The thing they wanted was the ghoostfire essence, so coming here seemed reasonable… Qiao Sang pondered but kept a calm expression as she asked, "Where do we meet after it's done?"
The middle-aged black man smiled and said,
"At Black Hunch Spring. If you don’t see me by seven o’clock tomorrow morning, it means I’ve failed."
She knew Black Hunch Spring, it was a sightseeing spot in the 19th District, not far from the Kotea Volcano. When she first checked into the Sota Hotel, the staff had recommended it.
Kids are easy to deal with… The middle-aged black man left, satisfied.
He approached the middle-aged white man beside him, speaking with a hint of pride, "Got one."
The middle-aged white man’s smile faded.
"You don’t get it." The black man replied.
"That kid had a pet beast in their arms, but I’ve never seen that species before, it’s definitely rare. Plus, the beast had a lightweight miniaturization wristband on its claws."
"There’s no way they’re ordinary. Who knows, they might even be able to hold off a few government agents."
The white man glanced nonchalantly at the distant pet beast covered mostly in white fur and remarked, "If they’re really from an influential background, why would they need to get the Ghostfire essence themselves?"
"Some beast-master families are just like that." The black man waved dismissively.
"Even when their families provide everything, they insist on proving themselves."
Then, he added, "It doesn’t matter if they can’t hold them off. I just think the more people, the better. In the end, it’s still up to us."
At that moment, a sudden "Tune-tune" sound came from the air beside them.
The black man turned toward a figure eight meters away, his eyes lighting up.
"I won’t waste time talking, another beast master with a ghost-type pet has appeared!" For original chapters go to NoveI(F)ire.net
As soon as he finished speaking, he eagerly strode toward the figure.
The Ghostfire essence appearing during a nighttime volcanic eruption wasn’t a secret, and beast masters with ghost-type pets were rare. Most who showed up were hoping to get lucky and obtain a share.
Any beast master who had a ghost-type pet was his "cooperation" target.
So, they want to use me…
Ten meters away, Qiao Sang listened to their conversation, her expression unchanged.
She casually left her spot, seemingly moving for a better view of the Kotea Volcano, but in reality, she was distancing herself from those two beast masters affected by backlash, ensuring they wouldn’t overhear her movements.
Little Treasure appeared, calling out to her, signaling that the man earlier had an invisible pet beside him.
"I know." Qiao Sang wasn’t surprised.
The man had already revealed himself as a ghost-type beast master, and that "Tune-tune" sound must have come from his ghost-type pet.
Should I make a move…?
If he were alone, she wouldn’t be worried. But with that SS-rank Yin Dynasty Pearl beast master involved, she felt uncertain.
Still, if she didn’t rob them, how else could she obtain the Ghostfire essence on her own?
After a moment of thought, she decided that Yabao’s needs took priority. The Ghostfire essence could wait, it depended on the situation.
With that in mind, Qiao Sang asked, "Yabao, have you sensed anything since arriving here?"
Yabao nodded, excited!
Qiao Sang was taken aback.
Yabao wagged his tail wildly, looking thrilled.
Because this was his evolution site!
She recalled what she had just told Yabao.
"And besides that?" She asked.
"Have you felt any energy inside you reacting?"
Yabao focused for a moment, then shook his head honestly.
Looks like I’ll have to wait for the eruption and add some points to see if anything changes…
Qiao Sang then thought of something. She formed a seal with her hands and summoned Gangbao.
Kotea Volcano was one of only two volcanoes in the Chaosu Star that could erupt blue lava at night. It was considered a natural wonder. If the blue lava appeared, she wanted Gangbao to witness it as well.
Gangbao glanced around, realizing they were waiting for the eruption, and took the opportunity to train her Iron Wall ability.
Seeing this, Qiao Sang felt gratified.
Ever since the last ambush, Gangbao had been focusing on defensive skills.
Truly a pet beast that evolved through bonds, she really cared about her.
Time passed, second by second.
No one knew how long had passed when, suddenly, wild pet beasts that had been quiet began fleeing in all directions.
The ground trembled, and the dark clouds overhead churned violently.
Then, with a deafening roar, scorching magma shot into the sky like a fiery dragon, carrying an aura of destruction.
The volcano had erupted!
Everyone’s attention was immediately drawn to it.
So this is a volcanic eruption… The lava is red, not blue…
Qiao Sang pushed aside her thoughts and refocused on the matter at hand. Steadying herself, she asked, "Yabao, do you feel anything happening with your energy?"
Yabao stared blankly at the breathtaking sight of magma flowing down the crater, forming what looked like a sea of molten rock.
At that moment, his entire world seemed to be engulfed in red.
His heartbeat quickened, thump, thump, thump, as if something inside was about to break free.
Seeing Yabao remain silent and noting his expression, Qiao Sang knew something was different this time.
The eruption alone was enough to trigger a reaction in Yabao, this was indeed a key factor in his evolution.
Deciding not to disturb him, she shifted her consciousness into the Beast Master’s Codex, preparing to allocate some points and see if Yabao would undergo any changes.
Just as she did, Yabao, still staring at the volcano, felt a strange force urging him closer.
Just a little closer…
Yabao jumped from Qiao Sang’s arms and ran into the sky, his body rapidly growing as he moved toward the volcano.
His white fur stood out starkly against the fiery red and deep black surroundings, catching the attention of the nearby tourists almost instantly.
Exclamations erupted:
"Oh my god! Look! That pet beast is running toward the volcano!"
"Whoa! What kind of pet beast is that? I’ve never seen anything like it!"
"Could it be a legendary beast? Quick, search for it!"
"I can’t find anything! I can’t believe it!"
"Wait, doesn’t it have a lightweight miniaturization bracelet and an identity wristband? Didn’t anyone notice?"
"What kind of pet beast is this? Doesn’t it know how dangerous the Kotea Volcano is right now? Why is it running toward it?"
"If it has an identity wristband, where’s its beast master?"
Some people started scanning the crowd, searching for the mysterious pet beast’s owner.
Meanwhile, high above, several officials riding Sharp-Beaked Firebirds noticed the unfamiliar pet beast charging toward the crater.
One sharp-eyed officer spotted its identity wristband and immediately reacted, grabbing a loudspeaker and shouting:
"WARNING! DO NOT APPROACH KOTEA VOLCANO!"