Lin Chuan accepted the Spirit Pattern Pistol given by Du Feiyang and stored it in his Pet Space Device.
Furthermore, Lin Chuan specifically instructed Wan Wan to look after it, to prevent Guoguo from secretly playing with it, or White Snow from trying it as a new, unknown food.
Wan Wan's mature wisdom naturally understood the danger of such a weapon, and she immediately put it into her exclusive room, storing it safely.
The plane flew for a full five days, traversing thousands of mountains and rivers, before finally reaching the capital of the Dongyang Alliance.
At this moment, it was precisely when the sun was setting and night was falling.
The plane had not yet fully landed.
Lin Chuan looked out from the plane window, gazing down.
The city was brightly lit, and judging by the density of the city lights and the planning of the building clusters, it was a city far more prosperous than Qinghe City, but incomparable to Wanshan Prefecture.
The plane gradually descended.
His vision slowly zoomed in, and his observation angle changed accordingly.
The urban landscape Lin Chuan could see became more direct and clear.
This city, the capital, did not have too many skyscrapers; its overall architectural style was low-rise, and many buildings were classical, pavilion-style structures.
Finally, the plane landed steadily at the capital's international airport.
Greeting personnel from the Dongyang Alliance were already waiting to pick up the Star Rock Federation ambassador, which meant they were waiting for Du Feiyang and the other staff members.
Hitching a ride on the plane was fine, but hitching a ride on their reception was out of the question.
Lin Chuan did not follow Du Feiyang off the plane; instead, he changed into a ground crew vest and left with the ground crew.
After leaving the airport, Lin Chuan planned to wander for a few hours, try some characteristic Dongyang Alliance cuisine, and truly experience the atmosphere of this foreign city.
Lin Chuan had already overlooked the general appearance of the city during the plane's descent.
Now, Lin Chuan was observing more about the people of this country: their clothing, speech, and behavior. Was there anything special about them?
Overall, they still had black hair and yellow skin. Their clothing style wasn't particularly novel; it was all modern.
As for their language, they spoke the local dialect of the Dongyang Alliance, which Lin Chuan couldn't understand. But Lin Chuan had Wan Wan, his external brain and versatile little secretary!
At this moment, Lin Chuan had already released Wan Wan, and even Sakura had been released from his Pet Space Device.
However, by using the visual deception effect of her illusion magic, Sakura had concealed both her and Wan Wan's figures. The concealment wasn't particularly clever, but it was at least enough to fool ordinary pedestrians and spirit beasts below Level 2 without special abilities like smell.
Wan Wan translated every word spoken by the passersby around them, relaying it to Lin Chuan in real-time through their contract.
The content of what these ordinary Dongyang Alliance citizens were saying wasn't special either; it was all about daily life, relationship disputes, work routines, and so on.
It seemed there wasn't much that was particularly unusual.
The area around the airport was still sparsely populated.
Lin Chuan walked for about an hour, passing through several streets, until he reached what appeared to be a commercial street.
Lin Chuan carefully observed the surrounding shops and the situation of the pedestrians.
Then, Lin Chuan's brows gradually furrowed.
All along the way, Lin Chuan had vaguely felt something was amiss, and at this moment, he completely discovered the abnormality.
Wan Wan, quietly floating beside Lin Chuan, also had a solemn expression.
Just now, near the international airport, there were fewer pedestrians, and the airport security Beast Masters were maintaining order with a few guard spirit beasts, which looked very normal.
It was also relatively normal not to encounter any spirit beasts along the way.
However, now, on a commercial street, a relatively high-traffic area, the absence of spirit beasts was completely abnormal.
In the Star Rock Federation, in any city, even the lowest-level village, one could see scenes of humans and spirit beasts coexisting harmoniously. Spirit beasts had completely integrated into human daily life, and even highly intelligent spirit beasts could work independently in certain places, just like humans.
However, here, on an entire bustling commercial street, Lin Chuan couldn't see a single spirit beast!
Moreover, on the entire commercial street, Lin Chuan glanced around and didn't even see a single Beast Master shop.
This was almost unimaginable in the Star Rock Federation.
In the Star Rock Federation, on a bustling commercial street like this, wouldn't it be unheard of if there weren't more than a dozen Beast Master shops?
Finally, what shocked Lin Chuan even more was that by not relying on his physical eyes but subtly using his spiritual power to perceive, Lin Chuan discovered that these humans in the Dongyang Alliance had no energy within their bodies!
In the Star Rock Federation, even if one ultimately failed the entrance examination and couldn't officially embark on the Beast Master extraordinary path, only returning to mainstream society to become a cog in the machine, maintaining the stable operation of society, at least everyone would still contract an initial spirit beast.
There would always be some energy feedback from the spirit beast in their bodies, and no matter how low their Beast Master level, whether Level 2 or Level 3, they would definitely have it.
However, these humans in the Dongyang Alliance had not a shred of energy within them!
Not just children under 16, but even many people in their twenties, thirties, and forties had no energy at all!
This meant they had not contracted spirit beasts!
They might not even have awakened their Beast Master talent!
At this moment, it felt like a world away.
Lin Chuan actually had a feeling as if he had traveled back to his previous life's Blue Star, back to a world without extraordinary power.
Lin Chuan subconsciously looked at Wan Wan beside him, then at Sakura, and then at the Pet Space Device watch on his left wrist, perceiving Guoguo and White Snow within through his spiritual power, confirming that all four spirit beasts were present and real. Only then did Lin Chuan breathe a sigh of relief.
Only then did he dare to confirm that he hadn't traveled back to his previous life's Blue Star, but was still on Azure Star, this world with spirit beasts, demonic creatures, and extraordinary powers.
So, what exactly is going on with this Dongyang Alliance?
Lin Chuan was completely bewildered, and Wan Wan was also bewildered.
Even Sakura was deeply confused; this human country gave her a somewhat unsettling feeling.
This kind of situation was not mentioned at all in the relevant introductory books.
Why is it like this? Why do the common people have no energy in their bodies? Why isn't there a single spirit beast on a bustling street?
Doubt, deep doubt, but accompanying the doubt was a deep chill.
Lin Chuan was not as naive and ignorant as most teenagers his age; having seen memories of his previous life from a God's perspective, Lin Chuan understood many 'true' principles that teenagers of this age did not, and knew many dark sides of human nature.
The ten families of the Dongyang Alliance—this probably meant they had forbidden the ordinary people of the Dongyang Alliance from pursuing the path of the extraordinary!
The only possibility Lin Chuan could think of was this.
The nature of aristocratic families has been proven countless times in the history books of the Dragon Kingdom in his previous life's Blue Star.
If there wasn't a strong government to suppress them and provide opportunities for the common people, aristocratic families could truly raise the common people like livestock.
Just as Lin Chuan was silently observing his surroundings, he suddenly sensed with his spiritual power that two people were approaching him.
Remembering Du Feiyang's warning, 'Small countries breed troublesome people; these people are all very wicked,' Lin Chuan immediately became alert.
And Sakura, beside Lin Chuan, also quietly gathered more Illusion Attribute energy, her pair of pink eyes flickering with a faint dark light, ready for battle at any moment.
Silently turning around, Lin Chuan looked at the two people approaching him.
One man and one woman, both very young in appearance, looking not much older than Lin Chuan, probably around 20 years old.
The man was handsome, dressed in a suit and tailcoat, like a butler.
The woman was even more beautiful, 165 cm tall, with skin like jade, eyes like clear pools, black hair draped over her shoulders, and a tear mole at the outer corner of her right eye, adding a touch of allure to her lovely face. She wore a black and white, form-fitting, exquisite maid outfit like those seen in anime and TV dramas, with a well-proportioned, slender, and perfect figure.
In terms of beauty, she ranked second among the human females Lin Chuan had seen so far; An Qianqian ranked first.
Moreover, An Qianqian's appeal lay in her natural temperament as a Wood Attribute Beast Master, not purely her appearance.
In terms of pure looks and figure, this young girl in front of him was even more striking.
What was the same was that neither of these two had energy within their bodies, which meant they also hadn't contracted spirit beasts.
Upon reaching Lin Chuan, about two meters away, the butler and the maid simultaneously stopped and bowed to Lin Chuan with utmost respect and politeness.
The two looked at each other.
The maid stepped half a pace forward, her hands held at her waist.
"Hello, we apologize for disturbing you."
"My name is Yuki Yurika. This is Tagawa Shogo. We are members of the Lightbringer Society, the Kyoto Civilian Beast Master Logistics Support Association."
"May I ask if you are a Beast Master from the Star Rock Federation?"
The girl named Yuki Yurika spoke, her voice very clear and pleasant.
Moreover, she wasn't speaking Dongyang language, but pure Star Rock language.
Lin Chuan narrowed his eyes slightly; he wanted to answer no.
But since the other party had come directly to him like this, they must have already confirmed it.
Thinking of Du Feiyang's words just now, with the Star Rock Federation as his backing, Lin Chuan was not afraid, even if a Heavenly King-level Beastmaster of the Dongyang Alliance was in front of him.
Lin Chuan wanted to see what trick the other party was playing.
So, Lin Chuan nodded slightly.
Seeing Lin Chuan nod, Yuki Yurika's beautiful eyes immediately lit up.
"Beast Master, you must have just gotten off the plane, right? Do you need a place to rest?"
"I presume you are very curious about the situation in the Dongyang Alliance, aren't you?"
"Why don't you let our Lightbringer Society host you and explain the specific situation of the Dongyang Alliance to you?"
Lin Chuan remained silent, stroking his chin.
"First, tell me your background. Tell me about your Lightbringer Society."
As if she had prepared the answer long ago, the young girl immediately replied, "Our Dongyang Alliance does not have an official Beast Master management organization similar to your homeland's Beastmaster Association."
"The Dongyang Alliance provides various logistical assistance to Beast Masters through numerous forms such as private companies, societies, and gangs."
"Our Lightbringer Society is one such organization."
"Please rest assured, Beast Master, we are not an illegal organization. Our Lightbringer Society is the largest Beast Master logistics support organization in Kyoto City, established by Lord Katori, the City Lord."
"Perhaps, Beast Master, you do not know, but Lord Katori is a quasi-Heavenly King-level Beastmaster."
Yuki Yurika continued to answer.
When she spoke of Lord Katori, her eyes were almost overflowing with admiration, like a worshiper towards their revered deity, that kind of fervent adoration.
Lin Chuan was secretly surprised. A quasi-Heavenly King-level Beastmaster? That means above Level 60, an existence on par with Professor Qu Cheng?
"I know, Beast Master, you have just arrived in the Dongyang Alliance and are unfamiliar with the situation here, and you still harbor doubts about us."
"You can first contact your homeland, the Star Rock Federation's embassy, to confirm the situation of our Lightbringer Society. I believe you will get a very good result."
Yuki Yurika continued.
That was indeed a good suggestion; he was completely unfamiliar with and distrustful of this foreign land.
However, Lin Chuan naturally had complete trust in the Star Rock Federation Embassy.
Lin Chuan immediately called the embassy number Du Feiyang had given him.
The phone rang twice and was immediately answered, as if Du Feiyang had been waiting for this call.
Lin Chuan hadn't even opened his mouth to ask, when Du Feiyang on the other end of the line precisely spoke the three words: 'Lightbringer Society.'
"They found you?"
Lin Chuan: "Mm."
"They can be trusted. Within the Dongyang Alliance, they are a good Beast Master logistics support organization, quite legitimate. In some aspects, they even do better than our Star Rock Federation's Beastmaster Association."
Du Feiyang said, then paused slightly.
"These words, well, given my identity, I actually shouldn't be saying them."
"However, I still want to remind Student Lin Chuan."
"As a Beast Master highly valued and expected by the Star Rock Federation, please, Student Lin Chuan, maintain yourself. Absolutely, do not get lost in..."
Du Feiyang hadn't finished speaking when someone hung up the phone.
At the Star Rock Federation Embassy in the Dongyang Alliance, a middle-aged male staff member ended Du Feiyang's call.
"You knew you shouldn't say it, yet you still did?"
"The splendor of the world, human relations, wealth, beauty, wine, and power—these are all trials and tests for these prodigies."
The middle-aged man looked at Du Feiyang reproachfully, and Du Feiyang lowered his head.
"But I don't want to see our country's prodigies snatched away by a mere small country like Dongyang again."
As if recalling some unpleasant memory, Du Feiyang said with a pained expression.
The middle-aged man snorted disdainfully.
"Those who can be misled by worldly wealth, beauty, wine, and power, unable to steadfastly follow their own path, are not prodigies. It's better for them to be lured away early, rather than for the Star Rock Federation to invest more resources in them only for them to be tempted to leave later."
