My Pet Beast is Super Fearsome-Chapter 153 - 152: Li Yiming’s Worries

Chapter 153: Chapter 152: Li Yiming’s Worries

“That’s it for today,” said the Combat Training Master as the short daylight of early winter began to fade into evening, halting the three still in training.

After seeing Shao Zifeng and Li Yiming to the door, the Combat Training Master rubbed Casar’s curly hair with his one arm, “The regional competition starts in half a month, so you guys should go back and watch some of the past competition videos. I’ll try my best to gather some information on the other schools’ contestants these next few days, but… my own channels are ultimately limited, so don’t get your hopes up too high.”

“We’ll be troubling you then, Brother Qiang,” Zifeng waved goodbye to the Combat Training Master, and couldn’t help but feel moved looking at his increasingly weathered face under the streetlights.

Although he had always looked weathered…

Su City University had started three months ago, but with Class Four suffering heavy casualties and some students having either voluntarily or involuntarily cancelled their Combat Training Master status, Class Four of second-year Combat Training at Su City University was essentially defunct.

After the Combat Training Master had applied to the school to be the coach for the regional competition, the remaining few students had been transferred to other classes.

...

The school’s principal was rather indifferent to the regional competition. Normally, in addition to the competing students, the standard setup for such an event would include a team doctor, Pet Beast Nutrition Adjuster, Tactical Analyst, coach, and more, with generous support for all the logistical needs like food, lodging, and transportation. If the team did well, there would also be significant prize money rewards.

But for them, forget about rewards; the school hadn’t even arranged for team uniforms or a training venue, besides the basic accommodation and transportation costs it had promised to cover.

To be fair, the school couldn’t be entirely blamed; the previous casualties during a school task had drained Su City University’s resources just in dealing with grieving families and compensation. Against this backdrop, the uncertain outcomes of the regional competition seemed insignificant in comparison.

This put the Combat Training Master in quite a bind—he was a lifelong bachelor who held multiple roles, acting as both father and mother to them. Aside from basic training instructions and nurturing of pet beasts, he also devoted time and effort to seek out information on other schools. Over the course of half a year, his hair had turned white… ah, but fortunately, he was bald.

Thinking of the Combat Training Master with a head full of white hair made Zifeng suddenly want to laugh. Half a year ago, he could never have imagined this would be the outcome. When they made their request and saw his initial reaction, Zifeng thought they were doomed, only later realizing that the Combat Training Master was actually teasing them.

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It wasn’t until much later that they found out.

That even if he and Li Yiming hadn’t made that request,

The Combat Training Master would have still applied to lead Su City University’s team, when Casar, dressed in traditional clothing, his face flush with the signature highland red, handed him an object signifying a plea to compete inland.

Because it was his promise to a fallen comrade.

Zifeng didn’t know much about their situation, only that the Taji Clan, to which Casar belonged, had guarded the country’s frontiers for generations, and that the Combat Training Master had once been a stationed soldier on the border.

On the clear and cold streets of early winter, two tall and lean young men walked under the streetlights, their shadows lengthening and then shortening with each passing light.

Cars sped by occasionally, sweeping up bursts of cold wind. Yiming carefully trailed half a step behind Zifeng, tightening the flimsy coat around him.

Watching the silent Zifeng walking ahead, Yiming wanted to say something several times but never mustered the courage to speak up.

Even after half a year of acquaintance, facing Zifeng always brought back the memory of that night over six months ago, when Zifeng had stood before him with his tall figure backlit by roaring flames, the light obscuring his face.

And then…

He tossed him a brick to carry.

This scene was etched in Yiming’s heart, inspiring admiration, awe, and respect for Zifeng, yet he could not muster the courage to face him directly.

“Brother Shao, we’ve arrived.” The two moved in silence until they reached a crossroad, where Yiming was the first to speak up.

“Oh,” Shao Zifeng snapped back to reality and turned to look at Li Yiming, whose lips had turned a bit blue, and said, “Then be careful on your way; I’m heading back first.”

“Oh, right,” Shao Zifeng, who had taken a few steps, suddenly turned back and added, “My mom sent me some clothes she knitted herself. When she heard I made a new friend, she made a few for you too. I’ll bring them to you tomorrow.”

Li Yiming’s lips moved slightly, and he bowed his head and said softly, “Thank my aunt for me.”

Shao Zifeng didn’t say anything, turned around with his back to him, waved his hand, and slowly walked towards the other end of the street.

Li Yiming stood there biting his lip until Shao Zifeng’s figure disappeared around the corner; then he took a deep breath of the icy air, hugged his arms, and turned around to walk back the way he came.

…

Crossing through the low and cramped shantytown, stepping on the muddy, ice-crusted road as the temperature dropped, the familiar smells around him made him relax gradually.

After passing a few run-down buildings of varying height, Li Yiming stopped in front of a tin house. He patted his somewhat stiff cheeks with his hand, managed a slight smile, and knocked on the tin door.

Squeak.

The tin door opened a crack, revealing a pair of big eyes peering out cautiously.

The dim light inside the room shone through the gap and onto Li Yiming, dispelling the chill around him and bringing a hint of warmth.

“You’re back!”

Upon recognizing the visitor, the door was flung open, and a girl quickly stepped out, happily grabbing Li Yiming’s arm.

The girl looked to be about sixteen or seventeen, dressed in a light green jacket, with her long hair swept up by her hand, revealing a delicate face. A large pair of black-framed glasses sat on her small and pretty nose, making her look about four or five points similar to Li Yiming.

The tin house contained only a few simple pieces of furniture; the bunk bed took up one wall’s width, a desk was placed by the bed, and the other half of the room housed a low dining table and two stools—simple but tidy.

The girl, out of habit, took Li Yiming’s icy hand, paused slightly, then noticed he was still wearing that thin coat.

The joy on her face vanished, replaced by a hint of red born of anger, “Didn’t I tell you to buy a thick coat today? You… are you trying to kill me?” she said, her eyes reddening as she turned her head away from Li Yiming.

Seeing his sister upset, Li Yiming felt at a loss for a moment and hurriedly explained, “Today… I forgot because the training ended too late. I’ll definitely buy one tomorrow.”

“Really?” the girl turned back, asking with a tearful voice.

“Really!” Li Yiming quickly assured her.

The girl’s tears turned to laughter; she wasn’t truly angry but was just pained to see Li Yiming deny himself anything to spare her any discomfort. Yet she was still in high school, and the government subsidy after their school expenses was barely enough. With no income of her own, situations like this left her feeling helpless.

She led Li Yiming to the dining table and lifted the lid from the steaming pot, serving up the rice porridge and tofu stewed with cabbage she had made.

Li Yiming wolfed down the food while telling his sister about the day’s training, especially excited when talking about how Shao Zifeng’s little deer had amazingly defused the crisis.

The girl sat beside him, her hands propping up her chin, smiling as she listened and occasionally chipping in a few words, making the small room feel extraordinarily warm and cozy.