Fang Yuan rents a shabby apartment in an old residential building. He has been unemployed for three months and is scraping by on his savings. His only social companion is the scruffy orange cat downstairs, and every day he shares half a sausage with it.
Then one day, he heard the orange cat's thoughts:
"Xiao Fang, your sausages keep getting thinner. I understand times are tough, but you're under my protection. You're making me look bad."
Fang Yuan thought the stress was making him hallucinate.
Then a System panel appeared: [Urban Beast Territory System activated. You have been recognized by 'Lord Orange' as the first human under its protection. Current territory: a 50-meter radius centered on your home. Animal residents in the territory: 1 stray orange cat, 7 sparrows, and several cockroaches (not counted as valid residents).]
He discovered that the stray animals in this old neighborhood had their own rules for territory, and the orange cat he had been feeding for over half a year was the boss of three surrounding streets. The stray dogs nearby didn't dare cross its borders, and even the wild pigeons on the rooftops had to show it respect.
As the only human ally recognized by 'Lord Orange,' Fang Yuan gained a territory bonus: his luck improved ever so slightly within its boundaries. He found unexpired discount coupons on the roadside, the breakfast shop owner downstairs always gave him an extra spoonful, and he got just a little more response to his job applications.
The bonus was tiny, but for an unemployed young man, it was enough to keep him going.
The System informed him that the territory could expand, provided he helped more animals within it survive. He could tend to an injured bird's wing or pull a trapped hedgehog out of a storm drain. Each problem he solved expanded the territory and upgraded the bonus.
