Beast Taming: My System is Bugged-Chapter 74 - 73: A Past and Present Comparison: Old Wine in a New Bottle

Chapter 74: Chapter 73: A Past and Present Comparison: Old Wine in a New Bottle

"Come in."

Teacher Zhang walked in with a smile and said,

"Hello, Principal. Hello, Teacher Ling. I was just coming to report on my teaching work... Oh? Gu Ming, you’re here too. What a coincidence."

Halfway through his sentence, Teacher Zhang’s gaze fell on Gu Ming, and he feigned surprise.

Principal Ling also smiled. He showed no sign of annoyance at the interruption and said magnanimously, "Perfect. You can come over and help advise Gu as well."

Teacher Zhang walked over and took a look. After flipping through just a couple of pages, he said, "Is this... a genius contract? Um, Principal Ling, from what I know, another company has its eye on Gu Ming. They’re already in talks."

The atmosphere in the room instantly froze. You could have heard a pin drop.

Gu Ming could clearly hear the sound of the Golden Scale Leopard’s breathing as it slept. It sounded like a dragon’s breath, faintly resonating with the vibrations in the floor.

In this tense moment, his thoughts unexpectedly drifted. He silently recalled Mouse Treasure’s cultivation of the Earth Shifting Technique.

’The Cultivation Technique practiced by the Golden Scale Leopard is likely a High-star version similar to the Earth Element Technique. It not only allows for Breathing Spiritual Qi but also for Refining Mana at the same time.’

’The Earth Shifting Technique has a similar effect, but its advantage is that even a Low-star Pet Beast can use it for Cultivation.’

"Gu Ming, what are your thoughts? Take a look at the genius contract the school is offering. The school thinks very highly of you. Feel free to bring up any conditions you might have."

Principal Ling’s voice echoed in his ears, pulling Gu Ming’s wandering thoughts back to the present.

He nodded, took the genius contract, and began to read it unhurriedly and with great care.

He had already heard about these so-called genius contracts from his classmates.

They were indeed very tempting for families of ordinary means, as they covered all expenses during the final sprint to the college entrance exams and throughout university, including cultivation fees.

The conditions usually required working for the school for N years after graduation, or for a company specified in the contract for N years.

The number of years varied. It typically started at fifty, but exceptional individuals could have it reduced to thirty or even twenty years.

Gu Ming didn’t understand the Cultivation Resources mentioned within; many of them were High-star Level resources far beyond his current reach. He simply flipped to the page on the work commitment and saw that the school had set it at a fifty-year term for him.

The initial draft stipulated that he would major in the Cultivation Element, study knowledge related to Alchemy, and form a contract with a Pill Pet during university.

After graduation, he would work at the school for two years to gain experience, then in the third year, he would transfer to the city’s Pengfei Pharmaceutical Company. The company had many high-level four- and five-star Beastmasters who could guide him toward the Five-star Level Beast Taming Domain.

A total work commitment of fifty years. Once the fifty years were served, he would be free.

The document in his hands was a preliminary draft, not the formal contract.

A true contract was written by a Painted Pet on a special Daoist paper, with an oath sworn to the Celestial Dao. One’s name was written using Spiritual Power as the ink.

Those who violated the oath would suffer a backlash from the Celestial Dao. Their Path and Dao Practice would crumble, and their Pet Beast Contracts could also be nullified as a consequence. It wasn’t something you could just back out of whenever you felt like it.

Therefore, as he faced the genius contract, Gu Ming was both wary and curious.

’If I didn’t have the system, I might have actually signed a genius contract.’

’After all, my family is dirt poor.’ 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

’How can a poor person hope to cross class boundaries without external help?’

’It’s not so easy to make that leap on your own effort and sweat alone.’

’This is reality, not some fantasy novel world. The world isn’t fair, and the resources I imagine aren’t so easy to obtain. There are hidden barriers everywhere, both overt and covert.’

’Without any outside help, relying purely on their own efforts, ninety-nine percent of poor people will never cross that class barrier.’

’However... I’m a cheater.’

’So that changes everything.’

"So, what do you think, Gu?"

As Principal Ling spoke, he noticed Gu Ming’s brow furrow slightly.

His own heart sank a little. ’Is he not satisfied with the work commitment? Or are the resources not enough? The school can actually sweeten the deal, I guarantee we can...’

Gu Ming shook his head.

"Thank you, Principal Ling. I’d like to take it back to look over and compare it with other offers."

Gu Ming hadn’t actually received a genius contract from any other company—that was a lie Teacher Zhang had made up. But he decided to use it as an excuse to avoid being pestered by the principal.

The principal’s expression changed. How could he let a duck that was already in his hands fly away? Still, it wouldn’t look good to stop him.

After all, the school wasn’t the only one that could offer genius contracts. Major corporations in the city could also offer them to students. He couldn’t just bar a student from attending school for not signing.

"Gu, don’t be so hasty. I have a Plan B contract here as well. Take it back and have a look. I’m confident that no other company can offer a deal with more sincerity than the school.

"The school genuinely wants you to succeed, and the resources we’re offering are sincere. Outside companies don’t care about that. They might set you up with a chain of traps, but the school would never do that.

"Teacher Zhang, you’ve fallen for those kinds of schemes before. You know the risks involved. You should go back with him and help him review this carefully. One must be extremely cautious when signing a contract."

The sixty-year-old Principal Ling spoke with a grave and solemn air. He grasped Gu Ming’s hands, his expression full of heartfelt earnestness and concern.

The principal then glanced at Zhang Yunpeng. A painful memory having been prodded, Zhang Yunpeng shuddered and nodded solemnly.

Gu Ming couldn’t discern Principal Ling’s true intentions. ’Is he genuinely wishing me well, or is this all just an act of feigned self-sacrifice to win my trust?’

As Gu Ming nodded, he subconsciously glanced at the system.

’I don’t know what other people are thinking.’

’But the system will definitely have a different take on it. Maybe the system knows what Principal Ling is really thinking.’

「Sect Leader and concurrent Principal, Ling Zhongxuan, holds your hand. He speaks earnestly, recounting the school’s development over the years.」

「In these thirty-two years, time seems to have left no mark on him. This year, he is ninety-two, and you are fifty. He is more shrewd and has more of a Sect Leader’s aura than he did thirty-two years ago.

「He doesn’t lecture you on the benefits of the retirement contract, nor does he help you plan your present or envision your future.」

「He appeals to your emotions and reasons with you, speaking only of the methods for cultivating Sub-dragon Pets and of the help this Breathing Technique will bring to society and to the Low-star Beast Taming Realm.」

「You nearly fall into the trap of being moved by your own perceived importance.」

「You recall the day, thirty-two years ago, when you signed the genius contract.」

「Your Iron Gall Lone Dragon received the stipulated cultivation resources, its progress was obvious each day, and it grew stronger and stronger.」

「However, these resources were dynamic. When a better, more outstanding genius appeared at the school, the resources allocated to your Iron Gall Lone Dragon were naturally reduced. You would still get the promised resources, but when you received them was entirely up to the first party.」

「Once the Cultivation Resources failed to arrive on time, the deficit in the Iron Gall Lone Dragon’s development could only be filled by you and your family. After all, it was a High-star Potential Pet Beast. Its cultivation costs could only go up, never down, or all your previous efforts would be wasted.」

「You recall the abyss of debt you once fell into and remember that this is one of the Ling Family’s customary underhanded tactics.」

「Now, looking at this retirement contract with its mediocre resources and even worse terms, you smile, tuck it away, and say you’ll take it home to look it over.」