The past was built upon collecting unique characteristics.

It's not far to walk from here to the market.

Leaving the cemetery, which was filled with a chilling atmosphere, Morian walked straight into the city, sorting out his thoughts as he went.

The experiment on "Abundance" is complete, but "Domestication" has yet to find a suitable target.

Theoretically, the number of animals that can be grazed indefinitely is very tempting, but maintaining that number will inevitably involve a corresponding consumption of spiritual energy.

The most practical option right now is to start by trying with smaller creatures.

He already had two possible test subjects in mind.

The first type is rabbits. The farms outside Bet City are overrun with rabbits year-round. These animals reproduce rapidly and eat crops everywhere, making them relatively easy to obtain.

The other type is undoubtedly the most abundant rat in Bet City, found everywhere from residents' kitchens to the city's sewers.

The biggest advantage of using the smallest mice as experimental subjects is that these little guys are very inconspicuous and may act as "vanguards" for scouting the environment in many situations.

As I pondered, I gradually heard a cacophony of voices around me, the sounds growing clearer as they drew closer.

Under the blazing sun, Morian slowed his pace, weaving through the crowded streets.

His gaze swept across the vendors on both sides. There were vendors selling fruits and vegetables, which were neatly arranged in baskets woven from straw ropes. There were also vendors selling daily necessities and clothing, with various fabrics spread out directly on simple tables covered with thin cloths.

Less common vendors, as well as service stalls like shoemakers or barbers, don't even need to take up much space; just two wooden stools and a toolbox are enough for them to start working.

But today's target is not those, but a general store that also sells basic occult materials. After all, ordinary residents occasionally perform simple family prayer rituals, so such stores would keep some basic materials on hand.

In a sense, spiritual materials and alchemical materials do have something in common, and they are even interchangeable.

Morian continued walking forward and came to a shop with the words "Winson Grocery" written in large characters on the sign. He pushed open the door and went inside.

The store was dimly lit, probably because of the low building height; the distance from the ground to the ceiling was only about 2.3 meters, which is a distance where you might bump your head if you jumped a little higher.

Behind the counter on the left, an elderly woman wearing a silk round hat and a yellow apron was reading a newspaper. Upon seeing a customer, she simply spoke calmly:

"Take a look at what you need; prices are calculated by weight."

Morian nodded slightly, but instead of heading to the materials section on the right to slowly select his items, he simply took out a pre-written list from his pocket and handed it over.

"I need three portions of Silverheart Grass, a jar of Gray Phosphorus Powder, and a Mithril Dagger..."

"Silverheart grass has gone up in price." The old woman put down her newspaper and took a bundle of wrapped plants from the shelf behind her. "One bundle is exactly three portions, so I'll give you three shillings and sixpence."

After speaking, her gaze swept across the shelf, landing precisely on a spot, and she reached out to take a glass jar containing gray powder.

"We're out of gray phosphorus powder, only half a can left. I'll charge you eight shillings if you want it."

"Sure," Morian nodded in agreement, then casually asked, "The supply of ritual materials seems to be less than usual lately?"

"Yes, that's why prices have gone up." The old woman continued searching for the remaining materials. "Some people say it's because the church has tightened its control recently, but I don't know why."

The Church? Morian pulled out his wallet, several guesses flashing through his mind.

……

By the time we got back to Slan Street, it was already past four in the afternoon.

Pushing open the office door, the scene before my eyes was still the mess left from last night, almost completely untouched.

Morian sighed and placed the large pile of materials he had purchased on the still relatively intact sofa.

I've basically completed everything I planned for today, except for forgetting to find a repairman.

"We need to find a time to arrange repairs as soon as possible, otherwise it will be completely uninhabitable," he muttered to himself, his gaze drifting towards the kitchen.

But before that... let's solve the problem of the experimental subjects first.

This world has no mousetraps, only animal traps, but that's clearly not what's needed right now.

Morian rushed into the bedroom and dragged out an old cardboard box.

The cardboard box was originally used to store old books. After emptying the clutter inside and poking a few ventilation holes in the side, it became a decent temporary container.

After completing his preparations, he tore off a small piece of bread and placed it in an overturned cardboard box in the kitchen as bait.

The next step is to attract "experimental subjects".

Morian crouched down and extended his right hand, palm up, and a warm, gentle light, imbued with a rich life force, coalesced into shape.

The aura, naturally affinity for living things, spread out like ripples, quickly permeating the entire kitchen.

They held that position for a minute.

Two minutes passed.

A faint sound could be heard.

rustling sounds...

A gray squirrel cautiously peeked out from a crack behind the cabinet, its nostrils twitching, clearly attracted by the food and the vibrant energy emanating from it.

After a brief test, it quickly ran to the cardboard box and began to nibble on the small piece of bread. Soothed by the "abundant" aroma, the gray mouse was not afraid of the humans who were so close by.

Then came the second, the third... In a short while, a total of six mice emerged from different corners and gathered around the cardboard box.

While maintaining the release of "abundance," Morian also built another kind of spiritual connection, which is the communication bridge needed for "herding."

He transformed the ball of light in his hand into threads, which extended out and landed on each gray squirrel.

The gray rat that was touched froze immediately, then began to look around anxiously.

If we were to compare their current feelings to those of humans, it would perhaps be like suddenly hearing an unknown voice in one's mind.

Morian conveyed friendly thoughts in his consciousness, and those spiritual threads gradually transformed from the initial "touch" to "connection".

When a connection is established, a wonderful feeling wells up inside.

He could sense the simple emotions of each mouse, and at the same time, he could sense that he could transmit specific instructions to them through this tiny connection.

Okay, let's do a test.

"Let's go around and take a look," Morian commanded one of the gray rats in his mind.

Then the gray mouse actually started clumsily spinning around in place.

What about more complex instructions? A sense of curiosity arose in his mind, and he decided to try again.

The six gray squirrels used their hind paws to support their bodies, stood up unsteadily, and then slowly moved to form a barely orderly line.

Immediately afterwards, they simultaneously raised their tiny front paws, making a gesture similar to a salute, creating a scene that looked somewhat comical and inexplicably funny.