3: Chapter 3 Family Support and Care

"Old Liu, the physical test results are out, right? How did that kid, Qin Ding, do?"

Inside the spacious office, Wang Chunfa walked straight toward a bald, burly man as soon as he entered, asking as he approached.

Instructor Liu Jun rubbed his chin, looked up, and swept a complex gaze over Wang Chunfa. "See for yourself."

"Huh? What's with that expression?"

Confused by Instructor Liu Jun's complex and silent demeanor, Wang Chunfa wondered if Qin Ding's results couldn't possibly be that bad, right?

That shouldn't be...

But when Wang Chunfa walked closer and his gaze landed on the computer screen, his body couldn't help but stiffen.

[Name: Qin Ding]

[Ten-minute run: 3012 meters]

[Weapon of choice (staff): Excellent]

"Such a high rating! Excellent? I remember there's only one weapons class per week, right?!"

As a Beast Tamer high school, the main focus for students is, of course, the Beast Tamer path. Beast Tamer high schools have always emphasized students' physical fitness starting from the first year.

The reason Wang Chunfa was shocked was that the weapons class was a third-year course. By the third year, everyone is an adult and can begin practicing Mental Energy techniques, making it easier to learn weapon usage at that time.

Of course, learning other things is also easier, provided that your Mental Energy has reached at least the first rank for this effect to take hold.

As for the first and second years, the main focus is teaching students theoretical knowledge and basic physical training.

After all, when you leave the city and go into the wild or Spirit Realms, if you can't beat spirit beasts or other Beast Tamers, being able to run fast can genuinely save your life.

And when dealing with spirit beasts, you naturally can't go empty-handed. Otherwise, just being bitten by a spirit beast and the intense pain would immediately cause someone to lose their strength, or in worse cases, cause them to scramble away in a panic.

How many people can actually explode with ferocity and trigger a power-up to counter-kill their enemies?

Most are just talking big.

Do you really think the tens of millions of Beast Tamers who die every year are a joke?

Instructor Liu Jun remained silent, lit a cigarette for himself, and took a couple of puffs.

"I remember, that kid Qin Ding and Bai Muxue are two extremes, right?"

"Yeah, it looks like Qin Ding will be very excellent in the Beast Tamer aspect, while for Bai Muxue, her theoretical knowledge in breeding is very excellent."

"If I'm not mistaken, Bai Muxue's plan is probably to focus on being a Breeder."

Wang Chunfa didn't stand on ceremony either; he pulled one out of Instructor Liu Jun's cigarette pack and lit it silently.

As their homeroom teacher, he naturally understood the students' situations. There were quite a few students in the class with family situations like Qin Ding and Bai Muxue—nearly thirty of them.

Unexpectedly, Instructor Liu Jun waved his hand indifferently. "The path of a Breeder isn't something I manage."

"Keep that seedling Qin Ding for me. I have a feeling that what he really wants to practice isn't the staff; he's just laying the foundation now. Among young people, there aren't many who have clear ideas and a logical mindset."

At this, Wang Chunfa was overjoyed. "There's such a good thing? Alright then, who knows, maybe our Chang City can produce a 'Martial Champion'?"

Upon hearing this, Instructor Liu Jun didn't speak, just stared fixedly at Wang Chunfa, making Wang Chunfa's smile freeze on his face. The latter quickly became disinterested.

"Almost forgot, ever since six years ago, once the second semester of the third year arrives, there will be a large batch of students reassigned."

Hearing this, Instructor Liu Jun withdrew his gaze and looked back at Qin Ding's results on the computer.

He could more or less guess the reason for Qin Ding's hard work; it must be that he wants to find or resurrect his parents, right?

But there are too many people with such thoughts, yet not one has succeeded. Even the The Twelve Councilors cannot bring their own deceased or 'missing' loved ones back to the world of the living.

For figures standing at the pinnacle of the world to be unable to do such things, how could we ordinary grassroots possibly have that possibility?

...

After the meal.

"Xiao Ding, I remember you and Mu Xue had a physical test a while ago. Are the results out?"

Qin Ding, who was correcting Dahei's eating manners, paused for a moment. "Not yet, but it should be soon. Probably in these next two days, right?"

At this moment, Bai Muxue, who was watching the dog eat, looked up at her mother.

"Mom, Qin Ding's results will undoubtedly be first in the grade, as they have been for the past few years, haven't they? Even with the addition of a weapons assessment."

Hearing her daughter's words, Zhao Min's face revealed a gratified smile. "That's true, Mom was overthinking it."

Immediately after, Zhao Min said pointedly, "Mu Xue, didn't you say you were helping Xiao Ding collect some materials? Have you collected them all?"

Helping me collect materials?

Confused, Qin Ding subconsciously looked up at Bai Muxue.

Bai Muxue's expression stiffened for a moment. She never expected that what she was doing had been discovered by her own mother.

"Uh... almost done. I'll go find the notebook, Qin Ding, wait a moment."

After saying this, Bai Muxue got up and walked quickly toward her room, Qin Ding's gaze following Bai Muxue's straight, slender back.

He hadn't asked Bai Muxue to help him collect any materials, so what was going on with this serious situation?

Just at this moment, Zhao Min grabbed Qin Ding's left hand. Before Qin Ding could react, a hard card was shoved into Qin Ding's palm by Zhao Min.

Realizing what was going on, Qin Ding abruptly looked up. Before he could say anything, he met a pair of slightly red, teary eyes.

"Xiao Ding, take this. The path you've chosen is one I, as your aunt, cannot help you with much. The password is your birthday. Inside is a sum of 'private money' your Uncle Bai left behind. Take it."

"And regarding your parents, it's all in the past. We all need to look forward and live our lives well. Even if you fail, it doesn't matter; you still have your aunt, and you have Mu Xue."

"Aunt Zhao..."

A warm current flowed through Qin Ding's heart.

Aunt Zhao was his mother's best friend who had watched him grow up since he was a child. After his parents went missing, she had always acted in the role of his 'mother'.

He knew that the matter involving his parents and Bai Qianqiu was not through a company employment channel, but rather mutual help between friends, so there was naturally no talk of compensation from the security company.

Therefore, towards this elder Zhao Min, Qin Ding's heart had always been filled with guilt.

Going to the Spirit Realms was his parents' choice, while raising a then-twelve-year-old him and treating him like her own child was Zhao Min's choice.

One must know that the other party had absolutely no responsibility to raise him.

Therefore, this was his fate, and also her grace toward him.

Perhaps sensing Qin Ding's change in emotions, Dahei stopped gnawing on its bone, looked up, and stared straight at Qin Ding.

Qin Ding did not push it away but calmly accepted the bank card in his hand, his words gentle.

"Thank you, Aunt Zhao."

However, what Qin Ding didn't know was that while he felt guilty toward Zhao Min, how could Zhao Min not feel guilty toward him?

In the dead of night, whenever Zhao Min thought of her husband taking Qin Ding's parents, all three of them never returning, Zhao Min would feel such heart-wrenching pain that she couldn't breathe, and her tears would soak her pillow.

"Found it."

The voice came from behind Bai Muxue's not-quite-closed door. Qin Ding quickly adjusted his state, while Zhao Min felt puzzled—this puzzlement diluted her sadness.

Found it? Found what?

As the thought arose, Zhao Min saw her daughter holding a small notebook, coming to the living room with a calm expression, and handing it to Qin Ding. Both Zhao Min and Qin Ding were stunned.

Zhao Min: ?

Wasn't this just an excuse I made up on the spur of the moment to get you away?

Qin Ding: ?

There really are materials? What kind of materials are these?