Ch5 – Don’t Be Afraid, I Have a Mine

The little beast was black all over and there was still the bird’s fur from the tree yesterday, but he didn’t seem dejected at all. Aojia stepped over and squatted beside the little beast.

Rong Mingshi was startled and took a few steps back while dusting off the ash on his paws. He was somewhat surprised that the man had come back. The man was still wearing the clothes that had been scratched by the dragon’s claws and were even stained with blood.

It was only now that Rong Mingshi really saw this person’s appearance. Yesterday, the sky was too dark and this person’s face was stained with blood. Once it was cleaned up, a sharp and handsome face was revealed. His face was slightly pale from the self-abuse yesterday but it was a normal white.

Despite the torn clothes and slightly white face, this person still carried a type of power. The moment the man squatted down, Rong Mingshi thought the man was trying to catch him. Aojia saw the little beast’s reaction and a slight smile appeared in his eyes. He held out a hand to the little leopard and asked, “My name is Aojia. What is your name?”

This question… the little leopard didn’t know how to answer, nor could he answer.

He was called Rong Mingshi in his previous life but after being reborn as a beastman, no one gave him a name. His father, who was called a duke, directly handed him to the robot housekeeper. Afterwards, the housekeeper always called him Master. Moreover, he could understand the man’s words thanks to the robot housekeeper’s teachings but sadly, he was different from other beastmen. His animal didn’t speak at all. If he one day changed to his adult form, would he be able to speak?

Aojia vaguely guessed that such a small beast being alone on a desolate star, whether he was underage or manic, meant he was abandoned.

The empire had free low-grade energy stones for all beastmen. There were carver apprentices in each city who would provide free carving services for beastmen who couldn’t afford to pay. However, his eyes swept over this little beast and he didn’t carry even the lowest-grade three coloured energy stones.

There was only one possibility. This little beast was likely to be defective and abandoned. The empire clearly stated that abandonment was a crime but there were times when it was easy to cover up. Still, Aojia didn’t care if this little beast couldn’t talk. He stretched out a hand to the little leopard and suggested, “Come with me?”

Rong Mingshi looked up at him and seriously considered the problem. He wasn’t sure if his robot housekeeper would come back to pick him up or about the danger in the imperial capital. Speaking of which, the cold and temperature-free robot housekeeper had been good to him over the years. What if the robot came back and couldn’t find him?

Aojia continued, “This planet is marked as a desolate star on the star map. The current climate might be suitable but this star will soon undergo a periodic strong flare. The planet’s core will be melted and steam…”

“…”

The little leopard’s face was dark and he placed a front paw on Aojia’s big palm. Aojia was satisfied as he held the thick leopard’s claw covered in black and grey ash. The little beast could understand what he said. Very good.

“…”

The guards next to him were silent. ‘Sir, is it really good for you to threaten (kidnap) a pitiful little beast?’

He was telling the truth but the flare attack he was talking about would actually occur in half a calendar year. Of course, it was wrong to leave this little beast on such a desolate star.

Aojia held the little beast’s meaty claws before raising a hand. His hands stuck under the little beast’s two front paws and he rubbed the grey ash away from the paws. Then he held the little leopard and stood up.

After seeing that this black dragon man called Aojia was going to take him away, Rong Mingshi turned his head and gazed at the pit in the ground. His eyes were filled with slight regret as he gazed at the half-buried egg that he put so much effort into cooking.

Aojia followed his gaze and paused. He remembered that yesterday, this little leopard had struggled to bit the egg in the nest. Aojia held the little leopard in one hand and picked up the egg inside the pit with the other. The little leopard was satisfied and lay honestly in this person’s hand. As for the nutrient packs, they were really hard to eat…

Once he left here, he could find other ways to eat. In any case, this person was taking him away and wouldn’t let him starve to death.

Aojia carried the little leopard onto the aircraft and moved directly to his room, telling Calant to call the doctor over. The grey leopard crouched on Aojia’s white table and looked around. The size of the aircraft was obviously much larger than the one the robot housekeeper took him in before.

The doctor came in and was surprised when he saw the little leopard lying there. Guard CAllent had explained that the commanding officer had brought back a juvenile little leopard but at first glance, it didn’t seem to be like what Calant said.

Aojia glanced at him and the doctor immediately stepped forward. “Sir.”

“Can you see what’s going on with him?” Aojia ordered.

“Yes, sir.” The doctor walked over and examined the little leopard carefully. After a while, the doctor turned to Aojia and said, “Sir, this little leopard is a bit special. I need to give him a few checks.”

Aojia nodded and raised the little leopard on the table.

“…”

This person held him so easily? His robot housekeeper had never hugged him. The robot had only placed him in a special basket to carry him around. Rong Mingshi started to struggle. He wasn’t without claws and was always been held in a strange way.

Aojia looked down and the little leopard raised his head to look back as he continued to struggle. Thus, Aojia crouched down and placed the little leopard on the ground. Rong Mingshi was at ease. He looked at at the doctor’s strangely twitching mouth and raised his paws to follow.

Aojia stood up and kept up with the brisk little leopard whose tail was swinging. The two men and the small leopard lined up, creating a strange sight for the guards as the headed to the doctor’s examination room.

-Sir, your damaged clothes haven’t been replaced yet…

After entering the examination room, the doctor conducted a more detailed check-up of the little leopard. Once the various indicators came out, he frowned tightly. His expression made the waiting Aojia slightly narrow his eyes. “How is he?”

The doctor explained carefully, “Sir, this little leopard isn’t a young cub. He is a juvenile in his manic period. Based on the data, he is probably just a young adult.”

Aojia turned to look at the little leopard lying there. The other extreme state of beastmen mania was mental frustration causing them to transform to their young bodies. Beastmen in this state were often panicked and even desperate. They were almost afraid of everything. Yet this leopard’s clear eyes were obviously different from the mad beastmen. It was purer and full of vitality.

The doctor continued, “The reason for this situation is now unclear. I need to do other detailed tests.”

Aojia told him, “Go and find a few energy stones.”

Since it was mania, energy stones should have an effect. They must first find an energy stone suitable for this little beast and then bring it to an engraver. The doctor nodded and quickly took out spare energy stones of various grades.

Rong Mingshi didn’t expect anything from the examination. He had been abandoned by his duke father and wasn’t even given a name. This showed that he couldn’t be cured. However, Rong Mingshi wasn’t clear about energy stones because his robot housekeeper hadn’t taught him about them.

Still, he saw Aojia command people to set various stones in front of him and couldn’t help feeling moved. They just met yet this person was taking care of him so well. There was a special instrument to test if an energy stone matched the beastman. However, the result was surprising because none of the energy stones in front of the little leopard were suitable.

“Bring the high-grade energy stones.” Aojia ordered.

The doctor nodded and immediately found all the high-grade energy stones. He once again placed all types of solid colour energy stones in front of the little leopard. After another examination, the doctor lamented, “Sir, none of them are suitable.”

Aojia stared at the little leopard with slightly narrowed eyes. Rong Mingshi gazed back calmly. Aojia suddenly reached out and picked up the little leopard. He walked out of the examination room and told Calant, who was waiting at the entrance, “Change course and go to Star AUT-3.”

The doctor inside the examination room couldn’t help his mouth twitching. Star AUT-3 was their commanding officer’s private property and had an energy stone mine. Their leader was going to take this little leopard to the mine to find the right energy stone?