Lu Fei blinked in surprise. He hadn't expected the drunken man to offer him extra training. But after some thought, he recalled the man mentioning three contracted beasts for his extra practice.
What did that mean? He was already struggling to cope with two contracted beasts firing at him in a coordinated assault. What would three of them be like?
He couldn't help but glance down at Tie Tou Wa. The intense training session that afternoon had left Tie Tou Wa utterly exhausted, with blood flowing from multiple wounds. Lu Fei worried that Tie Tou Wa wouldn't be able to handle further training that evening.
He then quietly asked, "Tie Tou Wa, can you still manage?"
The paranoid creature with striking big eyes puffed out its chest and let out a childish roar, clearly indicating that it could.
*You were clearly bent over and panting earlier... Don't push yourself, brother...* Lu Fei mused inwardly.
But after days of interaction, he had a decent grasp of Tie Tou Wa's personality. It was a creature that refused to admit defeat, a true paranoid!
As Lu Fei was still contemplating his next steps, the distant voice of the departed drunkard reached him.
"Hurry up! You're still needed to cook!"
"Me?"
Lu Fei pointed at himself, wanting to say more but holding back.
In the end, he relented and followed reluctantly…
During dinner time, Lu Fei busied himself by the stove. Cooking and stir-frying were not unfamiliar tasks for him.
This brought back some memories that, while slightly bothersome, were also very heartwarming.
In the past, upon returning home, the cooking and dishwashing were usually his responsibility. His parents were solely focused on their romance. During dinner, the couple would light candles and enjoy the delicious food prepared by Lu Fei.
As for Lu Fei, he would stand by the side, holding a wine glass, responsible for refilling their drinks.
When they were nearly finished, his mother would gracefully say, "Ah Lu, please have a seat."
Only then could Lu Fei partake in the leftovers. He didn't find this kind of "oppression" bothersome. On the contrary, he cherished the sight of his family enjoying themselves together.
Earth.
Modu City.
A couple anxiously rushed to the police station, heading straight for the chief's office.
"Old Wang! I only found out today that my son has been missing for over a month! Hurry up and arrange for people to help me find him!"
…
With Brother Ji's help, a table full of dishes was soon ready.
Brother Ji licked his lips and instinctively moved towards the table, but Lu Fei stopped him. This entire spread was specifically for the drunken man. Moreover, in the latter's eyes, Brother Ji was just a contracted beast. If he sat at the table and behaved like a human, it would undoubtedly raise suspicion.
With no other option, Brother Ji had to move aside and join Tie Tou Wa. Upon seeing his master approach, Tie Tou Wa stood respectfully, bowed, and only after Brother Ji waved his hand did the master and disciple begin to eat their unappetizing contracted beast rations.
"Handsome, you've worked hard today! Do these dishes suit your taste?" Lu Fei asked with a smile.
The drunken man sniffed with his nose and nodded in satisfaction.
"They smell good." Then, he set down the wine gourd he was holding in his left hand and picked up a few bites of food with that same hand, never using his right.
This scene did not escape Lu Fei's notice. Although he found it a bit strange, he didn't pry.
"Mmm! These dishes are delicious!"
The drunken man took a small bite and praised it profusely.
"What did you add to these dishes? Why are they so tasty!"
*Well, of course… I added the meticulously developed MSG, version 1.0…* Lu Fei smiled and said,
"I'm glad you like it, Handsome. My cooking is just average; nothing special."
The drunken man didn't suspect anything and continued to wolf down the food.
He pointed to the empty bowl and chopsticks beside him.
"Mmm! Mmm! You eat too!"
Lu Fei sat down and took a few bites of food.
Having reached a certain level of exhaustion, he had lost his appetite.
Soon, the dishes on the table were almost completely gone, devoured like a storm.
The drunken man wiped his oily mouth with his sleeve and let out a satisfied burp.
"Not bad. I haven't eaten such delicious food in a long time." He shook his wine gourd, satisfied. "And this wine is also quite good."
Listening to the other man's praise, Lu Fei appeared very humble. "As long as you like it, Handsome. I was just worried you wouldn't be satisfied!"
The drunken man shook his wine gourd and invited, "Do you drink? Shall we have a drink together?"
Lu Fei showed a troubled expression. It wasn't that he couldn't drink, but rather that he had a terrible track record when drunk. The last time Lin Yuansheng hosted a banquet for Chu Huainan, he had made a fool of himself after a few drinks at the table.
After a brief internal struggle, Lu Fei gritted his teeth and handed over his bowl.
He said heartily, "Let's go!"
The drunken man quickly filled Lu Fei's bowl with wine!
After several bowls of strong liquor, Lu Fei was already feeling groggy.
But there was an advantage to being drunk. Sober people often had many reservations, hesitant to speak certain words. Drunkenness, however, was different; it was uninhibited.
Lu Fei pointed at the drunken man's right hand.
"Why haven't I seen you use your right hand at all?"
The drunken man didn't seem to mind. He generously rolled up his right sleeve, but what followed was a shocking sight!
His right palm was missing, and even more horrifying, the severed end revealed bare bone!
Lu Fei was stunned and suddenly became much more sober.
The drunken man said calmly, "I lost it accidentally. Heh heh."
Lu Fei nodded dazedly.
Then, he heard the drunken man say,
"Given the wine and the meal today, I'll teach you a few things. Listen carefully."
Lu Fei composed himself and nodded seriously.
The drunken man asked:
"What do you think is the relationship between humans and contracted beasts?"
Lu Fei blurted out, "Partners!"
Upon hearing this, the drunken man's expression changed dramatically; it was a look of surprise.
"Did I say something wrong?" Lu Fei asked, confused.
The drunken man stared blankly for a while before numbly shaking his head.
"There's no single answer to this question, but your utterance of those two words surprised me."
Lu Fei felt a bit lost. Weren't they partners? Fighting side-by-side, supporting each other; perhaps their contracted beasts would be the ones who stayed with them the longest.
The drunken man said with a hint of admiration, "Many people merely treat contracted beasts as tools. I didn't expect you to give me such an answer."
Lu Fei smiled, not trying to inflate his own importance.
"Since you understand this principle, you should be able to grasp what I'm about to say."
The drunken man continued, "You should know that contracted beasts were originally enemies of humans. They were ferocious and violent, severely impacting human survival."
"For the continuation and survival of humanity, scientists developed specialized tools to counter contracted beasts: the Beast Taming Scrolls!"
Lu Fei nodded. The original owner's memories contained such information.
The drunken man took a large gulp of wine and said in a low voice,
"But do you know how humans and contracted beasts coexisted before the Beast Taming Scrolls came into existence?"