Forced To Adopt Retired Military Dog ​​Orc Chapter 9

Chapter 9 The Dog’s Separation Anxiety Woof Woof Woof Woof Woof…

After dinner, Si Jiu got up to wash the dishes in the kitchen. Ran Lie naturally rose and followed right behind him.

The warm water in the sink was running, and Si Jiu was bent over, tackling the plates and bowls. A shadow with erect ears and smooth fur loomed over him—Ran Lie quietly moved closer, his two front paws expertly resting on the edge of the sink counter. The ceramic surface immediately bore a few damp paw prints.

He tilted his head, which was distinctly contoured and held a hint of valor. His black-gold eyes stared unblinkingly, and his moist nose twitched slightly, seemingly sniffing the fresh scent of Beastman brand dish soap.

Those eyes displayed a peculiar texture under the kitchen light—like gold dust mixed into molten obsidian, intensely black around the edges, yet revealing warm golden flecks closer to the pupils.

After observing Si Jiu for a while, the large dog gently rested his chin on his crossed front paws, his long tail swaying slowly behind him.

Ran Lie’s gaze constantly followed Si Jiu’s hands as they moved through the foam. When he occasionally looked up at Si Jiu, the black-gold heterochromatic eyes held a warmth that seemed even warmer than the water in the sink.

Si Jiu turned to look at him, and the large dog let out a soft “Woof,” lowering his head to gently rub his arm with his black muzzle.

Si Jiu initially thought Ran Lie was just curious.

But soon, Si Jiu realized he was wrong.

Because it wasn’t just dishwashing. Afterward, whether he turned to go out and dump the kitchen trash, took out some Beastman snacks to put on the table as an after-dinner treat, or opened his phone to play the news so Ran Lie wouldn’t be bored—he even specifically dug out a used, semi-new tablet he had bought online to entertain him—and finally, when he realized it was getting late and went to the living room to unfold the sofa into a bed—

No matter what he did, Ran Lie followed him the entire time.

Ran Lie didn’t eat the snacks or play with the tablet. He found an exclusive, exceptionally comfortable spot on the sofa to sit, quietly listening to the news on the phone with Si Jiu. When Si Jiu took out the trash, he even actively helped by carrying the larger trash bags in his mouth.

When it came time to make the bed, Si Jiu didn’t have enough strength, so Ran Lie swiftly pressed down the spring cushions inside the sofa with his front paws, instantly solving the problem.

Until Si Jiu prepared to go to the restroom…

The large dog still followed him, sticking close to his heels.

“I need to go to the restroom, Ran Lie.” Si Jiu watched the large dog follow him all the way to the bathroom door.

“Woof-woo—”

—”Yes, I’ll accompany you.” The large dog lifted his head, his pair of erect ears twitching. He didn’t see anything wrong with this.

“This, I think won’t be necessary. It’s not very convenient.” Si Jiu held his phone in one hand and rubbed his forehead with the other, feeling a bit helpless. He still needed to take a shower later.

“Woof woof woof.”

—”I don’t mind.” The translation software, coupled with the handsome large dog tilting his head slightly to reveal a pleasing curve, indicated that he genuinely didn’t mind at all.

You might not mind, but I do.

Si Jiu smiled faintly and stated firmly, “That won’t work.”

Then, just as Ran Lie’s front paw attempted to step inside the bathroom door, Si Jiu quickly and decisively shut the door, expressing his refusal with a crisp locking sound.

“Woof-woo-woo…” The large dog gently scratched at the door with his paw.

The translation software had something to say: “The other party is worried about you.”

That’s completely unnecessary. I’m just using the toilet. I’m a grown man; there’s no need to worry about me falling in…

Two minutes later, the dog’s barking came through the door.

“Woof woof woof!?”

—”Are you okay? Do you need me?!” The translation software read: “The other party is expressing stronger anxiety.”

Si Jiu, who had to finish up as quickly as possible and emerge from the restroom, looked at the large dog squatting outside the door and silently sighed.

“Ran Lie, I’m fine.” Si Jiu said this, but the large dog still followed him step for step.

“However, since we’ll be living and eating together for a while—” Si Jiu sat down on the made-up sofa bed, and the large dog sat beside him, “It’s better if we establish some ground rules first.”

Ran Lie immediately straightened his front body on the sofa, his neck held high, his black muzzle slightly tucked in, and his thick chest puffed out, outlining a full curve—he waited for Si Jiu to continue in a standard, militaristic sitting posture.

It must be said that even in his dog form, Ran Lie, sitting upright, exuded a profound, reserved, and inherently solid kingly arrogance. Of course, that was only if he didn’t open his mouth and “Woof.”

“First, as your exclusive nurse, I will perform physical therapy on you every morning and evening, roughly before I go to work and before I go to sleep. You may need to cooperate with my schedule.” Si Jiu held up his first finger. In short, it meant going to bed early and waking up early.

Moreover, a major reason he had to take Ran Lie home, as per the Director’s orders, was for his treatment, so this was paramount.

Ran Lie gave a firm “Woof.”

—”No problem.” He answered crisply, neck straight.

“Second, according to the Director, your salary will be directly deposited into my account starting this month. In return, I will be responsible for your three meals and the purchase of simple daily necessities. On the last day of every month, I will show you the ledger and expense details. If you need to buy anything, you can tell me anytime.” Si Jiu held up his second finger in front of the large dog and wiggled it.

“Woof woof woof, woof-woo woof.”

—”No need to look at any bills. What’s mine is yours.” The large dog stared intently into Si Jiu’s eyes, his sincerity almost breaking the rules.

“Ahem, and third.” Si Jiu couldn’t help but look away, mentally reassuring himself: Dog eyes are naturally like this; they look deeply affectionate at everyone. Don’t be fooled. “The third is to respect each other’s living habits, for example, giving each other some private space.”

“Woof?” The large dog signaled a question.

“I’ve roughly divided the usage areas in the closet, storage room, and restroom between us. You can take a look and see if you’re satisfied… Regarding sleeping and resting, you can choose the bed or the sofa. You choose one, and the other belongs to me. Also—” Si Jiu decided to be more direct—”I am more accustomed to using the restroom alone.”

“Woof-woo…” The large dog lowered his head slightly.

—”Oh…” The translation software reported.

Isn’t this perfectly normal? Why does he have to look so disappointed?!

However, the large dog was true to his word. When Si Jiu went into the restroom to shower, he indeed did not follow him in, nor did he whine outside the door. He was obedient for once.

But when Si Jiu changed into a plain-colored pajama set and pushed the door open, wiping the water droplets from his hair with a towel, he nearly bumped into the warm, black-gold mass right outside the door.

Ran Lie was quietly lying on the floor outside the restroom door.

He wasn’t just casually resting; he was curled into a neat semicircle in an almost dutiful posture, his nose precisely aimed at the door crack, as if it were a border he was obligated to guard.

The apartment’s slightly dim, soft light outlined the large dog’s smooth, flowing backline, his black and yellow fur gleaming with a matte texture under the light.

Hearing the door open, Ran Lie immediately lifted his head. Those eyes, usually sharp as a blade, instantly became bright and clear. He looked over; there was no alarm or urging in his gaze, only quiet anticipation.

His wet nose twitched slightly, seemingly confirming the familiar scent in the air and the lingering moisture.

He looked as if he had been waiting there for a long time, quiet as a blanket forgotten by time, only to see Si Jiu the moment the door opened.

It was just a shower. Why did he have to wear an expression that said, “You’re finally back”?

Si Jiu rubbed his hair again with the towel. What was with this sudden, inexplicable feeling of guilt?

He lightly shook the water droplets from his hair, but the guilt didn’t seem to shake off.

“Ran Lie, come here.” Si Jiu patted the space next to him. The large dog immediately jumped onto the sofa bed. Si Jiu rubbed the dog’s head, as if trying to refresh that time-forgotten blanket to wrap up his faint guilt. “You just had the bandages removed today. We’ll give you a bath in two or three days—let’s do the nursing treatment first.”

The large dog let out an undisguised, happy “Woof,” then naturally lay down on the sofa bed, unceremoniously resting his head on Si Jiu’s lap and rolling over to expose his belly with its pale yellow fuzz.

The wound on his abdomen had scarred over, running across the relatively sparse and soft skin like a faded, hideous lightning bolt, or a strange, long-dried riverbed on a map.

He had indeed suffered a very serious injury back then. What exactly had wounded him…

“Woof, woof woof?” The large dog barked softly a few times.

—”Si Jiu? Hey, Si Jiu?” He seemed to be asking why Si Jiu wasn’t speaking, why he wasn’t paying attention!

“I’m checking the recovery of your wound. You should have stayed at the sanatorium for a few more days.” Si Jiu said, rubbing the soft fur on the dog’s back. He really wanted to find out how much stubborn fur the large dog had.

“Woof woof woof, woof woof.” The large dog made a comfortable purring sound.

—”That’s easy. Tomorrow, I’ll go to that broken hospital—no, sanatorium—with you.”

There was no room for refusal in Ran Lie’s words. Si Jiu thought he might just want to uphold his promise to escort him to and from work.

According to the news reports today, two Beastman suspects in the assault case had been apprehended, with one still at large. The Beastman Star Empire had deployed considerable police force in the Southern District for the search and investigation. Since the Royal Family was paying close attention, Marshal Silver Night’s Imperial Army must also have been involved, otherwise, there wouldn’t have been such a breakthrough in just one day.

Si Jiu remembered Jun Qi saying the assailants were Pure Beast Species, but the news report didn’t mention this.

However, with the current carpet search, it was only a matter of time before the last culprit was caught.

Si Jiu recalled the pair of green eyes he had vaguely seen in the floor crack of the convenience store…

When Si Jiu channeled his Healing Power through his palm, it manifested as a faint green light—a unique ability belonging only to him. Just like now, he placed his hand above the wound on Ran Lie’s abdomen.

Miraculously, the hard, raised scar tissue seemed to be smoothed by an invisible, gentle hand. The new flesh, bathed in the soft light, slightly swelled and relaxed, like parched earth receiving sweet rain. The dark color faded at a visible speed, gradually blending into the texture of the surrounding healthy skin.

The crisp scent of vegetation began to permeate the air. Si Jiu hadn’t felt this sensation so clearly at the sanatorium because he had always held back his power during work.

But now, in just a few minutes, the hideous scar was reduced to a shallow, silvery, smooth trace, like a ripple cast by moonlight on a lake. The lightning bolt had vanished, and the strange riverbed had become a peaceful lake mirror, with only the slight waves hinting at the immense pain that had once been there.

The ugly scar was a thing of the past, just moments ago.

Recalling those strange green eyes, why did they linger in his mind? Perhaps it was because of the similar green light… Si Jiu remembered seeing it before, on Yalan Star, on those mutated humans…

Stop. He needed to clearly tell himself in his mind: “Enough, stop right there.” This was like a forced command, pressing the pause button on surging thoughts. He had to forget those painful memories to survive!

Perhaps it was just an untimely coincidence… that strange green—

Si Jiu withdrew the faint green light from his hand and looked down at the large dog. Ran Lie narrowed his black-gold eyes in enjoyment, looking as if he had fallen asleep.

But when Si Jiu shifted slightly, the large dog’s erect ears twitched, and he immediately opened his black-gold eyes.

—”Where are you going?” Alertly getting up, the large dog looked at Si Jiu.

“The treatment is done. It’s about time to sleep.” Si Jiu also stood up and stretched. He pointed to the bed not far from the sofa. “You choose first. Do you want to sleep on the bed or the sofa?”

As the guest and patient, Ran Lie had priority. Si Jiu didn’t mind sleeping on the sofa.

“Woof woof woof woof!”

—”Wherever you sleep, I sleep!” Ran Lie’s answer was still so self-righteous and matter-of-fact.

Did you forget all the ground rules we just established after a short treatment session?!

Si Jiu felt that he really shouldn’t hold too much hope for a dog.