The thief ran for his life, with Su Zhi and the boy from No. 2 Middle School in hot pursuit.

The gap between them even seemed to be closing.

Su Zhi secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

A Beast Tamer’s physical fitness is directly proportional to their Pet Beast’s Real-time Energy Value.

’This thief can’t shake us, so he probably isn’t anyone special. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have stooped to being a common thief.’

"WOOF WOOF!" (Yu Bao wants to fight!)

’Don’t rush it. Stay calm and collected!’

During the chase, Yu Bao had already learned the whole story from Su Zhi via the Beast Taming Space.

A Beast Tamer could directly recall their Pet Beast to the Beast Taming Space within a certain range. Su Zhi didn’t know the exact distance, but it was definitely possible from anywhere within Huai City.

But Yu Bao didn’t care. He wanted to get in on the action!

Su Zhi, however, wanted to keep Yu Bao out of it. This wasn’t a pop quiz, after all, but a real fight.

Suddenly, a pale white Beast Taming Light Array lit up beside the thief.

Immediately after, a huge, crimson centipede surged out of the Light Array, blocking the way in front of Su Zhi and the boy from No. 2 Middle School—

[Pet Beast: Fire-Biting Centipede]

[Attributes: Fire Element, Fighting Element]

[Race: Intermediate Extraordinary]

[Real-time Energy Value: 550]

Forced into a dead end, with nowhere to run, the thief threatened in a low voice, "Don’t push me!"

Su Zhi immediately summoned Yu Bao.

’Pale white. That means he’s a Tier One Beast Tamer with no other tricks up his sleeve.’

’There’s a definite gap in their Energy Values, but Fire is weak to Earth. Yu Bao won’t necessarily be at a disadvantage!’

’At the very least, holding him to a stalemate should be no problem!’

"WOOF WOOF! WOOF WOOF!" (Die!)

Yu Bao snarled, baring his teeth threateningly.

Relying on his dog’s might, Su Zhi stood behind Yu Bao with his hands in his pockets, staring at the thief without flinching.

’You think you’re the only one with a fucking Pet Beast?’

"Damn it! You’re all ganging up on me! All of you, just die!"

The thief roared. The Fire-Biting Centipede shrieked as it lunged, snapping its jaws at Yu Bao.

He was actually about the same age as the two high school students across from him.

It’s just that he hadn’t gotten into a Beast Taming University. After graduating high school, he’d entered the workforce and become an independent Beast Tamer.

He’d never studied hard in school, nor had he properly trained his Pet Beast.

After graduating, he tasted the bitter fruit.

Because he couldn’t crack the regional Pet Beast Ranking and his Fire-Biting Centipede was too weak, he could barely get any commissions. He could only scrape by fighting in underground matches.

A couple of days ago, the underground fighting den he frequented had been busted by the police. He had completely lost his source of income.

And now, all he wanted was a decent meal, yet these two high school students were hounding him like this!

It was all their fault! If people like them hadn’t ranked ahead of him, how could he have failed to get into a Beast Taming University?

They were the ones who were wrong!

"SCREEECH!"

The Fire-Biting Centipede dove, snapping viciously at Yu Bao. A thin stream of Flame, like a long tongue, shot from its beak-like mouth.

The Fire-Biting Centipede’s Core Skill—Blazing Flame Stab!

This move could easily be fatal, but this wasn’t a ring match—it was a fight for his life.

’If they dare block my way, then they can just die!’

Then the thief was dumbfounded.

The Fire-Biting Centipede’s sharp beak never touched the Little Yu Dian Dog.

It simply dissolved into a puff of sand and dust, lightly drifting behind the Fire-Biting Centipede—

"WOOF!" (Water Buffalo Fights the Rat!)

"SCREEE!!"

—and then delivered a mid-air kick right to the Fire-Biting Centipede’s head.

The Fire-Biting Centipede hit the ground with a pained screech, unable to rise again.

The thief: "?? "

’He may not have paid much attention in school, but he was pretty sure Yu Dian Dogs fought with their teeth...’

’Did they change the curriculum or something?’

’And for such a small Yu Dian Dog, its agility, Power, and Skill Level were all off the charts...’

’What the hell was this thing?!’

"What are you gawking at?"

Su Zhi waved his phone. "Cops’ll be here in five minutes. Your Pet Beast is toast. I’d advise you to give up."

The alley was too narrow, and with the student from No. 2 Middle School nearby, Su Zhi hadn’t dared to let Yu Bao use Sandstorm.

’I didn’t expect this centipede to be such a glass cannon. That Energy Value of over 500 must have been padded—probably just from natural growth.’

"Give up? Hmph."

The thief fell silent for a moment before biting his own finger until it bled.

Su Zhi’s eyes widened.

The Fire-Biting Centipede, which had been taken down by Yu Bao, rose stiffly to its feet, its body now covered in a dense network of blood-red lines.

Its eyes were no longer dark brown, but a bloodthirsty crimson!

The thief flashed a cruel smile. "My talent is Blood Puppet. It allows a Pet Beast that’s been incapacitated to ignore pain and keep fighting!"

Su Zhi shouted angrily, "Are you insane?! You’ll get your Pet Beast killed!"

"I’m its Beast Tamer, so what if I send it to its death! Stop sticking your damn nose where it doesn’t belong!"

The thief laughed like a madman. "I hate sanctimonious pricks like you the most!"

The Fire-Biting Centipede also raised its head and let out a shriek.

Su Zhi’s heart tightened.

If the Fire-Biting Centipede ignored the pain and went for a final, desperate attack, Yu Bao would very likely get hurt.

He was already prepared to recall Yu Bao to the Beast Taming Space in an instant...

A white light flashed.

Su Zhi and Yu Bao stared in astonishment as the thief and the Fire-Biting Centipede suddenly froze, then collapsed to the ground as if petrified.

...

"Sir, he’s awake."

"I know you’re anxious, but take it easy. We can talk all about it down at the station."

The thief: "...?"

Outside the police car, an officer saluted the two high school students.

"Thank you so much for your heroic act! Our station will inform your schools!"

"It was nothing."

"A-woof~"

Su Zhi and Yu Bao waved goodbye to the officer. Fang Yuan, on the other hand, remained as impassive as ever, much like his pale gray No. 2 Middle School uniform.

—During the officer’s routine questioning, Su Zhi had learned that the other student’s name was Fang Yuan.

Su Zhi asked, surprised, "Was that your Pet Beast that took down the thief just now?"

’Judging by how it appeared and vanished without a trace, it must be a Telekinesis or Space Element Pet Beast. This guy’s skill level is pretty high, too.’

Fang Yuan nodded silently, his eyes fixed on Yu Bao. "Your Yu Dian Dog has learned a skill outside the standard curriculum?"

"I guess you could say that."

"WOOF!"

Fang Yuan nodded again, still expressionless, and took his luggage from a passerby who had hurried over from a distance.

"See you around."

"Oh. See ya."

Su Zhi waved goodbye to Fang Yuan and soon boarded a bus home.

Yu Bao entered the Beast Taming Space to rest.

Su Zhi pulled out his phone to keep working on his skill framework... when his expression suddenly soured.

’Crap! I forgot to buy dog food!’

...

"What took you so long? Went out for a secret snack?"

"Why would I be sneaking out to eat dog food..."

"WOOF! WOOF!"

"Don’t listen to Yu Bao, he’s talking nonsense."

As Su Zhi walked into his bedroom, shrugging off his clothes, he found someone with white hair lying on his bed. His hand froze mid-motion.

"Hey," the girl said, winking.

Su Zhi had an epiphany. "White hair... I must have been transported to an Otherworld."

"What nonsense! I’ve always had white hair!"

Exasperated, Shao Ya jumped off the bed and petted Yu Bao.

Xiaoyue took the chance, before Yu Bao could come and bother it, to run and hide in the closet.

"Did something happen? You suddenly summoned Yu Bao away."

"Nothing much, just caught a thief."

"You did?"

Shao Ya’s first instinct was to argue, but when she realized he was serious, she looked him up and down with concern.

"You’re not hurt, are you? Do you need to go to the hospital?"

"Do I not look fine to you?"

"Well, in novels, there’s always that scene where the injured hero walks up to his friends and then dramatically collapses..."

Su Zhi: "..."

"Dinner’s ready, Treasures!"

The voice of a certain middle-aged writer echoed from the kitchen.

"As long as you’re okay."

Shao Ya patted Su Zhi’s shoulder. "C’mon, let’s go eat!"

’Cooking is such a pain. She’d been hanging around his house all morning just to freeload this meal.’

"Oh, right, this is for you."

"Hmm?"

Shao Ya turned around and saw Su Zhi stuff a few cat treat sticks into her hand.

"Yu Bao told me to buy them for Xiaoyue."

"A-woof." ’I did not,’ Yu Bao wanted to say.

"Hee hee, then I’ll thank Yu Bao on Xiaoyue’s behalf."

The girl pretended not to notice the milk candy hidden among the cat treat sticks and stuffed them all into her pocket.

·

·