Museum of Deadly Beasts

Chapter 1: Lin Jin

13

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

“Lin Jin, look at what you’ve done! How dare you recommend an asthenic and impotent wolf as a top-grade pet beast? You even cheated the customer into signing the blood contract! Do you even have any sense of professionality or honor as a beast appraiser? You’re horrible for doing it on purpose. Either that, or you’re dumb, unskilled, or blind that you couldn’t tell. I really don’t know how did you manage to get yourself certified as a beast appraiser.”

In the room was an older man with a pencil-thin mustache, towering over a younger man who was slumped down on a table, reprimanding him. The former’s voice was sharp, with spit spewing everywhere, while the latter remained silent and motionless in his position.

“I don’t know where you’ve been but I know that you’ve been sneaking about last night. I’m telling you… that customer has filed a complaint about you. According to the rules, your salary will be deducted this month. Not only that, but I will also be giving an honest report on your behavior to the association. For whatever that comes next, you’ll have to figure out how to deal with it yourself.”

Having said that, the mustached man angrily brushed his sleeve and stormed away.

The apprentice beast appraisers who were peeking in amusement outside scattered like roaches. They waited until the mustached man was out of sight, then they started the gossip.

“Chief Wang Ji is really furious this time, but it was Lin Jin’s fault for screwing up in the first place…”

“Shh! Keep it down. He’s still an official beast appraiser. What you’re saying is disrespectful.”

“Tsk, me, afraid of this disgraceful piece of trash? It’s better if his qualifications get revoked. We’ll have a chance to get promoted then.”

“Even if there were a spot open, it wouldn’t be your turn…”

As a beast appraiser of Maple City’s beast appraisal branch, Lin Jin’s life was currently in jeopardy. The cell-like flat he stays in was the most isolated, without a window in sight. It was nothing compared to the apprentice beast appraisers’ quarters. Not only was his salary deducted, but he had the life drained out of him. For the past few days, Lin Jin had been staying overtime, organizing books on pet beasts and caring for ten of the beasts in the branch’s beast pen. He’s never had proper sleep.

Finally he closed his eyes, letting his soul slip away…

At that moment, an apprentice beast appraiser sneaked in.

“Appraiser Lin… Ch-Chief insisted for you to head to Everlasting Town for a beast appraisal immediately!”

The speaking apprentice was a bashful young girl, looking to be about seventeen or so. Even if the chief was aggravated by Lin Fan, he was still a certified beast appraiser of Maple City’s Beast Appraisal Association. No one dared to mistreat him.

Lin Jin was still motionless. The girl picked up her courage and managed to give him a few nudges. Finally, he lifted his head swayingly with an undead look on his face.

“Where am I?” Lin Jin asked hazily through squinted eyes.

He only remembered drinking a little before going home and then falling asleep. After what felt like a short while, he woke up to the nudging of his body.

He realized that he woke up in a totally different place.

This wasn’t his bedroom, it didn’t have a computer and the ceiling didn’t have an old electric fan hanging from it. Before him was only a dim room that stood a lovely young girl in traditional clothing. It was like he woke up in a different world.

“Appraiser Lin?” Zhao Ying called again. “For this appraisal trip to the countryside, Chief has assigned me to accompany you. He also mentioned that we have to depart at once to reach Everlasting Town before nightfall. Otherwise, we… we would be punished for the negligence of duty.”

Zhao Ying was actually reluctant to carry out this task. But as a new apprentice of the association, she had no choice. Whatever the superiors decided, she would have to obey.

By now, everyone knew that Appraiser Lin Jin’s ‘days were numbered’. Everyone was avoiding him as getting close would curse them with misfortune. Yet, Zhao Ying was stuck here. She was timid and new here without anyone to lean on. So, for this to be the cherry on top was not surprising.

This so-called ‘Teacher Lin’ before her was still groggy and dazed.

“Teacher Lin? Teacher Lin!”

On the last call, Zhao Ying raised her voice by an octave which finally snapped Lin Jin out of his stupor.

Lin Jin was shocked. First he was confused, then went into contemplation and came to a realization. Then, he let out a bitter laugh.

“Wait for me outside. I’ll be out soon,” Lin Jin instructed.

Zhao Ying hesitated, but she lowered her head and went out regardless.

Now Lin Jin was alone in this room.

“Who knew that I would experience something so exciting as transmigration,” Lin Jin mumbled ecstatically to himself. A round of drinks had actually ensouled him into this world which was surprising news to him.

A while ago, he regained quite a bit of the previous owner’s memories. He began to understand what happened and was aware of his current situation.

“Other people get miraculous adventures during transmigration. They either get to be a skilled master or a wealthy young lord. Even the worst of them would have an old man in a ring to guide them to the right direction, but I don’t seem to have anything.”

Through his memories, Lin Jin was aware of how unfortunate the owner of this body was. He was scorned by his direct superior, lived life in poverty and a few days earlier, he even recommended an ill and defected wolf to a walk-in customer and made a mess of things. He understood that in this world, almost everyone would sign a blood pact with one pet beast and only once throughout their lifetimes. Hence, a mistake in the appraisal would cause an irreversible result and ruin a person’s future. From the immense pressure of this issue weighing down on him, with his superior’s adversity stepping on top of that, the previous owner never rested for a few days straight. Just like that, he died of exhaustion.

That was what opened up the opportunity for Lin Jin to transmigrate.

Lin Jin explored his body and tried a few things. Looks like he won’t be going back anytime soon.

“Forget it!”

As the saying goes, ‘since you’re here, might as well stay and make the best of it’. It was better for him to find solutions for his current predicament and regain his status.

He was currently at a beast appraiser branch in Maple City. The Chief, named Wang Ji, which was the little mustached man who admonished him earlier, was in charge of everything. Below the Chief stands two residential and certified beast appraisers. Lin Jin was one of them.

Other than the Chief and two official beast appraisers, there were many apprentice beast appraisers, just like the young girl Zhao Ying who was waiting for him outside.

Needless to say, their ranks were defined clearly.

At that moment, Lin Jin’s feet seemed to have grazed something. He glanced in the direction of the object and saw a young wolf beast with a grey coat, striped in red. It was so scrawny it looked no different from a mongrel.

Lin Jin knew that this was his ‘pet beast’, Xiao Huo.

This mongrel-looking wolf beast lay sprawled under the table. It probably had been starved for several days, judging by its bony structure. It also looked fragile as if it would stop breathing.

Lin Jin shook his head in pity. Only the predecessor of this body would live such a tragic life. For a pet variety like the wolf beast, it has a high consumption rate and lives by a carnivorous diet, making them difficult to care for. Frankly speaking, without a good financial background, they could force their masters into poverty. Lin Jin’s predecessor was all skin-and-bones himself, so it was only natural for his pet to starve as much.

In this world, having a pet beast was standard. Some would even decide on a pet beast at a young age to form a blood pact with it. Pet beasts who train and grow together with their masters would have a higher compatibility rate, allowing them to grow stronger.

A blood-bonded pet beast could be used in many aspects of this world. Some were skilled in battles, some were protectors, and those with great endurance could move items. Some fly and some swim across rivers and oceans…

“Xiao Huo!” Lin Jin called out. The little wolf shifted slightly in response. Just as Lin Fan expected it to get up, the rascal merely turned over and continued sleeping.

“F*ck!” Lin Jin cursed. Not only were other people looking down on him, but even his pet was also giving him the same treatment. Unbelievable! Lin Jin slapped Xiao Huo on the head.

Just then, Lin Jin felt pain as if a lightning bolt exploded in his brain, crackling loudly. In an instant, a radiant light shone from his head. In the midst of Lin Jin’s astonishment, he hears a chorus of roars and howls of a thousand beasts, drumming in his ears, followed by the melody of cries and chirps of bugs and birds, lightly strumming his heartstrings.

A light flashed before him, the clouds dispersed and a white jade hall appeared with a stone tablet at the entrance that read ‘Museum of Deadly Beasts’.

While in awe, Lin Jin entered the hall out of reflex. The interior was vast and deep, with halo lights. It was bright upfront and got darker as it went. The hall morphed again and in the blink of an eye, a display case appeared before Lin Jin. Inside was the specimen of a wolf beast that looked just like Xiao Huo, which came with a stone tablet that was filled with densely packed words.

“Level one pet beast: Xiao Huo. Fire Wolf Beast. Juvenile. Blood Pact Owner: Lin Jin!”

“Status: Starved.”

“Attribute: Fire. Potential Rate: 1. As the potential is too low, there is room for growth. The thirty-six methods to increase potential rates are…”

“Status: Heavily injured with three hidden injuries which are… There are twelve treatment methods which are…”

“…”

Lin Jin’s jaw dropped. First of all, he had no idea what this Museum of Deadly Beasts was or where it came from to have so much of Xiao Huo’s detailed information, second of all, this pet of his was too ‘useless’. Not only was it defected but it was sickly and had a terrifyingly low potential rate. Lin Jin had no idea how this guy managed to stay alive until now.

Even after some research, all that’s left in Lin Jin’s mind was still in shock.

The Museum of Deadly Beasts had analyzed Xiao Huo’s details so thoroughly to the point that they’re able to identify who it’s wolf parents were. In this world where pet beasts were held in high regard, the practicability of this tool was obvious.

Lin Jin was ecstatic.

With the memories of his predecessor, he knew just how useful this Museum of Deadly Beasts was. Looks like he did not transmigrate into this world empty-handed after all. He had an asset in his possession.

With this Museum of Deadly Beasts, would he still have to worry about failing to boost his reputation in this beast-centered world?

At this joyous thought, Lin Jin cracked into laughter. However, the people outside heard and thought he had lost his mind.

“You have such a terrible life even as an official beast appraiser, but you can still laugh like that. Oh Lin Jin, you’ve truly let yourself go.”

Just then, a voice full of contempt and disdain snapped Lin Jin’s mind out of the Museum of Deadly Beasts.