【Interstellar Contract Magician】Ruyuanke

Chapter 287 [Empire] Ancient Contract Technique

"Nightingale." I interrupted him coldly, looking up at him, "You'd better shut up now."

Nightingale was stunned for a moment, then chuckled softly, her voice low and magnetic. "Well, it seems I've stepped on your minefield. But, I'm just reminding you, when carrying out missions in the wild, it's best to have some trump cards in hand. Otherwise, this situation... won't end well."

I knew what he said was true, but the underlying resentment and anger within me almost made me want to punch him. I took a deep breath, suppressed my surging emotions, and regained my composure. "Stop talking nonsense and find a way to find that cub. We can't keep wasting time like this."

Nightingale shrugged, raised her hand and made a "please" gesture, with a thoughtful look in her eyes: "Okay, since you are so impatient, I will listen to you. But..."

He paused, his tone suddenly becoming more meaningful. "If you can find it this time, you'll have to consider carefully whether you want it to be your rival or your companion."

I frowned slightly, didn't respond, turned around and continued walking in the direction of the pursuit, but my heart was in turmoil.

Rivals or companions? How ridiculous.

"Now it's mine, are you sure you can still complete the task?" I immediately mocked back.

Hearing this, Nightingale raised an eyebrow slightly, as if he hadn't expected me to talk back like that. He leaned against the wall, a hint of a smile on his lips. "Oh? So you mean, are you really sure you can make it yours?"

I smiled coldly and looked him straight in the eye: "Why don't you ask it if it's willing to follow me obediently."

He chuckled softly, his tone hinting at teasing: "You're quite arrogant, little one. But don't be too full of yourself. If you can't even see its face, you'll be embarrassed."

"Can't meet?" I scoffed. "Nightingale, I feel like you're the one who really doesn't want to meet. After all, the mission failure is your fault."

Nightingale's expression became subtle for a moment, but she quickly regained her composure. "Mission failed? Impossible. I was just wondering, if you really have the ability to pull it off, should I just give it to you?"

"Forget it, you're probably too embarrassed to lose face." I sneered and walked in front of him. "If it becomes mine, don't come crying and beg me to give it back. Then, these points won't belong to you at all."

He leaned against the wall, staring at my back, clapping his hands lightly a few times. His voice was lazy but tinged with a hint of teasing, "This is really interesting, kid. I'll wait and see whether it will take over your hand, or whether it will willingly become yours as you said."

"Let's wait and see," I said without turning back, but my pace quickened. A fighting spirit inexplicably rose in my heart, along with a hint of excitement.

This cub will be mine.

But it was definitely not for him, nor for any mission.

It was to prove—I had control of it, of this damn situation.

The night air was heavy and oppressive, and in the narrow alleyway, I could faintly hear the tiny traces of fleeing exotic beast cubs. I stopped and looked up at the sky, as if I could feel a faint presence guiding my direction.

It was an inexplicable persistence, as if drawn by some invisible force. My steps were neither hurried nor slowed, yet my heart had completely sunk into a special state. Each step felt like the rhythm of stomping the ground to get closer to prey; each breath was so clear that I could almost hear the subtle vibrations in the air around me.

"Concentrate," I muttered to myself, my fingers lifting slightly. That familiar energy began to flow through my veins, carrying a unique pulse of contracted power. Memories from before the time travel surged through my mind like an undercurrent.

I'm no expert animal trainer. That keeper assessment was more like a combination of cunning and luck—but contract abilities? That wasn't achieved by luck. That's where I'm most aware of my strengths. I relied on this to accomplish so much before crossing over that I can still feel the lingering energy resonance in my palms.

There was a very slight vibration in the air ahead. I stopped, closed my eyes, and felt the subtle fluctuation.

"Got you."

It wasn't confidence, but an instinctive intuition. My body had determined the target's location before my mind had. I smiled softly and continued forward, the energy of the contract clenched in my palms growing stronger.

This cub, no matter how cunning or dangerous it is, will ultimately not escape the fate of becoming my contracted creature.

I don't believe it won't submit to me. Moreover, it has no choice.

And there is no turning back for me.

The nightingale's applause seemed abrupt and sharp in the silent alley, like a needle piercing the brief silence after I had just completed the contract.

I retracted the fingers that were condensing the energy of the contract, and glanced at the glowing mark on the palm of my hand - it was a rune of a temporary contract spell, with a hint of mystery.

I didn't sign a life-and-death bond with the young beast. After all, I didn't know it well enough, and it was a "goods" I was about to hand over. Temporary contracts are my specialty—quick, flexible, and without hidden dangers.

Ancient contract technique.

This world's long-lost magic, mere fragments of vague utterances in history books. In practice? No one has ever seen it. And it's through this that I've carved a niche for myself in this strange world.

"Good trick." Nightingale's voice was full of meaning.

He stood not far away, his gaze fixed on the indenture mark on my body. The applause slowly died down. His expression shifted from playful to scrutinizing, as if he were digesting everything he had just witnessed. "It seems you're no ordinary junior breeder."

"Do you want me to be more ordinary?" I looked back at him, my tone light, but with a hint of vigilance and temptation.

"Haha, quite the opposite." He smiled and shook his head, his tone relaxed, but his eyes were more inquiring. "The more unusual, the more I like it."

These words made me feel vaguely uncomfortable, but I didn't show it. I simply glanced down at the cub lying quietly at my feet. Its fur was covered in dirt, and it looked a bit disheveled, but the seal of the contract flickered slightly, and its condition was clearly stabilizing rapidly.

"Ancient Contract Technique..." I heard Nightingale mutter to herself. The sound was so soft, but it instantly made me alert. What did he know? This thing had clearly been completely erased from this world's knowledge system. How could he recognize it?

"Don't be so nervous," Nightingale seemed to sense my mood and waved her hand, smiling like a shrewd fox. "I just think it's interesting. After all, this is an antique that has become history."

I didn't respond, but slowly straightened up, silently observing his expression. His smile remained the same, but the depth in his eyes was like a pool of water with no bottom to be seen, which made me feel daunted.