Unemployed programmer Li Tiezhu buys back a "strange fish fry" for thirty bucks at the vegetable market, which turns out to be Gudong, a baby Yangtze alligator of the ancient Yinglong lineage. The little fellow is round, has black bean eyes, and comes with national treasure protection, an unreliable evolution system, and contrasting cute combat power. As long as enough cuteness points are accumulated, it can evolve, but the conditions are bizarre: ten catties of xiaolongbao, a vat of luosifen soup, a super large cup of pearl milk tea. The more it evolves, the rounder and Q-er it gets, while its combat power skyrockets from an electric tricycle to a small demolition team, melting the whole internet and attracting the beast-taming corporation eyeing dragon blood.