Chapter 33: The Gathering
In the Blue Star Alliance, due to the technological disruption caused by the Doomsday Era, the diversion of talents into Beast Tamers, and the Alliance’s focus on researching the energy utilization techniques of foreign races, accomplished scientific researchers had become exceedingly rare.
At the headquarters of the Blue Star Alliance, the status of an academician of the Academy of Sciences was no less than that of a Transcendent Master-level Beast Tamer. To the Alliance, these old men and women—treasures of scientific knowledge—were held as precious beyond measure.
Apart from various exclusive provisions, Professional Rank Beast Tamers also served as their personal bodyguards.
That was why Zhou Ming had advised Lei Yuan to study hard and not let part-time jobs waste her time.
After saying that, Zhou Ming turned and left directly.
He had already embarked on a road drenched in blood; he did not wish to drag too many ordinary people into it—especially not this young woman, who had a bright and promising future ahead of her.
“Brother Zhou, remember to call me!”
Lei Yuan, who would not be coming tomorrow, shouted after Zhou Ming as he walked away.
“Alright.”
Without turning back, Zhou Ming raised his right hand to show that he had heard, a small gesture to reassure her.
After leaving the Mad Python Martial Hall, Zhou Ming did not return to his own residence.
Instead, he took an electric tram toward the western part of the city.
As dusk deepened over the western district, pedestrians and vehicles still moved along the streets.
Zhou Ming glanced around casually and could tell that the west side’s prosperity ranked just below the east.
“Ding ding…”
He didn’t need to think to know it was Wang Yan urging him. Zhou Ming had come to the west side precisely to meet him.
“Hey, Zhou Ming, are you here yet?”
“I’m here, almost there.”
“Hurry up, hurry up.”
After Wang Yan’s quick urging over the phone, the line was cut.
Following the street signs, Zhou Ming arrived within a few minutes at the place they had agreed upon—a barbecue restaurant called One Night Grill.
Pushing open the door, he was met instantly by bright lights and noisy chatter, a stark contrast to the dim, nearly deserted street outside.
Looking around at the nearly thousand-square-meter restaurant devoted solely to barbecue, Zhou Ming could only think that the owner was quite bold. Then again, for nighttime dining, indoors was the only option.
“Sir, table for one?”
Seeing Zhou Ming enter, a waitress came up quickly to greet him.
“No, I’m meeting someone—table twenty-nine.”
“Go straight ahead and turn left; you’ll see your friend.”
“Thank you.”
Following the waitress’s directions, Zhou Ming soon spotted Wang Yan from afar.
“Zhou Ming, over here!”
At that moment, Wang Yan was holding a skewer of meat in one hand and a beer in the other. When he noticed Zhou Ming, he waved the skewer high and called out loudly.
“What’s this? Struck it rich, coming to a place like this?”
As he sat down beside him, Zhou Ming teased with a smile.
Judging from the attire and manner of the guests around them, and from the fact that such a large place was used for barbecue at night, Zhou Ming could tell this was definitely a high-end venue.
“Hehe, I just got promoted to Beast Tamer! The old man gave me some spending money. I’ve been here before—with him, actually.”
Pop!
Before finishing his sentence, Wang Yan opened a bottle of beer for Zhou Ming.
Taking the offered bottle, Zhou Ming shook his head with a faint smile. If Wang Yan’s father hadn’t pressured him through his alternate account, he might not have broken through to Beast Tamer this soon.
Still, everyone had their own choices; Zhou Ming didn’t say more.
They were both adults now.
“Right, is this your little piglet?”
Zhou Ming shifted the topic when he saw the cute little black pig at Wang Yan’s feet.
“Bah, what piglet? This is my Tusked Battle Boar!”
“Alright, let’s drink first before we talk.”
Zhou Ming had come to ask for a favor, so when Wang Yan suggested a toast, he could only accompany him and drink a full bottle to start things off.
“Oink oink.”
After setting his bottle down, Zhou Ming saw Wang Yan pouring a bottle of beer into his pig’s mouth.
Seeing this, Zhou Ming was puzzled.
“What are you doing?”
“Whatever I eat, it eats too! I’m a pretty good master, huh?”
Hearing this, Zhou Ming could only shake his head speechlessly before picking up his own barbecue skewer, quietly watching the amusing scene before him.
That one-meter-tall little black pig was the Ferocious Beast Wang Yan’s father had prepared for him.
Though it looked silly and adorable, it was indeed a Ferocious Beast—just still in its juvenile phase.
The reason for choosing a juvenile beast was that they were cheaper and easier to implant with a Spiritual Seed.
The downside was that they required a long period of nurturing.
However, once matured, this Ferocious Beast would be formidable.
According to the Compendium of Ferocious Beasts, an adult Tusked Battle Boar could grow over three meters long.
Its skin could temporarily harden, giving it top-tier defense among low-ranked Ferocious Beasts.
Its half-meter-long tusks were the hardest part of its body, capable of piercing armor with ease.
In frontal combat, few beasts of the same rank could withstand its charge.
Based on what Zhou Ming knew about Wang Yan’s family, the money spent on this beast probably emptied the savings his father had accumulated over years of business.
“So, how did that thing I asked you to check out go?”
Once Wang Yan finished feeding his precious beast, Zhou Ming set down his food, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and finally asked.
“My old man handled it. Turns out he’s still got some pull.” Wang Yan said as he took out an envelope and handed it to Zhou Ming. “Everything you wanted is written inside. Luckily, it wasn’t any top-secret stuff.”
“Thanks.”
Accepting the envelope, Zhou Ming sincerely thanked him. After all, without the right connections, even simple information could be nearly impossible to obtain.
“Don’t be so polite.”
Wang Yan had helped Zhou Ming not only because of friendship, but also to repay him—back in the library, Zhou Ming had encouraged him to study and even guided him in meditation practice.
At that time, Zhou Ming had already condensed his Spiritual Seed, and his insights had helped Wang Yan a great deal.
Otherwise, with his temperament, even with his father’s threats, he would have taken much longer to make his breakthrough.
“Tonight, you’re drinking with me! The old man says me becoming a Beast Tamer is a blessing from the ancestors. Says we shouldn’t even dream about being Professional Rank Beast Tamers—just take over his business and get ready for the grandkids. Can you believe that nonsense?”
Hearing Wang Yan’s grumbling, Zhou Ming immediately understood what he meant. It wasn’t true frustration with his path—it was just that he hadn’t had enough fun yet.
“Come on, drink up—and don’t forget your little piglet.”
Zhou Ming laughed, raising his bottle.
“Keep talking and I’ll have my beast ram you when it grows up.”
“By the way, what’s your beast?”
Since Wang Yan had helped Zhou Ming, he naturally knew Zhou Ming had also become a Beast Tamer—but not what his beast was.
“Don’t bother looking—it’s a snake. A venomous one. Want to see it?”
“No thanks—let’s just drink.”
The moment he heard it was a snake, Wang Yan’s least favorite creature, he backed off immediately.
The two of them kept drinking and eating barbecue, not bothering to discuss anything else.
It wasn’t until late at night that they finally parted ways.