The Temptation of Free Room and Board

"I got these details through my teacher," Chen Wenhao replied.

Chen Yuan nodded in understanding.

Chen Wenhao's teacher was a Top Expert in Domestic Biology, one of the leading figures in the field. He had plenty of channels for obtaining information.

Chen Wenhao paused for a moment, his tone complicated. "I've sent the Basic Meditation Method to your email. Remember to check it."

"You can just send it to me? Is that really okay?" Chen Yuan hesitated.

"It's fine. I got my teacher's permission to tell my family about these things." Chen Wenhao smiled.

After a pause, he continued, "Besides, the authorities will gradually make this information public, including the Basic Meditation Method."

Chen Yuan frowned. "I feel like you're hiding something from me."

They had grown up together. He could tell at a glance whether Chen Wenhao was lying.

Chen Wenhao fell silent for a moment, then gave a bitter smile. "Brother, I really can't hide it from you."

"It's because I have some talent as a Beast Tamer. The authorities noticed me and want me to join a Newly Established Organization."

"I didn't refuse, and I couldn't refuse."

"Fortunately, joining the organization comes with plenty of benefits. One of them is letting family and friends obtain the meditation method ahead of time."

"I might be very busy for a while. Sometimes, you may not be able to reach me."

"Is it dangerous?" Chen Yuan interrupted.

Chen Wenhao answered decisively, "This period is mainly for studying. There's no danger."

"Alright. Stay safe," Chen Yuan said solemnly.

After ending the call in silence, the lean Chen Wenhao slipped his phone back into his pocket, adjusted his glasses, and looked up at the White-Haired Old Man seated directly before him. "Teacher, I'm ready."

"Good." The old man nodded before smiling helplessly. "There's really no need to be so nervous."

"The higher-ups are merely gathering geniuses like you who successfully awakened on their first meditation, so you can study Beast Taming-related knowledge in depth and better deal with this world undergoing such drastic changes."

"You won't be assigned dangerous missions before you finish your studies."

Chen Wenhao forced out a stiff smile and hesitated before speaking. "Teacher, I understand all that, but..."

"You're worried about your brother and grandfather, aren't you?" The old man laughed. "Don't worry. The faster you improve and the more valued you become, the safer your family will be."

"You only have one task now—"

"Study hard and strive to become a powerful Beast Tamer as soon as possible."

After ending the call, Chen Yuan let out a soft breath and sat there in a daze for a long time.

It was not until the noon sunlight slanted into the room, filling the air with brilliant golden motes, that he opened his email and immediately spotted the message Chen Wenhao had sent—"Basic Meditation Method 1.0."

The email contained both a video and written material. Chen Yuan carefully watched the video several times, then glanced at Cola, who was sprawled on the floor sleeping soundly, and the completely motionless Flame Cloud Falcon in the iron cage. He decided to give it a try.

As spiritual energy revived and the world changed, the emergence of Extraordinary Creatures was bound to impact the current social order.

How humanity would coexist with these Extraordinary Creatures and face this changed world would become the focus of society in the days ahead.

Awakening as a Beast Tamer, contracting pet beasts, and harnessing their extraordinary powers was clearly the best solution available at present.

Chen Yuan only wanted to be an ordinary rescue station worker, with three filling meals a day and good sleep, raising a few dogs and taking walks in the mountains whenever he felt like it.

But an ordinary person clearly would have difficulty protecting himself in this changed world.

With that thought in mind, Chen Yuan gently shut the door, sat cross-legged on the office sofa, and began his first attempt by following the Middle-Aged Man in the video.

Because of the nature of the work, management at the rescue station was fairly lax. Usually, only one person needed to stay in the office.

He slowly closed his eyes and took a deep breath, doing his best to cast aside distracting thoughts and calm his mind.

Very quickly, he entered a mysterious meditative state. It felt as though he had become a free little bird, soaring through the blue sky and weaving through soft clouds.

Ethereal. Free.

At the same time, the Jade Pendant hanging from his chest emitted a faint glow.

He did not know how much time passed.

Chen Yuan's consciousness gradually cleared, and he could distinctly feel that his spiritual power had increased tremendously.

His thoughts flowed more smoothly, and his mind became sharper.

"That's it?"

"It's that simple?"

Chen Yuan opened his eyes and exhaled a breath of stale air, his eyes and brows brimming with delight.

He could now clearly sense that his spiritual power was linked to an indescribable dimensional space within his mind.

This was the Beast Taming Space described in "Basic Meditation Method 1.0." It allowed contracted pet beasts to stay inside, accelerating their growth.

In Chen Yuan's perception, the Beast Taming Space was a gray, hazy expanse, only as large as a small room.

"I can be considered a Beast Tamer now, though I'm only among the weakest bunch," Chen Yuan muttered.

Successfully awakening a Beast Taming Space allowed one to contract a pet beast and become the lowest-ranked Beast Tamer.

By continuously tempering one's spiritual power, one could expand the Beast Taming Space and contract a second or third pet beast. One's Beast Tamer rank would rise accordingly as well.

"I wonder what level it is to awaken successfully on the first meditation?"

"It should count as pretty good, right?" Chen Qi thought to himself.

At the same time, a pale blue screen appeared before Chen Yuan's eyes.

Host: Chen Yuan

Level: Beginner Beast Tamer

Skill: Telepathy (allows one to know the inner thoughts of contracted pet beasts)

Origin Points: 1

"So I'm a Beginner Beast Tamer now." Chen Yuan's eyes lit up.

"Does that mean the ranks above are intermediate and advanced?"

"Basic Meditation Method 1.0" did not explain this information. Chen Yuan was unsure whether it was intentional or whether even the authorities did not know.

As for the Telepathy on the panel, it was a skill every newly awakened Beast Tamer would possess, allowing them to communicate with their own pet beasts.

But Chen Yuan did not have a pet beast of his own yet.

Wait!

Chen Yuan suddenly remembered something. He quickly walked out of the office and stared intently at the Flame Cloud Falcon in the iron cage.

There happened to be an Extraordinary Creature here.

Under Chen Yuan's gaze, the Flame Cloud Falcon finally woke up slowly. It instinctively curled into the corner of the cage, its slightly wary sapphire-blue eyes fixed on Chen Yuan. Its fiery red feathers had dimmed somewhat.

Chen Yuan looked at the data panel. The Flame Cloud Falcon's favorability toward him had already become 5.

For the moment, Chen Yuan did not know what tangible benefits raising favorability would bring, but the Flame Cloud Falcon was an exceptionally special Extraordinary Creature. Naturally, the higher its favorability, the better.

With that thought in mind, Chen Yuan slowly walked up to the iron cage.

The Flame Cloud Falcon's eyes widened abruptly. It flapped its wings, but its body trembled faintly.

It seemed wary, yet also as though it were simply reacting on instinct.

Normally, once a wild animal had recovered from its injuries and met the conditions for release, it should be returned to nature.

But the Flame Cloud Falcon was not an ordinary wild animal.

However, as someone within the system, Chen Yuan understood the importance of acting cautiously. Without hesitation, he took out his phone and sent a message.

"Boss, once this Fire-Spitting Little Bird regains its mobility, how should it be handled?"

His boss replied quickly. "Handle it however you see fit."

Chen Yuan's eyes flickered. "Understood."

Combining Chen Wenhao's information with his boss's reply, Chen Yuan came up with many speculations about the higher-ups' attitude toward this change.

Then—

Chen Yuan glanced at the trembling Flame Cloud Falcon and smiled gently. "There's an opportunity for free room and board right now."

"Chirp?" The Flame Cloud Falcon blinked, its face full of confusion.

"Contract with me and become my pet beast. From now on, you'll live with me and never have to worry about food or drink." Chen Yuan swept out a hand grandly, speaking with heroic confidence.

Before the Flame Cloud Falcon could react, Cola seemed to understand what Chen Yuan meant. He suddenly fixed Chen Yuan with a stare, his eyes wide with disbelief.

"Awooo!"

I was here first!

Chen Yuan looked at Cola in surprise. He suddenly felt that Cola, who had yet to become an Extraordinary Creature, was more intelligent and more humanlike than the Flame Cloud Falcon.

But Cola was not an Extraordinary Creature yet and could not form a contract with Chen Yuan.

When the Flame Cloud Falcon saw Cola's fierce reaction, it lowered its head to look at the medical bandages wrapped around its wounds. Its eyes rolled around before it puffed out its chest and nodded heavily. "Chirp!"

Free room and board sounded pretty good.