On the bustling street, Lu Ran clutched the black card, his heart pounding wildly.
He stared at the card in his hand, first feeling a numbness spreading through his body, followed by an inexplicable heat surging within him.
How could this be possible...?
No, perhaps it wasn't entirely impossible.
A thought surfaced in Lu Ran's mind—his own supernatural phenomenon.
This world was far from ordinary.
Beastmaster?
The profession sounded eerily similar to that of an insect fighter.
Intrigued, he couldn't help but feel drawn to it.
Due to his parents' occupation, Lu Ran had always harbored a deep fascination for anything related to animals. Whether it was battling insects or researching ancient creatures, his enthusiasm knew no bounds.
"Could my awakened ability be linked to this black card?"
"If that forum post was any indication, I'm not the only one who obtained one."
"That means… I'm no chosen one after all."
Then, a chilling realization struck him—the strange dream he had. His expression stiffened. If the supernatural truly existed, could that dream have been a premonition?
If what he had seen in the dream was destined to happen, then wouldn't Blue Planet be on the brink of destruction?
Even if the sky were to collapse, there would always be taller figures to bear the weight. Yet, even the most powerful couldn't possibly safeguard everyone.
Recalling the gruesome death he had suffered in his dream, Lu Ran fell silent. He found himself reluctant to part with this world.
"I should at least test the waters."
Unable to arrive at a conclusion, he decided to continue studying the black card.
Notice⑧: If the Novice Contract Card is not used within 24 hours, it will automatically disappear, and the holder will permanently lose the qualification to become a Beastmaster.
From the initial prompt, Lu Ran quickly grasped that the so-called Contract Card could be forfeited—so long as he didn't undertake the novice mission.
"Giving up is out of the question."
After a brief moment of contemplation, Lu Ran pocketed the black card and glanced at the forum once more.
Now that he had memorized all the hints, he wanted to add the original poster as a friend to gather more information.
These prompts were crucial, but they weren't enough—he needed to know more!
With anticipation, he reopened the thread.
But in the next instant, his mind went blank.
"Where's the post???"
He repeatedly tapped the screen in disbelief.
All he did was refresh the page, and yet—the post had vanished.
The poster… Who was it again? What was their username?
"The admin deleted it? Who the hell would erase something this important? Could it have been Fang Lan reporting it just now?"
Standing in the chilly night air, Lu Ran suddenly felt an unusual coldness seep into his bones.
"There's no time to waste here."
His focus shifted swiftly.
With only 24 hours at his disposal, he had to complete the mission as soon as possible. However, he couldn't afford to ignore the forum entirely—he needed to juggle both tasks simultaneously to avoid missing any crucial updates.
The only thing he was certain of was this: once the contract was formed, the Beastmaster would be teleported to a perilous location.
Fortunately, there was still a way to return from that dangerous realm.
Having played his fair share of video games, Lu Ran immediately linked the situation to concepts like "novice missions" and "beginner trials."
"If I'm going to be thrown into danger… then the contracted beast must have decent combat prowess."
"Only then can I avoid ending up as miserable as that poster…"
Yet, despite his desire to form a contract with a formidable beast, reality dictated otherwise.
In a small city like this, finding a truly battle-ready beast within a single day was nothing short of a fool's dream.
Even with his ability to communicate with animals, compatibility wasn't guaranteed.
There had been more than a few instances where his attempts at chatting with stray dogs had ended with him being chased down the street.
After careful analysis, Lu Ran made his decision.
"For the sake of caution… I'll choose it."
With a plan in mind, he turned toward home, where his intended contract awaited.
His residence wasn't far—a high-end community just ten minutes away by bike.
After weighing his options, he concluded that contracting a familiar animal was the wisest choice.
At the very least, this particular creature would follow his commands unconditionally, eliminating the risk of disobedience in a life-or-death situation.
Lu Ran quickened his pace.
Before long, he arrived at his doorstep.
With practiced ease, he pressed his fingerprint against the lock, and the door clicked open.
Whoosh!
As if sensing his presence, a shadow bolted from inside, hurling itself at him.
"Woo…"
A creature, strikingly similar to a wolf, lunged at Lu Ran, tongue lolling as it panted excitedly.
Sleek and majestic, it boasted a thick, luxurious coat. Its ears stood erect, its tail fanned like a brush, and its sapphire eyes gleamed with intelligence. Three distinct white streaks adorned its forehead, resembling flickering flames.
A Siberian Husky—commonly known as an Erha.
Lu Ran's pet.
Having raised it since it was a pup, their bond was deep. And after rigorous training, this Erha executed commands with precision that rivaled even police dogs.
"Go stand in the corner, Chief Ha."
"Woof???"
The husky stared at him in confusion.
Though bewildered, it still turned toward the corner with a wounded expression, silently vowing revenge for this injustice.
As Chief Ha stood tall in the corner like a warrior, Lu Ran took a seat before it, gazing intently at his companion.
This husky…
He had picked it up.
Back then, Lu Ran had already honed his supernatural ability, yet even with his power, he couldn't establish a proper mental link with this dog.
In theory, communicating with intelligent creatures like cats and dogs should have been effortless for him at that stage.
But this one?
It was as if a wire in its brain had short-circuited.
He had taken it in partly to refine his ability and partly out of concern for its survival. A lone pup on the streets would've been easy prey for a butcher's chopping block.
Thus, Lu Ran brought it home.
And that decision marked the beginning of his descent into madness.
This dog… was beyond unruly.
Even with mind-reading powers, it had taken an eternity to tame.
In its early days, it had been wild and combative, only mellowing after rigorous training.
To put it bluntly, it was an anomaly—a husky that had inherited the breed's infamous lack of intelligence while simultaneously retaining the ferocity of its wolf ancestors.
Lu Ran often likened its temperament to the legendary Yazi, the second son of the Dragon King—fierce, vengeful, and always ready for battle.
According to ancient records, Yazi thrived in combat, bore grudges endlessly, and was often depicted gripping a sword between its teeth, fury burning in its eyes.
Chief Ha, in contrast, did hold grudges—but only until its next nap.
At the very least, it wasn't an ingrate. Once it recognized Lu Ran as its savior, it became fiercely loyal.
"Chief Ha."
Seated on the couch, Lu Ran fixed his gaze on the husky in the corner, momentarily at a loss for words.
The name "Chief Ha" was a nickname, born from its domineering attitude as a pup—like a tyrannical CEO in canine form.
In turn, Chief Ha had taken to calling him "Boss Lu."
"This is complicated…"
According to the black card's prompt, once a contract was established, both Beastmaster and contracted beast would undergo evolution.
The Beastmaster would transcend human limits, and the beast—no matter how weak—would gain the strength of a predator.
Evidently, this card paved the way for supernatural evolution.
Lu Ran couldn't tell if choosing this path for Chief Ha was wise…
"Woo!!"
Chief Ha tilted its head, blue eyes blinking in confusion at its master's hesitation.
"…Forget it, I won't bother explaining. You wouldn't understand anyway."
Lu Ran chuckled, then his expression hardened.
Best to seal the contract first.
Despite being "just a dog," he trusted Chief Ha's combat ability.
After all, this was a creature he himself had trained.
And more than anything—he trusted Chief Ha with his life.
With a flick of his wrist, Lu Ran tossed the black card forward.
The card shot through the air, glowing with an ethereal radiance as it neared Chief Ha.
Stunned, the husky's eyes widened in terror.
With a startled yelp, it turned to flee—
But the blinding light had already engulfed it.