NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 23 - Hunter Registration
Chapter 23: Hunter Registration
In the office of the deputy director of the Ecological Research Institute, Li Mingxuan watched the surveillance footage provided by his subordinate with a grave expression. The subject of the video was none other than his son, Li Chang’an. However, what concerned him wasn’t the girl named Ding Jia, but the aura Li Chang’an exuded the moment he summoned Mao Mao. This sense of indifference to everything plunged the young and capable deputy director into a wave of memories.
He remembered this kind of aura from a university internship when he participated in a professor’s project. A being with a similar presence appeared before them, and just by passing by, it took half the lives in their team. It wasn’t about good or evil; it was simply a casual act, like taking a stroll after a meal, yet it was a weight most living beings couldn’t bear.
Li Mingxuan recalled Li Chang’an’s introduction of Mao Mao: “Mao Mao is just a lion cub with the bloodline of the Prison Flame Dragon.” Could this really not be an ancient dragon in disguise? Li Mingxuan picked up a drawing of Mao Mao and compared it to a photo of the Prison Flame Dragon. Hmm, if you add dragon horns, wings, and a tail, it looks quite similar!
Ling Jie, who was making tea for Li Mingxuan, rolled her eyes at him—it looked like a snake’s head! These features weren’t something an elemental lifeform could mimic; they were derived from the flesh and blood of the Prison Flame Dragon. How could a cub and a novice beastmaster possibly fake that?
Li Mingxuan sighed. He knew all too well that this was just his wild imagination, with no scientific basis. The Prison Flame Dragon was a flesh-and-blood creature, a conclusion drawn from the Eastern Empire’s several successful hunts and dissections of the “Flame King.” Li Mingxuan pushed this speculation aside and returned to his research.
However, he failed to notice that while the Eastern Empire’s elites had gone to great lengths to kill a few Prison Flame Dragons, they had never obtained the corpse of a juvenile Prison Flame Dragon. There was also no detailed information about the dragon’s early life stages, so its unique characteristics during infancy remained unknown.
As for Ding Jia, Li Chang’an didn’t care, and neither did Li Mingxuan. He symbolically told the subordinate in charge to “handle it leniently” before diving back into his own projects.
In the principal’s office of Hongyan No. 1 High School, the gray-haired principal reviewed the report sent by the research institute on his computer and nodded with a knowing expression. He then turned to Teacher Lin and Teacher Fu and said, “The report from the institute is here. The evaluation is quite objective; the other party acted with restraint.”
This statement effectively put the matter to rest.
The two teachers exchanged glances, and the principal asked, “What kind of evaluation are you planning to write for Ding Jia?”
Teacher Lin pulled out his concluding remarks from the bottom of the report. “Psychological resilience needs improvement, significant room for growth, impulsive temperament.”
The principal chuckled and said, “You’re quite good at being diplomatic. Add a ‘must correct’ at the end.”
Thus, Ding Jia’s evaluation became: “Psychological resilience needs improvement, significant room for growth, impulsive temperament, must correct.”
As the two teachers left the principal’s office, Teacher Lin remarked, “Ding Jia’s future is pretty much over.”
Teacher Fu nodded in agreement. The last line of the evaluation was quite severe. The word “must” rarely appeared in high school student records. University admissions offices would surely be curious about the reason behind it. Once they saw the surveillance footage provided by the research institute, well, which university would dare admit her?
As for Ding Jia’s parents, they would be too busy figuring out which street they’d be sleeping on tomorrow. The company founded by Wen Miaohua’s parents was a leading enterprise in Province Z. The Ding family’s small, rundown business dared to indirectly insult the young lady of the Wen family? Being blacklisted from the industry was the least of their worries.
Li Chang’an had no idea about the turmoil in the Ding family, but his own situation was quite distressing. The day after receiving his beast, Feng Sisi, Wen Miaohua’s mother, brought her daughter to visit his home. To make matters worse, Mu Qingqing, who had claimed to be in seclusion, was actually at home. The two best friends began discussing Li Chang’an and Wen Miaohua’s relationship, triggering Li Chang’an’s PTSD from his past life’s memories of being relentlessly pressured to marry.
In a panic, Li Chang’an took Wen Miaohua and fled the Li household. Feng Sisi and Mu Qingqing watched them leave with knowing smiles.
Wen Miaohua asked, “Where are we going?”
Li Chang’an was equally clueless. Right, where to? He had left in such a hurry that he forgot both his brain and Yao Yao at home.
Mao Mao, in the beast space, reminded him, “Meow (Chang’an, the note).”
What note? A bolt of lightning seemed to strike Li Chang’an’s mind. Right! The business card his father had given him! Li Chang’an finally remembered that Li Mingxuan had recently given him a business card for the Hunter Guild’s manager. How could he have forgotten about it?
Li Chang’an took out his phone; he had taken a photo of the card.
“Hua, are you interested in the Hunter Guild?”
Wen Miaohua was curious. Due to certain reasons, she had never had the chance to interact with the Hunter Guild.
“Yeah, I’m curious, but I’ve never been.”
Li Chang’an made a decision. “Alright, let’s go check out the Hunter Guild.”
Xiao Bai: …
This was the first time it had seen someone take a girl on a date to the Hunter Guild.
When the two arrived near the Hunter Guild via subway and followed the map to its entrance, they were stunned.
This was the Hunter Guild?
Before Li Chang’an stood a small shop no larger than 20 square meters, its old wooden door creaking in the wind. Wen Miaohua was equally shocked. The legendary Hunter Guild looked like this? Quite an artistic taste.
Just then, a burly man over two meters tall appeared behind them and heartily slapped Li Chang’an on the shoulder. Even with Li Chang’an’s enhanced physique, he nearly stumbled forward.
“Hahaha, surprised, aren’t you? The Hunter Guild looks like this!”
Wen Miaohua glanced back at the giant. Yep, a standard hunter’s build—broad shoulders, thick waist, arms sturdy enough to race horses on.
Li Chang’an grunted and also noticed the man behind him.
The giant laughed loudly. “Not bad, kid! You’ve got some decent physical strength! Just need to work on your balance!”
Li Chang’an was startled. This man could instantly gauge his physical strength, even though he had never displayed it before. Hearing the latter part of the comment, he could only smile wryly. Although he was a Level 1 beastmaster, he was still an ordinary person without professional training. In the eyes of a professional, he was no different from a chicken waiting to be slaughtered.
“Excuse me, sir, how do I register for the Hunter Guild?”
The giant scrutinized Li Chang’an, rubbing his chin with his fingers. “The guild’s tests are much harder than the Beastmaster Association’s.”
Li Chang’an replied, “I’m not afraid of difficulty.”
The giant waved his hand. “It’s not about difficulty or effort. It’s about talent, understand? Talent for skills is much rarer than talent for beastmastery.”
Li Chang’an said firmly, “I want to give it a try.”
The giant tilted his head forward, pushed open the creaky wooden door, and gestured for Li Chang’an and Wen Miaohua to follow.
Inside the shop, Li Chang’an found only a young man in a green leather uniform dozing off at the front desk. Further inside was a black wooden door wide enough for two people to pass through.
The giant slammed his hand on the wooden table, creating a loud bang. The young man jolted awake, leaping up from his chair. When he saw the giant’s face, he cursed, “Damn you, Duan Ben! Why do you always hit so hard? This table’s been around for over a hundred years, and it’s going to be ruined by you brutes!”
Li Chang’an noted the name: Duan Ben.
Duan Ben, seemingly unfazed by the young man’s scolding, laughed heartily. “If it breaks, just ask the guild leader to replace it!”
The young man’s face turned red with anger. “Replace, replace, replace! Is that all you know? If replacing things solved problems, that door you just replaced last month wouldn’t be in such a state!”
Li Chang’an glanced back at the creaking wooden door. This was a new door that had only been installed a month ago?
Duan Ben shrugged. “Why doesn’t the guild leader just use an alloy door? Those can’t be broken!”
Seeing Duan Ben’s indifference, the young man slumped back onto the table, exhausted. “If you dare, go tell the guild leader. If she says replace it, then we’ll replace it.”
At the mention of the guild leader, Duan Ben quickly changed the subject. “Alright, back to work. Register the new guy.”
The young man glanced at Li Chang’an and Wen Miaohua at the door. “Name? ID number?”
“Li Chang’an, ID number is *****************.”
The young man entered the name and number into the computer. Seeing the file that popped up, he remarked without surprise, “Oh, another rich kid looking for thrills.”
He then printed out a document and handed it to Li Chang’an. “Ten yuan fee.”
Li Chang’an looked at Duan Ben, who nodded. Li Chang’an understood this was the registration fee.
After paying, the young man turned to Wen Miaohua. “Name?”
Wen Miaohua coldly declined, “I’m not joining the Hunter Guild.”
The young man added, “Miss, having a Beastmaster Association identity doesn’t conflict with the Hunter Guild.”
Wen Miaohua replied seriously, “It does conflict.”
The young man stood up solemnly, took a photo of Wen Miaohua, and searched her file. Seeing the access requirements on the computer, his eyelids twitched. “As expected.”
He took out a temporary pass and handed it to Wen Miaohua. “You can’t go to the second floor or the storage room, but you’re free to look around elsewhere.”
Wen Miaohua took the pass, and she and Li Chang’an walked through the black wooden door inside the shop.
Li Chang’an noticed his sleeve being tugged and saw Wen Miaohua’s cautious expression.
“I can’t tell you now, but you’ll find out later.”
Li Chang’an grabbed her hand and said, “It’s fine.”
Since his parents hadn’t cut ties with the Wen family, it meant there was no issue.
Duan Ben, watching the two young ones holding hands, rubbed his empty stomach.
Damn, I’m full.