My monster cards can evolve infinitely.

The firelight in the fireplace flickered, making the wrinkles on the old woman's face appear even deeper.

Xiuqi looked at the old man, then at the cannibal squatting on the ground carving wood.

Its body appeared exceptionally large in the small house, yet its quiet and focused demeanor was so harmonious.

He was very curious about how a frail old man could raise such a vicious cannibal to be so docile and sensible.

"You want me to take it on an adventure?" Xiuqi repeated, making sure he hadn't misheard.

Grandma Martha nodded. "I know this request is a bit abrupt. But as you just saw, Ado has great potential; it just needs the right guidance."

She stood up and walked over to Ado, saying, "Over the past fifteen years, I have taught it not to harm people, to distinguish between good and evil, and to do some basic farm work."

"But it should see a wider world, not be trapped in this orchard for its entire life."

Ado seemed to realize that the topic had turned to him, and he looked up, a hint of confusion flashing in his clear yellow eyes.

On its large, rough palm lay a piece of wood carving that was beginning to resemble a flying bird.

Grandma Martha stood up and walked to the window.

The night was drawing to a close, and outside the window were the outlines of an orchard and sparse lights in the distance.

"I'm over sixty," she said with her back to Xiuqi. "After I fell seriously ill last winter, I knew I didn't have much time left."

"What I'm worried about isn't dying, but what will happen to Ado after I'm gone."

"The town's patrols won't let an unguarded ogre stay nearby, even if it has never harmed anyone."

She turned around, tears glistening in her eyes.

"I don't want to see Addo expelled, or anything worse happen to him."

Xiuqi looked down at his hands.

If it were him, would he risk his reputation and safety for someone the world sees as a monster?

He thought of Ilulit.

That elfin girl lived a solitary life in the secret realm, yet she still retained her innocence and kindness.

"Can it read?" Xiuqi suddenly asked.

Grandma Martha smiled broadly: "It recognizes quite a few. I taught it using the literacy board my son had when he was little."

She walked to an old wooden box by the wall, opened the lid, and took out a stack of worn wooden planks.

Xiuqi took the wooden planks.

Each piece is drawn with simple patterns and corresponding common words in charcoal: apple, tree, sun, moon, water, fire... The handwriting is childish but earnest.

"It can read and write about three hundred words," Grandma Martha said proudly. "It can also do simple arithmetic."

Ado seemed to realize they were talking about him, looked up, and made a puzzled grunt.

Grandma Martha gestured to it, and the ogre put down the wooden carving and knife in its hand, clumsily stood up, and walked to a low table by the wall. On the table were a stone slab and a stone pencil.

Ado picked up the stone pencil, its enormous hand carefully aligning the tip with the stone slab. Under Xiuqi's watchful gaze, it began to write—the strokes were crooked and varied in size, but they were indeed recognizable as common script.

It read: "My name is Ado. I am fifteen years old."

Xiuqi felt a tightness in his throat.

A literate cannibal.

He had seen too many humans who were literate and eloquent, yet more cruel than wild beasts.

He had also seen monsters, powerful and instinctive, yet as pure as a part of nature.

The Ado before us seems to be somewhere in between—possessing a purity beyond human comprehension, yet also having been enlightened by human civilization.

"Can it fight?" Xiuqi asked directly.

Grandma Martha's expression became complicated: "I'm not sure. Ado is very strong, you've seen it yourself. He protected me a few times, but only when he was forced to."

She paused for a moment: "I never taught it how to fight, nor did I want it to learn to hurt others."

Xiuqi walked up to Ado. The ogre stopped writing and looked up at him.

There was no hostility in those clear yellow eyes, only curiosity and a hint of unease.

"Stand up," Xiuqi said.

Ado glanced at Granny Masha, and after receiving a nod of permission, it slowly straightened up.

His over three-meter-tall frame almost touched the crossbeams of the wooden house, and his broad shoulders cast huge shadows in the firelight.

Xiuqi walked around Ado, carefully examining its physique.

Thick, calloused skin covered his entire body, his muscles were bulging, and his limbs were proportionally well-proportioned—both his upper and lower limbs were extremely robust, clearly the result of frequent heavy labor.

"Give me your hand," Xiuqi said.

Ado stretched out his right hand. His palm was as big as a millstone, his knuckles were thick, and his fingertips had thick calluses.

Xiuqi took the "Bavarian Moonlight" off his waist, but did not draw it from its sheath.

He placed the scabbard flat on Ado's palm.

"hold."

Ado pinched the scabbard with three fingers—a sword that required two hands to hold for Hugh, but in the ogre's hands it was like a thin stick.

"Too light," Xiuqi whispered.

He looked around and his gaze fell on a thick piece of firewood beside the fireplace—a piece of hardwood used for burning, about six feet long and as wide as a bowl.

"Try that one."

Ado put down his sword sheath, walked over, and easily picked up the piece of firewood.

In its hands, the weight of the firewood seemed insignificant.

"Wave it." Xiu Qi stepped back a few paces.

Ado looked at Granny Masha with confusion.

"Do as he says, child," Grandma Martha said gently.

The ogre clumsily gripped the center of the firewood, hesitated for a moment, and then swung it forward.

call--

The firewood tore through the air, producing a dull whistling sound.

Although the movements were stiff and lacked skill, the sense of power was not to be underestimated.

If hit directly by such a strike, even a warrior wearing armor would suffer severe damage.

"Stop," Xiuqi said.

Ado stopped immediately, his speed exceeding expectations.

This shows that it has good control over its own power and is not the kind of beast that can't stop once it starts.

After a moment of contemplation, Xiuqi said to the ogre, "Look at me, Ado."

The cannibal's gaze was fixed on Xiuqi.

......

【Ado】

Age: 15 years old

Race: Ogre

Occupation: None

【Strength: 15】

[Agility: 5]

[Physical Fitness: 12]

【Intelligence: 4】

【Perception: 4】

【Charm: 3】

【Talent 1: Hardened Skin (lv2)】

【Talent 2: Resilient Life (lv2)】

......

Xiuqi's eyebrows rose slightly.

15 points of strength. This value means that Ado's strength is at least six times that of an average adult male.

Its physique is also incredibly high, and combined with its two Thick Skin talents, it's practically a living siege machine.

Its agility stat is also higher than that of a normal ogre; 5 points means it has the agility of a human and is not as clumsy as a normal ogre.

What surprised him most was the 4 points of intelligence, a value that is quite high for an ogre.

Ordinary ogres typically have an intelligence level between 2 and 3; otherwise, they wouldn't be known for their legendary stupidity.

Ado's intelligence is close to the average level of some demi-human races.

"Elite individuals!" Xiu Qi muttered to himself.

He walked up to Grandma Martha.

"I agree," he said. "Ado can come with me."

Grandma Martha's eyes instantly welled up with tears.

She opened her mouth as if to say something, but only managed a choked sob.

"But I have a few conditions," Xiuqi said calmly but firmly.

"First, it must obey my commands completely, especially in battle."

"Secondly, if we encounter an uncontrollable situation, such as it going berserk and injuring people, I will take necessary measures."

"Third," Xiuqi paused, "I only showed it the world, I'm not its master. It's free, it can come back whenever it wants."

Grandma Martha's eyes welled up with tears: "Thank you, Mr. Hugh. These conditions are all very reasonable."

"Finally, it needs to sign a magical contract with me!"

"Bound by supreme power..."

"Companion Contract!"