Chapter 30: Too Early
Chapter 30: Too Early
Nestled in her Beastmaster's arms, Fangflare felt a sense of security and mustered the courage to turn and look in the direction she had just seen.
"Tooth!"
At this sight, Fangflare's fur stood on end.
It was gone!
Qiao Sang, realizing what Fangflare was thinking, was quite speechless.
Who would be afraid of their own Shadow Clone?
But Fangflare might not have realized that it was her own Shadow Clone.
Research has shown that many familiars learn skills without their masters noticing.
Some learn skills gradually over time, while others are triggered by external stimuli, causing a sudden release of their innate energy.
Just a few days ago, a civil dispute arose during a competition in the Lianbo Region due to a familiar suddenly learning a new skill and using it.
Mr. Wang from Yue City was watching the match with his Lefei Seed at seat 16 in row 21 of Zone B.
The match was so exciting that the Lefei Seed got carried away, unconsciously learning and releasing the Sleep Powder skill. This caused several spectators in rows 20, 21, and 22 of Zone B to fall asleep, missing the entire match.
Afterward, Mr. Wang was only willing to compensate them for the ticket fees, but some people had traveled from other regions and demanded additional compensation for their travel and lodging expenses, as well as emotional distress.
Mr. Wang naturally refused, and the situation escalated to the news.
Fangflare, like those familiars, had learned a new skill unconsciously due to external influences. The last time she learned Spark was the same way.
Now, shaken by the fright, Fangflare's internal energy had become unbalanced, causing her newly learned and still unskilled Shadow Clone to disappear.
But Fangflare mistook this for a supernatural event, still deeply affected by the ghost movies she had watched recently.
"Tooth! Tooth!"
"Tooth, tooth, tooth!"
"Tooth!"
Fangflare pointed with her paw at the direction where the Shadow Clone had vanished, gesturing to Qiao Sang.
"That's your own Shadow Clone", Qiao Sang explained helplessly.
"Tooth?"
Fangflare's gestures suddenly stopped, her dark eyes filled with confusion.
"Congratulations, you've learned a new skill", Qiao Sang said with a smile.
Fangflare understood.
She paused for a moment, feeling and regulating the energy within her.
A Fangflare identical to her appeared instantly at her Beastmaster's feet, even the disheveled fur from dodging the ball was exactly the same.
"Tooth!"
Fangflare was excited and immediately jumped out of Qiao Sang's arms to circle and examine her Shadow Clone.
Having learned a new skill, Fangflare forgot all about practicing her dodging, and Qiao Sang didn't bring it up either.
As they walked out of the Baseball Training Hall and passed by the Companion Spa, Qiao Sang felt a bit regretful.
If it weren't for the 5000 Union Coins he had spent last night, he would have taken Fangflare in for a good relaxation today.
Back home, Qiao Sang turned on his computer and searched for a streamer known for their familiar massage techniques.
He randomly selected a live stream and called Fangflare over, mimicking the massage techniques demonstrated by the streamer.
Even if they couldn't afford the Companion Spa, he could still do it himself!
"Does it feel good?" Qiao Sang asked gently.
"Tooth."
Fangflare reluctantly responded.
She lay on her side, her head facing the live stream.
In the video, a tall, muscular man was massaging a thick-skinned Razorback Boar, which occasionally let out contented grunts.
Fangflare watched the live stream and felt the pressure of Qiao Sang's massage, but something just didn't feel right...
...
...
The next morning.
6:10 AM.
Qiao Sang, with dark circles under his eyes, appeared in the living room and looked around. His mother was still sleeping in her room.
Sure, here is the polished translation:
---
It was indeed a bit early...
Last night was the day of another Interstellar Cup match she had bet on.
Thinking about the match she lost the day before, she couldn't sleep, so she decided to skip watching it last night to avoid staying up and affecting her mood for today's Holy Water High School Special Admission Exam.
But the more she thought about it, the less she could sleep...
She kept wondering how the Interstellar Cup match was going and then worrying about the Special Admission Exam the next day. She finally fell asleep around two in the morning.
Worried thoughts made her sleep late and wake up early. Her alarm hadn't even gone off when she naturally woke up.
Qiao Sang prepared breakfast listlessly, with Fangflare wagging its tail happily by her side, eagerly waiting to eat.
This guy was quite energetic...
Good, it hadn't been in vain for her to massage it so hard yesterday.
After breakfast, Qiao Sang left a portion for her mother in the pot and set off for the subway station.
Holy Water High School was located in Beidian District of Hanggang City, quite far from where Qiao Sang lived.
If she took the bus, she would have to transfer at four or five stops, but the subway Line 2 could take her directly there.
...
Holy Water High School.
A few people were scattered on the benches next to the open field.
"Qin Wen, is Luo Qian not here yet?" a middle-aged man with a slicked-back hairstyle and a potbelly asked.
Middle-aged men with potbellies often gave off a greasy vibe, but the man in front of them, with his slicked-back hair revealing his facial features, exuded a steady and composed air that made him seem like he might have been a handsome young man in his youth.
"Not yet. I've already called him, and he said he's stuck in traffic", the woman in a business suit replied.
"Bullshit, he was probably out at some bar until the middle of the night and can't get up. He even posted on his social media, showing no sense of responsibility as a teacher", Zheng Guoping sneered.
"You're the one who brought him to the school", the man holding a stack of papers said calmly.
"Sun Boyi, don't you dare lecture me. You voted in favor of him, too", Zheng Guoping retorted.
"That's because you gave me a Water Gel Bead and begged me to vote for him", Sun Boyi said coolly.
"Ugh!" Zheng Guoping was speechless with anger.
"Alright, alright, let's not argue. We have more important things to discuss. Are there any promising candidates in this year's Special Recruitment Exam?" the middle-aged man with the slicked-back hair interjected to change the topic.
"The truly promising ones have already been Directly Admitted", Zheng Guoping said, still fuming.
"But there is one", Sun Boyi's gaze stopped on a particular line of the paper. "Lu Liangye from Taidan Junior High, remember? He made the news about half a year ago."
"You mean the kid who Spontaneously Awakened in the first year of junior high?" Qin Wen asked.
"Yes, that's him", Sun Boyi replied.
Most children Spontaneously Awaken around the age of 15, but Lu Liangye had Awakened at 14, shortly after starting junior high.
If the High School Entrance Exam hadn't already been held and the school admissions finalized, Lu Liangye might have been able to skip a grade and attend a Beastmaster High School.
"Why wasn't he Directly Admitted?" Qin Wen asked.
"Apparently, after Spontaneously Awakening, he stopped going to school much, and his academic scores dropped", Sun Boyi explained.
Qin Wen understood.
He probably bonded with a familiar and couldn't stand the monotony of just studying.
If that was the case, he was indeed a promising candidate. Lu Liangye had bonded with his familiar for half a year, and his strength was likely stronger than his peers.
...
Outside Holy Water High School.
Qiao Sang sat by the flower bed, lost in thought.
She had arrived too early.
The gates weren't even open yet...
(End of Chapter)
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