The next morning, Mama Mei and the two Zi brothers walked to the east exit of the city when they were stopped by the patrolling officer of the local beast regiment.

Beast regiment is the law enforcement bureau of the country and each province and state have its own subsidiaries of the central beast regiment office.

It turns out that either a soldier level registered beast or a 16-year-old legal age adult needs to apply for permission to go resource hunting in the wild.

Zi Yang had no choice but to explain, “Officer, Mama Mei is registered with the office but she’s been recently injured because of the backlash of breaking contracts with my mother after her death. That’s why she’s currently at extraordinary strength level.”

Knowing Zi Yang’s family condition, the officer was sympathetic and applied for instructions from his superiors. After status checks and identity confirmations, the party was allowed out.

Mama Mei carried Zi Ming on her back in a homemade baby carrier. The boy looked like malnourished mouse with crumpled skin around cheeks and big almond eyes.

He seemed to have a unique spirituality and did not cry unless for food and poop.

Yeah, that’s my brother alright. Sensible as me.

Somehow, Zi Yang was proud.

So much so that pulling his body to walk about 10 miles from the city to the hills did not seem like an extra cumbersome today.

Pine forest hills is mostly filled with straight pine trees and some plant type beasts such as vines and vegetation, and some herbivores.

However, Zi Yang has heard rumors that in the depth of the hills, there are some primeval beasts.

Primeval beasts are those who reject beast control contracts and have a higher degree of animalism. They would mostly not friendly to human beings and care for their own environment.

The reason that association allows a 16-year-old who might have just contracted beasts and only allows soldier level uncontracted beasts to lead humans in the wild, is that they are worried that some beasts might not have completely accepted human civilization and would resort to animalism in the wild.

The first three levels of beast control allow a beast and a beast master to build emotional sustenance and which, provides the beast master association with a certain level of credibility about the beasts going out without their beast masters.

Soon, Zi Yang and party arrived at the foothills and started collecting resources.

Along with him were some other people from the city, mostly novices and some elderly or middle-aged men.

“Weather’s quite breezy today, I hope we make a full harvest today”, said a middle-aged uncle.

“Yeah, my grandson loved the pine nuts I picked two weeks ago and he’s been asking for more. The little squirrel always fills his mouth with it, ha ha ha”.

In the conversation, someone caught site of Zi Yang and party and asked, “Boy, why’re coming with a newborn and a panda mother? Are you doing alright?”

Sure enough, society still has warmth. There are nice people.

“… If not, do you want to sell your panda. Grown spirit beast food has high demand and could fetch you a hefty sum.”

Ah this. A slap in the face so soon.

I’m sure he’s the only degenerate among them.

“Yeah, you could try sending the baby panda along too. I’ll pay more. My grandson could use a playmate.”

This grandpa, don’t you think your eyes are weary. That’s a human baby not a panda baby!

Zi Yang quickly replied. “Thank you, uncles, but no need”, and quickly urged Mama Mei to hurry up.

This group may seem incidental but could there really be such dimwits who couldn’t guess why an eight-year-old would come with a panda instead of an adult to collect resources?

Alas, sure enough, times change and world may change; but people won’t. There will be scum everywhere.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

Soon after separation, Mama Mei found a beast who could provide resources. But it did not bring Zi Yang any joy.

It’s a leafed hat truts. It looks like a small section of trunk with two roots condensed into ropes as legs at the bottom and the leaves above the lead woven into a hat. It’s a very special plant-type beast who refused human contracts and prefers to live in forests collecting resources and pruning leaves, branches etc. In short, it is a snobbish and stubborn gardener.

It’s elusive and attacks with spiked thorns if people try to damage it’s cared trees and vegetation.

It is also a known trader for plant-type resources in a certain area, only that it is cunning and charges more than a black capitalist ever could.

Zi Yang knows about this beast because he has seen this in Auntie Jing’s Garden once. He’s a piece of work. He gave him a leaf and when he thought it was a gift, he cut his palm with a swing of his branch and sucked in a lot of blood.

He has never since gone to that garden again. Now he’s seen this evildoer again, he has to be careful.

“Mama Mei, be careful with them. They’re snobbish, greedy and bloodsucking creatures.”

Before Mama Mei could speak, the little evildoer started screeching and a couple of his friends came over.

“Is it calling backups? Mama Mei, let’s flee.”

Zi Yang immediately grabbed Mama Mei’s hand and wanted to flee, but Mama Mei did not move.

In her unique soothing voice, she said, “Zi Yang, fret not. It’s not calling backup for attacking you. It’s just complaining that you disparaged his gentlemanly character and called his friends to judge.”

“What? They also have a community? What do they want now?”

“They said to apologize otherwise they would never trade with you again.”

“Oh, lets go Mama Mei. We could collect other resources and besides….”

What brought a sudden stop to Zi Yang’s would was dozens of space rings and the resources these leafed hat truts put out.

Even though he couldn’t recognize almost all of them, he could feel huge vitality in these wood type resources.

All he could sigh this time was that a beast was richer and more well-educated that he was.

Sure enough, wealth and education are the key to success no matter which world. Even lowest ranked truts can do better than humans in this spirit rich environment.

In front of a plausible source of income and the huge vitality that could make up for his younger brother’s health; what else could he do but bow?

“I’m sorry, Mr. leafed hat trut – I mistook you for an evil beast. The shade covered your face so I couldn’t see your handsome face. That evil beast who sucked my blood two blood red branches and hideous fangs on his mouth. His head was green, so I thought he was a leafed hat trut. Now that I think about it, maybe it’s because his wife was fed up with him so he gave him greenery over his head.”

As soon as said this and had compiled a flattering sentence, a deafening screech rang out. Zi Yang shivered. This sounds exactly like Aunt Jing’s garden’s trut.

“See it’s like the shout of that beast, how could it compare it with your beautiful voice. It’s like the sound of nature.”

All the leafed hat truts gather in a circle and started discussion.

Meanwhile, in a corner where the group were not paying attention, a cold faced woman had hard time controlling her twitching eyes and the trut on shoulder. She could only put it in her beast taming space and watch the boy’s next performance.

After a while, Mama Mei said, “Zi Yang, I didn’t know you could flatter so well.”

“What can I do, Mama Mei. I hope they buy it so we could have some ease.”

The first leafed hat trut waked out, took of his hat – two ends of which were connected with his head and gave a gentlemanly salute. Zi Yang never expected this trut seemed quite civilized, nevertheless, he was not late in reciprocating in placing his hand on his heart and bowing.

Mama Mei timely translated, “We have never met kindred who could see our handsomeness and the beauty of our voice. We would like to continue trading with you. What do you want to trade?”

After speaking, Mama Mei took over from here, “If possible, we would like a sapling of Euterpe berries and a young peashooter’s peas.”

After the discussion and agreement to pay a carton of bamboo shoots and two jars of honey baked lentils tomorrow in exchange for goods, the group separated. While separating, Zi Yang bowed to the first leafed hat and asked, “Sir, could you tell me what was that exuded a huge vitality?”

The recipient to the bow, the leafed hat answered and showed a leaf. Mama Mei again dutifully translated, “Zi Yang, this is leaf from the ancient tree of life. He said that a senior trut traded with them. This leaf makes them comfortable.”

Damn, this leaf is exactly like that given by that trut. Could it be that the trur gave something good? No, he has to go back and check that leaf. His mother threw that leaf in the frozen capsule upon learning that he brought it back from Aunt Jing’s house.

“Thank you, sir.”

Then, his party collected some other raw materials such as water-raised bluegrass, honey sap from queen bee’s hive, rose daises, some pine nuts, and a sheep horn left over from someone’s hunting trip near a tree.

Back at home, the baby whose presence could hardly be felt immediately cried rivers.

As I said, my brother – sensible. Did not make any trouble during the trip.

Damn, it’s only been a few days. Why am I so proud? Am I going to become an Itachi to a Sasuke?

Hmm…... something worth thinking about.

Well, that aside. Zi Yang gained a lot today – got a berries sapling today, and young peas who could possibly produce a peashooter plant, so that’s a long-term source of earning. Also got an ancient life tree’s leaf, if I could find that senior trut who traded, it would be even better.

Wait a minute, exact same leaves, senior trut, same city…... isn’t that senior trut, the evil leafed hat trut across the street? Damn.