Researcher in the Beast Taming World

"From Six-Star Street comes the song again, eight goats riding horses~~~"

A clear, ringing melody started up, and a hand reached out from beneath the covers, fumbling for the phone.

Jiang Xing, still bleary-eyed, turned off the alarm and glanced at the time.

Ten thirty...

It was still early. Today was the weekend, and he had no classes. He could sleep until noon before getting up to think about lunch.

Jiang Xing yawned, preparing to catch some more sleep.

Then his phone chimed, and a message popped up.

[Senior Sister Su: How is your thesis coming along?]

Seeing Senior Sister Su's message, Jiang Xing rubbed his eyes. He was only a sophomore—what thesis was he supposed to write?

As soon as he sent back his question, a pleasant voice message from Senior Sister Su popped up.

"Jiang Xing, what are you talking about? Finals are almost here. An entire year has passed, and you still haven't produced a single thesis on Water-Type Pet Beast evolution. Do you want to get kicked out of the major like everyone else?"

Water-Type Pet Beasts? Kicked out of the major?

Jiang Xing was utterly confused.

Since when did their "aquaculture major" have anything to do with "Water-Type Pet Beast evolution"? And what the hell were Water-Type Pet Beasts? Had Senior Sister Su gone crazy from playing too many games?

Besides, getting kicked out of the major for failing to finish one thesis... that was going too far, wasn't it?

Aquaculture was already a niche major among niche majors. A quick online search turned up nothing but warnings against it. When Jiang Xing enrolled last year, only three other students had entered the program alongside him. Two transferred out in less than a month, while the remaining one did not even last until the end of the semester.

Jiang Xing still remembered returning to school after winter break. His advisor had pulled him into the office and earnestly told him that he was now the sole surviving student in the major. As long as he did not run away, scholarships and credits would be maxed out for him... If he maintained excellent grades throughout his four years of university, he could choose any graduate recommendation he wanted...

His advisor had promised him so much back then. How could he possibly fail him over one unfinished thesis?

Just as Jiang Xing was about to ask further, an invisible current suddenly shot through his brain, and countless pieces of information surged forth in a frantic rush.

Once he digested that information, he abruptly sat up.

Holy shit, he'd transmigrated!

Though rather than transmigration, it felt more like a timeline shift from Steins;Gate.

Jiang Xing himself, his parents, his advisor, Senior Sister Su, and the others had not changed much. Only the world's backdrop had changed—

The original "Information Age," which revered science and where the internet and AI grew increasingly advanced, had become the "Beast Taming Era," a world where magical creatures roamed freely and people could contract Pet Beasts and command them in battle!

According to the memories Jiang Xing had just synchronized with—

Several centuries ago, an interdimensional Secret Realm had descended upon this world.

It was like a fragment of wreckage from another world, containing remnants of civilization as well as magical creatures capable of commanding wind and rain like those from myth and legend. For a time, it had been regarded as a divine miracle.

Moreover, when it descended, it seemed to have brought some sort of mysterious factor with it.

Many native species of Blue Star underwent wondrous transformations as well, becoming entirely new magical creatures and gaining the ability to evolve.

During this process, humans also awakened the ability to contract and command Pet Beasts.

Those who contracted, captured, and raised Pet Beasts were called Beast Tamers.

Back to the present.

Several centuries had passed since the Primal Secret Realm descended.

Pet Beasts and Beast Tamers had completely integrated into human civilization, becoming one of its most important components.

Clothing, food, housing, transportation—everything in the world was closely tied to Pet Beasts and inseparable from them.

And because there were simply too many kinds of Pet Beasts, with all manner of evolutionary forms, while Secret Realms still constantly descended upon Blue Star and brought new things into the world even now...

Knowledge related to Pet Beasts had become the primary focus of scholarly research.

"If the names, appearances, and abilities of Pet Beasts in these synchronized memories weren't so vastly different from the creatures in Pokemon..."

"Then this really would feel like a world where Pokemon and Earth had merged."

After sorting through his thoughts, Jiang Xing also understood the "thesis" Senior Sister Su had mentioned—

Following the shift in the worldline, the formerly unpopular major of "Aquaculture" had become the extremely sought-after "Water-Type Pet Beast Research."

This was one of Yuzhong University's most prestigious majors, specializing in training Water-Type Pet Beast Researchers. Graduates could head directly to the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Precisely because of that, the major's requirements were extremely demanding, admitting no more than five students per year.

If they could not produce the appropriate results and thesis by the end of the semester, they would be eliminated and forcibly transferred to other majors, such as the popular "Water-Type Beast Combat" or "Water-Type Beast Breeding" programs...

The reason Senior Sister Su was so anxious was that she was worried Jiang Xing had failed to complete his assignment and would lose his precious place in the major.

Fortunately, Jiang Xing had merely been half-asleep earlier.

After synchronizing his memories, he recalled that he had already spent nearly half a year raising an entire pool of Water-Type Pet Beasts...

He had recorded all the necessary experimental data long ago, and his thesis was already more than halfway complete.

He did not need to worry about being kicked out of his major right after transmigrating.

Remembering all that, Jiang Xing quickly sent Senior Sister Su a message, explaining that he had merely been groggy from sleep earlier and that his thesis had long been prepared, so she did not need to worry...

Seeing the [Angry Chubby Fish] sticker Senior Sister Su sent back, he smiled, then could not help sighing.

The changes were enormous.

In the original world, although Senior Sister Su excelled academically and had already achieved several impressive research results in her junior year, published acclaimed professional papers, and received offers from well-known companies... she had been a true academic genius.

But in the Beast Taming World, her achievements were even more outrageous!

Before even graduating, she had already become a widely recognized [Water-Type Pet Beast Researcher]. With the Water-Type Pet Beasts she had raised herself, she had become Xia Kingdom's youngest [Heavenly King Rank Beast Tamer], won the Xia Youth Cup, independently explored several high-risk Water-Type Secret Realms, and conducted considerable research into ruins of interdimensional civilizations...

She was an all-round genius, the most dazzling rising star among Xia Kingdom's many young talents!

That string of achievements and titles nearly blinded Jiang Xing.

Likewise, there was Jiang Xing and Senior Sister Su's teacher, the advisor of the "Water-Type Pet Beast Research" major, Dr. Xu, who was known as the "Water Element Doctor"!

In the Beast Taming World, the title of Doctor carried far more weight than it did in the original world.

There were fewer than thirty Doctors in the entire world. Each specialized in a different field and could be considered a treasure of humanity, possessing an understanding of Pet Beasts that ordinary people could hardly compare to.

Even Legendary Beast Tamers praised as pillars of the nation had to respectfully address them as Doctor.

That kind of change in status was even more absurd than Senior Sister Su's.

As for Jiang Xing himself...

Well...

He was an ordinary university student, still far from earning a Researcher Title. Even his final thesis required him to give it everything he had while constantly hovering at the edge of being expelled by his advisor.

Fine, that was normal too.

Jiang Xing knew himself well. He had always been a slacker, so naturally he was still a slacker in another world.

Besides, he was not actually that ordinary—

In this world, simply passing Dr. Xu's assessment, entering the Water-Type Pet Beast Research major, becoming his student, and persisting until the end of sophomore year already put Jiang Xing ahead of 99.99% of students.

After synchronizing his memories, he possessed a solid foundation in Pet Beast Research.

Even if he truly disappointed his teacher and got kicked out of the major, he would definitely still be a top-tier talent in the future.

"All in all, this worldline shift was a huge win!"

Thinking about this brand-new world and all kinds of magical Pet Beasts, Jiang Xing's sleepiness vanished completely. He eagerly jumped out of bed, changed clothes, and rushed out of the room.

When he arrived outside the dormitory, an unfamiliar yet familiar sight spread out before him—

Strange giant birds flew through the sky with their wings outstretched. They wore tiny yellow caps and had takeout boxes slung across their bodies, seemingly delivering food.

Several fluffy hamsters sensed the presence of humans and quietly hid in the grass.

Students walked along the paths accompanied by strangely shaped cats, dogs, bears, and all sorts of rare, bizarre animals that looked like they had stepped out of an anime.

There were even ghostlike creatures that passed through walls, secretly snatched hats off pedestrians' heads, then flew away into the distance with mischievous laughter.

A fantastical scene unfolded before his eyes.

Jiang Xing's eyes filled with tears.

Twenty years. He had finally lived to see this day!

After leaving the dormitory, Jiang Xing eagerly made his way to the university laboratory building according to his memories.

When he opened the door, an indoor fish pond filled with clear water came into view.

The moment he saw the ten striped carp swimming through the pond, joy appeared in his eyes.

These were "his Pet Beasts"—

In the Beast Taming World, everyone possessed the ability to contract Pet Beasts, but not everyone was a [Beast Tamer].

Like a modern firearms license, only those who possessed knowledge of feeding and raising Pet Beasts, had sufficient financial means, and had no history of mental illness could pass the assessment and become [Beast Tamers].

Ordinary people could at most adopt some docile, pet-type Pet Beasts to satisfy their fondness for them.

Of those three conditions, Jiang Xing met two, but lacked the most important one—money.

His family was poor. His parents had already exhausted themselves just supporting him through school, with no means left to support him in capturing and raising a Pet Beast.

Therefore, Jiang Xing had never asked for a Pet Beast, nor had he even kept a pet.

Instead, he poured all his love for Pet Beasts into knowledge, successfully entered Yuzhong University, and became Dr. Xu's student.

After receiving the scholarship and research funding granted by the university, he had not pocketed any of it.

Instead, he had used it all to purchase experimental materials and test subjects.

—The Water-Type Pet Beast [Golden-Veined Koi].

[Name: Golden-Veined Koi]

[Attribute: Water Type]

[Talent: Moist]

[Species Rank: Low-Transcendental]

[Species Skills: Water Leap, Tackle, Splash, Water Gun.]

[Description: A fish-type Pet Beast distributed throughout major rivers and freshwater lakes. Because of its beautiful golden-patterned scales and gentle temperament, it is raised as an ornamental fish.]

"Although I came to the Beast Taming World without becoming a Beast Tamer or owning a Pet Beast of my own, and can only satisfy myself with experimental Pet Beasts, that is a bit of a pity..."

"But that might not necessarily be a bad thing."

"Beast Taming battles in this world aren't showy competitions like the ones in Pokemon."

"Even in official tournaments, Beast Tamers must fight alongside their Pet Beasts. If the Beast Tamer is defeated, that means the battle is lost..."

"During this process, Beast Tamers can easily suffer severe injuries!"

"And fights in Secret Realms have no rules at all. Beast Tamers can attack their enemies however they please, and they themselves may be targeted and killed... It is an extremely dangerous profession."

"Compared to Pokemon battles, it's far too savage."

Jiang Xing was not a Beast Tamer who had undergone training since childhood. Starting halfway through life would be even riskier.

After all, he was not some super rookie who played SM with Thunderbolt every day, carried 999 kilograms on his shoulders without changing expression, and could take a Divine Beast's attack to the face before bouncing back like nothing had happened...

If he was killed, he would really die.

By comparison, being a researcher was a pretty good choice.

He could still come into contact with large numbers of Pet Beasts, contract the Pet Beasts he liked, and enjoy high status and respect.

The living conditions were much better than those of ordinary Beast Tamers.

"I won't become a Beast Tamer this time. I'll honestly be a researcher."

Jiang Xing picked up the fish food beside him and scattered a handful into the pond.

The Golden-Veined Koi immediately swam over and swallowed the food.

Watching these lively Pet Beasts, he recalled the relevant information.

There were an enormous number of Pet Beast species in the Beast Taming World. There were more than one hundred thousand basic-form Pet Beasts alone, and that number continued to rise.

More than sixty percent of those Pet Beasts possessed more than one evolutionary form and more than two evolutionary stages.

For example, Xia Kingdom's national treasure and Chuanyu's iconic Pet Beast, [Baby Panda], could evolve into either [Martial Arts Panda] or [Thug Panda].

[Martial Arts Panda] could then evolve into either [Panda Grandmaster] or [Panda Hero].

[Thug Panda] could then evolve into either [Extreme Way Giant Bear] or [Vicious Bear King].

That made for a total of five evolutionary forms!

It even possessed a legendary form, the hidden Divine Beast variant [Iron-Eating Overlord]!

Such abundant Pet Beasts and forms, combined with the bizarre requirements for evolution, made Pet Beast Evolution Studies an exceptionally complex discipline.

There was even a widely accepted statement in academic circles—

So far, humanity had discovered and mastered less than half of all Pet Beast forms!

That was why Dr. Xu's sophomore assignment for Jiang Xing was a thesis on the evolution of Water-Type Pet Beasts.

Whether he found an unrecorded evolutionary form of a Water-Type Pet Beast or proved that a Water-Type Pet Beast had no additional forms...

As long as the thesis was well-supported and the data rigorous, he would pass.

"The thesis looks pretty simple... but it actually places extremely demanding requirements on one's understanding of Water-Type Pet Beast ecology and evolution-related knowledge..."

"Many Beast Tamers haven't even figured out the evolutions of known Pet Beasts, let alone researched unknown evolutions."

Fortunately, Jiang Xing of this parallel world possessed an exceptionally solid foundation of knowledge.

The ten Golden-Veined Koi before him were already the tenth batch he had raised.

In the previous nine experiments, the [Golden-Veined Koi] he raised had evolved into [Electric-Veined Gold Carp] and [Big-Tail Gold Carp], respectively.

Although both were known evolutionary types, he had successfully proven, through adjusting variables, that Golden-Veined Koi possessed no further evolutionary forms.

As long as this batch of Golden-Veined Koi completed their evolutions and supplied the final experimental data, together with the existing evolution formulas, he could complete the proof—

That was: Golden-Veined Koi had exactly two first-stage evolutionary forms.

Once Dr. Xu approved it, his final assignment would be complete.

After reviewing the experimental data one last time, Jiang Xing nodded in satisfaction.

Wasn't this pretty simple?

Jiang Xing returned to the edge of the pond and reached into the water. The ten beautiful carp immediately swam over, obediently poking their heads above the surface and rubbing against his hand while making little whimpering noises like dolphins.

"No, you have already absorbed enough nutrients. If you eat any more, it will affect your growth."

Jiang Xing smiled warmly. These Pet Beasts were so intelligent, so adorable.

And he was not simply lying to the little fishies.

Raising Pet Beasts was a highly scientific matter. It was not as simple as piling rare resources onto them. Just as humans could become obese from overeating, Pet Beasts that absorbed too much energy could suffer indigestion and regress rather than improve.

Cultivation resources were overly complex, and conflicting properties could even cause a spirit to suffer internal injuries and damage its potential.

There were also training methods involved—a complex and scientific set of theories.

This was also within a Beast Tamer's field of expertise. Jiang Xing was not Senior Sister Su; he was not that versatile, nor did he know enough.

But he also knew that these Golden-Veined Koi, whose species rank was merely [Low-Transcendental] and who were classified as ornamental Pet Beasts, could not casually absorb too much energy.

That was also why Jiang Xing had chosen them as the subject of his paper.

They were cheap.

Just as Jiang Xing stroked the Golden-Veined Koi and played with the little Yuyus to relieve their boredom,

his vision blurred for a moment, and a message suddenly appeared before him.

[Welcome to the Pokemon World.]

[Your current identity has been detected. Super Researcher System successfully loaded.]

[This is a brand-new world where spirits and Blue Star have merged. The Pokedex has recorded only 151 kinds of Pokemon, and everything is just beginning... As a rookie researcher, you will lead this world out of its ignorance and toward a prosperous future!]

Jiang Xing blinked.

Was this his system?

A researcher system seemed quite fitting for his ambitions.

But...

What the hell was the Pokemon World?!

One hundred and fifty-one Pokemon—based on the number of Pet Beasts Jiang Xing remembered, even adding three more zeroes would still be nowhere near enough!

Had this system identified the wrong world?

This was not Pokemon fanfiction. This was an original setting!

At that moment, a Golden-Veined Koi nudged Jiang Xing's hand, and the panel changed again.

[Ding ding! You have discovered Magikarp!]

[In the Spirit World, which has only just begun, people have yet to fully understand how Magikarp evolves... It is time to put on a Dragon Gate Leap and give the world a little Gyarados shock!]

[You have received a quest: Evolve a Magikarp into Gyarados.]

[Cheat Sheet: In the real world, for Magikarp to evolve into Gyarados, it not only needs a high level, but also a Fearless Heart capable of leaping the Dragon Gate.]

[Reward: Move Tutor (Outrage), Power Bracer (Human).]

A huge question mark appeared over Jiang Xing's head.

Never mind whether the world would be shocked... he was shocked first.

You called this thing a Magikarp?!

System, answer me!!