Beast Tamer: I Can See Evolution Paths

"Do as you're told or get lost. Choose one."

Asher also smiled faintly. "An incompetent brat? This Mr. Franklin...?"

Asher deliberately paused, scanning Franklin from head to toe, as if trying to figure out his identity.

"Strangely, I don't recall seeing you in any related academic reports. I didn't notice you at the annual event for pet evolution professors in South China this year either. Could you share any remarkable research achievements you've made to broaden my horizons?"

Asher's tone was casual, as if chatting about everyday life, but his few simple words struck Franklin like a thunderclap.

To say nothing else... He wasn't even able to get on the list for this year's New Year's event jointly hosted by the Alliance and the Breeders' Association.

"You... you..." Franklin's finger shook as he pointed at Asher, trembling with fury as if he might collapse at any moment.

Asher blinked innocently. "Mr. Franklin, did I say something wrong? Or accidentally hurt your ego? How about we pretend I didn't say anything just now~?"

The slight teasing tone nearly made Franklin faint from anger.

Professor Hugo, standing nearby, couldn't help but let out a laugh.

'Interesting.'

Asher was far more intriguing than Professor Hugo had imagined.

Professor Hugo had no objections to Asher's counterattack—in fact, he wanted to applaud it.

'Perfect.'

'This kind of attitude is exactly what someone like Franklin deserves.'

Being polite? He'd probably start thinking he was some big shot.

Just as Franklin was about to start cursing, Professor Hugo stepped forward, hands in his pockets, and shook out his coat. "Are you sure you want to keep wasting time with me here?"

With an impatient glance at Franklin, Professor Hugo added, "Then I'll take Professor Asher and head out first. Goodbye."

He walked off without waiting for a reply, gesturing politely to Asher as he reached his side.

The two of them completely ignored Franklin, whose chest was heaving with rage, as if he were an insignificant clown not worthy of their attention.

Franklin clenched his teeth in fury, wishing he could punch both of them in the face.

But he couldn't.

He had managed to get this opportunity to officially involve himself in the Rabbit-Dog research project through persistent lobbying and support from his backers. Franklin wasn't about to let it slip away.

If he missed this chance, who knew when the next one would come?

With this in mind, Franklin stomped heavily, his steps echoing loudly as he followed Asher and Professor Hugo.

Hearing the heavy footsteps behind them, Professor Hugo clicked his tongue in annoyance.

"Tsk!" Professor Hugo grimaced. "Didn't think he'd actually follow us. What a nuisance."

"Professor Asher, just ignore whatever he says later. Focus on what you're doing and treat him like he doesn't exist," Professor Hugo said apologetically, his voice filled with regret. "...My relationship with him isn't great. Since he can't get back at me, he might try to take it out on you."

Asher sighed.

He got it. Totally.

When it came to verbal spats, Professor Hugo wasn't a weakling.

And when it came to actual capabilities, Professor Hugo was even stronger.

Not to mention that Professor Hugo's handsome appearance completely outshone Franklin's similar style.

How could Franklin ever get along with Professor Hugo?

"Did you steal his girlfriend?" Asher joked.

Unexpectedly, Professor Hugo gave Asher an embarrassed look.

Asher: "..."

'Damn.'

'I was just joking.'

'Who would've thought it is true?'

Did he have some prophetic bloodline or something?

"Well, that's part of it. There are other reasons too," Professor Hugo muttered, rubbing his nose. "Another is that we belong to different academic schools."

Asher: "?"

He looked at Professor Hugo in confusion.

"Academic schools?" Asher asked. "Are there such distinctions among scholars studying pet evolution?"

He didn't recall hearing about it before.

Professor Hugo wasn't surprised and patiently explained.

"The academic atmosphere in NY City is pretty good. Conflicts among pet evolution professors are rare, and the overall vibe is positive," Professor Hugo said calmly.

"But things are different in Thousand Springs City. Due to its climate and geographical location, many elderly pet evolution professors live here."

"These senior professors from the previous generation have different philosophies and approaches compared to the current ones."

"That's led to a divide between the old school and the new school."

Asher's expression turned a bit speechless, as if he wanted to complain but didn't know where to start.

This kind of thing... made sense but still felt absurd when heard directly.

"What's the main point of contention between the old school and the new school?" Asher cut to the heart of the issue in one question.

'Everyone's an academic—what's causing all these disputes?'

"It's about the methods used to explore new evolution paths for beasts," Professor Hugo explained with a touch of helplessness in his tone.

Professor Hugo continued, "Professor Asher, you're likely familiar with the new school's approach. It involves first identifying a potential direction for an beast's new evolution path. In other words, you have a rough idea of its abilities after evolution."

Uh... Asher blinked and said nothing.

Should he admit that just one look was enough for him to see the new evolution path of an beast?

The phrase "bold speculation, cautious verification" didn't apply to him at all.

Still, Asher nodded.

Even if he hadn't directly done it, he'd seen others in action.

Henry and Marie, for instance, had identified common traits between the Fire Fox and the Red Flame Hound. They had speculated on their post-evolution attributes and abilities before conducting experiments.

They used various resources and materials to activate the creatures' bloodlines and abilities during cultivation.

What's wrong with that approach?

To Asher, studying beasts' new evolution paths seemed perfectly reasonable this way.

"No, no, no," Professor Hugo shook his head, his expression one of restrained exasperation. "Those old-school professors... don't work like that."

"The old school's approach is—forget all the theorizing, just dump resources on it and see what happens."

Asher silently added three question marks in his mind.

'What?'

'Seriously—just throw resources at it?'

'Where are they getting all these resources from?'

'Do they think resources grow on trees?'

Low-grade resources might be plentiful and renewable, like Waving Verdant Grass, easily gathered over time.

But mid-grade and high-grade resources were different.

The better the quality, the slower the regeneration.

Specific timeframes, unique environments, rare miracles, and countless coincidences—these factors combined to produce such resources.

Skipping preliminary research and just wasting resources recklessly? That's insane.

Asher conveyed this sentiment with his gaze.

Professor Hugo nodded, confirming Asher's suspicions.

Silence.

Silence filled the Cambridge River. [T/N: Metaphorically]

"After all, you know, the true effort to find new evolutionary paths for beasts has only really started in the past two hundred years."

Ah…

Asher suddenly understood what Professor Hugo meant.

"I remember that the first batch of pet evolution research professors were all beast masters, very few in number. Compared to pet research, becoming a breeder was still more cost-effective," Asher said, his expression one of sudden realization.

He remembered now.

He had read about it in The Five-Hundred-Year Evolution History of Pet Beasts.

In fact, if you go back a few hundred more years, it's not that no one studied new evolutionary paths for beasts—it was just that there were very few people doing so, as most thought it unnecessary.

But in recent years, things had changed.

Nations began discovering that some extraordinarily powerful forces were hidden within the unknown evolutionary paths of beasts.

Thus, a massive amount of resources was poured into nurturing more outstanding pet evolution professors.

No one interested?

No problem.

Throw resources at it.

Whatever is needed, provide it.

When the nation first started promoting the pet evolution industry, it was simple: as long as an application was well-written and the reasoning sounded plausible, both the alliance and the government would grant resources for personal laboratories.

Try it!

Try boldly and without hesitation.

The nation and the alliance needed such talent.

The nation and the alliance lacked everything but money.

If wealth was in question, Huaxia in this world was truly wealthy.

And it was exceedingly capable.

An internationally renowned powerhouse.

No country could compete with Huaxia in terms of resource abundance.

Moreover, Huaxia's ancestors had the habit of hoarding supplies like "store rats."

Even in earlier times, they loved periodically stockpiling good things from the outside world.

When the country decided to implement something on a large scale… there was no goal they couldn't achieve.

The first batch of pet evolution professors had a great time back then.

Every day, they immersed themselves in mysterious collisions between materials in their laboratories, applying those interactions to beasts.

The efficiency was a little low, but under the circumstances of the time, it didn't matter much.

But that was only temporary.

As society's demand for mid-to-high-grade materials grew and the industry emerged… the government's attitude changed.

Want resources? Sure.

But first, present a well-reasoned, clear argument that can convince everyone.

Can't do it?

Hoping to secure approval first and then confirm things little by little through experiments?

No chance.

As the old school of thought hadn't completely faded, new rules brought about a new school of thought.

The old school, with a mix of reluctance and some airs, clashed with the new school.

Hmm…

When Asher read about this, he didn't think much of it.

After all, these matters felt rather distant from him.

Especially when considering the age and character of Old Master Damien.

New school versus old school? The old professor himself was a pragmatist.

Asher thought this and said aloud, "Aren't these people all old? What's the point of fighting over this?"

"I think the same. Honestly, it's really unnecessary," Professor Hugo shrugged, fully agreeing with Asher.

Pointless.

"And this doesn't even count as a true conflict between the new and old schools, does it?" As they walked to the elevator from the underground parking lot, Professor Hugo pressed the button and continued as they stepped inside, "This is just the government tailoring its policies to different periods."

But in the hands of these people, it became a battle between two schools of thought…

Is this the legendary "where there are people, there are conflicts"?

'Respect, respect.'

Asher felt utterly inadequate in comparison.

"Hmph!" Just as the elevator doors were about to close, Franklin squeezed his way in, forcing the doors back open with his shoulder. He swaggered in and stood opposite Asher and Professor Hugo.

"Policy? It's just an excuse to suppress us!" Franklin had overheard their conversation, and his eyes were filled with disdain and scorn.

"All day long, researching useless, theoretical nonsense. What's the point?" Franklin crossed his arms, lifting his chin high. "If you want results, first ensure you're given enough solid resources. Practicality leads to knowledge—that's an unchanging truth."

"Without enough resources, how can we experiment? How can we discover the truth?"

Franklin spoke with spittle flying, his words righteous and indignant, as though the only reason he lacked results was that the alliance wasn't generous enough, withholding the resources he needed for "practicality."

Asher: "…"

Speechless.

He didn't even know where to begin.

Ignoring Franklin's ramblings, Asher turned to Professor Hugo and said, "In my opinion, this isn't a conflict between the new and old schools. It's just incompetent people finding excuses for themselves."

"Not enough resources, so I can't produce results."

"The resource grade isn't high enough, so I can't produce results."

"There are too few resources, so I can't produce results."

No matter how you look at it, it's all excuses.

"If they truly had talent, could they not even come up with an argument to convince the alliance to invest?" Asher shook his head, his calm expression laced with an unspoken ridicule. "No, no, no. That's not it. They just want to freeload and then shift the blame elsewhere."

If they discover a new evolutionary path, it's their merit.

If they don't, it's the nation's and alliance's fault for not providing enough resources.

This wasn't about the new and old schools at all.

Otherwise, how could Franklin—this young man in his twenties who never experienced the old-school treatment—be so adamant about standing up for the old school?

Because only by doing so could he better cover up his incompetence.

Franklin was livid.

Professor Hugo laughed.

Quietly, Professor Hugo gave Asher a thumbs-up.

'Impressive!'

'Your skill in roasting people is remarkable!'

'When was the last time this kid got so mad?'

Professor Hugo thought back for a moment.

'Oh.'

Probably the last time they met.

But for Asher to achieve this level with just a few sentences? That was no small feat.

Franklin: "..."

Inside the elevator, only the three of them remained.

The sound of grinding teeth was audible to the other two.

"You—" Franklin glared at Asher, his face filled with resentment. "Talking is easy. What's the use of bragging here?"

"Do you really think looking at lab reports and studying the Rabbit Dog can lead to a new evolutionary path?"

"I'm telling you, instead of wasting your time here, why don't you go home and read more books? Maybe you'll learn something you didn't know."

Educated people insulting others is truly impressive.

Without a single curse word, Franklin had managed to look down on Asher completely.

His attitude was one of utter contempt.

"Is Mr. Franklin describing himself?" Asher chuckled lightly, his tone calm and detached as he spoke. "Because you weren't a genius, and you knew nothing at my age, you naturally assume that everyone my age should also know nothing, right?"

Asher had a knack for hitting nerves.

Every jab was precise.

"Eh, forget it, forget it." Asher shook his head, his expression smug and his words even more provocative: "A genius like me isn't something everyone can imagine."

"Oh, by the way, Mr. Franklin, perhaps you don't recognize me?"

Asher usually didn't flaunt.

But today was different.

"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Asher, a beast master from NY City."

The name "Asher" carried weight.

Franklin's face turned red.

Instantly, he recalled the person whom Professor Damien publicly thanked during the New Year's Eve gala.

If Asher dared to state his name now, then it could only mean—he was that person.

The rising star of NY City's Beast Alliance, a rookie in pet evolution research—Asher.

"You…" Yet even so, Franklin didn't abandon his arrogant stance. "You've achieved a little, but who knows if it's just a flash in the pan? What's there to be so smug about?"

"Your basics probably aren't even solid yet."

Asher wanted to applaud Franklin.

'Impressive.'

'Some people's mouths are truly extraordinary.'

'Even if the sky were falling, they could hold it up with their words alone.'

"Don't compare me, a genius, to you, an ordinary person. I don't want to be brought down to your level," Asher retorted.

One sentence. Franklin was instantly defeated.

This time, Franklin completely lost his temper and, in a fit of rage, swung his fist at Asher.

Before it could land, Professor Hugo stepped in, restraining him effortlessly.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"Can't win an argument, so you resort to violence?"

Professor Hugo looked at Franklin with an indescribable hint of mockery in his eyes.

"You've really outdone yourself."

Franklin, who was being scolded right in the face, was still fuming despite being stopped from actually attacking Asher.

No way!

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became.

"I challenge you!" Franklin, seemingly reminded of something, suddenly brightened up, his anger shifting into excitement.

Asher raised an eyebrow in question.

Professor Hugo frowned.

"What kind of challenge?"

"Let's see who can uncover the key to the new evolutionary route for the Rabbit Dog faster."

Asher was mildly interested, but not much.

"That sounds boring. Even if I win, what's in it for me?" Asher glanced at Franklin. "My time is precious, and I only agreed to Brother Hugo's invitation because he gave me enough benefits."

"Don't tell me you're bringing nothing to the table and just trying to ride on my reputation?"

Asher's tone was filled with exaggerated surprise and disbelief.

The key to the Rabbit Dog's new evolutionary route? Compete with him on this? Was Franklin sure there wasn't something wrong with his head?

If it weren't for their bad blood, Asher might've really asked:

Who gave Franklin the audacity to compete with a cheater like him on evolution?

"Hmph! I'm not some miserly nobody from a backwater town like you." Franklin crossed his arms, his eyes darting mischievously.

In truth, Asher's guess wasn't entirely wrong.

After being utterly infuriated by Asher, Franklin suddenly had a flash of inspiration.

Asher was famous. And Franklin, who lacked nothing but renown, thought that creating a groundbreaking discovery in beast evolution would be the fastest way to gain fame.

But this wasn't something that could be done overnight.

Two years ago, a younger Franklin had focused his research on an beast called the Rabbit Dog after catching wind that the government seemed interested in a new evolutionary route for it.

If researchers made progress, the government was expected to provide significant support, leading to fame, fortune, and national recognition.

If there were no results, finding someone to blame wouldn't be too hard either—it would only cost a few years of his life.

It was a highly profitable gamble.

But just as Franklin was about to apply for a lab, Professor Hugo beat him to it, securing the project and receiving a large funding grant.

Franklin's plans were thwarted.

While multiple professors could theoretically work on similar projects, having two identical projects in the same city meant one would receive priority funding while the other wouldn't.

With Professor Hugo securing the initial funding, Franklin knew any subsequent grant he applied for would only be a token gesture.

His best and safest career path had been blocked, and Franklin couldn't accept it.

Young and impulsive, he refused to start a new project.

Instead of doing much, he spent his time helping with small projects while obsessively keeping tabs on Professor Hugo's progress.

Has he made any breakthroughs? No, no, no!

Every couple of weeks, Franklin would pester the Alliance with inquiries, driving them to the point of nearly granting him researcher status just to make him stop.

But Franklin refused.

He didn't just want to be a researcher—he wanted to be the lead project manager.

Now, after waiting two full years, Franklin felt he'd found the perfect opportunity.

"Twenty high-grade resources, any of your choice," Franklin declared boldly, showcasing his wealth.

Asher wasn't surprised.

Franklin's flashy car was evidence enough of his affluence.

"But if you lose, I'll take over as the project manager." Franklin added, smugly lifting his chin. "What's the matter, kid? Scared?"

"I refuse, and it's not because I'm scared," Asher replied coldly.

Oh, did Franklin think reverse psychology would work on him?

He was no rookie.

"Coward!" Franklin bellowed. "Spineless loser! I can't believe I wasted my time on a soft-bellied shrimp like you!"

Fuming, Franklin hurled a barrage of insults.

Professor Hugo whipped around, glaring at him. "Watch your mouth, or I won't hold back."

Caught mid-rant, Franklin froze.

His lips quivered, but memories of Professor Hugo's past "lessons" gave his body a reflexive shiver. Professor Hugo wasn't someone to provoke.

"And I'll accept this bet on Asher's behalf," Professor Hugo added. "But it's unfair. My project has two years of progress, complete with data and theories. Let's make it thirty high-grade resources if you're serious."

Professor Hugo's counteroffer hit Franklin's limit.

While he was wealthy and desperate for Professor Hugo's project, coughing up thirty high-grade resources was like bleeding out.

"What? Lost your nerve?" Asher chimed in, emboldened by Professor Hugo's trust.

Franklin couldn't resist reverse psychology—it worked like a charm on him.

"Fine! Thirty it is!" Franklin snapped, biting the bait.

Asher and Professor Hugo exchanged a sly glance, their eyes brimming with shared cunning.

Too easy.

Feeling a smidgen of guilt? Nah, who cares?

When benefits walk into your hands, you take them.

After recording the terms of the wager, the trio exited the elevator and headed for the lab. Franklin, now leading the way, strutted like he already owned the place.

Asher's feelings were… complicated.

"Brother Hugo, aren't you worried I might lose?" he asked.

Franklin's proposed bet—it would be a lie to say there wasn't any temptation.

But before getting tempted, Asher reminded himself of a crucial fact: this project had absolutely nothing to do with him.

He couldn't make decisions on behalf of Professor Hugo.

Professor Hugo, upon hearing this, waved his hand with a casual, nonchalant expression: "No worries, no worries, just go ahead and do it boldly."

"If even you can't figure out the key to the new evolutionary path for the Rabbit Dog, then that kid is even less likely to discover it."

"Let's just say…I do know that guy a little bit." Professor Hugo spoke while touching his chin, rubbing it repeatedly.

"He's a little clever, but he's really not cut out to be a professor of pet evolution research."

"Researching new evolutionary paths? The most important qualities are patience for solitude and resilience against the frustration of repeated experimental failures."

"And as for these two traits, he doesn't have either."

Patience for solitude?

No, no, no.

Franklin was like a peacock showing off its feathers.

The small fraction of his mind dedicated to pet evolution research paled in comparison to the majority invested in socializing and networking for upward mobility.

When inspiration struck him, he'd gather a massive amount of resources, throw everything together into a so-called "flash of genius" recipe, and hurl it all in.

beast evolution?

Evolution my foot.

As for frustration from repeated failures?

Franklin genuinely didn't experience that.

Not even a little.

He simply pushed all the blame onto others.

Just as Asher had pointed out before: blaming the alliance, blaming the resource procurement platform, blaming the assistants helping him out—

The one thing he'd never blame was himself.

If something went wrong, it was someone else's fault.

But if there was success, all the credit was his.

After hearing Professor Hugo's description, Asher was utterly speechless.

"For real?"

"Then I just don't get it. Why is he so obsessed with becoming a professor of pet evolution? Why not do something else instead?"

"Well…" Professor Hugo touched his chin again, hesitating for a moment before replying, "Maybe that's partly my fault?"

Asher: "..."

Asher just wanted to know what on earth Professor Hugo had done to make someone so unsuited for this field persist so relentlessly.

It definitely wasn't out of friendship.

The two of them were far too incompatible for that.

Anything else? Asher couldn't think of a reasonable explanation.

"Actually, at the start…he probably just wanted to steal my girlfriend." Professor Hugo dropped this bombshell so casually that it landed squarely on Asher's head.

Asher: "?"

Steal a girlfriend?

Was it really that dramatic?

Professor Hugo nodded, confirming it was indeed that dramatic.

"He happened to meet my girlfriend and fell for her at first sight. At the time, I hadn't even met her yet."

"Then he confessed to her, only to be rejected without hesitation—she said she didn't like aimless drifters and preferred someone with a stable job and high intelligence, like a breeder or a professor of pet evolution."

Asher: "…That sounds like a made-up excuse."

"Exactly." Professor Hugo smiled. "But that kid took it seriously."

Asher was at a loss for words.

What could he say to that?

Praise Franklin for being pure-hearted?

It seemed there really was a bit of that.

He was just about the purest person Asher had ever seen.

"When I confessed to my girlfriend, she said the same thing to me." Professor Hugo chuckled. "But after my persistent efforts, she became my girlfriend in the end."

Pausing for a moment, Professor Hugo continued, "Oh, right. When I brought my girlfriend back to the country, we ran into him at the airport. That's probably when our feud started."

Asher could totally understand that.

Franklin, learning that the girl he liked was returning to the country, happily went to the airport, intending to show off his new identity as a professor of pet evolution.

He might've even planned to use the opportunity to win her over.

Take her home and claim victory.

But instead…he discovered she already had a boyfriend. Not only that, but the boyfriend was also in the same field.

And perhaps just a bit more handsome.

There was no way Franklin could ignore the fact that Professor Hugo was jobless but still managed to outshine him completely.

Asher could easily imagine Franklin's rage at that time.

"Afterward…he just got used to being in this circle," Professor Hugo continued in a mocking tone. "And let's be honest, in this field, you do get access to things ordinary people can't."

"Franklin isn't a Beast Tamer and hasn't awakened any Beast Taming qualifications, but let's be real: which man can resist beasts after being exposed to them up close?"

It's like basketball, sneakers, Harleys, or mechas—no man can resist.

In this era of Beast Tamers and the beasts, professions allowing close contact with Beast Tamers and beasts were even more wildly popular.

Nobody could resist.

Not Professor Hugo.

And certainly not Franklin.

However, staying in this circle without sufficient intellect or perseverance led Franklin astray. Somewhere along the way, he started chasing the so-called "old school."

Professor Hugo had no strong opinion on this.

"So don't worry about him, relax." Professor Hugo smiled, patting Asher on the shoulder. "At worst, you'll both fail to figure it out and call it a tie."

"What if he's well-prepared?" Asher asked.

"Hmm… Even then, it's not a big deal." Professor Hugo laughed heartily, his gaze clear and unbothered. "Since I agreed, I've already prepared myself mentally."

"Even if the odds are only 0.001%, they can't be ruled out entirely."

"If it happens, I'll just give him the project leader position. If he can identify the key to the Rabbit Dog's new evolutionary path, then he deserves the position anyway."

Professor Hugo spoke with such ease, as if he didn't care about personal gain or loss at all.

"But if you win…" Professor Hugo grinned mischievously at Asher. "Share a bit of the credit with me."

Asher gestured in response.

Deal.

With 30 options instead of 20, giving Professor Hugo a little slice was no big deal.

After all, Professor Hugo had taken on some risks by agreeing to this.

Entering the lab, they saw a dozen staff members in white coats bustling about, each busy with their assigned tasks.

Not far away stood a girl in a red fleece-lined dress, her outfit trimmed with furry edges, making her look like a little bunny.

Standing under 1.6 meters tall, with a round face, she looked exceptionally youthful and adorable.

The moment she spotted Professor Hugo, she smiled at him brightly.

"Professor Hugo, you're here!"

"Amanda." Professor Hugo nodded at her before introducing Asher briefly.

Amanda Sterling, one of the Rabbit Dog Tamers selected for its new evolutionary path project.

Due to the ongoing New Year celebrations, the chosen Tamers weren't reporting to the lab daily.

Today, Amanda was here because Professor Hugo had specifically called her in advance.

"Professor Hugo, has there been new progress in the Rabbit Dog's evolutionary path?" Amanda —nicknamed as "Little Rabbit"—blinked her round bunny-like eyes at the unfamiliar Asher and Franklin.

Before Professor Hugo could say anything, Franklin cut in: "Let me see your pet beast."

Amanda Sterling glanced at Franklin, then at Professor Hugo, but didn't move.

Franklin's expression grew impatient. "When you're told to do something, just do it. No wonder there's no progress on the Rabbit Dog's evolution; it's partly because of uncooperative Tamers like you."

"Ugh! Once I'm in charge of this project, I'll replace all the Tamers involved."

"You've overstepped your bounds, sir." Amanda, who looked like a soft and delicate girl, was anything but that.

With her round, watery eyes and a soft yet firm voice, she retorted, "I don't quite understand what you're trying to say, but isn't Professor Hugo still in charge of this project? And who are you, exactly?"

"What qualifications do you have to question the project's progress?"

Little Rabbit's sharp counterattack left no room for pleasantries.

What face?

Why give face?

Amanda wasn't about to let Franklin's condescending attitude slide.

She'd noticed his superior, dismissive gaze earlier, as if she were nothing but a tool.

And Amanda wasn't one to take such treatment lying down.

Franklin's face turned an ugly mix of red, green, and purple.

"Professor Hugo, you called me today and insisted that I come. It can't possibly be just to meet someone as rude as this guy, right?" Amanda turned to Professor Hugo, puffing her cheeks in anger as she asked.

It seemed as though if Professor Hugo dared to confirm, she would turn around and leave immediately.

"Don't be angry, Little Rabbit. You don't need to pay attention to his nonsense. I did call you here today to introduce you to someone, but it's definitely not him." Professor Hugo's face carried a big smile, as warm as sunlight.

Seeing this, the previously furious Amanda's expression improved significantly.

How to put it?

As long as it's not that guy, it's fine.

His face looked extremely slappable at first glance.

═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═

patreon.com/AmbitiousTranslator

🥳Joining Patreon keeps me motivated and eager to work diligently, so please consider joining.🥰 You can access upto 20 advance chapter through Patreon.

https://discord.gg/bYAfGyp98y