"Where did you get this?"
Chen Yu frowned, staring at the plate for a long time.
It wasn't that he disliked the plate; anything that a resource spirit beast like Hei Dou considered a treasure was bound to be good.
The problem was—
The plate was broken.
Cracks covered its surface. He didn't have anyone skilled in repairing treasures in his camp, so even if he obtained it, its usefulness would be limited.
"Hmph~"
"Who do you think I am!"
Hei Dou's small face scrunched up, his chin held high with immense pride.
"What treasure in this world can escape my notice, Little Hei? Boss, let me tell you, the reason I was captured this time was all for this."
"Oh?"
"This is definitely a good treasure."
Hei Dou's dark eyes darted towards the plate with utmost seriousness.
"You don't know how powerful this plate is. Once activated, it can release a very large shield with astonishing defense."
"Is that so?"
"You don't believe me?" Hei Dou's eyes widened gravely. "Even Ilya's sister said this plate is a good thing. This plate is fierce."
"It is indeed a treasure artifact,"
Barbara, the well-informed little demon, walked over, arms crossed.
"A Golden Bell Shield, a type of city-protecting artifact. When activated, it releases a wide-area energy shield to ensure the safety of a city or encampment."
"Judging by its quality, if it could be fully repaired, it could even withstand the Colorful Realm for a while."
???
Hearing Barbara's words, Chen Yu was stunned.
Colorful Realm?
He looked down at the broken plate in his hands.
He truly hadn't expected this tattered round plate to possess such capabilities.
"It's a pity, it's broken,"
Barbara added with a sigh.
No matter how precious it was in its prime, now that it was broken and unusable, it still held little value for Chen Yu.
"Heh heh!"
Upon hearing this, Hei Dou suddenly grinned.
"It's fine that it's broken, we can repair it."
"You can repair it!" Chen Yu handed the plate over. "Can you repair this plate? You've been with me for so long, I didn't know you had that skill."
"I can't repair it, but someone else can."
Hei Dou grinned and turned, calling out behind him.
"Come, come."
Following Hei Dou's gaze, Chen Yu saw a large, furry, black and white cat emerge. The moment he saw the big cat, Chen Yu was dumbfounded.
"Holy crap, a panda?"
This black and white giant was their national treasure, a giant panda!
The panda, who had been somewhat reluctant, perked up instantly at Chen Yu's exclamation. Its adorable figure scrambled forward, grabbing Chen Yu's hand, so excited that tears almost welled up.
"You recognize me?"
"What, are you from out of town too?" Chen Yu's eyes were wide with shock. The panda nodded like a pecking chick, "My kin!!!! I've finally found my kin!!!"
How long had it been since someone called him a panda.
Ever since he came to the underground world, he had to fend for himself. He deeply missed the days when he was served. Now that Chen Yu had called out to him like this,
Well, he had found a fellow countryman.
His zookeeper had arrived!
Seeing the panda's excitement, Chen Yu was a bit taken aback.
"You really are a panda."
"Yes, yes, it's me, I am your national treasure, the panda!" the panda exclaimed excitedly, then sighed with emotion. "I've finally found my people. You have no idea the suffering I've endured here. Not enough to eat, not enough to wear, I yearned day and night for the zookeepers who brought me bamboo every day."
"Is that so? Things have gotten so bad."
"You bet!"
Suddenly, the panda exclaimed, startling Chen Yu with its shift in demeanor.
"Let me tell you, the night before, I was in the garden chewing bamboo. Feeling sleepy, I decided to take a nap. When I opened my eyes, I was in this godforsaken place."
"I yelled for a long time, but no zookeeper came."
"Fine!"
"I'll forage for food."
"The first place I was in was a lush green area. The next room was a desert. When I walked again, it was a world of ice and snow. This place's climate is truly harsh."
Perhaps it was due to pent-up grievances,
Once the panda started talking, it couldn't stop, incessantly muttering about its experiences in the underground world. Chen Yu quietly listened to the national treasure recount its bitter journey.
Sometimes, Chen Yu could empathize with what the panda said.
It was indeed tough.
When he first entered the underground world, Chen Yu was also bewildered. Relatively speaking, he was better off; at least he didn't lack food or drink and slept soundly.
With reminders from Sona and Barbara in his wristband, he hadn't encountered much danger.
But, he could still understand.
"In the end, I was brought here by a colleague," the panda said, complaining bitterly, his teeth gritted. "When he talked, it was all good, saying he'd prepared food and drink for me. When I arrived at his wretched place, I realized I'd been tricked. He couldn't even pay me, and he fed me that rotten sugarcane every day, full of sour juice, not even sweet!"
"Colleague?"
"A guy with a tiger's head. Isn't he also a first-class protected animal?"
"You, you're talking about him?"
Chen Yu pointed at the tiger-man, tied to a tree and beaten black and blue by Hei Dou.
"That's him!" the panda shouted, eyes wide. "That's him, that's him! I was tricked by him. He still owes me half a month's wages. Not only does he not pay me, but he makes me repair this and that every day. If it weren't for the fact that we're both first-class protected animals, I would have beaten him up long ago. Who beat him? That felt truly satisfying."
"I did!"
Hei Dou raised his hand.
"Well done. Looking at him makes me angry," the panda raised his hand and high-fived Hei Dou, then glanced at his crotch. "Did you cut off the dumbbell too?"
"No, someone else did."
"Serves him right!"
The panda yelled, his teeth gritted. It was clear he truly hated the tiger-man.
"Good riddance."
"So, you can repair items?" Chen Yu raised an eyebrow. The panda nodded slightly. "I can repair them. As long as they're damaged and you give me the materials, I can fix them. Honestly, I didn't even know I had this skill. I never discovered it at the panda enclosure before. After coming here, it just appears in my mind."
"Chen Yu, this is an auxiliary spirit beast. Quickly take it in."
Barbara's voice echoed in Chen Yu's mind. Hearing this, Chen Yu's expression immediately shifted.
"There are auxiliary types too?" Chen Yu communicated with his eyes. Soon, Barbara's whisper came again in his mind. "Auxiliary types are a special category of spirit beasts. In fact, Hei Dou can also be considered an auxiliary type. His specialty is resource gathering, while this panda's specialty is craftsmanship."
With a rough understanding, Chen Yu retracted his gaze.
A panda!
Even if he had no special skills, Chen Yu would have brought him back to the camp. After all, he was a national treasure; keeping him as a mascot would be fine.
Who wouldn't want to keep a panda at home?
Many people in the city-state were from outside. If they saw the presence of a panda, it might strengthen their sense of belonging to the city-state.
Moreover, he was a craftsman skilled in repairs.
This panda had to be taken in!