Beast Taming: I Can Add Points

While the team competition was in full swing, twelve hundred kilometers away in Huai City—

”Going out to play again, Wu Bao?”

”Hrmm, hrmm!” While packing his bookbag, Wu Bao waved a middle leg at Su Mao, holding his tablet.

Bye, Dad! I’ll be back tonight!

”Alright, alright. It’s good to get out for a bit! Just remember to be back by lunchtime!”

”Hrmm~”

Wu Bao made a heart gesture at Su Mao, then left the residential complex.

He was just a large Unihorn Ant, yet the sight of him from behind, a bookbag slung over one shoulder, was strangely reminiscent of a kid heading out on the weekend to play ball with new friends.

Su Mao let out a gratified sigh.

At first, he and Wang Sujuan had been worried. Su Zhi had brought Wu Bao back from the wild—would he have trouble integrating into the human world?

He later discovered he was completely overthinking it...

Not only did Wu Bao show no signs of difficulty adjusting, he actually seemed to know his way around. He quickly learned all sorts of common knowledge and even developed a unique hobby—that’s right, reading web novels.

Wu Bao even started frequently seeking out Su Mao to discuss various plot points and summarize his own reading insights.

Su Mao was surprised to find that Wu Bao seemed to interpret stories from an author’s perspective.

For an author, this was a fundamental skill, whether they were a total flop or a top-tier writer. But to have that kind of awareness and insight upon first encountering web novels was a sign of incredible talent.

So much so that Su Mao even had the urge to teach Wu Bao how to write web novels... but he thought better of it.

’Telling someone to become a writer is a deed worthy of being struck by lightning. I don’t want to let the shadows of reality taint Wu Bao’s pure hobby.’

’I’ll just let Wu Bao have his fun.’

’Speaking of which, who does Wu Bao play with? Where does he go? I don’t think he’s ever mentioned it...’

’Ah, forget it. It’s not important...’

The middle-aged, washed-up author sighed, turned his gaze to the screen, and opened his writing software.

’I haven’t hit my word count for the day. Better worry about myself first. I wonder if there’s any chance of hitting Platinum this year... probably not. I only just made Great God last year...’

·

「Fengyun Arena.」

”SCREE!”

The Cyan Feathered Falcon spotted an opening and dove at Wu Bao.

But with a silky-smooth tilt, Wu Bao displayed a flexibility that utterly betrayed his physique, dodging the Cyan Feathered Falcon’s sharp beak. At the same time, he took advantage of the motion to whip his horn sideways, slapping it against the falcon’s midsection.

It was a quick SMACK. Wu Bao had used the Lightning Five-Chain Whip!

”SCREEEEEE—”

The Cyan Feathered Falcon shrieked pitifully and was sent flying out of the ring like a kite with a broken string, unable to rise again.

”Hrm!” Wu Bao raised his two front legs in victory.

”YEAH!!!” The crowd of spectators erupted in cheers, every single one of them ecstatic.

Amid the cheers, Wu Bao nodded to the surrounding crowd, then took the athletic headband off his horn and tossed it into the stands, instantly causing a mad scramble.

A few seconds later, the fan who caught it excitedly put it on their head and threw their arms up in a cheer.

Wu Bao then came down from the ring and was immediately mobbed by rabid fans at the edge of the stands, all asking for autographs.

And Wu Bao, good-natured as ever, actually signed for them one by one...

Not far off, the Fengyun Arena’s manager and Yan Dingyi tallied the revenue, watching the scene with satisfaction.

Ever since Wu Bao started competing, foot traffic at the Fengyun Arena had doubled, and its turnover had increased by fifty percent.

It was all thanks to Wu Bao drawing in the crowds.

A Pet Beast that fights its own matches? That’s the kind of thing you only see in novels. Who’s ever seen that in real life?

As soon as news broke that a Black Fighting Emperor was competing on its own at the Fengyun Arena, droves of curious spectators came flocking, practically packing the place to the rafters.

And Wu Bao, a master showman, did not disappoint.

His fighting style was full of ingenuity: troll-like yet cautious, cautious yet stable, and stable yet utterly bizarre. It was faintly reminiscent of a certain someone’s style, making many old fans of Su Zhi and Yu Bao exclaim that their glory days were back.

Besides, he really doted on his fans. What kind of celebrity signs autographs for every single fan, one by one?

Combined with the Fengyun Arena’s promotion, Wu Bao had now become the most popular celebrity Pet Beast out there!

”Hrmm~!”

After finishing the autographs, Wu Bao trotted over, his face alight with excitement. Yan Dingyi had already filled a cup for him—not with alcohol, of course, but with Thornblossom Nectar, a favorite of Black Fighting Emperors.

”Alright!”

Yan Dingyi laughed heartily, raising his glass along with the arena manager. ”Let’s celebrate another victory for our young friend Wu Bao!”

”CLINK~”

Amid the cheerful clinking of cups, Wu Bao felt on top of the world as he drained the nectar in one go, practically bubbling with delight.

Matches in the morning, training mid-morning, writing at noon, matches in the afternoon, writing at night.

These last few days, Wu Bao’s life had been exceptionally full. His bug-life had practically skipped thirty years of struggle!

”By the way, Wu Bao, who is your Beast Tamer?” Yan Dingyi asked curiously.

Wu Bao’s fighting style gave him a sudden flashback to the feeling of having his crotch dominated by hot tea. But Su Zhi already had a contract with a new Pet Beast—he’d seen it himself—so Su Zhi could be ruled out.

”Hrmm, hrmm.”

Wu Bao waved a middle leg, indicating that he wanted to keep a low profile and not cause any trouble for his Beast Tamer.

Yan Dingyi nodded and didn’t ask any more questions.

’All I know for now is that Wu Bao’s Beast Tamer is away at training camp for the team competition. Only a handful of people from Huai City went, and almost all of them have some connection to Su Zhi.’

’Maybe it’s a new Pet Beast contracted by one of those kids? And they didn’t bring it along for some reason?’

’After all, that group with Su Zhi is a bit of a weird bunch. A Pet Beast sneaking out to fight in matches on its own... seems pretty normal for them, actually...’

Just then, a phone rang.

”One moment, young friend Wu Bao. I have to take this call.”

”Hrmm~”

Wu Bao waved his front leg, and just as he was about to take another drink, his own tablet suddenly vibrated.

That was the special vibration for a priority contact! And he only had one priority contact: Editor Er Shang!