Chapter Four: The Monster Pet Park

The next day, Luo Yuan took the black card, boarded a bus, and followed the address to a place called Happy Monster Pet Park. There, he found himself standing before a towering silver iron gate, its surface adorned with blue fluorescent stripes that flickered with a high-tech sheen.

A security guard stopped him at the entrance, but as soon as Luo Yuan produced the black card, the guard immediately saluted and, with great deference, led him inside. They stopped before a magnificent, resplendent building in the style of ancient times. At the entrance, an elegantly dressed hostess in a cheongsam guided him straight into the grand hall.

At the front desk, two graceful and alluring women stood poised. One of them politely took the black card from Luo Yuan, swiped it through a machine, and then handed it back with utmost courtesy.

“Honored guest, your black card currently has a balance of two million credits. May I ask which species of low-level monster you wish to purchase as a pet?”

The woman’s words left Luo Yuan in shock. A balance of two million credits—he couldn’t help but muse over the true owner of the black card. Thinking back to the aloof woman’s casual manner yesterday, he grew more curious about her identity. Was she some wealthy heiress seeking to experience the life of the impoverished? Yet, she didn’t seem like a typical heiress. Could the card be stolen, then?

“Excuse me, don’t you need to verify the identity of the black card’s user?” Luo Yuan asked cautiously.

“Honored guest, we recognize the card, not the person. Every card has its own identification number. Would you like to purchase a monster pet?” the receptionist replied with practiced politeness.

“No, not really. Actually, I wanted to ask if you’re hiring breeders here. I’d like to apply for a job,” Luo Yuan said awkwardly. Learning that only the card mattered and not the person put his mind at ease, though he found the policy rather odd.

“Oh, honored guest, you must be joking. That’s not funny at all,” the receptionist answered, frowning slightly but maintaining her composure.

“I’m serious. I’m a bit short on money right now,” Luo Yuan admitted.

“If you’re in need of funds, we can have our manager confirm and immediately return twenty percent of your card’s balance to you. Would that be acceptable?” she offered gently.

“You can do that?” Luo Yuan’s delight was palpable.

Without hesitation, he agreed to have the manager process the transfer. In truth, he would have preferred to withdraw all the funds, but that was not permitted; once the money was deposited, a full refund was out of the question.

A notification chimed on his phone: “Deposit of 400,000 credits received to your bank account ending in 8527.” Luo Yuan was enveloped by an overwhelming sense of happiness—the kind that only a surge of dopamine can bring.

“Now then, honored guest, would you still like to purchase a monster pet?” the receptionist inquired, her expression remaining a formulaic smile, so much so that Luo Yuan almost suspected she was a robot.

“I’d like to take a look around the park first, if that’s alright.” Having come all this way, Luo Yuan wanted to see how this monster pet park differed from the zoos of his previous life. As for finding a job, he no longer considered it—after all, he now possessed a small fortune.

“Of course, honored guest. We will arrange for a senior student from the Limit Martial Arts School to escort you and ensure your safety. I wish you success in finding a satisfactory monster pet.”

“A senior student as a bodyguard? Impressive!” Luo Yuan couldn’t help but exclaim.

With the cheongsam-clad hostess leading the way, Luo Yuan soon arrived at the entrance to the monster pet park, where a striking young woman in her early twenties awaited him. She wore a fitted training suit that accentuated her shapely figure, her single ponytail lending her a vibrant, healthy air.

“Honored guest, this is Dong Lanlan, a senior student from the Limit Martial Arts School, who will serve as your escort. We hope you’re satisfied with our service,” the hostess introduced her.

“Hello, honored guest. Shall we go in?” Dong Lanlan’s tone was indifferent.

“Alright,” Luo Yuan replied, following her into the park.

As he walked in, Luo Yuan’s eyes widened with joy—not because he saw rare animals unknown in his past life, nor because these mutated monsters were particularly cute, but because he spotted attribute bubbles dropping from the monsters.

“Excuse me, are these monsters dangerous? How strong are they?” Luo Yuan didn’t rush to collect the bubbles, choosing instead to consult Dong Lanlan, his guide and protector.

“Don’t worry, these are all low-level monsters, mostly chosen for their cuteness and docility. Their strength is generally below the quasi-martial artist level. I can handle them easily,” Dong Lanlan said with confidence.

“In that case, I’d like to walk among the monsters. If any of them attack me, please intervene immediately,” Luo Yuan requested seriously.

“Rest assured, I’m being paid for this. Protecting you is my duty,” Dong Lanlan replied, unconcerned. She had guarded wealthy clients like him many times before.

With Dong Lanlan’s assurance, Luo Yuan began his tour of the monster pet park, eagerly touching the attribute bubbles as he went.

“Strength +1.”
“Strength +1.”
“Speed +1.”
“Speed +1.”
“Defense +1.”
“Defense +1.”
…
As the notifications flashed before him, Luo Yuan wondered if he could store these attributes first and absorb them later. Otherwise, if he suddenly became stronger in front of others, it might expose his secret. With a thought, he discovered a mysterious space in his mind—a place unseen and unfelt, yet wholly perceptible. Within this space, attribute bubbles he touched floated, and he dubbed it his Attribute Space.

Unconcerned about revealing his secret now, Luo Yuan broke into a run, displaying the speed of an entry-level student. Dong Lanlan raised an eyebrow in surprise—so the boy was a novice martial artist after all. Still, she wasn’t impressed; she’d seen many youths of similar caliber at the Limit Martial Arts School.

Luo Yuan’s running occasionally disturbed the monsters, provoking attacks from some of the more irritable ones. Dong Lanlan dutifully shielded him from harm, and Luo Yuan watched her closely, estimating that her strength was nearly that of a quasi-martial artist.

For an ordinary person, reaching quasi-martial artist level in one’s early twenties was quite remarkable. Not everyone was a prodigy like Luo Feng, whose martial talent was simply monstrous. Luo Yuan couldn’t help but feel envious at times, wondering how Luo Feng’s perfectly ordinary parents could have produced such an extraordinary offspring. It seemed that the children of fate in this world truly transcended reason and logic.

ps: To all the venerable gods out there, I humbly ask for your tips, monthly votes, and favorites—Luo Yuan bows to you.