Afternoon, two o’clock.
Beast Center.
Qiao Sang arrived right on ti at the assessnt office.
Inside the office, the examiner heard a deliberately lowered voice outside the door: “Take off your mask, Qingbao, otherwise I’m worried you’ll get touched again.”
“Qing qing.” A soft, ethereal voice responded.
Then ca the sound of knocking.
The examiner was silent for a long mont before answering: “Please co in.”
“The task to purify the air around the Likang Factory has been completed.” Qiao Sang handed over her identity card and Beast Master badge.
The examiner looked stunned.
“Completed? That fast?”
She had thought the other party was here because she realized the task was difficult and needed help, for example, getting a referral to soone with a pet that could purify the air.
After all, in Tianfu City, pets capable of purifying air were in high demand. Their beast masters earned fortunes and were nearly impossible to book.
Normally, a beast master taking this task who wanted outside help, even willing to pay dearly,mwould still need to wait about a month.
Even if the girl had contracted the legendary Qingqing Ni, it still shouldn’t be possible. Qingqing Ni was only at Beginner-level. It couldn’t possibly purify such a wide area yet.
To be honest, this was the first ti she’d seen a beast master claim to have completed a purification task within the sa day.
Qiao Sang nodded with a smile.
“Although my pet doesn’t have a direct air purification skill, so of its skills can still solve the problem.”
The examiner gave her a doubtful look and made a call to the Environntal Bureau: “Hello, this is the Beast Center’s assessnt office. May I ask about the air over the Likang Factory…”
The person on the other end also needed to confirm.
After about twenty minutes, the examiner hung up the phone and looked at Qiao Sang with complicated admiration: “You completed the task very well.”
Qiao Sang smiled shyly.
The examiner tapped Pass on the screen, returning her identity card and badge.
“Then I’ll be leaving now.” Qiao Sang politely excused herself.
The examiner nodded, then suddenly joked: “Is Qingqing Ni often touched?”
Qiao Sang: ???
Qingbao: ??
---
Leaving the office, Qiao Sang dialed Teacher Mikayla’s number.
After a few rings, the call connected.
Before the other side could speak, Qiao Sang went straight to the point: “Teacher, I completed the task.”
Mikayla, sounding sowhat numb to surprises, replied: “Where are you now? I’ll co over.”
So she’s already preparing to leave for the next city… Qiao Sang said: “I just submitted the task. I’m heading down to the Beast Hall now.”
“Wait for .” Mikayla hung up.
Qiao Sang entered the Beast Hall.
About five minutes later, she saw Mikayla walking toward her.
“What kind of task was it this ti?” Mikayla asked casually.
“Purifying the air.” Qiao Sang answered.
Mikayla imdiately guessed:
“You had Lubao, Ice Emperor Ram, purify it?”
Qiao Sang humd in agreent and briefly explained the process.
Mikayla nodded slightly.
“That task suits you well.”
In the hall, so people recognized Yabao. They secretly took photos with their phones.
Rumors online said Qingqing Ni’s beast master was a B-rank powerhouse. This made those below B-rank too intimidated to approach.
Qiao Sang pretended not to notice, chatting with Mikayla while heading toward the exit.
“Next is only Tianlie City, right?”
“That’s right.”
“Teacher, you packed your luggage so quickly.”
“It’s because you complete your tasks too quickly. I hardly even unpacked anything.”
---
Tianlie City.
It was one of the most unstable cities among the three great rift cities in the Central Hollow Region.
Here, the probability of spatial rifts opening was almost six tis higher than in other cities.
Many locals couldn’t tolerate wild beasts appearing out of nowhere, so most chose to work elsewhere.
But beast masters loved it, where there were more rifts and wild pets, there was more opportunity.
After all, where wild pets appeared, beast masters were needed.
Even inspectors here were paid more than those in other regions.
When Qiao Sang descended through the aerial transit, she saw two streaks of white light flash through the sky in pursuit.
The surrounding people reacted differently: so unfazed, others itching to join.
“Chasing a wild pet? Should we help? If we capture it, we could earn a reward.”
“You go ahead. With that speed, I’d never keep up.”
“Forget it then. That white light’s pretty big, it must be a high-level pet.”
Listening, Mikayla sighed: “This city reminds of Eagle Country.”
Qiao Sang summoned Yabao and the others, replying: “I only know the rift frequency here is really high.”
But compared to Eagle Country, it was still safer… She kept that thought to herself.
---
Qiao Sang rode Gangbao to the Beast Center according to the map.
After checking in, she followed Mikayla toward the lodging area.
But after a few steps, Mikayla turned back: “Why aren’t you going to take a task?”
The task office was in a different direction than the lodging.
Qiao Sang hesitated.
“They’re probably about to get off work. I thought I’d go tomorrow.”
“That’s unlike you.” Mikayla said in surprise.
Qiao Sang thought to herself: Teacher, you might be misunderstanding a little…
Sure, she had been working fast lately, but that was because she’d lost half a year’s worth of task ti.
Now there was only one task left, and more than two months remained. There was no need to rush.
“There’s only one task left now.” Ahe said tactfully.
But Mikayla wasn’t used to her slowing down. She checked her watch.
“They close at six. It’s five thirty-three now. You still have ti to accept a task.”
Then she added: “You don’t have to complete it right away, but knowing the task earlier lets you prepare sooner.”
Qiao Sang fell silent.
The scene felt strangely familiar… like déjà vu. (T/n: That's your own words, girlie😆)
“I understand.” She finally said.
---
Assessnt Office.
Knock, knock.
Qiao Sang knocked.
“Co in.” A cool voice answered.
She pushed the door open, only to see a white, doll-like pet with an oversized mouth. No human examiner.
The big-mouthed pet spoke: “Don’t look around. I’m the one speaking.”
Yabao jumped, startled.
What the heck, too! Qiao Sang quickly composed herself, cautiously asking: “Examiner?”
“That’s right.” The big-mouthed pet nodded.
“I’m outside right now, couldn’t make it back.”
Qiao Sang: ???
Wait, you just said you’re the examiner, but now you’re outside?
“Xun xun…”
At that mont, Little Treasure appeared, pulling out a pet identifier and scanning the creature.
The big-mouthed pet turned its gaze toward him.
And in Little Treasure’s voice, the identifier read: [Analysis… Sa-mouth Doll. Fairy-type, Interdiate-level pet. Has the ‘Shared Voice’ trait. Beast masters can use it for remote communication… In my opinion, this pet seems a bit too weak…]
Little Treasure shut it off and disappeared smugly.
“Mouth!”
The doll, clearly aware of the unfinished insult, shouted in protest.
So it’s because of the Shared Voice trait… Qiao Sang coughed awkwardly.
“Sorry, you’re too rare. I’ve never seen you before, nor have my pets, so we wanted to learn.”
“Mouth…”
The doll paused, then struggled to hide its pleased smile, calling again as if to say: In that case, fine.
Then it spoke: “No problem. You’re here for a task?”
Qiao Sang analyzed quickly, it had no shared vision trait, so the examiner must be watching by cara. She nodded.
“Yes. If you’re not here, I can co back tomorrow.”
“No need. This Sa-mouth Doll can handle it. Give it your ID and badge.”
…After a pause, Qiao Sang handed them over.
The doll skillfully processed them and handed them back.
“Mouth.”
All done.
“What’s the task?” Qiao Sang asked.
“One mont.”
The doll relayed: “Send a screenshot of the task.”
Clearly, that last part wasn’t to her.
It tapped a few tis, then said: “A pet was dragged into a rift by a wild pet. You must safely rescue it. Deadline: before the regional tournant begins. Details will be sent to you.”
Qiao Sang blinked.
“Has the specific rift been confird?”
“The full info will be sent. You can also ask the pet’s beast master.”
The doll paused, then added: “My shift’s over. Please close the door on your way out. Thanks.”
With that, it vanished.
Qiao Sang: …
She checked her phone. Exactly six o’clock.
---
Beast Center, Lodging Area.
Room 1129.
“Yap!”
Yabao watched a battle on TV, shouting excitedly now and then.
Since he couldn’t train right now, watching fights was his only pasti.
Gangbao watched too, while controlling a clone to train outside.
“Xun xun…”
Little Treasure split his attention between resisting Qingbao’s charms and sneaking glances at the screen.
Qingbao puffed her cheeks, the wind around her rising in annoyance.
Lubao sat in the casred water, wrapped in icy armor, eyes closed.
Qiao Sang leaned against the bed, reading the task details sent by the center. They listed the missing pet, its beast master’s na, and contact info.
Target: Lele Seed, Interdiate-level Grass-type pet.
Qiao Sang frowned, then dialed the number.
No answer.
She tried again.
This ti, soone picked up.
“Hello?”
The voice was young, almost childlike.
…A kid? Qiao Sang hesitated, then explained: “Hello, I accepted the Beast Center task to help you recover your missing pet.”
On the other side, the voice burst with joy: “Really?! When do we leave?”
“Six days later. Is that okay?”
Yabao was still absorbing the Fire Refining Fruit. Without him using skills, entering a rift now felt unsafe.
The voice paused, then pleaded: “Can’t it be sooner?”
“I need ti to prepare. For safety, six days is best.”
Silence.
“Then let ask a few questions first.”
“Go ahead.”
“Has Lele Seed’s rift been confird?”
“Yes.” The boy answered obediently.
“The inspectors told . There’s only one rift nearby, so if it appeared, it must be that one.”
Inspectors… Qiao Sang repeated the words, feeling uneasy.
“How old are you?”
“Fifteen. Almost sixteen.”
Qiao Sang fell silent.
She had guessed already, but… wasn’t that too young? (T/n: Girlie, what? 🤨 Rember how old you're supposed to be?)
“Hello? Are you still there?” The boy asked.
“I’m here.”
After a pause, she asked: “At your age, can you even enter rifts?”
She rembered there were restrictions.
“I can. I asked already. In my case it’s special. If I don’t go, others can’t identify my Lele Seed even if they find it. So the Rift Bureau said as long as I’m with five C-rank beast masters, or one B-rank to protect , I can enter.”
“Since you took the task alone, you must be a B-rank.”
That was true… except her badge hadn’t been updated yet. Officially, she should still be C-rank.
Then she rembered. Opening her ssages, she saw one unread from earlier that afternoon: [Dear Beast Master Qiao Sang, congratulations on passing your assessnt and becoming a powerful B-rank Professional Beast Master. You may visit any Beast Center to update your badge.]
So she was officially B-rank already… No wonder the task was assigned to her.
The greater the power, the heavier the task, she thought, before asking: “Which rift is it?”
“No. 53.” The boy answered.
Qiao Sang froze. She sat up straight, raising her voice: “Which number?!”
“No. 53… Is sothing wrong?”
No. 53 Rift.
Her heart surged wildly.
That was the rift where Yabao evolved.
But how?!
Yabao wouldn’t reach Mid-General until six days later…
Unless she was destined to enter that rift again in the future…
The thought steadied her a little, but her heart was still pounding.
-----
T/n: I appear once again, still fighting but have a cough. But nevertheless, fighting!
Hellooooo to y'all, I miss you all. I don't really do odd numbers uploads but forgive , I'm tired from recording all those damn quizzes (for like 5 sections with over 50 students)🥹 Thank you all to those who continues to wait patiently for my updates and those who supported through Ko-Fi and Patreon❤️ Just know I like reading your comnts so keep leaving them pleaseee🥹❤️
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