"Home at last, Meow-chan."
"Meow~"
In the bustling nightlife of the South District stood an old apartment building. On the sixth floor, facing east, Yan Huan unlocked the door to his modest one-bedroom unit.
Flipping on the corridor light revealed a cramped but tidy space. The entrance led to a narrow hallway; on one side was the kitchenette, and on the other, a small, separated bathroom.
It was nearly 10 p.m. The bus route didn’t reach directly to the apartment, so Yan Huan had transferred to the subway along the way, making the journey longer than usual.
Meow-chan darted around the living room, tail raised high, eagerly inspecting Yan Huan’s humble "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse."
Meanwhile, Yan Huan unpacked his bag, hung his clean clothes, and tossed the dirty ones into the laundry basket.
Pulling out his phone, he noticed a message from Ye Lan:
"Did you make it home safely, Little Huan?"
Smiling wryly at the banana-milk-themed chat bubble, Yan Huan quickly typed a reply:
"I’m home, Auntie."
"Good. Rest early."
"You too, Auntie."
After setting his phone aside, Yan Huan moved to his bedroom with Meow-chan, packing books and his laptop for the next day. Once the room was tidied and he’d showered, dried his hair, and changed into his pajamas, he finally flopped onto his bed.
By the time he finished everything, it was past 11 p.m.
"Creak, creak..."
The bedframe groaned under his weight—a stark contrast to the luxurious mattress at Ye Lan’s house. The rental’s hard mattress was far less forgiving, and every slight movement made the frame squeak. If he were to engage in any vigorous activity, the bed would likely turn into a percussion instrument.
Still, the apartment had excellent soundproofing.
"No matter how fancy someone else’s nest is, nothing beats your own doghouse..."
Sprawled on his bed, Yan Huan sighed contentedly, plugging in his phone and opening a video app.
Meow-chan, having finished its inspection of the "new territory," leaped onto the bed with a swish of its tail.
Ruffling its furry head, Yan Huan asked,
"How do you like the new place, Meow-chan?"
"Meow~"
Meow-chan tilted its head, its tail curling excitedly as it gazed up at him.
"Yan Huan, you truly are the best candidate to counter these Modifiers."
Blinking, Yan Huan lowered his phone, puzzled.
"What’s with the sudden praise? Did something happen?"
"I just consumed part of a fragment dropped by Ye Shiyu’s Modifier."
"A fragment?"
Intrigued, Yan Huan set his phone aside and leaned forward.
"Explain."
"Remember what I told you on Friday?" Meow-chan prompted.
Yan Huan thought back.
"You mentioned otherworldly Modifiers invading and finding hosts. Then there was the part about your rewards improving as I resolve these Modifiers. Wait, are you saying the rewards strengthen because you eat these fragments?"
"Exactly. The rewards you gain enhance as I consume fragments dropped from weakened Modifiers. And since it’s almost midnight, a new week is about to begin—you’ll see the results soon. Excited?"
Yan Huan regarded Meow-chan, his curiosity piqued but his expression thoughtful.
"Before we get to that, explain the mechanism. Why did Ye Shiyu’s Modifier drop fragments? And how does consuming them strengthen mine?"
Impressed by his analytical approach, Meow-chan sat upright, raising a paw as if mimicking a beckoning cat statue. It began to explain:
"I told you before that the key to resolving Modifiers is to make their hosts willingly give them up. In essence, the host’s strong desire to use the Modifier is the foundation keeping these otherworldly constructs afloat.
"When you made Ye Shiyu feel regret and reflect on the morality of using her Modifier, it weakened her resolve to use it. This harmed the ‘foundation’ supporting her Modifier, causing fragments to fall off.
"These fragments, imbued with otherworldly energy, fall within my domain. As a divine being, I can process them into ‘nutrients’ for your Modifier, enhancing its capabilities."
So, Meow-chan had essentially... evolved?
Looking at the now glossy-furred, radiant Meow-chan, Yan Huan couldn’t help but feel like he was leveling up a Pokémon.
Sitting upright, he rubbed his hands together expectantly.
"Alright, Meow Empress, show me the surprises you’ve brought for your king."
Though midnight was still a little while away, Yan Huan used the time to ask another question.
"Wait a minute. If consuming fragments strengthens my Modifier, does it weaken hers?"
"Unfortunately, no."
"Why not? That doesn’t make sense—it violates conservation of energy."
Meow-chan gave him a pitying look, as if addressing an ignorant child, but explained patiently,
"Don’t forget, her Modifier is tied to the lewd desires of an otherworldly realm. Its effects are directly linked to the host’s desires. As long as the host’s desires remain strong, the Modifier’s power won’t diminish, even if fragments fall off."
"So even if you collect a ton of fragments, their Modifier stays as strong as ever?"
"Exactly, meow."
"Fair enough."
Yan Huan flopped back onto the bed, exasperated, but Meow-chan nudged him with its soft paw.
"Don’t lose heart, meow. The more fragments fall off, the closer the host gets to questioning their Modifier. That means they’re closer to giving it up willingly!"
True.
Considering it had only been two days, with the first weekend barely over, the progress was impressive. Meow-chan’s praise of Yan Huan as the "chosen one" didn’t feel undeserved.
Still, Yan Huan wasn’t focused on the philosophical or moral victories. What intrigued him was the enhanced rewards.
Initially planning to fall asleep watching videos, Yan Huan now decided to stay up until midnight to see what the new week’s rewards would bring.
Petting Meow-chan absentmindedly, he passed the time quickly.
Finally, the clock struck midnight. Yan Huan sat up, excitement lighting his face.
"Alright, let’s see what you’ve got!"
"Meow~"
Meow-chan purred, and from its mouth emerged a stream of ethereal golden light.
The light expanded before Yan Huan, morphing into shimmering text:
[Modifier Level: 1 → 2]
[Reward Pool Level: 2. Stronger random rewards unlocked.]
[Modifier Evolution Points +1, Random Attribute Fragment +1.]
[Choose one of the following evolution paths for your Modifier:]
Yan Huan’s eyebrows shot up.
"This thing lets me pick an evolution path?"
Curious and excited, he leaned in to read further.
[Evolution Path 1: Bulk Discount]
[Gain one additional reward each week, but two of the three rewards will come from a lower-tier pool.]
[Evolution Path 2: Devil’s Contract]
[One of the three weekly rewards will come from a lower-tier pool, one from a higher-tier pool. Choosing the higher-tier reward comes with a time-limited minor curse.]
Yan Huan stared at the options, then grabbed Meow-chan’s chubby face, scowling.
"Seriously? Even this has to be a gamble? What’s this ‘reward pool’ nonsense? And what’s with these evolution paths?"
"I told you already, once the Modifier was created, I can’t directly interfere with its effects! No matter the format, it’s meant to help you, meow!"
Getting nowhere with Meow-chan, Yan Huan turned back to the choices before him.
It was clear now that Friday’s rewards had all come from the lowest-tier pool. Two were useless, and only one was mildly helpful.
This meant Tier 1 rewards were highly inconsistent, likely full of duds. Picking from them was like scraping the bottom of the barrel.
As for Tier 2 or higher rewards, he had no clear concept of their capabilities. But considering Meow-chan’s goal was to preserve worldline stability, the rewards were probably meant to assist him in completing his tasks—not to turn him into Superman or Doctor Strange.
Understanding this gave Yan Huan some clarity. These rewards were meant to facilitate a logical resolution to the Modifier problem, not to create an overpowered superhero.
Having settled his thoughts, Yan Huan decided to start with the Random Attribute Fragment as a warm-up.
[Charm Fragment—Increases your attractiveness to others slightly.]
[In this world, appearance matters.]
[Reproductive Fragment—Slightly enhances your reproductive-related capabilities.]
[Once used as an excuse by a certain gentleman.]
[Stamina Fragment—Slightly improves your stamina.]
[Perhaps this will help you quit pulling all-nighters faster.]
Yan Huan pursed his lips and chose the first option.
The third option wasn’t necessary—stamina could be improved with regular exercise, so it felt like a waste of the Modifier.
As for the second... well, considering his current situation—balancing on a tightrope against Modifiers where failure could unlock X-rated defeat CGs—this seemed like a self-imposed tax for no gain.
The Charm Fragment was the most universally applicable.
The fragment’s golden glow dissolved into his body. Curious, Yan Huan grabbed his phone and used the front-facing camera to check himself.
No visible change.
"Slightly... " Yan Huan recalled the description.
This was too slight! There wasn’t even a discernible difference!
Shaking his head, he turned his attention to the evolution paths.
In the end, Yan Huan chose Devil’s Contract.
Though he didn’t fully grasp what higher-tier rewards might entail, the inconsistent quality of Tier 1 rewards made piling up more of them feel pointless. Better to take a chance.
"Time to spin the wheel and upgrade my ride."
As soon as Yan Huan made his choice, golden light surged, and three glowing spheres emerged from Meow-chan’s body, varying in size.
From left to right, the spheres increased in size, corresponding to their tier levels. The largest sphere, faintly veiled in black mist, was clearly the high-tier reward.
[Skill: Vocal Imitation—As the name suggests.]
[A master of mimicry from the capital.]
[Ability: Boundless Vitality—Your stamina and energy recovery rates increase significantly, but your appetite also grows substantially.]
[Great power demands great meals.]
[Ability: Learning Conqueror—When engaging in learning-related activities, every 30 minutes of focus grants a stack (up to 10). Each stack increases learning efficiency by 15%, and reaching max stacks provides a significant intelligence boost. Focus ends after 10 minutes of inactivity, resetting stacks.]
[I shall conquer all knowledge until I turn to dust.]
[Curse: Slight drowsiness when not focused. Duration: 5 days.]
Yan Huan’s eyes gleamed with intrigue as he read the third option.
As expected, the Tier 3 reward wasn’t some earth-shattering power but still offered impressive benefits.
Max stacks would mean a 250% increase in learning efficiency along with a significant intelligence boost. And it only required five hours of focus to max out.
The curse—minor drowsiness when not focused—seemed manageable.
Nodding in approval, Yan Huan selected Learning Conqueror.
The golden sphere burst, its light and black mist surging into his body.
Moments later, he felt a wave of slight drowsiness. His eyelids grew heavy, and if he let himself relax, he’d likely drift off.
"This is what I’d call an anti-insomnia tool..." Yan Huan thought with a yawn.
Despite the late hour, Yan Huan felt satisfied with the night’s events. Setting an alarm for the morning, he turned off the bedside lamp and pulled Meow-chan into his arms.
"Meow~"
Meow-chan nestled against his chest, tucking its paws under itself as Yan Huan draped the blanket over both of them.
In the dim light, their gazes met—Meow-chan’s emerald eyes shining against the dark.
"Meow-chan, I thought your super evolution would let you take over the world. But even now, you’re leagues behind those other Modifiers..." Yan Huan murmured, his voice tinged with weariness.
Bai Yi’s indifference, Ye Shiyu’s hypnosis, and the unknown blonde girl’s abilities... The thought of them was still a headache.
"Meow?"
Meow-chan tilted its head before speaking telepathically.
"Yan Huan, do you really think those Modifiers came here to help their hosts fulfill their wishes?"
"Of course not. They’re here to invade and destroy the worldline. But helping fulfill their hosts’ desires is probably just an easy side job—no matter how twisted those desires are..."
Meow-chan shook its head firmly.
"I call them Modifiers instead of cheat systems or buffs for a reason. They aren’t harmless tools with all benefits and no drawbacks. They’re malignant tumors that will ultimately destroy their hosts as well."
Its emerald eyes gleamed with unyielding seriousness.
"Using those Modifiers comes at a heavy price, Yan Huan."
"..."
Yan Huan stroked Meow-chan’s warm fur thoughtfully.
"Don’t tell me the price is something abstract like karma, fate, or moral judgment. I don’t buy that."
"It’s not," Meow-chan said solemnly.
"The price is real. I don’t know exactly what it is yet, but it exists."
Yan Huan stared at Meow-chan’s glowing eyes in the dark before sighing deeply and closing his own.
"Well... at least that makes me feel a bit better."
"Meow~"
Meow-chan let out a soft purr, snuggling closer.
The room fell silent, the perfect prelude to sleep.
But just as Yan Huan was about to drift off, a thought jolted him awake.
"Wait—does using your Modifier come with a price too? Even if it’s not as severe as theirs?"
"Meow~"
Meow-chan tilted its head innocently as if to say, "I’m just a cat—how could I possibly talk?"
"Does it or doesn’t it?"
"Meow~"
Meow-chan blinked adorably, clearly milking its cuteness.
Realizing the little furball was sulking over his earlier comment about it being weaker than other Modifiers, Yan Huan scowled and grabbed its round face, shaking it playfully.
"Meow-chan!"
"Alright, alright, no price, meow! Stop squishing my face!"