Chapter 8 - Treasure Stealing Rats and Competition

　　Knocked over and lying on the ground, Lily looked at the guy who was standing right on her towering chest, it was a creature like an enlarged guinea pig, more than 40 centimeters tall, snow-white fur, small round ears, short limbs, and a Yuanbao looking golden pattern on its belly.

　　"Squeak squeak squeak," the hamster in front of him looked at Lily and covered his mouth and snickered.

　　Although I do not know what in the end, but do not think I will lose to a small animal Lily once again reached out and grabbed the past, but this guinea pig as if it was not forewarned, gently jumped, avoided Lily's attack, and even arrogantly in the avoidance of the back of the jump back again, the back of the small buttocks of Lily twisted, continue to send out a "squeak! "Laughing.

　　"Damn it, I still don't believe I can't catch you!" Looking at the guinea pig's arrogant appearance, Lily instantly went to her head, her left hand waved out a shadow, one claw faster than the other claw to grab at the guinea pig, but no matter how hard Lily tried, how to improve her speed, the guinea pig still looked like it was at ease, dodging all of Lily's attacks with ease.

　　"Click," the door to the room was opened, but Lily didn't even bother, still trying to catch the darn guinea pig.

　　"I'm back." The hermit's slightly older but still resonant voice rang out, and Lily realized that the guinea pig's attention was clearly drawn with the hermit's return.

　　"Chance!" Lily grabbed at it with all her might as fast as she could, but to her surprise, it was still smoothly dodged by the guinea pig and stepped directly on Lily's face with a hard jump.

　　"Dang!" "Ouch!" Lily's head was stomped directly to the ground, while the guinea pig pounced on the hermit in the process.

　　"Ohhhhhh, you're back, how was it? Did you have fun today?" Hermit reached out and caught the guinea pig, scratching its chin and said.

　　"Oh yeah? Hahahahaha, you're not at home I didn't talk to you, this is the person I saved today, not a book thief, her name is Lily, hahahahaha, well well well well, thanks for watching the house." The hermit said while putting the guinea pig on the sofa, and then helped Lily, who was lying on the floor skeptical of life, up.

　　"What in the world, is this thing?" Lily mumbled as she stared at the guinea pig, she still couldn't accept that she couldn't even catch a guinea pig, even though she had injuries on her body, this guinea pig had been dodging in only one place, but she couldn't even touch a single hair with all her efforts.

　　"She ah, hahaha, don't be sad, she is the treasure stealing mouse 'Squeak', a strange creature from my hometown that can search for all sorts of treasures, don't look at her not being big, but when it comes to her age, she's just two years younger than you." Hermit helped Lily onto the couch.

　　"A guinea pig?" Lily looked at Squeak at her side, "Can live for twelve years?"

　　"SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!" Squeak instantly stormed up at Lily's words ready to attack Lily, luckily Hermit was quick on his feet and scooped up Squeak, smoothing his fur over and over to soothe him.

　　"Thieving mouse, it's Thieving mouse, she'll get mad if you call her a guinea pig."

　　"Oh, oh, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, please forgive me." Lily looked at the angry Squeak and quickly apologized.

　　Hearing Lily's apology, Squeak finally quieted down, but still ignored Lily, and a mouse ran to the back of the couch, turning her back to Lily with both hands in a 'hmmm - this mouse is angry' look.

　　"It's fine, don't mind her, it'll be fine after a while, treasure stealing rats are a specialty of my hometown, they can search for all kinds of treasures, and they have a long lifespan, they can generally live for 80-120 years, don't underestimate them, ahahahahahahaha," Hermit glanced at the squeak and stroked his whiskers with a laugh and an explanation to Lily.

　　"80-120 years, I can't imagine, I'm afraid that's the longest living rodent I've ever known." Lily looked at Squeak dumbfounded, in this chaotic sea, no human would dare to say they could live past 80 years, what a marvelous animal.

　　"Are all treasure stealing rats this strong?" Although she heard the hermit's explanation, Lily was still upset about the fact that she couldn't catch Squeak.

　　"No, no, no, not really, the usual treasure stealing rats aren't much stronger than the usual rats except that they are faster and smarter." The hermit waved his hand, "Squeak was trained by me from a young age, Squeak's parents were the ones I raised and followed me for many years, and then the two of them gave birth to Squeak, but Squeak never hatched, and oh yeah, even though Treasure Thief Rats are mammals, they're ovoviviparous, amazing isn't it."

　　"Ovoviviparous? Mammals?" Once again Lily felt like the world was a big place.

　　"Yes, until some years ago, Squeak was born while Sneak and Find were gone, and Squeak was brought up by me, and I taught her some of her skills, how's that? Awesome, isn't it." The hermit said while giving a thumbs up.

　　"Awesome, no! Wait!" Lily casually agreed, but suddenly realized the blind spot, Treasure Thief Rats can live 80-120 years, Squeak's parents were raised by the Hermit, but now those two are gone?

　　"Squeak's parents - did they die of disease?" Lily asked cautiously

　　"Oh no, normal death, old age." The hermit said carelessly.

　　"So, how old are you - how old are you?"

　　"That?~~~ I won't tell you." The hermit pretended to think for a moment, followed by suddenly making a face at Lily.

　　"If you want to know, get well and I might tell you someday when I'm happy. As for now." The hermit said, suddenly pulling out a huge plate of grilled fish from nowhere, "It's dinner time!"

　　"Eat well! Rest well! That's the secret to recuperating from injuries! Let's eat!" The hermit raised his chopsticks like an old child.

　　"Squeak!" Squeak jumped up with him.

　　"Phew," Lily exhaled, never mind, old people don't have to talk if they don't want to, asking age is a rude behavior in itself, then Lily started to chime in "Let's eat-"

　　"No, no, no, even eating should be done in a dignified manner! Follow me along! Dinner is served!!!" The hermit suddenly insisted for some reason, thinking that Lily had absolutely no pizzazz and refusing to hand Lily her chopsticks.

　　"Dinner's ready!" Lily shouted helplessly.

　　"Can't! It's loud enough, but there's no pizzazz, again!"

　　"Dinner is served!"

　　"No way! Again!"

　　"Dinner's ready!!!"

　　"It's not enough! It's not enough! Again!"

　　A bunch of tic-tac-toe popped up on Lily's head, having been teased by Squeak and now the hermit, the insufferable Lily took a deep breath.

　　"Open-! Rice--! La--!"

　　"Hahahahaha, that's more like it, open rice open rice!"

　　"Squeak squeak squeak!"

　　"Ahh so yummy."

　　"Oh! I can't believe you're eating with such vigor, we can't lose! Get on it! Squeak!"

　　"Squeak squeak!"

　　"Hahahahahaha"