Chapter 4: The Beast Contract
When one wields a Contract Card, a unique bond can be formed with it. Simply put, the cardholder gains the ability to channel their mental will into the black card—this is the key to capturing a beast.
The process of forming a contract with a beast involves three steps:
Hold the Contract Card. Identify the target beast, imprinting its image firmly in your mind while infusing the card with your intense desire to contract it. Bring the Contract Card into close proximity with the target creature.
Once the Contract Card nears the beast, it activates, carrying the beastmaster's will and attempting to capture the creature. If the capture succeeds, the contract is complete.
A low, bewildered whimper sounded.
At this moment, Lu Ran smoothly executed all three steps. Enveloped in a soft, white glow, Ha Zong seemed to sense the aura belonging to Lu Ran within the light. It did not resist.
Bathed in radiance, the dazed beast let out a confused cry before vanishing entirely—transformed into a streak of light and absorbed into the black card.
The instant the contract was sealed, Lu Ran's mind was struck with a deafening hum. A wave of warmth spread through his body, washing away all traces of mental exhaustion from channeling his will into the card. More remarkably, he could feel a newfound connection, a profound link between himself, the Contract Card, and Ha Zong.
"Amazing." A gleam of light flickered across Lu Ran's eyes. With a mere thought, the fallen Contract Card vanished from the ground and reappeared in his hand as if teleported.
He had never possessed such an ability before. Only upon completing the contract did he achieve true synchronization with the card.
Beyond that, the appearance of the black Contract Card had also changed.
On the upper half of one side, a new image had replaced the once featureless black surface—a portrait of Ha Zong. Below the image, a series of white inscriptions detailed its attributes:
[Species]: Snowfield Hound
[Element]: Not Yet Awakened
[Species Rank]: Intermediate Extraordinary
[Growth Level]: Level 1
[Skills]: None
"It really is like a game card…" Lu Ran murmured, examining the image and information on the card. The origins of this strange artifact were growing increasingly perplexing.
Who had created such an item, and for what purpose?
Yet, those questions would have to wait. What concerned him more was the sudden disappearance of the system prompts he had seen when he first obtained the black card. In their place, a mysterious countdown now hovered within his vision.
[Novice Trial Realm Teleportation Countdown: 59:59]
Lu Ran fell silent. The arrival of this countdown did not surprise him in the least.
That forum poster had likely failed at this very stage.
So, after the beginner task, the next phase truly was a novice trial—just as he had suspected.
"Ha Zong, come out."
A flicker of thought, and the black card in his hand glowed once more.
With a deep howl, Ha Zong emerged. A massive circular summoning formation appeared on the floor, pulsing with radiant light. The moment the glow erupted and faded, Ha Zong—now noticeably larger than before—stood in its center.
From start to finish, Ha Zong remained utterly dumbfounded. The moment it materialized, it spun in circles, examining its own body with wide-eyed confusion.
It could clearly feel the changes. Its muscles were stronger, its vision sharper, its sense of smell keener. Most significantly… its appetite had likely increased as well.
A loud growl rumbled from its stomach.
Turning pitiful eyes toward Lu Ran, the beast made its hunger unmistakably clear.
"Let's get you fed first—we still have time," Lu Ran said.
With a dangerous trial ahead, ensuring Ha Zong was well-fed and in peak condition was essential.
He wasted no time preparing a meal, quickly assembling Ha Zong's rations—stewed pork trotters, minced meat, chopped vegetables, and a rich meat broth.
The meal was simple, but time was scarce.
Before eating, Ha Zong let out an excited bark, then plunged its snout into the food bowl, devouring its meal with unrestrained enthusiasm.
As Ha Zong feasted, Lu Ran observed it carefully. Previously, it had only been the size of a medium-sized dog. Now, its frame had expanded, approaching that of a large hound.
No wonder the feline beast he had seen earlier was so enormous—contracted beasts clearly grew stronger and more robust through the process.
Good.
"I feel stronger too," Lu Ran noted, clenching his fist. "Though… I don't seem to have grown any taller."
As Ha Zong continued eating, Lu Ran took a moment to check his own body. First, he stepped onto the scale to measure his weight. Then, he gauged his height. Finally, he retrieved a single-handed sword from his room, testing its balance in his grip.
It felt far more natural in his hands than before.
Lu Ran's background was, in truth, quite privileged.
Both of his parents were renowned zoologists.
Growing up in such an environment, he had developed a keen interest in animals. But beyond that, he had cultivated various other hobbies.
Like many young men, Lu Ran had always been fascinated by weapons—swords, firearms, and the like. Unlike most, however, his parents had actively supported his interests. As a child, he had been enrolled in a prestigious kendo dojo to learn swordsmanship. During school breaks, his father had even taken him to Hawaii, where he had undergone firearms training.
What had once been idle pastimes might now prove invaluable.
With the looming teleportation to the "Trial Realm," a weapon for self-defense seemed more necessary than ever.
In the past, even though Ha Zong was fierce, Lu Ran had been confident that he could subdue it with a weapon in hand.
Now, however…
He could sense it.
Ha Zong, after its contract-enhanced transformation, had surpassed the limits of an ordinary canine. Its strength was now comparable to that of lions and tigers—it had become an extraordinary beast.
By contrast, while Lu Ran had also received some enhancements, they were nowhere near as significant. His primary gain was an increased ability to command Ha Zong, rather than any substantial physical boost.
In such a situation, having a trusty weapon could be the difference between survival and death.
That said… he wasn't sure if weapons could be transported into the Trial Realm.
"Better to be prepared."
Lu Ran placed his custom-made "Iron-Cleaving Blade" beside him and opened a drawer, retrieving a small trinket.
It was a pendant—a broken white antler strung on a thin cord, its surface worn with age.
A family heirloom.
A protective charm passed down through generations from his mother's side.
As he ran his fingers over it, a faint sorrow surfaced in his heart.
His parents had vanished while researching an undiscovered rare beast abroad, their bodies never recovered—only a harrowing audio recording of their final screams remained.
Lu Ran had never truly accepted their deaths.
He had long dreamed of venturing into that rainforest himself to search for them. When Fang Lan had heard of his interest in hunting, she had assumed he was entertaining such thoughts again. But, as he had told her, if he had truly intended to head into the wild, he wouldn't rely solely on Ha Zong—he would have hired a professional team.
Now, however…
Slipping the pendant around his neck, gripping the hilt of his sword, Lu Ran returned to the living room.
By this time, Ha Zong had polished off an entire bowl of food and was now sprawled lazily on the floor.
At the sight of Lu Ran, the beast lifted its head, panting heavily before flashing an almost mischievous grin.
"Woof!!"
Lu Ran's expression darkened.
That bark… was filled with satisfaction.
It was asking if he could feed it again to make it even stronger.
This dog was getting greedy.
"There's no more," Lu Ran said flatly. "But you'll have plenty of battles ahead."
"If you fight well and return safely, you might just grow even stronger."
Ha Zong froze. Then, determination flashed in its eyes.
It took a few steps forward, reached under the coffee table, and retrieved a pair of sunglasses—placing them on its face with an air of undeniable confidence.