Public Announcement! The Internet Erupts

The third day after the torrential rain ended,

Eleven in the morning.

Chen Yuan and Chen Weiyi sat on stools, staring intently at the television across from them. Cola lay nearby, yawning, while Spark stood on Chen Yuan's shoulder, its head drooping lower and lower, looking exactly like you do when you nod off in class.

"Thank you, Professor Wang, for explaining the specific meaning of the Spiritual Tide." The pretty female host smiled faintly at the White-Haired Old Man opposite her before continuing, "Professor Wang, what are your thoughts on the frequent conflicts?"

"How should humanity face Extraordinary Creatures?"

Professor Wang fell into thought upon hearing those two questions.

Before their televisions, billions of citizens waited for his answer.

At eight that morning, the authorities had announced that they would hold a press conference at ten sharp, followed by an expert panel discussion to explain the relevant events in detail from every angle.

During the press conference, the official spokesperson publicly released a series of classified files for the first time and officially confirmed the existence of the Spiritual Tide.

The entire internet erupted at those words.

According to the official explanation, scientists had detected an energy-filled element in the air. This element could greatly stimulate vitality, giving all living things the possibility of evolving upward.

All the mutated plants and animals from this period had evolved because of it.

The official spokesperson then revealed the existence of Beast Tamers and encouraged all citizens to meditate in the hopes of becoming Beast Tamers.

Once the press conference ended, the expert panel discussion began.

"My view is simple." Professor Wang's steady voice slowly rang out. He looked directly into the camera, his expression stern. "We are all human, yet we still fight one another, even wage wars."

"If that is the case within a single species, what more needs to be said for two different species?"

"Conflict is inevitable, but it does not represent everything."

"As for the second question..."

Professor Wang paused slightly, his eyes flickering. "Current research indicates that Extraordinary Creatures generally possess high intelligence and can understand human words and actions."

"When facing intelligent beings like this, we should observe first and make decisions afterward."

"Furthermore, becoming a Beast Tamer requires more than successfully meditating. You must also contract an Extraordinary Creature."

"After forming a contract, Beast Tamers and their pet beasts will live together day and night and fight side by side."

"In the face of such a relationship, I believe every Beast Tamer should seriously consider one question."

Professor Wang's gaze was sharp, his tone calm. "Do you intend to treat your pet beast as a tool for battle, or as your companion?"

Hearing that, Chen Yuan instinctively glanced at Cola and Spark, who were nestled against him, and smiled.

The answer was obvious.

After that, the female host and Professor Wang exchanged questions and answers, discussing Beast Tamers and Extraordinary Creatures in depth.

"Professor Wang, I've heard that Extraordinary Creatures are divided into ranks?"

"Yes. We currently classify Extraordinary Creatures as ordinary, elite, and commander. The higher the rank, the greater the potential and the stronger the power."

"Then how can we tell what rank an Extraordinary Creature is?"

"When an Extraordinary Creature uses a skill, if a five-pointed star appears on its forehead, it is ordinary quality. Two stars mean elite, and three mean commander."

"Do Beast Tamers have levels as well?"

"From lowest to highest, Beast Tamers are Beginner Beast Tamers, Intermediate Beast Tamers, and Advanced Beast Tamers."

"Many viewers are concerned about one question: what does the future path of development look like after becoming a Beast Tamer?"

"The authorities are urgently discussing these matters and will provide an answer before long."

The expert panel discussion lasted a full two hours and only gradually came to an end near noon.

At the same time, the authorities released relevant notices across multiple online platforms and organized numerous experts and scholars to answer netizens' questions around the clock. They also uploaded "Basic Meditation Method 1.0" to the official website, where all citizens could study it for free.

Overall, however, the authorities conveyed two points:

First: the Spiritual Tide was a normal event. There was no need to worry about personal safety, and life should continue as usual.

Second: strive to become a Beast Tamer.

After the panel discussion ended, Chen Yuan stayed home and browsed online information. He found that every online platform was flooded with reports about the "Spiritual Tide" and "Beast Tamers," their popularity soaring higher and higher.

It made sense. This was an unprecedented event, one capable of profoundly changing the current social order.

"Did you get in touch with your younger brother?" Chen Weiyi asked as he smoked his pipe, puffs of smoke drifting upward.

Chen Yuan nodded. "I contacted him yesterday. He's already arrived at the Beast Taming Academy. Classes start today."

Just as Chen Yuan had guessed, his younger brother had joined the Beast Taming Academy like Jiang Wenning and become part of its first intake.

"Mm." Chen Weiyi nodded. "Tell him that since he has such a rare opportunity, he shouldn't get into conflicts with others. He should build good relationships with his teachers and classmates..."

Chen Weiyi went on and on for quite some time. When he saw Chen Yuan's increasingly unfocused gaze, he helplessly waved a hand. "Go do your own thing."

"Got it."

Chen Yuan grinned and hurried outside, lightly kicking the soundly sleeping Cola as he went.

"Aw?"

Cola groggily opened its eyes. Seeing Chen Yuan leave, it quickly shook the drool from the corner of its mouth and scampered after him.

Its movements were exceptionally nimble, its body sleek and streamlined. As its legs ran, it seemed to be accompanied by a breeze, and in the blink of an eye, it had left Chen Yuan behind.

"Chirp!"

Spark, now fully awake, shot Cola a glare before suddenly spreading its wings and taking flight. Its orange-yellow feathers trailed streams of air as it caught up with Cola in an instant.

The two little fellows chased and tussled with each other.

Chen Yuan's gaze, however, fell on the Steel-headed Earth Rat diligently plowing the wasteland, and he could not help sighing. "You're still the honest one."

After leaving the farm, Chen Yuan headed straight for the village.

He had discovered two animals in the midst of evolving yesterday, and this time, he headed directly for them.

However, halfway there, his supervisor sent a message in the work group chat. "A new department has been established by our superiors, called the Beast Tamer Association. We'll be under its administration from now on."

The group chat immediately exploded.

The supervisor ignored the commotion and continued asking, "Has anyone succeeded in meditating on their first attempt?"

Chen Yuan gripped his phone without replying, while the group chat fell deathly silent.

He had learned from Jiang Wenning that succeeding at meditation on the first attempt was the minimum requirement for joining the Beast Taming Academy, and applicants also had to be under thirty.

Once those conditions were met, they would be placed on a provisional admission list and subjected to a series of complex, stringent reviews.

Only after completing those procedures would they have a chance to enter the Beast Taming Academy.

After the authorities officially revealed the Spiritual Tide, the Beast Taming Academy would gradually establish branches in major cities and admit Beast Tamers with potential on a large scale.

But Chen Yuan, who possessed the system, had no need to join the Beast Taming Academy. He only wanted to remain here in peace and watch the outside world rise and fall.

The supervisor asked again, "Then as of now, has anyone succeeded in meditating?"

Chen Yuan considered it for a moment, then chose to break the group's silence by quietly sending "1."

The supervisor waited a long while, but no "2" appeared. He silently sighed and sent another message. "Alright, Chen Yuan, message me privately. If anyone else succeeds in meditating, come find me as well."

The moment he said that, one "Received" after another popped up in the group chat.

"Come to the office now." The supervisor sent Chen Yuan a private message, and Chen Yuan promptly changed course and headed straight for the office.

The supervisor was named Song Guohao. Unlike the potbellied Middle-Aged Man most people imagined, he was lean and strong, every movement crisp and efficient.

Seeing Chen Yuan with Cola at his side and Spark on his shoulder, Song Guohao rarely smiled. "I won't take up too much of your time. We'll do facial recognition first, then I'll record a video for you."

Though Chen Yuan did not understand why, he obediently followed his supervisor's instructions.

Song Guohao logged into a website, entered Chen Yuan's identity information, and completed facial recognition. Then he raised his phone toward him. "Have you contracted a pet beast?"

Chen Yuan nodded and looked toward Spark on his shoulder. Spark proudly raised its head, its dark-blue eyes glowing with fluorescent light.

Cola immediately wilted and silently walked into a corner to sulk.

"Alright, return your pet beasts to the Beast Taming Space, then summon them back out." Song Guohao looked at the two pet beasts beside Chen Yuan in surprise.

Before long, Chen Yuan successfully completed both steps.

"Good." Song Guohao lowered his phone and nodded with a smile. "Now you just need to wait for the Beast Tamer Association staff to review it."

After a brief pause, the smile on his face grew wider. "Congratulations in advance on becoming the first Beast Tamer in Xuanhe Village. Well, perhaps even the first in our town."

Chen Yuan smiled along with him.

"Once you pass the review, you'll automatically become a member of the Beast Tamer Association, enjoying the benefits of association members while fulfilling their obligations."

"I don't know the specifics very well either. You'll find out soon enough."

"Alright, go back and keep working hard. I still need to attend a meeting in the city, so I won't keep you any longer." Song Guohao waved a hand, turned, and left.