Beast Taming Begins with Inheriting a Legacy.

Chapter 76 The Truth

Nian Huailin's eyes widened in astonishment: "What...what is this thing?!"

Nian Huailin was just an ordinary person who didn't know many pet beasts, let alone recognize a mutated gluttonous ghost.

Gu Ling quickly explained, "Uncle Nian, this is not a thing."

"It's a pet beast called Gluttony. Grandpa Nian saw it when he was a child; it was a Gluttony before it evolved into a Gluttony, and they later became friends."

The gluttonous child blinked his big eyes incessantly, looking as obedient as could be.

After regaining his senses, Nian Huailin looked the gluttonous ghost up and down several times: "It evolved from a nightmare-eating ghost?"

"Yes." Gu Ling nodded.

"I asked the gluttonous ghost before. Seventy years ago, the gluttonous ghost met a 14-year-old boy on an island, and that boy should be Grandpa Nian."

"When Grandpa Nian left the island, he didn't have time to say goodbye to the gluttonous ghost. The gluttonous ghost, unaware of the situation, waited on the island for seventy years."

"Grandpa Nian must have been thinking about the gluttonous ghost all these years, so he often went to the beach and looked in the direction of the island, just wanting to see the gluttonous ghost."

Seeing that all the information Gu Ling provided matched up, Nian Huailin finally believed it.

"In that case, come with me to see the old man."

"it is good."

Gu Ling zipped up the backpack again, carried the gluttonous ghost into the hospital, and walked all the way to the door of the ward.

Before Gu Ling entered the ward, Nian Huailin called out the rest of the Nian family members who were in the ward.

The others were confused, even more so by why Nian Huailin had suddenly returned.

"Dad's friend has been found," Nian Huailin explained.

"Where is it?"

"Found it so quickly?"

The others were curious about the pet animal friend the old man mentioned, but Nian Huailin didn't want to say anything more.

The main problem is that the gluttonous ghost looks a bit... well, there are children here, and it wouldn't be good if it scared them.

Nian Huailin led Gu Ling into the ward and spoke to the old man on the hospital bed:

"Dad, I've found your friend."

Upon hearing this, a glimmer of light seemed to appear in the old man's cloudy eyes: "...Where...where?"

As soon as they entered the ward, Xianjiu jumped off Gu Ling's shoulder and went to a corner.

Gu Ling picked up the backpack and walked a few steps to the bedside. As she unzipped the backpack, she softly asked the old man, "Grandpa Nian, do you still remember the Nightmare Eater?"

"It's the gluttonous ghost from the haunted house on the island; it has now evolved into a gluttonous ghost."

The gluttonous little boy gripped the edge of his backpack, half his head peeking out. When he saw the elderly man on the hospital bed, he froze, then stammered, "...Huh?"

The old man coughed twice, his gaze falling on the gluttonous ghost: "...Is it you? The Nightmare Ghost?"

"So many years have passed, and I can finally see you again. You're still the same as before, all in green, so eye-catching..."

The old man sighed, as if reminiscing about the past.

"Back then, I thought I was only leaving with my parents for a day or two and would be back soon, so I didn't tell you. I'm sorry for making you wait so long... cough cough!"

"Are you harboring resentment towards me?"

Upon hearing this, the glutton instinctively shook his head.

Seeing that the glutton had spoken up, the old man breathed a sigh of relief and a slight smile appeared on his face: "...I've kept the candy I promised to buy for you. My daughter just went home to get it."

"I hope you won't mind this gift that's decades late. I... I spent a long time choosing it, but unfortunately all the candy I bought back then had expired."

"Heh~" The gluttonous ghost was stunned for a moment, seemingly not expecting the old man to say such a thing.

After realizing what was happening, the gluttonous ghost poked its entire body out of the backpack, flew over the old man's head and circled twice, as if to confirm something.

Gu Ling was a little confused about what the gluttonous ghost was doing. The next second, she saw the gluttonous ghost look disappointed again.

"I'm so glad to see you again... cough cough, if there's a next life, I hope we can be friends again..."

The old man forced himself to finish his last words before he began to cough violently, blood seeping from the corner of his mouth.

"Dad!" Nian Huailin's expression changed slightly, and he quickly pressed the pager next to him.

In less than a minute, several doctors and nurses entered the ward and began to perform various examinations on the old man.

At this moment, the old man had already fallen into a coma. If it weren't for the electrocardiogram machine still showing a heartbeat, one would have thought he was already...

Seeing this, Gu Ling knew it was time to leave.

Upon hearing this, Xian Jiu turned around and jumped onto Gu Ling's shoulder.

"Uncle Nian, we'll head out for now."

Concerned about Old Master Nian's health, Nian Huailin nodded casually, "Alright, alright..."

Gu Ling was about to call out to the gluttonous ghost when, to her surprise, the gluttonous ghost floated out of the window without making a sound.

Seeing this, Gu Ling quickly took Xian Jiu and chased after them.

……

After leaving the ward, Gu Ling was thinking about where to find the gluttonous ghost when she happened to run into Gu Mingsheng, who was coming up in the elevator.

"Second Uncle..." Gu Ling was about to say that the gluttonous ghost had already recognized Grandpa Nian.

Unexpectedly, Gu Mingsheng spoke first, and his words completely baffled Gu Ling.

"Xiao Ling, we might have the wrong person."

Gu Ling: "Huh?"

Gu Mingsheng recounted the information he had gathered through a friend at the Pet Beast Guild early that morning:

"When Grandpa Nian was a child, his family was well-off. He was sent to study in the city by his parents from kindergarten. The Nian family even bought a house in the city. Grandpa Nian usually stayed at school or in the house in the city. He would only go back to his hometown for a few days during holidays."

"So, from a time perspective, it's impossible for the old man to stay on the island for a long time and make friends with the glutton."

Hearing this, Gu Ling was even more confused.

If the little boy the gluttonous ghost mentioned wasn't the old man, then why would the old man know about the gluttonous ghost's existence and keep wanting to find him?

Moreover, the old man was fully aware of the candy agreement he had made with the glutton.

Gu Mingsheng continued, "Back then, when Grandpa Nian had the car accident, he didn't return to Ping'an Town alone. He was accompanied by another friend of the same age who was also from Ping'an Town."

Friends of the same age? Also from Ping'an Town?

Gu Ling felt as if she had learned some kind of truth.

"Second Uncle, could it be that Grandpa Nian's friend is actually the little boy the glutton is really waiting for?"

Gu Mingsheng nodded: "It's pretty much a done deal."

Upon receiving Gu Mingsheng's confirmation, Gu Ling's mood plummeted: "That person now..."

"He died in that car accident," Gu Mingsheng sighed softly.

"After the accident, all the passengers fell into the sea. The old man lived in the city and had little contact with the sea, so he couldn't swim. On the other hand, his friend was a native of the coast and had been a good swimmer since childhood."

"The old man was rescued by his friend."

"After rescuing the old man, the man went to rescue two more people, but he eventually ran out of strength and drowned at sea."

He acted bravely and saved three people.

The news newspapers at the time also highlighted this matter; otherwise, after so many years, Gu Mingsheng might not have been able to find out the cause and effect so quickly.

Gu Ling couldn't help but wonder, "Why would Grandpa Nian lie? Could it be because of his friend?"

Gu Mingsheng: "Since the two are friends, they must have mentioned gluttony when they were together, which is why the old man knew some of the inside story."

As for why he chose to impersonate his friend...

I guess only the old man himself knows the truth.

"But..." Gu Ling's expression was complicated.

The old man wanted to hide the fact that the real "little boy" had died long ago, but ghost-type pets could see the unique soul aura of each person.

The old man wasn't a beast tamer and had lived in a daze for decades, so he probably didn't understand this.

Gu Ling belatedly realized that when the gluttonous ghost saw his "friend" whom he had been looking for for a long time in the ward, he was not as happy as Gu Ling had imagined, but instead acted strangely in every way.

Originally, Gu Ling thought the glutton was saddened by the old man's impending death...

"Second Uncle, I'll go find the glutton first. If Grandpa Nian wakes up, please ask him why he did this."

Seeing another elevator arrive at this floor, Gu Ling hurriedly left a few words and then led Xian Jiu into the elevator.

……

In the ward.

The doctors and nurses were checking the old man's various physical conditions.

The old man lay in bed, his consciousness hazy, as he recalled his life.

He was not a good son, a good father, or a good husband... He lived in a daze for decades when his family needed him most, becoming a burden to everyone.

His parents, his wife... all passed away before him within the span of his life.

The old man murmured to himself, "Hua Zi... at least I've accomplished something decent."

Now I can go down to find you without worry.

The old man felt his eyelids growing heavier and heavier, as if an invisible hand was pressing down on his eyes, making it impossible for him to open them.

His weary body felt as if it had fallen into a cold, deep sea, with seawater constantly surging towards him. It was as if countless tentacles were reaching out from the depths of the ocean, pulling at his hands, feet, and body, trying to drag him down completely...

Just as he was about to give up struggling, a figure swam towards him and pulled him to the surface.

"Wake up! Shou'an! Wake up..."

It looked like someone was patting his face.

When the old man regained some consciousness, he felt that the surroundings were very noisy, with various chaotic sounds mixed with the sound of police sirens.

There are still many people muttering something...

"What a pity, he saved three people, but couldn't make it up himself..."

"Ah, what a pity..."

"..."

There was complete darkness in front of me; I couldn't see or touch anything.

In a daze, I heard two people talking.

"Shou'an, I'm going back to my hometown with you this year. We can visit my friends there."

"That wild pet monster, the Nightmare, that you keep talking about? It might not even be there by the time you get back, or it might have already forgotten about you."

"No way, we're best friends! I even told it that when I have the chance to go to a big city someday, I'll bring it back all sorts of new and exotic candies."

"Since you two are so close, why didn't you go back to find it sooner? Although you can't contract a pet without being a beast tamer, a new adoption policy was introduced last year, so ordinary people can now also keep pets."

"Ugh! I couldn't even take care of myself before, I'm afraid I won't be able to take good care of it..."

"That's true. Your parents ran away with a mountain of debt, leaving you to work and pay it off all by yourself. You barely have time to eat. Have those debt collectors come knocking on your door lately?"

"Let's not talk about that. Quickly help me pick out a good candy. I haven't been back for so many years, my friend is definitely furious. I need to buy a good one and bribe him when I get back."

"Okay, I'll help you choose..."

"..."

drop--

"The patient's various physical indicators are declining!"

"Get him to the emergency room immediately!"

"...Prepare for electrotherapy!"

"..."

Boom!Boom!Boom!

It felt like something was pulsating slowly, one beat at a time.

In my memory—

Before the bus plunged into the sea.

The passengers on the bus were all in a panic.

"...Stop the car! Stop the car!"

"Hahaha! Now you're scared? A bunch of bastards! Come with me to hell!"

Some people tried to pry open the car doors and jump out, some tried to persuade the driver to calm down, and some even grabbed the steering wheel...

Nian Shou'an had always had a smooth life, and the people and things around him were always harmonious. This was the first time he had encountered such a sudden situation, and his mind went completely blank.

Just then, the man next to Nian Shou'an suddenly spoke up: "...Shou'an, if you're a brother, do me a favor."

"If I can't go back this time, go to the island and find it for me."

"Anyway, it's been so many years since we last met, it wouldn't recognize what I look like. Just pretend it's me, give it the gift, and say 'sorry' for me..."

What?

Before Nian Shou'an could react, he saw the person next to him grab a fire hammer and smash the car window.

"...Come here quickly!"

Before the two could jump out of the car and escape, the entire vehicle plunged off the bridge...

……

in the hospital.

After Gu Ling went downstairs, she walked around the area but couldn't find a trace of the gluttonous ghost.

"Oh, right, the glutton is wearing a suppressor!"

The pet suppressor has a location tracking function, so Gu Ling quickly took out her phone to check the glutton's current location.

"...Found it."

On her way to find the glutton, Gu Ling saw a little girl in a hospital gown holding her mother's hand and buying snacks at a convenience store, and she stopped in her tracks.

Then he turned around and went to the convenience store, paid for a jar of candy with a shiny coating, and then went to find the glutton.

The gluttonous ghost floated to the small square next to the hospital, sat alone on a bench, head down, staring at the ground listlessly.

Suddenly, a jar filled with sparkling candies appeared in the glutton's sight.

"...Jie?"

(End of this chapter)