Chapter 1: The Bug-Battle Boy

In Green Sea City, a picturesque vacation destination where the ocean, trees, and light rail intertwine, many traditional cultures still thrive.

To the east lies Emerald Mountain, and to the south, the heart of Green Sea’s Red Leaf Park. At this moment, the park was bustling with people, and a large banner was strung between two trees.

A young girl pushed her way through the crowd. As her eyes fell on the bold characters on the banner reading “Bug Battle Tournament,” a thunderous cheer erupted from the crowd.

“Lu Ran won again!”

“Wasn’t it him last year too?”

“That’s right, and it was a clean sweep every time!”

Amid the excited chatter, in the center of the arena, a bald old man looked on in disbelief as a boy, about sixteen or seventeen years old, stood up with a grin.

“Thanks for the match,” the boy said with a polite smile.

Bug battling—one of the traditional games in the Xia Kingdom, also known in the north as cricket fighting—was in full swing. At this year’s “Bug Battle Tournament” held in Green Sea City’s Red Leaf Park, Lu Ran, with his prized insect, had crushed a field of seasoned veterans to claim the title of Bug King.

And this wasn’t his first time taking the crown.

“You brat!” The old man scratched at his already sparse hair in frustration, glaring at Lu Ran across from him. Ever since this kid started participating in the tournament, he hadn’t lost a single match. How was that even possible?

This teenager—how could his bug-battling skills surpass those of old-timers with decades of experience?

“Just lucky, I guess,” Lu Ran laughed, brushing it off.

But suddenly, he felt a piercing gaze from somewhere in the crowd. His body stiffened immediately.

“Alright, everyone, I’m outta here!” Lu Ran’s expression shifted as he quickly packed up his prized bug and squeezed his way out of the crowd in a hurry.

Before he could get far, someone took a shortcut and blocked his path.

The person wasn’t much older than him—a tall, pretty girl with a ponytail of black tea-colored hair and long, slender legs that exuded youthful energy. However, her expression was anything but friendly.

“So, you skipped class just to join this Bug Battle Tournament? And why didn’t you answer my calls?” Fang Lan crossed her arms and glared at him, waiting for an explanation.

“I was focused on the competition. Had my phone on silent,” Lu Ran shrugged.

“You do realize you’re about to start your senior year, right?” Fang Lan rubbed her temples in exasperation.

“Fine, fine… I’ll go back and make up for it tomorrow,” Lu Ran said helplessly.

“I’m only pushing you because it’s for your own good!” Fang Lan shot a glance at the jar in Lu Ran’s hand. “But… first place again? Not bad. Green Sea City is a hub for bug battling. Even the park elders here have decades of experience, and yet I hear you crushed them all without breaking a sweat.”

Lu Ran grinned. “Sometimes, it’s not just about ‘experience.’ Talent matters more.”

“I wasn’t complimenting you!” Fang Lan snapped. “I’m telling you to focus on your studies first. Once you’re done with the college entrance exams, you can bug-battle all you want.”

“Got it, got it~” Lu Ran waved dismissively. “But honestly, I’m losing interest in bug battling. It’s too easy—no challenge at all.”

He paused, then mused aloud, “What if I tried hunting instead? My family were hunters generations ago. Maybe it’s in my blood…”

Hunting—tracking and capturing wild animals—was primarily for developing national wildlife resources and maintaining ecological balance. But Lu Ran didn’t care about any of that. He was just looking for an outlet for his overly combative pet’s instincts.

In Xia Kingdom, there were still places where legal hunting was allowed.

Lost in thought, Lu Ran opened the jar holding his prized Bug King and released it back into the wild. As he said, the game no longer held any excitement for him.

“Hunting…” Fang Lan stared at him blankly. “You’re not seriously thinking of turning your husky into a hunting dog, are you?”

“Does it look like a hunting dog to you? Other than its appearance?” Lu Ran shrugged. “I could train it. It’s too aggressive. Suppressing its fighting instincts all the time isn’t good. But that’s beside the point—getting a hunter’s license is the real challenge.”

“I hope you’re joking,” Fang Lan said flatly. But then her expression shifted as something seemed to dawn on her. She narrowed her eyes at him. “Wait a minute. You’re not still hung up on that, are you? Are you preparing to go there?”

“No way! Even if I were going, I’d just hire a professional team. Why go through all this trouble? Makes no sense, right?”

“But…”

“Come on, let’s go. It’s about to rain,” Lu Ran interrupted, clearly wanting to change the subject.

“Huh?” Fang Lan blinked, looking up at the clear blue sky without a single cloud in sight.

“Weather forecast,” Lu Ran said casually, waving her off as he walked toward the park exit.

He lied. It wasn’t the forecast—it was the insects in the park that told him.

…

Sure enough, it wasn’t long before dark clouds gathered over Green Sea City, and a heavy downpour loomed. Lu Ran and Fang Lan took shelter in a restaurant, killing two birds with one stone by grabbing lunch.

“I’m heading to Magic City for school the day after tomorrow. Why don’t you stay at my place? You’re starting your senior year soon. My parents can cook for you. It’s better than ordering takeout every day—not healthy,” Fang Lan suggested while sipping tea.

“I’ll be fine on my own. Thank your parents for me,” Lu Ran replied, taking a sip of tea himself.

“Call them godparents!”

“Fine, fine. Thank my godparents,” Lu Ran said. He and Fang Lan were childhood friends, practically family. After Lu Ran’s parents were confirmed dead, Fang Lan’s family had taken him in.

However, once he was capable of living independently, Lu Ran moved out on his own. His parents had left him a sizable inheritance, enough to sustain his lifestyle.

“I give up. Let them convince you themselves,” Fang Lan sighed, knowing she couldn’t change his mind. She knew Lu Ran too well.

To put it nicely, he was independent. To put it bluntly, he was rebellious—not just about small things but about everything.

“Don’t worry. I can take care of myself. Just wait for me in Magic City. I’ll join you next year. Senior Lan, I’ll need you to look after me then!” Lu Ran teased.

“Pass your exams first,” Fang Lan shot back, crossing one leg over the other as she scrolled through her phone. She had excelled academically and was now headed to Magic University, the top school in the south, majoring in veterinary medicine due to her parents’ influence.

Lu Ran was also a good student, but getting into Magic University wouldn’t be easy. The next year would be crucial for him.

“Piece of cake,” Lu Ran said confidently. Though he hadn’t decided on a major yet, it would probably be something animal-related.

Like…

“Beast Tamer?” Fang Lan suddenly said.

“What? Beast Tamer?” Lu Ran looked at her, confused.

Was that even a major? She must mean animal science.

Fang Lan had spoken aloud while reading something on her phone. Realizing this, Lu Ran saw that she wasn’t talking to him but muttering to herself.

“I just came across a post. I’ll send it to you,” Fang Lan said.

Moments later, Lu Ran received a link from her.

Opening it, he saw the post title: “Help! Do you believe in supernatural phenomena?”

Huh?

Seeing the title, Lu Ran furrowed his brow.