A giant leap leads to a painful pull.

Sima knew that people ate grasshoppers in some places, bamboo worms in others, silkworm pupae elsewhere, centipedes, scorpions, and sand worms in various regions, but eating gu worms definitely exceeded his imagination. Hesitating for a moment, he tentatively asked Zhou Lingri if she had any connections to help him acquire some "large honey pills." Zhou Lingri said with a chuckle that it was a private transaction: one merit point for a bottle of "large honey pills," five to a bottle, fair and square with genuine goods guaranteed. Sima originally wanted to ask about "White Dove," but on second thought, he decided to do Zhou Lingri a favor. He immediately transferred one merit point to her in exchange for a bottle of "essence and blood pills" to try out, promising that if they proved effective, he would trade with her exclusively in the future.

Every officially registered "gu master" in the Second Division had a personal account linked to their mobile phone, access control, cafeteria card, personnel file, and merit points, all centrally managed by the General Affairs Office. To put it simply, it was tightly grasped in Zhou Lingri's hands. She opened her computer, logged into her administrator account, clicked the mouse a few times, and after Sima confirmed the SMS verification code, the merit point transfer was complete. Looking at the points accumulating in her account, bringing her one step closer to "changing her gu," she felt quite good and was full of longing for the future.

Sima's gaze was deep and thoughtful. He originally had five merit points: one was the reward for taking down "Jiang the Gatekeeper," and the other four were the reward for reporting the "psychic gu." They were precious beyond measure, and every single merit point had to be spent where it mattered most. However, now that he knew the "psychic gu" could herd other gu worms, Sima abandoned the idea of "changing gu." He planned to test the efficacy of the "large honey pills" first, and if everything went smoothly, he would then consider herding a second gu worm.

In the long run, a "combat-type" gu master was definitely the top choice for herding. The "psychic gu" itself possessed no combat capability and was only suitable for hiding behind the scenes to pull strings, meaning someone else had to charge into battle on its behalf. Yet, the small leopard cat was ultimately just an animal, and the "resonance gu" was gentle and docile, unlike those unyielding and violent "combat gu." Fearing that he might "stride too wide and tear his groin," he preferred to slow his pace, being steady, and even steadier. He could not afford to fail; failure meant exposing his trump cards, losing everything completely, and ending up with the fate of "retaining the gu while losing the person."

With the merit points transferred and the "large honey pills" yet to be received, field duty arrived first. Sima received a call from "White Dove" and rushed to the Gu Research Institute to continue leading the team in testing the "mountain-拔山 gu," working for Shang Lu's project. "White Dove" also broke her usual pattern by personally supervising Sima's work, increasing the pressure on him for no reason. Sima returned to his rhythm from before the New Year, leaving early and returning late, unable to advance his own plans. He could only conduct experiments on the small leopard cat intermittently, exploring the limits of "herding" gu worms and accumulating experience.

Half a month later, Zhou Lingri informed him that the "large honey pills" had arrived. To be cautious, the two arranged to meet like underground agents at a nearby neighborhood park. The weather in Beizhi after the New Year was still very cold, the snow had not yet melted, and the wind rustled the tree branches noisily. The scenery in the small park was desolate and practically deserted. Sima and Zhou Lingri found a bench to sit on, putting their heads together to trade the "large honey pills"—one pulling items from a shoulder bag, the other cracking her knuckles audibly. Suddenly, Zhou Lingri stopped, her germophobia acting up. She extended a single finger to press against his forehead, pushing Sima a bit further away, then pulled it back to wipe it meticulously with an alcohol wipe, wearing an expression of utter disgust.

Sima felt somewhat helpless, muttering to himself that with her obsessive-compulsive disorder, how on earth would she ever sleep with a man in the future!

The "large honey pills" were packed in an unlabeled plastic medicine bottle, each wrapped individually in tinfoil. They were about the size of quail eggs and exuded a sweet fragrance of honey. Sima unwrapped one to inspect it: dark, glossy, and sticky. He asked Zhou Lingri how they were supposed to be consumed. Zhou Lingri told him they were usually kept in the mouth to dissolve, or swallowed directly with white liquor; the latter acted faster and was suitable for emergencies involving the depletion of essence and blood.

Sima admired them for a few moments, wrapped the "large honey pill" back up, put it into the medicine bottle, and thanked her. Zhou Lingri arched an eyebrow, reminding him to put it away safely so no one would see it. This bottle of "large honey pills" had been acquired through the back door; it wasn't official merchandise, and while its efficacy was identical, it couldn't be brought out into the open. He should consume them quickly and leave no loose ends. Sima knew the score. "White Dove" was not Zhou Lingri's only backer; she had other connections within the Gu Research Institute, and their backing was quite formidable. Not only could she obtain "volunteer" quotas, but she could even embezzle "large honey pills."

That very night, Sima used the small leopard cat for experiments, issuing a series of directives through the "psychic gu." After tossing and turning until his essence and blood were depleted and he felt lightheaded, he placed a "large honey pill" in his mouth. It was somewhat sweet, somewhat bitter, and had a bizarre flavor difficult to describe, but its efficacy was precisely as Zhou Lingri had described—continuously replenishing essence and blood, bringing a sense of reassurance. With grain in the hand, there is no panic in the heart; backed by the "large honey pills," Sima's courage surged. He manipulated the small leopard cat to soar through the skies and tunnel through the earth, performing all sorts of unimaginable feats that would surely go viral if filmed and posted online.

It was said that a clever cat was equivalent to a three-year-old child, but an animal was still an animal after all. Once Sima's instructions exceeded its comprehension—such as "use your claws to write the poem *Bringing in the Wine*" or "go out to the street and pick up a hundred-dollar bill"—they fell on deaf ears, wasting essence and blood in vain. The host's intelligence limited the effectiveness of "herding," and the gu worms were not omnipotent. Sima felt deeply regretful; the small leopard cat made a great experimental subject, but it stopped right there and could never become his capable right-hand assistant.

He spat half of the "large honey pill" out of his mouth, rinsed away his saliva with warm water, blew it dry, rewrapped it in tinfoil, and put it back into the medicine bottle. He casually patted the small leopard cat's head and said, "Forget it, you might as well just act cute as a pet and provide some emotional value..." The small leopard cat was utterly exhausted; it proactively jumped into his arms, squinted its eyes, curled into a ball, and quickly fell asleep.

Sima put it back into the basket and sat quietly in the wicker chair, lost in thought.

A person had to have self-awareness. Senior heavyweights like Yang Zirong, "White Dove," "Shao Jianbo," and "Sitting Mountain Hawk" were figures he wouldn't dare touch even if he were given the guts of a bear or leopard. Even if any random fierce spirit from the First or Second Field Divisions were pulled out, it was not something he could handle. Among the "gu masters" he knew, the most suitable target turned out to be Zhou Lingri. Zhou Lingri lacked the self-awareness of being a "gu master"; she even considered the "immaculate gu" to be garbage and was bent on replacing it. Such a mindset would inevitably affect the connection of essence and blood between the two, making their bond loose and creating an opening for him to strike. More importantly, Zhou Lingri had been following "White Dove" and working since the very inception of the Second Division, had earned her deep trust, and controlled many potential, intangible resources. To him, consuming Zhou Lingri carried low risks and high rewards, making her the most ideal target at the present stage.

The question was, if he truly made a move, could he keep it past "White Dove"? Sima weighed the pros and cons repeatedly, unable to make up his mind. He decided to hold off temporarily and let subsequent developments dictate his actions.