C1

"Lin Yi, hurry up, or we'll miss out on the good parking spots!" a plump boy urged, tugging Lin Yi out the door.

On the bus.

"Yi, do you think I'll be able to pick out a good Familiar Egg?"

Glancing at the hefty guy taking up nearly two seats beside him, Lin Yi shook his head, "It's all down to luck!"

A gentle breeze wafted through the half-open bus window, brushing against their faces.

Lin Yi was still trying to make sense of it all.

Just two days ago, he was at home, gaming away, when a sneeze caught him off guard.

That sneeze somehow catapulted him into this unfamiliar world.

Thankfully, his parents in this world were the same, and the familiar faces around him hadn't changed much.

But the biggest and only significant change was how the world worked.

Humans weren't in charge here. They could only scrape by within the confines of cities. Powerful exotic beasts prowled the outskirts, and he was still a high schooler down on his luck.

To sum it up: Damn! What a stroke of misfortune!

Damn it all! His years of compulsory education felt utterly wasted.

"If I end up choosing a divine beast, even I, Fatty, will have done my ancestors proud!" Fatty murmured to himself, seeing Lin Yi lost in thought.

"Hai Dafu, are you living in a fantasy?" a youthful female voice chimed in from behind him, as a hand sneakily reached out between their seats.

"Ouch! Ah!" Hai Dafu yelped, clutching his reddened ear, "Babe, I'm sorry. I'll stop bragging."

Lin Yi watched the bickering couple with a wry smile.

He had been friends with Hai Dafu since freshman year, and now, in their senior year, he had endured three years of their lovey-dovey antics.

Hai Dafu, the sole heir to the Hai Dizhu fortune in Redleaf, hailed from the town's wealthiest family. Hai Dafu claimed his family owned a rare mine. He might have looked average and been a bit overweight, but his wealth was notable.

Zhong Qin, the petite daughter of Redleaf's mayor Zhong Wuyan, was also Hai Dafu's girlfriend. She was the epitome of a cute, diminutive girl.

The gap between them was so pronounced, yet somehow they ended up together. Talking about it too much would just be exhausting. That they managed to come together at all, Lin Yi deserves at least half of the credit.

"Zhong Qin, how's your rock monster doing?" blurted out Fatty, who had just metaphorically dumped a truckload of dog food.

At this, Lin Yi turned to look at Zhong Qin, and he wasn't the only one; all the other students in the car, except the driver, shifted their attention to her.

Redleaf was a modest, undeveloped town where Familiars were a rarity. Within the entire student body of Redleaf High School, only a handful owned Familiars. In Class Three, only Zhong Qin and Hai Dafu had the privilege.

Lin Yi himself could have had a Familiar. His father, Lin Dingtian, was a retired silver-ranked Familiar warrior, a formidable force in Redleaf. Not long ago, someone had offered to bring Lin Yi a greyhound cub, but he declined. The adult greyhound's lack of aesthetic appeal was the main issue, and Lin Yi had never been fond of dogs, to begin with.

"It's still just at the bronze two level, no significant progress," Zhong Qin admitted, her cheeks coloring slightly.

"Hey, Mrs. Rich, need a leg hair charm?" someone teased.

"Wow! That's so powerful! That's the life!"

"I'm so envious! Why couldn't I have been born to better parents?"

"I've got nothing. Is this what separates the elites from the rest of us?"

The car erupted with a chorus of laments and complaints.

Is this what they call fair? While they were still penniless, the big shots were already contemplating their next power move.

Yet, the mood in the car was buoyant, as the purpose of their trip was to acquire their very first Familiar. And the best part? It was free, a unilateral perk from the school for seniors, given its importance for university admissions.

The only downside, which was also a significant one, was that the selection process involved choosing from a batch of nearly identical Familiar Eggs.

It was a gamble between heaven and hell. With luck, one might secure a Familiar of decent bronze quality. With bad luck, one could end up with nothing more than a common beast with an appetite.

This task required a combination of sharp eyesight and good fortune.

"Creak!"

The bus came to a steady halt in front of a towering building.

The group disembarked, gathering apprehensively as they eyed the two combat-clad familiar beast warriors stationed at the entrance.

In the center of the crowd, Lin Yi surveyed the most renowned trading center in Redleaf.

The Trading Center!

The six golden characters on the signboard made Lin Yi's heart skip a beat. The flowing script hinted at the profound skill of its author, likely a formidable expert.

"Over here! Kids, come on over!" While Lin Yi was lost in thought, a woman in high heels dashed out from inside. She emerged half-crouching, gasping for breath as if she had been running for quite some time.

Her name was Jiang Yuxin, Lin Yi's homeroom teacher, who had arrived early to scope out the auction.

"Well, let's get moving." The group followed her lead, accustomed to Jiang Yuxin's impulsive nature.

...

"Wow! It's huge!"

"Ah! Why are there so many? Are they all identical?"

"Damn! Normally, you'd pay tens of thousands for just one. Isn't that overpriced?"

Lin Yi was momentarily dazed by the sight of the Familiar Eggs secured behind transparent glass.

Then, Jiang Yuxin, who had been leading the way, paused. "Okay, kids! The descriptions for these Familiar Eggs have been removed. It's time to put what you've learned to the test."

"I'll return in an hour. Bye~," she said, sashaying away with a sultry sway.

Lin Yi turned his attention back to the task at hand.

Was he expected to use his knowledge of familiars to identify them?

Lin Yi hesitated, "It seems... I've only had two days of classes, right?"

"Brother Yi! Do you think that Familiar Egg over there is a good one?" As Lin Yi wrestled with his uncertainty, a petite girl ran up and tugged at his hand.

"How would I know..." Lin Yi was about to admit his ignorance.

But looking at the girl's hopeful expression as she clung to his hand, Lin Yi faltered.

"I'll take a look for you!" Lin Yi resolved, biting his lip. After all, the knowledge he had acquired in this world might just come in handy.

"That's the one!" The adorable classmate tugged Lin Yi toward a secluded corner of the Familiar Egg showcase.

"Let's see..." Lin Yi was taken aback as he stared at the khaki Familiar Egg before him, which was as large as his own head.

So many different Familiar Eggs!

Sizes ranged from as small as a fingernail, to as big as a fist, and even as large as a head.

Their appearances varied: some were smooth and luminous, others were rough with cracks, and some were even covered in delicate scales.

The colors were diverse too: yellow, white, red, green, and there were even black ones.

Lin Yi scratched his head, his face growing increasingly frustrated.

Damn it! He couldn't recall a thing!

He glanced back at his female classmate, who was gazing at him with admiration.

What to do... This was becoming urgent...