Beast Taming: Starting From Zero

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The creature was covered in black mud. This ground-based pet's entire body was coated in black soil, making its white sclera and teeth stand out even more.

Its species could only evolve into a high-level beast, so theoretically, no beastmaster would want to form a contract with it.

However, in reality, a considerable number of beastmasters contracted with it each year.

This was because it was easy to care for, it could fill its belly by eating dirt.

Therefore, many beastmasters with poor financial conditions chose to contract it. A small portion of other beastmasters contracted it because of its special abilities.

Its two unique traits: Independent Space and Mudflow Form.

The former meant that anything swallowed by this creature could be stored within it without damage unless it actively absorbed it.

The latter allowed its body to transform into flowing mud, letting it seep through any cracks or crevices.

These two traits made it a natural master in the art of thievery.

"Wake up." After confirming that the black, slimy pet in her hand was indeed the mud creature, Qiao Sang held it up and shook it, trying to rouse it.

Seeing no response, she pinched the flesh on its face.

The mud creature still lay there, unresponsive like a pile of sludge.

Looks like it’s not going to be much help...

Qiao Sang quickly decided not to waste any more time and turned to Fang Sisi.

"There should be a female NPC down there, right? Can you check if she’s in there?" Qiao Sang reminded her.

Although she wanted to rush ahead and find Yabao, with such strange occurrences and only a newborn Treasure-Seeking Ghost by her side, it was better to proceed with caution.

"Okay..."

Fang Sisi snapped back to her senses, knocked twice on the ground, and called out, "Is anyone down there?"

No response.

"Hello, is anyone there?"

Still no movement.

Fang Sisi shook her head, "Looks like no one's there. We should keep going."

"Wait." Qiao Sang said.

"What..." Fang Sisi’s voice froze in her throat, her face filling with terror as she stumbled backward several meters, hands planted on the ground as she retreated.

She watched in horror as Qiao Sang reached out and patted the air above her head, causing a gray-yellow, legless pet to materialize there.

A ghost-type pet! Fang Sisi’s heart pounded, her eyes wide with shock.

She hadn’t feared the secret room before because she was familiar with all its horror setups and knew some of the NPCs.

But that didn’t mean she was brave! The ghost pet that appeared on Qiao Sang’s head was definitely not one of the secret room’s NPCs!

The unexpected ghost pet, combined with the unease from not being able to summon back her Cotton Bug and the eerie atmosphere around them, sent Fang Sisi’s heart into her throat.

Just then, Qiao Sang spoke.

"Little Treasure, go take a look."

"Xun~"

Little Treasure nodded and floated down beneath the stone slabs.

Fang Sisi was stunned, her mind blank.

What? Little Treasure? A Treasure-Seeking Ghost?!

Wait, why could Qiao Sang command it?!

Fang Sisi swallowed nervously, her voice trembling as she looked at Qiao Sang.

"That Treasure-Seeking Ghost, it’s yours?"

"Yeah." Qiao Sang replied, then paused, noticing Fang Sisi had moved far away.

"Why did you run so far?"

Fang Sisi: …!

You tell me why!

"Your Treasure-Seeking Ghost?" Fang Sisi asked again in disbelief.

"Yes."

"You’ve contracted two pets?!" Fang Sisi raised her voice in surprise.

"Yeah. I know you want to praise me, but now's not the time. Finding Yabao and the Cotton Bug is more important." Qiao Sang said calmly.

Fang Sisi: ...

She didn’t want to talk anymore.

Soon, Little Treasure floated back up from beneath the slabs.

"Xun."

"Xun xun." The little ghost gestured toward Qiao Sang.

"You’re saying she’s lying down with her eyes closed?" Qiao Sang asked.

"Xun." The little ghost nodded.

Qiao Sang paused for two seconds before asking, "Is she still alive?"

Fang Sisi: !!!

What the hell! Why ask such a scary question all of a sudden?!

"Xun."

The little ghost nodded.

Fang Sisi breathed a sigh of relief, thank goodness…

The two of them headed toward the mostly-burned prop room, where the second NPC had fled. It was also the passageway to the next level.

Although the house was mostly burned, the passage was still intact.

Fang Sisi led the way with a flashlight, while Qiao Sang followed, carrying the mud creature.

The mud creature wasn’t heavy, and pets recovered much faster than humans. Thinking it might wake up soon, Qiao Sang decided to keep it with her.

"We’re here." Fang Sisi said, stopping by a wall.

Qiao Sang watched as Fang Sisi fiddled with the wall for a moment before a stone slab on the ground began to move aside.

Halfway through, something seemed to jam it.

Seeing this, Qiao Sang set her phone down, holding the mud creature in her left hand while using her right hand to lift the obstruction and toss it aside.

"Hiss..." Fang Sisi gasped at the sight.

"What’s wrong?" Qiao Sang picked up her phone and asked.

"Nothing. Let’s hurry." Fang Sisi replied, glancing at Qiao Sang in admiration before rushing down the passage.

Qiao Sang noticed Fang Sisi’s odd behavior but didn’t ask further, following her down.

Little Treasure was the last to descend.

Instead of immediately entering the passage, he floated over to the obstruction his master had tossed aside, blinked curiously at it, then floated down into the passage.

As the ghost disappeared into the passage, the stone slab slowly slid back into place.

After climbing down, Qiao Sang shone her phone ahead, discovering they had entered a sewer system.

Before she could take a closer look, Fang Sisi spoke up.

"Do you know what that thing you threw just now was?"

Though she wasn’t interested, Qiao Sang humored her.

"What was it?"

"A Masked Spirit, the boss NPC of the first level. You have to beat it to get to the second level." Fang Sisi said, her eyes full of admiration.

Her former desk mate was incredible! She had tossed a ghost pet aside like it was a rag! Such bravery! Such boldness!

No wonder she dared to contract a fire-type and a ghost-type pet as her first two beasts.

Qiao Sang was stunned for a moment.

"You’re saying that was the Masked Spirit?"

"Yeah." Fang Sisi nodded.

Qiao Sang was silent for a while. No wonder it had felt so strange...

But why was it knocked out? Was it Yabao’s Meteor Rain or something else?

As Qiao Sang pondered, a sound like a baby crying suddenly echoed from the sewer. Then, a pair of hands, stained with red liquid, emerged from the water.

Since the hands appeared behind Qiao Sang and Fang Sisi, neither of them noticed immediately.

But Little Treasure did.

He floated over to the hands, tilted his head curiously, then grabbed one of the bloodstained hands and pulled it out of the water.

After sniffing it, the little ghost wrinkled his nose in disgust and tossed the hand back into the sewer.

The hand: ???