Beast Taming: Starting From Zero

Sparring partner?

Qiao Sang hadn’t expected to come looking for a sparring partner only to have someone suggest she become one herself.

But then again, it’s probably because she was just too good…

She began to think it over.

She had to admit the offer was quite tempting, it would save her money, build battle experience, and increase her points.

However, sparring partners were usually full-time. Even if they weren’t in the Beast Battle Club, they had to be available to show up within a set time frame after a call.

She simply didn’t have that much free time to be on call like that.

Not to mention, most of her time was spent in training right now. And once the new semester started in a few days, she’d have even less free time.

After all, she still had to come home every day and do the dreaded homework…

“I figured. You look like you’re still a student.” Said the man with the gold-rimmed glasses with a smile.

“You can do it part-time. There are no set work hours. If a client specifically requests you, we’ll contact you. If you’re available, you come. If not, we’ll handle the rejection for you.”

“I wish I could work like that.” Lin Yuanqi said enviously.

The man with the gold-rimmed glasses glanced at him and asked, “Are you as skilled as she is?”

Lin Yuanqi felt as if he’d been struck in the heart.

The man continued, “Do you have a rare, newly-evolved beast that can attract clients?”

And he wasn’t finished yet.

“Are you better-looking than her?”

The first two questions were tolerable, but the last one, unbearable! Comparing a teenage girl to a grown man in terms of looks? That’s just ridiculous!

Besides, plenty of people lose their looks after they grow up. His handsome face was already pretty much set in stone.

If you weren’t the boss, I’d have told you off already... Lin Yuanqi raised his hands in surrender.

“Alright, I admit it. I’m pretty happy with my current job.”

The others were silently thankful they hadn’t spoken up. Otherwise, they might’ve been publicly compared to a kid, which would’ve been far worse than just knowing deep down they didn’t measure up.

The man with the gold-rimmed glasses turned to Qiao Sang and asked gently, “What do you think of my offer?”

“I think it sounds great.” Qiao Sang responded immediately.

Whether or not he was using her Flame Hound to attract clients, the deal had no downsides for her.

---

The two quickly reached an agreement, and the man with the gold-rimmed glasses led Qiao Sang to his office, where he had someone draft a contract.

Qiao Sang skimmed it, but one clause caught her attention, so she gave it a closer look.

It was about her salary.

A base salary of 5,000 Alliance coins, with a 60% commission rate. How much she made each month would depend on how many clients she had.

The pay was decent. Beastmaster jobs generally fell into the high-paying category.

Sparring partners made what seemed like a lot of money, but for those aiming to progress far in the path of a Beastmaster, it was nothing.

Luckily, she wasn’t taking this job for the money. Qiao Sang signed her name.

After she’d signed, the man with the gold-rimmed glasses set aside his smile and introduced himself seriously.

“Let me formally introduce myself. I’m Xie Yang, the manager of Hongying Beast Battle Club. Most people call me ‘Second Boss’ or ‘Brother Yang.’ You can call me whichever you prefer.”

Qiao Sang asked curiously, “Why do they call you ‘Second Boss’?”

“Because the big boss is my mother.” Xie Yang replied.

“People used to call me ‘Little Boss,’ but I thought it sounded terrible, so I had them call me ‘Second Boss’ instead.”

Qiao Sang: …

“I read in the news that the Flame Hound doesn’t have a psychic-type attribute. I’m curious, is your Flame Hound unique, or do all Fire fang Dogs gain psychic powers when they evolve?” Xie Yang asked, his expression suddenly serious.

Nobody knew that when Xie Yang signed Qiao Sang, it wasn’t just to attract clients with the Flame Hound’s popularity.

He was aiming for a long-term partnership, one that could lead to a massive business deal.

In his view, a relationship based on mutual benefits was the best foundation for such a venture.

Qiao Sang was momentarily stunned but then replied, “I’m not sure. There hasn’t been a second Flame Hound to use for comparison yet.”

Xie Yang nodded and asked, “Do you know how much a Fire fang Dog is worth right now?”

Qiao Sang nodded.

“120,000 Alliance coins.”

After the news that Fire fang Dogs could evolve into Flame Hounds broke, their price skyrocketed. Many of her acquaintances had sent her the news.

“And do you know what would happen to the price if word got out that the Flame Hound also has a psychic-type attribute?” Xie Yang pressed.

“It’d definitely reach seven figures.” Qiao Sang answered after thinking for a moment.

Psychic-type beasts generally sold for at least a million coins. A Flame Hound, with both psychic and fire attributes, couldn’t be priced lower than that.

How can you say a million so casually? That’s a million! A true fortune! She really must be from an incredibly wealthy family to be so indifferent about money...

Xie Yang forced himself to remain calm before asking, “Have you thought about buying as many Fire fang Dogs as possible right now and selling them after the news about the Flame Hound’s psychic powers gets out?”

---

Qiao Sang stayed silent for several seconds before replying, her voice trembling, “What are you trying to say?”

Oh my god! She hadn’t even thought of this!

She was always thinking about ways to make money, but the opportunity to get rich overnight had been right in front of her, and she’d missed it!

Heaven help her! How could she be so dumb?

“I know what you’re worried about. The Alliance has strict regulations on the sale of beasts. You’re still young, so even if you had thought of this, you wouldn’t have done it.” Xie Yang said understandingly.

No, I didn’t think of it! Qiao Sang screamed internally.

“Even though we can’t buy Fire fang Dogs in bulk through normal channels, there are other ways. We could open a pet breeding shop specializing in Flame Hounds, or hire people to capture them in the wilderness.” Xie Yang said, sharing his idea.

Qiao Sang was taken aback.

“We?”

“Yes, we.” Xie Yang confirmed.

“Every time a beast gets a new evolution, it’s all over the news. The same goes for the Flame Hound."

“Its hype is already starting to die down. One reason is that none of the Fire fang Dogs that were purchased have evolved into another Flame Hound. The other is that the news didn’t mention anything about the psychic-type attribute."

“If we stock up on Fire fang Dogs now, when the time is right, you could release a video of your Flame Hound using psychic powers. We could even provide exclusive information on how to evolve them to the people who buy from us.”

“With you as the face of the first Flame Hound, we’d definitely make a fortune.”

“I…” Qiao Sang began.

“Don’t rush to turn me down.” Xie Yang interrupted.

“Even though your family is wealthy, raising beasts becomes more expensive the further you go. The stronger your beasts get, the more money you’ll need to raise them well. I’m sure you wouldn’t mind having more money."