Once all the students were dressed and gathered in a large group, our PE teacher Mr. Huo—who somehow always shouted like we were miles apart even though we were all close enough to hear a whisper—bellowed like thunder.
"We're doing running, exercise drills, and then sparring for the rest of the class! Today we might head to the arena for some light beast sparring ! As tomorrow is the monthly class battles. Everyone must participate—"
He was interrupted by a student. Si Kanu, of course.
"Is there a reward for winning?"
Mr. Huo sent him a sharp glare, but still answered.
"Yes. There will be rewards for both sparring events. First and second places will receive school credits and points for personal resources. But—first place will also receive a voucher to the Research Center in the city to get a brand-new RX-002 VR Training Pod Set… and 3,000 Federation coins this is for only the class battles tomorrow at the arena and one on one battles."
That got everyone's attention.
It was a lot more attractive to students from higher backgrounds who didn't care much for school credits or points. The class practically vibrated with competitive energy after that.
We were told to partner up.
Students scattered to find sparring partners, pairing off quickly—ignoring me completely. Not that I expected anything different.
I already knew I wouldn't be picked by others. Mortal trash miracle. Girl with the weird soul beasts. Freak with a whale.
I just stood there, resigned… until I noticed someone already standing beside me.
Jin Minhe.
I blinked.
He was just—there. Silently waiting. Calm. Present. I hadn't seen him walk over, but I had been spacing out a bit ago, so it made sense that I missed it.
Still, it was unsettling how quiet he always was. Like a tree that just grew behind you.
I turned to him slowly. "You… here to partner with me?"
He gave a silent nod.
"No offense, but… why?" I squinted up at him. "You have, like, options."
He tilted his head slightly. "You're strong."
I blinked again. "Okay. Flattery gets you nowhere but mildly tolerated."
A pause. Then he said, very quietly, "You give snacks."
"…Fair."
I tilted my head. "You have a magical beast, right? We're only supposed to spar in categories with beasts or bonded creatures."
He nodded again and waved a hand.
In a swirl of orange qi, a baby panda appeared in his arms.
The creature was fluffy, thick-limbed, and immediately started yawning like it hadn't just been summoned to an active combat field.
"A Fire Glutton Panda," I whispered, eyes wide. "An ancient magical beast?"
I wanted to ask if I could touch the creature, but before I could say anything, Jin Minhe stepped forward and held it out to me.
My eyebrows shot up. "Wait. Are you offering me your panda?"
He nodded, expression neutral.
"You sure? I bite."
The corner of his mouth almost, almost twitched.
After a second of hesitation, I took the panda gently into my arms. He was warm and snuggly and immediately began digging around in my pockets like he was on a treasure hunt.
I sighed. "You've trained him well. He's already food-motivated."
My inner veterinarian kicked in without thinking. I instinctively channeled beast healing qi into my fingertips, letting it brush across the beast's meridians.
As a Beast Healer, I could sense everything—health, mood, bloodline, and ancestral qualities. I could even feel this panda's lineage stretching back across generations.
"Healthy," I said aloud. "Strong qi balance. Good temperament. Could use a bath."
The panda sneezed.
"Bless you," I muttered.
After a few more moments of playing, I gently tried to hand the panda back. "He's adorable. You've got a happy, well-cared-for beast."
But Jin Minhe didn't take him back.
He just… stared at me. With those silent, unblinking eyes.
"…Okay, what? Why are you staring like that?"
No response. Just more staring.
I raised an eyebrow. "You're waiting for… something."
He nodded.
I glanced down at the panda, then back at him. "Hold on. You're trying to bribe me."
Still no words. But I could feel the confirmation.
"You're bribing me… with a baby panda… in exchange for snacks?"
Still nothing. But he nodded again, more enthusiastically this time.
I let out a choked laugh. "You know, most people use money. Or favors. Not… cute, fluffy extortion."
I burst out laughing, full-on, unbothered that a few students looked our way. Lufei tilted her head. Maxius fluffed his feathers, one visible wing twitching. The other, his invisible one, folded carefully against his side—present but unseen. He didn't like people pointing it out, and I made a mental note to never mention it around him.
I gently set the panda down beside Jin Minhe and reached into my bracelet, pulling out a few snack packs—dried fruit slices, roasted meat crisps, and a sealed pouch of spicy lotus seed chips.
Before handing over the snacks, I pulled them back slightly and grinned.
"Fine. Snack bribe accepted. But in return—you'd better perform well in sparring. I'm not dragging around dead weight."
I leaned in with a mock whisper. "Because 'oh no I can't' and 'I don't feel like it' are not in my vocabulary."
He blinked once. Then solemnly said, "Understood."
I tilted my head. "Wait… can you actually fight?"
"…I can."
"Like, well?"
Another nod.
"You're not just here for the snacks?"
A pause.
"…Mostly."
I groaned. "Fantastic."
Then, as I handed over the snacks, I added, "Also, after school—hotpot. At my place. But you're helping me clean up. It's a mess. Half the dome home is still burned down."
He immediately nodded again and took the snacks like it was a divine offering.
Not even a second of hesitation.
"…You realize this makes you my unofficial minion now, right?"
He paused mid-snack-unwrapping. "…What's the pay?"
I shrugged. "More snacks. Occasional meal. Possibly moral support."
He considered this for exactly one second. "Acceptable terms."
This boy really could be bribed by food.
It was clear I was recruiting free labor, and he was perfectly fine with it.
Maxius let out a sound between a cough and a screech—his way of laughing—and Lufei circled around my body in a silvery blur of light.
I took that as approval.
We turned toward the arena together, our beasts at our side, the rest of the class preparing for their sparring rounds.
Let the chaos begin.