bioinnovel Chapter 359 - 346: Outdoor Adventure Club
Chapter 359 - 346: Outdoor Adventure Club
Afternoon sunlight filtered through the camphor trees, casting dappled shadows over the Outdoor Adventure Club’s campsite.
The campsite was on a lawn on the east side of campus, cordoned off with orange warning tape printed with the club’s name and patterns of claw prints and beast horns, giving it a slightly wild look.
In the center of the lawn stood several large, dark blue tents. Their surfaces shimmered with a spiritual light, the effect of a defensive beast-rune Array.
Hiking poles hung by the tent entrances, and there were sleeping bags with activated Runes.
Gu Ming walked past a pack and saw a small, red-furred monkey lying inside, its face half-visible as it rested with its eyes closed.
When Cyan Treasure passed by behind him, having already cultivated its Breathing Technique to Perfection, it immediately sensed a terrifying fluctuation coming from the sleeping bag, as well as an unrefined breathing rhythm.
The sensation created a stark contrast for Cyan Treasure:
The creature clearly possessed Four-star Level strength, yet its breathing was as gasping and labored as a beginner’s, and the Mana in its body circulated haltingly.
It was precisely this terrible Breathing Technique that made it impossible for the monkey to suppress its Four-star Level aura.
Not even the sleeping bag, which should have been able to conceal its aura, could contain it; the aura ultimately leaked out from the opening where its face was exposed.
In a corner of the camp, club members were busy around a metal frame inscribed with a Microscopic Array.
The frame held various instruments. Some displayed flickering, mysterious Runes—from what Gu Ming could tell, it was likely for Talisman Dao analysis.
Others hummed, their probes measuring Energy Fluctuations, when one suddenly turned toward the club president standing in front of Gu Ming.
Not far away, a few large, furry Pet Beasts were grappling with one another, the surging sounds of their battle contained within a circular Array on the ground.
If Gu Ming hadn’t been passing by their combat zone, he would never have known that the Earth Dragon Beasts and Lizard Beasts were fighting so fiercely.
As Gu Ming and Lu You followed the president into the camp, they drew many gazes.
The club members stared at them and their Pet Beasts, whispering about the "national competition champion."
The president, Ruan Qitian, clapped Gu Ming on the shoulder and pointed to the club building ahead of them.
"The major clubs at our university all have their own standalone buildings. This is our club’s territory. Joining us is a good deal. In the annual club rankings, we’re always one of the top ten."
At this, Ruan Qitian grinned, showing off his front teeth.
Gu Ming looked at his honest and hearty expression, nodded, and was won over by his generous demeanor.
This also lessened some of the psychological resistance he felt from being assigned to this club by the company.
As a full-time employee and a long-term partner, Gu Ming had no right to refuse the Ruan Family’s terms.
Fortunately, the Ruan Family’s club was powerful and clearly a suitable place for training; at the very least, it could enhance his abilities.
The thought put Gu Ming at ease.
Gu Ming followed the president into the club, passing a lounge and a meditation room before arriving at the club’s exclusive training hall.
"Our club has a Four-star Level Spirit Gathering Array, but it’s not free.
"New members get one hundred hours of free use. After that, you have to do club missions to earn Contribution Points. Each point lets you cultivate inside for another one hundred hours."
Hearing this, Gu Ming nodded, his face lacking the eager and surprised expression of a typical newcomer.
Seeing this, President Ruan Qitian instantly understood that Gu Ming probably didn’t care much about this training hall.
After all, he had a villa specially approved by the university, and its training hall already had a built-in Four-star Level Spirit Gathering Array. It was perfectly reasonable for him to be unimpressed.
Ruan Qitian didn’t waste any more words and led Gu Ming to the club’s Library Pavilion instead.
Upon entering the room, he saw a route map hanging on the right wall, with markers for places like the "High Tier Beast Area."
To the left were rows of bookshelves exuding the ancient fragrance of ink and a dense Dao-like aura.
Just by standing there, Gu Ming felt his shoulders grow heavy, as if the Power of the Celestial Dao was pressing down on him.
Gu Ming saw the ancient tomes on the bookshelves and vaguely guessed the president wanted to show off his club’s strength. Feigning ignorance, he asked, "What are these?"
"These aren’t from the school’s collection. I’m sure you’ve been to the Wenquxing University library. We can’t compare to their collection, but our Outdoor Adventure Club has an advantage the main library doesn’t."
"Don’t tell me...?" Gu Ming played along.
The president laughed. "That’s right, it’s just what you’re thinking!
"These are all ancient tomes excavated from all over the world. They’re extremely old, cultural relics from a previous era. Every single one is a treasure, a one-of-a-kind original!
"As long as you have enough Contribution Points, you can enter our club’s Library Pavilion and read these ancient texts!
"Don’t be so quick to refuse."
Gu Ming thought, ’I haven’t even refused yet.’
Then, President Ruan Qitian spoke again in a mysterious tone, "Do you know what the rarest, most uncommon Attribute in this world is?"
Cyan Treasure and Ah Kun both looked over at him. That was something they truly didn’t know.
Ah Ji swished its cat-like tail, listening to the president and recalling its old master’s words.
"That’s right, Pet Beasts of the Mysterious Attribute!"
Ruan Qitian had been holding his breath for a long time for dramatic effect, and the club members reading in the room all glanced at him.
They had long known the president wanted to show off these books, but even though they saw this act every year, they couldn’t help but want to see the new members’ reactions.
Gu Ming raised an eyebrow slightly. He’d had a hunch, but hearing the president’s certainty still left him a little puzzled.
The president’s answer was different from the answer 32 years in the future.
「The president of the Outdoor Adventure Club tells you about the rarity of the Time Element Pet Beast Attribute.
「When he learned from Elder Ruan that your Pet Beast possesses a rare time-based trait, he understood why you were sent here.」
After reading the pop-up message, Gu Ming looked over at Cyan Treasure.
Cyan Treasure had an expression of awe, already filled with anticipation for Mysterious Pet Beasts. It wanted to learn about their origins and power from these ancient tomes.
"If you want to seek out Mysterious Element Pet Beasts, reading the texts of these lost civilizations is essential.
"Other than searching through the ancient tomes of past civilizations, you won’t find clues to locating Mysterious Pet Beasts anywhere else."
As the president went on, he got a little carried away, infinitely exaggerating the importance of the ancient tomes.
Gu Ming didn’t act like a contrarian and pick apart his words. He just kept nodding, smoothing the president’s ruffled feathers, so to speak.
A short while later, with the president in high spirits, Gu Ming filled out the club registration form.
"So, do you understand the purpose of our club’s founding?"
After talking for so long, Ruan Qitian hadn’t forgotten to impart the club’s main principle to the new member.
As his voice fell, the other club members also cast curious glances their way.
Gu Ming pondered for a moment, then said, "To follow the tracks of Mysterious Pet Beasts, explore the outdoors, and find them?"
"Well said! And you?" Ruan Qitian looked pleased and turned to Lu You, who was standing behind Gu Ming.
Lu You, crippled by social anxiety the entire time, had barely spoken a word. Her brain was occasionally working, occasionally crashing.
Hearing the president’s question, she nodded purely out of reflex and spoke her mind without any sugarcoating:
"So, we’re basically... an archeology club disguised as an outdoor adventure club?"
Ruan Qitian froze for a moment, then burst out laughing.
"D-did I say something wrong?" Lu You looked terrified, wondering what she had gotten wrong.
"No, no, you’re right too!"
Ruan Qitian laughed and waved his hand dismissively.
He had seen Lu You’s less-than-sharp appearance and assumed she was someone without her own opinions. He hadn’t expected her thinking to be so sharp; she wasn’t as foolish as she seemed on the surface.