11: I want to be a salted fish

Unaware of the eagle-eyed class teacher, Zhou Tao, who had noticed her talking and making friends, Song Yu continued her tranquil posture on the desk.

Unfortunately...

Zhou Tao, the class teacher, still remembered: the stubborn and unwilling-to-lose appearance of Song Yu during physical education class, and her attentive demeanor during cultural classes...

If it weren't for Song Yu's poor Tamer talent, she could have become a professional Tamer with her stubborn and competitive personality, along with her family background.

Zhou Tao's expression was serious.

Thinking about the three years of high school, the once positively striving good student had turned into a disheartened figure, full of grief...

He was worried that this student might give up on herself.

It wasn't unheard of for a good student to be demoralized after suffering setbacks in the past.

"It seems that I need to pay special attention to Song Yu when we go to the playground later... to prevent her from doing anything foolish..." Zhou Tao frowned and thought to himself.

An F-level waste Tamer space wasn't terrifying; what was frightening was a young student losing their dreams!

A strong sense of responsibility surged within him.

Zhou Tao sighed with emotion: this is youth!

 

*****

 

The initial Beast contract, just like the college entrance exam, started at 8:30 in the morning.

As the school corridor broadcast sounded, Zhou Tao led the students of Class 5 downstairs towards the direction of the playground.

Song Yu stood up, took out preserved plum candies, fish-shaped cookies, and two small bags of jerky from her backpack, stuffing them into her pockets. She followed behind the crowd with a smiling face. As for the backpack containing energy fruits and hundred-flower spirit honey, she left it unattended on the classroom desk, paying no attention to it.

Jianghuai City No.1 High School, as a key high school in Jiangnan Province, carefully selected students every year, picking out 'strong' individuals from the sea of questions and the battlefield.

Either they had good academic performance, or exceptional physical fitness.

However, these achievements couldn't guarantee the Tamer space level that the student would awaken at the age of 18.

But on this day, the initial Beast distribution day, the ability to obtain funds was the most important thing parents could do for their children.

Therefore, Song Yu went downstairs.

Wherever her eyes could reach, almost no one was empty-handed!

Even those students from Class 5 who had just talked about their poor talents and low Tamer space levels, giving up becoming professional Tamers early, were eagerly trying with fruits, plants, and minerals purchased by their parents.

Some carried backpacks, some held things tightly in their hands...

Without exception, all students were nervous and excited, their attention focused entirely on the treasures of heaven and earth.

Song Yu's steps paused, "..."

She always felt out of place with her snacks, like a "spring outing" in a crowd of tension.

Smelling the familiar scent of 'rolls' in the air.

Song Yu blinked and squeezed into a corner's shadow, pretending to be inconspicuous and moving forward against the wall.

Hehehe, the high-quality Beasts are all yours!

I, Song 'Salted Fish' Yu, want nothing!

 

*****

 

With a low Tamer talent level and no funds to assist with fruit, it was likely that even the lowest-quality Beast wouldn't be interested in her in this highly competitive school playground.

Song Yu walked happily on the school playground, like a joyful mouse that had fallen into a rice bin, ecstatic.

A flush of excitement appeared on Song Yu's fair little face. She looked at the new playground, completely different from her memory, with eyes that almost sparkled!

"Hiss!—"

Song Yu widened her eyes and took a sharp breath.

This was even more real and fantastical than the scenes she had seen in the studio in her previous life!

The huge playground, which could accommodate tens of thousands of students, was divided into different areas.

These areas were distinguished based on the attributes, living habits, potential levels, etc., of the Beast cubs.

For example, on the left side of the playground, the originally flat grassy area was now occupied by tall trees, five or six meters high. The lush branches and leaves of the trees seemed to have been rooted here for many years. Under the large trees, the spots where the leaves' shadows fell were filled with clusters of lush berries emitting bursts of fruity fragrance.

Various berries of different colors, familiar to Song Yu, such as raspberries and blueberries, as well as some unnamed but brightly red and golden fruits, were now present simultaneously.

Underneath the berry-laden bushes, several Beast cubs were nibbling on the sweet and sour berries.

The education bureau staff even prepared other food for these Beast cubs, placed in small iron basins placed nearby.

"This is really amazing~!" A girl next to Song Yu grabbed her classmate's arm excitedly, expressing what Song Yu felt in her heart.

"Isn't it amazing?" Song Yu nodded.

If she remembered correctly, just seven days ago, when the original host was on sick leave and went home, the school playground was still a simple and ordinary green lawn.

It was the standard artificial turf of a soccer field in her previous life, yet now this area looked like a beautiful forest resort.

Moreover, these plants weren't painstakingly planted by workers but were instantly generated by professional Tamers using the skills of their wood-type contract creatures.

In addition to this, the area on the right side of the playground had been transformed into a small marine area!

There was not only clear and salty sea water but also a sea-sand beach constructed by earth-type Beasts. All that was missing were a few coconut trees to pretend to be a seascape!

Forest breeze, ocean breeze, desert breeze, volcanic crater breeze, and frozen snowy mountain breeze...

With just a rough glance, Song Yu discovered seven or eight different styles of areas.

In these areas, numerous Beast cubs were gathered in groups. Some were playing on their own, some were curiously looking at the many high school seniors with round eyes.

"Everyone, listen up! Today, it's not only you choosing Beasts, but also Beasts choosing you!"

The education bureau staff held a megaphone and solemnly warned, "During this two-way selection, no one is allowed to use force to make Beasts submit, and fighting for Beasts is also prohibited! Violators will not only be banned from raising Beasts for life but will also be prohibited from taking the college entrance exam for ten years!"

The education bureau staff continued loudly, "Today, the entire school has a total of 6,144 Beasts, already divided into their respective areas based on potential level evaluations, attribute classifications, etc. Everyone can go to the respective areas to check the contracts!"

"Huh...?"

As the education bureau staff's words fell, Song Yu finally realized that the large areas were further subdivided into various small areas.

When she walked closer, Song Yu could even see detailed information about each Beast cub erected in each small area, from the name of the Beast to its living habits, and even the potential rating of the cub. The information was very comprehensive.

While ignoring the temperaments, the closer to the central area, the higher the potential rating of these Beast cubs.

And this potential rating was a comprehensive score calculated by experts based on the levels of the Beast parents, the race's bloodline level, the power of the race's unique abilities, etc.

The potential values ranged from 0 to 100 points. While Song Yu was casually looking at various fluffily cute Beast cubs she had never seen before, she unconsciously followed the crowd and walked to the center of the wood-type Beast area.

In the central location, three Beast cubs with potential ratings above 90 had already been surrounded by people.

Only leaving behind a series of dark back heads and the continuous exclamations of classmates who overturned the roof!

With the atmosphere of a trip to the zoo or aquarium to relax, Song Yu was attracted by the exclamations. Instinctively, she took out her phone and squeezed into the crowd.

Excitedly, Song Yu thought: She had no other hobbies; she just wanted to join the fun and take pictures of animals she had never seen before.

Just on the outskirts, she not only saw a three-legged green fur rabbit and a green dragonfly with thorny vines on its head but also saw other wood-type Beasts with various green elements.

However, just as she squeezed to the front row and hadn't had a chance to get a closer look at those three high-potential Beasts, Song Yu was suddenly pushed hard from the side! It nearly caused her to stumble and fall to the ground!

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