Beast Taming Patrol Chapter 3: Chapter 1 Lin Su (Seeking Investment, Seeking Followers)

"Boss, I need a hundred arcade tokens."

The owner of the arcade had been enjoying the sight of a young girl, barely five or six years old, weeping as she failed to win any plushies. However, he froze the moment he heard that voice. Looking up, he saw a lean student with looks as striking as a novel protagonist standing at his counter. With a pained expression, he blurted out, "No more exchanges!"

"Lin Su, you can't just keep shearing the same sheep forever. Why don't you try the arcade across the street for once?"

"I'll head over there next time," Lin Su replied with complete sincerity.

"Fine, fine..." Boss Li sighed, reluctantly accepting the cash and handing over a plastic basket overflowing with a hundred tokens. "Take it easy this time, alright? Show a little mercy!"

"I will," Lin Su promised.

A short while later, Boss Li stared in sheer disbelief as Lin Su returned, slightly out of breath, carrying a massive pile of assorted stuffed animals. "This is what you call showing mercy?!"

"Out of a hundred coins, I caught eighty-seven toys," Lin Su explained calmly. "That means I showed mercy thirteen times."

Boss Li: "???"

Is that how mercy works in your head?

"The usual arrangement?" Lin Su asked, brushing his hand over the plush toys filling the large box.

"Yeah, I'll buy them back at three yuan each," Boss Li said, rolling his eyes in frustration. "Eighty-seven toys... that comes to two hundred and sixty-one yuan. I'll just give you two hundred and sixty and call it even!"

"No need for that." Lin Su rummaged through the pile and selected one. "I'm keeping this one. I'll sell you the other eighty-six, which totals two hundred and fifty-eight. Let's just round that up to two hundred and sixty."

Boss Li: "???"

So, you're telling me I have to give you one for free?

Looking as though he were parting with his own flesh and blood, Boss Li counted out two hundred and sixty Alliance Yuan and shoved them toward Lin Su. Suddenly, a thought occurred to him, and his gaze sharpened. "If I recall correctly, aren't you a senior this year?"

Lin Su looked at him. "What of it?"

"Tomorrow is the day the public high schools in Zone 32 hand out the initial beast pets..." Boss Li’s tone turned serious. "Do you have enough funds, kid? You don't want to end up with nothing but a free Bright Light Group contract. If you're struggling, your uncle here could lend you a bit?"

"Don't worry about me," Lin Su replied, glancing at the creature beside Boss Li. It looked like a glowing rice ball the size of a pillow, emitting a soft, warm radiance from its delicate fur. "You should be more worried about whether your Bright Light Group is offended—after all, you just called it a freebie."

Boss Li: "???"

I'm trying to be helpful, and you're trying to destroy the relationship between me and my pet?

Do you ever plan on being a decent person?!

"I'm not worried about you at all!" Boss Li snapped, rolling his eyes once more. "I just want you to become a professional Beast Tamer and find success so you can leave this dump and stop haunting my arcade every day!"

"Understood. I'm leaving now." Lin Su turned to walk away, but as he passed the sobbing little girl, he handed her the plush toy he had kept.

"Stop crying. Here, this is for you."

The little girl’s weeping vanished instantly.

...

Lin Su walked down the quiet street, carrying a neatly wrapped paper bag.

Only when he was certain he was alone did a faint smile finally touch his lips.

His bond with Boss Li wasn't deep enough for him to feel comfortable taking handouts, which was why he had turned down the offer of a loan.

As for the cash he made from the prize machines...

That was simply Lin Su—otherwise known as the 'Arcade Scourge'—using his own talents to earn a living.

Before long, Lin Su reached the end of the road and came to a halt.

A sign hung from a rusted gate covered in creeping vines. It read "Autumn Leaves Children’s Welfare Home." The gate showed its age, but the name was still perfectly legible.

"Sigh..." After staring at the sign for a moment, Lin Su pushed through the unlocked gate and stepped inside.

Two centuries ago, Blue Star was struck by a disaster like no other.

At that time, human civilization had reached its zenith. Rapid technological growth and massive productivity had led the Human Alliance to dissolve the concept of individual nations. Unity and peace had replaced the old ways of war, and the future looked bright.

It was during this golden age that mysterious crystals known as Ghost Energy Stones were found across every corner of the planet.

The strange radiation from these Ghost Energy Stones triggered bizarre mutations in plants and animals, and in some cases, even brought inanimate objects to life. These mutated beings were far more intelligent and possessed various supernatural abilities. These new life forms, born from the energy of the stones, were eventually known as "beasts."

As their intelligence grew, so did their demands for territory.

The beasts refused to be dominated by humanity. Resenting humans for controlling the best parts of Blue Star, they formed massive beast tides and launched relentless attacks on human settlements.

Because humans were the only species untouched by the Ghost Energy Stone mutations, they were initially defenseless. Modern technology crumbled against supernatural might. City after city fell as the beast tides reclaimed the land. Countless lives were lost, and the world was plunged into chaos.

Just as humanity faced total extinction, they finally unlocked a supernatural power of their own.

They discovered a hidden dimension within the human mind. By using specific techniques, humans could form contracts with beasts, housing them in this internal space and commanding them in battle. Through Cultivation and meditation, they could expand this space, allowing them to contract more powerful and numerous beasts.