Chapter 5 ( Welcome to Research Station 249)
1204 Words
Upon returning to the outpost, Huo Yu was greeted by the warm glow of the still-burning stove, providing a much-needed touch of comfort.
He gently placed the little wolf cub on the table and began a thorough physical examination.
First, he carefully checked the cub’s entire body, ensuring there were no unnoticed wounds.
Then, he boiled a pot of water and used a warm, damp towel to gently wipe down the cub’s body.
The little one appeared to be less than two weeks old, too young to bathe properly.
Throughout the process, the wolf cub kept its eyes tightly shut, allowing Huo Yu to handle it without protest—surprisingly obedient.
Once cleaned, the cub looked even more adorable, like a delicate little doll.
Suddenly, Huo Yu felt a warm, moist sensation on his fingertip.
The wolf cub had extended its soft pink tongue to lick Huo Yu’s hand.
At that moment, the system chimed in with a notification.
[The Arctic wolf feels comfortable. You have gained 129 recognition points.]
[The Arctic wolf feels safe. You have gained 212 recognition points.]
[The Arctic wolf thinks of you as family. You have gained 572 recognition points and a Polar Gift Pack has been awarded!]
Huo Yu was momentarily stunned.
So many recognition points? And a gift pack too?
People often say wolves are treacherous, yet here he was, fostering a grateful little cub.
Had it mistaken him for its father?
“Would you like to claim the Polar Gift Pack?”
Huo Yu mentally confirmed, “Claim.”
[Ding! The wolf cub finds your den too simple and has requested the system to provide a luxury dog bed.]
[An automatic temperature-adjusting sleeping bag.]
[Five crates of Yo-Yo Milk.]
[A basic Arctic combat suit.]
[A handgun upgrade with unlimited ammunition.]
[A physical enhancement.]
[All items have been automatically placed in the warehouse. Please collect them at your convenience.]
Huo Yu was astonished.
You’re an Arctic wolf, and yet you’re sending a luxury dog bed?
At least you’re thoughtful enough to include a sleeping bag for your dad.
As he stroked the cub’s soft fur, Huo Yu’s thoughts drifted to the gift pack.
It seemed easier to earn recognition points from animals than from humans, and the rewards were more abundant.
Unlike human recognition, which involved complex emotions, animals had simple, instinctual feelings.
Thus, animals not only brought recognition points but also various items and skill rewards.
These rewards seemed tailored to the inner desires of the pet.
For example, the cub desired a more comfortable living environment, hence the bed and milk in the gift pack.
A soft whimper from the cub pulled Huo Yu back to the present.
Seeing the cub gazing at him with wide eyes, Huo Yu understood immediately.
The little one was hungry.
“All right, all right, let’s get you something to eat.”
He left the camera focused on the cub and went to the storage room, retrieving a small iron basin.
Huo Yu exchanged some Yo-Yo Milk from the system warehouse and poured it into the basin.
A rich, creamy aroma filled the air.
Huo Yu’s eyes lit up.
As expected, the milk from the system was top-notch, with a fragrance so delightful that even he, someone who didn’t particularly like milk, was tempted.
He glanced around, then leaned down to take a sip from the basin.
The sweet, creamy flavor exploded in his mouth.
Huo Yu’s eyes widened, and he couldn’t resist taking another big gulp.
This stuff was delicious.
Knowing there were five crates of Yo-Yo Milk in the warehouse, Huo Yu picked up the basin and drank it all.
...
Meanwhile, the little wolf cub, tired of waiting for Huo Yu, struggled to crawl a few steps forward.
The live stream chat exploded with comments.
“It moved! The little one is too cute.”
“Haha, like a little stuffed toy.”
“With a cub this adorable, one punch would make it cry for ages.”
Though the cub was only a few weeks old, its sense of smell was far superior to that of humans, and it had already caught the scent of milk in the air.
Driven by hunger, the cub kept moving toward the source of the aroma, unaware that it was nearing the edge of the table.
The viewers finally realized something was wrong.
“Oh no, if the cub moves any further, it’ll fall off the table.”
“Streamer, stop preparing food! The cub is about to fall!”
“With a wolf’s physical resilience, it should be fine, right?”
“Hard to say, considering it’s a newborn. Falling from this height could at least injure it, if not worse.”
The cub, of course, couldn’t see the comments and was oblivious to the danger it faced.
As it reached the edge of the table, it took one more step forward, and suddenly, its tiny body vanished from the viewers’ sight.
The live stream audience gasped in unison, and the chat fell silent.
A moment later, a pair of large hands caught the whimpering cub and brought it back into view.
It was Huo Yu, who had returned from the storage room with more milk for the cub.
The comments were displayed directly in front of Huo Yu, so he had seen the warnings from the viewers in time.
He quickly set down the basin and rushed back to save the cub, just in time.
Smiling, Huo Yu placed the cub back on the table, gently poking its head.
“You’ve got some nerve, little one. I was gone for just a few minutes, and you’re already trying to jump?”
The cub, still shaken, became much more subdued, closing its eyes and letting out a few pitiful whines.
Huo Yu placed it far from the edge of the table before retrieving the basin from the storage room.
As the sweet scent of milk wafted through the air, the cub’s nose twitched, and its eyes snapped open.
The moment Huo Yu placed the basin on the table, the cub scrambled over, eager to reach the milk.
It stood on its hind legs, its front paws desperately clawing at the basin, but it was still too small to reach.
Seeing the cub’s frustration, Huo Yu had no choice but to hold it steady with one hand while feeding it milk with a spoon.
As the little one ate, Huo Yu took a moment to glance down.
Turns out, it’s a little boy.
Noticing Huo Yu’s actions, the live stream chat erupted with playful comments.
“What’s the streamer doing?”
“Haha, what did the streamer see?”
“Is the cub a boy or a girl?”
“By the way, shouldn’t the streamer give the little one a name?”
With a smile, Huo Yu looked into the camera and said, “It’s a boy.”
As for a name...
Since it’s spring and the little one was just born, it’s probably a Pisces cub.
“How about we call him Xiao Yu (Little Fish)?”
Huo Yu gently grasped the cub’s tiny paw and softly said, “Welcome to Research Station 249, Xiao Yu!”
- Writer
