Chapter 29: A Monumental Discovery

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Asher coughed lightly to mask his embarrassment.

"…I've only seen the part where you praised me. I'll watch the rest of the conference later," he admitted before quickly changing the topic. "Wasn't this supposed to be about publishing a paper? Why the sudden academic press conference?"

Professor Iris scoffed softly. "Some stubborn skeptics thought I was joking and tried to block my spot in the top journals. So, I decided to hold a press conference instead, slam the evidence in their faces, and leave them no room for debate."

Asher couldn't help but give her a thumbs-up, impressed.

"But… wasn't your praise for me a bit over the top?" He sounded a little uneasy.

Her tone remained calm but carried a hint of teasing. "It was an academic press conference. I didn't mind giving you a bit more credit since you contributed significantly. And I genuinely want you as my student. It wasn't over the top."

Before Asher could press for more details, Professor Iris interrupted, her voice brisk.

"Check the messages from Robb. I have other matters to attend to. Talk later."

With that, she decisively ended the call.

Asher stared at his phone, feeling that something about the conversation was off. Professor Iris seemed busy yet still answered his call immediately. However, when he tried to ask deeper questions, she brushed him off.

Shrugging, he searched online and quickly found the full recording of the press conference. As the video loaded, Asher noticed the topic had already gone viral, sparking heated discussions across the internet.

Little Raven perched on his shoulder, leaning forward to peek at the phone screen.

Amused, Asher held the phone closer to the bird. Whether Little Raven understood or not, he wanted the bird to feel included.

Satisfied with the gesture, Little Raven rubbed its head against Asher's neck, letting out a soft coo.

As he watched the recording and scrolled through Weibo topics simultaneously, the full magnitude of the situation dawned on him.

The Key Issue: Ordinary People

Under normal circumstances, only awakened Beastmasters with spiritual sea abilities could contract and control Beasts. Ordinary people weren't prohibited from raising low-tier creatures like Honeybugs, as these posed no significant danger due to their low spiritual energy and lack of offensive capabilities.

Honeybugs, with their adorable appearance, vibrant colors, and extended lifespans compared to regular insects, had always been popular among a niche group of bug enthusiasts.

But everything changed with the revelation of the Fairy Butterfly.

At the press conference, Professor Iris revealed that finding suitable Honeybugs among Beastmasters for evolution experiments had been challenging due to their rarity in contracts. Following Asher's suggestion, she expanded her search to include Honeybugs raised by ordinary people. Two such bugs successfully evolved into Fairy Butterflies.

The bombshell?

The evolved Fairy Butterflies not only exhibited no hostility toward their ordinary owners but even showed protective behavior.

The news sent shockwaves through both the general public and the Beastmaster community.

The Public's Reaction—

Ordinary people were ecstatic. Two confirmed cases of evolved Fairy Butterflies displaying protective behavior meant they might have a chance to own Beasts too.

Could there be other beasts with similar traits? They wanted to find out. Everyone was eager to raise their own pet beasts.

The Beastmaster Community's Concerns—

Beastmasters were far less optimistic. Contracting Beasts wasn't easy, even for the awakened. Many struggled to tame their beasts despite spiritual connections and had to rely on the contract's restraints.

Giving such creatures to unawakened individuals seemed reckless.

Even if only 1 in 100 Fairy Butterflies turned aggressive, the potential damage was catastrophic. Without contracts to restrain them, evolved Fairy Butterflies—classified as mid-tier Beasts—could wreak havoc on people and infrastructure.

The debate was fierce, with neither side willing to back down. On Weibo, the topic trended wildly, drawing a mix of curious onlookers, hopeful enthusiasts, and skeptical critics.

Asher scrolled through the posts, his jaw slowly dropping.

"…Am I really about to change history?" he muttered, his voice tinged with disbelief.

The sheer scope of this discovery was hitting him all at once. The ripple effect wasn't just limited to the Beastmaster world—it touched the lives of countless ordinary people.

Asher gulped. "Too much responsibility. I'm out."

He quickly convinced himself that resolving societal dilemmas was beyond a mere high schooler like him. His job was to discover new evolution routes for Beasts. The rest? That was for the government and the Alliance to figure out.

Reassured by his decision to step back, Asher turned his attention to more immediate concerns.

"None of this matters to me right now. I should focus on motivating June's Little Fire Fox. The sooner it evolves, the closer Little Raven gets to its next stage."

Hearing its name, Little Raven tilted its head curiously, its tuft of feathers brushing against Asher's neck. The ticklish sensation made him laugh.

"Personal space, Little Raven," he chided gently, nudging the bird back.

But Little Raven puffed up indignantly.

'Personal space? Never! I like sticking close.'

Defiantly, the bird nestled deeper into Asher's collarbone, its round body fitting snugly into place.

Asher sighed in defeat. He reached out to lift the stubborn bird, but one glare from its beady eyes made him give up.

"Well, it's not a big deal," he muttered. "If sticking close makes you happy, who am I to say no?"

Unconsciously, his standards for what counted as acceptable behavior shifted just a little further.

After replying to messages from Ivy, June, and the class group chat, Asher finally opened President Robb's texts.

As expected of an older man, the Beastmaster Association president had sent multiple long voice messages.

The first message played:

"Asher, you've been selected as an Outstanding Staff Member at the Aspengrove Village Pet Beast Service Station."

The second message:

"Given your contribution to the honeybug's evolution discovery, I've applied for a special Beastmaster subsidy on your behalf. Once approved, you'll receive 20,000 yuan monthly until you graduate high school. If you attend a local university, the subsidy can continue."

Asher's eyes lit up.

"Twenty thousand yuan a month? Is this real?"

An hour ago, he'd been searching for part-time jobs to make ends meet. Now, he had a steady income falling into his lap.

No matter what, he had to make time for this!

Quickly composing himself, Asher recorded a voice message: "Thank you, Presiednt Robb. I can't let work suffer, so I'll visit the Association this Saturday at 9 AM."

Meanwhile, in a conference room filled with professors and Alliance members, Robb played the message out loud.

As the recording ended, the president smiled warmly. "Such a hardworking and responsible young man."

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