The faint morning light filtered through the gaps in the Tree House, casting several hazy beams into the dusty air.
Xiao Ye awoke to a faint rustling sound and a light, somewhat strange food aroma.
She opened her eyes and saw A Mi squatting by the simple stove made of a few stacked rocks in the corner of the Tree House, carefully fiddling with something.
A weak flame flickered in the stove, with a small, worn but clean ceramic pot resting on top.
“Awake?” A Mi turned around upon hearing the movement, a trace of unnatural awkwardness on his face.
“I tried to make something to eat. It might not taste good; I strictly followed the ingredient and water ratios listed in the System Encyclopedia for ‘Basic Nutrient Paste.’”
He brought over a wooden bowl containing more than half of a gray, viscous paste. Its appearance was certainly not appealing, but it was steaming hot, emitting the simple fragrance of cooked grains mixed with some unknown wild vegetables.
Xiao Ye propped herself up to sit, and although the wound on her back still ached faintly, the burning sting had lessened considerably, replaced by a deep, dull ache and persistent itching associated with healing.
She took the wooden bowl, feeling the warmth transmitted through the ceramic.
She looked down at the unappetizing food in the bowl, then looked up at A Mi’s eyes, which held a hint of expectation and much more apprehension. She picked up a small wooden spoon placed nearby, scooped a spoonful, blew on it carefully, and brought it to her mouth.
The taste… was very bland, even a bit rough. The grains seemed overcooked, and the wild vegetables carried a slight bitterness.
…But, it was warm.
She swallowed the first spoonful quickly, then sped up her movements. From a distance, she looked like a black squirrel gnawing on a pine nut.
As she ate, large tears rolled down from her eyes without warning, dripping into the bowl and mixing with the grayish paste.
She made no sound, only her shoulders slightly shook. Head bowed, she ate mouthful after mouthful stubbornly.
A Mi immediately panicked, thinking he had somehow cooked a poison that was impossible to swallow.
“Sorry, sorry! Does it taste terrible? If it’s bad, don’t eat it, I’ll think of another way…”
Xiao Ye shook her head vigorously, lifting her tear-filled face, her voice choked, “N-no… it tastes very good. Really…”
She wiped her tears haphazardly with the back of her hand, but the more she wiped, the more tears fell.
“This is… the first time someone has cooked for me… Before, I was always alone… finding wild fruits, or picking up things others discarded…”
A Mi froze, a wave of sourness washing over his heart.
He looked at her small frame and the tear tracks still wet on her face, imagining her days of Struggle for Survival alone in this forest, and for a moment, he didn't know what to say.
He clumsily tried to comfort her but ended up asking an even worse question: “What about your parents?”
He regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth.
Xiao Ye’s movements paused briefly, her gaze dimmed, but she quickly regained her composure, though deep loneliness lay beneath that calm.
“They… passed away when I was very young. I don’t remember them well.” She even managed to force a faint, tear-streaked smile toward A Mi, “It’s okay, Mr. A Mi, I’m used to it.”
The more she said that, the worse A Mi felt; embarrassment and apology almost drowned him.
Damn it…
He cursed himself internally for being too talkative and could only say dryly, “…Eat quickly, it’s getting cold.”
Xiao Ye smiled at him and then continued to bury her head in the food.
The two silently finished the breakfast of complex flavors.
After cleaning up, Xiao Ye’s spirits were clearly much better; the medicine and rest had taken effect.
She moved her arms and shoulders. Although pulling on the wound on her back still made her frown, her movements were no longer as stiff as yesterday.
“Mr. A Mi,” Xiao Ye’s eyes sparkled with expectation, a complete contrast to the fragility shown while crying earlier, “We are officially Contracted Partners now! We can go to the Contract Hall!”
“Contract Hall?”
“Yes!” Xiao Ye nodded vigorously, unable to suppress her excitement, “It’s in the city center! That’s the place specifically serving Contracted Spirits and Spirit Masters!
I heard it has everything—you can register a Contract, receive beginner resources, take on quests, and learn a lot of knowledge! I used to… only hear others mention it from afar, never daring to go inside.”
Her voice gradually lowered, carrying a hint of past timidity, but it was quickly reignited by the hope before her.
Seeing the long-lost light in her eyes, A Mi temporarily suppressed the complex emotions in his heart.
Regardless of how special his identity was or how mysterious his origins, right now, they were each other’s only Contracted Partners.
Heading to the Contract Hall was undoubtedly the first step for them to truly establish themselves in The World.
“Alright,” A Mi stood up, extending his hand to Xiao Ye, a gentle yet firm smile on his face.
“Then let’s go take a look. Let’s see this… ‘real beginning’ that belongs to us.”
Xiao Ye looked at the hand A Mi extended, paused slightly, and then broke into a brilliant, cloudless smile, gently placing her hand into his palm.
Walking through the bustling streets, the closer they got to the city center, the grander the surrounding buildings became, and the more luxurious the clothing of the passersby appeared.
Xiao Ye unconsciously shrank her neck and instinctively moved closer to A Mi. Everything here was completely different from her dilapidated Tree House and the desolate forest, filled with an overwhelming sense of unfamiliarity.
It was as astonishing and restless as a farmer who had lived in the countryside their whole life suddenly entering a city.
A Mi was slightly better off—although the surroundings looked ‘luxurious,’ they still couldn't compare to the world he came from before his transmigration.
Finally, a towering, pure white building came into view.
It possessed a somewhat sacred aura, with smooth and solemn lines, radiating a soft glow under the sunlight, making it look exceptionally solemn and striking compared to the colorful buildings around it.
This was the Contract Hall, one of the city’s vital cores, and a place every Contractor must pass through.
A Mi could feel the cold sweat in Xiao Ye’s palm. He gently squeezed her hand and whispered, “Don’t be afraid, Xiao Ye, you are a Contractor now too.”
Xiao Ye took a deep breath, nodded firmly, mustered her courage, and stepped onto the highly polished white stone steps with A Mi, entering the open gate carved with intricate Contract Runes.
In an instant, it was as if they had entered another world.
The interior space was far vaster and more magnificent than it appeared from the outside, with a high, vaulted ceiling painted with magnificent murals depicting ancient summoning rituals.
Soft, bright light spilled in from an unknown source, illuminating the entire hall. The floor was smooth as a mirror, reflecting the figures moving back and forth.
But the most shocking thing was the "crowd" gathered here.
All sorts of strange creatures filled their vision:
Rock Giants clad in stone armor, making dull sounds as they moved;
Spirit Bodies floating in mid-air, surrounded by halos of elemental light;
Small Flower Demons with transparent wings on their backs;
And even ferocious-looking multi-headed hounds obediently following their Spirit Masters…
They varied greatly in form and strength of Aura, but without exception, they followed their respective Spirit Masters—elegantly dressed Elf Mages, fiercely imposing Orc Warriors, long-bearded, sharp-eyed Dwarf artisans…
This was the world of Contracted Spirits and Spirit Masters.
The air was filled with Mana fluctuations of various attributes, interwoven with whispers, laughter, and even the low growls of some Contracted Spirits, creating a uniquely vibrant clamor.
“Waiters” of various Races, wearing specialized platinum uniforms, moved nimbly and swiftly through the crowd.
They wore professional smiles, providing attentive service precisely to those Spirit Masters who appeared noble and well-dressed, serving drinks, answering questions, and providing Guidance.
A Mi and Xiao Ye stood still, like two groundhogs who had wandered into a magnificent palace, momentarily stunned by the spectacle, unable to recover for a long time.
The splendor surrounding them formed a stark contrast to their own shabbiness. Some Spirit Masters and Contracted Spirits passing by cast glances that were curious, scrutinizing, or even faintly disdainful.
After a while, A Mi was the first to snap out of his shock.
He blinked hard, suppressing the turmoil in his heart, realizing this was not the time to be dazed.
He tugged on Xiao Ye, who was still looking up at the ceiling murals.
“Snap out of it, Xiao Ye.”
“Ah… oh!” Xiao Ye’s cheeks flushed, and she quickly lowered her head, looking somewhat embarrassed.
“This place is magnificent, but it has little to do with us.”
A Mi’s gaze sharpened as he scanned the Contracted Spirits in the hall whose Auras were clearly not weak, sensing an invisible pressure.
“We are too weak right now. Level One, Comprehensive Rating D…”
He recalled the Wolf-tooth Mace bearing a wolf shadow from yesterday, Lina’s C-Rank Flower Demon, and the hostility that might be lurking in the shadows.
Without strength, it was impossible to move an inch in this World; they couldn't even protect themselves or those around them.
“The immediate priority is to find a way to level up and increase our strength as quickly as possible,” A Mi’s voice was low and firm. “Only by becoming stronger can we truly establish ourselves here, and only then… can you stop being bullied.”
Xiao Ye looked at A Mi’s determined profile; the anxiety in her heart was gradually replaced by a warm current and resolve.
She nodded forcefully: “Yes! Mr. A Mi, what should we do?”
A Mi smiled, pulling Xiao Ye’s hand tighter. The two no longer lingered on the hall’s luxury and began diligently studying the directional signs for the various areas.
Amidst the bustling crowd, the pair, having just started their journey, searched for the place that might offer Guidance to “newcomers” like them.