Beast Taming: I Can Add Points

The girl covered her mouth, her face filled with astonishment. ”That’s incredible... Wu Bao learned Doubling?”

”Ooh~” Wu Bao scratched its head with its middle leg, looking a little embarrassed.

”...” Shao Ya suddenly felt like she’d seen that head-scratching motion somewhere before.

Su Zhi chuckled. ”So don’t you worry. I’ve got this whole Pet Beast Celestial Team protecting me.”

”You still need to be careful...”

That’s what Shao Ya said, but her brow had visibly relaxed, and her expression was much lighter.

”So, what’s your budget? Do you have enough money? Things are a bit more expensive over in Hundred Rivers than here...”

A corner of Su Zhi’s mouth twitched. ”It’s all getting expensed.”

Although the trip to Hundred Rivers was to help Yu Bao evolve, it was officially a research project for the Divine Strategy Alliance. Luo Sen had previously given him level-one visitor access, so Su Zhi had naturally become a member of the project team.

All expenses incurred during the trip to Hundred Rivers would be treated as research funds, and the Divine Strategy Alliance would reimburse him for everything!

’What’s that? You’re asking why I booked the most expensive suite?’

’That’s for my paper, *The Impact of Varying Accommodation Conditions on Field Research Activities from an Enviro-Sociological Perspective: A Case Study of Su Zhi in Hundred Rivers*.’

”Well, that’s not bad at all!” The girl’s face broke into a smile when she heard he was getting a free ride.

”But you don’t have to be so strict, like you’re on some official mission. Since you’re going to Hundred Rivers, you should enjoy yourself a little. Try some of their specialty food, buy some souvenirs, take pictures of the scenery...”

Su Zhi added, ”And maybe check out the famous spicy girls of Hundred Rivers?”

Shao Ya narrowed her eyes.

Su Zhi threw his hands up in surrender.

After staring him down for a moment, the girl lifted her chin victoriously. ”Hmph. As if you’d dare.”

”Exactly. I’m a perfect gentleman,” Su Zhi quickly chimed in.

’Besides... seeing this little devil day in and day out has already raised my standards sky-high. There probably aren’t many girls left on Blue Star who could truly wow me.’

After downing their two sodas and getting some rest, they headed home together as usual.

Shao Ya suddenly seemed to remember something. ”Oh, right. I saw your light was on until the middle of the night. What were you so busy with?”

”Busy stuff,” Su Zhi replied with a cheeky grin, earning him a light punch from the girl.

”I’ll knock that nonsense right out of you!”

·

「At Huai City Second Middle School」

Fang Yuan was walking home after leaving the school’s convenience store with his Envoy’s Pet.

After the selection tournament, all doubts about them vanished. With a final record of six wins and one loss, he and Lilith had proven through sheer strength that they were, without a doubt, the top Envoy’s Pet team at Second Middle.

After consulting Lilith, Fang Yuan declined an invitation to give a speech at the flag-raising ceremony. They still had many shortcomings and weaknesses to work on, and they needed to focus quietly on improving.

Of course, Fang Yuan didn’t refuse the scholarship the school offered.

That was something he’d learned from Su Zhi: you shouldn’t make someone feel bad for their kindness.

There was still some time before the national team tournament, so for now, life had returned to its usual, peaceful routine.

Today’s quiz match had also gone smoothly.

Lilith’s ”slow-beats-fast” strategy was becoming more and more refined. She dispatched her opponent with calm efficiency.

While a fast, aggressive style was also effective, Lilith felt this more gentle and reserved approach was a better match for her personality.

She had another reason, something about being a wolf in sheep’s clothing that she’d apparently learned from Yu Bao. Fang Yuan didn’t really get it, but since Lilith liked it, he went along with it.

After the match, Fang Yuan bought a large bag of Telekinesis Crisps to reward Lilith for her victory.

In the past, he would have considered a victory of this caliber a foregone conclusion for Lilith.

But he didn’t think that way anymore. ’No victory should ever be taken for granted, right?’

·

A gentle breeze stirred the dancing shadows of the trees on the ground. Fang Yuan walked in the shade, the Telekinesis Crisps in his bag glinting purple in the sunlight like brilliant gems.

As a Fire Element Pet Beast, Lilith loved to bask in the sun, but Fang Yuan preferred the shade. So, she followed him, hopping between the sparse patches of sunlight that broke through the canopy.

Each time she reached a patch of light, Lilith would stop and turn, and Fang Yuan would toss her a Telekinesis Crisp.

Occasionally, she had to catch it with her claws, but most of the time, he threw it right into her mouth.

Lilith would catch the Telekinesis Crisp, let out a satisfied CHIRP, and start hopping happily.

Sometimes she’d eat too fast and get the hiccups. She’d glance around frantically, only breathing a sigh of relief when she was sure no other people or Pet Beasts had seen her.

Fang Yuan remained expressionless, as always. But after each toss, once Lilith had turned away, he would allow the corner of his mouth to lift in a subtle smile.

’After all, I’m a Beast Tamer. I can’t let my Pet Beast think I’m too friendly, or it’ll be bad for training.’

’Feeding doesn’t count... This is just closing the distance appropriately. It’s actually beneficial for training.’

He fed, she ate. The human and his pet continued on their stop-and-go journey.

Just as they were about to exit the school gates, Lilith suddenly stopped. She looked at Fang Yuan, a comical smile on her face.

Lilith: ⌓‿⌓

”...What is it?” Fang Yuan’s mouth twitched.

’Why does that smile look so familiar?’

Lilith sidled up and nudged him with a non-existent elbow. ”Chirp~”

Fang Yuan’s eyes widened. ”I forgot.”

That girl, Xu Ruo... her battle record wasn’t great. Before he’d left for the training camp, he thought he’d promised to go with her to the Battle Hall to train...

”Chirp chirp.” Lilith patted Fang Yuan’s shoulder.

”...Should I just forget about it?” Fang Yuan pursed his lips, reacting to Lilith’s implied suggestion.

The idea of proactively adding a girl as a contact was a bit too advanced for him. The only female contact he’d ever added was his mom.

But just flaking on her didn’t seem right either. When he’d agreed to meet at the Battle Hall, Xu Ruo’s eyes had lit up. This training session must be really important to her...

”Chirp!”

Lilith, however, just gave an even more mischievous smile before zipping back into the Beast Taming Space.

”Weird. What did she mean by ’It’s not up to you’...” Fang Yuan muttered in confusion. He hadn’t taken two steps before he suddenly tensed up.

Footsteps behind him!

”Who’s there?” Fang Yuan stopped dead in his tracks, whipping his head around.

But there was nothing behind him. All he saw was a single, stray lock of hair rapidly approaching him.

Then he heard an ”Oof!” as something soft crashed into his chest.

Fang Yuan looked down and saw the girl with her hair in a bun who had run into him. It was Xu Ruo.

Xu Ruo looked up, dazed, and saw the expressionless Fang Yuan. Her entire body began to tremble.

”S-Sorry!”

”...It’s fine.” Fang Yuan watched her practically jump away from him, trying to figure out what to say. ”Um...”

”Um! I booked a ring for tomorrow! Could you go with me to the City Battle Hall tomorrow to train?”

The girl blurted it all out in one breath, mustering all her courage. Then she bowed deeply, holding out two dark-green tickets with both hands.

”Yeah, okay.” Fang Yuan took one of the tickets and commented instinctively, ”I thought they moved to app-based booking over the summer. I’m surprised to see physical, manually-sold tickets...”

”Ah!” Xu Ruo yelped as if he’d stepped on her tail.

”Wh-What’s wrong?” Fang Yuan flinched, startled by her reaction.

”I’m sorry! I—I should have booked it online! It would have been more convenient... I’m such an idiot! I’m so sorry, so sorry, so sorry!”

”...”

Xu Ruo bowed again and again like a chick pecking at grain. A corner of Fang Yuan’s mouth twitched.

”It’s fine. You don’t have to apologize.”

”Oh...”

Fang Yuan examined the two tickets for a moment, a slight smile touching his lips, before he tucked them into his pocket.

’She lives pretty far from the Battle Hall, and tickets are always in high demand. It couldn’t have been easy to get these two.’

’Wait, why am I even thinking about where she lives...’

Remembering that Xu Ruo was standing right there watching him, Fang Yuan quickly wiped the smile from his face and cleared his throat twice.

”Physical tickets are nice too. See you tomorrow.”

”Mhm, okay, okay!” Xu Ruo said earnestly. ”I’ll be sure to do my best! Is there anything I should pay attention to? I want to prepare when I get home...”

”Anything to pay attention to?”

”You know, like in your matches... what goes through your mind when you’re competing?”

Fang Yuan considered this for a moment. ”Nothing special, I guess. Just focus on the battle in front of you and do your best. That’s all.”

”Mmm-hmm... Okay! I’ll remember that! See you!”

Xu Ruo waved and then ran off with a little bounce in her step.

Fang Yuan watched her go, pursing his lips to hide an amused smile.

’I just said whatever came to mind, and she treated it like some precious secret... It was just a bunch of useless platitudes. What’s there to even remember?’

”Chirp!” With a flash from a Beast Taming Light Array, Lilith popped out again and began circling Fang Yuan as if in celebration.

Fang Yuan’s face was a mask. ”You saw her following us the whole time, didn’t you? Why didn’t you say something?”

”Chirp~”

Lilith pretended not to hear, grabbing a handful of Telekinesis Crisps and starting to munch on them.

She was just a simple Pet Beast. She didn’t know anything at all~

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