The New Year's Eve had just passed, marking the beginning of a new year and a new day.
The entire Beast Tamer Alliance branch in Graymont had not a single second to spare for rest. Everyone was forced to continue the excavation and research work on the ancient tomb, which had only been half unearthed.
Instantly, a wave of exhaustion and gloom swept through the entire Graymont.
"I've been busy all year long. I thought I'd finally get a ten-day or half-month break for the New Year. How did my luck turn so bad?", A tall and skinny young man, as thin as a piece of paper, exuded an aura of lifelessness.
"I don't want to move. I want to quit. Can I just give up?", The young man, Evan, with dark circles under his eyes and a pale complexion that made him look like he had kidney deficiency, turned to Charolette.
Charolette: "Heh!"
"No way. Don't even think about it. Dream on," Charolette dusted off her coat, unmoved, "Since President Bradley assigned you to take over my work, as long as I and my team are in Graymont, you can forget about running away."
"Once the tomb excavation is completely finished, you can do whatever you want. Talk it out with President Bradley—I won't interfere."
'Trying to run away just because the workload increased?'
'In your dreams!'
Evan, whose position was lower and therefore under pressure: "..."
Understood.
Sometimes, one shouldn't slack off too much.
He should have ousted Bradley earlier. If he had become the president of the Beast Tamer Alliance, all of this mess would have fallen on that old guy Bradley instead.
As Evan grumbled in his heart, he had no choice but to accept his fate. He diligently followed up on the work with Charolette and took on the task of communicating between Graymont's internal and external affairs. He wasn't exactly on call 24/7, but he was at least on standby for 16 hours a day, leaving him with no extra free time.
One night plus one day was enough for the professional team from the Ancient Tomb Inspection Bureau of Star City to fully assess the situation of the excavation site.
They discussed the current status of the tomb.
"Generally speaking, when the owner of an ancient tomb was a Beast Tamer during their lifetime, their body would be buried in a special coffin after death. This is to prevent the explosion of the Beast Tamer's spiritual sea from negatively affecting the burial site," a professional from Star City explained to the people present.
These people included staff from Graymont's Tomb Inspection Bureau, senior officials of Graymont, and Charolette.
After all, this wasn't Charolette's usual area of expertise.
It was just that she happened to be on duty yesterday, so the follow-up work ended up on her plate.
Charolette: 'I love my job.'
(•‿•)
"As we all know, the stronger a Beast Tamer is, the more powerful their spiritual sea becomes. When ordinary people die, they simply die—losing vital signs, with their brain consciousness dissipating, leaving no further reactions."
"But powerful Beast Tamers are different."
"Just like how, when modern Beast Tamers die, before their bodies are cremated, they must first undergo a special spiritual sea dissolution process before cremation can proceed."
"For Beast Tamers of Tier 7 and above, however, with today's technology, the dissolution process is not very effective. The only solution is to place their bodies in special vessels for burial."
The professional's words were somewhat jarring.
But none of the people present showed any particular reaction.
It had nothing to do with ordinary people.
Beast Tamers had already learned about this from their basic knowledge courses before even leaving university.
Some had speculated whether a Beast Tamer's spiritual sea—since it didn't disappear upon death—could be a means to achieve immortality, as if it were the repository of a human soul.
Well... certain nations had conducted research on this.
Let's just say the results were less than ideal.
Moreover, due to the inhumane experiments conducted, those nations had not seen the emergence of any powerful Beast Tamers for quite some time. Particularly in recent years, it was rumored that their only Tier 9 Beast Tamer didn't have much longer to live.
Ahem!
Skipping that topic.
"Without a spiritual sea dissolution process, if left to dissipate naturally, the process is slow. Depending on the Beast Tamer's strength in life, this dissipation can take anywhere from 600 to 100 years."
"Based on the strongest tomb we've excavated so far—belonging to an ancient Tier 8 Beast Tamer—it took a full 697 years for his spiritual sea to completely fade, leaving the entire tomb filled with spiritual particles."
These spiritual particles were what caused the detection instruments to emit strong signals.
Whenever spiritual particles were detected in the air, the concentration of these particles—indicating the deceased Beast Tamer's strength in life—determined the intensity of the alarm signal.
After laying out this background, the professional from Star City finally got to the key point.
"Based on our findings in this newly discovered tomb in Graymont, the concentration of spiritual particles matches that of the Tier 8 Beast Tamer tomb we previously discovered. This strongly suggests that the tomb owner was at least a Tier 8 Beast Tamer."
Tier 8 Beast Tamer?
Everyone present, whether ordinary people or Beast Tamers, gasped.
The ordinary folks were simply shocked—'what? We actually excavated the tomb of a Tier 8 Beast Tamer?'
Incredible. Simply incredible.
The expressions of the Beast Tamers weren't much better.
Only those who had truly awakened as Beast Tamers and walked the path toward becoming stronger understood just how difficult it was to reach Tier 8.
Although Soren had far more Tier 8 Beast Tamers than any other country—
Thanks to its large population.
The sheer base proportion played a role.
Soren had the highest number of Tier 8 Beast Tamers in the world—51 in total.
Tier 7 Beast Tamers numbered in the triple digits.
No other country had such a vast reserve of high-tier Beast Tamers.
But that didn't mean becoming a strong Beast Tamer in Soren was easy.
On the contrary, the Beast Tamer profession had only grown more competitive. Those without enough talent were pushed off the track. Those with weak mindsets were also eliminated, left doubting life and themselves.
Meanwhile, those with ability and strong wills thrived, securing more resources in a virtuous cycle—thus allowing Soren to cultivate even more powerful Beast Tamers.
Tier 8 Beast Tamers... Some of the Beast Tamers present were on the verge of shedding manly tears.
They weren't worthy.
"However, we have another theory."
The professional from Star City certainly knew how to keep people in suspense.
With just one sentence—
WHOOSH!
Countless gazes locked onto him instantly.
Yet the professional remained composed, unfazed by the attention, and continued explaining.
"After all, this is an ancient tomb. And tombs... have burial objects."
"And among the burial objects from two thousand years ago, besides the gold, silver, and jade artifacts we're familiar with, there's another possibility..."
"Beasts," Charolette calmly interjected.
The professional, whose grand reveal had just been stolen: "..."
Alright.
That was indeed the case.
"Yes, Beasts," The professional cast a resentful look at Charolette.
Charolette remained unfazed, sitting up straight as if nothing had happened.
'Why look at me?'
'Am I not a considerate and understanding leader?'
The professional, realizing that was indeed the case: "..."
'Fine.'
'She is the boss. What can a mere worker like me do?'
Sighing, the young-looking professional said, "Judging from the concentration of the dispersed spiritual particles, the tomb owner was most likely an eighth-tier Beast Tamer when alive. However, we also found that these spiritual particles are way too active."
Some people had already started rolling their eyes.
'What?'
'First, it is spiritual particle concentration, then spiritual particle intensity, and now spiritual particle activity? What the hell are all these things?'
"To put it simply, the Beast Tamer inside has been dead for about two thousand years. Even if his spiritual sea didn't completely vanish, it should have gradually decomposed and dissipated over time. There's no way it could still be this active—it doesn't make sense, understand?", Since most of the people here weren't in the relevant field, the explanation had to be as simple as possible.
Unexpectedly, upon looking up, the professional still met several pairs of confused eyes.
The expert from Star City: "…"
Headache.
Stomachache.
Aches all over.
Could they just accept the summary and conclusions without needing further explanation?
Oh.
No, they couldn't.
This was part of the procedure.
Fortunately, both Charolette and Evan, the team leaders, understood.
No choice.
They still had to draft a summary template and submit it later—also part of the procedure.
"Got it. A dead thing can't stay active for two thousand years, so you suspect something inside is still alive," With years of experience in summarizing, Charolette concisely rephrased, "Humans can't live for two thousand years, but Beasts might. You suspect that the living entity inside is an Beast."
The expert silently gave a thumbs-up.
The others, who initially didn't understand but caught on after the summary, also gave thumbs-ups.
Alright, alright.
Now they got it.
But… "Are there really Beasts that can stay alive for over two thousand years? Only dragon-type Beasts could pull that off, right?" someone whispered.
Indeed.
Beasts lived much longer than regular ones, longer than ordinary humans. But that didn't mean they had no lifespan limit.
The minimum lifespan was around a hundred years, the average around three hundred years, and the longest… Well, dragon-type Beasts could easily live for a thousand or eight hundred years. No problem.
For example, the oldest recorded Dragon King in Soren's history lived for 998 years.
When it passed away decades ago, it caused quite a stir.
But people like Asher's generation didn't know about it.
As time passed, ordinary people had even less knowledge of this ancient Dragon King's existence.
"I don't think even dragon-type Beasts could do it," The person refuting used this nearly thousand-year-old Dragon King as proof—it almost set a record but still died at 998.
See?
Even a Dragon King could only live about a thousand years.
So… if the ancient tomb really housed a living Beast, what kind of miraculous being could it possibly be?
"What do you mean, then?", Charolette turned to the expert delivering the report, asking for his proposal.
"The tomb must be excavated. The truth of history is right before our eyes—how can we not dig it up?", The expert straightened his back, looking resolute, "But we have to carefully plan how to open it. The risks inside are definitely not small."
"We need more Beast Tamers. As many industry professionals as possible. We must ensure absolute safety. We go in together!"
Charolette: "Alright."
"Powerful Beast Tamers, professors in human history and evolution… Anything else?", Charolette asked seriously.
"Hmm… Maybe bring some Pet Cultivators and Evolution Professors too?"
Charolette: "?"
Her face showed obvious confusion, "I understand bringing strong Beast Tamers. But why Pet Evolution Professors and Cultivators? Are you planning to study the Beast inside?"
"Hehehe—"
Charolette: "…"
Her expression was indescribable.
How should she put it?
This didn't feel like a typical tomb excavation for historical research.
With this kind of personnel lineup, it was starting to look like an unprofessional tomb-raiding squad—experts from every field except actual archaeological excavation and preservation professionals.
Oh.
The specialists from the Ancient Tomb Detection Bureau barely counted.
Charolette made a call to the Star City headquarters of the Beast Tamer Alliance.
The arrangements came quickly—mainly because Professor Damien personally volunteered. He was extremely interested in the two-thousand-year-old tomb's historical and cultural significance.
So interested that he wanted to lead the team and conduct in-depth research himself.
"We don't need too many people. Just bring Adam and two more assistants," Professor Damien counted the suitable Pet Evolution professors. There were candidates, but few had both the time and the skill to meet his standards, "How about bringing Asher along? I'm quite curious about that young man."
Adam: "?"
'Why is the old man suddenly thinking of bringing Asher?'
He hadn't mentioned him for a long time—Adam even thought he had forgotten about him. But now, out of nowhere, his name popped up.
"Forget? Impossible. I just didn't bring it up before because it didn't seem suitable. The kid wouldn't willingly follow me for research," Professor Damien saw through Adam's thoughts and chuckled.
Adam disagreed, "Professor, you're a titan in our field, a national treasure-level Pet Evolution professor. If you invited Asher to join your project team, how could he refuse?"
A legendary senior.
A super senior.
A national treasure.
Following him would mean learning countless valuable things.
It was a dream opportunity.
What opinion could Asher possibly have?
"That kid loves freedom and dislikes being tied down—even by me," Compared to Adam, Professor Damien saw through Asher much more clearly.
Asher was full of youthful energy.
He wouldn't give up his pursuit of freedom just for the sake of honor and prestige.
And Professor Damien admired him for that.
Recruiting Asher into his research institute?
Professor Damien had considered it for a moment before decisively dismissing the idea.
Not suitable.
Unnecessary.
Giving Asher the freedom to grow was the most important thing.
But…
This project—half serious, half unconventional, full of mystery and intrigue—might be a great opportunity to collaborate.
A one-time cooperation.
Understanding Asher's character would be enough for Professor Damien.
Plus, it was a good chance to teach the kid something.
Without hesitation, Professor Damien invited Asher.
As expected, Asher initially wanted to refuse. But the moment he heard about the project, he agreed without hesitation.
Professor Damien: "Sigh! Young people these days! No interest in us old folks at all!"
Adam: "?"
'Why did that sound so weird?'
———
"Graymont?"
Mama Ruth, Levi, and the Rothschild family, who had just arrived, gathered around Asher. Although they couldn't hear what the person on the other end of the phone was saying, they more or less understood the situation based on Asher's responses.
"That was from last night…", Among the people present, only Aeron and Asher were of the same age. The two had a close relationship and were quite familiar with each other. Curious, Aeron hovered around Asher, gesturing with both hands as he spoke.
Asher nodded, "Yes, that's the one. So I've decided to go."
Upon hearing this, Aeron's eyes were filled with envy, "I want to go too!"
Never mind whether they would actually discover anything—at the very least, he could witness the drama firsthand.
Even if they couldn't talk about it due to confidentiality or other reasons, that wouldn't stop him from enjoying the excitement. Aeron was extremely interested in this ancient tomb that had supernatural powers dating back two thousand years.
"I'll check the plane tickets to Graymont…", As Asher spoke, he prepared to book a ticket.
However, when he opened the ticket-booking app on his phone, a look of confusion appeared on his face.
'Wait, what?'
Noticing Asher's odd expression, Aeron curiously leaned over to take a look. What he saw was a whole row of large red "SOLD OUT" signs displayed on Asher's screen.
No matter the departure location, as long as the destination was Graymont, all plane and train tickets were marked as sold out.
"This is…", Aeron smacked his lips, his gaze filled with exasperation, "Looks like everyone is rushing to join the excitement."
But it made sense.
This was an ancient tomb dating back over two thousand years. Who wouldn't be interested?
Aeron certainly was.
And so were many others.
It just so happened to be the holiday season.
People had seized this perfect opportunity to head over and witness the spectacle.
And so, Asher—who had genuinely been invited for work rather than gossip—tragically found himself betrayed. There were no tickets left. Not even one.
Asher: "…"
The dawn of today was eerily silent.
When exactly had all these tickets been snatched up?
The news had only come out last night, yet by noon today, there wasn't a single ticket left?
And not just for today—there were no tickets available for tomorrow, the day after, or even the next fifteen days.
"Hahaha—"
Just as Asher was about to despair, Old Rothschild burst into hearty laughte, "That's such a small issue! I'll have the Jargon Dragon King take you there, Professor Asher. I guarantee it'll be faster than any airplane."
With that, Old Rothschild confidently gave a thumbs-up.
Asher's eyes lit up, "Really?"
"Of course," Old Rothschild had an expression that said, This is nothing, "I just need to report the flight route in advance. Give me a moment."
Old Rothschild sent a message and quickly received a reply.
"Luckily, the high-altitude route for Beasts isn't fully booked yet. I've scheduled a flight for 3 p.m. It'll take at most an hour to get there. Professor Asher, don't worry," Old Rothschild shared the good news.
Asher finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Good.
He wouldn't have to miss out on this incredibly interesting ancient tomb.
———
After having another meal at the orphanage,
And taking a short break, Asher was ready to depart.
Mama Ruth looked at Asher. Though her gaze was filled with deep reluctance, she simply gave him a warm hug full of blessings, "Take good care of yourself and stay safe."
Asher nodded, then turned and walked toward the Jargon Dragon King.
Faced with the enormous creature that was just as gigantic whether it was standing or lying down, Asher found himself at a loss—he had no idea how to climb onto its back.
This… seemed like a bit of a challenge.
The Jargon Dragon King glanced at Asher, its massive dragon eyes staring straight at him.
Asher: "?"
Before he could react, a powerful gust of wind swept over him. In an instant, he felt weightless, as if his body had become lighter than air.
Before he could even flail around in the air in a dog-paddling motion, his feet had already landed on something firm—something that was definitely not solid ground.
Asher, realizing what had happened: "…"
Sure enough.
When he looked down, he was already on the Jargon Dragon King's back.
Asher glanced over at the Rothschild family and finally understood how he had been sent up here.
Wind Wings.
A powerful yet gentle updraft had lifted him smoothly from the ground and deposited him precisely onto the dragon's back.
The children at the orphanage gazed at Asher standing atop the Jargon Dragon King, their eyes brimming with admiration and awe.
'So cool!'
'A real Dragon Knight!'
They wanted to ride a dragon too.
But none of them dared to approach the Jargon Dragon King. They simply watched Asher with longing and envy.
Asher, suddenly, could understand the swagger of traveling with a dragon.
He glanced down at his arms… Oh, all four of his pet beasts had already been recalled to his Beast Taming Space. Otherwise, he would have loved to point at his two little ones—the Cat-Worm and the little white snake—and ask them, 'When will you two finally evolve into actual dragon-type Beasts?'
And maybe let him experience this cool, awe-inspiring feeling too?
He was truly envious!
"Goodbye, Mama Ruth!", Asher waved at Mama Ruth, who waved back.
Old Rothschild waited for Asher to finish his goodbyes before saying, "Hold on tight—we're taking off!"
"ROAR—"
The Jargon Dragon King let out a long, thunderous roar that echoed clearly across a ten-kilometer radius. The sheer force of its dragon's might made all the nearby Beasts tremble in fear.
Mama Ruth gently patted the two little spirit cats in her arms, calming them down as she watched Asher and the Jargon Dragon King take off into the sky.
In the blink of an eye, the enormous dragon had already become a tiny black speck in the sky.
Asher?
Completely out of sight.
"Mama, when can we see Big Brother again?", Lily stood beside Mama Ruth, tugging at her clothes with her small hands and asking softly.
"Hmmm… Mama doesn't know either," Mama Ruth smiled, then bent down to ruffle Lily's hair, "You really like Asher, don't you?"
Lily nodded vigorously.
She liked him.
Mama Ruth chuckled at the sight, "Then, if you grow up strong and capable, maybe you'll meet Big Brother again someday."
Before Lily could get excited and declare her determination to grow stronger, Mama Ruth's warm smile suddenly turned serious, "Alright, Lily, let's talk about something else now."
"Why did you go near a Beast alone?"
"Didn't Mama tell you that unknown Beasts are very dangerous?", Mama Ruth's smile disappeared, and her tone turned stern.
Lily, instantly realizing how Mama Ruth had found out: "…"
"Waaah—Big Brother is a bad guy!", Lily burst into tears.
Mama Ruth kept her warm smile, "Crying won't get you out of this. You must give me a reasonable explanation."
Lily: "Waaah—waaah waaah waaah—"
Levi, who had been about to ask a question: "…"
'Ah… you know what? Maybe I will just go research it myself online.'
In Levi's mind, the scene of Asher sitting in midair on the back of the giant dragon still lingered.
Even though floating wasn't Asher's ability.
Even though the giant dragon wasn't Asher's.
But… just thinking about how this dragon evolved through Asher's research made Levi feel a surge of excitement.
A golden opportunity.
This is undoubtedly a golden opportunity.
He should hold onto it.
Seeking guidance.
What?
His dignity as an older brother?
That doesn't matter in front of a meal.
Not even a little bit.
———
The speed of the Jargon Dragon King in flight was many times faster than that of the Juliet Dragon that Asher had ridden before. Moreover, it was more stable, without the slightest sense of turbulence.
Coupled with the special protective shield raised by the Jargon Dragon King, not a single gust of wind or frost could touch Asher's face.
If it weren't for the scenery on both sides flashing by in a "swish, swish, swish" manner, Asher would have even felt as if he were still on land.
So stable it was almost terrifying.
"Old man, do you really have nothing better to do, bringing me along on a random run like this?", Asher casually said to Old Rothschild beside him.
Old Rothschild laughed heartily, "What do you mean, Asher, little professor? Your matters are all important matters."
"Besides, this old man is very interested in that ancient tomb in Graymont," Old Rothschild admitted frankly.
Hearing this, Asher chuckled.
Forget about Old Rothschild.
Just ask, is there anyone now who isn't interested in this 2,000-year-old tomb?
From Beast Tamers to ordinary people.
The tomb's popularity was rising higher and higher, and it had become a matter of national attention.
Many netizens were even suggesting online that they should just do a live stream of the tomb exploration.
The authorities: "…"
No.
Impossible.
Not happening.
Who knows what kind of situation a 2,000-year-old tomb might have?
Live streaming is absolutely out of the question.
But if there is any suitable information that can be shared, revealing a bit to ease public curiosity might be an option.
After chatting for a while.
Asher also replied to a few messages, mainly from President Robb and Iris.
After Asher briefly explained his situation, the two immediately had no objections and simply reminded him to be careful and prioritize safety above all else.
Then, Asher replied to messages from Vicky, June, and Ivy.
The gathering they had planned for this year might have to be postponed or even canceled.
Although Asher didn't explain the specifics.
They all knew that Asher had just become an honorary professor at Bluewind University and was probably busy, so they all expressed their understanding and support.
A gratified smile appeared on Asher's face.
At the same time.
They arrived in Graymont.
Unlike NY City, where temperatures were below freezing but it barely snowed.
The closer they got to Graymont, the colder the air became, and light snowflakes began to drift from the sky.
Upon arrival, they were greeted by a flurry of heavy snowfall.
"So this is the 'goose feather snow' described in books?", Asher caught a snowflake that landed on him, feeling as if it could crush him, and sighed.
What an eye-opener.
Knowing about such heavy snow was one thing; seeing it firsthand was another.
But right now, the most important thing wasn't the snow—it was the excavation progress of the ancient tomb.
"Will the snowfall have any impact?", Asher asked hesitantly.
Upon hearing that Asher had arrived, Adam, who had been assigned to greet him, walked over just in time to hear Asher's muttering. He chuckled, "Of course, it will have some impact, but it doesn't dampen anyone's enthusiasm for this 2,000-year-old tomb in the slightest."
"Although we still don't know who the tomb owner is, everyone has already decided to name this tomb the '2,000-Year Beauty.'"
Asher: "…"
'What is this?'
'Some kind of bizarre dark humor?'
'The 2,000-Year Beauty…'
Actually.
Asher kind of got it.
After all.
If it weren't a beauty, why would so many ordinary people and Beast Tamers travel thousands of miles from different cities just to see it?
This is undoubtedly a beauty.
A great beauty.
Oh well.
Understanding it doesn't mean he has to accept it.
They can call it whatever they want. Anyway, the one who should really feel embarrassed isn't him.
Right?
The tomb owner who has been dead for 2,000 years?
Tomb Owner: —_—
Adam watched as Asher's expression shifted from shock to calm and shook his head.
'Sigh!'
'Kids these days just aren't fun!'
'Those who are jumpy and easily startled are more amusing.'
'That's the kind of youthful energy kids should have!'
Asher: *No, he refuses.*
'Isn't that just an excuse for this guy's twisted sense of humor?'
Following Adam, Asher entered a small, temporary, lightweight, environmentally friendly structure built nearby. Though small, it had everything it needed.
Apart from Professor Damien, whom he had only met once, there were also two young men who looked slightly older than Asher.
At first glance, Asher could tell they were the kind of people Adam liked to tease—jumpy and overly dramatic.
"Hello, hello! You must be Professor Asher. I'm Chuck Hamil, Professor Adam's top disciple," A young man with a simple and honest appearance, whose smile and speech also radiated simplicity, eagerly greeted Asher.
The other young man, who looked a bit sharper, observed Asher curiously.
When Asher turned his head, their gazes met.
The young man immediately gave Asher a bright, friendly smile, devoid of malice.
"Professor Asher, hello! I'm Dan Mayor. I am Professor Adam's top disciple," Dan glanced at Chuck and declared with a strong sense of competitiveness.
Chuck didn't get upset or refute him. He just kept smiling dumbly.
But to Asher, Chuck's attitude actually gave off an air of "What's mine is mine, say whatever you want."
Asher: "…"
Wow, your senior-junior dynamic sure is complicated.
"Little Asher, you're here!", Professor Damien turned around, and his originally serious face instantly bloomed into a warm smile.
Dan and Chuck, who had been chatty just moments ago, immediately fell silent and became well-behaved.
Asher greeted Professor Damien with a smile, "Professor Damien, since you invited me personally, how could I not come?"
"Though I almost couldn't make it," Asher showed a helpless expression.
Professor Damien: "?"
"All the tickets to Graymont were sold out!", Asher spread his hands in exasperation.
Professor Damien laughed heartily again.
"There are too many people interested in this tomb, which means we carry a great responsibility," Professor Damien said with emotion, "If we really find Beasts inside…"
His eyes gleamed with excitement.
Asher: "Not necessarily. We're just a backup option. First, we have to see what the excavation team finds before deciding if we're needed."
Though he was curious about the tomb's contents.
Asher was also well aware.
They might not actually be needed.
Professor Damien: "…"
Adam: "…"
Dan and Chuck: "…"
The two juniors looked at Asher like he was a warrior who had just said something shocking.
Asher himself: "?"
'Is there a problem?'
'I was just stating the obvious!'
"Hahaha, well, what you said is indeed reasonable," Professor Damien waved his hand proactively, and the slightly stagnant atmosphere started flowing again, "Now it depends on their excavation progress…"
As he spoke, Professor Damien put his hands behind his back and beckoned to Asher, "Come, come, let's go take a look together and urge them on a little."
"Alright," Asher decisively followed.
Just like that, the old and the young strolled off together towards the investigation and excavation team.
Adam, who was ignored: "…"
Dan and Chuck, watching their teacher's face darken further: "…"
"Teacher, are you very jealous or just jealous?", Dan asked in a low voice.
Chuck: "Jealous."
Adam, coming back to his senses, rolled his eyes at his two students.
What kind of students had he taken in?
All they did was stab knives into his heart.
But it didn't matter. Professor Damien was just momentarily fascinated by Asher. There was no way he would be cast aside for good.
Absolutely not!
"Forget it, I'll follow along too. I can help the teacher push the progress forward," Saying that, Adam imitated Professor Damien's posture, put his hands behind his back, and ran off in the direction of the excavation team.
Dan: "Tsk, tsk."
Chuck: "Tsk, tsk."
.
.
.
Although the old professor hadn't arrived much earlier than Asher, under the arrangement of his students, not only had a temporary base been set up, but Professor Damien had also had a brief conversation with Charolette.
By the time Professor Damien brought Asher over, Charolette had already adjusted to calmly greeting the professor.
"Professor Damien, here to push us on progress again?", Charolette crossed her arms, a pink creature floating beside him. She turned her head to look at Professor Damien, and when she saw Asher beside the old professor, her movements paused for a moment.
Asher, who noticed this brief pause: "?"
'Huh?'
'Why did it feel like this leader was looking at me with a strange expression?'
Charolette: *Liver, currently experiencing phantom pain.*
Subconsciously, Charolette hugged the pink Dream-Eating Cat tightly.
'Alright.'
'It doesn't hurt anymore.'
Charolette's eyes darted left and right, absolutely avoiding direct eye contact with Asher. As long as she pretended Asher didn't exist, she could avoid some painful memories she didn't want to recall.
"Professor Damien, there's no use in rushing. Today is only the first day, and over there, they haven't even decided where to start digging yet," Charolette pointed at the group that had been circling around the excavated tomb entrance without stopping.
"Give it another three, four, five, six days."
Professor Damien snorted, "This efficiency is way too slow!"
"There's nothing we can do about it. We all have to understand each other. Don't worry, if there's really a situation inside that requires the expertise of a pet evolution professor, we will definitely come looking for you at lightning speed," Charolette sincerely assured, "Until then, you'll just have to wait a little longer."
As she spoke, for some reason, Charolette thought of Asher's astonishing feats—developing a new evolution route in just a week.
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