Chapter 1: Halfway through the flight?

"Look, look! That girl with the ponytail is Ge Bai. She had the highest score in the spirit awareness development test for the whole venue today. I have a reliable source—including her, there are only seven people in the entire city who reached around 10% in spirit awareness development this year."

"9.9%?! What kind of monster is she? I heard she's an orphan, too. I only got 2.5%; my dad is probably going to beat me to death."

"She's definitely going to break through 10% before the high school entrance exam. I'm so envious."

Ge Bai had just finished her spirit awareness development test. The 9.9% clearly displayed on the testing instrument brought a small shock to everyone present.

According to the Interstellar Alliance Basic Law, all teenagers aged 15-16 must undergo a unified spirit awareness development test before their high school entrance exams.

This is also the earliest time that current technology can test spirit awareness development.

This year, over 110,000 students across the 15 districts of Jinggang City took the test, and Ge Bai's level was undoubtedly among the best.

The meditation method for developing spirit awareness was made public by the Interstellar Alliance 172 years ago and is part of the nine-year compulsory education for teenagers.

Thanks to this, Ge Bai, who grew up in a social welfare institute, had the opportunity to develop her spirit awareness through her own efforts.

"Hey, don't get too excited yet. Maybe when the second test for affinity with spirit-type creatures comes around, she won't have any pet beast affinity attributes. If that's the case, it doesn't matter how high her spirit awareness development is."

"How is that possible? Have you ever seen anyone who autonomously developed 10% spirit awareness not have pet beast affinity attributes?"

Ge Bai disconnected the cables from the testing instrument and walked out on her own. She didn't take the surrounding sounds of envy, exclamation, or jealous snide remarks to heart.

It was already 11:00 AM. It was her turn to be on duty today, and she had to hurry back to the Blue Star Welfare Institute to help Teacher Xiaolu cook lunch.

This year marked the sixteenth year since Ge Bai came to this world.

In her previous life, after working for over 30 consecutive hours, Ge Bai died suddenly in her office cubicle.

When she regained consciousness, she was an infant in swaddling clothes at the entrance of the Blue Star Welfare Institute.

She had thought she could easily live another life relying on the memories of her past, but Ge Bai discovered that this world was completely different from Earth!

221 years ago, under the influence of galactic β-rays, the flora and fauna of the ancient Blue Star began to mutate, and their intelligence and physical strength values soared.

Some extraordinary species even evolved inconceivable skills and developed strong aggression toward cities and villages, plunging human society into chaos for a time.

After more than 20 years of resistance and research, Chinese scientists were the first to explore the path of the Beast Master, capable of stably controlling spirit beasts, and made it public to the whole society.

Through meditation, one can develop spirit awareness. For every 5% increase in spirit awareness development, one can contract a spirit beast, make it a Pet Beast, and store it in the spirit awareness space.

Through the cultivation and education of Pet Beasts, they can be promoted to evolve into Battle Beasts.

Relying on Beast Masters and Battle Beasts, humanity gradually quelled the disasters brought about by the global mutation and even expanded into the stars, currently occupying and developing five planets suitable for human life.

After more than a hundred years of development, Beast Masters are not only the main force of the interstellar legions but have also become an indispensable presence in every aspect of modern social life.

Without the help of Pet Beasts, humanity would find it nearly impossible to move forward in construction and logistics.

However, not everyone can become a Beast Master.

Contracting a spirit beast requires two initial conditions. One is that spirit awareness development must reach 5%. Most ordinary people can only reach 15%-18% in their lifetime.

There are also a small number of people who, no matter how hard they try, cannot break through the 5% threshold of spirit awareness development.

In addition to this, contracting a spirit beast also requires Pet Beast affinity attributes. Researchers divide affinity attributes into six levels: extremely low, below standard, standard, good, excellent, and extremely high.

Only those at or above the standard level can contract a spirit beast; otherwise, the spirit beast will be extremely resistant, leading to contract failure.

According to statistics, the population with Pet Beast affinity attributes at or above the standard level barely reaches half of the total population.

Fortunately, 72 years ago, the Interstellar Alliance Spirit Plant Research Center made a huge breakthrough, finding some spirit plants that could be contracted with humans.

One can contract a spirit plant and become a Spirit Plant Master once spirit awareness development reaches 2%.

Most contractable spirit plants are fruit trees or grains, providing auxiliary support for Pet Beasts.

Although the current level of compatibility between spirit plants and humans, and the level of human cultivation of spirit plants, are far inferior to the Beast Master system, it still gives many people the opportunity to improve their lives.

Coincidentally, most people who lack Pet Beast affinity attributes possess spirit plant affinity attributes.

Ge Bai was not too worried about the affinity attribute test at this moment.

It was indeed as the passerby just said: the higher one's autonomous spirit awareness development, the higher the probability of possessing high Pet Beast affinity attributes.

In this era, being able to contract a Pet Beast and become a Beast Master is everyone's pursuit.

As for being a Spirit Plant Master, that is a choice far inferior to being a Beast Master.

Walking out of the testing building, Ge Bai passed by the Thunder-Vulture docking point, watching the tall and handsome Thunder-Vultures standing neatly in the designated docking areas along the roadside.

The pilots, wearing helmets and uniforms, were uniformly soliciting customers beside their Thunder-Vultures, and from time to time, they would help groom the feathers of their Thunder-Vultures. The giant birds, which were much taller than humans, would lower their heads to affectionately nuzzle the pilots.

"Little girl, 'Eagle-Drop' is offering exclusive discount coupons for students today! Half-price discount for riding our Thunder-Vulture air-taxi." The pilot saw that Ge Bai looked like a student and hurried forward to solicit her.

This brown-bodied, black-feathered Thunder-Vulture also cooperated by flapping its wings and raising its head high, showing off a fit side-neck profile to Ge Bai.

It made Ge Bai feel itchy inside, thinking: "Maybe I should just look for a large bird for my first Pet Beast contract. They really are too cool."

Thinking was one thing, but Ge Bai felt her pocket and shook her head firmly.

Taking a Thunder-Vulture back to the Blue Star Welfare Institute, even with a half-price coupon, would cost 12 Alliance Coins. Taking the bus back only costs 1 Alliance Coin.

The Alliance's electric levitation bus is actually not slow. Taking the bus back now won't delay helping Teacher Xiaolu cook.

"Abi, Abi." Just as Ge Bai reached the entrance of the Blue Star Welfare Institute, she saw a Mixiong lying on the eucalyptus tree in the courtyard waving its right claw at her.

Ge Bai hurried her pace, walked under the eucalyptus tree, and opened her arms. "Bibi, are you waiting for me?"

The chubby gray-haired Mixiong, only as high as an adult's thigh, climbed down slowly from the trunk. Before it reached halfway, Ge Bai couldn't wait any longer and pulled it into her arms.

The Mixiong didn't resist, taking the opportunity to hug Ge Bai's neck, resting its head on Ge Bai's shoulder, calling out "Abi, abi."

"Eat less eucalyptus leaves! You'll easily become stupid if you eat too much!"

"Abi! Abi!"

"Even if it's delicious, you have to eat less. I'll bring you a Time Fruit when I come back tonight. That's much tastier than eucalyptus leaves."

"Abi."

This Mixiong named Bibi is Teacher Xiaolu's Pet Beast. Although its evolution level is only Tier 2, far from the standard of a Battle Beast, it has a gentle nature and can take good care of the little ones in the welfare institute.

Ge Bai and Bibi grew up together almost from childhood.

Holding the Mixiong, Ge Bai walked straight to the kitchen, where Teacher Xiaolu and two other aunties were busy.

"Bai Bai is back?"

"The test results were good, right?"

Ge Bai greeted the aunties with a smile, sat down beside Teacher Xiaolu, and helped her pick vegetables. Everyone was even happier after hearing Ge Bai's spirit awareness development test results.

"Don't busy yourself, go and rest quickly. You still have to go to the Research Institute this afternoon to test your affinity attributes." Teacher Xiaolu looked to be in her early 30s, not tall, and appeared exceptionally gentle.

She is the daughter of the old director of this Blue Star Welfare Institute. The old director passed away a few years ago, and she single-handedly supported the Blue Star Welfare Institute.

"It's fine. Resting won't make my affinity attributes any higher." Ge Bai shook her head, her hands not stopping.

She could still clearly remember 16 years ago, when a teenage Teacher Xiaolu carried her from the entrance in swaddling clothes.

At that time, Teacher Xiaolu was clumsy even at mixing milk powder, but she still raised her bit by bit, like a mother and a sister.

Teacher Xiaolu didn't insist either, shaking the water off her hands and tapping Ge Bai on the forehead. "You have so many reasons."

"Are Wu Dami and Liu Hao back? How were their test results?"

"They came back an hour earlier than you. Dami got 5.7%, Hao Hao got 6.2%. They should be in the activity room checking homework for the little ones right now."

There are only three third-year junior high students in the Blue Star Welfare Institute this year. Hearing this result, Ge Bai's hand paused, but she didn't say anything.

Teacher Xiaolu understood what she wanted to ask and said gently: "They just told me they've already made up their minds. After the affinity test this afternoon, it doesn't matter whether they have affinity for spirit beasts or spirit plants."

"They won't attend full-time high school. They'll go apply for loans tomorrow, choose contract objects, submit resumes, find jobs, and attend night school. They'll be able to support themselves eventually. They are all good children."

This is the cruelty of this era.

The Alliance's compulsory education is only 9 years long. High school is divided into full-time high school and in-service night school.

Every third-year junior high student faces a major life choice.

Although theoretically, as long as one can contract a spirit beast or spirit plant, one is qualified to apply for full-time high school.

However, the high tuition fees for high school and the costs of purchasing and cultivating spirit beasts and spirit plants are not something every family can afford.

Therefore, many children from poor families, as well as orphans from welfare institutes like Ge Bai and the others, mostly choose the work-study mode.

They purchase spirit beasts through loans, work during the day to repay the loans, squeeze money out of their teeth to buy potions for cultivating spirit beasts, and attend night school in the evening.

It's just that in this way, the cultivation of spirit beasts is naturally much slower. Not to mention evolving into Battle Beasts, even making a living is very difficult, and they may remain mediocre for their entire lives.

Although purchasing and cultivating spirit plants is cheaper than spirit beasts, because the growth ceiling for Spirit Plant Masters is currently too low, they basically have no independent combat capability.

Most can only become senior gardeners, or become raw material suppliers for spirit beast potion companies.

Even if the most excellent Spirit Plant Masters have the opportunity to enter the interstellar legions, they can only become logistics support or auxiliary roles, so full-time high school enrollment for Spirit Plant Masters is exceptionally strict.

This leads to the fact that most Spirit Plant Masters seen in high schools and universities are leisurely children of wealthy families or officials.

Ge Bai doesn't want to be a corporate slave again after living a new life, even if in her previous life, she was a high-level corporate slave with an annual income of one million.

From beginning to end, she only has one way out: being a special student.

Basic special student requirements are 10% spirit awareness development plus a spirit beast contract, which can exempt tuition fees during high school.

In addition to this, the two provincial key high schools, Sheng Lan High School and Jinggang No. 1 Middle School, have also opened special recruitment channels for special students.

Special recruitment uses the Pet Beast battle mode. The final 5 winners not only get their high school tuition fees exempted, but the school also provides high scholarships, which is more than enough to cover the cost of purchasing an average Pet Beast.

The No. 1 seed player for the Interstellar Alliance battle tournament selected by Jinggang City last year was a special recruit from Sheng Lan High School, who was also said to be from a poor background.

So ever since Ge Bai learned the meditation method, she practiced day and night. At this time last year, she felt that her spirit awareness development had reached a bottleneck and could not be improved further no matter what.

It was just that due to the inability to test, she didn't know what level she was at. Today, she found out she was stuck at 9.9%.

Haven't heard of a teenager under 16 getting stuck in spirit awareness development? Ah, usually, one only reaches the limit of spirit awareness development after the age of 50.

Ge Bai was a little uneasy, not knowing if it was because her soul and body were not compatible.

She prayed silently: "I hope the affinity test goes smoothly."

————————

3:30 PM, Jinggang City Research Institute Affinity Attribute Testing Center.

"Name: Ge Bai"

"Spirit awareness development degree: 9.9%"

"Pet beast affinity attribute: Below standard"

"Spirit plant affinity attribute: Extremely high"

"Career planning: It is recommended to contract a spirit plant and become a Spirit Plant Master."

The clear mechanical female voice reached Ge Bai's ears, exploding like a thunderclap.

The surrounding testers were also whispering as they looked at this data.

"This is the first time I've seen this—reaching such a high level of spirit awareness development but having no pet beast affinity."

"It's such a pity."

"However, her spirit plant affinity is 'extremely high,' which is also very rare."

"What's the use of that? No matter how high it is, she's just a Spirit Plant Master."

Ge Bai gritted her teeth and forced herself to walk down from the testing instrument.

She knew it; this thieving heaven never intended for her to have a smooth life.

Everyone else who is reborn has a smooth sailing life with a system by their side. Not to mention her starting as an orphan, she had worked hard for almost 16 years and hadn't even seen a hair of a system.

She had originally given up and was prepared to carve out a path on her own, only to find that she had dug such a big hole on the road!

Ge Bai was on the verge of a breakdown. She didn't know what she had been practicing meditation so hard for all these years.

You know, she had almost picked out her Pet Beast, and she had planned the early cultivation plan over and over again. She knew exactly what effects each potion had and how much they cost.

She had even prepared to challenge the special recruitment battle. She didn't know how many Pet Beast battle videos she had watched, and she had rehearsed the scene of commanding a Pet Beast battle in her mind countless times.

Now, it was all useless. She really didn't know what to do in the future. Raise a fruit tree and be a corporate slave? She returned to the Blue Star Welfare Institute in a daze. Teacher Xiaolu was standing at the courtyard gate holding Bibi. Ge Bai forced a smile at Teacher Xiaolu.

She didn't know that her pale face, stiff muscles, and the smile she had forced out looked truly terrible.

Teacher Xiaolu looked at Ge Bai like this and understood everything. There was no need to ask more; she just felt exceptionally heartbroken.

She put Bibi down and stepped forward to hug the little girl.

Bibi also felt Ge Bai's sadness, crawled to her side, and held her leg tightly.

"Go back to your room and rest for a while. It will be fine, everything will be fine."

Teacher Xiaolu's comfort seemed exceptionally powerless.

Ge Bai nodded, rubbed her face hard on Teacher Xiaolu's shoulder, her eyes red, and rushed back to the girls' dormitory with her head down.

Teacher Xiaolu looked at Ge Bai's back and sighed long.

Such a hard-working little girl—this blow was truly too big for her.

————

Midnight, Blue Star Welfare Institute girls' dormitory.

Ge Bai covered herself in the quilt, and for once, she didn't meditate, just stared blankly with her eyes open.

She had long forgotten what day it was, and she wasn't looking forward to anything.

But sometimes, surprises arrive just like that.

Midnight.

"Ding, Shennong 2.7 System awakened."

A crisp electronic sound rang in Ge Bai's mind.

She sat up abruptly.

The moonlight outside the window was bright, the children on the surrounding beds were all fast asleep, and the wall clock pointed to midnight.

Only then did she remember that today, at this moment, she was sixteen years old.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 2 =====