What does it mean when a pet evolves incorrectly?

The evening light is a hazy, half-lit, half-dark state, carrying the warmth of the daytime yet eager to sink into the embrace of night.

When Lin Chen returned home, the living room was quiet; his parents hadn't come home from get off work yet.

"call--"

He let out a soft sigh and relaxed his slightly tired shoulders.

Flameclaw paced back and forth in the not-so-spacious living room, its claws making a soft "tap-tap" sound on the floor, a low growl of restlessness emanating from its throat, and an unvented fighting spirit burning in its deep green eyes.

"Gaku!"

It's a genius; it needs to train, it needs to fight, it needs to become stronger!

"It's important to balance work and rest."

Lin Chen changed into slippers, reached out and pressed down on the Flameclaw Beast's head, gently pushing it to sit down on the sofa. "It's rest time now, sit quietly."

The Flameclaw Beast twisted its body reluctantly, but did not resist. It just looked at Lin Chen with its round eyes as if it were accusing him.

Lin Chen thought for a moment, turned on the TV, and skillfully switched to the pet channel.

This channel plays simple animations or live-action short films made to suit the intelligence level and interests of pets. The content mostly simulates hunting, chasing, puzzle-solving and battles, which is very suitable for keeping pets entertained.

The Flameclaw Beast's gaze was involuntarily drawn to the flashing screen. It tilted its head and stared at it for a while, then the low growling in its throat gradually subsided.

It even adjusted its posture, finding a more comfortable spot on the sofa, resting its front paws on the armrests, and watched intently.

Get it done.

Lin Chen smiled slightly and turned to walk into the kitchen.

As the sky shifts from orange-red to a deep, tranquil blue, the sound of a key turning in the lock rings out precisely on time.

"We're back."

Mr. and Mrs. Lin finally returned home after a day's work.

"Dad, Mom, wash your hands and get ready for dinner."

Lin Chen just finished serving the last dish of stir-fried vegetables.

After washing their hands, the three sat down.

Lin Jianjun, unusually, did not immediately pick up his chopsticks. Instead, he got up and took out a small brown porcelain bottle from the wine cabinet, along with a small wine cup.

"Dad, are you drinking today?" Lin Chen asked, somewhat surprised.

My father was very disciplined during his work hours, and he almost never drank alcohol except for holidays or very special family gatherings.

"Hmm, drink less."

Lin Jianjun didn't show any particular expression on his face. He simply unscrewed the bottle cap and poured himself a small cup.

The clear liquor swayed gently under the light, releasing the unique aroma of grain-brewed liquor.

Liu Hui glanced at her husband but didn't say anything. She simply put a piece of pork rib on Lin Chen's plate first.

"Chenchen, how was your first day at the office? Are your colleagues easy to get along with? Is the work tiring?"

"It feels pretty good."

Lin Chen swallowed the food in his mouth and replied, "Uncle Li took good care of me, and my colleague Brother Zhang is also a very nice person."

He then briefly mentioned that he had gone to the northern suburbs during the day to deal with the velvet-toothed wild boars.

"So, they're out on fieldwork on their very first day? And dealing with wild animals?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Hui immediately put down her chopsticks: "Then you must be very careful, listen to your seniors, don't be reckless and rush forward, safety first, understand...?"

"Alright."

Lin Jianjun picked up his small wine cup, took a small sip, and interrupted his wife: "The children are all adults now, and they're even beast tamers. They know what they need to know."

Lin Chen smiled and nodded: "Mom, I'll be careful."

Liu Hui was slightly relieved and put a few more bites of food on Lin Chen's plate: "That's good. Eat more. You work hard, so you need to make sure you get enough nutrition."

The conversation at the dinner table gradually shifted from work to everyday life.

Lin Chen noticed that although his father seemed calm, he was drinking more frequently than usual, and his slightly narrowed eyes and the occasional upturn of his mouth seemed to be hiding something good.

When Lin Jianjun picked up the wine cup again and found it empty, he coughed lightly and glanced at his wife.

Liu Hui rolled her eyes at him, but smiled as she picked up the bottle and poured him another half cup of wine, saying reproachfully, "Look at you, so pathetic. You can't even keep a secret after just one cup of wine?"

"If Chenchen joins the Criminal Investigation Bureau after graduation, he'll definitely do a better job than you, and he'll probably be showered with awards."

"A commendation?" Lin Chen caught the key word and looked at his father.

Lin Jianjun, having been exposed by his wife, simply put down his wine cup, straightened up, cleared his throat, but tried his best to keep his tone calm:

"The list of award recipients for this year's unit has been released, and I'm one of them."

Lin Chen's face immediately lit up with joy.

My father worked diligently at the grassroots level of the Criminal Investigation Bureau for decades. Although he had limited talent and his promotion was slow, he was senior, reliable, and never made a mistake in his work.

Every year, the company has a quota for recommending employees for awards, which is a form of recognition and consolation for long-serving employees and can also add a significant achievement to their resumes.

Nevertheless, the competition for the award is quite fierce among colleagues who are equally eager for recognition.

My father had been talking about it for years, and I never expected that he would finally get it.

"Dad, congratulations!" Lin Chen said.

"Hmm." Lin Jianjun nodded, a relieved smile finally appearing on his face. "It's nothing, it's just that my workplace sees that this old guy is still reliable, so they gave me some encouragement."

He paused briefly, then looked at Lin Chen: "But your mother is right. If you join the Criminal Investigation Bureau after graduation and work hard, you might be able to get an award while you're still young."

Liu Hui, however, said, "Chenchen is now considered part of the Criminal Investigation Bureau, so do you think there's a possibility...?"

Before he could finish speaking, Lin Jianjun interrupted him directly: "No, that's impossible."

"Young employees must make outstanding contributions to receive awards, and such contributions are rare and hard to come by."

"Besides, Chenchen has only been working for two months, and this year's awards will be announced in a few weeks, so there's simply not enough time."

"It's impossible for him to make outstanding contributions in just one month, is it?"

"That's absolutely impossible."

Lin Jianjun spoke with certainty.

After a brief discussion, Lin Chen remembered something and asked, "By the way, Mom, is there any news from my sister?"

Mentioning Lin Yue, Liu Hui's smile faded slightly, and she sighed.

"Your sister... we still don't get to contact her very often. She did send a message yesterday saying that her internship is very busy. It's a closed training program plus a practical project, and the cycle may last for more than half a year. She told us not to worry and that she probably won't be able to come back for the Chinese New Year."

She looked at Lin Jianjun, her brows furrowed slightly, and asked worriedly, "Old Lin, what kind of internship did Xiaoyue find?"

"They've been so secretive, I haven't been able to contact them for over half a year. Could it be... could they have been tricked into doing something shady?"

Lin Jianjun's expression also turned serious. He put down his chopsticks, pondered for a moment, and then shook his head.

"I had someone check the registration and official seal of her internship company. The procedures were all legal and compliant, and it was a legitimate and large organization."

"It's probably because the nature of the work is quite special, with high confidentiality, or it's a project done in some remote and closed base. Xiaoyue is a smart and independent girl, she won't be fooled."

Even so, the wrinkles between his brows did not completely smooth out.

Lin Chen listened silently without asking any questions.

Night was falling.

After dinner, Lin Chen washed up and returned to his room.

The Flameclaw Beast was already curled up on the cushion, fast asleep, emitting soft snores.

Lin Chen sat down at his desk, turned on the desk lamp, and the warm yellow light illuminated the desktop.

He turned on his computer and searched for breeding information and skill combination strategies related to Flameclaw Beast.

His fingers flew across the keyboard, his eyes focused intently.

Suddenly, my phone started vibrating continuously, and a group message notification popped up at the top of the screen.

[Qinglan City Beast Tamer Talent Reserve Base] Unread Messages: 99+

Clicking in, you'll see Zhang Xiaoxiao and others having a heated discussion about a topic.

The central topic is the annual rookie event – ​​the Young Eagle Cup – which will be jointly organized by the Qinglan City Beastmaster Association, major battle clubs, training institutions, and related organizations in three weeks.

This is a large-scale competition open to all newly recruited apprentice beast tamers in Qinglan City and the surrounding areas this year.

The program aims to evaluate the progress of newcomers, provide a platform for them to showcase their talents, discover promising newcomers, and offer them generous resource rewards.

The competition format typically includes multiple stages such as preliminary rounds, semi-finals, and the main competition. Some matches may even be broadcast live on local television stations and online platforms, attracting considerable attention.

Almost every aspiring new Beast Tamer in Qinglan City regards the Young Eagle Cup as their debut battle and an important stepping stone.

Messages were scrolling through the group chat at breakneck speed.

Zhang Xiaoxiao: "@All members, did you all see the announcement? The Young Eagle Cup starts in three weeks, and the registration channel opens tomorrow!"

Zhou Ming: "I have to participate! I heard that the prizes are even more generous this year than last year, and the champion will even receive one-on-one guidance from a professional-level beast tamer."

Zhang Xiaoxiao: "Yuanyuan, you're participating too, right? @Su Qingyuan"

Su Qingyuan: "...Hmm."

The atmosphere was lively as everyone discussed the competition format, potential opponents, and what preparations they should make.

Almost everyone made it clear that they would participate.

Soon, Zhang Xiaoxiao tagged Lin Chen, who was lurking online as usual.

Zhang Xiaoxiao: "Lin Chen! Calling all Lin Chen! The Young Eagle Cup! Are you in? Are you in?"

Lin Chen stared at the words flashing on the screen and the excitement and anticipation filling the group chat, his finger hovering over the input box for a few seconds.

He certainly knew the importance of the Young Eagle Cup; it was a great opportunity to quickly accumulate practical experience, acquire resources, and make a name for himself.

But he has to work.

So Lin Chen carefully chose his words and sent a message: "No, but I will watch the game. I wish you all the best in winning."

Then, Lin Chen put down his phone, but suddenly remembered something and set the group chat to Do Not Disturb mode.

Now it's finally peaceful.