23: Chapter 23 Hello, is 11100 working?

"Are you still not going back to school?"

"No."

"Alright, then we'll head off first."

Mo Yu and Xu Qingfang returned to school for their classes.

Yue Yun proceeded as planned to the Red Brick House in the West City, following the Old Master to learn blacksmithing and combat, staying until evening before leaving.

The following days continued in the same manner.

It seemed that Chen Hu's arrival had changed nothing.

Yue Yun didn't pay much mind to that minor interlude either, continuing his repetitive daily life without the slightest hint of weariness.

He didn't find the two months of repetitive study boring.

On the contrary, he was like a parched sponge frantically absorbing a wealth of knowledge, enjoying the rapid improvement of his own strength.

...

"*Yawn*~ Another fulfilling day!"

Yue Yun finished his day of study, stretching his arms high above his head as a hint of moisture from drowsiness gathered at the corners of his eyes.

He still chose to take the shortcut home, turning on his phone's flashlight to illuminate the darkness as he stepped into the familiar, narrow, and cramped alleyway.

Four figures were watching him from a distance.

The Triangle-eyed Youth looked at Yue Yun and said as if reminiscing, "At his speed, it will take him another five minutes to walk out of this alley. Now is the perfect time to strike."

The other two looked toward the cold-faced, middle-aged man.

They were the ones Chen Tianrui had sent to investigate the secrets Yue Yun held, led by the driver, Old Li.

Old Li's eyes were as venomous as a snake's, and he replied in a voice devoid of any emotional fluctuation, "Mm, do it! Move quickly, and don't let the people from the Administration Bureau notice us."

Having received approval, the three began their move.

The Triangle-eyed Youth summoned his half-person-sized Pet Beast, the Nightfall Bat. The Nightfall Bat flew into the air and released its Dark Night skill, turning the ink-like night into a curtain that shrouded the entire alley.

Yue Yun's footsteps paused slightly.

Sensing the change in his surroundings, his sleepiness vanished instantly. "Not even a hint of starlight remains. Is this a Pet Beast's Domain-type skill?"

As he thought, he used his phone to dial 110.

The Beast Taming laws of the East District stipulated that Pet Beasts could not be summoned at will, and the release of Pet Beast skills was not permitted within the city.

Regardless of the situation, calling the police was definitely the right move.

*Whoosh!*

The sound of something cutting through the air echoed in the quiet alley.

Yue Yun followed the sound, his pupils shrinking suddenly.

A War-Drum Baboon, nearly 1.5 meters tall at the shoulder with dark red fur like a cape and a sharp gaze in its deep blue face, was hurtling toward him like a cannonball.

Yue Yun's figure retreated violently to open up some distance.

In the next second, he stopped because he hit something, feeling a cold aura constantly emanating from behind him.

Yue Yun felt a shiver.

The moment he looked up, a hideously ferocious, pitch-black snake head was staring at him cruelly, its icy breath blowing against his face.

Skill: Psychological Fear!

An invisible pressure was released from the massive black python. Yue Yun was instantly stunned in place, countless fragments flashing through his mind as even the latent memories of this body surfaced one by one.

"Heh, this kid's reactions are quite fast!"

The fully armed woman raised an eyebrow.

If they hadn't made full preparations in advance, those two moves might not have been enough to keep Yue Yun here. Fortunately, they had finally taken him down.

The other middle-aged man reminded, "Finish it quickly!"

Humans were no match for Pet Beasts; facing the Nightmare Python's Psychological Fear skill head-on carried the risk of a mental breakdown if one wasn't careful.

If Yue Yun's mind broke, it would be difficult to extract his secrets.

The woman nodded seriously and summoned her second Pet Beast.

It was a C-grade potential Phantom Spirit Seven-Colored Butterfly, possessing the Mental Monitoring skill that could read minds and probe the deepest secrets of others.

The Phantom Spirit Seven-Colored Butterfly flew in front of Yue Yun, its large, black-bean-like eyes meeting his, gradually dismantling his psychological defenses.

However, there was nothing but records of his daily life.

Fragmented memories tore at his Soul, causing Yue Yun's health to continue dropping, but his muddled consciousness also cleared from the pain.

Yue Yun exerted himself and reached out his hand. The three only saw a blur flash by before the petite Phantom Spirit Seven-Colored Butterfly was gripped in his palm.

*Crack!*

Yue Yun's palm suddenly tightened, and the Phantom Spirit Seven-Colored Butterfly's fragile body creaked, struggling frantically in pain.

"Let go!"

The woman was instantly dumbfounded, subconciously pulling out the Tranquilizer Gun at her waist and aiming it at Yue Yun. The dark muzzle broke Yue Yun out in a cold sweat.

*Bang!*

The woman pulled the trigger at Yue Yun.

The Tranquilizer Dart roared from the barrel, piercing the night and hurtling toward Yue Yun's shoulder. Yue Yun had no choice but to release the Phantom Spirit Seven-Colored Butterfly and twist his hips to dodge.

Ignoring everything else, the woman stepped forward in a panic to catch the Phantom Spirit Seven-Colored Butterfly and quickly recalled it into her Beast Taming Space.

Yue Yun also seized the opportunity.

He clenched his fist, which was as hard as steel, and threw a punch from his shoulder that created an invisible sonic boom, enveloped in a whistling wind that surged incessantly.

The woman's face turned pale instantly.

The terrifying wind from the punch stung her face. She could only see a blurred shadow rapidly enlarging, yet she could not dodge at all.

"Roar—"

The War-Drum Baboon streaked out like a white rainbow.

It forcefully intervened between Yue Yun and the woman, swinging a fist shrouded in a faint yellow glow to block Yue Yun. The leaking energy from the collision kicked up a terrifying shockwave that pushed out in all directions.

*Thud!*

The woman was blown back by the shockwave and slammed heavily onto the ground.

She lifted her terrified face and instinctively blurted out, "Can't you watch what you're doing? I almost died from that fall!"

The middle-aged man replied, "You'd be dead if not for me!"

As he spoke, he controlled the War-Drum Baboon to attack.

The War-Drum Baboon puffed out its broad chest, which bore naturally formed white markings like those on a war drum. It beat its chest rhythmically, producing a special resonant drumbeat.

*Boom! Boom! Boom!*

The resonant drumbeat stimulated the morale of the War-Drum Baboon and its nearby companions, giving them a slight boost in strength and speed.

The War-Drum Baboon followed up with Bullet Punch.

Its massive fists were like wound-up springs, striking out rapidly and continuously, creating a series of afterimages too fast to see clearly.

"Why are you ambushing me in the West City?"

Yue Yun threw punches to clash head-on with it.

The sound of fists colliding was like the popping of firecrackers.

"Hurry it up!"

The Triangle-eyed Youth urged impatiently.

The Nightfall Bat flapped its wings silently, and the darkness shrouding the alley seemed to come alive, transforming into sharp blades that attempted to mangle Yue Yun.

Skill: Dark Strangling!

"Get lost!"

Yue Yun stopped trading punches and kicked the War-Drum Baboon away.

The War-Drum Baboon was in the heat of battle and hadn't expected Yue Yun's sudden change in tactics; it was kicked over, losing its ability to pursue.

Yue Yun also used the momentum to perform a backflip.

While in mid-air, he dodged the dark blades extending from the ground and turned to put distance between himself and the three.

The woman regained her composure and took control of the Nightmare Python.

The massive black python crawled rapidly toward Yue Yun, opening its bloody maw to force his positioning, waiting for him to fall within attack range before instantly activating its Entwine skill to bind him firmly.

"Who are you?"

Yue Yun asked in a slightly panicked voice.

He struggled unwillingly, but the Nightmare Python was like the Incarnation of darkness and silence, binding him so tightly that his struggling was useless.

A look of amazement flashed in the middle-aged man's eyes.

They were Three-Star Beast Tamers using their primary combat Pet Beasts, and even after a thorough investigation, they had almost failed.

Fortunately, Yue Yun was still only a One-Star Beast Tamer.

The Triangle-eyed Youth walked over slowly. "Ghost Face!"

As his cold command fell, the Nightfall Bat hanging high above looked toward Yue Yun and pulled a face like a nightmare.

Instantly, a sense of confusion from inverted senses arose.

Yue Yun forced his eyes shut, ignoring the three people watching him like prey, and focused on adjusting his state.

The woman picked up the Tranquilizer Gun again. Seeing how the originally smooth situation had been disrupted, she couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions.

After some thought, she eventually looked at the desperately resisting Yue Yun with annoyance. "Hmph, all for nothing!"

"Is that so?"

Yue Yun's light laughter rang out.

His voice was no longer panicked but instead sounded full of confidence, a self-assured smile curling at the corners of his mouth. "Who told you that breaking free from the Nightmare Python's binding was my only means of countering you?

You seem to have forgotten about the Administration Bureau."