Chapter 2: Trouble Comes in Feathers and Fur
Lin Mo woke up with a small bird beak poking into his cheek.
"GAH!" he flailed, rolling off his bed with a loud thump. The pink, feathered snake-bird from last night flapped its stubby wings proudly and landed on his pillow, chirping like it owned the place.
"YOU!" Lin Mo glared, rubbing his forehead. "You divebombed my porridge yesterday, and now you're divebombing my sleep schedule. Are you cursed?"
It responded by spitting a feather directly into his face.
"I'm gonna call you… Disaster."
The System pinged lazily.
> [Naming Pet... Pet Name Registered: 'Disaster']
Perfect.
---
Downstairs, the smell of porridge wafted up again. Lin Mo dragged himself to breakfast, cradling Disaster under one arm like an annoying pillow.
Mu Qing greeted him with a soft smile this time. No scolding.
That was suspicious.
Too suspicious.
"Morning, Mo'er. Eat before it cools." She placed a bowl of steaming porridge in front of him and then… turned to Disaster.
Her eyes narrowed.
"What is that?"
Lin Mo flinched.
"An… egg hatched last night. I think it likes me. Or wants me dead. Not sure."
Mu Qing gently poked Disaster, who chirped, then attempted to bite her finger. She smiled. Then punched the table so hard it cracked.
"Mo'er, you brought a wild animal home without telling me?"
"Technically, I brought an egg. That turned into an animal."
"…Don't get smart with me."
Lin Mo scooped porridge into his mouth, panicking.
"I'll train it! It'll be great! Loyal, maybe even cook porridge one day!"
Mu Qing folded her arms.
"It better. Or I'm making feather soup."
---
Later that morning, Lin Jian appeared from the backyard, yawning as usual.
"Morning. Did the porridge survive the bird today?"
"Barely," Lin Mo said. "Also, Dad… Mom threatened soup."
Lin Jian snorted. "As expected."
He casually tossed a small pouch on the table.
"A little reward for yesterday. You've been behaving unusually well."
Lin Mo peeked inside. Three glowing purple pills.
"Wait—are these mid-grade cultivation pills?!"
"Used to be," Lin Jian said, sipping tea. "I upgraded them last night. Should give you a good boost."
Mu Qing looked over, raising an eyebrow.
"You're spoiling him."
"Better than punching him awake."
"Touché."
---
After breakfast, Lin Mo went outside with Disaster perched on his head like a ridiculous hat.
Training.
His parents were both monsters in cultivation—his father a Dou Zong, his mother a peak Dou Huang—and he wasn't planning to be the family embarrassment.
He sat in a quiet spot in the yard and began circulating Dou Qi.
But then…
> [Beast Taming System Mini-Event Unlocked!] [Random Beast Egg Incoming!]
A pop.
A flash of light.
And suddenly… there was a second egg.
This one was golden, warm to the touch, and pulsing with energy.
Disaster hissed at it jealously.
"Relax," Lin Mo said. "You're the weird firstborn."
He stared at the new egg.
"What are you, huh?"
The system chimed again.
> [New Beast Egg Identified: 'Young Heavenly Flame Lion Cub (Variant)']
Lin Mo's jaw dropped.
"A lion?! With a heavenly flame lineage? That's like… a cheat code!"
> [Warning: This cub is temperamental. Handle with love, snacks, and zero ego.]
Lin Mo gulped.
"Please don't be Disaster 2.0."
---
That night, after carefully placing the golden egg in a heated blanket he prepared from fire stones, Lin Mo decided something important.
He walked into the kitchen, where Mu Qing was pouring tea.
"Mom."
She glanced up.
"I'm giving you Disaster."
"…Is this a prank?"
"No. Look, Disaster… I think she likes you more. She flew into your porridge yesterday. That's basically a marriage proposal in bird culture."
Mu Qing rolled her eyes but looked slightly amused.
She picked up the little feathered beast, who promptly chirped and nuzzled her neck.
"…Fine. I'll raise her. But she better not poop on my cushions."
Lin Mo saluted. "You are a noble woman of great strength and bravery."
"I will still punch you if she bites me in my sleep."
"…Noted."
---
Three days passed.
The egg hatched.
And the first thing that emerged… was a sleepy lion cub with fire-like fur and golden eyes.
It yawned, looked at Lin Mo, and sneezed a tiny spark.
Lin Mo melted.
"You are now my child."
> [Beast Name Registered: Fluffy]
> [Beast Potential: LIMITLESS]
> [Note: Likes belly rubs and grilled fish. Hates thunder.]
Lin Mo held the cub like a proud father.
Mu Qing peeked over.
"That one better not fly into my tea."
"It's a lion, Mom."
"I've seen weirder."
---
The next morning, Lin Mo was already in the yard, doing pushups with Fluffy perched on his back.
"You… are going to be the strongest lion this world has ever seen," he muttered, struggling by the 20th rep.
Mu Qing watched from the window, Disaster chirping happily from her shoulder.
Lin Jian joined her.
"Our son… is raising pets better than people."
"At least he's consistent."
---
That evening, after a long day of training and failing to get Fluffy to roar (it purred instead), Lin Mo collapsed into bed.
Fluffy curled beside him.
He looked at the stars through the window.
"Medusa, huh? Still just a name right now… but one day, I'll stand beside you."
Fluffy sneezed again, lighting a corner of the blanket on fire.
"OKAY OKAY I'LL PUT IT OUT!"
---
End Note from Lin Mo:
Today I got burned, threatened with soup, and given a lion cub. Honestly? Peak living. Disaster is now Mom's problem. I feel like a genius. Probably.
Also, why does my lion snore louder than Dad? Is that normal?