Chapter 30: The Treasure-Stealing Marten

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Under cover of night, Ren Jie slipped quietly back home. An Ning was already asleep.

In the room, Tao Yaoyao sat in front of the computer, one hand hammering away at the keyboard as she browsed through webpage after webpage.

Ever since she had contracted Demon Mark Disease, she had stopped attending school. Unable to get around easily, she had been studying at home, and the computer was probably her only means of learning about the outside world.

Yaoyao might have been young, but she was remarkably gifted with computers.

She had even created a freelance-job website specifically for Ren Jie. The reason he had been able to find so much work was directly related to her.

“It’s so late. Why aren’t you asleep yet? Are you trying to cultivate immortality? Don’t sit so close to the computer—you’ll ruin your eyes and become nearsighted!”

Ren Jie nagged like an overprotective mother.

Tao Yaoyao said smugly:

“Cultivate immortality? Heh. As the leader of the Return-to-Cage Cult, I’ve already had fifteen years of experience. Do you really think I’m afraid of dark circles?”

“Hey, hey, hey—bro, look! I wonder who could be so virtuous and talented, a model for the rest of us, an absolute paragon of excellence. Down with the normies! Hahaha…”

Ren Jie glanced over, and his expression instantly froze.

The top trending story in Brocade City read:

“Shocking! Pigeons at Freedom Square Suffer Mass Diarrhea, Triggering Hours of Widespread ‘Pigeon Rain’! Hundreds Affected! The Square Transformed into a White Hell!”

“Authorities Suspect Poison Was Added to the Pigeons’ Feed. The Public Security Office Is Investigating with All Its Might. The Clues Have Currently Led to a Young Man Carrying an Umbrella. Citizens with Information Are Encouraged to Report It. A Cash Reward of Ten Thousand Yuan Will Be Provided!”

Beneath the trending story was an on-site interview filmed by reporters. Several plaster statues were cursing furiously in righteous indignation, and surveillance footage had even been attached.

It showed Ren Jie strolling through the rain with an umbrella. Unfortunately, the camera lens had also been splattered, so the footage was far from clear.

The comments section was filled with an immeasurable amount of profanity.

As Tao Yaoyao continued watching, her expression gradually stiffened. She turned toward Ren Jie with a look of profound suspicion.

“Why does that back look so familiar? And the clothes he’s wearing…”

Ren Jie hurriedly looked away, sweat breaking out across his forehead.

(￢﹏￢‧̣̥̇)…

Tao Yaoyao’s mouth fell open.

No way. Had she really stumbled onto her own brother while enjoying some gossip?

She immediately pulled out her phone, opened a browser, and searched:

“Can I claim a reward for reporting a close relative? The specific reporting procedure is…”

Ren Jie’s face darkened. He stepped forward and snatched the phone from her hands.

“You’re still a child. How can you spend all day looking at this sort of thing? You should be reading something positive—news full of positive energy!”

As he spoke, he hurriedly swiped through the video.

The next item appeared:

“Seventh Brigade Luminary Officer Rescues Young Man Attempting to Jump from Bridge, Saving a Precious Life! His Spirit Is Worthy of Our Emulation!

“Complete Rescue Footage and Interview with the Individual Involved Attached…”

[Rescue Video.mp4]

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[Wang Peng Interview Video.mp4]

In the interview video, Wang Peng lay sprawled across a hospital bed.

Reporter: “What are your thoughts on this incident?”

Wang Peng glared wide-eyed.

“I—bleep bleep bleep—%?…;# *’☆! Ren Jie! Aaaaaah…”

Reporter: “It seems the individual involved is somewhat agitated. We’ll continue the interview once he has calmed down…”

Ren Jie: (≖﹏≖٥)……

Tao Yaoyao’s eyes went wide. The person who had performed the rescue in the video was Ren Jie—and she had personally watched his left arm stretch out to an absurd length and haul the man back.

“Bro? Your… your arm… Is it a mechanical arm? Wait—could you actually be a robot? Tell me! Where did you hide my real brother?”

Ren Jie’s face grew even darker. He flicked her forehead.

“Bullshit! Have you been watching too many science-fiction movies?”

“Then… what happened to your arm?”

Seeing that there was no longer any point in hiding it, Ren Jie stopped trying.

“My left arm is mechanical. I suppose that makes me an Augmented Host now. Don’t tell Aunt An Ning, all right?”

As he spoke, Ren Jie slightly rotated his wrist. The disguise around his arm peeled away, revealing the mechanical limb in its entirety before Tao Yaoyao.

It was a thing of power and mechanical beauty.

At that moment, Tao Yaoyao’s eyes lit up. She let out an astonished cry.

“My goodness! The Iron Hand! So the reason your arm was out of control this morning was because of this?”

“Then what happened to your original arm?”

A thousand questions surged through Tao Yaoyao’s mind. They lived together every day, yet somehow his arm had turned into a mechanical limb.

Ren Jie sighed.

“Ah… Actually, I was abducted by aliens last night and mechanically modified. They said I was the Chosen One, praised how handsome I was, insisted on giving me an artificial limb, and even entrusted me with the mission of saving the planet!”

“I couldn’t resist them, so I was forced to get the implant!”

Tao Yaoyao: (≖_≖)…

“You’re the one who’s watched too many science-fiction movies!”

“But… are you really okay?”

A clear trace of worry appeared in her eyes.

How had her brother lost his arm? And how many other things were there that she knew nothing about?

Ren Jie smiled and carried Tao Yaoyao back to bed.

“I’m fine. You don’t need to worry about me. Oh, right—the money is almost enough. If everything goes smoothly, I’ll be able to get the inhibitor soon. And if nothing unexpected happens, I might even be able to get you an injection of genetic medicine!”

Tao Yaoyao’s eyes shone brightly. Her face flushed with excitement.

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“Really? Really? Bro, I love you so much! Kisses, kisses!”

She said this while enthusiastically planting kisses all over Ren Jie’s face, then suddenly realized what she was doing.

“Wait… where did you get so much money? Hmm…”

“Bro? You didn’t go and become some rich woman’s kept man for my sake, did you? Was that busty girl downstairs today the one you latched onto? Or did you take one of those high-paying baby-making jobs? Waaaah, I’m so moved! My brother is incredible!”

Ren Jie headbutted Tao Yaoyao, knocking her onto the bed.

“You and your wild imagination! Go to sleep!”

Tao Yaoyao rubbed her forehead resentfully and held out a small hand toward Ren Jie.

“Fine, I’ll keep your secret, but… I want something tasty…”

Ren Jie’s expression stiffened. After running around all day, he had genuinely forgotten about that.

“Well, I…”

Before he could finish speaking, a streak of white suddenly flashed outside the window. Before he could make out what it was, white light shimmered across its body.

It passed straight through the window and entered the room.

Ren Jie’s eyes narrowed. He was about to strike, thinking trouble had come knocking.

But in the next instant, the white blur shot straight into his arms.

Only then did Ren Jie realize that it was a snow-white marten.

Its large eyes were violet. It stood on Ren Jie’s shoulder with an affectionate expression, rubbing frantically against his cheek.

“Eee-eee-eee!”

Tao Yaoyao stared in disbelief.

“A… a white marten? The window was closed! How did it get in?”

Ren Jie was dumbfounded as well.

Wasn’t this Chen Hua’s treasure-stealing marten?

It had been trained by the Tarot Cards and was capable of locating bearers of demon pacts. The reason the Demon Claw had targeted him in the first place was because of this little creature.

Why had it come here?

Could it be because there was some scent on him that it liked?

“Bro, bro, bro! Where did this little thing come from? Aaaah, it’s so cute!”

Ren Jie grinned.

“Didn’t you always want a pet? I didn’t manage to get you anything tasty, so here—this is your gift.”

Tao Yaoyao nearly exploded with excitement.

A gift for her?

Yet Ren Jie’s heart had begun to pound.

This treasure-stealing marten was absolutely no ordinary animal.

This thing… was probably a demon.