Gulp! Gulp!
Two big gulps finished off the remaining water. He really wasn't hiccuping anymore.
Only then did Felter frown and say, "Maybe it's because I was thinking about a philosophical question."
Prince: "?"
"Do you even have that kind of nerve in your brain?", Prince said bluntly.
Felter: 'It's hard, my fists are hard. Once it's hard, there's no mercy.'
Felter delivered a karate chop right to Prince's kidney.
Prince: "!"
Prince doubled over in pain, clutching his kidney, "This… this is insubordination! Are you rebelling?"
Felter smiled as he withdrew his hand.
"Rebellion is a bit much, at most I just wanted to hit you," Felter said calmly.
Then he explained the reason why he was hiccuping just now.
"I was just thinking… even though the insides of the beast have already been completely hollowed out, Asher said that the beast is still acting according to its bodily instincts, instinctively thinking."
"Even the thoughts are the same as before."
"Here comes the question," Felter blinked, "Is it still itself? Is it dead or still alive?"
A bit of a tongue twister.
But whether it was Asher, or Freya and Charlotte, even Prince who was clutching his kidney, all understood what he meant to express.
It truly was a philosophical question.
"The more I think about it the more scared I get, it feels like I've seen some terrifying sci-fi novel or movie, wondering whether the people around me are still the ones I used to know or not…"
As he spoke, Felter's voice grew smaller and smaller, "In short, that's it, I think I scared myself."
Then he started hiccuping like crazy.
The logic made sense.
Not a single problem.
The others didn't laugh.
Good question.
This really is a good question.
Asher also seemed a little silent.
Because, when he heard the news from the mouth of the double-body box jellyfish, Asher had also thought about this question.
When this "me" disappears.
But there's still a "me" acting and living according to my way of thinking.
Am I still me?
Am I still alive?
"Because of the special environment inside the folded space, they parasitize beasts."
"Here comes the question again, do you think it's possible that they could also parasitize humans?"
Hiss—
Everyone showed a toothache expression.
That's a good question.
That's a question you wouldn't know the answer to without testing and experience.
"Hard to say, really hard to say… but if possible, I still hope this thing absolutely doesn't appear in our world," Charlotte shook her head frantically.
Refused to imagine that picture.
No way, just thinking about it, knowing that if that kind of possibility really existed, she'd have a huge increase in workload.
And it's the kind work that the little octopus couldn't replace at all and had to be handled personally.
Thinking of this, Charlotte suddenly froze.
"Actually… if that thing replaced me and could do all my work, maybe it's not so…", Charlotte pondered, Charlotte reflected, Charlotte was a little tempted.
Asher: "..."
What is this?
The legendary resentment of a working person is stronger than a ghost's?
In the face of absolute workload, even death becomes something easy and light.
This damned job.
Let the ghost take it.
Charlotte: 'Exactly! That's it!'
"I suggest you calm down," Hearing that Charlotte dared to admit it, Asher rolled his eyes helplessly.
"Don't forget, after being parasitized and hollowed out, you still possess your own thinking."
"You find work painful now, you'll still find work painful afterward."
"The pain is all yours."
"The happiness and the successful scheming belong to the parasite," Asher mercilessly laid out this truth.
Charlotte: "..."
"Thanks for the reminder. If you didn't say it, I wouldn't have remembered this part," Charlotte sighed as she spoke, looking completely deflated.
"I knew it, there's no such thing as pie falling from the sky in this world."
"What should be borne by me, in the end still has to be borne by me."
What kind of pain is this?
Better not to speak of it.
"If that's the case, then let me live properly, go to work, and enjoy the salted-fish life after work."
Asher continued to shatter Charlotte's dream, "It's still better to prepare an emergency strategy in advance."
"Professor Hubert's discovery…", After coming out, Asher had gotten in touch with Professor Hubert and Professor Desmond.
Asher knew about their discoveries too.
It seemed like similar folded spaces had appeared in countries all over the world.
Asher and his team narrowly escaped death, but that didn't mean others would be so lucky.
And with a bigger sample size, there's bound to be one or two minor secret realms where something unexpected happens.
"So…", Asher paused as he spoke, blinking as he looked at Charlotte in front of him.
After this matter is reported upwards, Charlotte was going to be busy for quite a long time because of it.
Charlotte who also thought of this matter: "..."
Charlotte fell backward.
Leaning against her chair.
Eyes dull as she stared at the ceiling, soul seeming like it was about to float out of her open mouth.
"My life… is so bitter!", Charlotte's mouth was full of bitterness.
But truly saying to give up and ignore it… that's also impossible.
"Alright alright," Charlotte sat up painfully straight again, rubbing her forehead, frowning as she thought.
"But since this is a serious matter, I think it's necessary to hold a high-level meeting."
As she said this Charlotte suddenly looked up at Asher, "Professor Asher, you…"
Before Charlotte could finish, Asher crossed his arms and made a big X sign.
"No."
"Don't bring me along."
"Your internal matters are better resolved internally. I think this kind of meeting is not suitable for someone like me, a young professor, an ordinary person."
This time not only did Charlotte fall silent.
Even Freya and Felter looked at Asher with a completely speechless expression.
"Wait… you really say that without a shred of guilt?", Felter was silent for a long time, finally couldn't hold back, glared and gritted his teeth as he said.
Asher, ordinary?
Then what did that make him, the genius from Jade Dragon University's combat department?
Nothing but a fart?
Felter thought and felt heartache.
He lost to Asher.
Then lost to Dexter.
Dexter was chasing Asher.
But he had to catch up to Dexter first before he could say he had a little bit of confidence to chase Asher… alright then.
Felter recalled all his time spent with Asher recently, and the strength of Asher's pet beasts he saw along the way.
Felter sank into a speechless silence again.
Sometimes, being a person means having a little self-awareness, right?
The matter of chasing Asher, really is…
Facing Felter's accusing gaze, Asher wasn't flustered at all, his smile was as calm as could be.
"Why should I feel guilty?"
"It's just the truth," Asher puffed out his chest, sounding quite justified.
"Shut up, Professor Asher," Charlotte, still weary, stepped forward and waved a hand at Asher, "If you keep talking, I might not be able to hold back my iron fist of impulse."
Asher gave a cheeky laugh.
Although, Asher obediently shut his mouth.
Using his eyes to silently express his obedience.
Charlotte chuckled coldly.
As if she'd believe that.
———
Saying goodbye to Charlotte.
Asher wasn't in a hurry to return to NY City.
"You guys coming with me?", Asher looked at Freya and the Sterling brothers following behind him and asked.
Freya looked somewhat tempted.
But after thinking it over, she still shook her head, "I have to go home for a bit."
Prince also waved his hand, "I saw an interesting mission!"
In the end, only Felter was left.
Looking left and right, Felter still couldn't hold back and looked at Asher, "Can I go with you?"
What?
Even though his big brother was right there?
That doesn't matter at all.
Following Asher is the right move.
Felter's eyes looked like they were glowing as he looked at Asher.
"I swear, I absolutely don't have any intention to secretly learn from you!", Felter said loudly.
Asher: "..."
"Secretly learn… I don't know if what you mean is the same as what I'm thinking, but even if you really had that thought, your chances of success aren't great," Freya stroked her chin and said.
Freya recalled seeing how Asher trained his pet beasts at his lab before, and then looked at Felter now.
Sometimes, imitating isn't something you can succeed at just because you want to.
Asher smiled, "Then you can come with me."
The four split into three groups.
Asher brought Felter to the national research institute.
As someone who had previously come to help during a crisis, Asher had access to come and go freely.
Felter, on the other hand, acted like an obedient college student, showing and registering his beast tamer ID and student ID, even left a photo scan and signature.
Only then could he follow Asher smoothly into the national research institute.
"So this is the national research institute…", Felter followed behind Asher, stepping into a channel he had never set foot in before, his eyes full of awe.
Taking up a vast area in Star City.
Cold metallic walls gleaming.
And those instruments and equipment showing signs of use…
All of this was territory Felter had never contacted before.
Walking inside the national research institute, Felter's steps naturally became much lighter.
Even his breathing grew shallower.
Felter didn't know how to describe how he felt right now… In short, it felt like… he was sneaking in?
He felt like he totally didn't belong here.
Thinking of this.
Felter's eyes couldn't help but fall on Asher ahead.
Asher & Professor Asher, two completely different titles.
Even a Tier 7 beast tamer like Freya, and his big brother Prince, respectfully called Asher "Professor."
But Felter insisted on calling him by name.
Not out of jealousy or strange reasons.
But in Felter's view, before the identity of pet evolution researcher professor, he valued Asher's identity as a beast tamer more.
The one he truly recognized was beast tamer Asher, not Pet Evolution Researcher Professor Asher.
So he insisted on calling Asher by name.
Beast tamers should call each other directly by name.
Of course, he also wouldn't mind if one day, before Asher, he became a ace-rank beast tamer, and Asher respectfully called him "Ace" first.
Asher: "?"
Asher felt a slight chill behind him.
Turning his head, he saw Felter apparently grinning foolishly.
"That smile of yours…"
'Pull it back.'
Before Asher finished speaking, Felter suddenly snapped out of it, instantly looked up and loudly said, "I definitely wasn't imagining beating you and making you call me boss one day."
Asher: "..."
Felter: "..."
The two looked at each other, eyes full of the same awkwardness and silence.
Just then, footsteps sounded in the distance.
"Professor Asher, you're here!", Professor Hubert and Professor Desmond walked over from not far away, waving their arms and calling loudly to Asher.
Asher gave Felter a long look before finally turning his gaze to Professor Hubert.
'Silly, but harmless.'
'Whatever.'
As a person, you always have to let others hold on to a bit of their fantasy, right?
Asher smiled.
'Heh, still, it's necessary to let Felter personally, practically, feel my power one day.'
'Fantasies are okay. But unrealistic fantasies need to be reined in.'
Felter just stood there nervously, watching Asher chatting with Professors Hubert and Desmond.
The three of them huddled together.
As they chatted, the conversation went off in a direction Felter couldn't understand at all, with zero intention of slowing down.
Listening made Felter's head feel twice as big.
Was this the legendary tea chat of big shots?
He, a normal person, mixed in among them, couldn't understand a thing.
"…That's why I say, Professor Asher, you might as well just stay, you're born to do this," After who knows what discussion, Professor Desmond looked at Asher with shining eyes and said seriously.
"All the equipment and tools the institute has are here."
"If you stay, Professor Asher, our research progress will surely be rapid!"
"The institute needs your participation!"
Before Asher could say anything, Felter suddenly shouted loudly.
"Asher wasn't born to do this!"
"Clearly Asher is also very gifted in pet cultivation, training, and pet battles!", Felter roared, and the previously inattentive Professors Hubert and Desmond both looked over at him.
Felter stiffened.
Cried out inwardly in panic.
He didn't have social anxiety.
But being stared at by two big shots—
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