Lo's eyes lit up.
It was precisely the first-order magical bird, the Gray-headed Goose, mentioned in the previous intelligence reports. Its meat was exquisitely delicious, a rare delicacy.
"Ed."
"Yes, my lord!"
"Take two knights skilled in archery and hunt a few Gray-headed Geese."
"Yes, sir!"
Moonlight excitedly circled Lo's horse twice, emitting a low growl from its throat, eager to join the hunt.
"Do you want a taste too?"
Moonlight immediately pressed its head against Lo's leg, rubbing vigorously.
Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!
Several arrows pierced the air, accurately striking a few Gray-headed Geese at the edge of the flock.
Quack! Quack!
The wounded geese let out凄厉的惨叫 (piercing cries), flapping their wings and collapsing to the ground.
The sudden attack startled the entire flock. They quacked loudly, flapping their wings, and flew a hundred meters away.
Moonlight excitedly joined the hunt, chasing the fattest goose among them. Just as the goose was about to take off, Moonlight spat out a bolt of lightning, stunning it.
Carrying a goose even larger than itself in its mouth, Moonlight proudly returned to present its prize.
"That's enough!"
Lo, seeing that they had already hunted over a dozen plump Gray-headed Geese, immediately ordered a halt. "Gather the prey; let's head back!"
The knights swiftly stepped forward, collecting the geese that had been shot and those "captured" by Moonlight.
Moonlight, triumphant,叼着 (carrying) the largest Gray-headed Goose, walked up to Lo, placed the prey down, and lifted its head, as if saying, "Praise me!"
"Well done."
Lo patted its head.
Over a dozen heavy Gray-headed Geese were tied up and hung on the horses' backs.
As dusk fell, several bonfires were lit in the central square of the town.
The delicious aroma of the roasted geese drew rave reviews from everyone.
Two whole geese, roasted to a golden, crispy perfection, were placed in front of Moonlight.
Without hesitation, it opened its mouth wide, eating greedily, its mouth glistening with oil, and its throat emitting a contented purr.
One, two... Soon, only a few scattered bones remained of the two large geese.
As night deepened and the喧嚣 (hustle and bustle) faded away,
Lo returned to his room, where Moonlight, contented, lay snoring at the foot of his bed.
In his hand, he played with a tarnished brass ring. Under the firelight, it lacked much luster, and the gemstone once embedded in it was nowhere to be seen.
This was a ring Lo had bought at a junk shop for three silver eagles.
He took out a magic stone and carefully embedded it. With his enhanced spiritual perception, the energy of the magic stone connected with the ring, and the tattered piece of jewelry seemed to undergo some subtle changes.
The next morning brought another fine day.
[Daily Intelligence Refresh]
[1: Attracted by abnormal elemental fluctuations in an abandoned mine shaft, a ground sloth in the vicinity has chosen the abandoned mine as its new den.]
[2: A herd of sand rats is approaching Blackstone Town. Sand rats are first-order magical beasts, skilled at digging tunnels, with weak combat strength but highly social. They reproduce rapidly and, once forming a large group, can cause devastating damage to crops and granary reserves in the area.]
[3: Someone once spotted a herd of pegasi near the edge of the Misty Forest on the western side of Blackstone Mountains. Pegasi are second-order magical beasts, with strong physiques and extremely fast running and flying speeds, making them excellent mounts for knights. The pegasi herd is here because a large patch of magical alfalfa grows at the edge of the Misty Forest. Magical alfalfa is a favorite feed for herbivorous magical beasts like pegasi, and long-term consumption can strengthen their bloodlines and physiques.]
[4: An iron-armored rhino is wandering in the southern bank area of the Blackwater River. The iron-armored rhino is a third-order magical beast with a暴躁 (irascible) and易怒 (easily angered) nature. Currently, this rhino has just given birth to two cubs and is in a frenzied state, highly aggressive.]
[5: Old Huke, the blacksmith in Blackstone Town, seems to possess an ancient dwarven forging technique, but he never readily reveals it.]
[6: Upstream from the river valley where the Gray-headed Geese inhabit, the rushing water has formed a small waterfall. Behind the waterfall, there appears to be a hidden cave.]
[7: ]
[8: ]
...
[10: Your knightly training is becoming increasingly complete. The seed of knighthood within you has grown strong enough. Perhaps today is the day you break through to become a full-fledged knight.]
"Ed!"
Ed appeared at the doorway almost immediately, looking refreshed.
"Go and fetch Old Buck."
"Yes, sir!"
Not long after, Old Buck, with his gray hair but lively spirit, followed Ed into the room.
"Lord, you summoned me?"
"Sit down, Mayor Buck," Lo pointed to a nearby chair. "Yesterday, during the knightly patrol, traces of sand rats were found within our territory."
Old Buck's face immediately turned solemn.
"Sand rats? That's not a good sign, my lord. Those things reproduce rapidly and are experts at ruining crops. The town has suffered from rat infestations before, with heavy losses."
Lo said, "You must immediately organize the townsfolk, especially those experienced old hunters and farmers, to set up as many rat traps as possible around the town's periphery, especially near the granaries and residences. Whether it's pitfall traps, mouse cages, or other methods, the more the better. Additionally, strengthen the guard and inspection of the granaries to ensure there are no vulnerabilities."
"Understood, my lord!"
Old Buck stood up, his expression grave. "I'll arrange it right away. Sand rats may be pesky, but with proper preparation, we can minimize the losses."
"Go ahead. Tell the townsfolk that there will be rewards for capturing sand rats. Each sand rat can be exchanged for ten copper finches."
"Yes, my lord!"
Old Buck hurried away.
After arranging this urgent matter, Lo returned to his room and sat cross-legged.
He closed his eyes and sank into his mind.
He could "see" that deep within his body, the intangible "seed of knighthood" was pulsing gently, emitting a warm and resilient glow.
Breaking through to become a full-fledged knight hinged on completely "igniting" this seed, allowing it to take root and sprout, integrating tightly with his flesh, spirit, and even soul to form a cyclical, unceasing energy core.
This process required a massive influx of energy and the guidance of a resolute will.
He took a deep breath and mobilized all the斗气 (qi, or life force) within his body, like a rushing river, to begin冲击 (striking) the seed that was ready to burst forth.
Once, twice...
Each strike caused the seed to tremble slightly.
Time passed slowly. The room was so quiet that only Lo's steady breathing and Moonlight's occasional soft whimper could be heard.
Suddenly, Lo felt a slight tremor in his body, as if something had shattered.
The seed of knighthood burst forth with a dazzling light, no longer a gentle white but a bright silver hue filled with a sense of锐利 (sharpness) and power!
A powerful and pure force surged out from the seed, instantly flowing through his limbs and bones.
His bones emitted a faint cracking sound, his muscle fibers became more resilient, and the speed of his blood flow increased, as if containing a stronger vitality.
His perception also became more acute. He could even clearly "hear" Moonlight's heartbeat and sense the faint magical fluctuations emanating from its body.
Full-fledged knight!
He had finally broken through!
This was not just an increase in power but a leap in the very essence of his life.
Just then, an unexpected change occurred!
He felt a cool and mysterious force flowing through the契约 (pact) connection between him and Moonlight, like a gentle stream, merging into the knightly core he had just formed.
This force carried Moonlight's unique aura, full of灵动 (agility) and魔力 (magic).
It did not clash with the knightly force but rather seemed to find a kindred spirit, blending seamlessly together like water and milk.
The edges of the originally pure silver knightly core began to shimmer with a faint,皎洁 (luminous) purple hue, like moonlight.
His qi seemed to take on a subtle magical characteristic as it circulated.
This was...
Lo suddenly opened his eyes and looked at Moonlight beside him.
Moonlight was also tilting its head to look at him, its purple eyes shining brightly, emitting a contented purr from its throat, as if enjoying this energy fusion as well.
"Moonlight, it seems you have fully accepted me," Lo couldn't help but reach out and rub Moonlight's fluffy head.
Moonlight closed its eyes contentedly, rubbing its head against his palm, its tail wagging happily.
Feeling the surging power within his body and the deeper connection with Moonlight, Lo rubbed its fluffy little head.
"Moonlight, show me your true form!"
Moonlight opened its innocent big eyes, looking utterly clueless and adorably呆萌 (dazed and cute).
"Dragon!"
"I know you're a silver dragon!"
Lo directly exposed it.
"Let me see what your true form looks like!"
Moonlight "meowed" and "meowed," wagging its fluffy tail, proving it was just a big cat.
Lo couldn't coax the feigning ignorance out of Moonlight and ultimately didn't get to see its silver dragon true form.