17: Stainless Steel Butterfly

A conflicted expression flickered across Wei Yansheng's face. He tentatively asked, "How much is the boarding fee?"

Luo Chen calculated silently in his mind. "How about 60,000 spirit coins? A 10,000 spirit coin deposit is required before boarding."

Sixty thousand.

Wei Yansheng looked at the mystic spirit grass in his arms, as if steeling his resolve. "Alright, sixty thousand it is."

As he spoke, he handed the cage containing the Fragrant Rabbit he was holding in his left hand to Luo Chen.

After paying, Wei Yansheng urgently left the shop, carefully protecting the mystic spirit grass in his arms.

With the attention-grabbing mystic spirit grass gone, the customers in the shop gradually dispersed, leaving only a few still observing the tamed beasts.

Luo Chen pulled up his mission panel.

[Mission Progress: Sell six tamed beasts (Completed), Receive 200 customers (Completed), Board five tamed beasts (Two completed). Time limit: 10 days.

Mission Reward: Permanent exploration rights for a Tier 1 secret realm.]

The two completed boardings were: a Radiant Hound sold by Luo Yang in Luo Chen's absence, and the Frost Wolf that had just arrived at the shop for sale.

Then the two mystic spirit grass plants and the two Fragrant Rabbits sold as a bundle deal perfectly completed the system's mission of selling tamed beasts.

Only three more tamed beasts to board and the mission would be complete. Luo Chen turned his gaze to Luo Yang, revealing a kind smile.

"Little brother, where's Chi Yan? I haven't seen him."

"Uh..."

Luo Yang was momentarily stunned, then pointed to the bracelet on his wrist. "I was afraid he might scare the customers, so I've been letting him rest inside the bracelet."

Luo Chen glanced at the few remaining customers in the shop. "It's fine, let him out."

Though feeling a bit strange about it, Luo Yang's trust in his elder brother made him release Chi Yan directly. The bracelet projected a patch of green light onto the empty floor in front of them.

Then, a majestic Blazing Lion materialized.

It first surveyed its surroundings, then, spotting Luo Chen, it immediately pounced without hesitation.

If Luo Yang hadn't intercepted it in advance, Luo Chen—who had never experienced the harshness of tamed beast battles—would likely have been knocked to the ground.

Luo Chen stepped forward and patted Chi Yan's head, saying to Luo Yang beside him, "Before your school starts, leave Chi Yan here at the shop. Go settle the bill at the counter yourself. The fee is 2,000 spirit coins."

"Huh?"

Hearing Luo Chen's words, Luo Yang instantly froze in place.

"What do you mean 'huh'? Even brothers keep clear accounts. Did you think boarding is free? Go on, hurry up."

Seriously? You run a shop, not making money from others, but squeezing your own brother dry. Is that really okay?

Luo Yang only dared to grumble this silently in his heart. Not daring to resist, he could only walk dejectedly to the counter and transfer 2,000 spirit coins from his terminal.

People came and went in the shop, and before they knew it, evening had arrived.

Seeing that it was unlikely any more customers would come, Luo Chen prepared to close the shop and head home with Luo Yang.

At that moment, a little girl of about seven or eight years old walked in, carefully holding something in both hands. Spotting Luo Chen near the entrance, her eyes lit up, and she said in a clear, crisp voice:

"Big brother, can you treat tamed beasts here?"

Luo Chen smiled gently at the little girl. "Little sister, you need to go to a tamed beast hospital for treatment. We sell tamed beasts here."

While answering her, Luo Chen also got a clear look at what she was holding.

It was a butterfly shimmering with a silvery glow all over. Its wings looked as if forged from steel, gleaming with a cold light. In good health, it would undoubtedly be a tamed beast with excellent appearance.

However, now, one of its steel-like wings was broken in the middle. The other wing was in an even more tragic State, seemingly about to detach from its body, with only about half of the connecting point still attached.

Luo Chen could sense that this butterfly-like tamed beast was on the verge of death.

Hearing Luo Chen's reply, the little girl was visibly disappointed. She cupped her hands slightly, trying to make the butterfly tamed beast more comfortable.

Luo Chen quietly asked the system in his mind, "System, can this butterfly still be saved?"

"It can. Simply immerse it in the Nurturing Pool, and its current life signs can be stabilized."

Having received the system's answer, Luo Chen called out to the little girl who was about to turn and leave.

"Wait a moment."

The little girl turned back, puzzled. "What is it, big brother?"

"I have a way to save it," Luo Chen said, pointing at the silver butterfly in her hands.

"Really?" Hearing his words, the little girl's eyes instantly widened, making her look like a chibi-style squirrel.

"But you'll have to board this tamed beast with me, okay?" Facing such an adorable little girl, Luo Chen's tone unconsciously softened.

"Boarding..." The little girl blinked uneasily. "How much does it cost?"

As if fearing Luo Chen might refuse to treat the butterfly, the little girl gently placed the silver butterfly on the ground. Then, she took out a handful of crumpled paper bills and coins from the backpack behind her.

She hurriedly offered them to Luo Chen. "Big brother, this is all the money I have. Please, you have to save it."

Luo Chen took a single ten-spirit coin bill from the money she offered and placed it on the counter.

"Alright, this will be enough."

Then, he scooped the silver butterfly from the ground into his palm. The silver butterfly, which couldn't even fit in both of the little girl's hands, was now completely cradled within Luo Chen's single palm.

Holding it in his hand, Luo Chen could more directly feel the faintness of the silver butterfly's life force, like a candle flickering in the wind, ready to go out at any moment.

Luo Yang, who had been observing the whole process from the side, walked over. He whispered quietly into Luo Chen's ear,

"Brother, don't you dare trick this little girl. This Fine Steel Butterfly has no chance of survival."

Luo Chen shot Luo Yang a sidelong glance. "Who's the Breeder here, you or me? If I say it can be saved, it can be saved. You stay here and keep the little girl company for a moment."

With that, cradling the Fine Steel Butterfly Luo Yang had mentioned in his palm, he went up to the second floor.

Luo Chen gently placed the Fine Steel Butterfly in his hand into the water of the Nurturing Pool.

The pool water slowly submerged the Fine Steel Butterfly's body. Then, the Fine Steel Butterfly truly sank to the bottom of the pool like a lifeless corpse, showing no reaction.

Luo Chen couldn't help but doubt the system's words. "System, you're not lying to me, are you?"

"No. Just wait a little while," the system replied with its usual confident certainty.

Luo Chen calmed his mind and focused intently on the silver butterfly resting at the pool's bottom. Sure enough, after a short while, a faint fluorescent glow appeared at the wounds on the butterfly's body.

It was as if an invisible force was attaching to the wounds. The broken wing was realigning, and new flesh was generating at the damaged parts of its body.

Its own aura gradually strengthened and stabilized. It seemed surviving was no longer a problem.

"You can take it out now. Another week of soaking like this, and it will fully recover."

Following the system's suggestion, Luo Chen retrieved the Fine Steel Butterfly from the bottom of the pool.

It had already opened its tiny eyes and was now looking at Luo Chen with gratitude.

Luo Chen gently touched its wing. "I'm not the one who saved you. She's waiting for you downstairs."