Beast Taming Star Journey

It was cheating after all! I was furious, but maintained a calm facade. I needed solid evidence to expose his scheme. After the preliminary round, I didn't rush to leave. Instead, I quietly followed Zhou, observing his every move. Zhou seemed very alert; he always avoided crowds, choosing secluded corners. I followed him at a distance to avoid being noticed. I saw Zhou go to a corner of the competition's rest area. He furtively looked around, then met a man in black. The man in black handed him a small object, whispered a few words, and quickly disappeared into the crowd. The whole process was so brief that I would have missed it entirely if I hadn't been watching him closely.

I tried hard to hear their conversation, but apart from vaguely hearing the words "everything is going according to plan," I couldn't catch anything else.

Zhou tucked the small item into his sleeve and then quickly left the rest area.

My doubts deepened. What exactly was this little object? And what was its connection to Zhou's cheating?

The competition host also seemed to be paying close attention to contestant Zhou. Their eyes occasionally met, as if they were conveying some kind of message. What conspiracy was hidden behind this?

I took a deep breath and decided to continue following Zhou and find out everything.

I cautiously followed him, weaving through the bustling crowd, until we reached the shadow of a high wall. Zhou stopped, seemingly waiting for something.

I crept closer to the wall, and something seemed to be wriggling in the shadows at the corner… Suddenly, a deep voice said, “You… noticed it too?”

I was startled and turned around abruptly, only to see a tall man standing behind me with a cold smile on his face. It was Judge Ma.

"What did you find?"

I feigned composure and asked in return.

"Stop playing dumb," Judge Ma approached me step by step, "You've been following contestant Zhou, aren't you trying to find out if he cheated?"

My heart sank; I hadn't expected that he had been watching my every move.

I tried to remain calm and said, "I just happened to be passing by."

"Passing by?"

Judge Ma sneered, "Do you think I'd believe that? Kid, I advise you to mind your own business. Some things are not for you to interfere with."

"Did Zhou really cheat?"

I looked him straight in the eye and asked without fear.

A sinister glint flashed in Judge Ma's eyes. He leaned closer to me and whispered, "Your beast-taming ability is nothing but luck. I advise you to be sensible and not meddle in other people's business, otherwise..."

He paused, his tone full of threat, "You'll have a tough time in the upcoming matches."

He finished speaking and turned to leave. My fists clenched tightly, my heart filled with anger and resentment. Su Yao's figure, cheering me on from the stands, was now exceptionally clear. I couldn't let her down, and I couldn't let those cheaters get away with it. I took a deep breath, calmed myself, and continued observing Zhou. He met with another mysterious person; the transaction seemed to involve a note. After the transaction, Zhou quickly stuffed the note into his sleeve and hurried away. I decided to take the risk… I quietly approached the wall, and in the shadows at the corner… something had fallen to the ground. I held my breath and cautiously approached the wall.

In the shadows of the corner, a small metal badge lay there, its design ancient and its surface engraved with runes I couldn't understand.

A thought flashed through my mind: could this be the key to Zhou's cheating? Just as I was about to reach for it, I suddenly felt a commotion in my sleeve.

My beast companion, Little Gold, has somehow slipped out of my beast-taming space.

It nimbly darted to the corner, snatched the badge in its mouth, and quickly returned to my side, wagging its tail proudly.

I was overjoyed; Little Jin was truly a great help! I quickly took the badge and examined it closely. The badge felt cool to the touch, and its material was neither gold nor wood; it was quite heavy.

The runes on it shimmered with a faint light, emitting a strange energy fluctuation.

I tried to probe it with a wisp of my mental energy, and immediately felt a powerful mental energy rebound back. This mental energy was full of manipulation and control.

My heart skipped a beat. This badge was indeed a cheat device that could control the actions of the beast! Those complex runes must be the key to controlling the beast.

Zhou used this cheat device to secretly control his beast, which enabled him to win the competition repeatedly!

A burning rage surged within me; I had to expose Zhou's conspiracy immediately! I grabbed my badge and strode toward the competition's host's lounge.

"I want to report Zhou for cheating!"

I slammed the badge on the host's table and said firmly. The host glanced at the badge casually, a hint of impatience on his face.

"You're saying Zhou cheated? What's your evidence?"

"This is the proof!"

I pointed to the badge and said, "This is a cheat device that can control the actions of your beast!"

The host picked up the badge, glanced at it casually, and then smiled dismissively.

"It's just an ordinary badge, how can you prove it's a cheat device?"

"I can prove it!"

I told the host in detail about my previous tracking of contestant Zhou and his dealings with the man in black and the mysterious man.

However, the host remained unmoved and even warned me, "Kid, I advise you not to talk nonsense, or I will disqualify you from the competition!"

I was filled with anger and disappointment. I never expected the competition host to protect Zhou like this! He knew the purpose of the badge, but deliberately pretended not to know!

There must be some unspeakable secret behind this! I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself down.

I know that with my current strength, I am no match for the competition host.

I must find more evidence to completely expose Zhou's conspiracy! Stepping out of the host's dressing room, I felt immense pressure.

The competition is about to enter the next round, and I haven't found a suitable way to expose Zhou's cheating yet.

Moreover, I will face even more formidable opponents in the future. Will my beast-taming partners be able to maintain their form?

I was anxiously thinking in a corner of the arena when a familiar voice rang in my ears: "Nong Yu..."

I turned around abruptly and saw Su Yao standing behind me, a hint of worry on her face...