Beast Tamer: I Can See Evolution Paths

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Because of various reasons, Felix hated Asher.

Especially after realizing that he would never be able to enter a higher-level Beast Taming Academy again, Felix's hatred for Asher became bone-deep.

But given the vast difference in status between him and Asher... if he wanted to cause any real impact on Asher…

Felix decisively chose to spread the word far and wide about Asher's research before he could achieve any concrete results.

Let's see how Asher plans to continue his research then.

Words and doubt have power.

When accumulated, doubt can destroy a person.

And in Felix's view, Asher was just an immature, meteoric rising young genius who had no ability to withstand external doubt and suppression.

Even if he couldn't directly ruin Asher himself, at the very least, he could ruin Asher's experiment.

He refused to believe it.

If Asher was questioned enough times, would he still have the heart to immerse himself in research?

Felix: 'Hehehe!'

Felix: 'I will make everyone who looks down on me pay the price!'

———

"It hasn't even been a month—at most, a week!" The one who spoke wasn't President Robb, but the anxious Felix.

Hearing this, Desmond's confidence returned.

'Alright.'

'At most a week?' Robb had sworn that results would be produced—if that wasn't just an outright scam, then what was it?

"Robb, you old dog, you don't even have the most basic integrity as a person anymore." Desmond was just short of glaring at the phone with a murderous look. His voice, icy cold, carried deep-seated disappointment and anger: "I never thought you'd turn into someone this shameless, someone who only protects his own people."

"Let me tell you, I already have witnesses, and you admitted to this yourself."

"If you're still my good comrade, you'd better shut this project down immediately. Otherwise, don't blame me for being ruthless and reporting you."

President Robb: "…"

President Robb really wanted to shove his rolling eyes through the phone straight into Desmond's face.

"Heh, if you've got the guts, go ahead. You talk as if I'm afraid of you." President Robb scoffed, sounding so arrogant he was practically looking down from the heavens. "If you don't report me, then you're my grandson."

"You!"

Desmond was so furious that his hair practically stood on end, and his chest burned with pent-up rage: "Fine, fine, fine! Just you wait!"

President Robb hung up the phone with a loud snap.

"Heh! I'll be waiting!" He chuckled, switching his phone to silent mode and stuffing it into his pocket, pretending not to see the incessant incoming calls and messages from Desmond.

When Asher saw President Robb's expression, he knew his Uncle Robb was definitely up to something.

"Uncle Robb, how do you plan to mess with him?"

"Heh~ What nonsense are you spouting!" President Robb puffed up his chest, looking righteous: "Do I look like that kind of person?"

Asher nodded.

President Robb glared at him, then immediately broke into laughter: "I was just fretting over how to report your research results."

"Submitting them through the normal procedure feels too… ordinary…"

"And here comes a pillow when I was just feeling drowsy.",President Robb laughed again, unable to hold it in.

Asher instantly understood his meaning.

'Oh, wow.'

'So he planned to use the president of the Bluestone Beast Tamer Alliance as a tool?'

"Besides, I also want to find out who's pulling the strings behind the scenes." President Robb saw through Asher's expression at a glance. He straightened his face and snorted disdainfully, "Hmph! Never mind your project itself—you're a genius. So what if a little million-dollar project is your way of indulging yourself?"

"So what if you waste money?"

"If you're truly obsessed with this, so what?"

"What's the big deal?"

"The Alliance wastes so much money every year that no one even hears a splash."

President Robb was just short of outright saying that Asher could spend whatever he wanted.

Spending a million to entertain a kid—what's the harm in letting Asher go wild on his favorite project?

Asher: "…"

"…Uncle Robb, you sound really generous now, but how did you persuade me back then?"

"That's different." President Robb waved a hand dismissively. "I persuaded you to think more carefully. Approving your project was emotional—I didn't want to discourage my own kid. Lowering your budget was me fulfilling my duty and responsibility as the Alliance President."

"I did my best to strike a balance between sentiment and reason while meeting your needs, staying true to the trust the Alliance placed in me."

And in just a week, Asher had really produced results…

That was what shocked President Robb.

"Thank you, Uncle Robb." Asher smiled at his words.

He had to admit.

His golden finger played a role, but President Robb had also helped him a lot—greenlighting things, shielding him from obstacles. Asher genuinely appreciated him.

"Come on, no need for thanks between us!" Though President Robb said that, he was grinning from ear to ear.

Then he added, "Stay out of this. No matter who's been stabbing you in the back, I won't let them get away with it!"

"Just you wait. They think I'm a paper tiger?"

After witnessing the power of the Holy Light Sunflower firsthand, President Robb was now full of energy, brimming with confidence and fighting spirit.

Come on!

Who dares challenge him!

The NY City Beast Tamer Alliance was standing right here.

Since President Robb had said so, Asher naturally didn't take this matter to heart.

Besides, Felix hadn't confronted him directly—his smear campaign was all done in the shadows. Asher couldn't be bothered to go out of his way for someone like him.

If Felix really dared to prance in front of him, then he'd just stomp him down.

With his current influence, crushing a mere Felix was effortless.

Asher led his lab team in a deep dive into the Holy Light Sunflower's abilities.

After being released, Little Raven and Cat-Worm clung to Asher, refusing to leave him. The reason? A large, pitch-black Holy Light Sunflower, with a massive pancake-like face, was watching them with gleaming eyes nearby.

Holy Light Sunflower: 'Hey hey~'

"Nya!"

'Come on!'

'Let me give you a Holy Light spa!'

'What?'

'Malicious revenge?'

'No, no, no!'

'Definitely not!'

Little Raven and Cat-Worm: '…Yeah, right!'

Holy Light Sunflower: "Nya~"

Ghostly laughter echoed from the ghostly face at the center of its massive sunflower head.

Little Raven: (｀ー)

Cat-Worm: QwO

Could they say they actually missed Bean Flower and Dream Soul Spirit?

Absolutely not because those two looked easier to bully.

Asher, who was now their bird-perch and cat-tree, found the situation amusing and ruffled their heads. Then… he made a new discovery.

After the Holy Light Sunflower evolved… his long-dormant innate talent had miraculously changed.

[Affinity] → [Given Power]

Unlike [Affinity], which only provided a slight goodwill boost…

[Given Power] was… how should he put it…? If he had to describe it…

It was as if he had suddenly turned into a Disney princess.

Beasts all had a high favorability toward him.

And if he wanted, he could understand what they were saying.

A very practical ability.

But the description of [Given Power]—"Beasts will express their affection for you in their own way"—made Asher feel a little uneasy.

Because…

Wasn't this just like how cats showed gratitude by gifting dead mice or dead sparrows to humans?

Cats: 'Are you awed by my superior hunting skills, human?'

Humans: *Screaming in horror*

There exists a barrier between human and kitten perception.

Similarly, there exists a barrier between human and Beast perception.

Asher glanced at his two pet beasts. Perhaps because their affection for him was already maxed out and due to their long-term companionship, Little Raven and Cat-Worm showed no unusual reactions despite his talent skill leveling up.

As for utilizing this ability... Asher felt it still required careful experimentation.

For example...

Asher once again reached out to push away the massive sunflower head that was trying to nuzzle up to him, eager to bestow upon him a Holy Light Saliva Bath—Holy Light Sunflower.

"Go." Asher pointed at Jameson, who was not far away. "Release Holy Light on him."

The Holy Light Sunflower obediently hopped over.

Asher, along with Little Raven and Cat-Worm, let out a long sigh of relief.

"Meow~ Meow~..."

'Life as a dragon is tough!'

Little Raven nodded in agreement, its large golden-red eyes avoiding the direction of the Holy Light Sunflower, fearing that if it accidentally drew its attention, it would turn around again.

Rather than having themselves suffer, why not trick the Holy Light Sunflower into harassing its own Beastmaster instead?

After all, the Holy Light Sunflower's skill wasn't dangerous to humans.

Of course, it wasn't particularly useful either.

And since humans couldn't absorb that blackish-purple saliva...ahem, holy water, once it dried up, it left behind a rather peculiar smell.

Other than that, there was nothing bad about it.

Jameson · Excitedly pounced on by the Holy Light Sunflower · Holy Light activated · Body stiffened under a torrential baptism of saliva · Jameson: "..."

Stiff.

Dazed.

Jameson had completely given up resisting, looking like an empty shell devoid of a soul.

Some people may seem alive on the surface, but in reality, they are already dead inside.

Nearby, Sarah and Chase, while recording documents, stole glances at Jameson, their lips curling into knowing smiles.

Sacrificing one Jameson, for the greater good of the entire lab.

Feeling uplifted, their research progress naturally sped up as well—"swish swish swish"—faster than ever.

In just three short days, under Asher's intentional and unintentional guidance, even the Holy Light Sunflower's talent skill had been thoroughly excavated.

———

NY City Beastmaster Alliance.

Today, the entire building was filled with an air of seriousness.

The front desk receptionist, her colleagues, and even the janitor auntie were all on edge, maintaining a solemn demeanor.

The people coming in and out, affected by the atmosphere, couldn't help but tread carefully.

Left glance, right glance—

Trying to figure out what was happening.

Until, not long after—

Four individuals emerged from President Robb's office.

At the forefront was a tall woman, her qipao outlining an exquisite, curvaceous figure. She stepped in white high heels, her face breathtakingly beautiful yet ice-cold, exuding an air of elegance.

Flanking her on either side were President Robb and Desmond.

Trailing behind them was a young man, hunched over, giving off an untrustworthy vibe at first glance.

The moment these four walked out of the NY City Beastmaster Alliance building, the suffocating tension inside finally dissipated.

"Whew—finally! That was terrifying! I didn't even dare to breathe!"

"Same here! Everyone felt the same! It was just too nerve-wracking! That lady...!"

The speaker gestured with both hands, giving their companion a meaningful look,"She actually walked ahead of President Robb! Who exactly is she?"

"You don't know? Not only was she ahead of President Robb, but beside her was none other than President Desmond of the Bluestone City Beastmaster Alliance!"

"Whoa—"

Exclamations erupted, followed by a collective hush.

Glancing around cautiously, they huddled together once more to gossip in hushed voices.

"Knowing President Desmond's identity doesn't help. Does anyone know who that lady is? She looks so young. If she were a relative of President Robb or President Ding... that wouldn't make sense."

"Whose relative could be that badass? Use your brain!"

"But who's that sneaky guy following behind them? He looks so shady."

"No idea, didn't pay attention—my eyes were glued to the beautiful lady."

"So, does anyone actually know this gorgeous lady's identity? Maybe I have a chance to zh—"

"I... I think I know her position."

At that moment, the receptionist's words instantly drew everyone's attention.

SWOOSH SWOOSH SWOOSH—

Dozens of eyes locked onto her, practically urging her to spill the beans.

Despite the intense gazes, the receptionist remained calm, waving her hand slightly. "I overheard a bit while bringing tea and water into the president's office. Also, didn't you notice the emblem on her hairpin?"

Everyone else: "???"

Straining to recall...

Failed.

"Wait..." Someone's eyes suddenly widened. "The Golden Dragon Emblem?"

The receptionist gave him a thumbs-up. "That's right. The Golden Dragon Emblem of the Inspection Division."

The Beastmaster Alliance, as the nation's largest official organization, had branches in cities large and small.

To efficiently cultivate excellent Beastmasters and talent, provincial alliance presidents were granted significant autonomy.

However, that did not make them absolute rulers within their respective regions.

The Alliance had an auditing and assessment system for these presidents.

Typically, these audits were conducted by regular inspection personnel.

Dressed in standard uniforms, they visited local Beastmaster Alliances every two years, conducting thorough inspections of internal operations and documents—

A process lasting about a month.

During this period, local Beastmasters could also file formal or anonymous complaints against the Alliance.

If investigations confirmed the complaints as valid, the local president would face consequences.

If they turned out to be false, the accuser would be punished instead.

The goal: maximum fairness—punishing the guilty while protecting the innocent.

And ensuring no retaliation afterward.

Thus, every year when the inspection teams arrived, there were always minor, trivial complaints.

It was the best way to protect Beastmaster rights while keeping the Alliance clean.

But above the ordinary inspection team, there was a special division—The Inspection Divison.

Its members were few, each at least a Rank 6 Beastmaster.

They carried a unique Golden Dragon Emblem as proof of identity.

A saying circulated within the Alliance:"Where the Golden Dragon appears, a major case follows."

Bribery and corruption were minor matters.

These cases typically involved serious threats to national interests.

At that realization, the gossiping staff exchanged looks, their faces filled with shock and disbelief.

Wait—

Did President Robb mess up?

What did he do to warrant the presence of such a big shot?

Nobody dared to gossip any further, fearing that, in digging too deep, they might dig themselves into a hole.

As silence returned to the hall, the receptionist smiled gently.

Wonderful.

She could finally get back to work.

That incorrect Golden Dragon Emblem design?

Not her problem.

After all, she hadn't brought it up.

Besides, it was technically related to the Inspection Divison.

So she stood tall—

————

Elsewhere...

President Robb glanced at the woman beside him, a helpless expression on his face,"Miss Jasmine, if you insist on going, I won't object... but at least let me call Asher so he can prepare?"

Desmond shot him a mocking look. "Who knows if you're calling to warn him instead?"

Sitting in the corner, overwhelmed by the presence of these big shots, Felix trembled, not daring to say a word.

Felix never expected—

That things would escalate this much.

He had just wanted to stir some trouble.

Now, he'd summoned the Inspection Divison.

A candidate Inspector, sure...

But she was only a step away from full status.

The Inspection Team's punishment for false reports was already something he couldn't bear—let alone the stricter Supervisory Team... Felix was so regretful he could die.

Why the hell did he have to stir things up this much?

If only he had held back a little...

The more he thought about it, the more Felix silently prayed in his heart: 'Asher must not have developed anything.'

'Yes!'

'That must be it!'

Felix's eyes gradually brightened, like a drowning man clinging to a life-saving straw—after all, it had only been ten days, what could Asher possibly have come up with?

'Asher must be bluffing!'

'There's no way he actually discovered anything substantial!'

And when it turns out that Asher's research on Bean Flower and Dream Soul Spirit was all a sham, the one who ends up in trouble will definitely be Asher.

Having already reached a dead end, Felix could only distract himself with these fantasies, not daring to recall Asher's conversation with those three professors.

On the other side, President Robb and Desmond were still arguing, oblivious to Felix's nervousness.

"You think I'm that kind of person?" President Robb raised his chin, his face full of disdain. "Giving a heads-up? Not necessary at all, okay? I just wanted Asher to put away some valuable materials—so that shameless guy wouldn't sneak a peek."

As he spoke, President Robb's gaze drifted disdainfully across Desmond and Felix.

"After all, plenty of people knew about Asher's research back then. But some cowards—who wouldn't dare mess with the big shots—just picked on the youngest, weakest one instead."

His words were dripping with sarcasm.

Desmond looked completely baffled, as if he had no idea what President Robb was talking about.

"You actually believed what he said? You didn't even look into his identity?" President Robb rolled his eyes, completely unconvinced that Desmond was that clueless.

Desmond, who really didn't investigate before filing the report,"..."

Silence.

A long, speechless silence.

President Robb was in disbelief.

President Robb stared Desmond up and down with an incredulous look.

"You idiot, when did you get so careless?"

"I'm telling you, if you end up screwing yourself over this time—you totally deserve it."

As for whether President Robb had deliberately baited Desmond into this mess?

'No, no, no.'

President Robb: 'I didn't do anything, I ain't know nothing.'

Sitting in the middle, Jasmine listened as the two Alliance Presidents bickered back and forth, saying nothing herself.

Finally.

The car stopped outside Asher's laboratory.

With just one glance, Jasmine estimated the size and scale of this lab in her mind.

A bit larger than a typical professor's lab.

But considering the achievements Asher had made last year, and the undisclosed success with the rabbit-dog evolution this year… it wasn't too excessive.

Jasmine nodded, being the first to step out of the car.

Only then did President Robb and Desmond, who had been arguing the whole ride, suddenly react.

Oh no.

Damn.

They had been arguing the whole way in front of this candidate inspector.

Look at the little girl, twenty-five or twenty-six years old. And then look at the two of them—combined, they were almost hitting eighty.

President Robb shot a glare at Desmond: 'You bastard! You made me lose face. Just wait, I'll screw you over later!'

Desmond glared back: 'You bastard! Let's see how you explain yourself later!'

Both of them raised their chins, looking completely composed, and strode forward to catch up with Jasmine, heading into Asher's lab.

Felix was once again collectively ignored by the others, as if he were invisible.

He stomped his foot.

Gritted his teeth.

But the thought of seeing Asher embarrass himself firsthand made Felix hurriedly run after them.

As soon as Jasmine stepped inside Asher's lab, she realized… she had been wrong.

This lab wasn't just slightly over standard size.

Looking at the vast, empty spaces—large sections still unfinished and unrenovated—Jasmine could only think that she had never seen a lab this barebones before.

The large, expensive, precision instruments needed for pet evolution research? There wasn't a single one.

All that was visible were two of the most basic, common detection instruments—models so ordinary they could be easily bought on the market.

Jasmine thought of another report she had received, her feelings growing complicated.

She was just about to step forward and say something when—

A loud clattering of footsteps echoed through the lab, as if something was rushing towards them.

Desmond, who had just caught up with Jasmine, heard the commotion and had a slightly odd expression on his face.

"What?"

"What is that sound?"

"A whole lot of clanking?"

"And… it sounds like—shh shh shh—like it's getting ready to spit?"

President Robb, who arrived a moment later and heard this description, immediately turned pale.

"Miss Jasmine, get out of the way! Hurry, hurry, hurry!"

Without another word, President Robb dodged to the side, moving so fast that he didn't even look like a middle-aged man—more like a swift and nimble youth ready to take flight.

"If you don't move now, it'll be too late!"

He kept waving at Jasmine, urgently signaling her to step aside.

Sensing something was wrong, Jasmine quickly followed, her white high heels tapping against the ground.

Thankfully, they had thick soles, so even in a rush, she didn't look too disheveled.

Desmond, who had been left behind without a single warning: "?"

'Fine! If the mountain won't come to me, I'll go to the mountain!'

It's not like he hadn't heard President Robb's words.

Desmond wasn't stupid.

Just by looking at President Robb's reaction, he knew something was off, so he quickly dodged as well.

Then…

They saw a massive golden-red bird spread its wings and fly towards them.

Before Desmond and Jasmine could even react to the sight in shock—

Another creature appeared behind the bird.

It was blue, chubby like a pig, with two horns on its head. It looked like a fusion of a cat and some other species, a supernatural being with too many legs that pulsed like rolling wheels.

THUMP, THUMP, THUMP—

Rumbling forward!

Everyone blinked in confusion, their minds blanking for a moment.

At that moment, Felix just happened to step inside from outside.

The Cat-Worm-like creature locked its chaotic eyes onto the person right in front of it, instantly lighting up.

"Meow~ Meow~!"

"Meow~"

'If you've got the guts, try to catch me, Sunny!'

Following closely behind the Cat-Worm and relentlessly chasing after it was… Holy Light Sunflower, making a grand entrance.

Whether it was President Robb, Desmond, or Jasmine, who had managed to dodge—

Or Felix, who had been deliberately led into Holy Light Sunflower's path by the Cat-Worm—

All of them were visually assaulted by Holy Light Sunflower's… form.

Painful to look at.

Really, painfully so.

Especially since Holy Light Sunflower's entire body was pitch-black, purple to the point of near-blackness—except for the petals surrounding its big face, which radiated dazzling holy light… making it even more eye-searing.

The Cat-Worm smoothly slid past Felix, leaving him face-to-face with Holy Light Sunflower at an extremely close distance.

Felix, completely stunned by its grotesque appearance, opened his mouth wide in shock, unable to retreat in time, and…

Basked in the Holy Light Sunflower's holy light.

Holy Light Sunflower: "?"

"Nya?"

Originally, it had been furiously chasing Little Raven and the Cat-Worm, wanting to give these two pets a relaxing therapy session.

But seeing that its holy light had already locked onto a new target, it paused and thought for a moment—

Then stopped its rapid "pitter-patter" movements.

"Nya~"

'It's fine!'

'I'll give you a spa first!'

'Then I'll go back for Little Raven and the Cat-Worm!'

Thick black-purple saliva dripped from the grimacing face in the center of its massive flower head, wave after wave, splattering onto Felix.

Felix's eyes widened in sheer terror and despair.

He wanted to run.

But under the radiance of the holy light, his body was completely paralyzed, unable to move at all.

He could only watch helplessly as those large, thick globs of… unidentified black-purple liquid from the ghostly face's mouth… splattered all over him.

Felix's heart… was utterly shattered.

"This…" Jasmine and Desmond both widened their eyes.

Jasmine even parted her lips slightly, unable to form a complete sentence.

There was no helping it.

The sheer impact of this scene was just too overwhelming.

President Robb completely understood.

He had just realized something.

The way Holy Light Sunflower's skill looked when used on pets was completely different from when it was used on humans.

Back when it used this skill on the Snow Wolf, it had looked a little… unsettling.

But since the black-purple saliva had been instantly absorbed into the Snow Wolf's fur, the visual impact wasn't as bad as one might expect.

But when it landed on a human… that was a whole different story.

The black-purple saliva covered Felix from head to toe.

And worse yet, it had some kind of special adhesive property—sticking firmly instead of sliding off.

To make matters worse… Holy Light Sunflower was tilting its head up as it spat.

Which meant…

Just as President Robb was about to say something—

He watched as a glob of black-purple saliva "biu—" landed directly on Felix's face.

Felix: "..."

Unlike the others, who were merely spectators—

Felix's true despair came from the fact that…

His mouth was still open.

Even just a tiny bit.

But that was enough for the black-purple liquid to seep inside.

Felix's eyes filled with utter horror.

He wanted to move!

He wanted to close his mouth!

He wanted, more than anything, to spit it out!

And yet…

It happened.

The black-purple saliva filled his mouth.

Overcome with rage and disgust, Felix failed to take another breath—

The moment his willpower could no longer support his body, the Holy Light's restraint on him instantly lost effect, and he fell straight to the ground with a loud "clang!"

Holy Light Sunflower: ∑(O_O;)

*Shocked*

'He collapsed?'

'This person actually collapsed?'

'No, no, no!'

"Nya!"

'For the honor of the Child of Light!'

'I must save him today!'

Holy Light Sunflower, who was just about to finish its Holy Light Saliva Bath, had every cell in its body ignited with determination by Felix's sudden collapse—saving lives was an instinct engraved into its very being.

No one—no Beast—could collapse before the Child of Light, Holy Light Sunflower… unless they were truly dead.

Holy Light Sunflower: Activating Innate Skill!

"Nya——"

'Die!'

'Live!'

Both Jasmine and President Robb, along with Desmond, felt that things were spiraling out of control in a ridiculous direction.

The three of them exchanged glances.

"Hurry and call for help!"

"Right, right! Anyone here? Get over here and save him!"

"Wait… actually, not saving him might not be a bad idea? Holy Light Sunflower doesn't have any offensive abilities, right? Who told this brat to stab people in the back all the time—wouldn't this be considered karma?" President Robb rubbed his chin. "…Maybe Holy Light Sunflower just did us a great service?"

Holy Light Sunflower's Great Contribution: Confirmed

Asher arrived belatedly, bringing Jameson and four other researchers.

"Holy Light Sunflower is a Light-attribute Beast. All its current moves and innate skills are healing-based, completely unrelated to attack."

Asher looked at Felix, now covered in filth and exuding a strange smell, and had zero desire to go near him.

Annoying.

After two researchers worked together to lift Felix onto a small bed, they quickly backed away.

Wearing a mask, Sarah swiftly connected instruments to Felix, monitoring his vitals.

"No issues."

"Good news: this guy isn't in any life-threatening danger."

"And the bad news?" President Robb noticed that Asher hadn't finished speaking.

Looking at Desmond and Jasmine beside him, he took the initiative to ask.

Sigh!

Among the three of them, he was the most familiar with Asher. If there was any bad news, he could help explain it.

Asher was silent for three seconds. "Uh… it's not too serious, just… he might have been 'overhealed' a little."

Desmond: "?"

"What kind of 'bad news' is that?" Desmond looked at the promising young Asher, crossing his arms with an annoyed snort.

Not directed at Asher.

Just pure envy.

Why?

Why was President Robb so lucky?

A young genius who had already become a Level 5 researcher, recognized by national-level big shots—as long as he didn't die young, he was destined to become a big shot himself.

Desmond grumbled, "Are you downplaying it on purpose?"

"Overhealed a little—his kidneys are kinda weak now." Asher glanced at Desmond. "He's probably going to be a 'Three-Second Man' for a while."

Desmond: "…"

President Robb: "…"

Jasmine: "…"

Understood.

Now, they understood.

For a man… this was definitely not pleasant news.

"Cough, cough." Desmond coughed twice. "This isn't really 'bad'—"

But under President Robb and Asher's silent gazes, Desmond shut his mouth.

Fine.

He really couldn't say it.

A 'Three-Second Man'… cough, cough.

Shouldn't be that big of a problem, right?

Desmond averted his gaze from Felix—who was still lying in bed, covered in black-purple saliva—and looked at the real culprit, Holy Light Sunflower.

Having snapped out of its crazed state, Holy Light Sunflower seemed to realize it had messed up, cautiously and pitifully shrinking behind Jameson.

Little Raven and Cat-Worm were also behaving obediently, nestled in Asher's arms.

Desmond's gaze kept darting between the three pets.

One thought echoed in his mind: 'Never seen them before! Never seen pets like these before!'

Snapping out of the visual shock brought by Holy Light Sunflower, Desmond finally realized—something was off.

The value of this lab… seemed far higher than he had imagined?

"Let's set this aside for now."

Desmond quickly shook his head, trying to steer the conversation back on track.

"Asher, right? Do you know why we're here today?"

Asher: "My research project—the fusion evolution of Bean Flower and Dream Soul Spirit."

Asher spoke so smoothly and confidently that Desmond, ready to pick a fight, suddenly choked.

With a stunned expression, he glanced at Asher, then at President Robb.

'Wait, what?'

'This is how NY City operates?'

They don't even try to hide things?

No cover-ups at all?

Desmond opened and closed his mouth several times before finally squeezing out a sentence: "Do you… do you even realize how ridiculous this research is?"

"Bean Flower! No one has ever discovered a new evolution path for it."

"Dream Soul Spirit has been extinct for nearly 800-900 years. Even if one reappeared, it wouldn't have any research value."

"And President Robb even lied for you, saying you guys already have results—this isn't how you scam research funding."

The more he spoke, the more Desmond regained his momentum, his voice growing louder.

"President Robb wasn't lying."

Asher blinked, his tone calm. "We really did achieve results."

"Where's the proof?" Desmond remained skeptical. "Listen, kid, the lady standing next to me is from the Inspection Divison—"

"Didn't you already see it?"

Asher raised a finger and pointed at Holy Light Sunflower.

Desmond: "?"

Desmond: Silenced.

Desmond looked at Holy Light Sunflower.

Jasmine also turned to look at Holy Light Sunflower.

"This… is the fusion evolution of Bean Flower and Dream Soul Spirit?" Jasmine asked coolly.

Asher nodded. "Yes. Miss Jasmine, you probably already suspected it, right?"

"Mhm." Jasmine's confirmation utterly shattered Desmond. "I had a feeling from the first glance. I was curious about its abilities, so I kept observing. Holy Light Sunflower… as you mentioned, its attribute is Light, and it has healing abilities. How strong is its healing?"

Seeing Asher and Jasmine slip into an academic discussion, their fire completely gone—

Desmond's eyes widened in disbelief.

What just happened?

Who is he? Where is he?

Why does he feel like a clown?

"Hehehe~"

President Robb's sleazy laugh jolted Desmond back to reality.

He whipped his head toward President Robb.

"Fu*k You!"

"You set me up?"

After wave after wave of shocks, Desmond finally realized the truth.

Why was President Robb so confident over the phone?

Why did Asher dare to openly declare his research on Bean Flower and Dream Soul Spirit?

Was it because President Robb was protecting him?

Or because Asher was just an arrogant genius?

No.

Neither.

They were so open, so candid, so ready to answer everything—because they had solid proof.

Desmond's face twisted as he glared at President Robb, his eyes filled with venom.

"You called me here just to set me up?"

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