Beast Tamer: I Can See Evolution Paths

Thinking about it, Asher was still a minor, young and famous, full of youthful vigor. Although he didn't show it on the surface, he probably enjoyed standing out in his heart.

This method of following the rules... sigh!

If it really doesn't work, then make a big splash and publicize it widely.

As long as Asher doesn't hit a dead end, such publicity isn't a big deal.

Let others be jealous.

"Hm?" Asher was stunned after hearing this. "I think it's fine like this. How am I being wronged?"

Asher and President Robb looked at each other in confusion.

'You look at me, I look at you, both feeling something might be wrong with the other.'

In the end, they both turned their gazes toward Henry.

Henry, who had just been arguing fiercely with President Robb, obviously hadn't expected Asher to have such an attitude... as if he really didn't care about discovering a brand-new evolution route.

"Asher, don't you want to be more famous? Increasing publicity for your reputation…" Henry's words were cut off by Asher.

Henry couldn't say he didn't have personal motives here.

As a collaborator in confirming the new evolution route for the little fire fox, his contribution definitely couldn't compare to Asher's.

The more famous Asher became, the more Henry could bask in reflected glory. Publicizing the new evolution route would be a win-win situation for them.

"I don't." Asher replied earnestly. "I don't want to use such excessive methods to gain fame. There's no need."

"If I really want to be famous one day…" Asher rubbed his chin. "I just need to find another new evolution route for beasts, right? It's not even that hard."

Henry and Marie, as a couple: "..."

President Robb: "..."

'Listen!'

'Is that even human language?'

'No!'

'It's unbearable to hear.'

It strikes heavily at their fragile hearts.

Henry wanted to persuade Asher to be more realistic. Discovering a new evolution route for beasts wasn't that easy… Well, from Asher's perspective, it did seem rather simple.

Thinking of this, Henry felt even more heartbroken.

He couldn't continue arguing with President Robb. When even the first discoverer, Asher, thought like this, what could he do?

Marie patted her husband's shoulder. "Anyway, we've finally concluded this six-year-long project, so at least we've accounted for our six years of effort."

Having the current result was already very good.

No longer the first discoverer, Marie was very open-minded in this aspect, feeling there was no need to be overly persistent.

Upon hearing this, President Robb laughed and patted Asher on the shoulder. "Good, good! The young people these days are really ambitious. I believe you can definitely do it."

"By the way." President Robb turned and handed Asher a document. "This is the stipend from the Alliance for you. Take a look, the money will be transferred to your bank account later."

Hearing this, Asher immediately perked up.

'Money!'

This was way better than those honorary, gimmicky things.

With the Alliance's subsidies and rewards, Asher was no longer as impoverished as when he started.

But money, well, it was indispensable and always better in greater quantities.

Asher didn't mind the growing pile of cash one bit.

Ten, hundred, thousand, ten thousand, hundred thousand... As Asher counted the seven-digit stipend, his eyes almost turned into money symbols.

As expected of the Alliance, they were indeed generous with their funds.

"Haha." President Robb couldn't help laughing at Asher's money-obsessed expression. "This amount is really nothing. Many professors researching pet evolution routes invest hundreds of millions annually for better results."

"This money is just for you and doesn't cover research expenses. If you need more, you can apply to the Alliance later."

What President Robb didn't say was that obtaining seven-figure stipends wasn't easy... At the very least, one would have to discover a new evolution route leading to high-level beasts, like the Fire Fox Queen.

The stipend was issued quarterly. If Asher made more discoveries and achievements, his contributions would continue to increase.

Understanding this, Asher nodded.

He instantly grasped why the pet evolution direction had become such a popular field.

Just looking at the speed of financial rewards... Anyone with a bit of talent would undoubtedly choose this field.

It had a bright future.

The confirmation of the Fire Fox Queen's evolution route didn't cause much of a stir domestically.

Not that no one cared.

Compared to the previous Fairy Butterfly, the Fire Fox Queen's evolution route was relatively low-profile in terms of public recognition.

Still, due to its appeal, some ordinary people paid attention and discovered that the finder was Asher, the same boy praised by Professor Damien for discovering a new evolution route. They couldn't help but marvel a bit while memorizing the beast's appearance.

If nothing else, its looks were genuinely stunning.

An extraordinarily beautiful big fox, just a glance could conjure images of a femme fatale causing national chaos.

Then there was the beastmaster community.

Smitten by the fox's beauty, they immediately became interested in how the little fire fox evolved into the Fire Fox Queen.

Upon seeing the expensive, resource-intensive evolution route... 95% of them gave up without hesitation.

Too costly!

They decided to revisit it after achieving fame and fortune.

This evolution route was simply too unapproachable.

At the same time, they were curious about how someone like Asher managed it.

Looking at the exceptionally complex list of materials... They couldn't even imagine such things.

Yet, Asher not only thought of it but also proposed the accompanying concept of "affinity."

Admiration was inevitable.

Actually...

While admired by many, Asher was currently feeling troubled...

This time, Asher didn't return to his dormitory.

Since confirming the evolution route of the Fire Fox Queen, the Beastmaster Alliance of NY City, acknowledging Asher's contributions, directly arranged for a house to be transferred to his name.

It was a two-story, fully renovated duplex house, ready for immediate move-in without requiring any additional procedures.

The first floor had a small garden of about 20 square meters, providing a space for the Cat-worm and Little Raven to expend their energy.

On the second floor, there was an open-air balcony, which added a sense of style to the place.

After seeing the house, Asher decisively moved in without hesitation.

The price of this house was secondary; it was the thoughtful gesture of the NY Beastmaster Alliance that truly touched Asher.

Watching Little Raven and the Cat-worm jumping around the house, as if trying to mark every corner with their scent, Asher's feelings were somewhat complicated.

What made him even more conflicted and gave him a headache was the evolution route and training method for the Cat-worm.

He opened his talent skill interface to check the Cat-worm.

Okay.

No difference from before.

Although Asher wasn't particularly concerned about whether the Cat-worm could evolve, he felt that even for normal nurturing, there should at least be a direction, right?

Looking at the Cat-worm's stats panel…

A bunch of question marks.

Even its attributes weren't clearly defined. Where should he start if he wanted to train the Cat-worm?

How could he maximize its advantages?

Surely he couldn't just blindly feel his way forward.

At that moment, Asher finally understood why the alliance didn't care much about beastmasters contracting new extraordinary species. It was because they were completely clueless about them.

Thinking of this, Asher couldn't help but rub his temples.

"Since it has a special attribute, why don't I try giving the Cat-worm a skill and see what happens?" Asher suggested uncertainly.

So far…

The only beasts from which he had extracted skills were the Fairy Butterfly and the Fire Fox Queen.

The skills provided by the Fire Fox Queen were all fire-type skills.

The Cat-worm already seemed to have three attributes, so there was no need for it to learn additional elemental skills, which would be redundant.

Among the existing skills, Asher immediately thought of the golden skill [Heart of Protection], which he had previously extracted.

[Mastery level: MAX]

Since Little Raven had already learned this skill, Asher hadn't taught it the golden [Heart of Protection].

Now, however…

Asher's gaze fell on the Cat-worm.

He waved at the Cat-worm.

Before the Cat-worm could awkwardly waddle over on its seven legs, Little Raven, ever helpful, grabbed the Cat-worm by the scruff of its neck and deposited it onto Asher's lap.

Little Raven then jumped into Asher's arms with a smug look on its face.

'Such a capable bird deserves a pat, a hug, and a lift!' it seemed to say.

"Alright, alright." Asher chuckled, indulging Little Raven with a pat, a hug, and even a lift, before giving it a kiss on the forehead.

Little Raven: (￣▽￣)

'Awesome! The bird is happy now!'

The Cat-worm, meanwhile, raised its head silently, its teary-eyed gaze directed at Asher.

Helpless, Asher picked up the Cat-worm lying on his lap. "Don't worry, you'll get your turn too."

He then proceeded to give the Cat-worm the same treatment. Its mood visibly improved; it was so easy to please.

Asher patted the Cat-worm on the head. "Stay still for a moment. I'm going to make you stronger."

Cat-worm: "?"

Smiling, Asher clicked on the golden skill [Heart of Protection] in the interface and selected the Cat-worm as the target.

[Do you confirm teaching the pet Cat-worm this skill?]

[Yes]

Asher selected the option.

And then… the Cat-worm continued to blink at Asher.

"Meow?"

"Meow Meow?"

'Are you done yet, beastmaster?'

'Holding this pose is tiring!'

The Cat-worm seemed to complain with its eyes.

"It's done," Asher replied.

The Cat-worm's expression turned even more astonished. Its messy, thread-like eyes were filled with confusion.

"Meow?"

'That fast?'

'Beastmaster, are you sure you're up to this?'

Asher: "?"

He stared at the Cat-worm in his arms, trying to decide if he was overthinking things or if its expression was perfectly normal.

Ignoring the odd exchange, Asher said, "It's a simple process. If you don't believe me, ask Little Raven."

The Cat-worm turned to look at Little Raven.

"Meow!"

"Meow Meow!"

"Meow Meow!"

'Big Sis! Big Sis!'

'Did the beastmaster finish as quickly last time, too?'

Little Raven nodded.

'Yes! The beastmaster makes the bird stronger this quickly!'

Asher: "…"

"You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?" Asher muttered as he flicked the Cat-worm on the head.

Unexpectedly, a bump began to swell between the two antennae on the Cat-worm's head, visible to the naked eye.

Was this some kind of mystical phenomenon?

Asher rubbed his eyes out of reflex. The bump was still there.

Clearly, the problem lay with the Cat-worm.

"…This is truly bizarre." If not for the certainty that he hadn't transmigrated into some anime or comic world, he'd have started doubting reality… Not that it really mattered.

"No crying. This is your punishment." In just over a day, Asher had already figured out how to handle the Cat-worm.

You had to be firm when necessary.

Otherwise, the Cat-worm would get too comfortable and start acting up.

It wasn't trying to rebel; perhaps it had some feline-like tendencies in its bloodline. If you weren't careful, it would start misbehaving.

Asher used to think Little Raven was rebellious enough, but after raising the Cat-worm, he realized:

'Nope! Little Raven was nothing in comparison!'

If there was a next time, Asher hoped to contract a well-behaved beast. Just a little wish. Surely that wasn't too much to ask?

Asher felt confident he hadn't jinxed himself.

He opened the Cat-worm's stats panel again. "Let me see what skill you've learned…"

When he saw the new skill on the Cat-worm's panel, Asher rubbed his eyes.

'Wait, what?'

Had he seen it wrong?

He clearly taught the Cat-worm [Heart of Protection], didn't he?

So… what was this [Blade of Destruction] doing here?

Asher clicked on the skill to check its details. His expression turned peculiar.

[Blade of Destruction: A skill that guarantees breaking any defense, regardless of level or other restrictions. One-hit break. Cooldown: 3 minutes.]

On one hand, he felt speechless; on the other, this skill seemed… useful?

It could be unexpectedly effective.

However, with a three-minute cooldown, it could only be used once in a standard battle.

Asher held up the Cat-worm, staring into its chaotic eyes that seemed to drain one's sanity. "What are you, exactly?"

A perfectly good [Heart of Protection] had turned into the exact opposite, [Blade of Destruction]. Asher didn't know whether to be happy or upset.

"Meow?"

The Cat-worm tilted its head, wiggling its seven legs.

'A dragon!'

'A cute dragon!'

The Cat-worm's self-perception was unwavering.

'Don't ask!'

'It's a dragon!'

Asher sighed.

Forget it. No point dwelling on it.

"When I extract more suitable skills, I'll let you try them. I just want to figure out what's going on with you…" While saying this, Asher noticed his talent skill interface flashing. He froze momentarily, then quickly checked it.

Nothing was wrong.

Instead, a new dropdown menu appeared.

[Talent Skill Upgrade]

[Upgrade Conditions: Record five beasts' new evolution forms (3/5)]

Just two lines of text, but they made Asher's eyes light up.

'Talent skill upgrade?'

Asher's talent skill hadn't been completely static. After the Honeybug successfully evolved, the interface became slightly more refined. However, there had been no further changes since then, and Asher hadn't been able to decipher its workings.

Until today, when the evolution requirements were plainly laid out before him… What more was there to say?

Find a way to evolve them.

He glanced at the three recorded beasts: Fairy Butterfly, Fire Fox Queen, and Three-Legged Golden Crow.

Although the last one wasn't publicized, it was indeed recorded.

Asher muttered, "So I need to discover two more new evolution forms? That means I need to find two beasts with new evolution routes…"

With his talent skill, this theoretically wasn't difficult.

All he needed was to find beasts with potential evolution routes and make them evolve.

The challenge lay in making the process seem reasonable.

Discovering two new evolution routes in a short time would seem excessive, even for someone considered a genius.

Asher's expression turned wry.

What could he say?

Others struggled with insufficient resources.

He had the talent and resources but no way to present his results without raising suspicion.

Even a clever housewife cannot cook without rice.

But he was the clever housewife, and he had both the rice and the tools to cook. The problem was, no one was there to eat the meal.

"Perhaps after my talent skill evolves, I'll be able to figure out what's going on with Cat-worm." Regardless of the situation, Asher had no intention of giving up on upgrading his talent skill.

After pondering for a long time,

Asher sent a message to President Robb.

[Asher: Uncle Robb, I wanted to ask if there are any professors in our province researching pet evolution who are stuck at critical points and need help?]

[President Robb: Huh? What are you up to, kid?]

[Asher: Just want to help out and learn something for myself in the process.]

Exactly.

Starting research from scratch wasn't ideal.

But taking over someone else's research midway—analyzing it based on the data they provide—meant that even if he discovered two or more new evolution paths for beasts, it wouldn't seem too outrageous.

As for the credit... Asher wasn't overly concerned.

It might sound annoying, but to Asher, with his talent skill, discovering new evolution paths for beasts was as easy as eating or drinking water.

[President Robb: You caught me off guard with this question. Let me ask around for you.]

There was quite a wait in between.

Asher leisurely petted the cat and hugged the bird without a hint of urgency.

When it came to Asher's growth, President Robb often cared more than Asher himself.

Nowadays, Asher was a reasonably well-known name in NY City. Many people had heard of him, and mentioning his name in meetings brought significant prestige.

President Robb had benefited a lot from Asher and, naturally, took extra care of him in return.

Like the house NY City's Beast Tamer Alliance had allocated to Asher.

Or the times Asher occasionally asked for President Robb's help.

President Robb always responded enthusiastically.

[President Robb: There aren't any in NY City for now. Would you be okay if we expand the search area?]

[Asher: Hmm... Not too far, as long as it's within South China.]

President Robb rubbed his nose and muttered softly, "This brat, always giving me trouble."

But despite his complaints, a broad smile remained on President Robb's face.

For him, Asher asking for help was a sign of trust and closeness.

However, finding a professor stuck at a critical point, who wouldn't cause conflicts with Asher...

Headache.

It was genuinely a headache for President Robb.

"...I'm supposed to be the president of NY City's Beast Tamer Alliance, so why do I suddenly feel like this brat's assistant?" President Robb muttered to himself, but he earnestly worked to find a suitable candidate for Asher.

Just then, a call came through.

"Mm-hmm." President Robb's eyes gradually lit up. "Is that so!"

"Really? That would be wonderful! Thank you so much, Mr. Damien!"

After hanging up the phone, President Robb's face wore a look of satisfaction.

Mission accomplished.

And it went even better than expected.

Not only did it solve Asher's problem, but it also earned President Robb a favor from Mr. Damien.

Even if it wasn't immediately useful, having one was always better than none.

———

The next day.

Asher arrived at a quiet teahouse. When he entered, a person was already seated inside.

As he walked in, Asher quickly scanned the entire room, including the professor who had invited him.

The man exuded an academic vibe.

His appearance fit Asher's stereotypical impression of a proper scholar:

A middle-aged man with sparse hair streaked with white, thick black-framed glasses with obviously high prescriptions, and a stern expression. He looked like someone extremely serious about his work.

"Hello." Asher greeted him politely and openly. "I'm Asher. Are you Professor Jorge?"

"Hello, I am Jorge Docks. You can call me that." Professor Jorge nodded solemnly and stood up to shake Asher's hand. "I know you, Asher. You're quite famous, and Professor Damien speaks very highly of you."

After shaking hands, the two sat down. A cup of tea was soon pushed toward Asher.

Before Asher could thank him, Professor Jorge's calm voice sounded again.

"Let's skip the formalities. I'll get straight to the point. My current project is stuck at a critical juncture, with no progress for two years."

"I desperately need your help. If you can assist me..."

He adjusted his thick glasses, his expression visibly growing more serious.

"All the credit will go to you. I only want the results."

Professor Jorge's words were quite blunt.

But Asher appreciated dealing with straightforward people like this.

It was clear from the start—no unnecessary delays.

"If you're willing to trust me, that's great. But as for the project details and whether I can help, I'd need to take a closer look first," Asher replied with a polite smile. "It'd be arrogant of me to ask for your trust without showing results."

Stepping into the lab, reviewing the data, and observing the beast firsthand—that's when he could confidently identify the problem.

"You don't need to be humble. You can even be arrogant if you have the skills. I don't care about your personality," Professor Jorge said bluntly, entirely focused on the research results.

Asher: "..."

Alright then.

A purely result-oriented academic.

"Is your lab here? Or outside the province? Should we buy tickets and head over now?" Asher asked straightforwardly.

He drained his cup of tea in one gulp, set the cup down decisively, and stood, ready to follow Professor Jorge.

To his surprise, Professor Jorge, who had been so straightforward, suddenly froze. An awkward, slightly guilty expression appeared on his face.

"Apologies... I can't take you to the lab," Professor Jorge admitted, looking a bit sheepish.

Asking for help, yet unable to let the other person see the lab for themselves... What kind of situation was this?

But there was no other way.

Asher fell silent again.

'Can this person really be trusted?'

Asher seemed to ask Professor Jorge this question with his eyes.

Professor Jorge: *Guilty.*

Just a little.

Really, just a tiny bit.

"Ahem," Professor Jorge coughed twice, breaking the increasingly quiet atmosphere in the tea room. He reached into his briefcase and took out a thick file, placing it in front of Asher.

"All our research progress from the past four years is recorded here. You can take a look to see if you get any ideas."

Asher took the report, which was as thick as an Oxford dictionary, from Professor Jorge's hands, his expression complicated.

This thickness… Even if he stayed up all week without sleep, he might not finish reading it.

At this point, it would be faster to let him take a look at the beast directly.

Such thoughts aside, Asher couldn't say them out loud.

He opened the report in his hand and quickly began skimming through it with his speed-reading skills.

Unfamiliar academic terms? Skip.

Confusing experimental reports? Skip.

Dizzying equations and reactions? Skip.

Soon, Asher found the name of the beast.

Instantly, he frowned.

"You're researching the evolutionary path of the Noise Flower?" Asher's voice carried a hint of surprise.

"Yes. Because of the widely known dangers associated with the Noise Flower, our research team is relatively small," Professor Jorge nodded. "It's not that I don't want to take you to the lab—it's just that the Noise Flower… is a bit too unique."

Unique?

If you asked Asher, the Noise Flower wasn't just unique—it was extremely special.

The Noise Flower is a mid-level, low-tier beast. It sounds ordinary at first... but its unique name gives away its true nature—it's anything but ordinary.

The reason it's called the "Noise Flower" is because it emits a constant, piercing noise, loud enough to disrupt normal life and sleep, 24/7.

Even if stored in the Beastmaster's mental sea, it's said that the Beastmaster will still experience unending mental attacks from the Noise Flower.

...A living hell.

Netizens often joked that if the Noise Flower had been discovered in ancient times, it would surely have been used as a torture device.

Asher had given such comments a thumbs-up.

Agreed.

Absolutely agreed.

He had never encountered such a noisy creature before—it could rival those birthday lotus candles that endlessly blared their tune.

As a result, very few brave souls dared to contract a Noise Flower.

The most famous Beastmaster to contract one was a congenital deaf-mute. Even mental stimulation couldn't convey any sound or visuals to this person, allowing them to peacefully coexist with the Noise Flower.

Fortunately, the Noise Flower's lifecycle is quite unique.

If it doesn't successfully evolve into a Quiet Flower, the Noise Flower will naturally wither after about 15 years.

After evolving, the Quiet Flower lives up to its name—tranquil and calming, even providing a soothing effect.

Unfortunately... Quiet Flowers are rare compared to Noise Flowers.

Few people have the patience to endure the relentless noise of a Noise Flower.

"What's the purpose of researching a new evolutionary path for the Noise Flower?" Asher paused, still holding the thick report. Smiling, he added, "Just out of personal curiosity—generally speaking, who would willingly study a Noise Flower?"

This beast, which causes both physical and mental torment... is not something ordinary people can handle.

Let alone researching its evolution.

For what? To make it even louder?

"It's because of my wife," Professor Jorge said as he took off his glasses, carefully wiping them with a tissue from the table before putting them back on.

It was then that Asher noticed Professor Jorge's eyes—slightly red, as if he was on the verge of tears.

"You've probably heard of the Beastmaster who contracted three Noise Flowers—a deaf-mute. That was my wife," Professor Jorge said in his usual steady tone, though a faint tremble betrayed his emotions.

Asher nodded.

That one.

He'd heard of her.

Contracting three Noise Flowers... That wasn't something just anyone could handle. Even opportunistic accounts that latched onto Beastmasters' fame would occasionally mention her story, consistently sparking heated discussions in the comment sections.

Asher had come across one of those videos just a couple of days ago.

"Because of her congenital deafness and total nerve failure, the Noise Flower couldn't affect her through the mental sea," Professor Jorge said, a faint smile unconsciously spreading across his face as he talked about his wife. His affection was evident.

"She always loved things that produced loud noises. She especially liked instruments, such as the suona, which she even studied when she was young," Professor Jorge added with a chuckle. "She told me that while she couldn't hear the sound, she could keenly sense the vibrations in the air. She loved that feeling."

Asher's expression turned complicated.

This lady sounded so... fashion-forward.

A deaf-mute studying the suona... Bold! Creative!

"Later, when she awakened her Beastmaster potential and learned that the Noise Flower was the only beast capable of producing non-stop, intense noise 24/7, she immediately contracted one."

Hmm.

Asher wasn't surprised. Not even a little. Someone willing to study the suona would obviously consider contracting a Noise Flower.

"And then..." Professor Jorge's expression grew strange. "She discovered that one Noise Flower wasn't enough to produce continuous noise for a week or a month."

Asher: "?"

Wow.

She managed to stress out the Noise Flower itself.

While the Noise Flower enjoyed making noise and could sustain it for long periods, it still needed rest.

To push a Noise Flower to its limits... Professor Jorge's wife was something else.

"So, later on, she contracted two more Noise Flowers. The three Noise Flowers took turns making noise at home," Professor Jorge said, his expression indescribable.

Asher's expression was equally indescribable.

Was this something a normal person would do?

Oh.

Right. She was deaf and mute—there was a bit of a natural difference from others.

"Professor Jorge, you're researching the Noise Flower's new evolutionary path for your wife?" Asher asked.

It kind of made sense... but also didn't fully add up.

Professor Jorge took a deep breath and adjusted his glasses again. "You could... say that."

"Aside from making the three Noise Flowers produce non-stop noise to the point of mental fatigue, my wife cared for them deeply," Professor Jorge paused. "Using your terms... my wife had an exceptionally high favorability rating with the three Noise Flowers. If there's a maximum value, then theirs was maxed out."

"In the year before my wife passed away from a severe illness, two of the Noise Flowers successfully evolved into Quiet Flowers under her care," Professor Jorge's smile faded, his demeanor exuding a serene calm.

Asher said nothing.

At this moment, Professor Jorge didn't need his comfort.

He just needed someone to listen to his story.

It took Professor Jorge a long pause before he continued, "Perhaps sensing my wife's pain from her illness, the two evolved one after the other into Quiet Flowers, quietly staying by her side in the hospital."

"As for the last one... it didn't evolve. It stayed in her mental sea, letting her feel the vibrations through the sound. Though I don't know if she could truly feel it."

Finally.

As he spoke, a single tear escaped from Professor Jorge's eye.

"Sorry, I lost my composure," Professor Jorge apologized, wiping his tears and shaking his head as if trying to shake off the sadness.

Asher refilled his tea. "It's okay. Take your time. I have plenty of time today; there's no rush."

Fortunately, Professor Jorge recovered quickly.

Holding the tea cup, he smiled, a mix of reminiscence and helplessness. "When I talk about her, I'm not as sad as I was at the beginning. But sometimes, I can't help it."

Can't help but recall the times they spent together.

Complaining about the Noise Flowers' noise.

Ultimately giving in and letting her release all three Noise Flowers.

Watching as the Noise Flowers strutted around in front of him.

Rolling up his sleeves to confront them.

At those moments, his wife would smile gently, watching them with joy and amusement.

Recalling those memories, Professor Jorge smiled, tears rolling down his cheeks.

After a sip of tea, he felt calmer. "Before she passed, my wife released the last unevolved Noise Flower from her mental sea. In her final words, she asked me to take care of it."

"The lifespan of the other two Quiet Flowers doesn't need to be worried about, but as for the last Noise Flower… although it was the youngest Noise Flower contracted by my wife, it was already nine years old when she passed away."

If it can't evolve, it only has six years left to live.

"Additionally…" Professor Jorge furrowed his brows and let out a long sigh. "After my wife passed away, that Noise Flower never made a sound again, not a single noise, no extra movement at all."

"If it weren't for the fact that it absorbs water when watered…"

And that it stays curled up every day in front of his wife's memorial tablet, Professor Jorge would really have thought it had followed his wife in death.

"A year has passed, and it still hasn't evolved. While I've been trying to find ways to make it evolve, I can't help but suspect… does it have some kind of special trait?"

"Perhaps it has a new evolutionary path, or it met some condition that is preventing it from evolving normally."

Upon hearing this, Asher finally understood why Professor Jorge was so determined to achieve results, even to the point of disregarding glory.

From the very beginning, his research on the new evolutionary path for the Noise Flower was to fulfill his wife's final wish.

The Noise Flower was the beast his wife had loved most in her lifetime, and it was the relic she left behind that she cared about the most after her death.

Professor Jorge couldn't bear to watch the Noise Flower wither away right before his eyes.

Before the looming fate of withering arrived, Professor Jorge wanted to preserve, as much as possible, the thing his wife had cherished.

"Can we go and see this Noise Flower your wife left behind?" Asher closed the experimental report in his hands and made the suggestion earnestly.

He really wanted to help Professor Jorge.

But… this report, as thick as an Oxford dictionary, genuinely provided him with no inspiration at all.

Better to go and meet the extraordinary pet in question.

Surely, inspiration would start "whizzing" out like that.

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