With only 42 initial goodwill points, the original owner’s hostility could kick him out of this body at any moment!

Without overthinking, Chen Mo tried communicating with the kitten, letting out soft “meows.”

He was sending a message: he meant no harm—he could even help the kitten escape this predicament.

It was a strange process. Though both used only cat sounds, Chen Mo could roughly understand the meaning behind the original owner’s voice in his mind. And somehow, his own intentions seemed to get through too.

Cats lacked human intelligence, but as animals, they could still sense good and evil. Their instincts often detected—and defused—danger.

Right now, Chen Mo radiated zero hostility.

The meowing in his mind gradually faded. Goodwill neither rose nor fell. It was as if the kitten had resigned itself to fate, falling silent and letting Chen Mo control the body.

Only then did Chen Mo breathe a sigh of relief. At least it hadn’t kicked him out immediately.

But this body was in terrible shape. Blood seeped from the right front paw. It felt crushed by something heavy—useless, likely near-breaking.

A deep claw mark scored the right hind leg. The worst pain came from the back: a patch of once-smooth fur was matted and dented, as if beaten with a blunt object.

Simply put, the cat was in awful condition. Breathing was labored. Moving was nearly impossible.

Chen Mo knew—if untreated, the original owner wouldn’t survive two days.

Glancing sideways, he saw the snow-white kitten licking its leg. Aside from weak breathing, it was far better off than his current body.

But its pristine fur was stained with grime.

Pain throbbed. Hunger gnawed. He needed food.

He scanned the alley. A toppled trash can lay nearby. Inside held only crumpled paper and a rusted metal sheet—nothing edible.

*This survival task is brutal.*

Chen Mo tried taking two steps. The pain dropped him to his knees instantly.

This body was too broken to walk!

“Well, look who crawled back here.” A boy’s voice, cracking with puberty, cut through the air. It was followed by two loud, mocking laughs.

*People?*

Two shadows approached. Alarm bells blared in Chen Mo’s mind.

Even the original owner’s voice in his head yowled in fear and warning.

The snow-white kitten sprang up, grabbing Chen Mo’s fur in its teeth, trying to drag him deeper into the alley.

*Animal instinct. It senses their malice.*

But Chen Mo was too weak to run.

The white kitten planted itself in front of him, fur bristling, hissing fiercely.

Three kids appeared—about ten years old. The leader twirled a stick. His eyes held no pity for Chen Mo, only cruel amusement.

*So this is who injured the original owner.*

Despair flooded Chen Mo’s mind—the original owner’s emotions bleeding through.

Even Chen Mo knew: in this state, he was powerless.

Unfazed by the kitten’s threats, the boys swaggered closer. One raised a foot to kick the white kitten.

The original owner’s panicked cries screamed in Chen Mo’s head.

*Fine. I’ll treat this as a one-day simulation trial. Randomly getting a hell-difficulty life? No choice.*

As the boy’s foot swung down, Chen Mo gritted his teeth against the pain. He lunged with all his strength, sinking his teeth into the kid’s leg.

He couldn’t save the white kitten—but he could bite back.

*This must be the stubbornness you wanted.*

Chen Mo thought this to the original owner. The boy yelped, jerking his leg back mid-kick. The next second, blinding pain exploded through Chen Mo.

*Is this the end?*

He flew backward, slamming into the wall.

The white kitten rushed to his side, gently licking his wounds. Its cries were thick with worry.

“What are you doing!” A grubby-faced girl stood at the alley entrance, her voice icy as she glared at the boys.

As consciousness faded, Chen Mo glimpsed his updated system panel:

【Current Life: Little Ash】

【Main Quest: Reach 80+ goodwill with Little Ash & Yun Song】

【Current Quest: Find Shelter (Secure a safe place with Little White)】

【Completed Quest: Survive (Reward: Accelerated Healing)】

【Current Goodwill: Little Ash 65 (Benevolent), Little White 97 (Inseparable), Yun Song 54 (Stranger)】

【Status: Near Unconsciousness】

*So you were waiting here all along. Even named me. Just like you, my system.*

*Also…*

*You still claim you’re not a romance system?!*

The kick had been brutal. Chen Mo’s borrowed body was already frail. Full sensory immersion meant unconsciousness was inevitable.

But the system’s update proved he’d survive.

When Chen Mo woke, he was in a hospital bed. His mind reeled.

“Damn it!”

“My hours-long simulation life… just slept away?”

“System! Show yourself!”

【Simulated lives offer absolute realism. Time passes during unconsciousness or sleep.】

Chen Mo groaned inwardly. Every simulation was precious—like a prisoner’s daily yard time. Now, this one was wasted on sleep.

The system panel remained unchanged except for his status: 【Unconscious】.

The original owner was still out cold. But the “Accelerated Healing” reward would help.

*At least it named the kittens. Where do I even start complaining?*

Still—a silver lining. If he could harness feline traits, could he learn animal speech someday?

An unexpected perk!

And this system was clearly unserious. Maybe it’d turn the kittens into catgirls later? *That’d be nice.*

Yun Song must be the girl who saved him. *Of course simulated lives need heroines.*

Things were looking up.

He’d treat this simulation like a peaceful nap.

Just as Chen Mo braced for the wait until his next simulation… he spotted a surprise.

The “Accelerated Healing” reward applied to his real body too.