The dawn broke, the morning light glistened like gold, gradually dyeing the clouds a rosy hue.
A handsome young man dressed casually walked through the heavily guarded intersection, his gentle and elegant appearance drawing the attention of some girls.
"YIP?" Bika, sitting on his shoulder with its tail raised, looked nervously at its owner.
A clever idea struck Bika; it immediately contorted its mouth, stuck out its tongue, and pulled a funny face to amuse its owner.
The next moment, Chu Yi flicked its head. "Stop messing around, I'm not angry."
"YIP YIP!" Bika whined aggrievedly, covering its forehead.
But seeing that Chu Yi didn't take the previous setback to heart, it also became happy. Its golden-brown fox eyes squinted slightly, and it affectionately rubbed its little face against its owner's cheek.
This heartwarming scene quite stirred the observing girls. This young man treats his Pet Beast so well; he must be very kind-hearted.
"The Pet Beast meat at restaurants is not only rare but also very expensive, and sometimes they even pass off substandard goods as high-quality ones," Chu Yi mused. "It's the same in the academy; there has been no notification until now. Am I... being abandoned?"
A bitter smile touched Chu Yi's lips. In some ways, what Shen Yun said was quite right. The academy had supported him for two years and, having seen no return from Chu Yi, would naturally reclaim his privileges. And the path suitable for me is to kill monsters and level up, to seize evolution points. He would give evolution points to his Deceit Beast to redeem its evolution route, and turn slain Pet Beasts into specialty meals to enhance its strength. Therefore, the academy is no longer a place for me. A place ravaged by Demons and teeming with Pet Beasts is the prime leveling spot for my strength to grow.
Having made up his mind, Chu Yi had a clear goal.
Bloody Wilderness.
Rather than calling it a wilderness, it might as well be a small plane of the Abyss that had invaded. In there, there were not only polluted and twisted Pet Beasts but also terrifying Demons descending from the Abyss. And... the Ancient Sect, walking in the shadows, creating calamities. Even high-level Beast Tamers of the Gold tier were at risk of perishing, such as the Lightning Grandmaster Ma Baoguo.
But opportunities and dangers coexisted. The wilderness also held various rare treasures. These attracted wave after wave of Beast Tamers, who rushed in and had forcefully transformed this wilderness into a treasure trove. Moreover, there were tasks distributed in the wilderness. While leveling up, I can also earn some extra money, why not?
He also reminded himself that he was a Pharmacist; potions could be sold for a high price in the wilderness. If he were a bit unscrupulous, he could mark up the price two or three times—a gamble to turn a bicycle into a motorcycle—but that would make him an easy target. As for the academy? If no one bothers with me, then I won't go.
"Bika, once we make big money, let's go have a feast!" Chu Yi's eyes gleamed.
Bika was also drooling at the thought, wiping its little mouth and fantasizing about the green onion duck from the advertisement: that chestnut-brown duck skin, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, paired with a refreshing soda would be even more delightful!
"YEEP~" Bika chirped, dancing and flailing in excitement.
Immediately, Chu Yi opened a pink... ahem, an app called "Pet Beast Home."
Every Beast Tamer would download this Tencent-developed app to take on tasks, earning contribution points and RMB. The evolution paths used by Pet Beasts were redeemed through contribution points. Within "Pet Beast Home," there were also forums and chat channels for Beast Tamers to exchange information, which had become very well-developed over decades.
Chu Yi clicked on the task section. He set the location to Yaoguang City, then to the Bloody Wilderness, and a pile of tasks sprang up like mushrooms after rain. Every day, the sheer volume of tasks in the Bloody Wilderness was astounding. Chu Yi then selected the Black Iron and Red Copper tags. Most of the tasks were filtered out, and only then did he start looking.
Before he could even clearly see the details—SWISH!—they were snatched away by other Beast Tamers.
There were tons of tasks, most not too difficult. Additionally, since entry-level Beast Tamers constituted the majority, simple tasks were highly sought after. This even gave rise to scalper intermediaries who specialized in grabbing high-contribution-point tasks and outsourcing them layer by layer.
"Scalpers all deserve to die," Chu Yi cursed inwardly. He then filtered for fire-type Pet Beasts and looked at a task no one had accepted.
[Task]: Drive away the Fireball Mice
[Difficulty]: ★
[Content]: Honorable Beast Tamer, a group of Fireball Mice came to our village yesterday and has almost destroyed all our corn. Please come and eradicate them quickly.
[Reward]: 3,000 Federation Currency, no contribution points.
The most precious thing about tasks was contribution points. Contribution points were issued by the Federation and could not be resold. However, the Fireball Mouse was a mid-level servant-class Pet Beast. They often gathered in groups, shot fireballs that burned crops, and could escape by burrowing if outmatched, making thorough eradication impossible.
No wonder no one took this task. The reward is low, the work tedious and plentiful, and there are no contribution points; it's no different from charity work. But what I'm interested in is the meat of the Fireball Mouse! To make specialty meals, to enhance Bika's fire abilities. I'm still a novice; let's take this to level up my account first.
Chu Yi immediately accepted the commission. High-contribution, high-reward tasks required proof of a Beast Tamer's strength. He was still just a newcomer, having only taken on a few potion-making tasks. Progress would come naturally, step by step.
「...」
Taking a ride from Dada Didi, Chu Yi quickly arrived at his destination.
The place he went to was called Taixi Village, adjacent to the Bloody Wilderness. It was an economically relatively underdeveloped village. The soil was fertile, and the crops grown there were popular. However, this also attracted Fireball Mice, Marmots, and Wind Sickle Locusts, forcing the villagers to hire Beast Tamers periodically for pest control.
Besides him, others had also taken the task. The villagers were experienced; the farmland was boundless, and each Beast Tamer was responsible for a specific section. After all, Fireball Mice were adept at fleeing with their entire families.
"YEEP~" Seeing a field of golden corn, little Bika broke off a cob and started eating. It was soft and sticky, with a fresh and sweet taste.
The villagers knew the commission was too low and provided some food and drink, which Chu Yi readily accepted.
Soon, a group of Beast Tamers gathered for a meeting; they had all come to do "charity work."
Chu Yi understood. After all, newcomers who have just downloaded the app must start with beginner tasks before they can take on higher-level ones.
There were only five people in the meeting. Aside from Chu Yi, everyone had youthful faces, their clear eyes revealing a touch of foolishness; they were obviously students who had not yet faced the harsh realities of society. Chu Yi couldn't be bothered to remember their names. They were all strangers who had met by chance, and they would part ways after just one day.
"Hmm?"
One student glanced curiously at Chu Yi's Pet Beast and said something to his companion. Soon, several curious gazes fell upon Chu Yi.
Red Fox. As a common Pet Beast found in the wild, it was known for being timid, weak, and prone to cute whining, so not many people formed contracts with them. Its most famous skill was "Little Spark," which caused negligible damage, reducing it to little more than a cigarette lighter.
There was indeed a contempt hierarchy among Beast Tamers. Contracting low-tier Pet Beasts like the Red Fox, Giant Claw Crab, or Mire Monster would make one a laughingstock for a long time.
Chu Yi clearly sensed the atmosphere was off. These four were obviously in the same circle, likely acquaintances from the same academy.
"Excuse me," one of the students ventured, "is your Pet Beast really a Red Fox? It doesn't seem to be contracted."