32: I want to be a salted fish

Zhou Tao grinned at Song Yu, showing a mouthful of white teeth that dazzled in the bright light, making Song Yu dizzy.

Song Yu took a deep breath, trying to suppress the stiffness on her face.

Unlike most majors with exotic beast assistance, the Beast Research major not only lacked contracted beasts for assistance but also required ample professional knowledge and a rigorous professional attitude.

Therefore, the Beast Research major not only did not have an undergraduate program but also required a minimum of 15 years of continuous bachelor's, master's, and doctoral studies.

It was one of the most popular and high-end majors among high school students in this world, second only to the Beast Tamer major.

It was also the first choice for most students with good academic performance in cultural subjects and lower Beast Space awakening levels.

However.

For Song Yu, who had only nine out of ten holes in understanding foreign cultures, it was a headache.

She tried to calm her emotions and quickly formulated a plan in her mind!

Song Yu sighed in relief; for research-oriented majors, cultural grades and background were the biggest thresholds.

As long as she said her cultural grades were not good, and the evolution of Qiuqiu was just a fluke, it should be fine.

In fact, it was.

Going to work at the Beast Research Institute, wasn't that deceiving people?

"Cough, cough..." Song Yu cleared her throat, preparing to speak.

But Zhou Tao, who was beside her, had already clenched his right fist and touched the left palm with it, opening his mouth first.

Zhou Tao smiled at Principal Wu, "Principal, you don't know. In the final exams last semester, Song Yu was still in the top three in our class in cultural courses!"

Song Yu:...?

Zhou Tao proudly said, "Since entering school, Song Yu has never fallen out of the top five in our class in cultural subjects! Even in physical education, she has always been among the top. She is a good student with both literary and martial talents! Such a good seed, she will definitely be able to enter the Beast Research Institute next year through the college entrance examination!"

Song Yu:...

"Uh! Not bad, very good. Being in the top 5 in cultural subjects, coupled with such good nurturing of the contracted beast... Next year, you should have a place in the key Beast Research Institute!" Principal Wu, completely unaware of Song Yu's current thoughts, patted Song Yu's shoulder and encouraged her happily, "After you go back, study hard and prepare well. I have high hopes for you in next year's college entrance examination!"

As the principal of Jianghuai City First High, a key school in Jiangnan Province, Principal Wu was very confident in the cultural performance of his school!

In their school, students who could rank in the top five in the class every time, attending a key university was almost guaranteed.

Despite Jianghuai City being only a third-tier city, they still had dozens of students each year who were guaranteed admission!

Students who could enter the Beast Research major, numbering in the tens, if not hundreds, each year. Add Song Yu, who had expertise in nurturing exotic beasts...

Principal Wu, with a smiling face and a touch of his beard, seemed to have seen the rising star of the future Beast Research Institute in the country!

Song Yu:...

My heart is so tired, I want to shut myself in.

What kind of secret power are you guys using to betray me?

Song Yaqian stood beside Song Yu with envy on her face. In so many years of the Song family's existence, there has never been a Beast Researcher!

With the recommendation letter from the principal and Song Yu's exotic beast being a Tier 2 double-tailed Snow Civet Cat variant, after graduating from university, Little Yu would definitely become a member of the Jianghuai City Beast Research Institute.

However...

"Uh...?" Song Yaqian tilted her head, a little puzzled, and asked in a low voice, "Little Yu, what's wrong with you? Are you uncomfortable? Why does your expression look weird?"

"Nothing... I'm just too happy, a bit moved," Song Yu wiped away the tears of bitterness, with her 300% acting bonus, she immediately gained the trust of Song Yaqian and others.

Coincidentally, Zhou Tao, who had good hearing, embarrassed Principal Wu: Cough... Nowadays, students are so sincere when they speak. It's strange and makes people embarrassed.

Song Yu:...

What kind of awkwardness are you guys experiencing over there!

 

*****

 

The practical Beast Taming class could not be delayed for such a long time due to Song Yu and Qiuqiu's stagnation.

Five minutes later...

The class teachers once again arranged the students who hadn't been tested, lining them up according to the original order.

Zhang Guoping stood on the treetop of the Giant Spirit Tree, giving orders to attack the contracted beasts below.

With his toe pointed at the treetop, a hearty smile appeared on Zhang Guoping's sturdy face, "Increase the attack by three times this time... I think the evolution of that Snow Civet Cat just now was very good. These students really need a bit of pressure to mature..."

Although Zhang Guoping didn't chat with Principal Wu and others while standing on the treetop just now, the desperate resistance and ultimate evolution appearance of Qiuqiu forced into a dangerous situation truly impressed Zhang Guoping.

To become a professional Beast Tamer, and to enter the Beast Tamer University, both the contractor and the contracted beast should grow in adversity!

"As long as two or three students in this batch of seniors can break through their limits in each practical class, then by the time of the college entrance examination next year, most students should achieve good results!" Zhang Guoping rubbed his chin. Principal Wu paid him a high price to train the students, and he had to make sure that the seniors of Jianghuai City First High would achieve even better results!

Deciding to train this batch of seniors to the extreme, Song Yu and other students who had already been tested stood aside. They could visibly see the attacks of the Giant Spirit Tree on the playground becoming more ferocious and intimidating at a staggering speed!

Swish, swish, swish, swish, swish! —

Swish, swish, swish, swish! —

Bang, bang, bang, bang! —

The leaves thrown by the Giant Spirit Tree this time seemed like a machine gun barrage, making people's scalps tingle!

On the playground, the injured roars of contracted beasts, the explosion sounds of the red leaves, and the loud commands of many students all turned into waves of howls.

Groups of contracted beasts hadn't even run a third of the playground and were already rubbed on the ground by the Giant Spirit Tree's leaves over and over again.

Some unlucky contracted beasts, trying to dodge the leaf attacks, ended up causing tragic collisions.

"Click—! Click—!"

These were the sounds of bones breaking...

Song Yu widened her eyes, almost trembling with fear.

She raised her hand to touch the big head of Qiuqiu, lamenting thankfully that Qiuqiu was fine. At the same time, she involuntarily glanced at the other students beside her, who were equally pale and sweating profusely.

A long-haired girl wiped the sweat from her forehead, swallowed her saliva, and said with relief, "Why is this new teacher Zhang so brutal? I've never heard of such brutality in any previous high school Beast Taming practical class..."

It's important to note that the physique of exotic beasts and humans is completely different.

Unless teachers command the contracted beasts to fight to the death, in most cases, many exotic beast cubs will only suffer superficial injuries. They can recover slowly within the Beast Space in three to five days. However, at the moment...

Another tall male student with glasses, also pale, tightly held his contracted beast cub that looked frightened in his arms. "Ah, luckily we've already been tested just now. Otherwise, it would be disastrous if we tested now, right?"

However, right after saying this, the eyes of everyone around fell unanimously on Song Yu, and their eyes were full of condemnation...

It was as if their eyes were saying: It's you, it's you, it's definitely you. If it weren't for your contracted beast suddenly becoming so powerful, how could everyone be so miserable?

Song Yu:...

Song Yu swallowed her saliva and took another small step back, feeling embarrassed.

Believe me, I really didn't want this to happen! QAQ

On the playground, a group of students and contracted beasts were crying and screaming, especially those from Class 5 who had given their positions to Song Yu, wanting to observe the experiences of the students who had passed the level. They regretted it so much that their intestines turned green. They pounded their chests and stomped their feet, wishing they could go back half an hour.

If only they had participated in the test earlier!

Wouldn't it be nice to let Song Yu go to the last row? Everyone wouldn't be so badly beaten!

Feeling the resentful glances from all around, especially those combinations that, after finishing the test, had to carry their weakened contracted beasts off the field, they were even more mournful...

Song Yu swallowed her saliva and took another step back.

But at the same time, the students around her, after their grievances, clearly felt the gap between themselves and Song Yu.

Looking at the Snow Civet Cat, which had evolved into the second stage, and then at the contracted beast cub lying in their arms, many people secretly admired Song Yu's level of nurturing contracted beasts.

 

*****

 

Bai Yuhan stood at the back of Class 3, parallel to Han Zhou.

His eyebrows were cold, and his deep eyes constantly observed the contracted beasts of all the students on the field.

After fixing his gaze on the target for 5 seconds, Bai Yuhan could accurately observe the data.

After continuously observing hundreds of contracted beasts...

Bai Yuhan's serious expression gradually relaxed. It seemed that among so many people, only Song Yu was playing the role of a tiger in sheep's clothing.

"I don't know why one person suddenly became so strong, and the Beast Space level increased so much..." Someone couldn't help but speak in a low voice in the crowd.

However...

As soon as the words fell, the eyes of the people around all looked at Song Yu, and their eyes were full of condemnation...

A group of people almost wrote in their eyes: It's you, it's you, it's you. If it weren't for your contracted beast suddenly becoming so powerful, how could everyone be so miserable?

Song Yu:...

Song Yu swallowed her saliva, and again, she took a small step back.

But at the same time, after the resentment of the students around, there was a clear feeling of the gap between themselves and Song Yu.

Looking at the Snow Civet Cat, which had evolved into the second stage, and then at the contracted beast cub lying in their arms, many people secretly admired Song Yu's level of nurturing contracted beasts.

 

*****

 

The test continued, and Bai Yuhan was ready for the next round. With powerful and sturdy limbs, sharp claws, and shiny black scales resembling top-quality defense armor, the Ironclad Tyrannosaurus lizard cub had greatly improved its strength in just over a month.

As a Beast Space with a training speed of 1:100, equivalent to about 100 years of cultivation in the space, the Ironclad Tyrannosaurus lizard cub almost immediately attracted the attention of teachers and students when it appeared...

"This Ironclad Tyrannosaurus Lizard has been nurtured quite well," Principal Wu nodded approvingly, feeling very pleased.

Principal Wu had excellent discernment. With just a few glances, he could sense the strength of this Ironclad Tyrannosaurus Lizard cub from its bright and lively eyes, sturdy limbs, clean scales, and the constantly swaying tail.

Especially when this Ironclad Tyrannosaurus Lizard cub emerged from the Beast Space.

At the first moment, it sniffed and showed a eager expression, as if ready to claim its territory.

This indicated that the Ironclad Tyrannosaurus Lizard not only had great confidence in its own strength and talent but was also lively, active, and had a strong combat nature!

It was indeed a very well-nurtured contracted beast!

A bear cub over two meters tall, a Golden Fire Snake over one meter long... Although other contracted beasts didn't seem weak, the moment the Ironclad Tyrannosaurus Lizard appeared, it immediately caused a small commotion.

This was a treatment that Qiuqiu had never received before!

Song Yu blinked, holding Qiuqiu's neck, and sighed inwardly...

Truly worthy of being the male lead! The momentum is completely different.

In the original novel plot.

Bai Yuhan, through the Eye of Rules, not only understood that this Ironclad Tyrannosaurus Lizard had experienced a reversion of dragon bloodline.

But also knew that the reason this Ironclad Tyrannosaurus Lizard was small in size was because it didn't have enough required energy, preventing the complete awakening of the bloodline reversion. At the same time, through the Eye of Rules, Bai Yuhan also knew what the Ironclad Tyrannosaurus Lizard cub needed to eat for the complete awakening of the bloodline.

Now, more than a month later, the Ironclad Tyrannosaurus Lizard had already improved to some extent. Although it had not fully awakened the dragon bloodline, its body was gradually evolving towards the dragon direction...

The other contracted beasts around could sense this subtle dragon pressure and dared not approach.

At the same time, Bai Yuhan also passed this Beast Taming practical test, leaving a deep impression on Song Yaqian.

"Huh? Hmmm?!!!" Song Yu suddenly widened her eyes, full of various question marks on her head.

No, in the original novel plot, it was Bai Yuhan who received the 'special attention' from Zhang Guoping. He passed the level with clever command, strong exotic beasts, and nothing happened to the original body.

Instead, because Bai Yuhan performed too well, the original body was implicated, and the Blood Tooth Pig cub was seriously injured. It took more than an hour to be healed by the school doctor...

"But now... how did the treatment completely reverse?" 

Watching on the playground, when Teacher Zhang gave the command, the 28 contracted beasts rushed forward, and the surrounding spectators were nervously anticipating.

Song Yu, with a head as big as a fight, looked towards Bai Yuhan and Song Yaqian, avoiding their gazes.

"Huh? Little Yu, what's wrong with you?"

Just now, after finishing the test and coming down from the playground in a sorry state, Song Yaqian, who held her left cheek swollen by the leaf blade, and her wood-type unicorn that had a bigger left face than the right, looked at Song Yu with some confusion. Why did she feel that Song Yu was acting strange today?

The unicorn, with red eyes, hummed sadly, also turning its head to look at Song Yu.

"Nothing, nothing..."

Stuttering, Song Yu bit her teeth and finally pointed to Bai Yuhan and others who were testing in front, saying, "Sister Yaqian, did you feel that the Ironclad Tyrannosaurus Lizard in front is particularly powerful and handsome?"

"Huh?" Song Yaqian, while comforting her contracted beast, touched its swollen cheek sympathetically and glanced casually at the direction where Bai Yuhan and the Ironclad Tyrannosaurus Lizard were.

Song Yaqian blinked in confusion and, seeing that no one around was paying attention to her, lowered her voice, "That person... Isn't that person your ex-fiancé from before? Surname Bai, right?"

Song Yu:...???

Song Yaqian sighed softly, "Although that guy with the surname Bai looks handsome, I think the Ironclad Tyrannosaurus Lizard he nurtured is not as good as Qiuqiu."

Song Yu:...

"Ah! Look, his Ironclad Tyrannosaurus Lizard is still slightly slower in speed. It was hit by a green leaf once, surprisingly..."

Song Yaqian patted Song Yu's shoulder, pointing to Bai Yuhan and others who were already running the test in the front, and said seriously, "Speaking of which, if it weren't for the low bloodline level of the Snow Civet Cat, its future growth limit is slightly lower than the Ironclad Tyrannosaurus Lizard, Qiuqiu is really much more powerful than that Ironclad Tyrannosaurus Lizard."

But it was precisely because of the low bloodline level of the Snow Civet Cat and the high potential rating of the Ironclad Tyrannosaurus Lizard.

That made it more intuitive to feel the difference in the cultivation level between the two contracted beast handlers!

After saying this, Song Yaqian looked at Song Yu with an admiring gaze.

Ah, she didn't know before that her cousin was so powerful in nurturing.

Song Yu:...

Song Yu's back was stiff, feeling numb all over, being stared at by Song Yaqian's admiring gaze, she was a bit overwhelmed.

After all, in the original plot, the one who received Song Yaqian's admiring gaze was the male lead Bai Yuhan!

But now, even the female lead doesn't admire the male lead, but instead admires her, the supporting female character. Then, can the Song family continue to develop according to the original plot in the future?

As a supporting female character in the Beast Taming novel, who gave the male lead a green hat and divorced...

What Song Yu worried about the most was that once she became a professional Beast Tamer or engaged in occupations related to exotic beasts, such as a researcher, she would uncontrollably come into contact and clash with the male lead.

Take the incident with Zhou Wenchang as an example...

According to the original plot, Zhou Wenchang would meet Bai Yuhan in the wilderness forest next year, and the two would eventually clash, leading to the destruction of Zhou Wenchang's Beast Space. After returning home for many years of rest, he still couldn't recover well, and finally, during the male lead's university period, the Zhou family would erupt in anger, beating the young and the old. The family assets would shrink a hundredfold, and they would never recover.

But now...

Last month, Bai Yuhan broke Zhou Wenchang's eight ribs right at the school! Much more ferocious than the novel.

So, in the future, the scale of the conflict between the two sides in the wilderness area next year is unknown.

Even if it seems that she has become friends with Zhao Xingrong, Zhao Xingrong's brother won't come to kill her anymore.

But who knows what kind of Xingrong she might encounter in the wilderness forest—Wang Xingrong, Chen Xingrong, Jia Xingrong... ending up tragically in the wilderness.

Thinking about how, despite her efforts to lie low these days, she always encounters backstabbers in life.

And how she clearly wants to live a laid-back life but always ends up on the road to the wilderness forest against her will...

And every time she attends physical fitness class, Beast Taming class, or turns a corner, there's an inexplicably high probability of bumping into Bai Yuhan. It's hard for her not to suspect that there's no plot manipulation in between.

The more powerful the antagonist, the more tragic the death in the end, the higher the level of the Beast Space, the greater the pressure on her.

Song Yu cleared her throat, thinking about how she died at a young age in the previous life. This thing is really unbearable!

As the saying goes, "When poor, focus on self-improvement; when rich, help others." Now she doesn't even know if she can survive until the age of 20, so she'll continue to lie low and prioritize survival.

But...

Song Yu scratched her head, as for the Song family...

She thought maybe she could struggle a bit more.

In the novel plot, Bai Yuhan saved Song Yaqian several times, even if it was just a casual favor. But who knows if Song Yaqian doesn't like Bai Yuhan anymore? Will the plot still make Bai Yuhan save someone again?

Song Yu reached out and touched the head of the unicorn, awkwardly lowered her voice, and deliberately pulled Song Yaqian's arm. "Yaqian, sister, don't you see how cool and powerful that Ironclad Tyrannosaurus Lizard is? Even though its scales are all black, it's not as long as Qiuqiu. But it has the bloodline of the dragon race, and its racial potential is so high. The juvenile period is naturally longer than that of the Snow Civet Cat. Just wait until the juvenile period is over, and I think it won't be long before it surpasses Qiuqiu."

So, you see, isn't it handsome and powerful?!

However...

"?" Song Yaqian was puzzled, giving Song Yu a strange look.

She looked at the Ironclad Tyrannosaurus Lizard, the only one that passed the test on the playground. Thinking about her cousin's dream of becoming a professional Beast Tamer and the frustration that she would probably become a researcher of exotic beasts in the end, she suddenly realized.

"Is little Yu jealous? Envious that the other party has a contracted beast with high potential that can become a professional Beast Tamer?" Song Yaqian patted Song Yu's shoulder, confidently making a heart shape with her thumb and index finger. "Little Yu, rest assured. No matter who it is, in my eyes, you are always the best! Moreover, the potential value of the Ironclad Tyrannosaurus Lizard has nothing to do with our family! Whether it's a researcher of exotic beasts or a professional Beast Tamer, both are equally important in my eyes and grandpa's eyes!"

Song Yu:...

Feeling tired, this day is just not meant for conversation!

 

*****

 

Following the crowd, walking towards the testing site with Little Black, Bai Yuhan raised his head and saw the bold and distinct "ssssss grade" letters on Song Yu's body again.

The bright letters, significantly longer than the data of others, were like lights in the dark, especially eye-catching.

There was also the mutant Snow Civet Cat that had already advanced to '2nd Tier Intermediate' beside her. It was also like a conspicuous signboard among a group of underage exotic beasts, making it hard to ignore.

His gaze paused on the girl and the cat for a moment, but Bai Yuhan remained expressionless and continued walking forward...

The Rainbow Parrot stood on Han Zhou's shoulder. Although it wasn't seriously injured, its wings were hit by a leaf and couldn't fly for a short time. As Han Zhou comforted it by handing various nuts from his pocket, he subconsciously followed Bai Yuhan's gaze and unexpectedly saw a familiar face.

Looking at Bai Yuhan, Han Zhou raised an eyebrow. "Little Bai, you're not really taking it to heart because the girl smiled at you during the last physical fitness class, are you?"

Bai Yuhan frowned and turned back, "?"

Han Zhou blinked his eyes and said nonchalantly, "If you don't take it to heart, why do you always look at the girl? From the last month's physical fitness class to the current Beast Taming class, I've seen you peeping at her several times..."

Bai Yuhan:...

Han Zhou sneaked around, lowered his voice, and grinned, "It's said that a man should get married when he's grown up, and a woman should marry when she's grown up. Little Bai, don't be shy! Even if you don't get married, you can still date. What do you think?"

Bai Yuhan:...

Bai Yuhan's five fingers pressed on Han Zhou's face like pressing a basketball, and with a little force, he brought the approaching big face back.

Bai Yuhan lifted his eyelids, looked at Han Zhou with his pitch-black eyes, and said, "Train more when you have nothing to do, read fewer novels. You won't have these thoughts."

Han Zhou:...

Unable to escape from the five fingers pressing on his face, Han Zhou's facial expressions were almost deformed. He struggled to shake his head.

Bai Yuhan wrinkled his brow, "The opponent's contracted beast is so powerful, dominating the entire test. Have you ever thought about trying to compete? The training of contracted beasts and the cultivation of combat awareness should be the direction you focus on."

Han Zhou:...

It's over, no salvation.

His brother is a fanatic cultivator who only thinks about practicing every day and wants to fight even when he sees a pretty girl!

However...

Always paying attention to Bai Yuhan, Song Yu, who inadvertently heard everything, raised her eyebrows.

Song Yu, with no expression on her face, as black as the bottom of a pot: "..."

She knew it! She knew it!

Once she shows any signs of wanting to rise, the male lead will pay attention to her immediately and want to hammer her into the ground!

Clearly, Principal Wu said that she was suitable to be a researcher, but the male lead still wants to fight with her.

Is this the effect of plot manipulation?

 

*****

 

The Snow Civet Cat cub with a potential value rating of 3, advancing to the 2nd Tier in just under two months, was like a gust of wind...

Before Song Yu could step into the house, she found that both her parents already knew about this, and even Grandpa Song had called to ask about the scene at the time and the exotic beast skills that Qiuqiu now possesses.

If it weren't for the fact that Grandpa Song didn't know anyone who cultivated a Snow Civet Cat as their main combat pet, Song Yu even suspected that Grandpa would probably find her a tutor.

At least Song Yaqian lived this kind of life every day, attending tutoring classes after school and resting only in the early morning.

In just over a month, the strength of the unicorn had improved significantly, and Song Yaqian had also slimmed down. However, her eyes became brighter, especially when commanding her contracted beast in battle. She became adept at predicting the actions of opponents' contracted beasts before they even started, taking the initiative and gaining the upper hand.

This semblance of a mastermind made Song Yu want to applaud and turn into a clapping baby seal.

It's not that she is ignorant, but she genuinely thinks Song Yaqian is impressive!

She transmigrated into this world, and it's almost been three months.

During this period, Song Yu has flipped through books like "Beast Compendium," "Global Wilderness Forest Map," and "Introduction to Global Mysteries," but as an ordinary person who has only awakened in acting, even if she transmigrated to another world, she couldn't change her way of thinking...

Either she gets dizzy from reading, or she discovers that she is a face-blind and forgetful patient!

She completely can't remember, and can't distinguish the 2.3 million known species of exotic beasts and their corresponding bloodline levels in the "Beast Compendium." How to distinguish between the juvenile and adult stages of these exotic beasts, what changes occur after advancing, and where the opponent's weaknesses are during a battle? What issues should be paid attention to in breeding and cultivation?

It's no wonder students majoring in exotic beast research need to study at school for 15 years plus an additional 5 years of practical training.

"Ah, being a slacker is really more suitable for me. With the study intensity of students majoring in exotic beast research, I'm afraid I won't even live to the age of the previous life." While sighing in her heart, Song Yu packed her bag to go to school. The practical test in the wilderness forest is in a few days. She needs to discuss with Qiuqiu and make sure this little guy gains some strength in the Beast Taming practical class.

"As long as my ranking in the final exam of the Beast Taming practical class is in the middle or lower part... plus, I'll definitely get a zero in the physical fitness combat class... my overall ranking will definitely drop below 70%!"

"If my ranking is below 70%, I won't have to go to the wilderness forest. If I don't go to the wilderness forest, I won't meet the male lead, and my life won't be in danger... when the college entrance examination is over, everyone will go their separate ways... isn't a good life right in front of me?!"

With a piece of bread in her mouth, Song Yu's eyes sparkled, happily rushing into the car!

Song Qi scratched his head, always feeling that his sister has been strangely excited these days.

"Could it be that the contracted beast is about to break through again?" Song Qi was puzzled. Could it be?

Even if it's a high-potential exotic beast, it shouldn't be this fast, right...?

However.

Just as Song Yu rushed to school, she heard someone calling her in the corridor.

"Hey! The student with long hair in front, come over! I have something to ask you."

Song Yu: "...?"

Song Yu turned around in confusion, only to see a thin, bearded old man standing in the corridor, gesturing for her to come over. The old man was dressed in a simple white shirt.

"Are you calling me?" Song Yu blinked, pointing at her nose.

"Who else would I be calling?" The old man blew his beard and stared, not polite at all. "Student, I'm asking you, where is the Class 5 of Grade 3? I've been looking for it for half a day and haven't seen it."



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