"Are you Chu Yi, a third-year student at Star Dragon Academy?"
Qin Shi, as tall as an iron tower, looked down with an appraising gaze at the handsome young man, his expression complex. Contempt, surprise, relief... a mixture of numerous emotions, like a jumble of five-flavored grains.
Beside him stood Wang Xuan and other officers, their demeanor friendly as they gazed curiously at the young man. To win Jiang Qiuyun’s heart, this kid is indeed exceptional.
"Yes, Director." Chu Yi saluted.
Bika immediately stood up and mimicked a salute to Qin Shi.
After Chu Yi’s conversation with Ian, he had received Director Qin Shi’s summons.
"Heh." Qin Shi was amused by this scene between master and pet. He chuckled and said, "I heard from Wang Xuan that it was you who killed the evil cultist and sabotaged the Life Sect’s plans?"
Chu Yi, feigning nervousness, showed a hint of surprise. "Director, the evil cultist was mainly slain by Sister Qiuyun’s Dragon Eagle. I’ve only been a Beast Tamer for a few days; I don’t possess such skills. I merely played a minor role."
He paused, his face full of admiration, his eyes twinkling like stars on a summer night. "Sister Qiuyun’s Dragon Eagle is, as expected, a War General-level beast at T0 intensity. I also hope little Bika can one day reach the level of her Dragon Eagle."
He began to attribute the credit to Jiang Qiuyun, playing the part of a modest, well-behaved young man.
"Ahem." Wang Xuan coughed lightly. Seeing Chu Yi ignore him, he coughed again, almost as if he were about to cough up a lung.
"Adjutant Wang Xuan, do you have something to say?"
Qin Shi glanced at him indifferently. Wang Xuan immediately shut his mouth, straightened his posture, and stared into the distance. "No, Director."
"Coughing so badly? I’m afraid your back’s giving out. Go home and have your wife make you some nourishing soup." Qin Shi scoffed, drawing a round of laughter from the other officers. Wang Xuan fell silent, mortified.
Soon after, Qin Shi looked at Chu Yi’s Red Fox, a meaningful curve playing on his lips.
"Chu Yi, excessive humility is just another form of pride. To have caught that girl Qiuyun’s eye, you’re no ordinary fellow."
"But," Qin Shi continued, "let me be blunt. If you want to be worthy of Jiang Qiuyun, you must achieve significant accomplishments. Don’t let your Superior Spiritual Talent go to waste!"
At this remark, everyone was astonished. Their gaze towards Chu Yi changed.
Superior Spiritual Talent—every individual possessing it was a prodigy in the Beast Taming Realm. If Lower, Medium, and High talents had numerical values, then Superior was akin to MAX, limitless.
That being the case, given the Spiritual Power he had accumulated over several years, plus contracting a Pet Beast and converting Spiritual Energy, his advance to Red Copper fourth tier in just a few days was understandable. This also had to account for the Red Fox’s Mutated Evolution.
"Understood, Director. I definitely won’t disappoint your expectations." Chu Yi looked like a subordinate who had been thoroughly motivated by his leader, outwardly appearing enthusiastic, yet his heart was actually filled with numerous doubts. Was Qin Shi trying to showcase my value?
"Very good." Qin Shi was pleased with Chu Yi’s receptive attitude. Even if it was an act, it was the kind that made superiors feel comfortable.
"At four o’clock this afternoon, I will send a car to take you back to the academy." Qin Shi pondered for a moment before saying, "The Bloody Wilderness is still too dangerous. You’re a student and can’t neglect your studies. Besides, the military is currently training Beast Tamers at the academy."
Chu Yi was silent for a moment, then said with sincerity, "Director, I want to participate in the upcoming operation."
"What operation?" Qin Shi asked blankly. "The Flesh Egg has been destroyed. What other operation could there be? And where did you hear about it?"
The Federation Military isn’t making a move? Chu Yi was momentarily surprised. His mind raced as he quickly explained, "I believe there’s more than one Flesh Egg. The mission to eliminate the evil cultists isn’t over yet; in fact, the Federation has increased the rewards significantly, far surpassing what they were before. Also, in the military camp, I saw various famous Beast Taming Teams gathered together. This was uncommon in the past. All these signs indicate that the Federation is planning a major move."
Hearing this, the officers were amazed. This kid is really sharp to deduce all that.
The confused look on Qin Shi’s face faded, replaced by a steady composure. Like a giant golden behemoth, he fixed his gaze on Chu Yi, his eyes filled with an oppressive aura.
"To deduce this much from scattered clues... you’re not as simple as you look. I suspect that if this girl Qiuyun were to be with you, you’d end up bullying her." Qin Shi grinned, revealing sharp white teeth in a smile that was not quite a smile.
Chu Yi broke out in a cold sweat. I just want to join the military operation to pick up some easy spoils. Soul, materials, evolution points—all are rich resources!
"The upcoming operation is extremely dangerous. Even I might not make it out safely. Now, I’ll ask you one more time." Qin Shi said coldly, "You, are you truly set on joining this operation? It’s a place where you could die ten times over and still not escape."
Chu Yi deliberately hesitated for a moment, then firmed his resolve. "Yes."
"Good!" Qin Shi clapped, then swept his gaze over the officers with a smile. "See that? That’s the attitude. He finally has the demeanor of a prodigy."
The officers nodded, their eyes filled with appreciation as they looked at Chu Yi. Under Qin Shi’s Gold-level deliberate intimidation, the boy’s courage was commendable; he was a promising talent.
With such great courage, matched by his strength and talent—that’s what defined a prodigy, someone worthy of the Federation investing greater resources to cultivate. Otherwise, courage alone wasn’t enough; that was just being a brute.
"Kid, you’ve passed the test. I’ll allow you to be with Qiuyun. However," Qin Shi continued, "I’ll assign you to a team to eliminate the cultists on the periphery. Alright, you can scram now. Don’t stand here being an eyesore."
The door slammed shut.
Chu Yi took Bika. The man and his fox were kicked out, still feeling baffled. Although Qin Shi’s attitude was rough, Chu Yi inexplicably sensed a hint of appreciation from him.
"Chu Yi, don’t leave yet." Wang Xuan also came out and pulled Chu Yi aside to explain. "The Director means to give you a share of the credit for killing the evil cultists. This way, you can prove your worth to outsiders."
"Ah..." Chu Yi deliberately frowned, feigning the innocence of a naive young man. "But that credit belongs to Sister Qiuyun. Is this really okay?"
"Hehe." Wang Xuan patted Chu Yi’s shoulder and smiled. "If you want to pursue Jiang Qiuyun, you must prove that you are outstanding enough to be worthy of her. Oh, you don’t know yet, do you? Director Qin Shi is actually Jiang Qiuyun’s uncle."
Chu Yi was stunned. "Uncle..."
Wang Xuan smiled, seeing the boy was genuinely scared. "The Qin Family in Yaoguang City," he said reassuringly, "though not all-powerful, is a prominent Beast Taming Family. They wield enormous power in military, governmental, and commercial spheres. So, if you want to pursue Jiang Qiuyun, the princess of the Qin Family, you must be prepared to put in significantly more effort and dedication. You’ll need to use illustrious achievements to silence any critics."