Chapter 866: Do You Still Have Any Questions About the Task?

Read at: https://blogspot-translatedstories.blogspot.com/?m=1 

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Qiao Sang and Yabao opened their eyes with the same exasperated expression.

“What’s going on with that Rain-Shelter Butterfly?” Mikayla asked.

Qiao Sang’s expression turned complicated.

“It followed Lubao.”

Mikayla blinked. 

“Why is it following Ice Aipalu’s evolution form, Ice Emperor Ram?”

Because it was bewitched by Lubao’s beauty… Qiao Sang thought for a moment and then explained, “It seems to have fallen in love with her.”

Mikayla: …

Hate Rain silently covered its face with its wings. As a companion of Want Sun, it felt ashamed to be seen.

“I’ll report this to its Beast Master.” Mikayla said after a moment’s pause, offering a solution. 

“For now, just bring the Hate Rain with you.”

Before Qiao Sang could reply, Hate Rain flapped its wings and flew over, perching on her shoulder.

Its 1.3-meter rain-sheltering radius really was better than using an umbrella… Qiao Sang glanced at the butterfly on her shoulder. 

“I guess this works.”

She remembered its personality was calm and steady, so hopefully there wouldn’t be a repeat of earlier incidents.

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Above Changyu City, rain poured down relentlessly.

Qiao Sang, holding Yabao in her arms, wandered the streets aimlessly in search.

“Yap…”

Even though no rain fell on Yabao, the oppressive, soaking atmosphere still made his mood sink lower and lower.

Qiao Sang paused as a thought struck her.

“Use your clones to help search.”

“Yap.”

Yabao let out a call, and suddenly several identical small Fire Qilus appeared before her, scattering in all directions.

“Yap yap!”

After about half an hour of searching, Yabao suddenly perked up, crying out that he had found the target.

Qiao Sang’s eyes lit up instantly. 

“Where?”

“Yap!”

Yabao wanted to leap out of his master’s arms and lead the way himself, but one glance at the pounding rain made him hesitate. Instead, he stretched out his paw and pointed.

Following his direction, Qiao Sang hurried forward.

After crossing wide streets for more than ten minutes, Yabao cried out again with excitement.

“Yap!”

That’s it!

The creature’s body was around a meter tall, with pale yellow fur and curled ears, indeed, the back of a Baby Moon. Qiao Sang quickened her pace, circling ahead of it before casually glancing back.

Wait… green bean-shaped eyes? That didn’t look quite right…

As she was about to say something, a girl in a white dress hurried up holding a yellow umbrella, shielding the “Baby Moon.”

“Honestly, slow down.” She scolded the pet. 

“The fresh dye on your fur is going to fade.”

“Moon…”

The green-eyed pet gave a pitiful cry.

So it was role-playing… Qiao Sang couldn’t hide her disappointment.

“Yap…”

Yabao’s tail drooped.

Meanwhile, one of his clones near a side alley dissipated instantly.

“It’s fine.” Qiao Sang reassured him. 

“That pet was pretending to be a Baby Moon. Even I nearly mistook it.”

“Yap yap!”

Yabao quickly regained his spirits.

The pair resumed their search through the rainy city streets.

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A few minutes later, Yabao looked up at the endless rain and barked suddenly.

“Yap yap!”

He was determined, once they got back, he wanted a fight with Lubao!

Qiao Sang: …

She knew this day was coming.

“After we finish this mission, wait until the next city. It’s always raining here. The battle environment isn’t fair to you.”

Yabao was already weaker than Lubao. In constant rain, he’d only lose harder.

“Yap!”

But Yabao shook his head firmly.

Only the weak complain about the environment.

Qiao Sang: …

Where did you even learn that line?

“Yap…”

Noticing his master didn’t reply right away, Yabao lowered his head, voice subdued, was Lubao really that much stronger than him now?

“How could that be?” Qiao Sang quickly stroked his fur, softening her tone. 

“She just evolved earlier than you. Once you evolve, you’ll definitely be stronger.”

“Yap?”

Yabao lifted his head, eyes searching hers.

How could he evolve?

Qiao Sang fell silent.

Yabao’s form was unique, and his evolution requirements were still a mystery. All she knew was the general location tied to his evolution, nothing more.

Even with his accumulated points, he’d barely reach mid-General-level… Evolution might need something else entirely, maybe even a Dream Enlightenment Stone.

She finally said gently, “When the time is right, you’ll naturally evolve.”

“Yap…”

Yabao gazed at the sky, confusion clouding his expression.

When exactly would that time be?

Then suddenly, his eyes locked onto something above.

“Yap!”

He cried out for Qiao Sang to look.

She raised her head and saw, up in the sky, a section of space was covered by a transparent dome that blocked the rain.

At the center, a tiny Rain-Shelter Butterfly hovered, only about five centimeters in size, its drooping antennae betraying its gloom.

That must be Want Sun.

“Rain!”

The butterfly on Qiao Sang’s shoulder suddenly cried out.

The one above looked down, spotting it. In an instant, its eyes brightened, and it flew straight toward them.

“Want Sun?” Qiao Sang asked.

The butterfly nodded sweetly.

“Yap!”

Yabao barked in annoyance. Where had this thing been? He was soaked to the bone because of it!

“Rain…”

Want Sun lowered its feelers apologetically, but kept glancing hopefully toward Qiao Sang’s backpack.

On her shoulder, Hate Rain turned away with a disgusted expression.

Noticing where its gaze lingered, Qiao Sang twitched her lips. 

“Lubao hasn’t come back yet.”

“Rain?”

Want Sun tilted its head in confusion.

Who was Lubao?

“The pet you ran after earlier,” Qiao Sang explained, not even needing Yabao to translate, the butterfly’s face said it all.

“Rain…”

Realizing Lubao was its goddess, Want Sun drooped in despair.

“Raim.”

Hate Rain scolded it sharply, reminding it of the real task.

Quickly, Want Sun composed itself, fluttering to Qiao Sang’s other shoulder.

Still, its mood remained low.

Qiao Sang pulled out her phone, showing it a picture of Baby Moon.

“If you see this pet, tell me.”

The butterfly stared at the screen in silence for several long seconds before nodding.

Then suddenly, it brightened. 

“Rain!”

“Yap!”

Yabao’s eyes shone, pawing at Qiao Sang’s clothes. This butterfly said it saw one!

“Where?” She asked immediately.

Want Sun flew ahead to guide them.

Qiao Sang followed, thinking to herself: Finding a one-meter-tall pet in a city this size was too difficult. If it disguised itself slightly, it would be even harder… Maybe she could check the city’s surveillance cameras, but no, a regular Beast Master like her would never get access. 

Better to search on her own for a couple more days. If nothing turned up, she’d post a task and hire a search-type pet to help.

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After a long while, the butterfly cried out.

“Yap.” Yabao translated. It said this was where it had seen it.

Qiao Sang looked up.

Ahead, a pet costume event was taking place.

Pets posed for photos with umbrella hats or Rain-Shelter Butterflies perched on their heads, while their masters mingled and chatted.

This wasn’t cosplay of anime or famous battle pets. It was pure pet roleplay, pretending to be another species. If you fooled others, you succeeded.

Understanding, Qiao Sang sighed inwardly.

So the earlier Baby Moon was likely from here.

Baby Moons weren’t rare. With this many people, some were bound to have them for real. The butterfly had probably just seen a contracted one.

Still, she went inside, just in case.

As she entered, someone called out: “The girl holding the Fire Qilu, wait for me!”

Fire Qilu. Girl. Definitely her.

Qiao Sang turned.

A girl of about eighteen hurried over, with a Baby Moon at her side.

So many Baby Moons in one day? Qiao Sang sized it up.

“Moon.” The Baby Moon said, smiling.

This one was real, not dyed or disguised. Big black eyes, unmistakable.

“Do you need something?” Qiao Sang asked.

“Your pet looks exactly like a real Fire Qilu.” The girl said, leaning closer.

“Yap…”

But Yabao’s attention was fixed entirely on the Baby Moon. He remembered, their target was a wild one. This probably wasn’t it.

“It is a real Fire Qilu.” Qiao Sang replied.

The girl’s eyes went wide. She studied Qiao Sang, then suddenly gasped and covered her mouth in delight.

“You’re Qiao Sang?!”

“You know me?”

“Of course! I saw you in the StarNet broadcast of the Beast Tamers Star Tournament. I thought I was the only one who knew Fire Qilu through the net. I can’t believe I’ve met you in person!” She whipped out her phone, beaming. 

“Can I take a photo with you and Fire Qilu?”

Qiao Sang was surprised someone on Blue Star had watched that competition, but nodded. 

“Sure.”

She smiled at the phone as the girl held it up.

“One second, Baby Moon, come here! Join the photo too!” The girl called.

“Moon.”

The pet obediently posed.

“Have you named your Baby Moon yet?” Qiao Sang asked casually.

“Not yet.” The girl replied, snapping the photo. 

“I just contracted it two days ago. I want a master namer to help.”

Qiao Sang froze.

“That’s all, thank you.” The girl said, still brimming with excitement. 

“I know it, you’re going to be famous! No matter what competition you enter, I’ll support you!”

Qiao Sang looked at the Baby Moon. 

“Can I ask where you contracted it?”

The girl thought a moment. 

“At home. It suddenly appeared in our backyard, fighting my dad’s Chichi Stove for food. I gave it some energy pills, and it bonded with me.”

The time and details matched perfectly. No wonder the patrol couldn’t find it, it had been contracted.

“Moon?”

The Baby Moon looked confused at the change in atmosphere.

“Is there a problem?” The girl asked.

Qiao Sang explained about her task to locate the wild Baby Moon.

The girl turned to her pet. 

“You came from a secret realm rift? But you told me you escaped from a fight…”

“Moon?”

The Baby Moon tilted its head, confused. What was a rift?

The girl explained: “A tear in space.”

“Moon.”

The Baby Moon nodded. That was where it came from.

“Yap!”

Yabao barked excitedly. This was the one!

Qiao Sang exhaled. They had found it, thanks to sheer luck and a few casual questions. If not, she might have missed her regional competition entirely.

She summoned her pets back into her Beast Codex, then called the patrol department.

The girl only watched silently, stroking her Baby Moon.

“Moon?”

It nuzzled her hand.

Half a minute later, two uniformed officers and their pets appeared via spatial transfer.

The crowd around them gasped, snapping photos.

The patrol quickly verified the Baby Moon’s information, thanked Qiao Sang, and instructed the girl to register it properly before disappearing again.

Qiao Sang glanced at the time, 5:53 PM. The Beast Master Center was still open.

She summoned Little Treasure with a star array.

The girl asked softly, “Are you entering the regional tournament next?”

Qiao Sang nodded.

“I’ll be cheering for you!”

Qiao Sang smiled sincerely. 

“Thank you. Without you, I wouldn’t have finished my task so quickly.”

The girl flushed with embarrassment. 

“Hehe, I had no idea my Baby Moon was involved in your task.”

“I didn’t either. Fate, I guess. Goodbye for now.” Qiao Sang said, then turned to Little Treasure. 

“Take us back to the third floor of the Beast Master Center.”

The girl waved. 

“See you again!”

And with that, Qiao Sang, Yabao, and Little Treasure vanished.

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Beast Master Cente. Third Floor, Assessment Office.

The door was wide open.

Qiao Sang knocked lightly.

The examiner looked up, surprised.

“You’re back? Do you still have questions about the task?”

“No.” Qiao Sang said, stepping inside. 

“I came to report the task is complete.”

The examiner: ???

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