Chapter Fifty-Two: Chasing the Tide

Shelter No. 364.

Fan Bei was sleeping soundly and peacefully when he was suddenly awakened by a chorus of barking. With his eyes still closed, he reached out to switch on the bedside lamp and turned to glance at the blue alarm clock on the nightstand.

July 16th, 5:30 a.m.?

Had Bai gone mad, getting up even earlier than him?

He tidied himself up, climbed out of bed, and opened the door. There, Bai sat pitifully outside, his tail pinned under an iron ball. As soon as Fan Bei appeared, Bai began to whimper plaintively.

“Master, Xiao Bai is being so domineering this morning, won’t let a dog sleep in peace. He insists the evil tide outside has faded, poses no threat to the house, and wants me to go and ‘drive the tide’ or whatever.”

Fan Bei nodded in agreement. “So that’s it. He’s right. All right, let’s leave Old He to guard the house, tidy up, and head out.”

Bai’s ears drooped instantly. He rubbed his eyes with his paws, looking thoroughly dejected.

He was just about to get up when he turned and barked again, “Uh, Xiao Bai says the master should stay behind and send Old He out instead. He says you’re too weak, your golden armor is leaky, and without his protection, you’d just be a burden to me.”

So now I’ve become a burden, even to the dog...

Fan Bei wasn’t particularly disappointed. He quickly understood Xiao Bai’s reasoning and said, “Well, thank Xiao Bai for me. He’s very thoughtful, and I deeply appreciate it. By the way, I’ll give you ten more Spirit Cores for emergencies.”

He found a cloth bag on the shelf in the living room, then reached into his inner pocket and took out a handful of grayish-white blocks, placing them in the bag, and carefully tying it around Bai’s neck with a cord.

“Thank you, master.” Bai nodded repeatedly, pawing at the iron ball and shooting it a disdainful look.

“Xiao Bai, a dog should be kind. You’re wrong again. The master doesn’t tie me to his side all the time to squeeze out my labor value.”

Xiao Bai apologized directly, “Oh, I misunderstood him. It seems your master really is a good person.”

Best not to go out. This way, Old He belongs to me, and Bai is just a silly dog. Let Old He craft some junk toys and cook something tasty, and I can easily swindle a precious Spirit Core…

Old He is really worth every bit.

Finally, under Fan Bei’s watchful and earnest gaze, Chef He carefully carried the polished iron ball, following Bai’s tail toward the shelter’s entrance.

Fan Bei watched the man and dog disappear around the corridor’s corner, then returned to his room to cultivate.

Though Xiao Bai’s intentions were less than noble, he had still reminded Fan Bei that he needed to find a way to remove the golden armor and move freely.

……

Bai was the first to dash out the shelter’s doors, his jubilant demeanor a vivid display of an old dog reminiscing about youthful days.

He took a deep breath of the valley air, but the next moment, he exhaled it all in haste.

“The outside reeks of evil spirits. You don’t need your nose—just use your dog eyes,” Xiao Bai reminded him.

Bai lifted his gaze and swept the surroundings. In the sky hovered many grayish-white evil entities, drifting about. When they saw a dog, a man, and an iron ball emerge, they didn’t attack; instead, they scattered and fled.

“Don’t run!” Bai leaped into the air, snatching a snake-like evil creature and killing it with a swipe of his paw.

A gray-white block, about the size of a fingernail, fell from the sky. Bai snapped it up and swallowed it whole...

The iron ball wobbled, puzzled. Wait, isn’t Old He supposed to collect those first?

Xiao Bai quickly communicated with Bai, “Why did you eat it so recklessly?”

“What do you mean, recklessly?” Bai’s dog eyes slanted, “Brother System told me that eating this gives me strength. With strength, I can better protect my master.”

“Uh, feels so good…” Bai burped contentedly.

“No, you can’t eat those at will,” Xiao Bai said kindly. “Didn’t I tell you last time? The right formula is very complex—you need to mix it carefully to take it safely. You shouldn’t eat it now…”

He was frustrated. After more than ten days, Bai was already calling it brother? This silly dog was well on its way to Stockholm syndrome.

Bai shook his head stubbornly. “No way, I have to eat it now. Brother System is strict, but he’s never lied to me. What he says is more reliable than you.”

Damn, in this world, it’s harder to fool a dog than a person. Truly, the wasteland has turned upside down.

Xiao Bai sulked, thinking, Fine, I’ll rely on myself.

……

Soon, Chef He respectfully placed the iron ball on the ground and began swinging his fists, as if practicing some temporary cultivation exercise.

Half an hour later, he chose a different direction and used his newly learned boxing technique to fight the evil creatures.

He had to forge a new future for himself and those who still depended on him.

On Old He’s aged face, there was now a fighting spirit that many young people lacked. His back was straight, and though his fists were somewhat unpracticed, they still held strength as he swung them.

Each time his intent focused, his spiritual power flowed with his punches, and could take down one or even two of the drifting evil entities.

The iron ball didn’t follow Chef He, but rolled behind Bai instead.

Bai swallowed two freshly dropped Spirit Cores in one gulp, taunting, “Don’t follow me, Xiao Bai. You won’t get any cheap gains.”

“You slander me for nothing. I am a noble existence; how could I scavenge from you like a beggar?” Xiao Bai retorted, “I’m just worried something might happen to you. Be careful—I sense something watching us.”

“Uh, sorry, Xiao Bai. I misjudged you.” Bai chuckled sheepishly, about to stick out his tongue to lick, but seeing the iron ball covered in dirt, switched to patting it with his paw instead.

“That’s how it is. But I’m a bit tired from rolling around now. Could you give me a boost? Otherwise, I won’t have the strength to protect you later.” Xiao Bai seized the chance.

“Well, I’m a generous dog. Here, have one. Remember, this is from the master. You must learn to appreciate him.”

Bai reached into the cloth bag hanging around his neck, pulled out a gray-white core, and tossed it to the iron ball.

The core vanished as soon as it touched the iron ball.

How humiliating—to have to rely on scraps from a dog’s mouth. Hopefully, none of my kind ever sees this.

Xiao Bai was disgruntled, sensing the direction where Old He was fighting, and immediately felt dismayed.

As expected, without a system, Old He couldn’t produce a single Spirit Core after all this time.

Yet this silly dog could always get one unless he encountered the smaller gray-white entities. The more he thought about it, the more incredible it seemed.

Indeed, the system’s mysteriousness far surpassed himself and his kind.

“Wow, this dog really is impressive!” a voice suddenly echoed from within the iron ball. “Last time I noticed how remarkable this white dog was, but today I realize I underestimated him. With him around, the elder should soon be able to advance and regain his former powers. The elder truly is extraordinary, able to command such a divine hound.”

Damn...

Xiao Bai wanted to curse, but kept up the act, “He’s not bad, but I’m not like those impatient ones. They only want to drain everything dry; I want to nurture this divine hound properly, so he’ll be worthy of guarding me someday.”

“Elder, your vision is admirable. I’m just too impatient and liked to impersonate others. I finally met an extraordinary human, but he saw right through me. Thinking back, what a waste.”

“Heh, you’re too young. Oh, I forgot to ask last time—where do you live now?” Xiao Bai asked, seizing the opportunity.

“Oh, I and several others live at…” the mysterious voice replied with a location.

Xiao Bai understood immediately upon hearing it. No wonder they could contact him so easily—he’d have to find a way to eliminate them. He couldn’t let Tian Bai be watched every day; otherwise, how could he ever get his hands on the system?