Chapter 644: We Can Cooperate

Around the crater, a group of tourists had gathered, eager to witness the volcanic eruption.

The scorching air carried a pungent scent of sulfur. Even though the eruption had not yet begun, the atmosphere here was already unusual.

Everyone's attention was on the volcano. With the sky already dark, Qiao Sang’s sudden appearance went unnoticed.

“Yap yap?”

Yabao tilted his head, wearing a puzzled expression.

Where was this place?

“This is where you’ll evolve in the future.” Qiao Sang said.

“Yap!”

Upon hearing this, Yabao’s spirits lifted instantly. His eyes gleamed as he gazed at the distant Kotea Volcano.

“Lu…”

From inside the backpack, Lubao silently poked her head out, stared at Kotea Volcano for a moment, and then quietly withdrew.

“Xun Xun?”

Little Treasure, full of curiosity, let out a cry.

Then where was his evolution site?

Qiao Sang glanced at him.

“On Chaosu Star.”

“Xun Xun…”

Little Treasure sighed.

Such a vast place

…

“But for your evolution…” Qiao Sang couldn’t help but laugh at Little Treasure's reaction. Just as she was about to talk about the Yin Dynasty Pearl-

Suddenly, she heard a loud “woo” sound as a strong wind howled. In an instant, a three-meter-tall bird-like pet beast appeared in midair, about three meters away. It was predominantly orange, with a long, sharp beak.

A deep male voice rang out.

“Little girl, you're too close to the crater. It’s unsafe. Move back 200 meters.”

Qiao Sang looked up and saw a man in a black tactical jacket riding the bird-like pet beast in the sky directly ahead.

He was the one who had spoken.

“I understand.” Qiao Sang nodded.

The man was about to leave but hesitated when he noticed the young girl holding a pet beast.

He frowned slightly and asked, “Where are your parents? Are you here alone?”

“I’m alone.” Qiao Sang replied before turning away.

Parents these days were really careless, letting a child not only carry a pet beast but also wander around here alone…

The man inwardly complained but said nothing more. He rode his pet beast away.

Qiao Sang moved back to the designated safe area 200 meters away.

This place was crowded and noisy, with nearly everyone discussing the upcoming volcanic eruption.

Not far behind her, she overheard a conversation between two men:

“Do you think this eruption will produce ghostfire essence?”

“Possibly. Did you see those dozen or so guys riding sharp-beaked firebirds up there? They seem to be maintaining order for the tourists, but in reality, they’re stopping us from approaching in case ghostfire essence appears.”

“Who are these people?”

“Not sure, but they seem to be from the authorities. I’ve been here seven or eight times, and they’re always around at night. Think about it, if they really cared about tourist safety, why don’t they show up during the daytime eruptions?”

So if ghostfire essence appears, she wouldn’t be able to get close?

Qiao Sang looked up. Sure enough, several sharp-beaked firebirds hovered in the sky, identical to the one she had just seen up close.

Sharp-beaked firebirds…

Almost as soon as she locked her gaze on them, a voice, sounding just like Little Xunbao’s, rang out:

“Good thing you have me. Only I can identify those guys so clearly at night… Let’s see… Sharp-beaked Firebird, a high-tier fire-type pet beast. They inhabit volcanic craters year-round, making their body temperature significantly higher than that of regular fire-type beasts.”

“As a result, when hit by raindrops, steam rises, and a dense fog envelops their bodies.”

“Their contracted beastmasters all have strong heat resistance. After all, ordinary people can’t even get close due to the firebird’s high temperature.”

“How should I put it… I don’t think they’re your match. But there are many of them. If you fight, be cautious. I suspect they’ll gang up on you, so it’s best to scatter them and take them down one by one.”

That last part was unnecessary…

Qiao Sang twitched her mouth.

The two men she had overheard earlier fell silent for a moment. Then their footsteps sounded, moving farther away.

Qiao Sang: …

They definitely heard that!

But that was just the pet beast identifier talking! She hadn’t planned to do anything!

Suddenly, steady footsteps came from her left.

Qiao Sang turned her head.

A middle-aged Black man, seemingly in his forties, was approaching.

Who was this guy? Why was he looking at her? He wasn’t coming for her, was he?

Qiao Sang quickly averted her gaze, pretending they had never made eye contact.

“Hello.” The man strode over.

“I heard everything just now.”

Qiao Sang: ???

Heard what exactly?

The man lowered his voice.

“If you’re planning to act, I can help you.”

What kind of nonsense was this…

Qiao Sang gave him a highly complicated look.

The man continued, “Or rather, we can cooperate.”

Qiao Sang signaled with her eyes for him to go on, curious to hear what else he had to say.

The man understood her gaze and elaborated, “You have a ghost-type pet beast. You’re here for the ghostfire essence, aren’t you?”

Hearing this, Qiao Sang’s expression changed instantly.

“How do you know I have a ghost-type pet beast?”

Little Treasure had been invisible ever since the man in the tactical jacket approached.

“Because I also have a ghost-type pet beast.” The man said with a smile.

“And when your pet beast identifier was speaking, I noticed it was floating in midair.”

This guy had sharp hearing.

She hadn’t seen him around when she arrived, yet he had clearly heard the pet beast identifier. That meant he must be a beastmaster who had received multiple feedback enhancements…

He had a ghost-type pet beast and knew about ghostfire essence. He was definitely after it, too.

But why approach her? Were beastmasters really this casual about forming alliances?

Qiao Sang pondered while asking, “How do you want to cooperate?”

The man replied, “See those officials? With them around, we won’t get near Kotea Volcano. But, like your pet beast identifier said, we can scatter them.”

“If you distract some of them, I can get close to the volcano. Once I obtain the ghostfire essence, I’ll give you a share.”

So he wanted to use her as a decoy…

Qiao Sang asked, “Why me?”

Because you’re young and easy to fool

…

The man put on an earnest expression.

“We’re both ghost-type beastmasters. We should help each other, right?”

As if a child could resist the temptation of ghostfire essence. He planned to let her be the bait, but she shouldn’t expect to actually get any lava afterward.

Qiao Sang inwardly sneered.

Who was he trying to fool?

Ghostfire essence could be traded for an SS-tier Yin Dynasty Pearl, there was no way he’d hand it over so easily.

However, retrieving ghostfire essence during an eruption would be difficult alone.

Not only were those officials guarding the site, but the volcanic temperatures would be challenging. If the lava was only found deep inside, she would struggle to obtain it herself…

Maybe she should just let this guy collect it first, then take it from him.

Qiao Sang smiled and asked, “Is it just us? Anyone else?”

“Of course.” The man, sensing her agreement, pointed at a middle-aged white man about ten meters away.

“Him too.”

Qiao Sang followed his gaze.

The white man seemed to sense her looking and flashed a friendly smile.

Qiao Sang: …

Well, well. Wasn’t that the beast master she had previously traded an SS-tier Yin Dynasty Pearl with?