Beast Taming: Starting From Zero

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“This small town is shrouded in mist year-round. The town's residents have mysteriously disappeared one after another, and an indescribable foul stench lingers in every street and alley. Those who accidentally enter, along with their pet beasts, will lose their way and be trapped forever.”

“Despite this, many still come, lured by the legend that if someone can solve the mystery of the town and leave, they will gain the attention of the mythical pet beast, Mihei Ram, and be granted a wish.”

Qiao Sang glanced at the introduction to the Lost Town escape room in her hand and couldn’t help but comment, “Isn’t this just copying Xihan City from the Top Ten Ghost Cities?”

She hadn't paid much attention when she picked the room earlier.

Fang Sisi took a sip of cola and casually remarked, “Entertainment is inspired by life. As long as it’s fun, that’s all that matters. Look at Flame Hound; he looks too scared to move.”

“By the looks of it, my Cotton Bug seems to be doing alright. It still has the courage to run.”

Qiao Sang shot her a glance and teased, “Don’t let it be that the NPC hasn’t even said its lines, and it’s already run off.”

Qiao Sang: ...

Just then, a man's low voice came from behind, “Is Flame Hound all show and no substance? How can it be so timid? It's far inferior to the Blaze Hound, standing there for so long without moving. Could it be too scared to continue?”

Though the voice was lowered, the small observation room made it easy for everyone to hear.

The man realized this and awkwardly took a sip of his drink.

Fang Sisi turned her head and gave the man a glare. Nudging Qiao Sang with her elbow, she asked, “He just said that, and you have no reaction?”

Qiao Sang brushed her hair with her hand, her fingers briefly touching the invisible Little Treasure.

She said, “Why should I react? Didn’t you just say that Yabao is even less courageous than your Cotton Bug?”

Fang Sisi blushed, flustered, “That’s different! I was joking, but he’s clearly mocking-”

“Ah! Something touched me! Something touched me!”

Before she could finish, the man who had been speaking earlier suddenly shrieked, followed by the clattering of objects as he rushed to his feet, likely bumping into the table nearby.

“What’s wrong? What happened?” The people in the room were startled by him.

The man had backed up to the wall, his face pale with fright.

“Something touched my face just now!”

Qiao Sang felt her hair being lifted by the invisible Little Treasure, glanced back, and calmly returned her gaze to the screen.

The hidden Little Treasure shifted into a more comfortable position, quietly basking in his anonymity.

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“Why isn’t it moving yet?”

“Some pet beasts aren’t that intelligent. Maybe Flame Hound is one of them. Should we have Number 3 appear before it?”

“But the first level’s plot hasn’t even progressed yet, and the room's setup hasn’t been fully revealed. Won’t its Beast Master in the observation room think the experience was too rushed and not worth the money?”

“Then let Black Sludge scare it, make it run into the next room. How about that?”

“I think it’ll work.”

“Black Sludge, Black Sludge.”

Yabao’s large ears twitched.

He raised his head, looking toward the door Number 2 had just bumped open.

Based on the sounds he heard, he was supposed to explore this house next, engage in a battle with Number 3 inside, and then proceed to the second level.

So troublesome…

Yabao looked up at the mist at a 45-degree angle. Why couldn’t they just come out and fight directly?

As he continued to stare, the mist began to feel bothersome.

“Yap.”

Maintaining his upward gaze, Yabao summoned his internal energy, quickly forming a bright red energy ball.

“Whoa!”

In the observation room, Qiao Sang leaped to her feet, no longer able to remain calm.

“What’s wrong? Did something touch your face too?!” Fang Sisi panicked, glancing around nervously.

“I told you there was something, but none of you believed me earlier!” The man exclaimed, his tone aggrieved.

Everyone exchanged nervous glances, and those with weaker nerves grabbed their phones and hurriedly left. Only a few Beast Masters, worried about their pet beasts, stayed behind.

Qiao Sang ignored the commotion around her.

She stared at the screen in a daze before collapsing back into her seat.

“I remember it’s allowed to use skills in the escape room, right?”

Fang Sisi paused, looked at Qiao Sang, then followed her gaze to the screen and sighed in relief.

“I thought something serious happened. It’s fine to use skills. They even allow fights inside the escape room. Don’t let the large scene on the screen fool you; only a few parts are real. The rest are just illusions created by a pet beast with mirror skills.”

“Even if the real setup gets destroyed, it’s no big deal. It’s allowed. Have you ever seen a pet beast in an escape room that didn’t wreck something?”

“Yesterday, a Flat-Beaked Fire Duck even-”

Her voice abruptly stopped.

Mouth agape, Fang Sisi stared at the screen in disbelief, where dozens of blood-red flames descended like fireworks.

Everyone left in the observation room gasped.

The previously conspicuous man gulped, while another girl, shocked, pulled out her phone to record the scene.

On the screen, the purple mist had been completely dispersed, and scorching flames rained down, setting the entire scene ablaze.

The illusion vanished, revealing that the endless streets of the town were nothing more than a walled room.

With the mist gone, the entire room became visible. It was tall and spacious.

The two rows of dilapidated houses disappeared one by one, leaving only two twisting in the flames.

Fang Sisi couldn’t believe what she was seeing on the screen.

Oh my god!

That’s… Meteor Rain!

A high-tier skill, Meteor Rain!

Her emotions were in turmoil.

Was Qiao Sang a monster? She hadn’t even started high school, and her Fire Fang Dog had evolved into a brand-new form and learned Meteor Rain!

That’s Meteor Rain! A skill even high-level pet beasts might not master!

Qiao Sang stared at the scene Yabao had created on the screen and suddenly felt something was off.

“Hey, how tall do you think this escape room is?” Qiao Sang asked after a moment of silence.

What had startled her earlier wasn’t Yabao unleashing Meteor Rain, but the possibility of him blowing off the escape room’s roof…

You see, the energy balls from Meteor Rain rise to at least a dozen meters. While the room was tall, it didn’t seem high enough for the skill.

Fang Sisi didn’t answer; she was still in shock from the sight of Flame Hound casting Meteor Rain.

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“Activate the sprinklers, and get Number 5 in to put out the fire!” A staff member in the control room, wearing a cap, shouted.

“But won’t that reveal everything is fake? It’ll ruin the immersion. Shouldn’t we guide it to the next room for the second level before putting out the fire?” A younger staff member suggested.

“Are you an idiot?! The mist is gone, the illusion is gone, and the entire room is exposed! What immersion is left?!” The man with the cap barked.

“But…”

The younger staff member was about to say something when he noticed the monitor and exclaimed, “Wait, how is the mist back?”

The man in the cap, fuming, grabbed the radio and yelled, “Who’s in charge of props today?! Why are you generating mist again?!”

A crackling sound came from the radio, and after a moment, someone replied, “I’m innocent! I only made the mist once. After that, I went to the bathroom. I never made a second batch.”

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