Chapter 2: The Supernatural

Beneath the title lay the body of the post, penned by the original author:

"This is how it happened—about a day ago, I suddenly came into possession of a mysterious black card.

The moment I acquired it, a string of text appeared before my eyes, accompanied by a voice in my ears. It instructed me to use this card to form a contract and capture an animal as my beast companion, marking the beginning of my journey as a Beastmaster.

At first, I thought I had stumbled upon an adventure akin to those in anime—a stroke of extraordinary luck.

But reality was far from that simple. As soon as I followed the card's guidance and completed the beginner's task, I was instantly transported to a perilous place, teeming with wild beasts. I nearly lost my life there!

My beast companion, in its desperate attempt to protect me, sustained grievous injuries. The local pet hospital was powerless to save it—the veterinarian declared it beyond hope. What am I supposed to do now?

I have this unshakable feeling that we are bound together. If my beast companion dies, something terrible will happen to me as well..."

Accompanying the post was an attached image.

The picture depicted a large feline, its body seemingly petrified, its eyes gouged out, and one of its legs missing. A ghastly sight, the creature lay in a pool of grayish blood, its wounds unnatural and grotesque.

Fang Lan's expression grew serious. "Finished reading?"

"Yeah." Lu Ran nodded.

Fang Lan, fuming, exclaimed, "Something's off about these injuries. The image is probably Photoshopped. I suspect this person is one of those twisted individuals who abuse animals for attention."

This clumsily fabricated, third-rate story reeked of a desperate attempt to gain traction online—it was laughably fake!

Did they really think they were some kind of 'chosen one'?

"Agreed." Lu Ran echoed Fang Lan's sentiment. Cases like these were all too common. Yet, even as he dismissed it, his gaze lingered on the phone screen.

At first glance, the post did seem like a mere ploy from an animal abuser seeking attention.

However, Lu Ran had developed a certain sensitivity to things that seemed too fake.

The supernatural...

A vision flashed through his mind—a city engulfed by monstrous creatures.

That dream again...

Lu Ran sighed inwardly.

Truth be told, he had always harbored a keen interest in supernatural phenomena.

For a simple reason—he possessed a secret unknown to anyone else.

He could hear the inner voices of non-human creatures. A gift akin to understanding the language of beasts, enabling him to communicate with them through telepathic resonance.

This ability had awakened within him two years ago.

At first, it had been sporadic and unrefined, but with time and practice, he had honed it to the point where he could decipher the thoughts of countless animals.

It allowed him to predict the weather and even dominate the Green Sea City Insect Battle Tournament—both feats made possible by this inexplicable gift.

Yet, with this power came something else—a recurring nightmare.

Every so often, he would dream of monstrous creatures overrunning the city, of himself perishing amidst the chaos, only to awaken in terror.

He had consulted doctors, but they found nothing wrong with him.

Still, one thing was clear—he was not normal.

And because of that, he had always suspected that something in this world wasn't normal either.

Yet, after all this time, the only anomaly he had discovered was himself.

No matter how many eerie stories and supernatural rumors circulated online, none had ever been conclusively proven. Every last one of them felt fabricated.

This time was no different. Though he had given it a moment's serious thought, he quickly shook his head. How many times had he fallen for such things? He wouldn't be fooled again.

The world was, after all, still a place governed by science...

"Let's eat."

At that moment, the waiter arrived with their dishes. Seeing this, Lu Ran set down his phone and turned to Fang Lan.

"Alright." Fang Lan nodded.

The image had been quite gruesome, but she remained unfazed. Hardly surprising, given her upbringing in a family of veterinary professionals.

As they picked at their food, Lu Ran casually asked, "Are you bringing all your pets with you to Shanghai?"

"Of course," Fang Lan replied. "I still have to keep up my weekly updates. Otherwise, my followers will miss me."

Fang Lan was, in fact, a pet content creator—one who regularly shared glimpses of her animals online. She never showed her own face, letting her pets take center stage instead.

However, Lu Ran had always found her definition of 'pet' questionable. After all, her so-called "adorable companions" consisted of snakes, spiders, scorpions, and centipedes—hardly the typical cute and cuddly variety.

"Looks like you'll need to find your own place to live, then." Lu Ran shrugged. With creatures like those, she had no chance of slipping into a dormitory unnoticed. Even if the dorm supervisors turned a blind eye, her roommates would probably strangle her in her sleep.

Could you live with a roommate who kept scorpions and centipedes in your shared room?

"I'll manage." Fang Lan remained unfazed. "Just make sure you pass your exams quickly so you can move in and help split the rent."

"As if I actually like your pets," Lu Ran retorted, exasperated. He wasn't particularly squeamish, but childhood memories of Fang Lan chasing him around with spiders had left a lasting scar.

This girl—where was the feminine charm? Why hadn't she changed at all? What was wrong with ordinary cats and dogs?

Their conversation meandered on, and soon enough, the rain ceased, and their meal drew to a close.

Fang Lan had afternoon plans with a friend, so after settling the bill, she left the restaurant, leaving Lu Ran to pack up the leftovers.

Her visit had been brief—just a check-in after hearing that Lu Ran had skipped class. He knew well enough that her family cared about him.

"Sigh, so boring..."

Stepping out of the restaurant, Lu Ran inhaled the damp air and gazed at the rainbow stretching across the sky. His emotions fluctuated.

High school was dull—hardly any time for himself.

He longed for university life.

But before he could take more than a few steps, an abrupt sensation halted him in his tracks.

His hand lifted on its own, his fingers tightening around something—something that hadn't been there a moment ago.

A black card.

It was the size of a playing card, with a plastic-like texture. Not a membership card from the restaurant. Not some random flyer someone had slipped him.

It had simply... appeared.

At that instant, an onslaught of visions and voices overwhelmed him.

The world around him felt simultaneously silent and deafening, as though he had been cut off from reality itself.

Text flickered before his eyes. A mechanical voice whispered in his ears.

[Beastmaster qualification detected...]

[Contract Card has materialized...]

Beginner's Task: Capture an animal using the Contract Card and become a Beastmaster!

Hint #1: A Beastmaster is a professional who contracts, trains, and commands beasts for work or battle.

Hint #2: A Contract Card is a tool that enhances the user's mental power, enabling the capture of beast companions. The card contains a specialized space for them to rest.

Hint #3: A Contract Card cannot be used on humans.

Hint #4: The success rate of capturing a beast depends on the user's mental strength and the card's quality. Do not attempt to contract creatures beyond your control, or risk the card's destruction—or worse, a backlash from the beast.

"What the hell...?"

Standing by the roadside, Lu Ran tightened his grip on the black card, watching the flow of pedestrians around him.

This wasn't some animal's stray thoughts—this wasn't his ability at work.

Taking a deep breath, he stared at the Contract Card.

Beast companions. Beastmasters.

And then, it hit him.

He thought back to the post Fang Lan had just sent him.

He thought back to the author's words.

They matched—exactly.

Holy shit.

That person... was telling the truth.