Chapter 5: The Beginner Trial Realm

Lu Ran ignored Ha Zong, who was strutting around with sunglasses like some sort of canine celebrity. He had more important things to do.

Besides his sword and the protective charm around his neck, Lu Ran had packed a few other essentials: medicine, bottled water, snacks, and some survival tools. He wasn’t sure if they’d be usable, but better safe than sorry.

It was a bit heavy, but he figured he could ditch some of it if necessary. As he continued to prepare and lecture Ha Zong, time ticked away.

“Did you even understand what I just said?” Lu Ran sighed, rubbing his temples. “The contract might’ve enhanced your body, but your intelligence seems untouched.”

Ha Zong wagged his tail dismissively, clearly not taking Lu Ran’s warnings seriously. Every time Lu Ran mentioned potential enemies, the husky gave him a look of pure disdain, as if to say, Is that all?

Lu Ran felt a chill run down his spine. This dog’s arrogance is going to get us killed…

But with only a few minutes left on the countdown, there was no time to dwell on it.

“Alright, that’s enough,” Lu Ran said finally. “Back into the card for now.” He summoned the black card, which could now be stored within his body or called forth at will. To ensure they wouldn’t be separated during the transfer, he recalled Ha Zong into the card.

“Arf!” Ha Zong let out a bark before vanishing into the card’s light. With the husky safely stored, Lu Ran closed his eyes and tried to steady his nerves.

Even with his eyes shut, the countdown remained visible in his mind.

Three… two… one…

As the final second ticked away, Lu Ran’s heart raced. He might’ve been a high schooler, but he wasn’t immune to fear.

The space around him rippled like water, twisting and distorting into a vortex. In an instant, Lu Ran was swallowed by the swirling energy and disappeared from his room.

—

When Lu Ran opened his eyes again, he was somewhere completely different.

He groaned, his body still reeling from the disorienting sensation of the transfer. It felt like he’d been tossed around in a washing machine, alternating between weightlessness and crushing pressure.

Shaking off the dizziness, he took in his surroundings. He was standing in a dimly lit forest, the dense canopy above blocking most of the sunlight. Shadows stretched long and deep, making the place feel eerie and oppressive.

Before he could take a closer look, familiar text and a voice echoed in his mind:

—

[Transfer Complete.]

[Current Location: Forest of the Demon Cats (Beginner Trial Realm)]

[Difficulty: Easy]

[Trial Mission: Survive for one day.]

[Realm Description: The Forest of the Demon Cats is a natural labyrinth of densely packed trees, rich in resources. It was once home to numerous extraordinary creatures.

Twenty years ago, a mysterious black rainstorm caused the forest’s inhabitants to mutate, leading to a beast tide that attacked nearby towns.

The Empire’s Beast Tamer Corps responded swiftly, quelling the tide and eliminating the forest’s powerful mutated creatures.

After two decades of recovery, only the Demon Cat clan and a few weaker extraordinary creatures remain active here. The forest was renamed accordingly.

As a new Beast Tamer, you’ve stumbled into this place. Your primary objective is to survive until rescue arrives.]

—

[Hint 1: This realm is a projection of the Forest of the Demon Cats. Resources and creatures here cannot be taken out or contracted.]

[Hint 2: Rewards will vary based on your combat performance during the trial.]

[Hint 3: If the trial participant reaches a critical state, they will be forcibly returned, marking the mission as failed.]

[Hint 4: Participants are temporarily granted the “Data Eye,” which can analyze resources and creatures within the realm.]

[Good luck. Let the trial begin!]

—

“Well, that’s reassuring… sort of,” Lu Ran muttered after reading the third hint. At least the card’s creator wasn’t entirely heartless. If someone was on the verge of death, they’d be sent back. But still, he wasn’t convinced it was as kind as it seemed.

After all, what good was being sent back if you couldn’t get medical help in time? Like that forum poster—what was his name again? And let’s not forget the possibility of being killed outright without even reaching a “critical state.”

Humans are fragile, Lu Ran thought grimly.

He frowned as he considered the forest’s history. A black rainstorm? Beast tides? This didn’t sound like any beginner-friendly trial he’d ever heard of. It felt more like a death trap.

“Ha Zong, come out,” he said, summoning his husky back from the card.

“Arf!” Ha Zong barked cheerfully as he materialized, completely oblivious to the tension in the air.

“None of our gear made it through,” Lu Ran noted with a sigh. He’d been prepared for this possibility, but it was still frustrating. “Weapons, supplies—everything stayed behind. Guess we’re on our own.”

He glanced around warily. “According to the hints, everything here is just a projection. We can’t take anything out of this place, but maybe we can still use resources while we’re here…”

“Woof!” Ha Zong, completely uninterested in Lu Ran’s analysis, bounded off to explore.

Lu Ran facepalmed. This dog… can you take this seriously for once?

“Hey, I’m talking to you—”

Rustle… rustle…

A faint sound interrupted him, sending a chill down his spine. He froze, scanning the area with heightened alertness.

Ha Zong, who had been prancing around aimlessly, also went rigid. His ears perked up, and his fur bristled as he positioned himself protectively in front of Lu Ran.

Something was approaching.

The forest was eerily quiet except for the growing sound of rustling leaves. The dim light filtering through the canopy only added to the tension.

Lu Ran strained his ears, trying to pinpoint the source of the noise, but it was impossible to tell. Ha Zong, however, seemed to have no trouble. The husky’s gaze locked onto a patch of black undergrowth.

“There?” Lu Ran whispered, following Ha Zong’s line of sight.

The rustling grew louder until, finally, the undergrowth parted to reveal—

A creature stepped forward, its lean, dark red body bristling with menace. Long claws glinted in the dim light, and its gray mane framed glowing red eyes filled with bloodlust.

A Demon Cat.

—

[Species]: Demon Cat
[Attribute]: Unawakened
[Species Level]: Mid-Tier Extraordinary
[Growth Level]: Level 2
[Description]: A bloodthirsty predator of the forest. Prefers to tear its prey apart and drain their blood.

—

The Data Eye activated automatically, displaying the creature’s stats. Lu Ran analyzed the information quickly.

“Species level indicates overall strength—tigers are stronger than cats, cats are stronger than rabbits. This Demon Cat’s level matches Ha Zong’s… no advantage there.”

“As for growth level… that probably corresponds to life stages—juvenile, mature, etc. The higher the level, the stronger the physical attributes. Ha Zong’s only at Level 1; this thing’s at Level 2. Not good.”

Lu Ran’s mind raced. This wasn’t some low-level mob meant for beginners to practice on. It was a genuine threat.

The Demon Cat snarled, its claws digging into the ground as it prepared to pounce. Ha Zong responded with a fierce bark, his fur standing on end.

“Woof!” How dare you challenge us? You’re going down!

Lu Ran felt a bead of sweat roll down his temple. Great. My dog’s picking fights now…

The two creatures squared off, tension thick in the air. Lu Ran held his breath, scanning the surroundings for anything he could use to his advantage.

The trial mission was simple: survive for one day. There was no need to engage in unnecessary battles, especially right at the start.

If I run… maybe I can avoid a fight. But if he triggered the Demon Cat’s hunting instincts, it would likely chase him down. Running blind through an unfamiliar forest would only waste energy and leave him vulnerable.

No, the best option was to scare it off.

“Alright,” Lu Ran muttered, steeling himself. He spread his arms wide to make himself appear larger and let out a guttural roar.

“Uraaaah!!”

His father had once told him that when faced with wild animals, showing dominance could sometimes scare them away—if you were lucky.

Unfortunately, luck wasn’t on Lu Ran’s side today.

The Demon Cat’s expression twisted with rage. With a furious roar of its own, it lunged straight at him.

“Crap! That didn’t work!” Lu Ran shouted, dodging to the side. “Ha Zong! Save me!”

The husky sprang into action, meeting the Demon Cat head-on with a ferocious snarl. The two creatures clashed in a blur of motion, their growls echoing through the forest.

Lu Ran scrambled backward, searching for anything he could use as a weapon—a stick, a rock, anything. But before he could find one, a piercing yowl filled the air.

“Meowwwrr!!”

Lu Ran turned just in time to see Ha Zong pinning the Demon Cat to the ground, his jaws locked around its throat. Blood sprayed across the forest floor as the husky growled triumphantly.

“…What?” Lu Ran blinked in disbelief. The supposedly fearsome Demon Cat had been taken down in a single strike.

Ha Zong turned to him with a smug bark, his tail wagging like crazy. See? Easy peasy.

Lu Ran sighed, dropping the rock he’d picked up. “So… all that planning was for nothing?”

He stared at his husky, who was now strutting around like a war hero. “I might’ve underestimated you…”

“Woof!” Ha Zong barked proudly. Damn right you did!