Chapter Nineteen: Blueprints for the Beast Pen

It was an indescribably wonderful night, the first since Jia Zhengjin had arrived in this world that he hadn’t spent leveling up his skills.

Tina was so forward, willing to throw herself into the arms of a stranger she’d only just met. Jia Zhengjin had assumed this must be routine for her, but he’d never expected that last night he would claim her first blood.

He didn’t realize that in this perilous world, the weakest groups often survived by seeking shelter with the strong. They offered loyalty in exchange for protection and the promise of safety. Coming from a peaceful country, Jia Zhengjin could not comprehend their mindset.

In Tina’s eyes, he was a true powerhouse: someone who could single-handedly defeat a horde of kobolds, wield weapons crackling with lightning, heal her injured leg with magical arts, summon mysterious items out of thin air (retrieving objects from his virtual backpack), and survive alone in a dangerous jungle.

Tina’s mother, Landis, had survived only thanks to her father’s protection, enabling her to keep her family safe. Though Tina was now lost in this terrifying magical forest, uncertain if her parents were searching for her, she remembered the survival rules her mother had taught her since childhood. So, after narrowly escaping being eaten by kobolds and then being rescued, when a strong man seemed to desire her, she didn’t know his nationality or language, but he was powerful, slim but handsome—an ideal protector.

Now that Tina was an adult, she willingly followed a strong man she admired.

Jia Zhengjin had unwittingly gained a beautiful woman from another world, and to say he wasn’t delighted would be a lie!

When he woke in the morning and saw a fair, delicate body pressed close to him, her warm touch resting peacefully against his chest, he felt a strange new sense of responsibility. Before crossing over, he’d never imagined he could be involved with such a pure, charming yet subtly sensual beauty.

Life in another world was truly wonderful!

Unable to resist, Jia Zhengjin tightened his embrace, lowering his head to gently kiss the girl’s forehead.

“Poplushu.” Tina’s long lashes fluttered at his kiss, then she opened her eyes shyly and nestled her head into his arms, murmuring something akin to “good morning.”

Though tempted by the softness of love, Jia Zhengjin did not forget the dangers surrounding him. No matter how reluctant he was to leave the girl’s side, he forced himself up to work for the new day.

“Tina, eat more! You must be exhausted from last night—make sure you replenish yourself!” Jia Zhengjin cooked fragrant, golden roast meat, smiling happily at her. “Stay home and rest, don’t go wandering outside!”

Tina still didn’t understand his words, but shyly accepted the roast meat, scooting closer to his side and eating gracefully with her head leaning on his chest.

“Aw~~ aw~~” The aroma of the meat woke Little Grey, who poked its head out from a crevice, whining timidly.

“Go away, you little third wheel!” Jia Zhengjin grumbled, tossing it a piece of roast meat. Little Grey instantly grabbed it and darted back to gnaw away in its hiding spot.

He had meant to finish breakfast early and head out to work, but the clingy beauty in his arms kept him lingering, and he couldn’t help but indulge in a bit more affection.

Eventually, after slowly finishing their meal, he repeated several times, “Tina, stay home!” with gestures, then picked up his bow and mimed hunting. The little beauty finally understood, gently replying, “Formalia!”

“Does that mean ‘safe travels’?” Jia Zhengjin guessed.

Tina kissed his cheek tenderly, then knelt shyly by the campfire and smiled.

“I feel filled with strength!” Jia Zhengjin declared grandly. “I’m heading out!”

Now that he had Tina, he was even more careful about his safety.

His life was no longer just his own—it was tied to a woman waiting for him to return.

Taking extra precautions, Jia Zhengjin donned his mushroom headgear, grabbed his bow and arrows, and stealthily made his way to the trap zone to check the day’s harvest.

There were no kobolds in today’s traps! Some had been crushed by some giant creature. Only one trap remained intact, holding a strange, dying creature that looked like a black panther with horns.

Panther-like felines shouldn’t be caught by such shallow traps—they’re swift climbers. But when Jia Zhengjin saw its four hoof-like toes, he understood why.

Though there was only one catch, it was still a trophy! Jia Zhengjin immediately nocked an arrow and finished it off. Who knew if creatures in this world might play dead to deceive him—safety first.

[Message] You have killed a Felomira, gaining 40 experience points!

So this bizarre creature was called Felomira? Jia Zhengjin jumped into the trap and searched the corpse.

[Message] You have obtained Felomira’s pelt!
[Message] You have obtained Felomira’s fangs!
[Message] You have obtained [Blueprint for Beast Pen]!
[Message] You have obtained iron ore!

“What on earth is iron ore?” Jia Zhengjin grumbled. These peculiar creatures from another world always dropped weird loot. Can’t I just mine iron myself? Why does it drop here? But what’s this [Blueprint for Beast Pen]?

Jia Zhengjin took out his knife and harvested plenty of raw meat, pelts, and organs from Felomira, then climbed out of the trap and concealed it again. Using a stone shovel, he dug several more traps, then retreated to a quieter spot to examine the [Blueprint for Beast Pen]—something he’d never seen in any game before.

[Blueprint for Beast Pen]: Allows you to build a cage for taming beasts. The higher the level, the stronger the beasts you can tame. Tamed beasts can be raised as mounts, gathering pets, or beasts of burden. Construction materials required: 2000 wood, 500 iron ore, 500 copper ore, 100 ropes.

Reading the description, Jia Zhengjin was instantly thrilled: “This is amazing! The material requirements are high, but entirely achievable! Gathering pets, as the name suggests, can help collect various resources, which is exactly what I need. Every day I mine, chop wood, cut grass, hunt—always exhausted! Now, with the addition of Tina at night, I’m even more tired! If I could tame some gathering pets, I’d finally be free!”