After confirming the task of catching stray cats, Li Qingzhou, holding his ID card, was ready to register.
But just as he was lining up, he happened to meet his younger brother, Zhang Huai.
"Why are you here?" Li Qingzhou asked, a bit surprised.
"Boss?" Zhang Huai was equally shocked. "Are you here for the mission too?"
Li Qingzhou nodded. In his mind, Zhang Huai often hung out with Wang Li, and he didn't seem like someone who would come to the Beast Masters Association to take on tasks.
"Yeah," Zhang Huai nodded, his face flushing slightly. His family was not well-off, so he often worked part-time and spent time with Wang Li, partly because they got along well, but also because Wang Li had helped him many times.
After successfully contracting his pet beast, Zhang Huai thought about earning some money by taking on missions from the Beast Masters Association. He hadn't expected to run into Li Qingzhou.
"Boss, are you also here for a mission?" Zhang Huai asked.
Li Qingzhou nodded again.
Zhang Huai was puzzled. He knew Li Qingzhou had won 100,000 yuan from Wang Li and didn't seem to need money, so why would he be here for a mission?
"What mission are you planning to do?" Li Qingzhou asked.
"Pulling weeds," Zhang Huai replied. His pet beast was still weak, so he couldn't take on more challenging tasks. Weeding was simple but time-consuming.
"The reward for that task is too low. How about we do the stray cat mission together? We can finish it faster, and you can take half the reward," Li Qingzhou suggested, wanting to take care of his little brother.
Zhang Huai thought for a moment and quickly agreed. The reward for pulling weeds was only 500 yuan and took the whole day, whereas the stray cat task paid 1,500 yuan, triple the amount.
After registering, the two headed to Walnut Block, the area marked for the mission.
It was an old neighborhood with mostly run-down five- or six-story buildings. The streets, paved with bluestone slabs, had a worn, timeworn feel.
The person who issued the task was the neighborhood administrator, an elderly man in his sixties.
"Hello, sir. We're from the Beast Masters Association, here to catch stray cats," Li Qingzhou greeted politely.
The old man put on his reading glasses, glanced at the two young men, then shook his head, muttering under his breath, "Sending babies to do this job, what's the use?"
He pointed to some iron cages in the corner. "The stray cats usually come out at night. After you catch them, just put them in these cages."
"Understood," Li Qingzhou nodded.
"Those darn stray cats! Not only do they meow all night, but they also break windows and sneak into houses. They're a real nuisance," the old man grumbled, his wrinkled face contorted with frustration.
Twice, his windows had been broken by stray cats, who then stole food from his house and even defecated on his bed. Most residents of the neighborhood had similar experiences, constantly fixing their windows only for them to be broken again.
Without such problems, no one would bother going to the Beast Masters Association to request help.
"Sigh, I probably should've hired a stronger beast master," the old man said, sounding resigned.
He took one last skeptical look at Li Qingzhou and Zhang Huai before walking away, doubting they could complete the mission.
On a nearby rooftop, two men in black uniforms stood side by side, surveying the neighborhood.
"Captain, the recent reports of sleepwalking injuries all come from this area," said the man with glasses, holding a statistical report.
"Yesterday, traces of abyssal energy were detected here. The fluctuations have stopped for now, but we're certain the abyss is in this area," he added.
The man referred to as the captain scanned the buildings with sharp, focused eyes. His face was unshaven, and his aura radiated danger. "Keep searching. We need to pinpoint the exact location of the abyss."
"Yes, sir." The man with glasses opened his laptop and began typing rapidly, mechanical birds flying from the rooftop to search the area.
Suddenly, the captain's phone rang. The contact was labeled as his daughter.
"Hey, sweetheart. Do you miss Daddy?" His once fierce expression softened into one of affection.
"Dad, why aren't you home for dinner?" A young girl's voice asked from the other end.
"You all go ahead without me. I'll be back as soon as I finish my work."
"Okay, come back soon," she replied.
He hung up, putting his phone away, a hint of sadness in his eyes. "If we don't find this abyss soon, many people might not be able to return home," he muttered to himself.
When Li Qingzhou and Zhang Huai left the old man's place, it was already evening. The sky was darkening, and the streetlights in the neighborhood flickered on.
After grabbing a quick bowl of noodles at a street stall, they started their mission. The old man had given them a rough idea of where the stray cats roamed—mostly around an alley near his house.
Now, the two brothers crouched in the dark alley, waiting and watching.
"Boss, aren't we supposed to be searching for the stray cats?" Zhang Huai asked, confused. Why were they hiding instead of searching?
"Where's the stuff I asked you to buy?" Li Qingzhou asked in response.
"Here, two bags," Zhang Huai replied, placing the bags of cat food on the ground.
"Good. Spread the cat food over there, and then we'll wait," Li Qingzhou instructed.
"Oh, I get it! Boss, you're smart!" Zhang Huai said, suddenly understanding. Stray cats came out at night to search for food, and the scattered cat food would act as bait.
As night deepened, the dim streetlights barely illuminated the area. Farther away, everything was shrouded in darkness.
Suddenly, pairs of ghostly eyes began to appear—two, then four, then six...
Nocturnal animals were coming out to search for food.
Li Qingzhou activated his beast master abilities, and information about the stray cats appeared in his mind:
[Name: Ghost Cat]
[Type: Beast]
[Level: Black Iron 5]
[Attribute: Black Iron]
[Skills: Quickness]
[Weaknesses: Fire, Water]
[Evolution Paths: 2]
[Description: Dark-furred, naturally timid, fast, and active at night.]
There were five ghost cats in the area, with the strongest one being a Black Iron Level 5 cat and the weakest a Black Iron Level 2.
The Black Iron Level 5 cat was clearly the leader of the group. "Meow," it commanded, and the other four cats scattered to look for food.
With a graceful, confident stride, the leader cat strolled down the street, its long tail swaying behind it, exuding a sense of authority.