11 End and Beginning

Ji Liu looked up the sky to check if there were any U.F.O. that was abducting the fish monster, but there was none. He looked at the fish monster 'Magicat' again and saw that the light was fading, and then

*BOOM*

The Magicat was flying towards his direction but not out of its own volition. It was spewing cursing words as it flew.

Ji Liu quickly ducked hiding behind Xiao Su who became 3 meters tall, securing his bag which was where his fusing monster is. Jinao was also crouching beside him holding on to its spear in one hand and Xiao Cike on the other.

*THWACK*

After whizzing pass them, the Magicat struck the cliff wall behind them and slowly slip down.

*PLOP*

Curious, Ji Liu and his monsters went to see what happened. What they saw was a meter and a half long orange carp with the face of a cat with a gold coin on its head. The Magicat flailed around just like any other fish on land. It was swimming on its own pool of blood, looking greatly weakened. It was coughing up blood when they arrive.

"Are you okay?" Ji Liu couldn't help but ask since he saw it doing something absurd.

'It's a Peak stage Divine level monster that lived for almost ten thousand years, it shouldn't exist since monsters were only made around a thousand years ago.' Ji Liu was curious about this and that's why he approached and talked to the monster.

"Foolish Mortal! This Being has lived for thousands of years! Do not approach me else I will forfeit your life!" the Magicat arrogantly said.

Curiosity or his life? Ji Liu is a smart person so he quickly left.

before going home though, he encountered and caught a 1st stage Silver leveled Venom Crab that he named Mr. Krabs that was stomped by the new and improved Xiao Su.

******

Saturday.

Almost two weeks have passed and it's nearing the time when Ji Liu would be tested. School exam would be next week and he is currently studying Germanium-based nucleic acids which is one of the DNA structures of monsters.

After studying morning till noon, Ji Liu went to the lab for his work. The lab is now less populated since he first came here to work. Only he and Doctor Fei Hua are left in the research department since it would be closed tomorrow.

The reason was that the 'Terra Alliance' finally signed the 'Carnaval Treaty' with the 'Dong Lianmeng'. Yun City being under 'Dong Lianmeng' would naturally be affected. Under the 'Carnaval Treaty', all companies that conduct research on monsters would be required to join the monster researching institute called 'Fuxing' which would compile all discoveries. Yun City being near Wanqiang Metropolis would have a lesser purpose for Meiji and thus be closed down.

The good news about this treaty though is that it would create a new entity called 'Souxun' which would enable people to become a registered 'Monster Keeper' which can take official quests from 'Fuxing' and the government or unofficial quests from the locals. This would encourage people to form groups and communicate with each other more instead of just individuals hunting on their own. Because previously, no one hunts or catches monsters for a living as the research institutes have their own means of procuring research materials.

Doctor Fei Hua naturally was asked to move to the Meiji branch located in Wanqiang Metropolis along with his assistant, but since Ji Liu is still a student and do not have the means to transfer, he has no choice but be dismissed after the branch closed.

Ji Liu was advised by Doctor Fei Hua to join 'Souxun' and create his own group. Since he can see the status of monsters, he has the advantage of easily advancing the level of his monsters, building his monster team and finding a suitable monster replacement if the situation arrives.

Ji Liu was sad about this as he wanted to continue researching monsters and Meiji's labs are the best environment there is for any researchers. At the same time though, he is happy that he can earn more being a 'Monster Keeper', his monsters at the dorm needs a better environment to live.

Currently, though, Ji Liu and Doctor Fei Hua are still discussing the Magicat that Ji Liu saw.

"Doctor Fei Hua, do you think it is possible that the Magicat I saw is from the future?" Ji Liu asked as they continued their talk.

"If Time-type monsters exist perhaps, but there is still no proof they exist. And if they did, where are they? There should be reports of sightings from 'Terra Alliance' since they are more active in exploring. As I have said before, it must have been that its cell aging was sped up by mutation." explained Doctor Fei Hua.

"But Doctor Fei Hua, I have read that the 'Somatic DNA Damage Theory' and 'Endocrine Theory of Aging' were disproved a long time ago." Ji Liu said as he packs the lab's fragile equipment.

"Perhaps, but there's actually a new theory regarding monster aging. It's called 'Half-life 3' where the half-life of the nucleic acid within a monster's DNA is halved during the first 3 instances accelerating its growth then slows down drastically or even 'will not happen' making monsters mature faster but live longer or forever. If we consider that the Magicat you encountered has an extremely long lifetime, it is possible to age ten thousand years within a hundred or so years." Concluded Doctor Fei Hua, realizing that it was a missed opportunity.

"Is that so Doctor? Would it mean that if we catch it, we can write a paper and declare that 'Half-life 3 is real'?" Ji Liu was excited at hearing the news.

"Your stupidity is showing again. Smartass, How strong is your strongest monster?" scolded Doctor Fei Hua while he hits the forehead of Ji Liu with a newspaper.

"….. 2nd stage Silver." Said Ji Liu realizing his mistake.

******

Arriving at the dorm, Ji Liu went to the roof deck where hid the evolving Winter Swamp Scorpion inside a locked cage with a cover which was given to him by the doctor. The doctor meant to give it to him for all his monster so that they'll not disturb others. But the fusing Scorpion blob grew bigger as it comes closer to finish and he estimates that it would be the only monster that could fit inside once done.

But currently, there are two monsters inside. Aside from the Winter Swamp Scorpion, Jinao was also inside and is about to finish its evolution to Silver level.