Xiao Hong was very tired and fell into a deep sleep.
Lin Chen found Xiaobai and asked again if it really hadn't smelled anything.
He was worried Xiaobai might be holding back its concerns.
Xiaobai happily shook its head, confirming it truly couldn't smell anything.
It was happy that Lin Chen hadn't lost interest in it and still cared a lot.
The next morning, Xiao Hong had already prepared breakfast early.
Lin Chen talked to it, telling it there was no need to be so tense since he had accepted it and it could relax at home.
"Gurgle~~"
Xiao Hong nodded, very touched.
However, Lin Chen quickly discovered a flaw in Xiao Hong; it was a bit timid.
In simple terms, it was a leftover anxiety from being a left-behind child, afraid of seeing unfamiliar faces.
Just moments ago, a few strangers passed by outside, and it was so scared it hid behind Xiaobai.
Lin Chen pondered; this wasn't a good habit.
A combat pet should still behave like one, but this wasn't a permanent flaw and could be improved with training.
However, it still had a quirky habit:
It liked to play with fire.
It would occasionally spit out two balls of fire, and once accidentally burned some of Xiaobai's tail fur, resulting in a little lesson from Xiaobai.
Lin Chen also reminded it to play with fire in the right place, which led Little Fox to change a lot.
Mainly because Lin Chen was afraid it might accidentally burn down the house.
Once Xiao Hong integrated into the family, Lin Chen had new worries.
Another mouth was added, but the money earned from the welfare area was used up.
Lin Chen started checking the guild machine and actually found something intriguing:
[Task: Analyze the map and find the entrance to the Demon Beast's nest, successful remuneration: over 30,000]
Lin Chen was very tempted; the reward was high, and there were no level requirements.
However, each time you provide an answer, you first have to pay three hundred yuan.
That's understandable, to avoid people causing troubles.
Lin Chen knew that such tasks were mostly issued by the Monster Hunter Guild.
The Monster Hunter Guild had a unique status. Although it's now the Celestial Beast Era, the Human-Demon struggle persists.
Many demonic Great Demons still refuse to form contracts with humans and even bear resentment.
So, the Human-Demon War has never ceased.
Three years ago, Jiuxing City suffered a large Beast Tide, leading to heavy casualties.
Great Demons mercilessly killed and devoured people, prompting the birth of the Monster Hunter Guild in such a context.
But, Monster Hunters were divided into two factions:
First, the Bounty faction.
This faction of Beastmasters only cares about money, regardless of the other's stance towards humans.
Second, the Punitive faction.
They act only when it's confirmed the other harbors malice towards humans.
Monster Hunters are often wealthy from raiding a Great Demon Secret Realm, notably from selling Spirit Beasts, which is a substantial gain.
Many wish to become Monster Hunters, but the guild isn't open to everyone; it demands rigorous assessments.
Because Monster Hunters often delve into Great Demon Secret Realms, walking between life and death, the fatality rate is extremely high.
According to incomplete statistics, the annual fatality rate for Monster Hunters remains around 30%.
Lin Chen decided to give it a try. His forte was analysis; betting 300 for 30,000 was a gamble worth taking.
He intended to bring Xiaobai into the Beast Taming Space but saw Xiao Hong looking at him pitifully.
It also wanted to go, but it wasn't Lin Chen's Spirit Beast and couldn't enter the Beast Taming Space.
He initially thought of going quickly and not bringing it, but then reconsidered; its timid nature was partly due to being a left-behind child.
Now that he was practically its future Beastmaster, he couldn't let it suffer again.
"Come along," Lin Chen said, lifting it onto his shoulder. Xiaobai watched enviously.
Lin Chen immediately said, "Xiaobai, stop staring; you weigh too much. I still need to ride you."
"...."
....
On the way, Little Fox clung tightly to Lin Chen, frightened at the sight of strangers.
Though, with Lin Chen and Xiaobai around, it felt much more at ease.
Arriving at the Beast Tamer Guild, they easily spotted the task point since many people were there.
Despite the 300 yuan barrier, many were willing to give it a try.
"Hehe, I know, it must be here."
As Lin Chen approached, he heard someone confidently letting out a couple of laughs, striding quickly to the task point employee.
The employee was a girl named Xia Yu, as shown on her badge.
She looked gentle and poetic, quite fitting her name, but her personality was more candid and straightforward.
She casually patted a box beside her, causing the desk to shake, and said, "Pay first."
The person tossed 300 yuan in.
"You're sure, right?"
"Sure," the person replied confidently, laughing again, "I'm telling you, I've got them all figured out..."
"This place has already been checked. No Secret Realm entrance exists. Next one."
The person stopped laughing suddenly.
The 300 yuan was wasted.
He dared not question the Monster Hunter Guild, as there was no reason for them to cheat over 300 yuan.
But...
"The earnings from this must be more than 30,000 already," Lin Chen thought.
He walked over. Xia Yu heard the footsteps, patted the box again, and said, "Pay first."
"Hello, I'm here for clues."
"Oh~" Xia Yu pointed to the side, saying, "There's a map marking various plants, some information clues, and several soil samples sealed and preserved over there..."
Though Xia Yu spoke patiently, her tone revealed a short temper.
"Thank you."
Lin Chen retrieved them himself.
Xia Yu ignored him. From her experience, newbie Beastmasters like Lin Chen were just there to give away money.
They had just entered the Beastmaster world and knew little.
However, Xia Yu found the Little Fox on Lin Chen's shoulder somewhat delightful. She raised her muscular right hand in greeting, scaring the Little Fox onto Lin Chen's other shoulder.
.....
"Poisonous Bee Beast..."
Lin Chen glanced at the name and immediately understood why the Monster Hunter Guild was so eager to locate the place.
The Poisonous Bee Beast was a highly venomous beast, living in groups with a frightening number, about half the size of a Little Fox. They harbored complete malice toward humans and had a 50% fatality rate from their venom.
Once such Demon Beasts were found, they'd be immediately eliminated or listed as restricted zones to warn outsiders.
Lin Chen picked up the soil, giving it a squeeze, catching the attention of a man passing by, who laughed and said, "This kid is getting serious, looking quite the part."
A few others joined in the laughter.
A Great Demon Secret Realm entrance was usually hard to find, as they setup numerous decoys to prevent human discovery.
They might be inside a tree trunk, deep in a forest, or underground...
So even the Monster Hunter Guild was stumped, prompting the release of such tasks.
Lin Chen ignored them, focusing on analyzing.
"The hunting radius of the Poisonous Bee Beast is about 1 kilometer; the first human body was found at this location..."
Lin Chen swiftly drew a circle on the map.
He was convinced...
Beasts might lie, but data doesn't.