"Is there a way to contact Xiao Liu? I'm pressed for time and want to find it quickly. Also, the reason I'm looking for Xiao Liu is to recruit it under my banner. However, there are requirements for recruiting magical beasts here; I need to form a contract with the beast before it can be considered my subordinate."
Lu Heng looked down at the giant rat patriarch, whose breathing had already calmed, and explained his purpose for seeking Xiao Liu.
There was no point in hiding this matter. If Xiao Liu or its kin disagreed, he could leave immediately without disturbing the giant rats' lives any further.
He wasn't insistent on contracting with this giant rat, and his contracting capacity was limited. Therefore, he would be cautious about contracting with other animals later on.
"Well, I truly hope Xiao Liu can accompany you. It would be an honor for us giant rats to follow a powerful individual like yourself. Of course, this also depends on Xiao Liu's willingness. As for finding Xiao Liu, it will be found soon; I've already arranged for someone to search."
A significant advantage of their giant rat tribe was its vast population. As long as Xiao Liu hadn't left this forest, finding it wouldn't take too long.
When Lu Heng inquired about Xiao Liu, the giant rat patriarch had already keenly sensed Lu Heng's intentions. He had immediately given orders for the giant rats responsible for reconnaissance to disseminate the news. He was confident that word would return shortly.
Indeed, after a short while, a burrow's opening was suddenly widened. First, a giant rat burst out and squeaked something to the giant rat patriarch.
Following that, several giant rats emerged from the burrow, quickly dragging out a slightly thinner giant rat.
"Squeak, squeak, squeak, squeak..."
The giant rat being carried struggled intensely. Upon closer inspection, one could see that the giant rat was bound with many grass branches, its limbs tied to its not-so-round body.
"Xiao Liu?"
Lu Heng sensed something different about the giant rat and tentatively asked.
The struggling body, which had been wriggling moments ago, froze as if struck by a petrification spell upon hearing Lu Heng's voice. The tips of its paws, exposed from the grass leaves, stopped struggling and remained motionless, rolling off the other giant rats.
"Squeak, squeak." The giant rat patriarch walked impatiently to the giant rat that was feigning death. With a flick of its left paw, the grass leaves binding the small giant rat vanished.
However, the giant rat on the ground continued to play dead.
The surrounding giant rats began to chatter, and "squeak, squeak" sounds rose and fell around Lu Heng.
Lu Heng turned away from the giant rat and asked the blood wolf beside him, "What's going on?"
The blood wolf was stunned by the giant rats' actions and discussions. It had never witnessed such expressive animals; their performance was even more captivating than what it had seen on television.
"It, it says it's not called Xiao Liu and that the master has mistaken it."
"Heh!"
Mistaken, huh? "Then tell the giant rat patriarch that since Xiao Liu is no longer here, we will take our leave and never again set foot in the giant rats' territory."
"Roar, roar, roar." The blood wolf's eyes widened slightly, and then its eye corners seemed to twitch. It translated to the giant rat patriarch, but its gaze remained fixed on the figure playing dead on the ground.
"Squeak, squeak, squeak, squeak..."
After the blood wolf finished speaking, Xiao Liu straightened up, struggling violently with its limbs. It exerted force on its left side and rolled over, then scurried to Lu Heng's front in a few quick steps.
Xiao Liu's front paws dug into the surface of Lu Heng's shoes, treading incessantly. Lu Heng looked down and was relieved that he had worn black shoes that day. Even so, in the dim environment, he could clearly see some dirt scattered on his shoe uppers.
Shaking his feet to dislodge the dirt from his shoes, Lu Heng looked at Xiao Liu, who had now stood up on the ground, and smiled, saying, "You're not Xiao Liu. The Xiao Liu I'm looking for isn't here. I'm leaving."
"Roar, roar, roar." The blood wolf translated.
"Squeak, squeak."
"Master, it says it is Xiao Liu."
"Oh, you're also called Xiao Liu? Why have you become so thin?"
"Roar, roar, roar."
"Squeak, squeak."
"It says it missed its master," the blood wolf said, no longer having the face to translate. It felt a sense of familiarity from Xiao Liu, similar to some of the animals in its own home, perhaps?
That's right, it was the director, that talkative, clean cat that spoke in a similar tone.
The blood wolf could already imagine how lively their home would become if the master brought this giant rat back.
It was already looking forward to it. o(n_n)o~~~
Glancing at the blood wolf lost in its own thoughts, Lu Heng turned to Xiao Liu and asked, "I've come this time to contract with you, to have you become my pet and follow me. Are you willing?"
"Willing, I've long wished to become one with my master."
After translating again, Lu Heng received Xiao Liu's affirmative reply. He took out a small bowl mixed with his own blood and water and placed it on the ground.
"Drink all of this, and your wish will be granted."
Xiao Liu looked at the water on the ground with slight suspicion, but it still approached the bowl and, holding it with its not-so-long little paws, drank it down.
"Snap!"
The empty bowl fell to the ground. Xiao Liu, who had been in front of the other rats moments ago, vanished.
"My great-grandson ran off again?" the giant rat patriarch said, rubbing its eyes with some hesitation.
"It seems so," a giant rat standing beside the patriarch nodded, confirming.
"Master, there are so many magical beasts here! Wow, why is that terrifying one here too? Master, save me..."
With a wave of his hand, Xiao Liu left the spatial dimension and reappeared on the grass.
"Wow, Master, I think I just had a hallucination. I saw that terrifying existence again, and it even looked at me! Will I be eaten? Master, I..."
After contracting with the giant rat, Lu Heng could naturally communicate with Xiao Liu. He conveyed through his thoughts, "You'll be fine. You were probably hallucinating just now. You think too much every day, so..."
"However, let's not talk about this for now. I've already wasted enough time. You should quickly bid farewell to your kin; I need to take you away."
"I will bring it back again in the future, of course, when it wants to come back," Lu Heng said to the giant rat patriarch, turning his head.
"Xiao Liu, when you follow your master, you must be obedient. And you don't need to come back unnecessarily," the patriarch walked up to Xiao Liu and poked it with its paw.
"Patriarch!..." Xiao Liu trembled uncontrollably, thinking it had misheard. It asked again, unwillingly, "Won't you miss me when I'm gone?"
All the rats shook their heads in unison.
Xiao Liu froze instantly, its trembling stopped, and its head gradually drooped, staring at the ground for a long time.
"I will definitely come back, and you must miss me a lot!" Xiao Liu looked up again, gazing at the rats in the tribe, and impudently grinned, revealing its large front teeth.