No, what exactly are you misunderstanding?! Do I really look that desperate to you?!
And this is a black market! Why are you suddenly so conscientious?! Now I feel awkward!
Lin Guang forcefully suppressed the urge to rant and asked, "Forget all that. I just want to touch her. Is that okay?"
"…Fine. I'll save the recording afterward."
Lin Guang said nothing more. He simply extended a finger and gently tapped the girl's hands as she gripped the bars.
In the next instant, confusion appeared in the girl's eyes.
Because the moment Lin Guang's finger made contact, it recoiled as if shocked by electricity. His pupils shrank to pinpoints.
A sound—like something shattering—rang out in his mind.
Amid increasingly violent pulses, at the very top of his Sea of Consciousness, the thin membrane encasing that "sun" finally cracked—
—and shattered.
Revealed within was an intricate, three-dimensional sigil of dark gold, its structure incomprehensibly complex.
Its shape resembled a broken heart.
That dark golden light burst forth like sunlight, instantly flooding the entire Sea of Consciousness, dyeing all the formless spiritual power within it in a warm amber glow.
At that same moment, its true name surfaced in Lin Guang's mind—
Talent: Heart of W
After briefly processing the Talent's abilities, Lin Guang didn't hesitate for even a second.
He steadied his breath and softly began chanting an incantation in Ancient Great Xia language.
The immense spirituality within his Sea of Consciousness was awakened at a strange frequency.
In the next moment—
Before the masked man's shocked eyes, the light of contract descended upon the girl.
The masked man was stunned. "Hey, what are you doing?!"
"No—stop!"
The instant the contract light enveloped her, a trace of seriousness flashed deep within the girl's eyes. It seemed as if she wanted to act—
But in the end, she remained still.
Lin Guang felt his Sea of Consciousness trembling. For the first time, his Contract Sigil and Talent Sigil resonated together, echoing in harmony.
The long-dormant blue Elite-grade Talent, Heart of W, suddenly unleashed overwhelming power—like a newborn sun yearning desperately for the contract to be completed.
The masked man, watching from the side, was dumbfounded.
This level of spiritual power… can a student this young really possess it?
The pure white contract light remained stable and gentle, showing no signs of collapse.
At astonishing speed—
The contract was completed.
In an instant, a cyan mark appeared at the center of Lin Guang's Sea of Consciousness—shaped like a demon's tail.
At the same time, the same mark manifested on the back of his right hand.
The masked man, frozen in shock for several seconds, missed his chance to intervene.
"You… you…!"
He snapped back to his senses and shook his head. "It's done. Sigh."
"What a lunatic… I'll have to report this to the manager. He'll probably be kicked out of the experimental class soon. Forget the contamination risk—just the language barrier alone is a huge problem. No more loans for him either… hmm?"
He noticed Lin Guang's pupils slightly dilating, as if he were staring at something invisible in midair.
His mind's already breaking down? That fast?
Suspicion flickered in the masked man's mind, but he had no intention of getting involved with someone destined to go insane.
As for what Lin Guang was thinking?
Simple—
He had just heard the system activation prompt.
After a long silence, the masked man spoke in a somewhat annoyed tone:
"Since you've contracted her, that counts as purchasing her. Please pay 50 credit points."
"…Huh?"
Lin Guang had just closed the system interface, planning to review it later. Hearing this, he froze.
50 credit points—that was 5,000 Great Xia currency.
That price was equivalent to a Gray-grade trash spirit beast. To put it in perspective—it was like buying a Caterpie.
Even if W creatures' potential couldn't be judged by appearance, this was still absurdly cheap.
"Don't ask." The masked man waved him off impatiently. "Possible infectious disease. Higher-ups also said we're not allowed to kill it. Just a loss-making product."
Could it be… Oripathy?
Lin Guang could only feel a trace of regret. Since he hadn't read the update notes before transmigrating, he didn't know the exact mechanics or lore of W beings. He couldn't tell whether the man was exaggerating.
And if they couldn't kill her… why keep her locked up?
The masked man sighed again. "We weren't planning to sell her anyway, but they probably won't make things difficult for you. I'll go talk to them. Wait here."
"Don't try to run. There are people at the entrance."
With that, he casually opened the cage door, removed the girl's shackles, and left without looking back.
The girl stepped out of the cage.
Her amber eyes filled with genuine joy and gratitude.
Her hands trembled as she reached out, tightly grasping Lin Guang's right hand. Tears fell drop by drop onto the ground as she spoke in the most sincere tone—
"What an easy rich kid to deal with. Even the most troublesome guard is gone—there won't be a better chance than this…"
Though the language she spoke was unfamiliar, Lin Guang somehow understood it perfectly.
He froze.
Then instinctively asked, "What did you just say?"
"…Huh???"
The girl suddenly raised her head. Tears still brimmed in her eyes, but they couldn't hide her shock.
She glanced left. Then right.
Confirming no third person was present—
She looked straight at Lin Guang.
He stared back at her, enunciating each word:
"I asked—what did you just say?"
"…Oh ho. I'm screwed."
The tears vanished instantly. Her eyes turned flat, like still water.
"Didn't expect to run into someone in another world who understands W's common language. That's on me."
"What did you say?"
Lin Guang's serious tone made her raise an eyebrow. "That's on me?"
"The sentence before that."
"…There are people in this world who understand W's language?"
"But I was speaking your language just now… ah, Heart of W. I see—it grants language comprehension, huh?"
Lin Guang nodded, understanding.
"Sigh…"
The girl once again put on that pitiful expression and shuffled closer with small steps.
"I'm sorry, I just got too excited. Could you—"
Lin Guang didn't move.
He simply watched her approach, showing no sign of caution.
The next instant—
A hint of madness flashed across her beautiful face.
Her right hand shot out like lightning, gripping his throat.
Hostage secured.
With this young master as leverage, escaping should be possible.
Better teach him a lesson first, in case he doesn't understand the situation and becomes a liability.
A cruel smile curled at her lips.
But just as she was about to apply force—
The strength in her arm dissipated.
Not just that—
Her mind went blank.
Her hostility, malice, the pent-up resentment from days of imprisonment—
All of it vanished in an instant.
Her hand slid down slightly, pressing against Lin Guang's chest.
The gesture now looked almost intimate—like an invitation.
She stared at him blankly.
Taking in his sharp features, straight nose, and the lively eyes behind his black-framed glasses—
She suddenly snapped back to her senses.
Letting go, she quickly stepped back, wary.
"What did you do?!"
"An equal contract."
Lin Guang showed no surprise at her actions. He simply shook his head calmly.
"We've formed an equal contract. From now on, we can't harm each other."
This was precisely why the masked man had dared to leave them alone.
Because once a contract is formed—even the loosest kind—
A spirit beast cannot harm its master.
Unconvinced, the girl reached out toward him again.
Her gaze went blank.
She tried again.
And again.
After several attempts, she finally accepted reality.
With a defeated sigh, she withdrew her hand, stuck out her tongue slightly, and put on a cute, submissive expression.
"Young master… is it too late for me to apologize now?"