Beast Taming: I'm Really Just a Forest Ranger

Cai Hong stared at the Snow Cloud Wolf for a while, waved his hand and smiled, "It’s okay, a few days of hunger will tame it."

Although the spiritual energy in the air can maintain the most basic needs for life, prolonged reliance on it will leave the Pet Beast in a very lethargic state.

"Alright, since we’ve delivered this Snow Cloud Wolf, we can rest assured," Chen Yuan glanced at the time and said with a smile, "It’s getting late, we should take our leave."

Seeing the sky darkening, Cai Hong hurriedly persuaded, "Advisor Chen, it’s so late, don’t go back."

"I’ll be the host tonight to thank you both for this big surprise. Besides, there are plenty of empty rooms in the base. If you don’t mind, please stay here for the night."

Chen Yuan looked at Zhang Hao, who was visibly exhausted, and finally nodded, "Alright."

Before long,

At the dinner table.

"Advisor Chen, according to current regulations, for bringing the Pet Beast all the way here, you two can earn some Contribution Value," Cai Hong said.

Before Chen Yuan could respond, Zhang Hao’s face broke into a bright smile.

"If there are similar Pet Beasts in the future, please be sure to contact me. I will send someone to pick them up so you won’t have to make a special trip," Cai Hong continued.

"Okay," Chen Yuan said.

Cai Hong glanced at Chen Yuan and suddenly had a thought. He opened his mouth but hesitated to speak.

Chen Yuan noticed Cai Hong’s reaction and smiled, "Cai, if you have something to say, just say it."

"Actually... I want to ask Advisor Chen for a small favor." Cai Hong bit his lip and finally couldn’t suppress the sudden thought.

"Go ahead."

Seeing that Chen Yuan remained unchanged, Cai Hong secretly breathed a sigh of relief and continued, "Tomorrow, a group of young people who have just become Beastmasters will come to the training base to select Pet Beasts, but you have seen the base’s current situation..."

"I fear they will be disappointed."

Chen Yuan nodded slightly.

"I’m currently in charge, but I am powerless. However, I don’t want these Beastmasters to make a wasted trip."

After a slight pause, Cai Hong lowered his eyes, speaking with a heavy tone, "They are just a group of kids, newly becoming Beastmasters, full of enthusiasm and passion for the Beastmaster path. If they see a base like this but can’t make a contract with a suitable Pet Beast, they will surely be disappointed."

Chen Yuan put down his chopsticks and listened quietly to Cai Hong.

"So, I want to ask you to put on a show, so even if these kids don’t contract a suitable Pet Beast, they won’t feel like it was a wasted trip."

Hearing this, Chen Yuan became interested and asked, "Oh? What kind of show?"

Cai Hong smiled slightly, "It’s simple, we just need your Flame Cloud Falcon to cooperate with the Snow Cloud Wolf..."

...

October 16th, Wednesday.

Sunny.

Early in the morning, Liu Zhihao took a bus with seven other young people of similar age to the Baokun City training base.

"Hello everyone, I’m Li Qian, a staff member at the training base," said the young woman who was responsible for greeting them.

"Hello, Teacher Li," everyone replied.

These students were high school seniors who had just successfully meditated for the first time. After discussions with their families, they had signed agreements with the Beastmaster Association to enter Yunhua Beast Taming Academy upon graduation.

Therefore, they could select a Pet Beast for free at the training base. If they didn’t find a suitable one, they could buy one at the lowest price with the Association’s support at a Pet Beast store.

Having just stepped through the base’s gates, they were already full of anticipation and excitement.

Li Qian led them to the first area.

"This is the Mountain Area," Li Qian said, gesturing with her hand.

The eager group looked around and saw greenery everywhere, streams trickling, and the silhouettes of a few Pet Beasts, either hiding in corners as Wood Leaf Rats or basking by the river as Water Spirit Turtles.

"Students, the Wood Leaf Rat and the Water Spirit Turtle are very suitable Pet Beasts for novice Beastmasters," Li Qian said with a smile.

"So cute, the Wood Leaf Rat!"

"The Water Spirit Turtle is the cutest!"

Hearing the lively discussions, Liu Zhihao silently shook his head and didn’t join in.

He wasn’t interested in these cute-type Pet Beasts; he preferred...

The Snow Cloud Wolf he encountered on the road yesterday.

Majestic and imposing, the perfect Pet Beast!

"Huh? Teacher Li, why are there so few Pet Beasts?" someone suddenly questioned.

Li Qian’s expression remained unchanged as she explained, "The training base is still in the development stage, so there are currently not many Pet Beasts."

Seeing the slight change in people’s expressions, she quickly changed the subject, "Let’s move on."

"This is the Grassland Area..."

"This is the Swamp Area..."

As they walked further, they saw fewer and fewer Pet Beasts, and in one swamp area, they only saw two.

Suddenly, discussions flared up among the group:

"The training base doesn’t seem good; there are too few Pet Beasts."

"I haven’t seen one I’m satisfied with yet."

"Since it’s a free selection, we can’t ask for much."

"But this is too shabby..."

"I’ll have my parents work hard to get me a better one."

Amidst the ongoing discussions, Li Qian remained calm and suddenly stopped, pointing forward, "Students, the main event is here."

The group stopped their conversation and, as one, looked up—on a huge rock lay a snow-white figure.

One student immediately exclaimed, "It’s a Snow Cloud Wolf!"

"What a big Snow Cloud Wolf!"

At the first sight of this body, Liu Zhihao’s eyes widened, and he pressed himself against the fence, his eyes filled with surprise and curiosity.

This...

This is definitely the Snow Cloud Wolf from yesterday!

Exclamations arose one after another, and Li Qian finally revealed a faint smile, "That’s right, it’s a Snow Cloud Wolf."

"Yesterday, a powerful Beastmaster brought it to the base."

After a slight pause, she continued, "Oh, and this Snow Cloud Wolf is Tier Two in strength."

"Really?!!"

"Wow, a Tier Two Snow Cloud Wolf!"

"Can I contract this Snow Cloud Wolf?!!"

The students were stunned by Li Qian’s introduction, and they all pressed against the fence, staring at the Snow Cloud Wolf as waves of exclamations filled the air.

Li Qian replied, "You can’t, you are all Initial-tier Beastmasters and can’t handle a Tier Two Snow Cloud Wolf."

"So, strive to become mid-tier Beastmasters; this Snow Cloud Wolf will be waiting for you at the training base."

Upon hearing this, Liu Zhihao’s eyes burned with determination as he quietly clenched his fists, "I must contract it!"

At that moment, the students’ exclamations might have woken the Snow Cloud Wolf. It suddenly opened its eyes, its sharp gaze sweeping over them, its majestic, proud body slowly standing up, its thick, wild fur billowing, and it roared at the group, "Awoo!!!"

Instantly, a gust of snow and wind expanded around it, and a terrifying pressure loomed over them.

Facing this Tier Two Snow Cloud Wolf, the students’ expressions changed, with some turning deathly pale, frozen in place.

Seeing Pet Beasts on television and encountering them up close are two completely different experiences.

The fear rooted in the deepest part of the soul startled this group of newly-minted Beastmasters.

Only Liu Zhihao remained standing, facing the furious Snow Cloud Wolf, his body slightly trembling, unable to discern whether it was fear or excitement.

"Chirp!"

Just then, a highly penetrative cry rang out from high above, freeing the students from their terror. They all looked up—a fiery orange figure swooped down from the sky at incredible speed, diving toward the Snow Cloud Wolf!

Its speed was astonishing, its wings emitting a blazing stream of flames, engulfing its entire body in the searing fire, drawing ever closer to the Snow Cloud Wolf!

Li Qian recalled her rehearsed lines and quickly introduced, "Students, this is the most powerful Pet Beast in our training base."

"A powerful Beastmaster accepted our request to temporarily place this Flame Cloud Falcon in our base, responsible for..."

She paused slightly, delivering the final, melodramatic line with full emotion, which was immensely impactful for middle school students, "responsible for maintaining the base’s order and subduing those disobedient Pet Beasts!"

"This rebellious Snow Cloud Wolf is its target for subjugation!"