After sending Tang Yi a message saying, "I'm leaving first." Qiao Sang followed Maiya out of the Pet Beast Center.
The assessment task had a time limit, and she didn't want to waste any time.
"I didn't expect you to actually accept my task." Maiya said with a smile as they walked.
"Since I took your task, you should be able to tell me the truth now, right?" Qiao Sang asked.
"What?" Maiya's smile faded.
Qiao Sang didn't beat around the bush and got straight to the point:
"I just asked the staff, and they said your task was upgraded from one-star to two-star because it's been posted for nine months. In that time, 16 beast tamers accepted it, but none completed it. That doesn’t match what you told me when you asked me to take it."
"If you want me to complete the task successfully, you need to tell me the truth."
Maiya was silent for a few seconds before finally saying, "I have a pursuer named Nada Pong. Every time a beast tamer takes my task, he comes out and threatens them, forcing them to give up."
Qiao Sang was momentarily stunned.
She had assumed Maiya was hiding something about the number or strength of wild pet beasts, but it turned out the problem was just a love-related issue?!
What the hell?! The difficulty of this task had nothing to do with wild pet beasts at all!
Qiao Sang suddenly regretted accepting it. Was it too late to switch to another task?
For a moment, the atmosphere between them became a little awkward and stiff.
"But isn't he your pursuer? Why would he do that?" Qiao Sang finally asked.
"Because I rejected him." Maiya sneered.
"He wants me to beg him."
Wait… Hasn't this task been posted for nine months already?! This guy is really that persistent?! Qiao Sang couldn't understand his logic at all.
Then, a thought struck her.
"What rank of beast tamer is he?"
"C-rank." Maiya replied.
A C-rank beast tamer… Qiao Sang cautiously asked, "How many general-level pet beasts does he have?"
If he had two or more, it could be troublesome.
"One." Maiya answered.
That wasn’t too bad… Qiao Sang felt relieved.
Seeing how calm and composed Qiao Sang looked, like some powerful expert, Maiya secretly exhaled in relief. Her guess was right, there must be a high-level beast tamer secretly protecting her.
Not far from them, a pet beast that resembled a one-meter-tall rock silently followed. Its left eye emitted a faint green glow as it recorded everything happening before it.
Meanwhile, inside a café near the Pet Beast Center, Qu Zhuo casually sipped his coffee while staring at the screen in front of him.
The screen was split into two live feeds, broadcasting the current movements of Qiao Sang and Tang Yi.
About twenty minutes later, Qiao Sang followed Maiya to a noticeably rundown area.
People of various skin tones gathered in small groups, giving off a mix of street thug and homeless vibes.
Their gazes lingered on Maiya, boldly sizing her up, but when they noticed the expensive-looking pet beast in the arms of the black-haired girl, as well as the small steel falcon following beside her, they quickly shifted their eyes away, not daring to stare for too long.
In the corner, a black man around twenty-five years old took out his phone and typed a message:
[Maiya brought another beast tamer.]
"This is where I live." Maiya stopped in front of a two-story house with a small yard.
Compared to the surrounding buildings, this one showed clear signs of renovation.
Maiya took out her key and unlocked the door.
As soon as she stepped inside, after taking off her shoes and walking just two steps, a little girl around seven or eight years old, wearing a pale yellow dress, ran toward her from the sofa and threw herself into Maiya’s arms.
"This is my daughter." Maiya introduced warmly as she stroked the girl’s head.
The little girl turned to look at Qiao Sang, her gaze timid, but her eyes kept darting back and forth between Yabao and Gangbao.
Wait a second… Qiao Sang was momentarily stunned by Maiya’s introduction.
She remembered that Maiya mentioned Nada Pong, the guy pursuing her…
So was Maiya divorced? Or widowed?
As Qiao Sang's mind raced through different scenarios, Maiya continued,
"My husband works in 19th District, so he rarely comes home."
Oh… so she wasn’t divorced or widowed…
Qiao Sang took a solid ten seconds to process this information.
After a long pause, she finally asked, "Why don’t you guys move to 19th District together?"
"My daughter is at the age where she needs to attend school. To enroll in 19th District, you must own property there. It'll take us a few more years to afford a house there, so until then, we’re staying here."
As Maiya spoke, she sighed.
"My husband is also a beast tamer. If he were here, Nada Pong wouldn’t be so brazen."
After saying that, she suddenly realized that the beast tamer she hired was still a student, so she quickly cleared her throat and changed the subject:
"Would you like something to drink? I'll get it for you."
"Just a glass of water, thanks." Qiao Sang replied.
Maiya turned to get water but suddenly felt a tiny pair of arms still wrapped around her leg. Looking down, she gently said,
"Go play for a bit, sweetie. Mommy will get you some milk."
Only then did the little girl let go.
As soon as Maiya left, the little girl curiously asked:
"Big sister, why are you hugging your pet beast?"
"Because he’s soft. It feels nice to hug."
Yabao lifted his head proudly.
"Is it really that soft? Can I touch it?" The little girl asked cautiously.
Qiao Sang let go, and Yabao immediately jumped down and walked over cooperatively.
The little girl hesitantly reached out, and after feeling his texture, her eyes lit up. She petted hi again. And again. The most update n0vels are published on novel(ꜰ)ire.net
When Maiya returned with water and milk, this was the scene she saw.
She couldn’t help but smile. Just as she was about to say something, she suddenly noticed...
The once-docile pet beast suddenly took a step back, its eyes turning sharp. It bared its teeth, glaring toward the door.
"Is there something outside?" Maiya asked urgently.
The little girl, sensing something was wrong, hid behind her mother.
Qiao Sang didn’t answer but subtly nodded toward the left side of the room.
A shadowy figure materialized from thin air and floated toward the door, her ghost-type pet beast, Little Treasure.
Maiya was stunned. She never expected that the beast tamer she hired had a ghost-type pet secretly following them all along.
A sharp "Mumu!" shriek rang from outside!
Little Treasure immediately darted out through the door.
About ten seconds later, the front door mysteriously swung open.
Little Treasure floated back inside, dragging along a creature with dark energy bindings.
The captive was a green-bodied pet beast with a head resembling a dense bush.
Did she… seriously just capture it that easily?!
Wait, if she simply delivers this pet beast somewhere far away, does that mean her task is already complete?!