Beast Taming Star Journey

The Beastmaster smiled slightly, his tone calm. "The strategist is meticulous, often observing the celestial phenomena at night to deduce the battle situation. There's no need to worry about it." His words, though understated, only fueled my suspicions. Did deduce the battle situation require someone alone, muttering to themselves under the stars in the dead of night?

"I'm just a little curious," I replied vaguely, but I was determined to find out the secret behind it.

Over the next few days, I paid even closer attention to the actions of the Beastmasters and the Uranium Strategists. I discovered that although they were working with us to develop the battle plan, they were vague about some key details. Moreover, they always avoided us, holding secret conversations in private.

The thorium boy remained lively and curious about everything. He seemed oblivious to the unusual behavior of the protactinium beast tamer and the uranium strategist, continuing to pester them with questions. The neptunium beast tamer and the plutonium envoy, on the other hand, maintained a cautious attitude. They admired the strength of their mysterious allies but also harbored suspicions about their motives.

One day, the thorium boy pestered the beast tamer to see his beasts. The beast tamer couldn't refuse him, so he took him to an ally's beast taming camp. I made an excuse and followed, and Su Yao followed behind me without a word.

The Beast Taming Camp was located deep within the allies' encampment, surrounded by powerful barriers. Inside, various strangely shaped beasts emitted low roars, and a peculiar aura permeated the air. I noticed that the eyes of these beasts gleamed with an eerie light, unlike any beast I had ever seen before.

Just then, I saw the Beastmaster leading the Thorium boy towards a secluded corner deep within the camp. The corner was hidden by dense bushes, making it appear exceptionally mysterious. I gestured for Su Yao to stay where she was, and then quietly followed them.

Through the gaps in the bushes, I saw the Beastmaster take a black box from his robes and hand it to the young man. Curious, the young man opened the box; inside was a gem that shimmered with a ghostly blue light.

"What is this?" the thorium boy asked curiously.

"This is..." The Beastmaster was about to speak when he seemed to sense something, suddenly turned his head, and scanned the bushes where I was hiding with piercing eyes.

I held my breath and remained motionless.

"Who is there?" The Beastmaster's voice was deep and authoritative.

My heart was pounding, and my palms were sweating. I realized I'd been discovered… “Come out!”

I took a deep breath, knowing that hiding was pointless. I slowly emerged from behind the bushes, meeting the sharp gaze of the Beastmaster. Su Yao also emerged from the other side, looking at me with concern. I gave her a reassuring look.

"Nong Yu, what are you doing here?" The Beast Tamer's tone was unreadable, but his furrowed brows and flickering eyes revealed his inner turmoil.

"I was just taking a stroll," I replied casually, trying to appear as natural as possible. "I saw the boy here, so I came to check it out."

The Beastmaster remained silent, staring intently at me as if trying to see through my thoughts. The Thorium youth looked at me blankly, then at the Beastmaster, clearly not understanding what was happening.

At this moment, the strategist appeared out of nowhere, a meaningful smile on his face, and said, "Brother Nong Yu, being too curious is not a good thing." His words were light, yet they carried an invisible pressure.

My heart sank; it seemed the Uranium strategist had noticed my probing. I tried to remain calm and said, "I'm just curious about everything concerning our allies, after all, we're about to fight side by side."

“Curiosity is understandable,” the Uranium Strategist said, walking up to me and lowering his voice, “but sometimes, knowing too much is not a good thing.”

I stared at him, a tense atmosphere filling the air. Su Yao gripped her sword tightly, ready to strike at any moment.

“Uranium Strategist, what do you mean by that?” My tone turned cold.

“It doesn’t mean anything,” the Uranium Strategist chuckled, “just a reminder not to cross the line.”

After he finished speaking, he turned and left, leaving behind only a meaningful silhouette. The Beastmaster gave me a deep look, then also left with the Thorium Boy.

I stood there, my mind racing. The uranium strategist's warning, the protactinium beast tamer's vigilance, the blue gem in the thorium boy's hand—all of this seemed like a fog, shrouding my heart. I had a vague feeling that behind this mysterious ally lay a great secret.

Back at the camp, Su Yao asked worriedly, "Are you alright?"

“It’s nothing,” I shook my head, “I just feel like I can’t understand them anymore.”

Over the next few days, I became even more cautious, trying to avoid any one-on-one contact with the Beastmasters and Uranium Strategists. But I didn't give up on finding the truth; I began to secretly observe their actions and gather all possible information.

One evening, the Beastmaster summoned us to discuss a new battle plan. He took out a complex map, covered with densely marked routes and symbols.

“This is our latest battle plan,” the Beastmaster said, pointing to the map. “We will divide our forces into three groups and attack the enemy’s fortress from three directions simultaneously.”

I examined the map carefully and found the operation plan to be extremely complex, with some details that were baffling. For example, one route took a very roundabout way and passed through some deserted areas.

"Why take such a long detour?" I asked.

The Beastmaster explained, "Although this route is longer, it allows us to avoid the enemy's main force and reduce our casualties."

His explanation sounded reasonable, but something still felt off. I looked at the uranium strategist and found him looking at me with a half-smile, a hint of smugness in his eyes.

A bad feeling suddenly rose in my heart; this battle plan... might be a trap.

“This plan…” I was about to speak when the Beastmaster interrupted me.

“It’s settled then,” he said firmly. “We’ll set off first thing tomorrow morning.”

After he finished speaking, he got up and left the tent, with the strategist following closely behind. I watched their backs, my heart filled with doubt and unease. "I always feel..." I said to Su Yao.