4: From Chapter 4 onwards, this is your home.

Although it was July and the height of summer, Qinglan City was located in the northern part of Donghuang at a high latitude, so the days were not sweltering.

A breeze carrying the faint scent of vegetation brushed gently past the sycamore leaves on both sides of the street, casting dappled shadows.

The pitter-patter of footsteps disturbed the light and shadows.

Though the temperature was manageable, once one started running, a dry heat would quickly spread throughout the body. Sweat trickled down Lin Chen's temples, soaking the T-shirt on his back.

It was easy enough at first, but as time passed and the distance grew, his legs felt increasingly heavy, as if filled with lead; every step required a bit more effort.

Lin Chen gritted his teeth and slowed his pace slightly, catching a glimpse of the Flame Claw Beast beside him out of the corner of his eye.

Compared to the gradually struggling Lin Chen, the Flame Claw Beast's steps remained light and powerful, bouncing along without showing the slightest sign of fatigue.

As an Apprentice Beastmaster, Lin Chen's physical fitness was significantly higher than that of an ordinary person.

However, as a Rank 1 pet beast, the Flame Claw Beast's stamina was clearly far superior to Lin Chen's.

Humans can't possibly compete with pet beasts in terms of physical fitness, can they?

No, not necessarily.

Lin Chen suddenly shook his head.

It was said that some Beast Tamers were born with extraordinary physical fitness, and a tiny minority could hone their bodies through special training methods to cultivate physical capabilities no less than those of a pet beast.

Some even... reached the point of facing pet beasts head-on. Such Beast Tamers were known as Humanoid Pet Beasts, and other Beast Tamers were terrified of them.

When fighting such a Beast Tamer, you not only had to deal with their pet beast but also had to constantly watch out for the Beast Tamer's own iron fists.

What do you mean, the opponent is charging at me with iron fists?

The thought vanished in an instant. Lin Chen looked at the obediently running Flame Claw Beast, and a gratified smile unconsciously tugged at the corners of his mouth.

Although this child still had some psychological issues and a tendency toward becoming a bully—and even held a certain level of wariness toward him—

It seemed quite well-behaved now. The previous contracting process had also gone smoothly, and it hadn't even complained after running with him for so long.

It looked like the future training and nurturing process would be much easier.

Recalling the precautions for getting along with pet beasts, Lin Chen was just about to offer some praise when he saw the Flame Claw Beast suddenly stop, turn around, and walk toward a side alley.

Lin Chen was taken aback and instinctively followed.

His nostrils twitched slightly as he was instantly enveloped by the various delicious aromas wafting from the alley—the charred fragrance of grilled meat, the mellow scent of noodles, and the sugary sweetness of desserts. His stomach let out an unbidden growl.

Only then did he suddenly remember that he had been so busy picking a pet beast and getting his Beast Tamer certification this morning that he hadn't had time for lunch.

Just as the thought flashed by, Lin Chen noticed the Flame Claw Beast standing in front of a BBQ stall, its body ramrod straight and its eyes shining as it stared at the sizzling, oily skewers on the iron rack.

In the next moment, its sharp claws couldn't help but extend, though it didn't touch anything. Its eyes were filled with longing: "Gagu~"

The BBQ stall owner was a kind-looking middle-aged man. He smiled and picked up a golden-brown, fragrant grilled chicken wing, deliberately waving it in front of the Flame Claw Beast with a tempting voice:

"Little guy, want a skewer? It's delicious."

The Flame Claw Beast nodded vigorously, its eyes fixed on the chicken wing and its mouth hanging wide open: "Yagu..."

Lin Chen was stunned.

Didn't the receptionist say earlier that this fellow was very wary of humans?

Where is the wariness, I ask you?

Lin Chen walked over quickly and reached out to gently pull the Flame Claw Beast back to his side.

"Flame Claw Beast, this is evil food created by humans. After eating it, not only will your movements become sluggish, but your belly will also get big."

"As a mature pet beast, we should resist such unhealthy temptations."

The man raised an eyebrow and rolled up his sleeves, looking displeased.

But as soon as the words left his mouth, Lin Chen looked down and met the Flame Claw Beast's gaze.

The longing in its eyes was pure and sincere, like a child who couldn't get any candy, making his heart soften.

"Forget it."

It's still just a little child; there's no need to be constantly restrictive.

A pet beast's growth never comes from suppressing its nature; it requires a rhythmic sense of indulgence.

A bit of favoritism every now and then might actually bring them closer together.

"Buying the Flame Claw Beast cost eighty thousand, and I saved 100 yuan on pet supplies thanks to the 2% discount."

"Well, let's use that hundred yuan for a small celebration."

Lin Chen pulled a hundred-yuan bill from his pocket and handed it to the man. "Give it a few skewers."

"Alright, just a moment." The man smiled as he took the money Lin Chen offered.

Lin Chen added, "By the way, is there a Beast Tamer discount?"

The man was taken aback. "I'm just a small vendor..."

"But I see you have excellent skills, Boss. You have the potential to develop into a chain. You know, almost all BBQ chains in Donghuang offer Beast Tamer discounts."

"Implementing a Beast Tamer discount is the first step toward making it big," Lin Chen suggested sincerely.

The man looked at his tiny two-square-meter stall and fell into a long silence.

Huh?

A chain?

Me?

At that moment, the Flame Claw Beast stared blankly at Lin Chen's back, slowly relaxing its clenched claws.

This human seems different from the others.

Ten minutes later.

The Flame Claw Beast was holding a chicken wing skewer while Lin Chen gulped down a bottle of water. The pair strolled leisurely down the street.

A breeze brushed past their hair, blowing away some of the heat. The noise of pedestrians and the honking of cars were gradually drowned out by the Flame Claw Beast's chewing.

The grilled chicken wing had a crispy skin and tender meat. The Flame Claw Beast ate until its face was oily and its small claws were stained with sauce, yet it continued to eat with great joy.

These days, skewers were getting more and more expensive, so Lin Chen only bought a few for the Flame Claw Beast to fill its stomach, while he chose the most economical option: mineral water.

"I'll just eat when I get home," he thought.

A moment later, the Flame Claw Beast finished its skewers. Lin Chen took out a tissue, intending to wipe the sauce from the beast's mouth and claws.

Seeing the approaching tissue, the Flame Claw Beast instinctively moved to dodge, but it suddenly remembered something. It froze in place as if under a spell, allowing Lin Chen to wipe away the sauce.

Fine, I'll give this human one chance to serve me.

Just this once!

"All done."

Lin Chen tossed the tissue into a trash can and turned to look at the Flame Claw Beast. Its mental state was clearly much better; its dark green eyes were brimming with excitement, and its steps were becoming lighter.

However, whenever he looked at it, the Flame Claw Beast would avert its gaze and lower its head.

Lin Chen couldn't help but laugh. "Are you happy now?"

The Flame Claw Beast almost nodded instinctively, but when it met Lin Chen's expectant gaze, it turned its head away with a huff.

I am not!

Lin Chen smiled and naturally changed the subject. "Let's walk slowly for a bit to digest, and then we'll run home in one go. How about it?"

The task issued by the system had no time limit; he just needed to complete the full distance.

The Flame Claw Beast nodded and walked forward with light steps.

But before it had gone two steps, its nose twitched. It seemed to have caught the aroma wafting from a nearby dessert shop.

Its eyes lit up instantly, and it turned to run toward the shop.

Lin Chen was quick. He grabbed it by the scruff of the neck and pulled it back. "Flame Claw Beast, you know, I'm just a prospective college student who just graduated."

"Gagu?" The Flame Claw Beast looked back, its face full of confusion.

Lin Chen spread his hands. "In other words, my current economic situation isn't enough to support us eating and drinking whatever we want."

"After all, it's not easy for my parents to earn money..."

"For example, those few skewers from earlier cost several days of hard work to afford."

As he spoke, Lin Chen's tone became slightly somber. The Flame Claw Beast sensitively noticed the change in his emotions and froze for a moment, its claws hovering awkwardly.

So those skewers were that precious.

What should I do? What should I do?

What should it do now?

Seeing this, Lin Chen reached out and patted the Flame Claw Beast's head with a bright smile. "Oh, it's fine. The budget being tight is only temporary."

After a brief pause, the corners of his mouth turned up. "As long as you're well-behaved and train hard, we can earn big money once you get stronger."

He waved his hand grandly. "When that time comes, you can eat as many skewers as you want."

The Flame Claw Beast nodded solemnly. "Gagu!"

For the skewers—no, for the sake of getting stronger—it would work hard.

The smile on Lin Chen's face grew even wider.

The pair walked leisurely for about half an hour. Once the food in their stomachs had settled, Lin Chen led the Flame Claw Beast and picked up the pace, running toward home.

A long time later.

[Task complete. Rewards: 5 EXP, 1 double exp card]

"My home is right inside."

Standing at the door, Lin Chen introduced it to the Flame Claw Beast.

Standing before the closed door, the Flame Claw Beast was more nervous than ever before. Its legs felt too heavy to move.

What would it be like inside?

It had heard the elders of its tribe say that humans were basically all villains who would capture poor wild pet beasts and force them to work.

If they didn't work, they would be lashed with whips until they let out heart-wrenching wails.

In that instant, the Flame Claw Beast seemed to see a brute holding a whip waiting for it, and it felt a chilly wind brush against its neck.

But soon, the Flame Claw Beast recalled those delicious skewers and shook its head, tossing all distractions aside.

For the sake of the skewers Lin Chen bought it, even if there was a demon's den ahead, the brave and fearless Flame Claw Beast would investigate!

At the very worst...

At the very worst, it would find a way to slip away later!

With a creak, Lin Chen pushed the door open. The high-strung Flame Claw Beast poked its head in, its steps heavy.

It was a house that wasn't very large, and the decor was quite ordinary. The walls were simple white, and the furniture was all old models that had been used for years, yet everything was spotless and tidy.

Lin Chen, who had just finished exercising, waited for his heart rate to level out before giving the Flame Claw Beast a simple introduction:

"Look, this is the living room. We can rest here in the future."

"This is my room; you'll sleep here at night."

"This room is..."

After introducing all the rooms, Lin Chen squatted down to look the Flame Claw Beast in the eye, his gaze gentle.

"From now on, you're a member of our family. This is your home."

The Flame Claw Beast looked at everything in a daze. "Gagu?"

This doesn't seem like a demon's den.

This is Lin Chen's home, and in the future... it's my home too?

I have a home again?

The Flame Claw Beast stood there blankly, feeling increasingly bewildered.

"My parents are still at work and won't be back until tonight. They're very nice; they'll definitely like you."

Lin Chen patted the Flame Claw Beast's head and continued:

"I also have an older sister, but she's going on an internship this summer and won't be coming home. I'll introduce you when she gets back."

"So for most of the upcoming time, it'll just be the two of us at home."

After speaking, Lin Chen gently patted the Flame Claw Beast's back. "Get familiar with the environment first. Don't run off; I'm going to take a shower."

The Flame Claw Beast nodded blankly. It paced cautiously over to the sofa in the living room, touched the armrest with its claw, and then looked around, full of curiosity about this strange place.

At that moment, a breeze from the window ruffled the curtains. The Flame Claw Beast sprawled on the soft sofa, gazing out at the bustling city view.

Those unpleasant memories were gradually becoming blurred.

After showering, Lin Chen went to the bedroom and immediately saw the Flame Claw Beast snoring away on the sofa. He smiled, closed the window, and covered the beast with a thin blanket.

Next, it was time to focus on researching the system.