5: Chapter 5 Are you here to find your sister?

The outskirts of Ningyang City.

Wild Horse Beast Taming Pharmaceutical Factory.

The second floor of the research building was packed with people. Some were filling out forms, some were testing their Mental Energy, and others were waiting around boredly; it was a noisy scene.

Suddenly, a sharp notification sound rang out.

"Mental Energy Intensity: Grade A. Welcome to the Wild Horse Beast Taming Pharmaceutical Factory."

Everyone turned their gaze toward a small girl in a school uniform with a distressed expression on her face.

"Such a young child, and she's still a student," an older man remarked.

"Sigh... what a waste. Once that energy is drained, who knows how long it'll take to recover? Her studies will surely be delayed," a woman in her fifties shook her head with a look of pity.

"Forced by life, no doubt. The world is becoming more and more restless these days."

"..."

The crowd watched and whispered; there wasn't much mockery in their words, mostly just regret.

Mental Energy was related to a person's potential for beast taming. The stronger the initial Mental Energy, the higher the degree of spiritual feedback they would receive from their tamed beast.

Grade A Mental Energy wasn't exactly top-tier, but it already surpassed ninety-nine percent of her peers. As long as someone was willing to give her a hand, making a name for herself would only be a matter of time.

Such a good child, yet reduced to selling her Mental Energy and Soul Power...

Li Meng withdrew her hand from the testing device, handed her completed registration form and the 30-yuan registration fee to the overjoyed staff member, and silently walked over to sit on a cold iron chair.

She waited for her number to be called.

"Child, could you please move aside..."

"Oh, oh, I'm sorry."

Li Meng hastily moved her feet, looking up curiously at the same time.

She saw a shabbily dressed man supporting a girl who looked like a minor as they walked out of a nearby laboratory. Judging by their appearance, they were likely father and daughter.

The daughter's face was pale, her eyes were vacant, and she was drooling. Her steps were unsteady as her father helped her away.

Behind them were several other pairs, also supporting one another. Those being supported all had that same terrifying look; some were even giggling foolishly.

These were the people who had just had their Mental Energy or Soul Power extracted.

Li Meng turned pale with fright and almost rushed out, but thinking of her mother's medical bills, her leaning body froze. She leaned powerlessly against the cold back of the chair, her hands tightly gripping her school jacket.

"That Liu Datou has lost another bet. Look at what he's done to his daughter."

"This is only her second donation and she's already become an idiot. I saw her last year before he became a gambling addict; she was so bright. Gambling really ruins people."

"..."

A few people who recognized the father and daughter huddled together to chat, expressing both pity and contempt.

Hearing this made Li Meng even more nervous.

Suddenly, one of them noticed Li Meng sitting there all alone and asked curiously, "Child, did you come here by yourself?"

Li Meng looked over and, seeing it was a kind-faced auntie, nodded.

"How can you come alone? You need someone to accompany you for this, otherwise you'll be all dazed later and people might take advantage of you."

Li Meng didn't answer.

"Where are your parents?" the auntie asked.

"My father passed away, and my mother is sick."

"Sigh... another one driven by illness," the auntie sighed. "Then what about your siblings? Other relatives?"

"My brother has to take care of my mom."

"And your relatives?"

"My relatives... we've lost contact with all of them."

Li Meng's voice was low, and her thin, small frame inside the school uniform looked incredibly lonely. The people around her began to feel heartache for her.

The auntie said, "Child, why don't you give your brother a call, or call a teacher? This is a serious matter."

"Thank you, but there's no need. My brother wouldn't agree. And... my brother is already very tired."

Li Meng forced a small smile onto her face.

The auntie didn't say anything more, only letting out a sigh.

Of those who came here to donate, whose family didn't have some hardship? If it wasn't illness, it was gambling, or simply not being able to afford food.

To survive, there was no other way.

In this small second-floor corridor, about thirty people were squeezed together. A shadow loomed over everyone's hearts, making the atmosphere incredibly oppressive.

Li Meng trembled slightly with nervousness, her heart pounding.

"Number 44, Zhang Nan; Number 45, Li Meng; Number 46..."

The sound of numbers being called came from the laboratory.

Li Meng's whole body jolted slightly. A flash of fear crossed her eyes, but it quickly turned into determination. She stood up and entered the laboratory along with the others who had been called.

...

Bang!

The door to the second-floor corridor burst open with a bang.

Li Yu ran up, panting heavily. His eyes scanned the similar-looking figures anxiously until he finally spotted a back that looked somewhat familiar being supported.

"Li Meng!"

He rushed over and grabbed the person's shoulder to turn them around, only to see a vacant, crooked-mouthed face giggling idiotically. For a moment, he hallucinated his sister looking just like this.

Fear instantly corroded his heart, and his entire body began to shake.

Was he too late?

"Are you here to find your sister?"

A voice spoke up—it was the auntie who had been talking to Li Meng earlier.

Hearing this, Li Yu rushed over and said almost pleadingly, "My sister, Li Meng, she came here too. Have you seen her? She looks like... she looks like..."

In his agitation, Li Yu couldn't even speak clearly.

The auntie patted Li Yu's shoulder with a kind smile and said, "She looks very much like you. You're both good-looking."

"Then she..."

"Inside. Go quickly, she was just called in. Maybe there's still time."

Li Yu's heart tightened. Not stopping to say thanks, he followed the auntie's direction and slammed open the heavy, unlocked door of the laboratory, shouting, "Stop! Stop right now!"

There were five beds in the laboratory, each with a person lying on it. Li Yu immediately spotted the school uniform hanging next to one bed and the small, thin figure lying upon it.

"Hey! What are you doing? How did you get in here!" a person in a white lab coat barked with dissatisfaction.

But Li Yu ignored him and went straight to the bed.

Li Meng looked at her brother's sudden appearance in shock. Her first reaction was panic; this was the first time since she had grown up that she hadn't listened to her brother.

Her second reaction was a sense of grievance, and her eyes filled with tears.

But when Li Yu reached out to pull the various testing needles and patches off her from under her clothes, she panicked and gripped his arms tightly.

"Brother, don't! I don't want to lose Mom..." Li Meng sobbed, her voice choked with tears.

"It won't happen. Brother is here, Mom will be fine. Be good and come home with me," Li Yu comforted her gently.

"No, I won't! If we don't pay the medical bills today, Mom will die. Brother... I'm not afraid of the pain. My Mental Energy is high enough, it'll be enough. Let me trade it. If I do, Mom will be saved." Li Meng's thin arms suddenly exerted a great deal of strength.

Looking at his sister’s tear-streaked face and desperate expression, Li Yu felt as if his heart were being violently gripped and twisted, the pain making it almost hard to breathe.

He took a deep breath and, in his gentlest tone, said to this both strange and familiar sister, "Silly girl, Brother has already earned the money. You don't need to donate your spirit or Soul Power. Mom is saved."

After speaking, fearing his sister wouldn't believe him, Li Yu took out his phone and showed her the balance.

His sister blinked her eyes, a snot bubble still hanging from her nose.

"See? I didn't lie to you. Mom will be fine, and you have to be fine too. Now be good and come home with Brother."

As Li Yu spoke, he put Li Meng's shoes on, helped her into her school jacket, and pulled her out of the laboratory amidst the curses of the man in the white coat.

Only when the laboratory door closed behind them did Li Meng seem to wake from a dream.

"Brother, really? We really have the money? I don't have to donate?"

"No, really."

Receiving a definitive answer, Li Meng let out a loud wail and threw herself into Li Yu's arms, crying uncontrollably to release the fear and despair of the day.

"Alright, alright, it's okay now. With your big brother here, you just focus on studying and getting into university. Be good... Huh? You little brat, you're wiping your nose on my clothes again!"

"Heeheehee~"

Not far away, the auntie smiled kindly.

...

The scene of the 4th Starlight Cup competition.

The spectator stands, which could hold five thousand people, were currently packed to capacity. Shouts, screams, and applause rose and fell in waves.

One round of competition ended.

A new round was announced to begin.

Song Jiang stepped out from the contestants' area and onto the battle stage. Standing opposite him was a burly, bald man.

Song Jiang's expression darkened.

This person was his opponent and also his arch-rival: Black Tiger from the Ferocious Tiger Team.

During a previous mission in a secret realm, he had been separated from his group and intercepted by the Ferocious Tiger Team. His Starlight Wolf had been bitten until it was covered in wounds by Black Tiger's tamed beast, nearly dying there.

Not to mention, this despicable bastard had even stolen the girlfriend he had been with for six years.

At the thought of this, Song Jiang's fists clenched tightly, and he looked at the bald Black Tiger with intense hostility.

Starlight Wolf King.

This time, I'm counting on you!