the doorway, the three women reacted differently to his words.
Shen Buyao: “Is Lin Yu trying to share his story with the dog? Can it even understand?”
Chang Xiaoxiao: “I never expected Senior Lin Yu to comfort it by talking about his own experiences.”
Mao Ruirui shook her head.
“You’ve both got it wrong.”
“Right now, Xiao Yu probably just wants to share his story with the puppy!”
Shen Buyao: “???”
Chang Xiaoxiao: “???”
So… what exactly had Mao Ruirui thought they said?
The trio didn’t discuss it further, not wanting to disturb Lin Yu.
Because they noticed something remarkable—the puppy was responding to him!
At first,
it simply perked up at the sound of his voice, curious.
But as Lin Yu continued,
the little dog whimpered softly, as if replying to his words.
The grief and pain of the young pup poured out through those sounds, unmistakable to anyone listening.
Lin Yu could feel it too.
His words seemed to be making a difference, however slight.
After recounting his own journey through loss, he concluded:
“Little guy, I know no matter what I say, the pain won’t just disappear.”
“But think of your family, your companion. From now on, you have to live well—for them.”
“We’re the lucky ones, still here in this world.”
“So eat when you’re hungry. Drink when you’re thirsty.”
“Get up. Eat this. Drink that. No more starving yourself!”
At first, the puppy still resisted.
But it could sense Lin Yu’s sincerity—undeniable, especially in his final words.
The almost commanding tone of his closing statement
left the little dog with teary eyes.
With effort, it dragged itself to the bowl and finally began to eat.
[Ding!]
[Masterful move! Your unique beast-taming approach has impressed your Dao Companion!]
[Reward: 50 Spirit Stones.]
[Ding!]
[Masterful move! Your heartfelt words have moved the Spirit Beast Garden’s Elder!]
[Reward: 20 Spirit Stones.]
By the door,
Shen Buyao broke into a radiant smile, barely containing her excitement as she whispered:
“It’s eating! The puppy’s eating!”
“Wow, it’s like it actually understood Lin Yu!”
Chang Xiaoxiao was equally thrilled, clasping her hands together:
“Ruirui-jie, you can relax now!”
“If it’s eating, that means it’s starting to heal emotionally.”
“Didn’t you say? As long as it takes one bite, recovery will follow.”
“Look—it’s eating so eagerly!”
While Shen Buyao and Chang Xiaoxiao celebrated,
they suddenly noticed…
Mao Ruirui standing off to the side, her eyes red from crying.
Her shoulders trembled as she struggled to suppress her sobs.
Shen Buyao: “!!!”
Mao Ruirui: “!!!”
Mao Ruirui: “Sniff… sob…”
Shen Buyao: “Ruirui, why the tears? Is this really that emotional?”
Chang Xiaoxiao: “Ruirui-jie must’ve been so worried about the puppy that seeing it eat made her cry from joy!”
Mao Ruirui waved her hand dismissively.
“Sorry, I’m not in the mood to ‘explain the humidifier’ right now… sob…”
“How could you two not be moved by Xiao Yu’s story?”
“I never knew he was such a sensitive, emotionally deep guy!”
Shen Buyao: “???”
Chang Xiaoxiao: “???”
The two were utterly baffled.
Aside from Lin Yu’s initial words when he sat down—spoken a bit louder—
everything else he’d said to the puppy had been inaudible.
How could Mao Ruirui have gotten so emotional?
[Ding!]
[Congratulations, Host! Emergency Quest “Starving Spirit Beast” completed!]
[Thanks to your help, the spirit beast has resumed eating, healing its injured body. The Spirit Beast Garden’s Elder is deeply grateful!]
[Rewards: 200 Sect Contribution Points, 400 Spirit Stones, 1 free System Shop draw.]
…
't think I'm that capable, I'm just trying my best to stay alive. I've been kind all my life, never did anything bad, yet worldly suffering spared me not one bit. The human world is a nice place, but I won't come back in my next life. A kind young man, who wanted to just get by singing, but through repeated deceits and betrayals, has gone down an irredeemable path.
ine. During your journey, you save an abandoned baby girl and become her elder brother】 【You rely on each other, becoming each other's support】 【At the end of the simulation, you shield the now-grown girl with your life, sacrificing yourself to block numerous demonic cultivators. You die, and the light in the girl's eyes fades】 …… 【Second Simulation: You are transported to a world where steam and magic coexist】 【You immerse yourself in the study of magic, obsessed with its research. One day, while out, you encounter a half-blooded demon girl wandering the streets. You take her in as your student】 【You teach the demoness what it means to be human, show her the beauty of the world, and nurture her into a miracle that surpasses even the gods】 【At the end of the simulation, you die of old age in front of the nearly immortal demoness due to your mortal lifespan】 …… One simulation after another, one encounter after another. Xu Xi suddenly felt something was off: "Wait, you said you're coming to the real world to find me?"
ither go to a cultivation world where a single sword strike can defeat ten thousand enemies. Or they travel back to historical dynasties to alter history and wield imperial power. At the very least, they'd go back a few decades to get rich using their future knowledge and build a harem. Who the hell would transmigrate here!
th】 【No prior gaming knowledge required】【The First Cultivation + Game Design Novel on the Platform】 In a world where the righteous path dominates and crushes the demonic sects, Lu Ze unlocks the "Son of the Demon Path" system. Killing righteous cultivators now grants him power-ups. Wait—deaths in illusions count too? As a former game designer, Lu Ze decides to give the cultivators of this world a little—no, a massive—shock... Sect Elders: "What is this 'Escape from the Demon Sect' game? Why have all our disciples abandoned cultivation to play it??" Elite Disciples: "You're saying... mastering 'Demon Slayer' can help us counter demonic schemes?" Reclusive Masters: "Why did I leave seclusion? Ask that backstabbing rat who ambushed me in 'Eternal Strife' yesterday!" Rogue Cultivators & Civilians: "'Immortal Abyss Action' is addictive! You can even earn spirit stones by loot-running..." Sect Prodigy: "My Dao heart is unshakable... except for that cursed black hammer." Royal Scions: "Can skins have stat boosts? I’ll pay 10,000 spirit stones for one!!" Sect Leader: "WHO IS CORRUPTING MY DISCIPLES?!!!"