"Ho at last, ow-chan."
"ow~"
In the bustling nightlife of the South District stood an old apartnt building. On the sixth floor, facing east, Yan Huan unlocked the door to his modest one-bedroom unit.
Flipping on the corridor light revealed a cramped but tidy space. The entrance led to a narrow hallway; on one side was the kitchenette, and on the other, a small, separated bathroom.
It was nearly 10 p.m. The bus route didn’t reach directly to the apartnt, so Yan Huan had transferred to the subway along the way, making the journey longer than usual.
ow-chan darted around the living room, tail raised high, eagerly inspecting Yan Huan’s humble "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse."
anwhile, Yan Huan unpacked his bag, hung his clean clothes, and tossed the dirty ones into the laundry basket.
Pulling out his phone, he noticed a ssage from Ye Lan:
"Did you make it ho safely, Little Huan?"
Smiling wryly at the banana-milk-thed chat bubble, Yan Huan quickly typed a reply:
"I’m ho, Auntie."
"Good. Rest early."
"You too, Auntie."
After setting his phone aside, Yan Huan moved to his bedroom with ow-chan, packing books and his laptop for the next day. Once the room was tidied and he’d showered, dried his hair, and changed into his pajamas, he finally flopped onto his bed.
By the ti he finished everything, it was past 11 p.m.
"Creak, creak..."
The bedfra groaned under his weight—a stark contrast to the luxurious mattress at Ye Lan’s house. The rental’s hard mattress was far less forgiving, and every slight movent made the fra squeak. If he were to engage in any vigorous activity, the bed would likely turn into a percussion instrunt.
Still, the apartnt had excellent soundproofing.
"No matter how fancy soone else’s nest is, nothing beats your own doghouse..."
Sprawled on his bed, Yan Huan sighed contentedly, plugging in his phone and opening a video app.
ow-chan, having finished its inspection of the "new territory," leaped onto the bed with a swish of its tail.
Ruffling its furry head, Yan Huan asked,
"How do you like the new place, ow-chan?"
"ow~"
ow-chan tilted its head, its tail curling excitedly as it gazed up at him.
"Yan Huan, you truly are the best candidate to counter these Modifiers."
Blinking, Yan Huan lowered his phone, puzzled.
"What’s with the sudden praise? Did sothing happen?"
"I just consud part of a fragnt dropped by Ye Shiyu’s Modifier."
"A fragnt?"
Intrigued, Yan Huan set his phone aside and leaned forward.
"Explain."
"Rember what I told you on Friday?" ow-chan prompted.
Yan Huan thought back.
"You ntioned otherworldly Modifiers invading and finding hosts. Then there was the part about your rewards improving as I resolve these Modifiers. Wait, are you saying the rewards strengthen because you eat these fragnts?"
"Exactly. The rewards you gain enhance as I consu fragnts dropped from weakened Modifiers. And since it’s almost midnight, a new week is about to begin—you’ll see the results soon. Excited?"
Yan Huan regarded ow-chan, his curiosity piqued but his expression thoughtful.
"Before we get to that, explain the chanism. Why did Ye Shiyu’s Modifier drop fragnts? And how does consuming them strengthen mine?"
Impressed by his analytical approach, ow-chan sat upright, raising a paw as if mimicking a beckoning cat statue. It began to explain:
"I told you before that the key to resolving Modifiers is to make their hosts willingly give them up. In essence, the host’s strong desire to use the Modifier is the foundation keeping these otherworldly constructs afloat.
"When you made Ye Shiyu feel regret and reflect on the morality of using her Modifier, it weakened her resolve to use it. This hard the ‘foundation’ supporting her Modifier, causing fragnts to fall off.
"These fragnts, imbued with otherworldly energy, fall within my domain. As a divine being, I can process them into ‘nutrients’ for your Modifier, enhancing its capabilities."
So, ow-chan had essentially... evolved?
Looking at the now glossy-furred, radiant ow-chan, Yan Huan couldn’t help but feel like he was leveling up a Pokémon.
Sitting upright, he rubbed his hands together expectantly.
"Alright, ow Empress, show
the surprises you’ve brought for your king."
Though midnight was still a little while away, Yan Huan used the ti to ask another question.
"Wait a minute. If consuming fragnts strengthens my Modifier, does it weaken hers?"
"Unfortunately, no."
"Why not? That doesn’t make sense—it violates conservation of energy."
ow-chan gave him a pitying look, as if addressing an ignorant child, but explained patiently,
"Don’t forget, her Modifier is tied to the lewd desires of an otherworldly realm. Its effects are directly linked to the host’s desires. As long as the host’s desires remain strong, the Modifier’s power won’t diminish, even if fragnts fall off."
"So even if you collect a ton of fragnts, their Modifier stays as strong as ever?"
"Exactly, ow."
"Fair enough."
Yan Huan flopped back onto the bed, exasperated, but ow-chan nudged him with its soft paw.
"Don’t lose heart, ow. The more fragnts fall off, the closer the host gets to questioning their Modifier. That ans they’re closer to giving it up willingly!"
True.
Considering it had only been two days, with the first weekend barely over, the progress was impressive. ow-chan’s praise of Yan Huan as the "chosen one" didn’t feel undeserved.
Still, Yan Huan wasn’t focused on the philosophical or moral victories. What intrigued him was the enhanced rewards.
Initially planning to fall asleep watching videos, Yan Huan now decided to stay up until midnight to see what the new week’s rewards would bring.
Petting ow-chan absentmindedly, he passed the ti quickly.
Finally, the clock struck midnight. Yan Huan sat up, excitent lighting his face.
"Alright, let’s see what you’ve got!"
"ow~"
ow-chan purred, and from its mouth erged a stream of ethereal golden light.
The light expanded before Yan Huan, morphing into shimring text:
[Modifier Level: 1 → 2]
[Reward Pool Level: 2. Stronger random rewards unlocked.]
[Modifier Evolution Points
1, Random Attribute Fragnt
1.]
[Choose one of the following evolution paths for your Modifier:]
Yan Huan’s eyebrows shot up.
"This thing lets
pick an evolution path?"
Curious and excited, he leaned in to read further.
[Evolution Path 1: Bulk Discount]
[Gain one additional reward each week, but two of the three rewards will co from a lower-tier pool.]
[Evolution Path 2: Devil’s Contract]
[One of the three weekly rewards will co from a lower-tier pool, one from a higher-tier pool. Choosing the higher-tier reward cos with a ti-limited minor curse.]
Yan Huan stared at the options, then grabbed ow-chan’s chubby face, scowling.
"Seriously? Even this has to be a gamble? What’s this ‘reward pool’ nonsense? And what’s with these evolution paths?"
"I told you already, once the Modifier was created, I can’t directly interfere with its effects! No matter the format, it’s ant to help you, ow!"
Getting nowhere with ow-chan, Yan Huan turned back to the choices before him.
It was clear now that Friday’s rewards had all co from the lowest-tier pool. Two were useless, and only one was mildly helpful.
This ant Tier 1 rewards were highly inconsistent, likely full of duds. Picking from them was like scraping the bottom of the barrel.
As for Tier 2 or higher rewards, he had no clear concept of their capabilities. But considering ow-chan’s goal was to preserve worldline stability, the rewards were probably ant to assist him in completing his tasks—not to turn him into Superman or Doctor Strange.
Understanding this gave Yan Huan so clarity. These rewards were ant to facilitate a logical resolution to the Modifier problem, not to create an overpowered superhero.
Having settled his thoughts, Yan Huan decided to start with the Random Attribute Fragnt as a warm-up.
[Charm Fragnt—Increases your attractiveness to others slightly.]
[In this world, appearance matters.]
[Reproductive Fragnt—Slightly enhances your reproductive-related capabilities.]
[Once used as an excuse by a certain gentleman.]
[Stamina Fragnt—Slightly improves your stamina.]
[Perhaps this will help you quit pulling all-nighters faster.]
Yan Huan pursed his lips and chose the first option.
The third option wasn’t necessary—stamina could be improved with regular exercise, so it felt like a waste of the Modifier.
As for the second... well, considering his current situation—balancing on a tightrope against Modifiers where failure could unlock X-rated defeat CGs—this seed like a self-imposed tax for no gain.
The Charm Fragnt was the most universally applicable.
The fragnt’s golden glow dissolved into his body. Curious, Yan Huan grabbed his phone and used the front-facing cara to check himself.
No visible change.
"Slightly... " Yan Huan recalled the description.
This was too slight! There wasn’t even a discernible difference!
Shaking his head, he turned his attention to the evolution paths.
In the end, Yan Huan chose Devil’s Contract.
Though he didn’t fully grasp what higher-tier rewards might entail, the inconsistent quality of Tier 1 rewards made piling up more of them feel pointless. Better to take a chance.
"Ti to spin the wheel and upgrade my ride."
As soon as Yan Huan made his choice, golden light surged, and three glowing spheres erged from ow-chan’s body, varying in size.
From left to right, the spheres increased in size, corresponding to their tier levels. The largest sphere, faintly veiled in black mist, was clearly the high-tier reward.
[Skill: Vocal Imitation—As the na suggests.]
[A master of mimicry from the capital.]
[Ability: Boundless Vitality—Your stamina and energy recovery rates increase significantly, but your appetite also grows substantially.]
[Great power demands great als.]
[Ability: Learning Conqueror—When engaging in learning-related activities, every 30 minutes of focus grants a stack (up to 10). Each stack increases learning efficiency by 15%, and reaching max stacks provides a significant intelligence boost. Focus ends after 10 minutes of inactivity, resetting stacks.]
[I shall conquer all knowledge until I turn to dust.]
[Curse: Slight drowsiness when not focused. Duration: 5 days.]
Yan Huan’s eyes glead with intrigue as he read the third option.
As expected, the Tier 3 reward wasn’t so earth-shattering power but still offered impressive benefits.
Max stacks would an a 250% increase in learning efficiency along with a significant intelligence boost. And it only required five hours of focus to max out.
The curse—minor drowsiness when not focused—seed manageable.
Nodding in approval, Yan Huan selected Learning Conqueror.
The golden sphere burst, its light and black mist surging into his body.
Monts later, he felt a wave of slight drowsiness. His eyelids grew heavy, and if he let himself relax, he’d likely drift off.
"This is what I’d call an anti-insomnia tool..." Yan Huan thought with a yawn.
Despite the late hour, Yan Huan felt satisfied with the night’s events. Setting an alarm for the morning, he turned off the bedside lamp and pulled ow-chan into his arms.
"ow~"
ow-chan nestled against his chest, tucking its paws under itself as Yan Huan draped the blanket over both of them.
In the dim light, their gazes t—ow-chan’s erald eyes shining against the dark.
"ow-chan, I thought your super evolution would let you take over the world. But even now, you’re leagues behind those other Modifiers..." Yan Huan murmured, his voice tinged with weariness.
Bai Yi’s indifference, Ye Shiyu’s hypnosis, and the unknown blonde girl’s abilities... The thought of them was still a headache.
"ow?"
ow-chan tilted its head before speaking telepathically.
"Yan Huan, do you really think those Modifiers ca here to help their hosts fulfill their wishes?"
"Of course not. They’re here to invade and destroy the worldline. But helping fulfill their hosts’ desires is probably just an easy side job—no matter how twisted those desires are..."
ow-chan shook its head firmly.
"I call them Modifiers instead of cheat systems or buffs for a reason. They aren’t harmless tools with all benefits and no drawbacks. They’re malignant tumors that will ultimately destroy their hosts as well."
Its erald eyes glead with unyielding seriousness.
"Using those Modifiers cos at a heavy price, Yan Huan."
"..."
Yan Huan stroked ow-chan’s warm fur thoughtfully.
"Don’t tell
the price is sothing abstract like karma, fate, or moral judgnt. I don’t buy that."
"It’s not," ow-chan said solemnly.
"The price is real. I don’t know exactly what it is yet, but it exists."
Yan Huan stared at ow-chan’s glowing eyes in the dark before sighing deeply and closing his own.
"Well... at least that makes
feel a bit better."
"ow~"
ow-chan let out a soft purr, snuggling closer.
The room fell silent, the perfect prelude to sleep.
But just as Yan Huan was about to drift off, a thought jolted him awake.
"Wait—does using your Modifier co with a price too? Even if it’s not as severe as theirs?"
"ow~"
ow-chan tilted its head innocently as if to say, "I’m just a cat—how could I possibly talk?"
"Does it or doesn’t it?"
"ow~"
ow-chan blinked adorably, clearly milking its cuteness.
Realizing the little furball was sulking over his earlier comnt about it being weaker than other Modifiers, Yan Huan scowled and grabbed its round face, shaking it playfully.
"ow-chan!"
"Alright, alright, no price, ow! Stop squishing my face!"
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