Chapter 2: A Beating
Chapter 2: A Beating
Verdant Haven.
C Building 606.
When Qiao Sang returned home with her mother, she was still a bit dazed.
After all, she had been lectured for nearly two hours at school, and if the teacher's stomach hadn't growled, he probably would have continued scolding her.
Qiao Sang went to the bathroom and washed her face twice.
She looked at herself in the mirror. Her face was delicate, just like in her previous life.
Only, she looked much younger, with a bit of baby fat still on her cheeks.
"Come and eat." Her mother's voice came from the living room.
"Coming."
Qiao Sang responded and silently washed her face again.
When she entered the living room, her mother, Ye Xiangting, gave her a sharp look. "The food was cold, but I just reheated it. Hurry up and eat."
Actually, Qiao Sang's original host had a lot in common with her. Her parents looked the same, and they were both from single-parent families.
The original host's father didn't just disappear or die young; he simply divorced her mother.
They divorced when the original host was three years old. Her father, Qiao Wangyang, remarried that same year and had a daughter, who is now 14.
This was quite thought-provoking...
Perhaps feeling guilty toward her mother, he left the child and the house to her during the divorce.
Mother Ye Xiangting never remarried and raised Qiao Sang on her own, working and taking care of her.
Fortunately, her mother was an E-class Beastmaster with a Faithwarden and a Plump Homing Dove.
She earned a living by renting out her Plump Homing Dove for sky tours, which allowed them to live comfortably.
Life hadn't worn her down into a haggard woman but had instead made her a strong, gentle yet firm woman.
Qiao Sang understood this all too well.
Her mother had sat through the two-hour lecture with her and, upon returning home, managed to hold back from giving her a beating.
How strong!
But this wasn't really Qiao Sang's fault. The Beastmaster Codex was locked in her brain domain, and she hadn't bonded with any Supernatural Creatures. Without a check at the Beastmaster Center, she couldn't prove that she had spontaneously awakened.
Qiao Sang ate her meal in silence, afraid to speak.
Although her mother was a strong woman, she might not stay strong forever.
"Take a day off tomorrow. I'll take you to the Beastmaster Center", her mother said, looking at Qiao Sang.
Qiao Sang was stunned for a moment. "Why are we going to the Beastmaster Center?"
"You said you've spontaneously awakened, right? We need to get a check-up and a certificate so we can go to the Pet Beast Facility to choose a familiar", her mother explained.
Since she had awakened, it was best to choose a familiar as soon as possible.
Qiao Sang was shocked. "You believe me?"
Her mother's eyes twinkled with a smile. "You're my daughter; I know you. You might be a bit slow, but you wouldn't lie about something like this at such a critical time."
Qiao Sang felt a complex mix of emotions, unsure of what to say. In this world, her mother not only looked similar but also had a similar personality.
"Mom, if you trust me, why did you let me get lectured for two hours without saying a word?"
Her mother laughed, a laugh that was quite unsettling. "Spontaneous Awakening is one thing, but getting a zero on your exam is another. I haven't even asked you why you failed."
Qiao Sang: "..."
...
...
The next morning.
At the entrance of Hanggang Beastmaster Center.
A large, fat, three-meter-long, brown-bodied Supernatural Creature with red tail feathers descended from the sky.
Qiao Sang excitedly climbed down from the Plump Homing Dove. This was her first time experiencing such a close encounter with the sky, and it was incredibly thrilling.
She decided that she would definitely bond with a flying familiar in the future!
"Plump Homing Dove, thank you for your hard work." Her mother patted it.
“Ju Bi～”
Plump Homing Dove flapped its wings, nuzzling its large head against its mother's side in a coquettish manner.
With a wave of her hand, Mother cast a gentle light over Plump Homing Dove, and it vanished from the spot.
No matter how many times Qiao Sang saw it, she still found it incredible.
These things were beyond scientific explanation in her previous life.
Entering the Hanggang Beastmaster Center, Mother led her straight to the 37th service counter.
Before the staff could speak, Mother took the initiative, "Hello, we're here for a brain domain test." She then gestured for Qiao Sang to take out her information card.
Qiao Sang obediently produced the card.
After scanning it, the staff member said, "Hello, that will be 500 Union Coins."
Thanks to their ability to control beasts, humans had expanded beyond Blue Star and colonized three other habitable planets.
The currency used across these four planets was the Union Coin.
After paying, Mother handed the information card back to the staff member, who said, "Just follow Quagly in."
A green, meter-tall Quagly appeared behind the staff member. It had a round head with a pair of green antennae tipped in yellow and a staff badge hanging from its chest.
As a plant-type familiar, Quagly was known for its gentle nature and was particularly popular among women.
"Qiao Li."
It approached Qiao Sang, extending its three-fingered right hand in a polite gesture.
Hanggang, being the capital city of Zhehai Province, naturally had the largest Beastmaster Center in the province.
Qiao Sang followed Quagly for nearly ten minutes before they reached the brain domain testing area.
Quagly scanned its badge at the identity recognition device outside the door.
"Qiao Li."
When the door opened, it called out to Qiao Sang.
Mother calmly said, "Go in."
Though her face remained calm, her eyes betrayed a mix of anticipation, revealing that despite her belief in Qiao Sang, she was still nervous until the results were in.
Qiao Sang followed Quagly inside.
A short-haired female researcher in a white lab coat and a floating Bubble Chime greeted her.
Qiao Sang had just read about Bubble Chimes in a book the day before, and she hadn't expected to see one so soon.
Bubble Chimes, being psychic-type supernatural creatures, were quite rare.
Facilities for raising such psychic-type supernatural creatures were scarce, with only a handful being born each year, often costing millions of Union Coins. Most families couldn't afford them.
This researcher must be a wealthy woman, Qiao Sang thought.
The short-haired researcher was busy typing at her computer and didn't seem surprised to see Quagly and Qiao Sang, clearly having been informed of their arrival.
"Take a seat over there", she said, pointing to a single-person sofa.
Qiao Sang sat down as instructed.
It was just an ordinary sofa, nothing special.
"Bubble Chime." The researcher called out without looking up.
"Chime."
Suddenly, a blue light enveloped Bubble Chime. Before Qiao Sang could react, a silver helmet connected to several wires floated over from a distance and settled on her head.
Qiao Sang's eyes widened in amazement.
This ability was incredibly convenient, almost like a lazy person's dream!
"Don't move."
The researcher still hadn't looked up, but Qiao Sang knew the instruction was directed at her.
The silver helmet didn't obstruct Qiao Sang's vision. She clearly saw the short-haired female researcher frowning as she examined the images and data transmitted from the device on Qiao Sang's head.
Qiao Sang instantly tensed up.
There shouldn't be any problems, right?
The short-haired researcher had a stern face, and without any expression, she looked like a school principal. Now, with her scowl, she was even more intimidating.
Especially given Qiao Sang's current situation and what she was doing, her heart raced.
"Are you a Spontaneous Awakening?" the short-haired researcher suddenly asked.
"Um, sister, is there something wrong with me?" Qiao Sang asked nervously.
"No, don't be nervous", the researcher noticed the girl's unease and forced a smile, trying to reassure her.
It's really scary...
Qiao Sang felt even more nervous.
"We only have six Spontaneous Awakening cases in our city this year, including you. Your grades must be excellent, right?" the researcher asked.
While being a top student doesn't guarantee a Spontaneous Awakening, those who do manage it are usually top students.
Qiao Sang: "..."
You can call me smart or talented, but why bring up my grades?
Qiao Sang knew the researcher was trying to ease her tension, but if you're bad at small talk, don't force it...
"I usually rank third", Qiao Sang said without hesitation.
"Third in the entire school—that's impressive. Many top students can't even Awaken", the researcher said, her smile still stiff but her voice gentle.
"I got first place in the recent mock exam", Qiao Sang added, now less nervous.
"After a Spontaneous Awakening, the brain domain develops by 2%, but for those who Awaken spontaneously, it's usually around 5%. A sudden improvement is quite normal", the researcher explained Qiao Sang's top rank.
Qiao Sang: "..."
After about two minutes, the researcher looked up and called, "Bubble Chime."
"Chime."
Bubble Chime used her mental power to return the device on Qiao Sang's head to its original position.
"Congratulations on your successful Spontaneous Awakening. Your brain domain is fine, but the fluctuations are a bit large. Make sure to get plenty of rest and eat more nuts."
The researcher took out a certificate, signed it, stamped it, and handed it to Qiao Sang.
"Thank you."
Qiao Sang took the certificate, feeling a huge weight lifted from her heart.
...
...
"How did it go?" Qiao Sang's mother rushed forward as soon as they stepped out, her voice tense.
Qiao Sang sighed and handed the certificate to her.
Her mother's face turned pale, and for a moment, she hesitated to take it.
"Mom, take a look", Qiao Sang urged, pushing the certificate a bit closer.
Ye Xiangting felt a chill. Not having a Spontaneous Awakening and scoring zero...
Even if she hadn't scored zero, her daughter's previous grades wouldn't have been enough to get into Beastmaster High School, which required passing the Magnetic Wave Awakening and obtaining a Beastmaster Codex, then reaching the required score.
The total score for the entrance exam was 650, and the lowest passing score last year was 332.
If she had tried her best and still failed, that would have been one thing, but her daughter actually scored zero and lied about it...
Ye Xiangting suddenly doubted her parenting.
A good beating might be in order.
This child needs a good lesson.
As her mother took the certificate and looked down at it, Qiao Sang straightened her back.
"Slap."
Qiao Sang was stunned.
(End of Chapter)
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