"What resources do we need? Which Secret Realm could yield them? Where can they be bought?" Lu Ran agreed with the other party's suggestion; he also felt that awakening Doggo's Mental Attribute was unreliable.
Moreover, using a one-time resource to enhance its psychic power, without conflicting with awakening the Mental Attribute, seemed logical. The latter would have to wait until Mr. Husky reached Level 10, which was still far off; addressing Mr. Husky's current situation was the priority.
"Mental Resources are extremely rare, and the Beginner Secret Realms you have access to do not drop them," Gu Qingyi said.
"And what you can buy won't solve its issue."
Lu Ran also cast a despondent look, always feeling... like he had been trapped again.
This cat and Doctor Gu were definitely setting him up in a series of traps!
What's next, they were going to sell him resources again?
The ten thousand crystal coins he earned from defeating the Necromancer, why did it feel like not only would he have nothing left, but he might also end up in debt?
"So, Doctor Gu, do you have these resources..." in the end, Lu Ran still asked.
"Smart!" Gu Qingyi smiled slightly.
As she spoke, she stretched out her hand and took out a white, five-petaled flower from her Space.
[Name]: Carolina Flower
[Level]: Rare
[Introduction]: Possesses the magical power to heal, strengthen the mind, and unlock the potential of the body, blooms on the back of the Carolina Turtle.
"This is a resource that drops from battling the Monarch Species creature, the Carolina Turtle, and is currently the most ideally suited resource for it," Gu Qingyi explained.
At that moment, Lu Ran clutched his chest.
Mr. Husky, on the other hand, stepped forward.
"Woof?" Mr. Husky looked at the pained expression of Lu Ran, puzzled.
"How... how much..." Lu Ran's mouth twitched.
"I'll just give it to you for free," Gu Qingyi laughed.
"Ah?" Lu Ran stepped back.
To be honest, he was a bit scared.
Since he was young, his parents always told him that free stuff was the most expensive, not to be greedy for cheap things, and not to owe favors lightly.
Indeed, the fair and beautiful Doctor Gu looked every bit the wealthy lady, but if she said it was free, he would definitely be uneasy.
He'd rather be in a heap of debt.
Just perfect, he, who'd had all his basic needs met, also wanted to experience the hardships of life, the feeling of repaying loans.
"Heh heh..." It seemed like Gu Qingyi could see Lu Ran's worry, so she said with a faint smile, "Not feeling assured?"
"Then you can consider it an investment," she suggested.
"In the future, I might also need your help with some matters."
"Me?" Lu Ran was confused.
Gu Qingyi continued, "Yes, although my Level far surpasses yours now, there are some things that I personally cannot do."
"Secret Realm?!" Lu Ran asked.
"I like talking to smart people."
"The levels of Secret Realms range from Beginner Secret Realms, Level One Secret Realms, Level Two Secret Realms... With each Level a Beast Trainer advances, they unlock new and more Advanced Secret Realms."
"However, once you gain access to higher-level Secret Realms, you will no longer be able to enter lower-level ones."
"And some Special Resources can only be found in specific Secret Realms."
"So even High-level Beast Trainers might find it difficult to obtain certain materials from lower-level Secret Realms. They would have to buy them from others."
"But because the number of Beast Trainers is limited and the cost of delving into Secret Realms is high, there are still some unchallenged Secret Realms, or rather, some challenging ones that no one wants to attempt. Additionally, Infinite City occasionally updates new Secret Realms of varying levels, making each level of Beast Trainer valuable."
"You are one of the very capable Beast Trainers of your generation. In the future, when I need certain rare materials, I might come to you for help. The same principle is why the country values the training of your generation of Beast Trainers; even a lower-level Beast Trainer can be of great assistance to those at higher levels."
"If you can accept this, take the Carolina Flower as my deposit, until you help me acquire materials of equal value. Then, we'll be even," she offered.
Looking at the resource, Lu Ran found this arrangement acceptable and said, "Alright, but just so you know, if it's a Secret Realm I can't handle... I won't go into it."
Delving into Secret Realms to sell materials and make money was already something he planned to do later on.
Who he sold the materials to didn't matter.
Only now, he'd be entering Secret Realms not on his own whims but to fulfill the requirements of his affluent sister-like patron.
The item appeared costly, so it seemed that he'd have to work off his debts for a while now.
"So, do we have a deal?" Gu Qingyi asked.
"Woof~~~" By now, Mr. Husky could hardly wait, eagerly eyeing the flower in Gu Qingyi's hand, so, was this really meant for it to eat?
"Go ahead, eat it." Gu Qingyi bent slightly and handed the white, five-petaled Carolina Flower to Mr. Husky.
Lu Ran watched, saying nothing.
What relieved Lu Ran was that Mr. Husky still seemed to have him in its eyes; it wasn't so beguiled by the food that it lost its senses.
Seeing the fragrant and tempting treat offered by Gu Qingyi, Mr. Husky really wanted to eat it but still glanced at Lu Ran, seeking approval.
"Go ahead, eat it," Lu Ran finally said.
"Woof!" The next moment, Mr. Husky happily gulped down the Carolina Flower.
At the same time.
As it consumed the resource, the effects of the Carolina Flower quickly took hold.
"Woof—" Mr. Husky suddenly felt a refreshing coolness in its brain, but oddly enough, an intense heat throughout its body.
"Woof!"
It began circling in place.
Its eyes flashed with blood vessels which then quickly disappeared, repeating the cycle.
"It's taking effect now. If all goes well, it will soon fully integrate the strength from its berserk state, slightly raise its racial basis. It might not jump in Level, but its physical condition will become much stronger than it is now," she explained.