Chapter 245: Su Yang

"My help?"

"Yes!" Zhu Zhu Xiaoshuang said, "You know, our Beastmaster's companion beasts are divided into two types: one hatched from beast eggs and raised from infancy, and the other directly captured from the wild."

"Our Emergency Squad's Beastmasters have suffered heavy losses of companion beasts; after recovering, they can only capture adult beasts from the wild to form immediate combat power!"

"Golden-grade companion beasts are not easily found in the wild; you'll likely need your Storm Eagle's assistance then!"

Zhu Zhu Xiaoshuang smiled and said, "Of course, it won't just be you—every member of our other squads will coordinate and help those with heavy companion beast losses!"

"Understood!"

This mission would likely delay Su Yang's pace of hunting beasts to level up.

But he couldn't refuse.

In his heart, every member of the Emergency Squad was a hero.

After gaining the Mythic Eagle God's Eye, the Storm Eagle's vision and eyesight were greatly enhanced, and it gained the ability to pierce illusions, disguises, and invisibility; many powerful beasts would be detected long before they could strike.

On the way back, neither team encountered any danger.

After more than ten days, they finally returned to the military camp.

At this time, Su Yang saw Yao Xing, commander of the Emergency Squad, for the first time.

He was an elderly man over fifty, somewhat aged, who personally welcomed the Seventh and Tenth Squads.

All remaining members of the Seventh Emergency Squad were present at the Changwu City Cemetery.

Amid solemn, mournful music, seventeen Golden-grade Beastmasters were buried.

Su Yang also saw the grieving families of those seventeen comrades; he seemed to understand what Xu Xu Jiutian had told him back then.

People always want to look forward.

They cannot remain immersed in grief for long.

Especially military Beastmasters—they've long grown indifferent to life and death.

Even Su Yang, this fourteen-year-old Beastmaster, had been tempered by several major battles and grown more mature.

After the funeral, Changwu City would naturally reward merit.

Although the Emergency Squad of Changwu City had an extremely high casualty rate, over half of Changwu City's high command came from the Emergency Squad.

Including the current mayor of Jiacheng, General Qin Qin Pengcheng, who oversees all military affairs in the southwest!

"He possesses exceptional combat talent and formidable reconnaissance ability; during operations, he repeatedly helped the squad avoid risks and preserve combat strength. In the defense of Jiacheng, he performed exceptionally—killing large numbers of beasts… significantly reducing our Beastmaster casualties… and single-handedly held back seventeen adult Rock-Armored Rhinos about to breach Jiacheng, lifting the threat of the city's fall!"

Many members of the Seventh and Tenth Squads turned to look at Su Yang.

They all knew who General Qin was referring to!

Some among them had even had their lives saved by the Hellblood Vine Flower.

"He received high praise from Jiacheng's mayor Mu Mu Yuankai, deputy mayor Bai Ming, and the commanding and deputy commanding officers of the Seventh and Tenth Emergency Squads. After deliberation by the Southwest Military Department, Su Yang of the Seventh Emergency Squad is awarded a Second-Class Individual Merit by the Southwest Military Department and promoted to the rank of Junior Colonel!"

Su Yang already held the rank of Captain; his rank did not change when transferred to the Southwest Military Department.

Thunderous applause erupted in the crowd.

Amid the applause, Su Yang was moved.

Qin Qin Pengcheng looked at him with great satisfaction: "Come forward!"

Besides Su Yang, many other Beastmasters also received rewards based on accumulated combat merits.

There was also a collective Third-Class Merit.

But this commendation ceremony greatly boosted the morale of the Seventh and Tenth Emergency Squads.

Back at the camp, Xu Xu Jiutian chuckled and patted Su Yang on the shoulder: "I've never seen a Junior Colonel so young—you're fourteen, right? By the time you're forty, you might even be a General!"

The rank of Junior Colonel was already considered mid-to-high command in the Southwest Military Department!

Su Yang himself felt he was rising too fast.

The Seventh Emergency Squad was still in recovery; its members' combat readiness had not yet returned.

Without an urgent or critical mission, the Southwest Military Department would never deploy them.

Summer arrived, with consecutive days of thunderstorms hindering travel.

Su Yang took five days off at his villa; when he returned to the Seventh Squad, he was immediately targeted by Commander Zhu!

She handed Su Yang a map of Mount Yandang, with a red line marked on a certain canyon.

"Su Yang, I have an important mission for you!"

"Commander, please speak!"

"The Breeding season for serpent-type beasts is approaching; every year at this time, large numbers of serpent-type beasts head toward this canyon marked by the red line," Zhu Zhu Xiaoshuang continued. "Our Seventh Squad urgently needs to replenish many Golden-grade companion beasts; serpent-type beasts are excellent targets. Ten squad members have expressed interest in obtaining serpent-type beasts. This time, I want you to lead them in hunting Golden-grade serpent-type beasts!"

Serpent-type beasts are generally massive in size, powerful in strength, durable, and ideal for defense or frontline combat!

Su Yang pointed at himself and asked, "Me? Lead?"

"Yes, you'll lead," Zhu Zhu Xiaoshuang said. "Whether by strength, ability, or rank, you're qualified. What you need now is experience!"

"Understood. I'll complete the mission!"

"Be careful—only capture them on the periphery. Do not act within one hundred kilometers of this canyon; powerful serpent-type beasts still slumber inside. Stay alert!" Zhu Zhu Xiaoshuang warned. "Every Golden-grade Beastmaster is vital to our Emergency Squad—you understand that!"

"I understand."

After accepting the mission, Su Yang received a system prompt:

"Ding~ Help ten Emergency Squad members capture ten Golden-grade beasts!"

"Reward: Host gains one Talent Point, to upgrade any one companion beast's specified talent by one level!"

Hearing this system prompt, Su Yang was even more satisfied.

He loved doing missions!

Under Zhu Zhu Xiaoshuang's arrangement, Su Yang soon met the ten squad members who wanted Golden-grade serpent-type companion beasts.

Among the ten, Su Yang saw Xu Xu Jiutian.

Zhu Zhu Xiaoshuang said with a stern face: "For this team mission, Su Yang will lead. You must obey his orders—do you understand?"

"Yes!"

The ten Gold-rank Beast Tamer replied in unison.

Su Yang's combat power and reconnaissance ability are widely known.

The entire team knows of his feat—single-handedly overturning over a dozen Rock-Armored Giant Rhinos!

Although young, everyone knows Su Yang already possesses the combat power of a top-tier Gold-rank Beast Tamer!

Combined with his exceptional reconnaissance ability, he is precisely the kind of teammate every member wants.

Su Yang also straightened his body, his expression turning serious.

As team leader, his responsibility is not merely to help members capture pet beasts—he must also be responsible for their safety, bringing them back whole and unharmed!

"Good. With the thunderstorms ending, set out now!"