What does it mean when a pet evolves incorrectly?

Chapter 156 Brother Chen Arrives in the Western Regions

There was a two-second silence on the other end of the phone.

Zeng Chuan's fingers tightened slightly as he gripped his phone. He had imagined a hundred different ways Lin Chen would start the call, but he never expected that Lin Chen's first question would be about where to find Dark Seeds.

In that instant, Zeng Chuan couldn't help but recall Lin Chen's performance in every encounter with the Dark Seed, and felt a surge of emotion.

Other beast tamers avoided the dark creatures, afraid to deal with such bizarre beings; Lin Chen, on the other hand, actively went to find something that others would avoid at all costs.

Bringing his thoughts back, Zeng Chuan cleared his throat and said in a serious tone, "It's like this, the higher-ups have adjusted your training plan recently."

"Although you are now a full member of our department, your situation is different from other members—you don't need to go on missions regularly like them, nor do you need to take the initiative to resolve Darkseid incidents."

"You have only one task: to grow steadily and become stronger as soon as possible. Only when you become strong enough can you contribute more in these events in the future."

Upon hearing this, Lin Chen instantly understood the good intentions of the Rift Investigation Department.

To put it bluntly, in the above assessment, his talent has reached an absurd level.

Going from zero to the university league championship in just four months—such a growth rate is rare in Donghuang's history.

In that case, there's no need to get him involved in those high-risk Dark Race events. If something goes wrong, the loss wouldn't just be a genius, but the future pillar of the entire Eastern Empire.

Instead of staying peacefully in the academy and improving step by step, he would wait until a major event required his intervention.

But Lin Chen knew better than anyone else that his path to growth could never be summed up by the word "stable".

Which of the following conditions—the experience points required to level up or the upgrade requirements for the Bright Badge—doesn't have to be met by risking everything?

Only by defeating the Darkfolk can the little guys achieve the fastest growth rate.

So he went straight to the point: "Brother Zeng, I can only grow faster by fighting against the Dark Race."

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone.

Zeng Chuan carefully considered his words before tentatively asking, "How about I have them capture a few Darkfolk for you to practice on?"

Upon hearing this, Lin Chen couldn't help but laugh: "Brother Zeng, what I need is real fighting, not this kind."

Zeng Chuan fell silent again.

This time the silence lasted longer, clearly indicating that they were weighing the pros and cons.

Finally, he took a deep breath and said through the microphone, "I understand, but your current authority level is very high. I can't make this decision on my own; I need to consult my superiors. I'll contact you later."

"Okay, thank you for your help, Brother Zeng."

After hanging up the phone, Lin Chen leaned back in his chair, his gaze falling on the gray-blue skyline outside the window, lost in thought.

While he was busy traveling around these past few days, he had been organizing his future development strategy, and had already figured out four clear lines of thought.

First, there is the Tower of Trials, which will be held in about ten days.

The Tower of Trials can provide him with a dual boost to his mental strength and the power of his pets, making it a sure-fire training opportunity for him and his little ones, and it is currently his top priority.

Secondly, we need to fill the Moonlit Spirit Cat's evolution bar as soon as possible so that it can evolve to the next stage.

He had already obtained the Holy Spirit Core; all that remained was accumulating the final amount of experience points. Once the Radiant Moon Cat completed its evolution, its overall strength would increase significantly.

Moreover, he has long been looking forward to the next stage of the Moonlit Cat, when the Dark Race Buster will officially make its debut.

Thirdly, and most challengingly, is the close-quarters combat against ten Dragon-type pets of Lord rank and strength no less than Steelix, in order to unlock Steelix's Armored Steel Mode.

Dragon-type pets are already rare, and lord-level ones are extremely rare in the wild. Finding ten of them is like finding a needle in a haystack.

He couldn't possibly just run straight to the habitat of the four great dragon clans, could he?

You might be able to spar freely with the dragon-type pets of the four major dragon clans, but killing one would be tantamount to making a mortal enemy of the entire dragon clan.

Therefore, he could only pin his hopes on those small-scale wild dragon-type pets, which was destined to be a long process.

Fourthly, we must continue searching for Dark Races so that the little ones can grow rapidly in actual combat.

This is also why he took the initiative to contact Zeng Chuan—the double experience points brought by the Dark Seed are unmatched by any conventional training.

With four routes running in parallel and time running out, none of them can be neglected.

Just as his thoughts were racing, his phone on the table vibrated.

Lin Chen answered the phone, and Zeng Chuan's voice came through: "Lin Chen, the leaders have agreed."

"However, given your special status, the leadership's idea is that you should focus on your studies for now and don't need to join a fixed investigation team, as that would take up too much of your time."

"When a sudden Dark Race incident occurs, you can join in as a support officer. This way, it won't affect your usual training and academy schedule, and it will allow you to grow in real combat."

Lin Chen thought about it carefully and nodded in response, "Okay, I understand."

He then changed the subject, his tone tinged with anticipation: "Brother Zeng, have there been any sudden Darkseid incidents recently?"

He paused, then added, "Ideally, it should be in Chisha City in the Western Regions."

Since we're going to the Tower of Trials anyway, we might as well deal with the Dark Race incident nearby. It'll kill two birds with one stone and save the most time.

This time, there was a long silence on the other end of the phone.

Lin Chen could hear the sound of typing on the keyboard on the other end. A few minutes later, the typing stopped, and Zeng Chuan's voice came through again: "There really is one."

The next day, in the Western Regions.

Akasago City Airport.

The moment Lin Chen stepped out of the hatch, the wave of heat hitting him almost made him squint.

Unlike the North, the air here was so hot and dry it felt like it could ignite his lungs. He took a deep breath, his nostrils filled with the smell of dry sand.

The air seemed completely devoid of moisture, and every breath felt like swallowing scalding hot sand.

Standing on the exposed tarmac, the scorching sun beat down on my skin, burning painfully, as if I were in a giant furnace.

But once you step into the shadow cast by the terminal building, the temperature drops suddenly, and the dry wind carries a hint of coolness, which is quite comfortable.

He looked up and around.

The airport is small, with only two floors in the terminal, and the passenger flow is relatively average.

Looking around, the city has almost no tall buildings; most are one- to three-story flat-roofed buildings with thick walls and narrow windows, bearing a strong local character.

This is a traditional structure designed to withstand the high temperatures of the daytime. The walls are made of sun-dried mud bricks, and the roof is covered with a special heat insulation layer.

Lin Chen didn't know much about Chisha City, only that its administrative status was similar to that of Qinglan City.

However, compared to Qinglan City, this place is even more remote and isolated, with almost no decent industry or commerce. Its economy is backward and its population is sparse, making it one of the most remote corners of the Eastern Huang Federation.

More importantly, its geographical location is extremely unique: it is situated in a buffer zone between the western border of the Eastern Empire Federation, the southeastern entrance of the Xuan Yue Beast Domain, and the southern edge of the Lin Jing Beast Domain.

The three forces are intertwined, and small-scale conflicts often break out. All sorts of people roam around the city, but fortunately, the Anti-Drug Bureau's iron fist has never stopped, so the public security here is not too bad.

As Lin Chen stepped out of the airport, he quickly realized that there were almost no taxis available.

The parking lot outside the airport was filled with some off-road vehicles, but it was also a lively area for storing mounts and pets.

Here, mounts and pets are far more popular than motor vehicles.

After all, in the vast Gobi Desert, the adaptability and survival ability of pet mounts far surpasses that of any mechanized vehicle.

His gaze swept across the area, and he quickly identified several common mounts and pets.

Among land mounts, the most common is the Gravel Armored Camel Beast, whose racial level is only Low-level Extraordinary and whose attribute is Earth.

This is a large, bipedal animal, covered in thick, grayish-brown fur. Its four large hooves have thick pads on the bottom, allowing it to walk on the scorching sand as if it were flat ground.

They are gentle in nature and have great endurance, making them the most commonly used long-distance desert transportation tool for locals.

Another type is the Windmark Sand Lizard, which is of medium-level extraordinary race and also has the earth attribute, resembling an enlarged version of the Komodo dragon.

It is nearly four meters long, with its body covered in yellow and white scales. It has webbed membranes on the inside of its limbs, which allow it to glide at high speeds on the sand. It is much faster than the gravel-armored camel, but its carrying capacity is limited and it is usually only used for single-person transportation.

The selection of flying mounts is even more diverse.

The silhouettes of the Red-crested Vulture occasionally flit across the sky; this is a medium-sized raptor with a wingspan of five to six meters, and its species rank is high.

Extraordinary, its attribute is wind.

The Crimson Vulture has crimson feathers with golden edges. It can glide effortlessly for long periods in the hot air currents above the desert, making it the most commonly used mount for intercity travel. However, it is relatively slow and has limited load-bearing capacity.

Occasionally, you can also spot the even more imposing Riftwind Two-Headed Vulture.

This pet is classified as a low-elite species and its attribute is wind.

It has two ferocious heads, each eye flashing with a different light, the left eye is crimson and the right eye is azure. Its wings are so wide that they can cover half a truck. Its flying ability is outstanding, but it is extremely difficult to control. Only experienced and powerful beast tamers dare to attempt it.

After a moment's thought, Lin Chen selected a robust red-feathered vulture.

The tamer of this bird of prey was a dark-skinned middle-aged man who looked like a seasoned veteran who had spent years making a living in the desert.

As soon as Lin Chen turned and sat on the broad back of the Crimson Eagle, the raptor let out a sharp cry, its wings flapped suddenly, and its massive body rose from the ground, soaring higher and higher.

From the air, the entire city of Akasago can be seen.

Inside the city, rows of low, earthen-yellow buildings are arranged in a staggered manner, with crisscrossing streets and a sizable oasis lake in the center, surrounded by tall poplar and date palm trees, the vegetation surprisingly lush.

But once you look beyond the city's edge, the scenery changes completely: in all directions, there is an endless expanse of Gobi Desert, with yellow sand stretching as far as the eye can see, barren of everything. Chisha City is like an isolated island surrounded by a sea of ​​yellow sand, the only oasis of life in this boundless wasteland.

The middle-aged man glanced back at Lin Chen, noticing his curious look around, and smiled, striking up a conversation: "Young man, are you here for tourism?"

Lin Chen smiled and nodded.

The middle-aged man grinned: "Then you've come at a really bad time."

"Why?" Lin Chen asked curiously.

The middle-aged man looked up at the blazing sun hanging directly overhead, which seemed to be baking the earth dry, and said with a hint of complaint in his voice, "It's the hottest time of the year now. When it gets this hot, the water dries up, and when the water dries up, all sorts of troubles tend to happen."

He paused, then added, his tone even more somber, "And this year is much hotter than usual, this awful weather..."

Lin Chen fell silent for a moment, his gaze fixed on the scorching sun, vaguely understanding the middle-aged man's unspoken meaning.

In such a harsh environment, negative human emotions are amplified, and the struggle for water resources will trigger a series of conflicts.

"Negative emotions?" Lin Chen's eyes flashed as he keenly grasped the key word.

Half an hour later, the Red-feathered Vulture slowly landed on an open sandy area on the edge of the city.

Lin Chen paid the money, rolled over and landed, then looked up.

Not far away, a modified black SUV was parked on the side of the road.

The car door opened, and a tall, muscular man stepped out of the driver's seat.

He wore a round, wide-brimmed sun hat with the brim pulled low, revealing a slightly dark-skinned face with high cheekbones and a strong jawline. He was dressed in a brown leather vest, looking every bit like a Western cowboy.

He seemed to recognize Lin Chen at a glance, his eyes suddenly lit up, and he walked over quickly with steady and powerful steps.

Approaching Lin Chen, he bowed slightly, his attitude respectful: "Are you Brother Chen? I'm Han Tuo, sent to pick you up. You must be tired from your journey."

Lin Chen's lips twitched slightly.

Brother Chen.

When did this title become someone's exclusive nickname?

From Zhou Ming to Li Heng, to countless viewers online, and now to Han Tuo in front of us, everyone is using this title.

He suppressed the subtle sense of unease and waved his hand with a smile: "Just call me Lin Chen."

Han Tuo didn't mince words; he grinned, revealing a set of white teeth that contrasted sharply with his dark skin.

After exchanging pleasantries, Han Tuo helped Lin Chen put his luggage into the trunk, then opened the car door: "Get in, let's talk as we drive."

A moment later, the off-road vehicle's engine let out a deep roar, carving two deep tracks in the soft sand before plunging into the boundless desert.

The scenery outside the car window suddenly became monotonous and desolate. The scorching sun shone directly on the roof and windshield without any obstruction. Even with the air conditioning on full blast, it couldn't dispel the seeping heat.

Looking out, all that could be seen was an endless expanse of yellowish-brown, with sand dunes stretching to the horizon like solidified golden waves. Signs of life were pitifully sparse, with only a few withered camel thorns occasionally shivering in the hot wind.

Lin Chen stared at the deathly still scene outside the window, his eyes flickering.

Han Tuo, sitting in the driver's seat, glanced at him and, seeing him engrossed in watching, grinned and said, "You'll get used to it."

"That's how it is here, an endless desert and Gobi. First-timers often find it unbearable. But if you stay longer, you'll find it's not as bad as you imagine. It has its wild side, and also its quiet beauty."

Lin Chen then asked, "Are you a local?"

Han Tuo looked ahead, his hands firmly on the steering wheel, and slowly replied, "Yes, I was born and raised in Chisha City, but I graduated from Cangmo Beast Taming Academy."

"The Azure Desert Beast Taming Academy?"

Lin Chen's eyes flickered slightly; he was familiar with this name.

As one of the top academies in Donghuang, Cangmo Beast Taming Academy should theoretically be on par with Qiming Beast Taming Academy, where he was located, in terms of overall scale and faculty strength.

However, the teaching philosophy of Cangmo Beast Taming Academy is quite different from that of other academies.

Located in the Western Regions, Cangmo Beast Taming Academy is deeply influenced by the local environment. Its style is extremely rugged and pragmatic, emphasizing practical combat skills while relatively neglecting theoretical teaching.

This also leads to them often performing poorly in the rigorous competition system of the university league, which emphasizes tactical cooperation and theoretical application. Their participating beast tamers are often regarded as "reckless" by players from other colleges.

But Lin Chen knew very well that such stereotypes could not deny their true strength.

In real life-or-death battles in the wild, these beast tamers who have fought their way up from the desert are often more terrifying than those trained in academies.

"That's right."

Han Tuoping was quite proud of his college, his tone rising: "Our school is in Cangmo City, which is very different from here."

He paused, maneuvered the steering wheel around a huge piece of weathered rock, and continued, "Cangmo City is the largest city in the Western Regions. Unlike our Chisha City, which is full of deserts and Gobi, there are many snow-capped mountains and grasslands there, and the scenery is very beautiful."

Then, Han Tuo changed the subject and got to the point: "We are going to Black Stone Town, which is located in the northwest of Chisha City."

The town was small, but strategically located, bordering the Xuan Yue Beast Domain directly, making it one of the outposts on the border.

Upon hearing this, Lin Chen's heart stirred.

The main reason he traveled all the way from the North to get here was because the Tower of Trials was located near Blackrock Town.

It just so happens that a Dark Seed incident has occurred here, so he might as well deal with this incident first while waiting for the Tower of Trials to open.

So Lin Chen went straight to the point: "Could you tell me more about this Dark Seed incident?"

Upon hearing this, Han Tuo smiled and skillfully steered the car around a large, protruding rock: "To be honest, this group of people was actually urgently transferred from Cangmo City just yesterday."

"So I don't know the specifics right now. Our team leader will explain everything once we get there."

Lin Chen nodded.

The investigation teams of the fracture investigation department are actually very streamlined, with a standard team consisting of no more than ten people.

Typically, a seasoned, professional-level Beastmaster serves as the team leader, overseeing the operation; supported by elite and advanced-level Beastmasters as full-time members, responsible for main attacks and reconnaissance; and supplemented by two intermediate-level Beastmasters as trainees, responsible for support,

Connections and experience.

Just like his sister Lin Yue, who is currently on a long-term mission in the Frosty Crystal Beast Domain, her identity is that of an intern member.

Thinking of his sister, Lin Chen wondered if she, far away in the Frosty Crystal Beast Domain, had received the news that he had won the university league championship.

As they talked, the off-road vehicle carried the two of them through the vast desert with great difficulty.

The crimson sun slowly slanted westward, casting long shadows on the sand dunes, and the temperature finally dropped slightly from the daytime heat.

After a full four hours of driving, the wheels rolled over the last stretch of undulating sand, and a small town built against the mountainside finally came into view.

This is Blackrock Town.

The town is small and nestled between two reddish-brown cliffs in a valley.

Most of the buildings in the town are low, mostly single or double-story, with earthen-yellow walls that blend seamlessly with the surrounding environment.

Upon closer inspection, the infrastructure was surprisingly well-developed. The asphalt roads were smooth, and there were public water supply points and pet-related shops every so often along the roadside. There was even a sizable comprehensive supply station, clearly indicating that it was a border fortress that the Federation was focusing on maintaining.

The SUV drove through the sparsely populated town streets and finally turned into a walled, detached courtyard.

Han Tuo skillfully parked the car, and while pulling the handbrake, he explained, "This is our temporary base for the time being. It's not big, but it has everything we need. The house was specially vacated for us by the neighboring detention center."

Lin Chen glanced to the side and, sure enough, saw the conspicuous emblem and flagpole of the detention center standing in the neighboring yard, and couldn't help but chuckle.

I never expected that both my former and current employers would be here.

Han Tuo smiled and picked up Lin Chen's luggage. The two of them pushed open the courtyard gate and entered together.

As soon as Lin Chen stepped through the door leading to the inner courtyard, he heard an extremely loud noise.

The owner of the voice had a gentle, even sweet, tone, but the words were filled with violent malice: "Do you even know how to play a game?! I've pushed the enemy mid laner out of the experience zone, and you, the jungler, don't you know to come help me tower dive?!"

"Do you even know how to play games? If you don't, just put your account on the secondhand market!"

"Get out if you're not going to play!!!"

Upon hearing this, Lin Chen stood frozen at the doorway, his expression subtle.

Han Tuo, standing to the side, coughed awkwardly and lowered his voice, "Well... the captain likes playing mobile games, uh, he gets a little emotional when he's playing. He's usually a very nice person."

Lin Chen nodded, indicating his understanding.

The two then officially stepped into the room.

This is a simply furnished office. Behind the desk facing the door, a petite girl is slumped into a luxurious swivel chair without any regard for her image.

She sported striking short pink hair with a few strands of silver highlights at the ends, her face was as delicate as a porcelain doll, she wore light smoky makeup, and a very trendy black off-shoulder top and skirt, her chest was impressive, and at this moment she was crossing her legs, which were wearing black Martin boots, and propping them up on the edge of the desk without any politeness.

She was staring intently at her phone screen, her thumb clicking frantically, and as the game's sound effects played, she occasionally muttered even more vulgar curses.

Hearing footsteps at the door, she subconsciously looked up, her beautiful almond-shaped eyes sweeping over with displeasure at being disturbed. Her first words were a sharp rebuke: "Can't you see I'm playing games?!"

"Don't you know that not disturbing others while they're playing games is basic courtesy?"

Han Tuo chuckled awkwardly, scratched his head, but didn't dare to say anything.

After the pink-haired woman finished her tirade, she suddenly noticed Lin Chen standing quietly to the side.

After seeing Lin Chen's appearance clearly, she was obviously stunned for a moment, and her irritable temper subsided by most of it: "Wait for me, I'll finish right away."