Special occupation.
It was indeed an unexpected surprise.
Watching Fang Xiu depart from the wilderness, Chen Yu contacted Kaelin and relayed what he had promised Fang Xiu. Although he couldn't give him the position of Chief Engineer of the city-state, an independent employee residence was still no problem.
Chen Yu was looking forward to the surprises Fang Xiu might bring him.
To this day, Fang Xiu was the first person with a special occupation that Chen Yu had encountered. From this matter concerning Fang Xiu, he could roughly confirm it.
There were special occupations in the grotto-heavens.
Just like Chen Yu's "Soul of Gluttony" and Fang Xiu's "Builder," it couldn't be ruled out that others also possessed special occupations, but they were hiding their specialities.
It was just unknown whether the natives of the grotto-heavens also possessed this speciality.
"Grotto-heavens, they are quite interesting."
A slight smile played on Chen Yu's lips. The existence of these special titles made the grotto-heavens feel somewhat like a game.
However, compared to a game.
In games, one could have countless opportunities to try again and correct mistakes, but life in the grotto-heavens was only one.
And—
This place was more like a world enveloped by gods.
Who were these gods?
What were their intentions in acting behind the scenes?
It all seemed worth investigating.
Of course, in the end, the most important thing was to ensure his own development. To try and uncover the truth of the world with nothing but simple clothes.
Such a thought was somewhat comical.
Survival itself was a problem, so there was no need to think about things that were too far removed from oneself.
"Boss, should we send someone to keep an eye on Fang Xiu?"
After Fang Xiu's figure completely disappeared from the wilderness, Hei Dou, who had harbored considerable hostility towards Fang Xiu from the beginning, asked with a trace of seriousness in his eyes.
"You still don't trust him?" Chen Yu raised an eyebrow.
"Mm."
Hei Dou, with a grave expression, replied ambiguously.
"People like him have too many variables. Although he seems honest and speaks nothing but the truth, who knows if this isn't a tactic for him to advance by retreating? If he continues to deliberately conceal things, we will eventually know his hidden identity. Perhaps, he'll do the opposite and reveal everything upfront to dispel our suspicions."
Listening to Hei Dou's low voice, Chen Yu couldn't help but raise his eyebrows slightly in surprise.
To be able to think of this, it seemed that in time, Hei Dou would truly become a capable subordinate who could share his burdens. Compared to his initial self, he had indeed grown considerably.
But—
If Fang Xiu truly harbored ill intentions, at least Chen Yu hadn't sensed it in their brief exchange.
His senses had always been sharp.
Whether it was during his school days or when encountering strangers, he could clearly sense whether they held goodwill or malice towards him, or were merely acquaintances with a platonic friendship.
From Fang Xiu's performance just now, he only felt one thing.
Sincerity!
If it were truly a case of feigning civility with hidden malicious intent, it could usually be detected in face-to-face interactions, unless one was extremely insensitive.
This was a kind of animal instinct.
Although Chen Yu could generally confirm that Fang Xiu was likely not as calculating as Hei Dou imagined, Chen Yu didn't want to dampen Hei Dou's enthusiasm.
"Boss, I know you have great ambitions and trust your subordinates implicitly."
Hei Dou, perched on Chen Yu's shoulder, tilted his head, his gaze fixed and his expression solemn.
"You taught me, one should not have the intention to harm others, but one must guard against others. Even if he has no bad intentions at this moment, who knows about the future?"
"Then what do you think should be done?"
"Keep a close watch on him!"
Hei Dou gritted his teeth firmly and let out a soft snort.
"As long as someone keeps an eye on him, any slightly abnormal behavior should be reported to us directly. No matter how deeply he hides it, under our unblinking surveillance, his cunning schemes will be exposed."
"That makes sense."
Hearing this, Chen Yu nodded solemnly.
"Then I'll leave this matter to you."
"Huh?"
Hei Dou, who had been full of indignation a moment ago, froze as if he had lost his soul the instant Chen Yu finished speaking. He stared blankly at Chen Yu, his small head filled with great confusion.
How did this become his task?
"Since you raised the concern, you shall be the one to execute it."
"Furthermore, he possesses a special occupation and is a rare talent. If we suspect him and turn out to be wrong, he might develop reservations towards us. Therefore, keeping an eye on him must be done without raising suspicion."
Chen Yu smiled and reached out to gently stroke Hei Dou's small head.
"You are a cat, small in size, making stealth and concealment relatively easier. Moreover, you are my right-hand man, and I trust you implicitly, nor do I worry about you being bribed to give me false information."
"In this case, this matter indeed falls to you."
What Chen Yu said was three parts truth and seven parts flattery.
In reality, monitoring Fang Xiu was secondary; Chen Yu's main intention was to find something for Hei Dou to do. He couldn't just let him idle around. If he wasn't exploring the grotto-heavens, he spent his days wandering the city-state, getting into trouble with women.
If this continued, Hei Dou would be ruined!
Hei Dou, on Chen Yu's shoulder, couldn't even figure out why this task had fallen to him, despite all his thinking. He had only offered advice; shouldn't Er Gou have dispatched some beastmen to carry out the actual task?
However—
What Chen Yu said deeply moved him.
Right-hand man.
Implicit trust!
With such full recognition and trust, how could Hei Dou let Chen Yu's high expectations down?
"Alright!"
"Leave it to me!"
Hei Dou's eyes blazed with determination, as if two burning flames ignited in his dark pupils, surging with the resolve to dispel darkness and reveal the truth to the world.
Noticing this gaze, Chen Yu couldn't help but grin.
"Then I'll be counting on you."
"Don't worry, I will definitely uncover all of Fang Xiu's little secrets!" Hei Dou patted his small chest three times with his paws and then leaped off Chen Yu's shoulder with a whoosh.
"Don't wait for me for dinner tonight."
His receding figure carried a sense of epic departure, like the wind whistling mournfully across the Yi River.
Even Chen Yu, watching the resolute back, felt a stir of awe. Less than half a minute after watching Hei Dou leave, he wagged his tail and backed up, stopping beside Chen Yu and looking up.
"Should I bring some food?"
*Pfft.*
Chen Yu couldn't help but burst into laughter.
"What are you doing? It's not like I said you can't eat. Just come back to our camp for dinner when it's time. Do you plan to stake him out 24 hours a day?"
"Otherwise?"
Hei Dou was surprisingly serious.
"Sometimes, evidence is found in those fleeting moments."
"Well said!"
As he spoke, Chen Yu took a piece of cloth, filled it with cheese and jerky, and wrapped it up. Hei Dou, with his small body carrying the small parcel, gradually walked away.
The wind, whistling mournfully across the Yi River.
The brave warrior departs, never to return.
Farewell, Hei Dou!