Beast Taming: Starting From Zero

However, human joys and sorrows aren’t connected.

While faced with the somber look on the girl’s face, Qiao Sang found herself thinking: I wonder which clothing Phantom Water Baby works at? It’s nearly the end of the season; I could buy a few new autumn outfits...

Though Phantom Water Baby wasn’t considered a particularly rare pet, it was still uncommon to see one working in a clothing store.

At least, from what she remembered, she’d never encountered one while shopping for clothes in physical stores.

Just as Qiao Sang was about to ask, the girl spoke up.

"Have you finished your summer homework yet?"

Qiao Sang shook her head.

"I don’t have any."

The girl’s face lit up.

Qiao Sang was stunned for a couple of seconds before replying, "I’m a graduating senior. I don’t have summer homework."

The girl: ...

She had accounted for everything, except that the other person didn’t have summer homework...

"Is there anything you don’t want to do but have to? I can help you with it." The girl insisted, undeterred.

When someone offers to help for no reason, it’s either a con or they have ulterior motives.

Qiao Sang realized she wasn’t dealing with a social butterfly; this girl clearly had a goal.

Qiao Sang asked, "Why are you helping me?"

"I want you to get in touch with that friend of yours." The girl replied hesitantly.

"I haven’t been able to reach him lately, and waiting at the school gate hasn’t worked."

If Qiao Sang didn’t know the context, she’d assume from that one line that this was a lovers’ quarrel, with the guy going off-grid.

"He usually stays on campus." Qiao Sang answered.

"Last time was an exception because he had things to do off-campus."

"No wonder..." The girl murmured.

Hearing her mention Shi Gaofeng, Qiao Sang realized she hadn’t given up on getting her negative review changed. But Qiao Sang knew it was futile.

Shi Gaofeng had been resentful of his recent punishment of cleaning toilets, and his negative energy was palpable from a dozen meters away.

"You could just talk to him for me. If you convince him to change the review, I’ll let Phantom Water Baby cover for you whenever you want to skip class this semester." The girl pleaded, looking at Qiao Sang with hopeful eyes.

Qiao Sang’s expression didn’t change.

Ha. Did she look like someone who’d go for that?

What’s most important to a student?

Studying!

She had worked so hard to get into the best high school in the city. And for what?

To study hard!

The idea of having Phantom Water Baby cover for her in class was something she’d never even considered.

And yet… she couldn’t deny that the thought was… kind of tempting.

Finally, Qiao Sang said, expressionless,

"Deal."

---

After exchanging contact info, the two became friendlier.

Qiao Sang learned that the girl’s name was Xu Jia, a senior at the Sixth Pet Mastery High School in Hanggang.

Lately, she’d been saving up for Phantom Water Baby’s evolution materials.

While chatting, Qiao Sang picked up the three cups of freshly made milk tea from the server.

Her Little Treasure eagerly emerged, floating beside the milk tea, sniffing it with curiosity.

The sudden appearance of the ghost instantly cleared the space around Qiao Sang.

"Xun~"

Little Treasure pointed at the milk tea with his tiny fingers, looking up at his master in curiosity.

"It’s tasty. Try it." Qiao Sang said, inserting a straw into one of the cups and offering it to her little ghost.

"Xun..."

After a moment of hesitation, the ghost took a sip.

"Xun!"

Watching the ghost’s delighted expression, Xu Jia finally felt brave enough to return to Qiao Sang’s side.

"Wow, students at Shengshui High are something else. No one in our school has a ghost-type pet." Xu Jia remarked in admiration.

"Ghost-type pets are actually quite nice." Qiao Sang replied, watching her Little Treasure with a smile as he happily sipped his milk tea.

"So, are you here today for the Green Red Fruit?" Xu Jia asked suddenly.

Qiao Sang shook her head.

"No. Why do you ask?"

The Green Red Fruit is a highly valued item among ghost-type pets who possess the Will-o’-Wisp skill.

But it had nothing to do with her Little Treasure.

Even if her ghost eventually learned Will-o’-Wisp, he would still need a special ring to channel the energy.

If the ring’s energy ran out, the wisp would disappear. Since he didn’t use his own energy, the Green Red Fruit held no appeal for her ghost.

"I thought maybe you saw the news." Xu Jia explained.

"There was a secret realm rift here not long ago, just outside the mall at the music fountain. A few ghost-type pets emerged from it."

"There was even this passerby… I don’t know if he was running a cult or what, but he somehow traded a Green Red Fruit for a snack with one of the ghosts. The next day, he bought a new car."

"Once the word got out, this place became a hotspot. Tons of people started coming here, hoping to get lucky and score a wild, gullible pet."

Qiao Sang stood there, dumbfounded. A little ghost? Could it be the one she’d encountered...?

Then again, maybe it wasn’t impossible.

That little ghost didn’t seem all that bright. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have believed that nonsense about clearing the labyrinth to meet Mihiram and make a wish.

Still, if that were the case, she couldn’t help feeling a little bitter.

Other people met the ghost and scored a car, while she almost ended up in the hospital?

To comfort herself, Qiao Sang came to a conclusion.

There was no way those two little ghosts were the same!

---

After bidding Xu Jia farewell, Qiao Sang left the mall and headed toward the music fountain in the square.

She hadn’t noticed earlier, but now she saw that seven out of every ten vendors were selling hot dogs.

After a couple of seconds’ hesitation, Qiao Sang approached the nearest vendor.

"Four hot dogs, please."

"Got it! Twelve alliance coins total." The vendor handed her four hot dogs.

"You here for the hotspot too? Just walk about ten meters up; you’ll see the spot. I was there myself back then."

Qiao Sang paused.

"Thanks."

Holding three hot dogs and two cups of milk tea, Qiao Sang went to the spot the vendor had pointed out.

Her Little Treasure was by her side, clutching a milk tea in one claw and a hot dog in the other, blissfully alternating bites.

As she watched the five Lili Ducks playing violins nearby, surrounded by tourists snapping photos, Qiao Sang suddenly felt a bit foolish.

The secret realm rift was already gone; how was she supposed to run into a wild, not-so-bright pet?

Maybe she’d spent too much time with Yabao and caught some of his foolishness...

Just as she was about to turn and leave, something in her peripheral vision made her freeze.

Big head, short limbs, a purple hook-shaped tail, and a purple crown on its forehead, was that a… Crowned Meow?

No, wait...

Qiao Sang quickly calmed down. This Crowned Meow wasn’t wearing a sunhat, sunglasses, or a bag.

Plus, it had a person beside it, seemingly very close.

It must be its pet master.