Chapter 34: Magical Animals

Because he slept too long during the day, Rekton now looks at the Crimson Moon outside the window without any drowsiness. In the end he simply picks up a book, leans against the windowsill, and quietly reads by the bright moonlight.

Perhaps such a tranquil night is suitable for reading, Rekton found himself unknowingly becoming engrossed. Not until he finished a book did he, still unsatisfied, stand up and stretch his lazy limbs.

The magic elixir belonging to the Sequence‑9 Reader inside his body digested a small portion in that instant.

"It seems that fully immersive reading does indeed digest the magic elixir well, but it does require a lot of books," Rekton thought, carefully feeling the changes in his body.

He realized that the digestion from reading a single book is minute for a complete trait; Rekton estimated that without fully reading and mastering the knowledge of dozens or hundreds of books, it would be hard to completely digest the Reader trait within him.

"A heavy burden and a long road!" he sighed, then set the book aside and lay on the bed to rest.

Until the next morning, Mr. Butler woke Rekton, who rubbed his sore back and neck from poor posture, and went to the washroom for a quick freshen‑up.

Afterward, at the butler's prompting, he finished breakfast and then headed to the Executor Squad to clock in for work.

Today's mission should be to clean Hoke Street and the surrounding polluted area; Rekton originally intended to wear that Great Magician's top hat, which is his only seal item now, and after passing through the feather seal left by the angel it is sufficiently powerful.

But since the clown incident hadn't fully passed, taking out the hat would reveal to everyone that he had kept a spoils. In the end Rekton decided to leave the hat in the cabinet and continue reading.

When Rekton arrived at the Executor Squad's office, only Mr. Kesi and the captain were present.

"Good morning, Captain."

"Good morning, Teacher Kesi."

"Good morning, Rekton."

After exchanging greetings, Rekton walked straight to Captain Ikonton and took out the accessory he had previously left at home.

"Captain, here, I forgot to return it earlier," Rekton said, reaching into his jacket pocket and pulling out the relic of a member of the Moss Ascetic Society.

"Hmm, it's fine. You didn't notice anything either?" Captain Ikonton nodded lightly and asked indifferently.

"No," Rekton shook his head in reply.

"Hmm, it's okay, that's normal; perhaps some other factors are missing. If you have any ideas, you can come to me anytime to get it," Captain Ikonton said briefly before moving on.

Rekton originally wanted to return to his seat to read, but curiosity got the better of him: "Captain, did you clean that polluted area yesterday? What's the situation there now?"

"Well, almost all the animals, plants, even lifeless rocks and soil there have mutated, and the area is affected by an unknown force; simply staying there provokes a strong breeding urge. In short, the cleanup is very troublesome," Captain Ikonton briefly described the area.

"Oh!" Rekton nodded thoughtfully, did not pursue further, and returned to his seat to read.

To quickly digest the Reader trait within him, Rekton could only immerse himself in the sea of knowledge as much as possible.

When the squad members arrived one by one, Captain Ikonton had everyone prepare and set out to clean the polluted zone.

Rekton also obtained a box of rune‑etched extraordinary bullets, two boxes of ordinary bullets, and two each of the previously used Dispersal and Binding talismans.

After stowing everything, the group split into small groups and rode carriages toward Hoke Street. Rekton, Qiaoxi, and Joseph got on one carriage.

"It's a pity you didn't come yesterday; you have no idea what bizarre forms the creatures there took—grass that runs on long legs, deer that are half plant half animal, it truly pushes the limits of our imagination," Qiaoxi said in disbelief, recounting yesterday's sights.

"Why do I get the feeling you want to study them all?" Rekton felt the guy's tone was off.

"Isn't that normal? Those are brand‑new species! Their research value is extremely high, too bad the captain won't allow it," Qiaoxi said with longing.

Rekton thought the guy was now uncommunicative and shifted his gaze to Joseph sitting opposite; Joseph wore a similarly regretful expression.

Rekton swallowed the words he wanted to say and muttered inwardly, "I often feel out of place with you because I'm too normal."

Throughout the journey, Qiaoxi kept describing the strange creatures they saw yesterday, and only after arriving at the destination did Rekton find an excuse to see Mr. Kesi.

Mr. Kesi and two extraordinary members of the Great Earth Church were discussing something nearby, one of whom was Usel, whom Rekton had met before.

There was also a stranger, about thirty years old, with shoulder‑length brown curls, wearing a priest's robe, and carrying on his back a sickle larger than ordinary farm tools, an unfamiliar extraordinary.

"Why are you here? Staying on the edge of the warning line with Qiaoxi's group is safer," Mr. Kesi said, but still turned his body aside to make room for Rekton.

"I want to join your operation; compared with peripheral watch, I'd rather engage in front‑line combat. It would greatly improve my direct‑combat ability, and with Teacher Kesi by my side, safety is assured!" Rekton said half‑seriously.

It is true that he wants to boost his front‑line combat skill through fighting, but more so he wishes to master hand‑to‑hand techniques; the next sequence for the Seeker of Secrets is the Combat Scholar. Although his Seeker path is a gift that requires no digestion or role‑playing, he still needs to become familiar with and master it.

"Front‑line combat is indeed very dangerous," said not Mr. Kesi but the unfamiliar Great Earth Church extraordinary.

The other's gaze at Rekton was somewhat puzzled, not malicious or contemptuous, but a kindly reminder.

"Hmm, I understand," Rekton nodded, indicating he was prepared.

"Haha! Jin, you can trust his strength completely; I previously killed a clown's clone together with this Knowledge Church executor," Usel laughed heartily, easing Rekton's tension.

Then Usel introduced his companion to Rekton: "This is Jin Ka'insi, our priest and also a physician."

He then turned to the companion named Jin and introduced Rekton: "This is Rekton, an executor of the Knowledge Church."

"Hello." Rekton and the physician Jin Ka'insi greeted each other.

"What about your extraordinary pet cat? Why didn't you bring it along? Worried the environment here might affect it?" After Rekton and Jin met, Usel immediately asked Rekton about Pas.

It seemed Pas had left a deep impression on the Great Earth Church's Harvest Priest.

Rekton shook his head: "It left together with its owner. It isn't my extraordinary pet; I was there that day because I was taking it to find its master!"

"I see, that's a pity. I had hoped to ask you about cultivating extraordinary pets," Usel said, somewhat disappointed.

"Cultivating extraordinary beings? I recall the Apothecary Path has a sequence called Beast Tamer; you could consult them," Rekton suggested.

Usel shook his head: "They rely on their own extraordinary abilities and the attraction that magic elixir gives to animals; I don't have those."

"Yeah, that's true, but why would you think of raising an extraordinary pet? Magic elixir isn't cheap, and the chance of animals losing control after taking it is high," Rekton asked, puzzled.

"Because of this special environment, although most mutated creatures are maddened, some remain uninfected and, due to a trace of magic elixir within them, have odd extraordinary abilities—so they're considered magical animals," Jin Ka'insi explained.

Rekton suddenly felt a spark of interest himself, wanting to raise a magical animal.

"These magical animals aren't numerous, and their extraordinary abilities are mostly useless, which is why they can stay rational. Of course, if one wishes, they can be given the corresponding magic elixir to ascend, and their success rate of ascension is far higher than that of ordinary animals," Mr. Kesi explained in more detail.

After hearing Mr. Kesi's description, Rekton's eyes lit up, recalling the two Farming Path extraordinary traits he had at home.

He then asked Usel: "Usel, do you know where I can find rational magical animals? Something attractive—I'd like to raise one."

"I know a mutated rainbow parrot that can speak; its extraordinary ability is lying. Because of the mutation it's a dazzling multicolored bird, quite pretty," Usel said.

Rekton imagined a parrot cloaked in seven‑colored feathers, then shook his head, feeling it was a bit off‑beat.

"You could ask Xiya; she's been deeper in that area with the captain. Yesterday she captured a leopard‑sized gray‑blue short‑tailed cat, but it was badly wounded and is recuperating, so you didn't see it," Mr. Kesi suggested.

"A leopard‑sized gray‑blue short‑tailed cat?" Rekton recalled the big cat that appeared during the earlier evacuation of the locals.

That big cat had been shot by Xiya back then; it wouldn't have come back for revenge, then it got beaten badly, and finally it was probably caught by Xiya. Leiketon was guessing in his heart, and suddenly felt that the cat was also pretty miserable.

(End of chapter)