Beast Taming: I'm Really Just a Forest Ranger

Li Junyue asked, "Director Liu, is Wang available? I’d like to invite him as a guide."

"Unfortunately, Captain Li, Wang has already been hired by other Beastmasters," Director Liu replied.

"What about Zhao?"

"The same, also hired."

"Then..."

After inquiring with several locals, Li Junyue learned that they had all been hired, and said helplessly, "Could you please help us find a guide, Director? Preferably someone good at mushroom hunting."

Director Liu’s response was disappointing: "Captain Li, all the guides have been hired recently."

He paused before offering a reasonable explanation, "You know, young people nowadays are keen on mountain climbing, plus Beastmasters enter the mountains every day, our village simply doesn’t have enough guides."

Hearing this, Li Junyue looked helpless. He turned to Chen Yuan and the others, sighed, and said, "Looks like we’ll have to rely on ourselves."

Lack of a guide wasn’t a big deal, at most they’d be unfamiliar with the local terrain and have difficulty finding mushrooms.

Just as he was about to leave, Director Liu stopped them: "Wait, if you don’t mind, there is one more guide."

"This guide is just a bit peculiar."

Li Junyue was puzzled: "How peculiar?"

"Well, very peculiar." Director Liu had a strange expression.

After a while,

Director Liu brought over a slender young boy.

The boy had dark and rough skin, well-defined features, and a bulky cotton jacket that covered his small frame, even hiding his hands inside the sleeves.

A little creature rested on his tousled black hair.

It was a fluffy mushroom, only as big as Chen Yuan’s palm, round like a mini dandelion, with a short fluffy stem, looking like a "moving gummy mushroom."

"What an adorable Fluffy Mushroom."

Jiang Wenning’s eyes lit up, reaching out to touch the Fluffy Mushroom on the boy’s head.

But as she reached out, the little creature’s body stiffened, the gray cap "snapped" shut, the stem curled up into a ball, transforming into an ordinary-looking mushroom in an instant.

Chen Yuan laughed silently: "Indeed, it’s a master of disguise, the Fluffy Mushroom."

Fluffy Mushroom, a Wood-type Pet Beast, found throughout Donghuang, was timid by nature with almost no combat ability.

Upon sensing danger, it would disguise itself as a regular mushroom to escape.

Of course, most predators weren’t interested in this little fellow.

Li Junyue wasn’t focused on the Fluffy Mushroom; he examined the young boy up and down, frowning: "Director Liu, what does this mean?"

Director Liu patted the boy’s shoulder, grinning: "This is the guide I mentioned."

The four were simultaneously stunned.

This wasn’t just peculiar, it was absurd.

Hiring this young boy as a guide might be reported as illegal child labor, right?

Director Liu could see the doubt in their eyes, and chuckled: "Rest assured, Duoji has been in and out of the mountains countless times since he was young; he’s just as familiar with the area as anyone else."

"Moreover, Duoji’s mushroom-finding skills are among the best in our village; he was born with a nose for the scent of mushrooms."

After speaking, Director Liu patted Duoji’s shoulder, who was initially startled but then reacted with a toothy smile.

The smile was genuine and pure, yet Li Junyue was thorough: "Director Liu, this is secondary. It’s just, won’t his parents worry if such a young child follows us into the mountains?"

Though Duoji had dark skin, his features were very tender, he looked at most like a middle school student.

At Li Junyue’s question, Director Liu’s hand, resting on Duoji’s shoulder, slowly lowered. He met the four’s gaze with a long sigh: "Captain Li, Duoji’s parents passed away in an accident years ago, and he’s been living with his grandfather ever since."

Hearing this, Chen Yuan glanced deeply at Duoji, who still maintained his pure smile.

"The family has no money, with his grandfather being old. Duoji has to find ways to earn some school fees himself."

Director Liu forced a smile, tugging at Duoji’s sleeve, "Captain Li, I assure you, this kid won’t cause you any trouble."

"He often goes into the mountains by himself, has even stayed overnight, and can recognize poisonous mushrooms."

"Mm!" Duoji’s hands had nowhere to be, but he nodded vigorously.

The four looked at each other, exchanging glances, finally with Li Junyue saying, "Alright, Director, then we’ll go with Duoji."

"Thank you so much; Duoji, come thank the uncle and aunties quickly." Director Liu was overjoyed.

Jiang Wenning immediately said: "No need, no need, just call us brother and sister."

Duoji bowed, almost causing the Fluffy Mushroom on his head to fall off, but it reacted quickly, gripping his hair tightly with its short arms: "Goo goo goo!"

As his hair was pulled, Duoji couldn’t help but cry out, patting the Fluffy Mushroom.

The Fluffy Mushroom ignored Duoji, continuing to disguise as an ordinary mushroom, avoiding Chen Yuan and the others’ gaze.

Leaving the office, Chen Yuan looked at the young guide: "We’ll rely on you to lead the way next."

Faced with such a formal statement, Duoji was momentarily flustered, unsure how to respond. After thinking for a long time, he finally nodded firmly and said one word: "Okay."

Seeing Duoji’s reaction, the Fluffy Mushroom atop his head finally stopped pretending, the gray cap shaking vigorously, emitting a laughter-like sound: "Goo goo goo!"

The Fluffy Mushroom’s reaction made Duoji blush, hastily pulling at it until it finally calmed down.

Watching this amusing interaction between boy and pet, Chen Yuan smiled slightly and then spoke: "Take us to find mushrooms."

"The more mushrooms, the better."

Duoji looked up at Chen Yuan, glanced nervously at the imposing Gale Hunting Dog, and spoke softly: "Places with a lot of mushrooms are very dangerous."

"Duoji," Jiang Wenning stepped beside Duoji, beaming, "with us here, there’s no place too dangerous."