“Squeak squeak—”

“Little one, wake up—”

Although it was just the sound of a mouse squeaking, Shi Qian was startled to realize that he could actually understand its meaning.

However, the body he had just transmigrated into felt inexplicably tired and uncomfortable. To make matters worse, Shi Qian discovered he couldn’t open his eyes easily.

He tried several times, and finally, with effort, managed to pry his eyelids apart.

Dim light seeped into his vision, followed by the sight of an enormous furry face dominating his entire field of view.

The lighting was faint, so Shi Qian could only make out the figure of his “mother,” who had woken him up. She had a pair of large, shiny black eyes.

The King of Giant Rats on Wuye Mountain let out a breath of relief upon seeing her little one finally wake up.

Unexpectedly, that single breath sent the unprepared cub rolling in the soft feathered nest.

Shi Qian, who rolled like a ball: …

Well, that was disorienting.

The King of Giant Rats sighed inwardly, took two steps back, and brought over a bowl of milk she had prepared for her little one, placing it beside the feathered nest. It was milk she had snatched from another beast, and it couldn’t be kept for long.

Two days ago, during a rolling-egg test for her two cubs, her younger son accidentally fell into an icy pool.

Although the water in the pool was cold, beasts were notoriously thick-skinned and resilient.

Yet somehow, her cub—a five-year-old beast in the Foundation Establishment stage—fell ill for two days after falling into the water.

She couldn’t help but lament her situation. As the King of Giant Rats, a proud beast ruler on Wuye Mountain, she had given birth to two cubs, and their unknown father possessed an extraordinarily strong bloodline. Her eldest was as sturdy as a tiger, but the younger one was small and frail, constantly giving her headaches.

Seeing the little one still lying motionless, the King of Giant Rats urged, “Squeak!”

“Little one, hurry up and drink!”

Shi Qian snapped out of his daze, propped up his unfamiliar limbs, and moved toward the bowl of milk.

Fortunately, it was only three steps away. Even though he wobbled twice and slipped once, he successfully made it to the edge of the milk bowl.

Compared to the enormous body of the mouse mother, the size of the milk bowl was much more reasonable—it was just an ordinary coarse ceramic bowl.

As the scent of milk wafted up, Shi Qian felt a wave of discomfort wash over him. He had no appetite at all.

Still, he knew the milk was likely excellent for restoring his health. So he obediently stood beside the bowl, endured his discomfort, and lowered his head to lap up the milk.

While forcing himself to drink, Shi Qian reached into his consciousness to contact the system. His mental tone was filled with worry.

[1958, why do I feel so awful? Don’t tell me I’m about to fail right after arriving and end up owing the Bureau of Transmigration points?!]

That’s right—Shi Qian was not a native of this cultivation world.

In his original world, he had died of exhaustion after rescuing a group of children who had accidentally fallen into a river.

After his death, his soul was brought to the Bureau of Transmigration, where Shi Qian learned an astonishing fact—he had already accumulated nine lifetimes of good deeds. Including his most recent life, he was now a person with ten lifetimes’ worth of merit, a bona fide great benefactor.

Thanks to the combined efforts and kindness of his previous nine lives and this most recent one, he had earned a permanent position with the Bureau of Transmigration.

From now on, he no longer had to face the cycle of death and rebirth. His soul could live on forever.

As an employee of the Bureau, he also had the chance to experience life across the various worlds under the Bureau’s jurisdiction.

Among the many departments within the Bureau of Transmigration, Shi Qian, a lover of all things adorable, immediately gravitated toward the newest division—the Animal Sub-Bureau.

Who could possibly resist the charm of cute little animals? Absolutely no one!

Even when the newly activated System 1958 warned that this department might be full of unexpected challenges, Shi Qian didn’t hesitate for a second. He resolutely confirmed his job placement without a shred of doubt.

Shi Qian never imagined that the so-called “full of imagination” would actually translate to “all kinds of immature mechanisms.”

He couldn’t help but complain: [And another thing—if the mandatory initial setting was supposed to be ‘both strong and adorable,’ then why am I this weak right now?]

The voice of System 1958 sounded somewhat sheepish, neither too loud nor too soft.

[Brother Qian, don’t worry. Your body will recover very soon. I promise you won’t die before even getting started!]

[As for the setting, your current beast form is absolutely, undeniably adorable. In terms of strength, this beast body has incredible growth potential, with a rich royal bloodline. In the future, it’ll be able to crush every member of its species.]

[Plus, this world is a cultivation realm. For beasts, it’s notoriously difficult to thrive among humans. But your beast form is different. You’re a rare treasure-hunting mouse. The moment you show up, people will treat you like a precious gem.]

Hearing this, Shi Qian reviewed the simple memories he had received upon arrival and realized that they aligned perfectly with the system’s explanation.

The conditions weren’t bad at all, especially for completing tasks.

After all, transmigration wasn’t just for fun. Every employee of the Bureau of Transmigration carried tasks into their respective worlds.

Only by completing these tasks could they earn points and enjoy more comfortable lives.

Shi Qian’s mission in this world could be boiled down to one phrase: save the protagonist, Long Aotian.

The “Long Aotian” in question was actually named Long Ye. After going through a typical overpowered protagonist journey, he would ultimately defeat the big boss and save the world.

However, the Bureau of Transmigration had recently detected hidden dangers in this world. It discovered that the natural progression of events had been severely disrupted.

If left unchecked, the world’s destiny would fragment, the protagonist might fall behind others, and the big boss would become unstoppable. In that case, the entire world would face ruin.

Shi Qian’s primary mission was to investigate the hidden dangers, help Long Ye grow stronger, and turn him into the ultimate anti-boss tool.

Mission aside, Shi Qian’s attention was drawn to his mouse mother, who suddenly darted to the depths of the cave and started clawing at some stones. He let out a much softer squeak than hers: “Squeak squeak?”

“Mom, what’s wrong?”

Since this wasn’t the real world but a cultivation realm where everyone looked stunning, his mouse mother’s appearance was surprisingly pleasing. She resembled a hamster from Shi Qian’s memories—except her physique and aura were much more commanding, like that of a female warlord.

The giant mouse king smashed a large stone into pieces with one paw, her voice carrying a hint of irritation: “Squeak squeak!”

“Where has that stupid brother of yours, Hei Mao (Back Fur), gone off to now? Might as well not come back at all!”

Before Shi Qian could react, a loud response echoed from the cave entrance.

“Squeak squeak!”

“Mom! I’m back!”

Shi Qian raised his head and saw another massive, round figure bounding toward him, clutching a colorful mountain pheasant by its tail feathers.

The sight made Shi Qian sigh inwardly.

Sigh, even though we’re from the same litter, how come Big Brother Mouse is larger than Mom Mouse, while my beast form is so… ‘petite’?

As Big Brother Mouse drew closer, Shi Qian got a clearer view of his burly face, robust frame, massive front teeth, and the bulging muscles rippling across his body. The shock in his heart grew even stronger.

I can’t compete. Just can’t.

Even if you put one of the animal kingdom’s boxing champions, like a kangaroo, in front of him, Big Brother Mouse would still make them look like a scrawny weakling.

If Mom Mouse resembled a female general, then Big Brother Mouse was her most valiant and hard-hitting warrior—practically radiating a “macho tough guy” aura. Just looking at him made Shi Qian want to ask: “Oh great warrior, do you possess the strength to lift mountains?”

Big Brother Mouse went by the name “Hei Mao.” He even gave himself the nickname “King Hei Mao.”

The day he announced it, Mom Mouse lovingly “educated” him, and the dream was shelved ever since.

Now that he saw his little brother awake, Hei Mao excitedly rushed over and dropped the mountain pheasant next to Shi Qian’s tiny milk bowl.

“Squeak squeak squeak!”

“Little Brother! I caught a pheasant. After you finish drinking your milk, have two bites of meat!”

Two bites.

That specific quantity hurt Shi Qian’s pride a little.

But then again, he doubted he could even manage two bites. Politely, Shi Qian gestured toward his milk bowl and squeaked, “Squeak squeak.”

“No appetite. I can’t even finish the beast milk.”

Hei Mao let out a big, sorrowful sigh and spun around twice on the spot, trying to calm his frustration.

Why does Little Brother eat so little? I could go through ten pheasants and still be hungry.

But then… something struck him—Little Brother had actually responded to him today!

Realizing this, Hei Mao’s dark face lit up with obvious joy.

“Squeak squeak!”

“Little Brother, you talked to me!”

Huh?

Too polite for his own good, Shi Qian suddenly realized he might have just broken character as a mouse.

Hei Mao was the type to be all brawn and no brain. Since he was young, he loved to show off his strength and had absolutely no awareness of how his actions might make his weaker brother or Mom Mouse feel inferior.

As a result, even though Hei Mao was always kind and well-meaning, the original Little Brother Mouse rarely paid him any attention.

If Hei Mao asked ten questions, all ten would go unanswered. Their sibling bond was sustained entirely by Hei Mao’s one-sided enthusiasm, like carrying a heavy load on his shoulders.

Now, seeing the uncontainable joy on Hei Mao’s face, Shi Qian didn’t know what to say. He simply glanced at him and lowered his head to focus on finishing his milk.

But Hei Mao was still thrilled.

His little brother had always been so small and fragile. With his simple mind, Hei Mao grew up listening to Mom Mouse constantly nagging him to take care of his little brother as he grew. So, apart from going out to fight and play, Hei Mao always kept his little brother in mind.

Even though his brother usually ignored him, Hei Mao was especially fond of this tiny, adorable, and beautiful little sibling.

Filled with excitement, Hei Mao began running laps around the cave, squeaking loudly, “Little Brother talked to me!”

Shi Qian nearly choked on his milk from the commotion.

Was this really necessary?

Mom Mouse seemed to think the same. She intercepted her eldest son mid-lap and landed a flurry of punches on him.

Thud, thud, thud, thud—

The mother and son started sparring energetically.

Meanwhile, Shi Qian finished his milk and, feeling full, shifted his focus to reviewing his inherited memories.

To survive in the dangerous world of cultivation, he couldn’t neglect his own abilities.

Fortunately, Mom Mouse’s recent graduation exam had systematically covered all the necessary skills, so Shi Qian only needed to “review” them briefly.

As a treasure-seeking mouse, Shi Qian had four main skill categories:

Detection
Hunting
Escaping
Treasure-seeking, his natural-born divine talent.

Since Shi Qian had rarely ventured outside, his natural talent for treasure-seeking hadn’t been utilized yet—it was like an unopened skill tree waiting to be developed once he left the nest.

As for the first three skill categories, Shi Qian had an exceptional talent for escaping. His mastery of the Five Elements Escape Technique was unparalleled—so much so that even Mom Mouse couldn’t keep up with him.

After reviewing the key knowledge points in his mind—the chants for various spells, the corresponding movements, and the methods for circulating spiritual energy—Shi Qian felt more prepared.

Meanwhile, Hei Mao, still young and inexperienced, had been thoroughly defeated by their mother. Deflated, he ended up offering the wild pheasant to Mom Mouse as a tribute.

Being the filial son that he was, Hei Mao didn’t feel the slightest regret about giving it away.

After all, his little brother didn’t want it, and he had already eaten his fill outside.

Unexpectedly, there was an additional benefit—fresh meat reignited Mom Mouse’s appetite, and she instructed Hei Mao to look after his little brother while she went out hunting.

Once Mom Mouse had gone far away, Hei Mao approached his little brother’s cozy feather nest with a grin. “Squeak, squeak, squeak.”

“Little brother, say something to me again!”

Shi Qian was in the middle of secretly trying to practice walking. Annoyed, he glanced at his silly big brother and said, “Squeak, squeak.”

“Big brother, you stink. Go take a bath.”

Hei Mao’s grin widened even more.

His little brother cared enough to tell him he smelled!

Thud, thud, thud—

Without hesitation, Hei Mao bolted out of the cave and leapt into the nearby lake with a loud splash.

Even inside the cave, Shi Qian could hear the plop of him hitting the water. For a moment, Shi Qian thought his oversized, muscle-brained brother was kind of endearing.

Just telling him to bathe made him this happy.

In a good mood, Shi Qian moved his limbs and crawled out of his soft feather nest to practice walking.

Left front, right front…

No, that wasn’t right. Shi Qian ended up collapsing in a heap after the first round.

Left front, right hind; right front, left hind…

After several clumsy attempts, Shi Qian finally managed to walk somewhat smoothly, albeit shakily.

The sound of splashing water came from outside.

Shi Qian was immensely curious and immediately forgot about practicing walking. Though his four legs were still weak, his curiosity and instincts somehow drove him out of the cave.

Perhaps it was the transmigration buff, but the discomfort in his body seemed to have faded significantly, and his strength was steadily increasing.

Shi Qian walked outside and stood on the elevated ground at the cave entrance. He looked toward the lake not far away, where his mouse brother was happily playing in the water, scrubbing himself furiously.

Hearing the commotion, Hei Mao raised his head. Remembering the reason his little brother had fallen ill, he anxiously shouted, “Squeak, Squeak!”

“Little bro, don’t get close to the water!”

Shi Qian wasn’t afraid. After all, even though he had drowned in his previous life, he now shared this mouse form’s life experience.

“Squeak, Squeak.”

“That’s a cold spring.”

Shi Qian corrected his brother, distinguishing the difference as he walked closer to the lake. He then used the reflective surface of the water to take a good look at his current appearance.

With just one glance, Shi Qian almost died of his own cuteness.

His fur was snow-white and fluffy all over, making him look like an adorable little snowball.

His chubby, perfectly round cheeks were covered in soft white fur, and his entire face radiated innocence.

Only his rounded ears stood upright, fading from white to gray as they extended upward, adding a touch of spirited charm to his already cute appearance.

His big, round eyes were glossy black and shimmered like water, while his nose, mouth, and tiny paws were an exquisite shade of pink.

He was the epitome of an impossibly cute chinchilla!

[I want to hug myself!]

[I want to hug myself bald!]

Wait…

How does one hug their own body?

Hei Mao, floating in the water like a bear-sized black mouse, looked up from the lake at his little brother, who was perched like a fluffy white ball on the high stone bank. Seeing Shi Qian’s expression shift between joy and frustration, Hei Mao grew increasingly worried.

The two siblings locked eyes—the giant black mouse from the water and the tiny white ball of fluff on the stone.

“Squeak squeak?”

“Little bro, what’s wrong?”

Shi Qian happily but sadly looked back at his brother. “Squeak, Squeak…”

“Big bro, scrub yourself cleaner so I can hug you for a bit…”