The little Shadow Mouse had seen Lin Lei go to Wushan Town to catch wild rabbits, but this time, Lin Lei didn't head toward Wushan. Instead, he followed the road in another direction. The little Shadow Mouse panicked instantly.
"Squeak, squeak~~~"
The little Shadow Mouse darted towards Lin Lei at full speed.
Lin Lei had just taken a step when he felt his foot hugged. Looking down, he saw it was the little Shadow Mouse. The mouse stood on its hind legs, its two front limbs tightly hugging Lin Lei's leg, its eyes looking at Lin Lei with a pitiful expression, as if it were about to tear up.
"Huh? Little Shadow Mouse, how did you get here?" Lin Lei was somewhat surprised.
Hillman, who was beside him, turned to look. Upon seeing the little Shadow Mouse, he was greatly startled. "A magic beast? Could it be a Stone Devourer Mouse?" Hillman wasn't very clear on all magic beast species, but he knew an entire army had once been wiped out by a swarm of them, so soldiers generally feared rodent-like magic beasts.
"Lin Lei, watch out!" Hillman immediately launched a flying kick. Lin Lei only saw a blur as the foot shot towards the little Shadow Mouse.
But the little Shadow Mouse was even faster. It instantly scrambled up onto Lin Lei's shoulder.
"Uncle Hillman, stop!" Lin Lei finally reacted.
Hillman paused.
"Uncle Hillman, this is the animal I've been keeping in the backyard," Lin Lei quickly explained. "Little Shadow Mouse, tell him, right?"
The little Shadow Mouse seemed to understand Lin Lei's words and nodded its small head.
Hillman looked at Lin Lei in surprise. "Lin Lei, did you say you keep... keep a magic beast?"
"Uncle Hillman, wait a moment. Let me persuade the little Shadow Mouse to go back." Lin Lei reached back and scooped up the little Shadow Mouse, saying to it, "Little Shadow Mouse, I have to leave with Uncle Hillman and go to the royal capital. You can't go to the capital, understand?"
The little Shadow Mouse just gazed at Lin Lei pitifully, looking like it might cry.
Lin Lei placed the little Shadow Mouse on the ground and waved his hand. "Go on back." Then he pointed in his own direction. "I'm going this way, to the royal capital."
Saying this, he continued walking forward, waving a farewell.
"Squeak, squeak~~~" The little Shadow Mouse stood in place, watching Lin Lei.
"Uncle Hillman, let's go. Haha, the little Shadow Mouse is very smart. He understands what I mean," Lin Lei said to Hillman beside him. Hillman was also a bit surprised to see this, then chuckled and continued walking with Lin Lei.
Watching Lin Lei and Hillman get further and further away, the little Shadow Mouse stood there watching them the entire time.
"Squeak squeak~~~"
Suddenly, the little Shadow Mouse cried out sharply. Simultaneously, it transformed into a black shadow and shot forward twenty or thirty meters in the blink of an eye, its speed terrifying. Its form flickered erratically. Lin Lei and Hillman were still walking and talking when Hillman suddenly sensed something rushing quickly from behind and turned his head.
"Whoosh—"
There was no time for Hillman to block it. The shadowy form landed deftly by Lin Lei's legs and immediately bit down on his calf.
"Aah!" A sharp pain shot through him, and Lin Lei leaped into the air.
He looked down to see it was the little Shadow Mouse. The mouse was now looking up at him with its large, watery, pitiful eyes. Lin Lei touched his calf and felt blood seeping out, so he couldn't help but feel a bit annoyed. But seeing the little Shadow Mouse's expression, he couldn't stay angry.
"Lin Lei, are you okay?" Hillman asked from beside him.
"I'm fine." Lin Lei smiled.
Suddenly—
A rich, dark black light enveloped the little Shadow Mouse. A trickle of blood flew from the corner of the mouse's mouth. That blood contained both Lin Lei's and the Shadow Mouse's own. The blood eerily formed two opposing black triangles. At the same time, strands of dense black light fused into them, creating a mysterious magic array. The array radiated a powerful aura of darkness.
Both Hillman and Lin Lei stared at the scene in shock.
"This is... could it be?" A guess formed in Lin Lei's mind.
Inside the Coiling Dragon Ring, Derinkoort flew out, his white beard lifting in surprise and delight. "Lin Lei, that little fellow is setting up an Equal Contract!"