Chen Fei, carrying a bag full of late-night snacks, walked over and peered into the bird's nest on the round table, not being able to help but jump in surprise.
"Oh my, what's going on here?"
The demon crystal was still there, but for some mysterious reason, there was a pile of black feathers inside the bird's nest, almost overflowing.
Xiao Jiu's feathers?!
Chen Fei looked at the female executive manager in shock.
"Where's Xiao Jiu?"
There were neither mice nor cats in the facility, though there were a few dogs. While dogs might chase mice, they're not interested in birds!
"You don't know?"
Hanna Gagar was slightly surprised, then as if she understood something, a teasing look appeared in her eyes.
Chen Fei said annoyedly, "What should I know? What's up with these feathers?"
But his heart started to panic silently. When he had gone to the cafeteria, Xiao Jiu had been curled up snugly in its nest, sleeping soundly. But now, only a nest full of feathers remained.
Could it be that some gluttonous creature stripped my little bird bare and then swallowed it whole?
I'd beat the crap out of anyone who dared eat my bird.
"Don't worry, it's fine!"
Seeing Chen Fei getting worked up, the female executive manager covered her mouth and laughed.
"It's fine?"
Chen Fei looked at the bird's nest doubtfully, still seeing nothing but feathers. He reached in and shifted a few feathers around, revealing a chubby little body.
This is utterly bizarre!
Had it eaten something it shouldn't have while he wasn't watching and lost all its feathers? And not just a few, but all clean off, turning into a little bald bird.
"How did it turn into this?"
Chen Fei felt even worse.
If it weren't for the recognizable sharp beak and claws, he would have almost thought Xiao Jiu had been switched out.
The little bird's eyes were closed, its chubby pink body gently heaving with its breathing. Something inside seemed to be glowing, flickering brightly and dimly.
He touched it gently, and its body was very hot, almost scalding.
"You didn't know?"
The female executive manager became even more certain of her guess, finding it increasingly amusing.
"Know what? Uh, do you know why?"
Chen Fei looked at her puzzled, as Manager Hanna's reaction seemed a bit strange, as if she knew something.
From another perspective, Xiao Jiu's condition didn't seem that bad, he just didn't know the reason.
"Of course, it might have advanced in rank!"
Hanna Gagar had never thought that a Low-Rank Magical Beast like the Pure Light Sparrow would advance in rank.
Probably nobody but Chen Fei, this fool, would use a High-Rank Magical Beast Crystal Core to cultivate such an insignificant magical beast.
Ranking a Pure Light Sparrow as a First Order Magical Beast was indeed overestimating it.
Chen Fei was just lucky. Xiao Jiu was one of the rare Pure Light Sparrows capable of wielding the Light Healing Technique, and this Rookie probably thought all Pure Light Sparrows could cast such Light-based Spells!
In fact, only one in ten thousand Pure Light Sparrows could unleash the Light Healing Technique.
"Barrels?"
Chen Fei eyed the glass bottle, keenly catching the keyword.
Barrels and bottles are completely different; only rich families store alcohol by the barrel.
Poor folks dare not even think about it, dare not think about it.
"Having a cellar without oak barrels is a total waste! Here's to one!"
Hanna Gagel picked up her glass and gestured.
"Ah, sure!"
Chen Fei quickly picked up his glass and clinked with hers, gulping it down in one go, then gasping for air, he laughed and said, "Good liquor, quite strong."
It must have been at least seventy percent alcohol by volume, completely different from rice wine.
Then he took a bite of stir-fried chicken breast to sober up before asking, "How big is your wine cellar?"
The female executive manager refilled her glass and said indifferently, "Compared to my father's cellar, my personal wine cellar is not very large, just over 3,000 square feet."
The most deadly bragging is always the subtle kind.
Chen Fei rolled his eyes, unable to understand the world of the wealthy.
Once he saves enough money, he too will get a barrel and boast about it.
The kind of oak barrel that could kill a bull with a single drop—just thinking about it makes him drool.
Ding, ding, ding, ding...
An enchanting sound suddenly rang out beside the female executive manager.
But Chen Fei was looking toward the bird nest on the small round table, worried that the sudden sound might wake Xiao Jiu and interrupt his valuable chance to advance in rank.
Fortunately, the completely featherless little bird was oblivious, a thin yellowish layer formed on the surfaces of its beak and claws. It seemed, just as Manager Hanna had said, that it was undergoing a complete transformation.
"There's news!"
Hanna Gagel set down her glass and took out a tablet from the bag hanging on her chair's back.
Having a tablet during a drinking session with Chen Fei indicated she was well prepared.
"Manager Hanna, this is Rembrandt."
It was a video call.
The tablet stood up on the table, and both Chen Fei and Hanna Gagel could clearly see the grey-haired old man with reading glasses and the laboratory background on the screen.
"Good evening, Professor Rembrandt."
Hanna Gagel picked up her glass in salute.
"Uh, Manager Hanna, who is this beside you...?"
Through the tablet's camera, not only Hanna Gagel was visible, but Chen Fei as well.
"Hello, Professor, I'm Chen Fei."
Chen Fei, mustering courage, also picked up his glass.
He looked toward the female executive manager, seeking answers from her.
But Hanna Gagel gestured to the tablet, indicating that Chen Fei should keep watching.
"Alright! Let's get straight to the point!"
Professor Rembrandt adjusted the reading glasses on his face, picked up a remote control, and pressed a button. A three-dimensional projection immediately appeared behind him.
"Based on the biological sample you provided..."
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