Before long, Shen Qinghan came running down the stairs, worried that Lin Zichen had been waiting too long.

“Why did you come out in your pajamas?”

“I rushed down too fast and forgot to change.”

“Then go back and change.”

“Too lazy to. Let’s hurry to the mall. Dad just gave me 200 yuan, now I’m a rich little lady. Whatever you want to buy later, it’s on me!”

She plopped down skillfully onto the back seat of Lin Zichen’s bicycle, waving two crisp hundred-yuan bills in front of him, her delicate little face full of pride.

Lin Zichen touched the 1,000 yuan in his pocket, but didn’t want to hurt her pride. He just smiled and said, “Alright then, Miss Shen will treat us tonight.”

“Enough talking, let’s go! If it gets too late, my parents will call me to come back early.”

“Sit tight then.”

“I’m already steady!”

Grinning, Shen Qinghan wrapped her arms around his waist.

Lin Zichen didn’t waste words. With one strong push on the pedals, the bicycle sped up instantly.

* * *

Huamao New World (a mall), main entrance on the first floor.

Lin Zichen parked his bicycle and quickly went up with Shen Qinghan to the very top floor of the mall.

If it had been daytime, he would have taken her around the regular commercial floors first to eat, drink and have fun.

But since it was late, he needed to head straight to the Aberrant Beasts commercial floor to test his theory by touching Aberrant Beast meat.

“Xiao Chen, what are you even buying here? Why come all the way up here?”

In the Aberrant Beasts section, Shen Qinghan looked around at the dazzling array of goods, completely confused.

Everywhere she looked, the prices were absurdly high, far beyond the reach of her 200 yuan.

Lin Zichen said honestly, “Actually, I don’t plan to buy anything. I just want to see Aberrant Beast meat up close.”

Shen Qinghan nodded, understanding.

Lin Zichen had always loved researching Aberrant Beasts. Coming here to see the meat in person was nothing strange.

“Then let’s hurry and look around. I’m curious too.”

When they were younger, she had often read Aberrant Beast books with him—accidentally even wetting a few of them. She still remembered it vividly.

The two began wandering through the Aberrant Beast merchandise area.

Besides meat, there were many derivative products related to Aberrant Beasts.

Jewelry made from their scales.

Figurines modeled after their appearances.

Specimens of small Aberrant Beasts and more.

Lin Zichen wasn’t interested in any of it. He went straight to the Aberrant Beast meat section.

But all the meat was processed, neatly cut and sealed under transparent wrap. He couldn’t touch it at all, which meant he couldn’t test the Survival of the Fittest devouring effect.

Unwilling to give up, he looked around carefully.

Finally, in a corner, he spotted fresh meat being packed by a worker, still accessible.

“Hanhan, wait here a moment.”

“What are you going to do?”

“I’m going to touch that Aberrant Beast meat.”

“Huh?”

Shen Qinghan didn’t understand, but Lin Zichen didn’t explain. He slipped into the worker’s blind spot and reached for a nearby slab of meat.

The instant his hand touched it, he felt the vitality within.

It was abundant, rich and powerful!

Instinctively, he wanted to devour all of its Life Origin.

No! He couldn’t do that.

If the meat lost its vitality, it would spoil.

If he wanted it, he’d have to pay for it…

Lin Zichen’s rationality overcame his instincts and he pulled back before doing anything improper.

Even if it could be done in secret and no one would notice the first time, once he started, who knew what kind of person he’d become?

Likely someone greedy and lawless, cheating, stealing, even killing.

Better not to be a saint, but never become a villain. At least keep one’s character.

Thinking this, Lin Zichen returned to Shen Qinghan.

She immediately asked curiously, “Xiao Chen, how did it feel? Any different from regular meat?”

“It didn’t feel much different. If anything, just a bit fresher.” he answered casually.

But inside, he had confirmed his suspicion—it really was only Aberrant Beasts that contained enough Life Origin to be devoured.

That meant he’d have to find ways to earn money to buy Aberrant Beast meat in the future.

Without dwelling on it, he continued wandering the area with Shen Qinghan.

Everywhere they looked was novel and fascinating. Most Aberrant Beast products, aside from a few cheap ones, were luxury goods.

Ordinary families could never afford them.

For them to see so much in one place was overwhelming.

Eventually, Lin Zichen stopped in front of a counter selling Aberrant Beast meat. He pointed at one labeled “Ghost Shadow Squid” and said to the saleswoman, “Hello, I’d like one jin of this meat.”

After all this browsing, Ghost Shadow Squid meat was the cheapest option—998 per jin. It was the only Aberrant Beast meat he could afford.

The next cheapest was 2,000 per jin, a huge gap.

“You want this? Where are your parents? Are you alone?”

The saleswoman looked doubtfully at Lin Zichen in his Shanhai Middle School uniform. How could a middle schooler be buying Aberrant Beast meat?

Lin Zichen calmly took out 1,000 yuan and placed it on the counter, “Yes, I’m alone. I want one jin (0.6kg) of Ghost Shadow Squid meat.”

“No, you’re too young. I can’t sell this to you.” she refused.

The amount was too high and selling it to a minor would almost certainly lead to trouble from his parents later.

Lin Zichen realized her concern and had no choice but to call Zhang Wanxin on video chat, asking her to confirm in front of the saleswoman that he had permission to buy the Ghost Shadow Squid meat.