The six surveillance drones hovered above the quarantine enclosure like silent vultures.
Their crimson lenses glowed in unison.
Beep.
Beep.
Beep.
Every flash of red light made Arjun’s heartbeat quicken.
Inspector Meera Sen stood at the front of the Heavenly Investigation Bureau’s formation, one hand resting on the hilt of her black sword.
Behind her, nearly twenty Bureau agents spread out with practiced precision, quietly surrounding the entire enclosure.
There was no panic.
No shouting.
Only calm efficiency.
That somehow felt far more intimidating.
The zoo workers looked around in confusion.
Director Wang frowned.
“Inspector Meera?”
She gave him a polite nod.
“My apologies for disturbing the zoo again, Director Wang.”
“You’ve barely left.”
“I’m aware.”
Her eyes drifted toward the newly arrived wolf.
“Our instruments detected another large spiritual fluctuation.”
Director Wang scratched his head.
“I thought you said everything was normal.”
“So did I.”
One of the younger agents stepped forward holding a glowing crystal tablet.
“Captain.”
Meera glanced sideways.
“The readings are increasing.”
“Source?”
The agent looked up.
“…The new wolf.”
Arjun’s heart skipped a beat.
The Moon-Devouring Heavenly Wolf remained perfectly still.
To everyone else, it simply looked like a calm Arctic wolf observing unfamiliar surroundings.
Only Arjun knew the truth.
Or rather…
Only Arjun knew that he didn’t know the truth.
The system quietly appeared.
SIDE MISSION
Protect the Moon-Devouring Heavenly Wolf’s Identity Current Progress:
0%
Hint:
Do not let the Bureau perform a spiritual scan.
“That’s easier said than done.”
Host has a mouth.
Use it.
“I’ve noticed your advice keeps getting less helpful.”
Host has survived thirteen chapters.
Confidence in Host has increased by 0.7%.
“…Only 0.7?”
Congratulations.
Arjun resisted the urge to argue further.
Now was not the time.
Inspector Meera slowly approached the enclosure.
“Mr.
Mehra.”
He forced a smile.
“Inspector.”
“I need to examine the new animal.”
“Of course.”
She narrowed her eyes.
“You’re agreeing rather quickly.”
Arjun almost bit his tongue.
“I believe in cooperating with government agencies.”
“Interesting.”
“Very.”
She continued walking.
The silver dragon emblem on her coat shimmered beneath the floodlights.
For reasons Arjun couldn’t explain, the emblem made the wolf’s ears twitch.
The system noticed immediately.
REACTION DETECTED
Target:
Moon-Devouring Heavenly Wolf
Emotional Response:
Disgust
“What?”
The wolf appears to dislike the Bureau.
“Can you blame him?”
Negative.
The wolf suddenly looked directly at Arjun.
Without moving its mouth, a calm voice echoed inside his mind.
“Keeper.”
Arjun nearly stumbled.
“…You can do telepathy now?”
“Do not allow them to touch me.”
The voice was deep and composed.
Unlike Bruno’s cheerful personality, the wolf sounded ancient.
Measured.
Every word carried quiet authority.
Arjun looked around.
Nobody else had reacted.
Apparently, only he had heard it.
The system chimed in.
✔ NEW SKILL DISCOVERED ✔
Ancient Beast Telepathy
Requirement:
Mutual Trust
Current Compatible Beasts:
Heavenly Bear Emperor
Moon-Devouring Heavenly Wolf
“So that’s new.”
You’re welcome.
“I didn’t even earn it.”
Technicality.
Inspector Meera stopped only a few steps away from the wolf.
She slowly removed a bronze mirror from her coat.
The moment it appeared…
Varkhaz’s expression changed.
“My lord.”
“What?”
“That’s a Soul Reflection Mirror.”
Arjun frowned.
“What does it do?”
The demon answered quietly.
“It reveals one’s true nature.”
Arjun’s smile froze.
“Oh.”
“Oh?”
“That’s…
bad.”
“Extremely.”
Across the enclosure, Meera raised the mirror.
The surface remained perfectly dull.
She took another step.
The wolf didn’t move.
Bruno quietly stood up from the grass.
His round face still looked innocent.
Golden spiritual energy had begun gathering around his paws.
Very slowly.
Very subtly.
Nobody except Arjun and Varkhaz seemed to notice.
Bruno whispered without opening his mouth.
“Keeper.”
Arjun blinked.
“You too?”
“If Pretty Sword Lady hurts Wolf…”
The panda’s golden eyes flashed.
“…I hit her.”
Arjun almost fainted.
“No.”
“Little hit?”
“No.”
“Tiny hit?”
“No!”
Bruno looked genuinely disappointed.
The system updated immediately.
HEAVENLY BEAR EMPEROR STATUS
Current Mood:
Protective
Violence Probability:
89%
“Why is it eighty-nine percent?”
Host successfully reduced it from ninety-eight percent.
“…I’m taking that as a victory.”
Inspector Meera finally stood directly before the wolf.
She lifted the Soul Reflection Mirror.
Silver light slowly spread across its surface.
The Bureau agents held their breath.
The wolf calmly closed its eyes.
Arjun’s palms became damp with sweat.
If the mirror worked…
Everything would be over.
Meera whispered,
“Let’s see…”
The silver light touched the wolf’s fur.
For one second…
Nothing happened.
Then—
CRACK!
The bronze mirror shattered into dozens of pieces.
A shockwave erupted from its center, knocking nearby agents backward.
Inspector Meera barely managed to keep her footing.
Silence filled the enclosure.
The wolf slowly opened its eyes.
Completely calm.
As though nothing had happened.
One of the Bureau agents stared at the broken mirror in disbelief.
“…Captain…”
His voice trembled.
“The Soul Reflection Mirror…”
“…has never failed before.”
Far away, hidden on a nearby rooftop, a man watched the entire scene through a pair of binoculars.
He lowered them slowly.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
“So…”
He murmured.
“The Keeper really has awakened.”
He turned and disappeared into the darkness before anyone noticed he had been there.
Meanwhile, inside the zoo…
The system displayed a single crimson message.
NEW ADVERSARY DETECTED
Unknown Observer
Threat Assessment:
HIGH
Identity:
Classified
Arjun looked around instinctively.
He couldn’t see anyone.
But for some reason…
He suddenly felt that someone else had just entered the game.
The shattered fragments of the Soul Reflection Mirror lay scattered across the concrete floor.
Nobody moved.
Inspector Meera Sen stared silently at the broken pieces in her hand.
Her expression remained calm, but Arjun noticed the slightest tightening of her fingers around the mirror’s handle.
That tiny movement told him everything.
She hadn’t expected this.
Neither had anyone else.
Around the enclosure, the Bureau agents exchanged uneasy glances.
One of them finally broke the silence.
“Captain…”
His voice was barely above a whisper.
“The mirror…”
“I know.”
“It has never broken before.”
“I know.”
The agent swallowed.
“What does it mean?”
Meera didn’t answer immediately.
Instead, she walked around the wolf in a slow circle.
The Moon-Devouring Heavenly Wolf remained perfectly still, as calm as a statue.
Its golden eyes followed her movements without hostility.
Without fear.
As if it already knew the outcome.
The system quietly appeared before Arjun.
ANALYSIS COMPLETE
Soul Reflection Mirror
Result:
Unable to identify target.
Cause:
Target exceeds the mirror’s recognition limit.
“So the mirror wasn’t defective?”
Negative.
“Then why did it explode?”
Because it tried to examine something it was never designed to understand.
“…That sounds expensive.”
Very.
Arjun glanced at Meera.
Judging from her expression…
She agreed.
Director Wang, blissfully unaware of the supernatural implications, scratched his head.
“So…”
“Does this mean the wolf passed the inspection?”
Nearly every Bureau agent looked as though they wanted to answer.
None of them could.
Finally, Meera sighed.
“For now…”
“Yes.”
Director Wang smiled brightly.
“Excellent!”
He turned toward Arjun.
“Looks like our new resident is perfectly healthy.”
Arjun forced a smile.
“Apparently.”
Inside his head, the system snorted.
Definition of ‘healthy’ differs significantly between civilizations.
“I noticed.”
Bruno slowly waddled toward the wolf.
The two ancient beasts silently observed one another.
After a long moment…
Bruno extended a bamboo stalk. You are reading on g.com, the official source.
“…Snack?”
The wolf stared at it.
Several seconds passed.
Then…
It accepted.
The surrounding tension vanished almost instantly.
Bruno beamed proudly.
“Friend!”
The wolf lowered its head slightly.
“…Friend.”
Arjun blinked.
“That was easier than expected.”
Varkhaz quietly coughed.
“My lord.”
“Yes?”
“The Heavenly Bear Emperor has a unique diplomatic strategy.”
“What strategy?”
“…Food.”
Arjun nodded thoughtfully.
“Honestly…”
“That’s pretty effective.”
Aisha couldn’t suppress a laugh.
“I’ve never seen international relations solved with bamboo before.”
Bruno puffed out his chest proudly.
“Bamboo solves many problems.”
The system immediately agreed.
✔ DIPLOMACY SUCCESSFUL ✔
Heavenly Bear Emperor has formed an alliance.
Relationship Updated:
Moon-Devouring Heavenly Wolf
Status:
Trusted Ally
Meanwhile…
Nearly a hundred meters away…
The mysterious man stood atop the zoo’s observation tower.
His black coat fluttered gently in the night breeze.
Silver hair reflected beneath the moonlight.
He lowered the small communication device in his hand.
“The report was accurate.”
A calm voice answered through the earpiece.
“Confirmation?”
He smiled faintly.
“The Keeper has gathered two ancient guardians.”
A brief silence followed.
Then…
“Proceed to Phase One.”
“As you wish.”
The connection ended.
The man looked toward Arjun once more.
His golden eyes narrowed.
“So you’ve forgotten everything…”
He quietly disappeared into the darkness.
Back at the quarantine enclosure…
The Bureau agents finished packing their equipment.
Meera walked toward Arjun one last time.
“Mr.
Mehra.”
“Inspector.”
She studied him carefully.
“You always seem to be present whenever impossible things happen.”
Arjun laughed awkwardly.
“I guess I’m unlucky.”
“Perhaps.”
She paused.
“Or perhaps you’re unusually lucky.”
He didn’t answer.
Because he wasn’t sure which one was true anymore.
After several seconds, Meera nodded politely.
“If you notice anything strange…”
She handed him a business card.
“Call me immediately.”
Arjun accepted it.
“I will.”
She turned and walked away.
The black SUVs slowly disappeared through the zoo’s main gate.
6Only after their taillights vanished did everyone finally relax.
Director Wang stretched.
“What a long night.”
“You kids head home.”
“I’ll handle the paperwork.”
Arjun smiled weakly.
“Thanks, Director.”
The old man waved without looking back.
Within minutes…
Only Arjun, Aisha, Bruno, the wolf, and Varkhaz remained.
The moon hung high above the silent zoo.
A cool breeze drifted through the bamboo grove.
For the first time that day…
Everything felt peaceful.
Then the wolf suddenly raised its head.
Its ears twitched.
Bruno’s cheerful smile disappeared.
Varkhaz immediately drew a deep breath.
“They’re here.”
Arjun frowned.
“Who?”
The wolf’s golden eyes focused on the distant eastern sky.
“…Hunters.”
The system exploded into dozens of crimson windows.
WORLD EVENT
Foreign Spiritual Signatures Detected
Number of Targets:
12
Estimated Arrival:
Five Minutes
Affiliation:
Unknown
“What do they want?”
Unknown.
The wolf quietly answered before the system could.
“They’ve come…”
Its voice became colder than winter itself.
“…for me.”
Aisha instinctively stepped closer to Arjun.
The night wind suddenly carried a strange sound.
A whistle.
Then another.
Dark silhouettes leaped across the rooftops surrounding the zoo with impossible speed.
They wore white masks shaped like foxes.
Each carried a different ancient weapon.
Swords.
Spears.
8Chains.
One figure landed silently on the zoo entrance gate.
He slowly looked down at everyone below.
Then he smiled beneath his mask.
“We finally found you…”
His gaze locked onto the Moon-Devouring Heavenly Wolf.
“…Guardian.”
The system’s final notification appeared.
NEW ENEMY FACTION UNLOCKED
The White Fox Society
Status:
Hostile
Current Objective:
Capture the Moon-Devouring Heavenly Wolf
Season Antagonists:
Activated
Above the zoo…
Dark clouds quietly covered the moon.
The first real battle of the Keeper had just begun.
To Be Continue…,