Beast Tamer: I Can See Evolution Paths

When Jessica was sent away, her face still carried a reluctant expression. She turned back every few steps, looking at Asher... and the Cat-worm in his arms.

"Go eat first. We'll talk after that," Asher mercilessly drove everyone away, assigning tasks like washing up.

He, on the other hand, sat by the newly lit campfire, holding the Cat-worm and Little Raven.

While heating up breakfast for the four of them, he also began the day's ritual of applying medicine to the Cat-worm.

By the time they all sat down to eat breakfast together, Asher recounted everything that had happened the night before from start to finish.

The three holding their instant hot porridge froze mid-action, their spoons stopping halfway to their mouths.

'What?'

'All that happened last night?'

'They genuinely hadn't noticed a thing!'

Abella quickly turned her head, scanning their surroundings. She hadn't paid much attention in the morning, but now she could clearly see the traces left behind from Little Raven's battle.

"We were too careless," Abella muttered, lowering her gaze to the Cat-worm, which was currently burying its head in its bowl, eating like crazy with a "clink-clink" sound. Her expression carried a mix of seriousness and doubt.

Based on Asher's account, this unidentified little creature seemed quite dangerous. But before Abella could dwell further on its significance, a glance at its ravenous eating habits immediately erased any tension or caution in her heart.

…Honestly, no extraordinary wild creature with a shred of dignity would gorge itself like a pig-cat, would it?

Abella's wariness dissipated.

"So, you formed a contract with it?" Jessica asked, her face full of envy as she looked at Asher and the Cat-worm. It was unclear who she envied more—perhaps both.

Scratching her chin thoughtfully, Jessica said, "It seems like a new species of beast. But considering this is a forbidden zone, that's not entirely unexplainable."

Asher smiled.

It wasn't a big deal.

Though he didn't know the exact species of the Cat-worm, contracting it posed no danger to him personally—especially concerning the Alliance and the government.

Aside from those species confirmed to have populations, capable of being artificially bred or reproducing naturally, there were occasionally one or two beasts spotted or contracted by someone by sheer chance.

As long as both the Beastmaster and the beast reached an agreement, forming a successful contract, the Beastmaster was responsible for managing their pet to ensure it wouldn't wreak havoc in the human world. The Alliance, adhering to a spirit of openness and freedom, only required registration of the contracted beasts.

Such solitary creatures, with no confirmed population or second occurrence, weren't necessarily powerful. Most were unremarkable, though a very select few gained fame as their Beastmasters grew stronger.

Asher knew of one such individual—a seventh-tier Beastmaster in their country—who had contracted a pet outside the list of known extraordinary species.

Thus, the three companions were unbothered by Asher contracting this Cat-worm. As long as he was happy, that was enough.

Now, the only question that concerned them was…

"Asher, what name are you going to register for this beast?" Aeron asked with a pale face. "You're not seriously calling it Cat-worm Dragon, are you?"

It took all of Aeron's strength to force out those three words.

Weird.

Just plain weird.

One look at its appearance, and he felt like his eyes were being assaulted.

Even after the swelling subsided and the Cat-worm's figure returned to normal proportions—far more pleasing to the eye than it was in the morning—watching it devour its meal with a ravenous appetite, nearly swallowing the disposable bowl along with the food… Oh wait, it already had.

"Asher," Aeron said earnestly, staring at him, "Don't you think the name 'Devouring Beast' suits it better than Cat-worm?"

Given its behavior, Aeron could even accept names like "Pixiu" or "Taotie," which referred to mythical ferocious creatures. But he absolutely refused to see "cat" and "dragon" sullied by association.

Asher didn't respond, merely rolling his eyes at Aeron.

The decision was final.

No changes.

It sounded great.

Watching everyone's reactions to the name was entertaining, after all.

After all, he wasn't a devil, was he?

Asher: (⁠θ⁠‿⁠θ⁠)

For Aeron, this breakfast was excruciating.

Abella and Jessica, however, fared better.

Once they confirmed that the Cat-worm wasn't dangerous under Asher's control, Abella's initial wariness shifted entirely into curiosity and eagerness.

"How strong is it?" Abella asked. "Want to let it battle my Power Bear to test it out?"

Over the past few days, Abella had successfully sparred against Jessica's Rock Turtle and Aeron's Baby Dragon, and the results had left her very satisfied.

She had managed to identify her shortcomings and address them in time.

Unfortunately, after a few battles, Abella had thoroughly figured out their fighting rhythms. Jessica and Aeron were now no match for her, refusing to spar with her any further in the last two days. They would rather continue their mutual grudge matches than face Abella's crushing defeats.

As for Little Raven, none of Abella's three pets could take it on.

Now, a new beast had arrived—Asher's contracted pet. Abella couldn't wait to give it a go.

Asher thought for a moment, glancing at the cheerful Cat-worm hopping behind him, happily playing with its imaginary tail. His gaze turned contemplative.

"Hmm… we can try," Asher finally agreed after some consideration.

Last night's battle between the Cat-worm and Little Raven had exceeded his expectations.

Although the Cat-worm might not have any solid offensive capabilities, its dodging and evasive maneuvers were top-notch. However, Little Raven's overwhelming strength made it hard for Asher to gauge the Cat-worm's true potential. A battle with the others would help him get a better sense of its abilities.

It was time to test this little creature.

"Little Dragon," Asher said, picking up the Cat-worm.

The Cat-worm happily lay in his arms, wiggling its tiny legs. Its chaotic eyes stared at Asher with an innocent and playful expression, letting out a soft "Meow~."

Asher: "…"

Little Raven: "…"

Little Raven immediately gave the Cat-worm two soft wing-slaps on its face, left and right.

Little Raven: *super fierce mode activated!*

'No imitating birds to act cute!'

The Cat-worm whined softly in Asher's arms, its expression clearly saying, 'I'll dare again next time.'

Little Raven: *angry chirp!*

A cat-bird war was about to erupt.

Fortunately, Asher managed to separate the two in time, preventing a weakening civil war from breaking out before the battle with Abella.

Abella, Jessica, and Aeron stood nearby, dumbfounded by Asher's actions.

"Good heavens, do you really think these two can get along in the future?" Jessica asked skeptically. "Aren't you worried they'll turn into a house-demolishing duo?"

Aeron nodded in complete agreement. "Feels like the moment you take your eyes off them, they'll fight till the sky turns dark, the stars shift, your house is in ruins, and your family is scattered."

"You're quite the sentence-maker," Jessica said, giving Aeron a thumbs-up.

Though the sentence was completely disjointed, it vividly conveyed the idea.

Abella added, "Actually, as long as you exhaust their energy beforehand, it's not as bad as you think." She nodded knowingly, a look of experienced wisdom on her face.

Jessica and Aeron recalled the three massive bears Abella had contracted, and a wave of admiration rose from the depths of their hearts.

A woman capable of raising three bears in one go was definitely no ordinary woman.

"Still up for the battle?" Abella asked again.

"Of course," Asher replied, placing the Cat-worm on the ground. "Little Dragon, it's all on you now—go for it!"

The Cat-worm puffed up its pudgy chest—though it didn't look like it had one—and put on a proud and smug expression.

"Meow~"

"Meow~ Meow~"

'Just watch, Beastmaster!'

'I won't let you down!'

Thanks to their contract, Asher easily understood what the Cat-worm meant. Seeing its brimming confidence, Asher had high hopes for it as well.

Perhaps… it really was a chosen one. A casually contracted beast that turned out to be some kind of universe-level invincible being. Upon contracting, it might even lift its seal and obliterate everything in seconds.

What level? What power? Those wouldn't even be—well, okay, they're still issues.

When the Cat-worm faced the Mighty Bear in battle, less than a minute passed before the Cat-worm was frantically darting around, looking for an escape route.

It wasn't that Asher didn't want the Cat-worm to fight the Mighty Bear head-on; the problem was… the Cat-worm didn't have any proper offensive skills.

The skill [Mental Guidance], used twice, not only failed to harm the Mighty Bear but seemed to make it even more energetic and battle-hungry.

Asher: "?"

Abella: "?"

Jessica and Aeron, the onlookers: "?"

"Isn't [Mental Guidance] supposed to apply a random debuff to the opponent's beast? Why does it feel like it's giving buffs instead?" Aeron, fearing he might have misremembered, glanced at Jessica for confirmation.

He didn't know. But Jessica, being a beast cultivator, surely would.

Jessica nodded. "You're right. Normally, that's what the skill should do."

If not for the Cat-worm occasionally using [Shadow Sneak] to hide in the shadows, the Mighty Bear would have turned it into a cute little pancake ages ago.

For the next ten minutes, the battle remained a cycle of the Mighty Bear relentlessly chasing while the Cat-worm fled desperately, sneaking into the shadows from time to time.

Even the spectators, Jessica and Aeron, grew bored.

Asher and Abella, the actual participants, were stifling yawns.

"How about… we call it a draw?" Asher hesitantly suggested.

Abella's expression darkened. It was obvious that in terms of raw strength, the Cat-worm was no match for the Mighty Bear.

However! The Cat-worm's ability to kite and escape was top-notch. Against an opponent like this, which epitomized "extreme evasion," the Mighty Bear—normally not known for speed—could only run in circles, perpetually chasing and unable to land a hit.

Though it was the stronger party, the Mighty Bear was thoroughly frustrated.

In the end, it had no choice but to begrudgingly accept a draw.

Just as Abella was about to reluctantly agree, Jessica suddenly perked up, his entire being brimming with excitement. "Wait!"

"Let me take a video first!" She exclaimed, whipping out her phone with the efficiency of someone single for years.

In no time, Jessica had recorded the entire scene. Satisfied with her handiwork, she grinned and said, "Perfect! This is the extraordinary beast version of 'They chase, they flee, they can't escape.'"

Abella, who had unwittingly cooperated: '…I feel regretful already.'

She didn't want to see some bizarre edited video circulating online, especially one that might ultimately feature her in some embarrassing way.

Unfortunately, it was too late.

Meanwhile, the Mighty Bear and Cat-worm, upon hearing it was a draw, eagerly and simultaneously stopped their chase.

'Finally!'

No more relentless pursuit or desperate fleeing.

The once-energetic Mighty Bear flopped onto the ground with a resounding thud, kicking up a cloud of dust.

In contrast, the Cat-worm scurried back to Asher, clinging to his leg with a tearful expression.

Amused, Asher grabbed the Cat-worm by the scruff of its neck, gently separating it from his leg and holding it in his arms.

"There, there, you're exhausted, aren't you? Rest up." Asher chuckled, pulling out a vial of nutrient serum from his backpack and offering it to the Cat-worm.

Asher carefully fed the serum to the Cat-worm. "Drink this, and you'll recover your energy soon."

The Cat-worm: *Nom nom!*

With tear-filled, grateful eyes, the Cat-worm gazed at Asher, wishing it could stay in his arms forever.

'Beastmaster is the best!'

'Cat-worm loves Beastmaster!'

"Little Raven kept nudging me to prepare this nutrient serum for you when it saw you running out of breath," Asher said with a laugh, glancing at the small bird perched proudly on his shoulder.

The Cat-worm's eyes grew even more watery.

"Meow~ Meow~"

"Meow~"

'Bird Boss is the best boss ever!'

'Love you!'

The Cat-worm's heartfelt compliment hit Little Raven directly.

Little Raven: …

╭(╯^╰)╮

'Still, as the true pillar of this household, being a bit magnanimous was only fitting!'

'Besides, Beastmaster loves birds the most!'

Little Raven leaned closer and affectionately rubbed against Asher's cheek.

Seeing this, the Cat-worm copied the action.

Little Raven: *Furious*

And so, the temporary truce between Little Raven and the Cat-worm shattered in under a minute.

Caught in the middle, Asher sighed helplessly: "…"

Jessica and Aeron, watching from a distance, exclaimed in unison, "Wow! Is this the legendary love triangle? I never thought I'd witness a real one."

So entertaining!

Absolutely entertaining!

Make it even more dramatic!

Asher: *…Spit!*

After a series of chaotic events, the group finally made it back to the city gates on the last day.

Their primary mission was to gather Waving Verdant Grass. Upon verifying the quantity collected by each member, there were no issues.

However, when it was Asher's turn, the staff frowned slightly upon learning that he had contracted an beast of an unknown species.

But seeing Asher's young age and the names of his guarantors on the registry, the staff's attitude wasn't too harsh. Instead, they earnestly explained to Asher, "Six months ago, this wouldn't have been an issue. But now, since the creature you contracted is of an unknown species, we must report it and have it inspected."

"This is just a precaution; we hope you can understand."

Asher rubbed his forehead.

He could understand—it was just frustrating that bad luck always seemed to find him.

After some thought, Asher took the initiative to ask, "What if I contact the Vice President of the Beast Breeder Association myself and have him vouch for me?"

If you have connections, use them.

If they were in NY City, Asher wouldn't hesitate to contact President Robb. But they weren't, and among the people nearby with authority and ties to him, the only person Asher could think of who might come all this way was Kerson.

"That would be great; it'd make things easier," the staff nodded.

Asher sent Kerson a message explaining his situation.

Kerson responded immediately with a simple "OK" sticker.

[Kerson: Wait there, I'm coming right now.]

Since it wasn't a particularly private message, Jessica happened to see it. She made a face of disdain and muttered, "Hmph, the Vice President must be thrilled right now."

He had been eager to recruit Asher, hoping to poach him from Professor Iris's team but hadn't had the chance. And now, without any effort, Asher had delivered himself right into his hands. Jessica could already imagine how excited the Vice President must be.

He was probably driving so fast that his car could almost take flight.

Sure enough, less than half an hour later, Kerson, who must have had plenty of other work to do, showed up outside the Forbidden Zone. After understanding Asher's situation, he readily vouched for him.

With that, Asher and his team were finally able to leave without a hitch.

"Take my car," Kerson offered, seizing the opportunity. "You've just come out of the Forbidden Zone and must be exhausted. Why not come to our association to rest for a while? I have a private office on the top floor; you can recover your energy there and leave later."

No need to ask his intentions—Kerson's "map" of Country was that straightforward.

Before Jessica could help Asher decline, Asher shook his head, signaling her to stay quiet.

Alright then. As long as Asher knew what he was doing.

Jessica was just worried that Asher might be taken advantage of by the Vice President without even realizing it. But after a moment's thought, considering what she had learned about Asher over the past week… hehe.

Jessica flashed a standard smile.

If these two really joined forces, who'd outsmart whom was anyone's guess.

Asher smiled. "Thank you, Vice President Kerson. I'll trouble you, then."

"It's no trouble, no trouble at all," Kerson grinned widely. "By the way, about that beast of yours—what's the story there?"

There hadn't been time to go into detail at the city gates. Kerson had only gotten a brief explanation.

Out of trust in Asher's character—and with Jessica and Aeron present—Kerson was confident there was no way Asher could have tricked them into lying for him. So, he had been quick to offer his support.

Now that they were in the car with time to spare, Kerson wanted to know the full story.

"Just a coincidence," Asher said lightly, glossing over the numerous twists and turns.

Kerson didn't sense anything unusual and joked, "What a coincidence indeed. Unfortunately, Jessica and Aeron didn't have your luck."

Asher smiled without arguing—it wasn't luck. "According to Little Dragon, the pet I contracted, it was drawn to the scent of the Waving Verdant Grass I picked."

"The scent of the Waving Verdant Grass you picked… huh?"

Kerson had been replying absentmindedly, using the topic to chat and bond with Asher. But something struck him as odd.

"Does Waving Verdant Grass even have a scent?" Kerson asked uncertainly.

As the Vice President of the Beast Breeder Association, it had been years since he'd personally harvested Waving Verdant Grass. The association always had prepared supplies on hand, so he wasn't entirely sure.

Jessica stepped in to clarify. "Wait, Asher? You never mentioned this to us."

Asher had said the cat-dragon thought his Waving Verdant Grass was the cleanest and most visually appealing—that's why it came to steal it.

"Well, that's part of it," Asher blinked. Was there a problem? It didn't contradict anything.

Jessica: "..."

Great. Confirmed—Asher was a trickster, a big trickster!

Worrying about him was entirely unnecessary.

Jessica decided to step back from their "battlefield," leaving Asher and Vice President Kerson to deal with each other. She wouldn't get involved, no matter what.

Watching Jessica's pouty expression, Asher couldn't help but laugh.

Haha. To be fair, she was kind of cute.

However, Asher had his reasons for not elaborating on this point with the group. It was just a theory of his, unverified. If he mentioned it and someone like Jessica, Aeron, or Abella decided to investigate further, it could lead to another exhausting seven-day ordeal.

Better to owe Kerson a favor and let him handle it. Otherwise, Asher would have gone straight to Iris or President Robb with the news.

As Asher and Jessica bantered, Kerson realized things might be more complicated than he'd thought. He brought the group to the Beast Breeder Association and straight to the top-floor lounge.

Settling down with a glass of warm water, Kerson asked, "Alright, tell me—what's the deal with this Waving Verdant Grass?"

As the car ride progressed, Kerson had wondered: was Asher deliberately being mysterious to avoid owing him a favor, or had he really discovered something?

Considering Asher's track record—discovering the evolution path of honeybugs, identifying a new evolution route for little fire foxes, introducing the concept of "affection points," and indirectly assisting Professor Damien with a national strategic project—Kerson leaned towards the latter.

"Let's start with this question: why can't Waving Verdant Grass be harvested mechanically?" Asher began, deliberately evading the main topic.

Although Kerson was eager to know, he patiently answered, "The specific reason isn't clear. But because Waving Verdant Grass is so abundant, we suspect it might have evolved this way to prevent extinction."

Harvesting by hand is slower than by machine, after all.

And restricting it to beastmasters only? If not for its versatile uses, Waving Verdant Grass might as well be considered a supernatural weed.

But from what Asher hinted… "Did you discover something?" Kerson asked, excitement and unease mingling in his heart.

"I'm not certain. I'll just share my thoughts, and you can decide," Asher replied.

He wasn't looking for credit or blame—just clearing a debt.

"I asked Little Dragon why it wouldn't eat the Waving Verdant Grass picked by the others and insisted on mine. It said mine was the cleanest and most energy-rich."

"Energy-rich." Those words instantly clicked in Kerson's mind, and his eyes widened.

How could there be differences in energy levels among the same Waving Verdant Grass? What caused it?

Before Kerson could ask, Asher continued, "I think the only explanation is that the affection level between me and Little Raven is very high. I picked the grass with the mindset of giving Little Raven the best."

Affection. Love. Emotion.

These were abstract concepts—hard to verify but worth exploring.

True or false... Asher wasn't sure.

Verifying it would take too much time, and it was unclear how useful the results would be. Asher found it a pity that his talent skill had no observational effect on Waving Verdant Grass, a herb that contained only a trace amount of extraordinary power.

Otherwise, he might have been able to take another shortcut.

"That's it." Asher finished and spread his hands. "Vice President Kerson, see if you're interested in researching it."

Interested in researching it?

Of course!

As a versatile herb, Waving Verdant Grass had been regarded as a stable, basic medicinal material for many years because no one had ever discovered differences in its energy content.

But what if Waving Verdant Grass could be classified further?

Why hadn't they discovered this before?

Would using higher-energy Waving Verdant Grass in potions yield any special effects?

As a beast breeder, this was precisely the kind of topic they studied and explored.

"Uh..." Kerson suddenly seemed to remember something. "Asher, could you spare me a bit of the Waving Verdant Grass you picked?"

Before diving into experiments and research, Kerson recalled that Asher had brought back a lot of Waving Verdant Grass.

Asher: "..."

Wow! I'm here to repay a favor.

And you're here to fleece me?

Seeing Kerson's embarrassed expression as he rubbed his hands, Asher couldn't outright refuse him.

After some thought, Asher, feigning a pained look, pulled a single stalk from the two-pound bundle of Waving Verdant Grass he had and handed it to Kerson.

"This much. No more. Otherwise, I won't have enough to make nests when I get back," Asher said coldly.

Now it was Kerson's turn to fall silent.

He stared at the lonely stalk in his hand, then at the bundle in Asher's backpack, and said, "Can you spare a bit more? One stalk... really isn't enough."

Asher pulled out another stalk from the bundle. "Two stalks. That's it. I spent a whole seven days picking this little bit! If I give you more, I'll have none left!"

With that, Asher put on an expression that screamed, "This place is not safe to stay in."

"That's about it. I've said everything I need to. I'll buy a ticket and head back to Radiant City now."

Stay any longer?

Asher feared that by the end, he wouldn't even have a single stalk of Waving Verdant Grass left.

———

"Hahaha! You rascal, you're really something!" President Robb called Asher and laughed loudly over the phone.

"I've heard all about what happened in Bluestone City. To make Kerson complain to me about you over the phone... that's some skill you've got there."

"And the beast you just contracted—it still needs to be registered, right?"

"Forget going to Radiant City. Come straight back to NY City. I've got some good news to share. You'll be thrilled when you hear it."

President Robb's excitement was impossible to hide.

Asher thought for a moment and immediately guessed, "Uncle Robb, has the evolution path for the little fire fox been finalized?"

"Ah—?" President Robb's laughter stopped abruptly, and then, with a tone of resignation, he said, "Alright, alright. I was going to wait until you got back to tell you the good news, but you guessed it already."

"Enough chit-chat. Get back here, quick!"

Asher sighed. "I just got back to Radiant City yesterday, and now you're telling me to return to NY today... I feel like I'm either on the road or on the road."

This wasn't celebrating the new year.

It was clearly his season of suffering.

Ever since the start of the year, he hadn't had a moment to sit down and properly train Little Raven.

Oh, right.

He had gotten lucky midway—Little Raven successfully evolved.

But now, hadn't he just added another pet beast to his roster?

And his talent skill still wasn't very effective on the cat-dragon. The evolution path ahead gave Asher a serious headache.

"The new evolution path for the little fire fox has been confirmed. You absolutely must attend the celebration banquet. How can it be meaningful without the star of the show?" President Robb said loudly, practically shouting at Asher.

Asher: "Alright, alright. Uncle Robb, I'll come. Is that good enough?"

He spoke with a touch of helplessness.

"It's settled then. Report to the Beast Alliance tomorrow morning." President Robb hung up right after saying this.

Asher sighed.

He hadn't even had time to settle in before having to tell Iris that he needed to return to NY City.

Fortunately, Iris wasn't surprised. "That's normal. Run around while you can. Once school starts, you won't have this kind of freedom."

As she spoke, a glint of light reflected off her glasses.

Asher: "..."

He had a feeling he knew what his life would be like after starting university. But Asher wasn't afraid—he'd face whatever came his way.

No point in worrying about the future now.

Otherwise, how would he even get through the present?

After sorting things out with Iris, Asher briefly informed Abella. Having gone to the Forbidden Zone together and possibly teaming up for competitions after school started, maintaining a polite connection was part of good teamwork.

It took about three to four hours to travel from Radiant City back to NY City.

Asher left early the next morning, arriving just as the Beast Alliance opened its doors.

The receptionist, who had met Asher multiple times, instantly recognized him. She flashed a bright smile, revealing eight perfectly aligned teeth. "Hello, are you here to see President Robb?"

Asher nodded.

The receptionist gestured him through the familiar procedures.

"President Robb informed us yesterday and reserved time for you. You can head straight up." She pointed the way.

Asher nodded in thanks. "Thank you."

Then he turned and walked away.

The receptionist couldn't help but sigh internally.

Just look at this.

The difference between people.

A year ago, she was a receptionist at the Alliance, and Asher was an unknown nobody.

Half a year ago, she was still the receptionist, and Asher became a rising star for discovering the little fire fox's new evolution route.

Now, she was still a receptionist, but Asher was a genius known throughout the nation—or at least NY City. The child every parent admired.

Thinking about it, she sighed again.

Oh well. Staying a receptionist honestly wasn't so bad. When she got older, she could transition to an administrative role. Better to do what she was capable of than chase after the unattainable.

Besides—

Someone had to do the receptionist's job, right?

And who knew? Getting to interact with Asher might even let her soak up some of his "genius aura".

With that thought, her spirits lifted.

———

Asher thought he'd arrived early, but President Robb, along with Henry and Marie, had gotten there even earlier.

As he approached the office, he could hear heated discussions inside.

"The new evolution path for the little fire fox is incredibly unique. It's the first case of affection-based evolution. We should publicize it widely."

That was Henry's voice, accompanied by the sound of a table being slapped. His excitement was palpable.

Then came President Robb's calmer voice. "I get your point, but calling it 'extreme defense' might not be ideal. It could harm public perception of Asher."

"The affection concept was introduced using the Fire Fox Queen as a representative. Why can't we promote it this way?" Henry argued.

Listening to this brief exchange, Asher quickly grasped the crux of their debate.

President Robb, as the president of NY City's Beast Alliance, preferred a low-profile approach to promoting the new evolution path—standard for most beasts.

By contrast, Henry wanted to make a big splash, leveraging Asher's genius reputation and the earlier success of the honeyworm evolution route's publicity.

Knocking on the door, Asher interrupted their discussion.

The room fell silent.

"It's me, Uncle Robb." Asher smiled as he entered and greeted the three people inside. "Professor Henry, Professor Marie."

Henry's expression froze for a moment, while Marie smiled warmly. "Asher, you're back? It's early. Have you had breakfast?"

"Not yet," Asher replied as he walked in.

President Robb said, "You didn't need to come this early. Eating first wouldn't have been a big deal. But since you're here... help yourself."

He gestured to the table, laden with a variety of breakfast items clearly prepared for Asher.

President Robb: He predicted Asher would come on an empty stomach.

Asher smiled and accepted the hospitality.

"Uncle Robb, Professor Henry, I heard you arguing when I arrived." Picking up a bowl of sweet tofu pudding, Asher casually asked, "What were you arguing about?"

He feigned ignorance, hoping to understand their actual points of contention.

Mainly, he wanted to know what the real disagreement between President Robb and Henry was.

Wasn't it just about promotion?

Was there a need to argue so intensely?

"Ahem." Hearing this, President Robb raised a fist to his lips and coughed twice. When he spoke, it was in a formal tone: "Asher, this matter... might require you to endure some slight injustice."

Asher: "?"

"We're not planning to heavily promote it. Keep it low-key, low-key, low-key to generate profit." President Robb said sincerely, genuinely feeling that this approach might wrong Asher.

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