Evolution· Purple-Backed Thunder Centipede

his time no mistake was made during evolution. Gao Peng had been monitoring all the time.

Uncle Liu gave Da Zi materials directly without his permission. Gao Peng was annoyed but also found it hilarious.

It was like when eating at home, there would always be someone picking food for you, again and again, ignoring the fact that you were already stuffed.

His intention was good, so was his consideration.

Even though they were kind but clueless, how could we blame them.

Therefore...

Gao Peng crouched down and stroke Da Zi on its head, saying, "Glutton! Don't eat anything you see! Understood?"

Why it's me taking the bag?

Da Zi was shocked, it raised head goggling at its owner with great astonishment, seeming to blame him. How come you are such a partial owner, you know this has nothing to do with me!

But it was still evolving. Soon it was exhausted, lying weakly on the ground.

Da Zi's evolution didn't stop until eleven p.m. It's length increased dozens of centimeters, looked well-proportioned.

Its exoskeleton shifted color from dark purple to bright purple. If one was observing closely, they could see there were tiny thunder patterns on the edge of its exoskeleton. Its antennas drooped limply on the ground.

[Monster Name]: Purple-Backed Thunder Centipede

[Monster Level]: Level 9

[Monster Grade]: Excellent

[Monster Attribute]: Thunder/Poison

[Requirements for Promotion to Excellent Grade]: Mill Silverleaf into powder, mixed with water, drink the portion for a week; one Commander Thunder monster core crystal.

Not only it was upgraded to Excellent, its breed also changed. Its attribute transferred from Yin/Poison to Thunder/Poison.

Finally it was all set. Gao Peng glanced at Da Zi. It was lying lazily on the ground, white smoke enshrouding it. Insects did not sweat; they had spiracles, which opened and let vapor come out.

Lying on the ground, Da Zi looked like an overheated engine gradually cooling as vapor came out from spiracles.

After taking care of Da Zi, there was a dumb ape waiting to be babysat.

Gao Peng opened the black bag he brought home. Plenty of white ice cubes were piling in the bag, with some having melted into water, gathering at the bottom.

On the top of the ice cubes, bundles of pine needles were stacked.

Pine needles were silver gray, each as thick as a pen refill, around ten centimeters long, covered with silver light spots, just like twinkling stars.

This was Yin Cedar, which was mutated from cedar before the cataclysm. This kind of cedar preferred Yin and cold circumstances, and grew in Huaxia region. Only the World Roof in the Himalayas had this tree. Later on, Yin Cedar was widely grown along the country; it was no longer rare.

After the cataclysm, cedars mutated in different directions, among them a valuable one, Yin Cedar. Its pine needle was a high-nutritional food to Ice, Yin, Ghoul and Dark monsters.

Gao Peng bought sixteen pounds of Yin Cedar needles, which was a month's food for Dumby.

Dumby was currently at Perfect grade. If it upgraded again, it would be of legendary Epic grade. Gao Peng had never met any Epic monsters before, he only heard about them on TV or in books.

However, Dumby just evolved; it needed to be nourished for a while before its next evolution.

Gao Peng took half pound pine needles out from the bag, then put them into an steel bowl, which was used by Da Zi, for Dumby. Dumby turned around, and deep in its eye sockets, dark blue flames danced for a few seconds. Then Dumby lowered its head to look at the Yin Cedar needles, hesitated for a while, and finally realized what those thin leaves were. It stretched its big fingers and picked several needles out from the bowl. Then put it them into its mouth.

As its sharp teeth were chewing the pine needles, silver and black mist raised from them, then drifted away in its skull. It looked like a skeleton smoking a pipe.

Mist was completely absorbed by soul flame, and as absorption went on, the flame grew bigger, as if it was in extreme excitement.

As the pine needles were chewed, its light spots all disappeared. Grayish brown dry debris fell off from Dumby's jaw holes. 

He stiffly repeated the same action, picking and chewing Yin Cedar needles.

"Wait." Gao Peng observed for half a minute, then stopped Dumby's further action. Dumby was dazed, turned around and looked at Gao Peng. Gao Peng took out a broom to sweep the debris first, then put a trash can right below Dumby's jaw.

"OK, continue," said Gao Peng.

Dumby followed Gao Peng's instructions. It kept chewing while debris kept falling out from its jaw. But this time, it didn't fall on the floor, but into the trash can instead.

"Clever me!" Gao Peng gave himself a thumbs-up.

He glimpsed at the clock on the wall, it was about twelve o'clock.

He stretched himself. It's still early, let me read some pages before I sleep.

Late at night, stars were twinkling in the sky. In the couch, a boy hugged a book in his arms and fell asleep. Under starlight, the boy's face looked soft and gentle.

Da Zi glanced at Gao Peng, stood up and crawled into the bedroom. Later it came out with a quilt, then chucked it over Gao Peng.

After that, it lied down lazily on the floor next Gao Peng, and didn't move anymore.

Dumby had finished the Yin Cedar needles; its finger rubbed on the bottom of the steel bowl, the bowl rattled. It leaned its head, goggling at the bowl, wondering why the bowl was empty. Its head remained tilting to one side, and the flames in eye sockets gradually calmed down. At last they shrank into tiny light-blue light spots floating deep in its eyes. Dumby fell asleep.

The next morning, Gao Peng walked to school.

Unlike in streets where Familiars were everywhere, there were none at school. Familiars were not allowed to be in schools.

"I disagree, I would never say yes! The school is the last peaceful land for children, how can these monsters be permitted to enter!" in the president's office, dressing in gray Chinese tunic suit, the school president argued strongly.

Standing in front of his desk was the director of Chang'an City Education Bureau.

The director looked at the president with a complicated expression, and smiled bitterly. "Mr. President, it's not me who made the decision. Upper levels gave us this order just a few days ago; every high school around the world must follow this new rule."

No.3 Middle School president used to be his headmaster, and had taken good care of him. That was why he came to persuade the president himself.

The president looked straight into the director's eyes. After a while, he took a long sigh, and at this moment he seemed to be ten years older than before.

"I'm not a fuddy-duddy, my wife has a Familiar, too. It looks like a pet, but is more dangerous than a pet. Have those decision-makers thought of its potential threat?"

"They mentioned a way to solve this problem. They will separate junior high schools from senior high schools. In the city bureau, they just had a meeting this morning, and decided to merge No.7 and No.3 senior high schools into one; so did their junior high schools. No.3 school will continue to be a senior high school teaching area, while No.7 will be the junior high area. Meanwhile, senior high freshmen will move to No.7 middle school. Basically students will not reach their 18s until they're sophomores.

"By the way, this method also eradicated acceleration." the director said in a tough joke.

"Um… well, sounds like a deal." The president looked tired and worried, but finally he accepted this.

"Yeah. And there will be instructors from military to take care of new courses."

The president was shocked with his brows furrowed. He smelled something different. "Is the situation so tense right now?"

"Although we human beings have been developing techniques, as well as cultivating Monster Breeders, the speed is… still too slow." the director sounded very down. "In the real wild, numerous monsters have been reproducing and killing in a crazy way. Their evolution speed is way faster than Familiars in cities. As time goes by, one day when our technique can not treat them anymore, it will be too late. Our students are still kids in peacetime, but in ancient wartime they were already grown-ups and could join in armies."

"Protecting our country is not just empty talk," the director said seriously, then smiled. "But don't tell these things to kids. At present the frontline situation is OK. My little girl was super happy when she heard the news, she thought that she could bring her Familiar to school for fun."

"OK. Then I will only tell teachers later," the president nodded.

　　...

High school courses were easy. Gao Peng had self-studied all senior high courses, and had been self-studying college courses. Sometimes when he had spare time, he read extracurricular books.

It was why Murong Qiuye easily permitted Gao Peng's leave. To be honest, if Gao Peng took the College Entrance Exam right now, there would not be any problems.

The reason that Gao Peng was ranked No.4 in his grade rather than No.1 was he just barely passed his PE test...

The total grade of PE test was 100 points. In the new era PE grade had been increased. The World Coalition Government appealed that kids in this new era should make all-round development, not only to do well in academics, but in physical conditions as well.

As he entered the class, Gao Peng immediately caught everyone's attention. He didn't feel very comfortable, and walked directly to his seat and put down his bag.

Soon Murong Qiuye showed up in class, monitoring students to do morning study. However, in the middle of process, Ms. Murong was called by grade headmaster to have a grade meeting.

Ms. Murong left the class hurriedly. Seeing the teacher left, the quiet class suddenly became buzzing, as if it was switched on.

Students discussed, playing around.

"Gao Peng." Tan Qianjin sat right in front of Gao Peng. He turned around and put one arm on Gao Peng's desk and said, "I heard that you got an intermediate Monster Breeder certificate?"

"Eh?" Gao Peng was astonished. How does he know that?

"You don't know? You are on the newspaper now, the youngest intermediate Monster Breeder in Chang'an City, and according to Chang'an's Monster Breeder Association, you broke its the Youngest Monster Breeder record," Tan Qianjin said with admiration. "Besides, Li Zigong told me that his mother was present, she told him the whole story, and regretted that he was not as good as you. His mother has been pushing him to read various kinds of monster breeding books. He has suffered a lot since then."