Chapter 32 – Could This Guy Be a Humanoid Pet Beast?

Zhou Hong’s words fell.

The few people present immediately wore strange expressions.

Seeing this, Zhou Hong assumed they were doubting his words and quickly explained:

“I’m serious, I’m not lying to you!”

Zhang Xiaoyun, being the most playful and lively of the group, a glint of cunning flashed in her eyes at his words. She immediately pretended to be curious and asked:

“Why are you asking about that person’s information?”

“Isn’t it just out of curiosity?”

Seeing Zhang Xiaoyun narrow her eyes, Zhou Hong quickly added:

“Besides, we might end up being classmates in the future. If I can get to know the other person early, heh heh, maybe I can latch onto someone strong.”

Obviously, that last sentence was Zhou Hong’s real intention.

Guan Ning and the others immediately understood.

Zhang Xiaoyun curled her lips: “You’re certainly proactive. You haven’t even gotten into Ningjiang Academy yet, and you’re already thinking about making connections with classmates.”

“Prepare for a rainy day.”

Zhou Hong had a thick skin and didn’t mind her teasing. He chuckled:

“Not to brag, but among the examinees staying in this hotel right now, as long as they’re outstanding enough in strength, I have a certain understanding of them.”

As if to prove the credibility of his words, Zhou Hong looked around, pointed at a male student not far away, and spoke confidently:

“See that guy over there? His name is Li Pengyun, from Taiping City. He’s a famous genius student at the local high school. Two months ago, he passed the Advanced Difficulty Apprentice Assessment. His Pet Beast is a Poison Vine Fiend, a Plant and Poison Dual Attribute Pet Beast, with a level as high as Tier 3, Stage 2.”

“And that beauty over there, her name is Guo Xinyi, from Cangxia City. She’s also a famous genius from her area, having passed the Advanced Difficulty Apprentice Assessment. Her Pet Beast is a Steel-patterned Wyrmling, a Steel and Dragon Dual Attribute Pet Beast, with a level as high as Tier 3, Stage 3.”

“And that one, Tan Yong, from Shanzhou City…”

Zhou Hong listed three people in a row, with information detailed enough to include even the Pet Beast types and levels, leaving Lin Ze and the others exchanging bewildered glances.

So this guy was actually an intelligence expert!

Coming back to her senses, Liu Siyan couldn’t help but exclaim in amazement: “I didn’t expect so many people to have Tier 3 Pet Beasts.”

“That’s not quite it.”

Zhou Hong shook his head.

“From what I know, among this year’s examinees, there are only five who possess Tier 3 Pet Beasts. That genius from your Pinghai City happens to be one of them.”

Only then did Guan Ning and the other two women feel relieved.

That made sense.

Thinking about it, with Tier 3 Pet Beasts being such formidable existences, the number of examinees possessing them would naturally be very few.

But then, they couldn’t help but look at Lin Ze, sparkling light flickering in their bright eyes.

“Brother (Brother Lin) really is amazing, ranking in the top five among five thousand examinees!”

Zhou Hong didn’t notice the girls’ subtle movements, and eagerly said to Lin Ze:

“Now can you tell me about that person?”

Pfft!

Guan Ning and the other two finally couldn’t hold back their laughter.

Zhou Hong looked utterly bewildered: “Did I say something funny?”

Zhang Xiaoyun waved her hand, suppressing her laughter: “Weren’t you trying to get to know that person?”

The girl pointed at Lin Ze.

“Here he is. He’s the genius you were talking about who passed the Ultra Difficulty Apprentice Assessment.”

“…Huh?”

Zhou Hong was stunned, staring at Lin Ze with his mouth agape.

It took him a moment to snap back to reality, and his expression couldn’t help but turn somewhat embarrassed.

He had just been boasting about how well he knew talented students from all over, and now the very person was sitting right in front of him without being recognized. It was rather awkward.

“Th-this… my eyes failed me. Sorry, brother.”

Zhou Hong rubbed his hands together, looking sheepish.

Lin Ze smiled and waved his hand to show he didn’t mind.

He wasn’t some big celebrity anyway, so it was only natural that people didn’t recognize him.

Zhou Hong, being thick-skinned as he was, quickly brushed the matter aside and enthusiastically struck up a conversation with Lin Ze.

Lin Ze didn’t mind this overly familiar informant either.

After a good chat, he learned quite a bit about the Admission Assessment from Zhou Hong.

The meal ended with everyone thoroughly enjoying themselves.

After returning their trays, the group prepared to head back to their respective rooms.

As they passed through the corridor outside the dining hall, a crowd approached from the opposite direction.

Over a dozen boys in matching uniforms—likely students from some school—were laughing and horsing around as if no one else existed.

The corridor was fairly wide, yet these dozen or so people managed to fill it completely.

Lin Ze and the others had no choice but to stop and step aside, planning to wait for the group to pass before continuing.

As the distance closed, the boys quickly noticed the three girls.

The three women’s delicate features caught their attention immediately.

Especially Guan Ning.

The boys’ gazes were filled with admiration as they looked at her.

Guan Ning paid it no mind.

She was long used to such stares and typically just ignored them outright.

“What a pretty girl.”

“Which school is she from?”

“No idea, she’s not wearing a uniform.”

The boys whispered among themselves, and as if something amusing came up, they suddenly burst into raucous laughter, so loud that many people in the corridor shot them disapproving looks.

Yet they paid no attention at all.

As they brushed past, one of the boys suddenly tilted his body, his arm deliberately reaching toward Guan Ning’s chest, a smug smile on his face as if his scheme was about to succeed.

Anyone with eyes could tell he was trying to take advantage of the moment.

Guan Ning’s pretty face changed, and she tried to dodge, but the wall was right behind her—there was nowhere to retreat.

Fortunately, in the next instant.

An arm shot out from beside her like lightning, blocking in front of her and firmly stopping the boy.

“Brother!”

Guan Ning looked at Lin Ze with surprise and relief.

The boy’s face changed, and he opened his mouth to curse:

“Get your dirty hand off me, don’t touch me, or else—”

Before he could finish, Lin Ze’s fist slammed into his face, sending him flying backward with blood spraying from his nose.

The boys behind him, caught completely off guard, were knocked to the ground in a heap, several of them tumbling like rolling gourds.

The surroundings fell silent.

Everyone stared at the scene, utterly unprepared for such an outcome.

It wasn’t until then that Lin Ze’s calm voice slowly rang out.

“Or else what?”

The boy who got punched couldn’t answer at all—he was rolling on the ground clutching his nose, wailing in agony, blood seeping through his fingers. He looked utterly pathetic and miserable.

“How dare you hit someone!”

A crew-cut young man at the front turned livid, glaring at Lin Ze with fury.

Lin Ze glanced at him and said flatly, “Just teaching him a lesson. If he dares to misbehave again, it won’t be as simple as a bloody nose.”

The crew-cut man laughed in anger and sneered, “I’d like to see what you can do to us!”

With that, he charged straight at Lin Ze.

The companions behind him joined in as well.

Lin Ze gestured for Guan Ning and the others to step back, while he himself faced the group of boys without the slightest hesitation.

The three girls had witnessed Lin Ze’s “fighting prowess” before, and although they were still somewhat worried, they obediently retreated to avoid becoming a burden.

Zhou Hong, on the other hand, turned pale with anxiety.

Although Lin Ze was a genius, this wasn’t a Pet Beast battle—there was no way one person could take on over a dozen in a fight.

He wanted to help, but he was well aware of his own fighting abilities, knowing full well that even if he stepped forward, he’d just be one more person getting beaten up.

“What are we going to do?”

Zhou Hong was so anxious that a thin layer of sweat had formed on his forehead.

But the next second, his eyes suddenly widened in shock.

Lin Ze charged into the crowd like a tiger among sheep, and the moment he plunged in, a series of muffled thuds rang out—the sound of fists striking flesh echoing without end.

Those boys, who looked tall and burly, couldn’t even touch the hem of Lin Ze’s clothes. In the blink of an eye, they were all knocked to the ground, writhing and howling in pain.

In that instant.

The entire corridor echoed with the agonizing cries rising one after another.

“…”

Zhou Hong stared at Lin Ze’s back, utterly dumbfounded, his mouth hanging open wide enough to swallow an egg.

Could this guy possibly be a Humanoid Pet Beast?

Why else would he be so good at fighting?