Huang Tao saw that Su Wanwan had made up her mind and didn’t try to persuade her further. With a smile, she led the two over to the Thunder-Water Nursery on the right.
As soon as they got close to the compartment, a cool mist mixed with a faint crackle of electricity wafted over.
In the clear, shallow pool, the Electric Eel swam nimbly, its deep blue body shimmering with flowing light. Every time the tip of its tail swept across the water’s surface, it sent up a series of small, sizzling arcs of lightning. The battle aura was maxed out.
“This is the last one—a Water and Electric dual-attribute, low-tier Commander Bloodline beast, the Electric Eel.” Huang Tao continued her introduction. “Explosive power and high speed make it a very rare Assassin main battle pet, perfect for an aggressive Beast Tamer.”
But Luo Ning stared at it for a few seconds and still couldn’t muster even a shred of interest.
A long, wriggling body. No hands, no feet. Completely smooth and slimy. And it kept discharging electricity. He didn’t even want to get close.
‘If my pet evolved into an Electric Eel girl, would I even want to cuddle with her?’
Luo Ning agonized for a long time, then suddenly remembered something. He casually turned his head and asked:
“Sister Huang Tao, this Electric Eel… is it male or female?”
Huang Tao was taken aback for a moment. She clearly hadn’t expected this delicate-looking boy to ask such a down-to-earth question. After a short pause, she answered truthfully: “We checked the bloodline signs. It’s a male cub.”
“…”
Luo Ning instantly looked completely uninterested, his heart completely dead on it.
No good looks. No beast ears. And the wrong gender.
Luo Ning immediately gave up and shook his head on the spot. “Then forget it. I definitely don’t want this one either.”
Huang Tao was completely dumbfounded.
An Electric Eel with a top-tier explosive Commander Bloodline, and he didn’t want it either?
That was something countless newcomers would kill to get their hands on!
Under normal growth, it could easily reach Commander Level!
Even if it was only low-tier Commander Level, that was still Commander Level!
And that wasn’t even considering the possibility of evolution, which could cause its bloodline rank to jump even higher, eventually reaching an even greater level!
For most people, this was a perfect starting lineup they could only dream of their entire lives. Yet for Luo Ning, it was being eliminated simply because it didn’t meet his aesthetic standards and was the wrong gender?
Su Wanwan was also stunned. Wasn’t he wasting the results he’d worked so hard to accumulate?
But soon she figured out the reason. Thinking back to Luo Ning’s weird Beast Taming talent, a corner of Su Wanwan’s mouth twitched involuntarily.
‘This guy isn’t really rejecting it just because he thinks it’s ugly, is he?’
Su Wanwan took a look at the Electric Eel. It really was kind of ugly—even worse than her Leaf Slug.
Luo Ning put his little hands behind his back, lifted his head, and said seriously:
“No, it’s not a good fit, and it’s not good-looking. My initial pet has to be high in looks, female, and also good-looking after evolution!”
Huang Tao was completely flabbergasted.
In all her years on the job, this was the first time she’d seen a newcomer reject a Commander Bloodline pet just because it wasn’t pretty enough.
Huang Tao sighed helplessly, her expression becoming a bit more serious as she confirmed with Luo Ning: “Classmate Luo Ning, I need to formally verify this with you one more time.”
“Are you sure… you want to directly give up your newbie-exclusive right to contract a low-tier Commander Bloodline pet?”
“You need to understand that this is the highest-grade welfare quota for this year’s newbies. In the entire Jiangcheng Breeding Center—and I can say for this cohort—there are only two of these. If you miss this chance, there will never be a second opportunity.”
Her tone was sincere, tinged with regret, but also carried a professional strictness.
“Are you really… sure you want to give it up?”
Her tone clearly conveyed her disappointment, and there was even a hint of disapproval hidden beneath.
Doesn’t look good? Wrong gender?
In the eyes of any normal Beast Tamer, those were utterly ridiculous reasons!
When choosing a pet, you look at bloodline, potential, combat power, and growth ceiling—not looks!
How many newcomers with mediocre talent had worked themselves to the bone studying, training, and fighting for a chance at one of these two Commander Bloodline cubs, only to never get the opportunity?
But Luo Ning had been dealt a heavenly opening hand, possessed the right to choose a top-tier starting pet that others could never obtain even in a hundred lifetimes, and yet he was casually rejecting it all based on his own personal aesthetic.
At that moment, the respect Huang Tao had held for Luo Ning quietly faded by half.
Su Wanwan quickly tugged at Luo Ning’s hand and whispered earnestly into his ear: “Hey, Luo Ning. How about you just go ahead and contract this Electric Eel for now? You can look for other good-looking pets later, right? Maybe he can change gender just like you?”
This opportunity was practically bought with Luo Ning’s parents’ lives, and he wasn’t cherishing it. Su Wanwan felt a pang of frustration.
“?” Luo Ning.
Luo Ning turned his head and looked at the Electric Eel. The Electric Eel seemed to be looking back at him, its whole body writhing with electric sparks, looking very excited. He just hoped it wouldn’t start shooting heart-shaped looks from its eyes.
Luo Ning subconsciously shivered…
‘An electric eel… trap?’
“No, I’ve made up my mind.”
“Commander Bloodline is good, but it’s not right for me.”
“A pet that doesn’t look good, doesn’t suit my taste, and has the wrong gender—even if it’s super strong and has a high ceiling, I won’t contract it.”
“Also, Old Su, trust your buddy, okay?”
With his moe-girl evolution ability to break through bloodline limits, what did he have to fear? Besides, facing this drastically changed Beast Taming world, Luo Ning’s only wish right now was to have enough power to protect himself and to live out his days peacefully and lazily in the company of cute beast-eared girls. That would be a total life victory, right?
Su Wanwan looked at his absolutely determined expression, and the anxiety and regret in her heart suddenly began to dissipate.
She was stunned for a moment, then gently let go of the hand that had been holding Luo Ning’s sleeve.
‘Could it be that Luo Ning is hiding something?’
‘It must be that. Knowing him, his Beast Taming talent definitely has more secrets.’
‘After all, I’m hiding some too.’
Su Wanwan took a shallow breath and finally nodded gently, setting aside all her remaining worries.
“Alright. I believe you.”
She no longer tried to persuade him, no longer felt regret. It was all unconditional accommodation and trust.
Huang Tao heard this, and the last glimmer of expectation in her eyes completely faded.
She nodded slightly, and her attitude shifted from the earlier warm deference to a bland, professional demeanor: “Fine. Since it’s your own choice, our Breeding Center won’t interfere.”
“Also, Sister Huang Tao, can I use this opportunity to contract other pets outside?”
“You may.”
“If you voluntarily give up the quota, the remaining permissions can be freely used on any cub in the Breeding Center.”
With that, she turned and gestured toward the exit, her tone flat: “Come on, I’ll take you back to the Public Ecological Corridor to pick your initial pet. Once you’ve chosen, I’ll arrange the Contract Ceremony.”
“One more thing, Sister Huang Tao!”
Just as Huang Tao was about to turn and lead the way, and the atmosphere was tinged with regret and silence,
Luo Ning suddenly raised both his fair, tender little hands high in the air, his small face stern and serious as he piped up.
Huang Tao paused mid-step and reflexively looked back, her heart stirring a little.
‘What? Is this little guy backing out?’
‘Is he reluctant to give up the Commander Bloodline pet quota and planning to go back and contract the Electric Eel?’
A faint glimmer of a turnaround rose in her heart, and her expression became a bit more serious: “Go ahead.”
Luo Ning blinked his big, clear eyes, rubbed his little hands together, pressed his legs together slightly, and spoke with an anxious yet perfectly justified tone:
“I need to use the bathroom! I’ve been holding it for so long!”
“Can we go to the restroom first, and then come back to pick the pet?”
For an instant,
Huang Tao stood frozen on the spot, her forehead twitching imperceptibly, and the corner of her mouth gave a violent, uncontrollable spasm.
Su Wanwan was also stunned for a moment, then covered her face.
Huang Tao took a deep breath, forcibly suppressed her utter speechlessness, and squeezed out a professional smile with a blank expression:
“…Fine. Follow me.”