Beast Taming: My System is Bugged

Chapter 355 - 342: Support from Home

Lu You heard the number—forty million—and her heart nearly stopped.

Even though she wasn’t the one getting the surgery, the figure still made her vision go dark and her legs feel weak.

This was not a surgical fee that someone her age, or from her family’s background, could possibly afford.

’Can Gu Ming’s family really afford this much?’

She lowered her head and quietly calculated:

’The income from the Earth Shifting Technique Visualization Image... the company only sent over five million. Adding what I’ve saved over the past few months, the total is barely eight million, not even ten.’

’Saving up forty million by next year is definitely impossible. It might take several years.’

’Visualization Images have a clear profit curve. After they go viral, there’s a boom period where sales skyrocket.’

’But the Star Level of my Visualization Image is too low, so I can’t raise the price. At best, I can only rely on high volume and low margins. It can’t even compare to the sales from Gu Ming’s high-end Visualization Images, not to mention he’s sold far more than I have.’

Furthermore, the Earth Shifting Technique has limited fame. Once the boom from this year’s national competition fades, the new batch of high school students will chase the next big trend, and the popularity of the Earth Shifting Technique is bound to decline.

’Trying to save forty million with it then will be a distant, unattainable goal.’

At this thought, an urgent idea surfaced in Lu You’s mind:

’I need to research a new Cultivation Visualization Image too. I have to increase my earning potential.’

’Otherwise, when the time comes for my own Beast Taming Space surgery, I’m afraid I won’t even be able to afford the fee.’

’Now that I’m out on my own, I have to earn all the money myself. I definitely can’t count on my family.’

Moreover, as her Pet Beasts’ Star Levels increased, their upkeep costs rose in tandem.

The cost of feeding her Pet Beasts for a single day was more than what her family earned from two or three months of nonstop work.

"Let me contact my family," Gu Ming said.

Lu You looked up, slightly stunned, at Gu Ming’s profile. Seeing his determined gaze, it was clear he was set on getting this Beast Taming Space, no matter the obstacles.

She didn’t know why Gu Ming felt it was absolutely necessary at this stage, but looking at his resolute expression, she temporarily dismissed the idea of trying to talk him out of it.

Then, she picked up her Mouse Treasure and Mianmian, using her Divine Sense to communicate with them, secretly asking if they wanted a Beast Taming Space too.

The two pets were quite considerate. Faced with such a shocking price, they knew how to ease their master’s worries and both shook their heads, indicating:

"A Beast Taming Space is too expensive! We’re perfectly happy living by your side, Master. We’re used to it, so it doesn’t matter if we have one or not."

Seeing her two Pet Beasts being so considerate warmed Lu You’s heart.

But she secretly swore to herself that she would work even harder to earn money.

She wouldn’t just settle for less simply because her Pet Beasts said "it doesn’t matter."

’People always have to move forward. Without pressure, where does the motivation come from?’

...

"I’ve sent the money. Use what you need; don’t try to save it."

"Money is the kind of thing that just loses value the longer you hold onto it."

"Don’t worry about us at home. You getting into Wenquxing University is the best hope we could ask for. Even if we have to sell everything we own and go into debt, we’ll support you until you graduate!"

Gu Ming had only called home to ask if their savings could cover his Beast Taming Space surgery.

He hadn’t expected Mr. Gu to agree without a second’s hesitation.

While they were on the phone, his father had been chatting with him while secretly motioning for Mrs. Gu to transfer the money.

It wasn’t until his phone chimed with the bank transfer notification that Gu Ming heard his father’s encouraging, laughter-filled voice on the other end:

"Son, don’t you worry about the money. The family still has some savings. If it’s really not enough, we’ll sell everything we own to scrape it together for you!"

Gu Ming took a deep breath, a thousand emotions swirling and burning within him.

Gratitude, guilt, and a heavy sense of responsibility... yet he was currently unable to immediately repay his family for their unconditional support.

"Dad, don’t say that."

His fingers tightened slightly on his phone. "Selling everything we own is absolutely not the future I want."

"This is the last time I’ll ask the family for money. From now on, I’ll work hard to earn my own and send it back home, so you won’t have to work so hard anymore."

If it weren’t for his concerns about keeping the tens of thousands of Spirit Stones a secret, he wouldn’t have been in such a rush.

Back at home, he had at most a few dozen or a few hundred Spirit Stones in his stash.

Even if they were discovered, the loss would be limited, and Gu Ming could lie and say he had dug them up by chance.

But tens of thousands of Spirit Stones were not something he could casually explain away.

This was a supply of resources that could shock the entire city, enough to become a top trending topic locally and maybe even attract the attention of top research institutes in the Capital.

He didn’t even have enough for his own Cultivation.

How could he possibly take them out for everyone to use and study at a time like this?

Besides, this stuff was destined to become a hard currency used throughout the world in the future.

Spirit Stones themselves held no intrinsic value for deep research; they were just Spirit Stones.

The first to obtain them would be the first to benefit, lowering the cultivation threshold for Pet Beasts and allowing even Low-star Level Pet Beasts to achieve super-efficient cultivation.

"What are you talking about? It’s not your turn to earn money for this family. Just focus on your studies, raise Cyan Treasure and Ah Kun, and wait until you’ve graduated from university to think about making money."

Gu Ming didn’t argue further with his dad. Instead, he remembered that he hadn’t told his family about Ah Ji’s arrival yet.

He crouched down and waved to Ah Ji. "Come on, say hello to Grandpa."

Ah Ji walked over, swishing its black tail, and let out a soft meow in front of the phone’s camera.

"This is..." Mr. Gu’s voice was filled with surprise and doubt. He stared wide-eyed at the black cat. "Is that a new Pet Beast you’ve contracted?"

"Its name is Ah Ji. It’s a Cat Demon with the Light and Dark Dual Attribute, and it has the potential to evolve into a Night Demon Cat in the future," Gu Ming explained.

"Haha, good, good!"

Mr. Gu’s voice boomed instantly. "Does this mean my son already has the Spiritual Power of a Three-star Beastmaster? Wonderful, wonderful!"

In reality, Gu Ming’s Spiritual Power hadn’t reached the Three-star Level yet.

Ah Ji was currently staying with him without a contract.

Seeing this, Teacher Tang, who was standing nearby, cleared his throat and spoke up.

"It won’t be evolving into a Night Demon Cat."

"The Night Demon Cat is a Cat Demon with a single Dark Attribute, which only has a chance to evolve after systematic nurturing."

"This Pet Beast of yours has the Light and Dark Dual Attribute. The mutation is too significant, so its evolution path is already completely different from the Night Demon Cat System."

He paused, looked at Gu Ming, and added:

"This requires a new, custom-tailored nurturing path based on its physical condition. This is also a research task from our office—or rather, from me to you: to develop a suitable Cultivation Technique for a Light and Dark Dual Attribute Cat Demon."

"If I lead the development of the Cultivation Technique, it will be registered under the company’s name. Leaving the company won’t affect your Pet Beast’s ability to use it, but you are not allowed to teach it to others."

Gu Ming read between the lines and asked in return, "And what if I lead the development of the Cultivation Technique?"

"Then it will be your Cultivation Technique."

Teacher Tang said with a calm expression, "However, when the Cultivation Technique takes shape, do not summon the Hall of the Great Dao at the company. That’s all I can say on the matter."