Chapter 527: Background Character in the Beast Taming World (5)

Chun City Airport wasn't large; after they arrived they went through the normal boarding procedures, then were led to the waiting area by staff.

In the sky, tall flying birds descended to the ground, their feathers white as blazing fire, carrying rings of light halos.

This type of Mortal Tier pet beast called a Peng Bird was the "plane" they would ride on this trip.

Transparent, strip-shaped glass houses were placed on the Peng Bird's back; each holding their own plane ticket, they walked upward along the Peng Bird's drooping wing.

Xiao Guai walked in front of Shen Yao, behaving more quietly than usual.

After finding their seats and fastening their seatbelts, Shen Yao exhaled, turning sideways to look in the direction a few meters away.

Peng Birds constantly dove and landed in midair; people heading to different towns queued orderly, showing no astonishment at the novel sight.

Right, such "planes" had been used for many years; the scenes in Shen Yao's memory were all of this kind of Peng Bird — perhaps the only difference was the Peng Bird's color.

White was ordinary, cyan was good, blue was excellent, multicolored was rare.

Color related to the Peng Bird's abilities; like the white Peng Bird they were riding, ordinary and common, it only had an air shield to help resist dangers from the sky — if they encountered more troublesome problems they would have to fend for themselves.

Like cyan's acceleration, blue's temperature, multicolored's invisibility — those were features of central cities; Chun City temporarily couldn't afford to hire such Beast Tamers for work.

"Meow"

It moved, it moved

Xiao Guai's whole body stiffened, fur half-standing, sitting in the glass house with fur puffed up.

Mutated feline pet beasts always carried an unavoidable fear of high altitudes; Shen Yao raised her hand and rubbed the cat head, then fed two fragrant five-spice jerky strips, only then letting Xiao Guai relax and no longer be tense.

The Peng Bird beneath them began to rise and stand; a transparent air shield appeared outside the glass house; its beautiful, broad wings flapped up and down, then with a lift it accelerated into flight, shooting toward the high sky with a "jiu" sound.

Shen Yao's vision changed; although her body felt no discomfort, the suddenly elevated view still made Shen Yao hug Xiao Guai's cat head tightly.

At this moment Xiao Guai wished she could bury her whole cat self into Shen Yao's arms.

The comforting just now seemed like a dream; Xiao Guai began to meow-meow-meow.

Not only Xiao Guai — the other pet beasts sitting on the Peng Bird more or less all had some stress reactions.

Like the Butterfly Spider sitting in front, which had already woven a spider nest; the Nether Wolf next door, if not for its owner tightly covering its mouth, would probably have howled in grief; the slender monkey behind wrapped its tail tightly around its owner, and itself hung upside down rotating along.

By comparison, Xiao Guai just meowing was already considered behaving well.

No time to admire the gorgeous scenery outside; Shen Yao took out jerky from her bag and continued feeding, conveniently promising in a low voice that once they landed in Yang City she'd let Xiao Guai eat whatever she wanted, until Xiao Guai ate with her head not even lifting — only then did Shen Yao temporarily set her mind at ease.

No choice — the arrival of the Beast Taming era completely changed Blue Star's entire geographical environment.

The crisis-ridden wilderness and Secret Realms, wild pet beasts that attacked human cities at the drop of a hat — even though the Alliance never gave up improving things these years, because of the huge disparity between the two sides, it was always humans who retreated and compromised.

Even though Xiao Guai had a stress reaction every time she rode a Peng Bird, the land route from Yang City to Chun City was extremely dangerous, passing through several terrifying forbidden zones along the way — what could they do?

Perhaps they'd have to wait until Xiao Guai successfully evolved before they could take the land route home.

…………

The Peng Bird's speed was very fast, easily reaching 1,000 km/h; if the route was safe, the Peng Bird would even actively increase speed.

Although Yang City was a full ten thousand li from Chun City, the Peng Bird only took about half a day this time to smoothly arrive at Yang City Center Airport.

Large expanses of white clouds dispersed, carried by airflow drifting who knew where; in the distance were layered dense forests and unfathomable continuous mountain ranges; occasional beast roars made the people sitting on the Peng Bird take it as a matter of course.

Landing seemed to complete in an instant; Shen Yao came back to her senses, taking her luggage and Xiao Guai and leaving along the direction they came.

No car hailing, and no need to hail a car.

This time happened to be the peak return period for Beast Taming University students; outside the airport appeared many silver-gray, tall and mighty steel giant beasts.

Shen Yao boarded according to major and grade, conveniently greeting classmates she ran into.

Not seeing each other for one vacation, everyone had changed more or less.

After all, they would be juniors when school started; half a year for completing studies and practice, half a year for internships, then receive graduation certificates and go their separate ways.

"Shen Yao"

"Zhou Lan"

Running into a classmate from the same major, Shen Yao led Xiao Guai and walked over quickly.

Zhou Lan held a Red Pink Rabbit in her arms — an ordinary Yellow Tier pet beast, like Xiao Guai, also in the juvenile stage.

Reaching out to rub the Red Pink Rabbit's pink and soft body, Shen Yao reached out to unfasten the cat rope on Xiao Guai's neck, drawing a complaint from Zhou Lan that Shen Yao was too careful: "Our Xiao Guai is so well-behaved, why always keep it leashed."

"Meow"

Exactly, it's so well-behaved.

A few sour-sweet carrots belonging to the Red Pink Rabbit were fed to Xiao Guai by Zhou Lan.

Shen Yao: ……

Shen Yao was helpless, only able to take out the fruit she had prepared early and stuff it directly into the Red Pink Rabbit's arms.

The Red Pink Rabbit was only a few dozen centimeters tall, like a small-to-medium plush doll; not only was it soft to hold, it also smelled fragrant.

The two tacitly exchanged each other's pet beasts and began all kinds of affectionate petting.

Until the vehicle beneath them started, Zhou Lan lifted her head from Xiao Guai's soft fur and spoke of how the number of classmates had sharply decreased this vacation.

"At the start our class had 100 people; now not even 50 remain." By graduation, estimating there'd still be a quarter would already be very good.

After all, they're Beast Tamers — before they grow up they always love getting into trouble.

Zhou Lan still remembered the first time she heard of a classmate's death — it was because the other didn't know heaven and earth, secretly went out during non-outing time, and in the end perished with their pet beast, not even fur remaining.

Shen Yao patted Xiao Guai's cat head: "So many Beast Tamers test in every year — this is only the beginning?"

Otherwise how to reflect the tragedy of Beast Tamers — although most bring it on themselves, as long as you lie low a bit basically everyone can graduate safely.

Zhou Lan deeply agreed: "Earlier I heard news that a Secret Realm was discovered with Xuan Tier pet beasts appearing; even people around me couldn't resist going to join the excitement."

Result: not one in ten survived; the Xuan Tier pet beast wasn't found, and they conveniently lost their lives going in.

According to Zhou Lan, those days she had to face tear offensives from her birth mother and others every day; fortunately her contracted Red Pink Rabbit wasn't a combat attribute, and Zhou Lan herself leaned more toward clerical work — otherwise she might not even be able to leave the house now.

Shen Yao: ……

Shen Yao didn't feel Zhou Lan was exaggerating at all, because the Beast Taming world was just that magical — especially for Beast Tamers who had no self-awareness, alive today dead tomorrow, as common as eating and drinking.

The two of them complained endlessly, she talked about life experiences while he spoke of the dangers of the dense forest; by the time the bus stopped at the school gate, they were still speaking with unfulfilled enthusiasm.

Getting off the bus and taking their luggage, the two walked expressionlessly into this Beast Taming University built on the edge of the dense forest.

"Let's go to the cafeteria for a meal later; this afternoon we can first take the books back, in a few days..."

Zhou Lan chattered about things to note for the new semester, Shen Yao nodding and adding supplements, until suddenly someone ahead shouted, "You two shouldn't go too far!"

Looking up in unison, Shen Yao and Zhou Lan widened their eyes, and Xiao Guai and Xiao Hong followed suit, looking on eagerly.

There's a spectacle to watch!

Zhou Lan blinked her eyes, making a funny face at Shen Yao by pouting her lips.

The two had a tacit understanding, stepping forward slightly, and then they saw ahead of the flower bed surrounded by a circle of people, voices coming from within, sounding infuriating.

Zhou Lan made a "tch" sound, boredly pulling Shen Yao to walk from the other side, "It's Cheng Dong from Beast Taming Squad 4."

"Cheng Dong?" Shen Yao was somewhat familiar with this name, then suddenly realized, "The one who contracted the Mortal Tier Pet Beast Iron Hammer Ant?"

Zhou Lan nodded with a strange expression, "Iron Hammer Ants are everywhere, mature ones are no bigger than a finger, weak in aggression and without other abilities; I don't know why Cheng Dong chose the Iron Hammer Ant."

Shen Yao propped her chin with one hand, "Cheng Dong's spirit once had problems; otherwise he wouldn't have contracted an Iron Hammer Ant."

It seems he suffered trauma when he was young or something? Anyway, Cheng Dong is an orphan, having lived a miserable life from childhood to adulthood, even contracting an Iron Hammer Ant to enter Beast Taming University is full of unbelievable metaphysics.

And after entering Beast Taming University, Cheng Dong has been involved with several school flowers, department flowers, and school flowers of the university.

Shen Yao was familiar with the name because this person once inexplicably showed goodwill toward the original body (? possibly), but Shen Yao wasn't interested; one was in Beast Taming Squad 4 and the other in Beast Taming Squad 7.

They didn't meet often, and later the original body was busy raising Xiao Guai to complete her studies, naturally ignoring him.

Now Shen Yao pondering this, tsk, how does the supposed protagonist say it?

Voices of anger and mockery, rebuttal and comfort still came from beside her; Shen Yao found it strange, had the system pay attention, while she and Zhou Lan returned to the dormitory to tidy up.

Beast Taming University, because of its unique location with dangerous and terrifying wild pet beasts as neighbors, students who could enter this university were all assigned single rooms.

When the original owner first came, she was still innocent, thinking she could get along with the neighbors for a while, but in less than three years she changed who knows how many batches.

Click—

Opening the door with a key, letting Xiao Guai enter first, Shen Yao looked at the environment unchanged from before she left, fetched water and cleaned.

One room, one hall, one bathroom plus a study; all student dormitories of Beast Taming University have this architectural structure, including the school's teachers and principal.

"Xiao Guai, going to the cafeteria today, shall I give you Green Ao fish and shrimp?"

"Meow"

Okay okay

Green Ao fish and shrimp are a specialty food of Beast Taming University, self-raised and self-used, unavailable outside.

Confirming the time to go downstairs with Zhou Lan, Shen Yao changed clothes and lay flat on the bed, until the anxious Xiao Guai dragged her to the cafeteria.

"Little glutton"

"Meow"

Xiao Guai wagged its tail back and forth; the cute little cat, even though its body size had increased several times, could still attract many onlookers.

Every time Zhou Lan saw Xiao Guai she loved it endlessly; although she herself wasn't eating, she still tried to secretly feed Xiao Guai, who was already full.

"It can't eat too much; Teacher Zhou checked, Xiao Guai is about to advance in rank soon."

Hearing this, Zhou Lan made an "oh" sound, regretfully stuffing the crispy fried dried fish into her mouth and chewing, "You raise it really well; in our class, besides a few Mortal Tier Pet Beasts advancing smoothly, Yellow Tier Pet Beasts are still in infancy."

Students who can attend Beast Taming University are generally well-off; regarding contracting pet beasts, most consider contracting higher-tier pet beasts.

In the entire Beast Taming University, 60% Mortal Tier Pet Beasts, 35% Yellow Tier Pet Beasts, 5% Xuan Tier Pet Beasts.

As for better Earth Tier Pet Beasts and even Heaven Tier Pet Beasts, they belong to teachers or school management personnel.

After all, contracting pet beasts relies first on talent and second on accumulation; unless one is wealthy and noble with power and influence, otherwise the pet beast contracted at the beginning won't exceed Xuan Tier.

As Beast Tamers slowly improve and develop, the contracted pet beasts will become stronger and stronger; this is a gradual process.

Having dinner with Zhou Lan, Shen Yao refused the plan to walk around the school, instead using the excuse of being too tired to return to the dormitory to rest.

'System, any clues about what happened this afternoon?'

Shen Yao went to the study, opening her notebook while asking the system in her mind.

'Host, it's just simple romantic rivalry, but that guy named Cheng Dong is a bit off,' the system said it found something on Cheng Dong, similar to itself yet subtly different.

Huh?

Shen Yao's eyes flickered slightly, saying calmly, 'A system with different functions?'

Her getting an opportunity doesn't mean others can't; besides, with so many task worlds, her setting isn't that of a protagonist standard.

According to the normal logic of how the world runs, there definitely exists one or several children of fortune; they shoulder the heavy responsibility of changing the world, pushed forward by the World Consciousness.

Actually, they already have several task worlds that don't involve the World Consciousness; don't know if the system doesn't want to, or if the system is disliked.

Now Shen Yao's mind churned, planning to continue digging deeper along this direction.

'No, his isn't a system; very strange, the system feels very uncomfortable.'

The system still clearly resented a thing; before it was all chattering, and finally Shen Yao made the decision; no matter the choice, the system wouldn't interfere.

But right now, 'We won't contact the other party;' it seems Cheng Dong's probability of being a suspected protagonist is very high!

'Hmm, stay away from him, Host; judging by the system's keen sense of smell, this person's future won't be good;' afraid people wouldn't believe, the system gave various examples, no persuasiveness, but rather scared itself enough.

Shen Yao:...

Shen Yao asked about the Heavenly Dao Consciousness; the system stated it temporarily doesn't have this function, 'The more perfect the world, the less the system can contact it.'

'However, as long as the Host completes system tasks, after leaving the task world, there is still a chance to briefly converse with the World Consciousness.'

Just like the previous world, the world before that; although the Host couldn't feel it, the rewards received were genuine and solid; this is the best proof.

Shen Yao made an "oh" sound, then shifted the conversation, asking the system to investigate the background information of all students and teachers in the entire Beast Taming University.

'Aren't we talking about system tasks? This is the first step;' first find an excellent biological father for the child, then proceed.