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Although Ye Bai could report the He family's petty schemes to the school and demand justice, the school had long grown weary of such complaints. They preferred not to interfere once incidents like this became too frequent.
Threats aren't isolated—they're either nonexistent or endless. Ye Bai had to deal with this now and teach them a painful lesson, or they'd keep coming for his pet shop. If open schemes failed, they would resort to covert tactics, which would be far harder to defend against.
"Heh, since you've agreed to the bet, go ahead and sign the agreement," Ye Bai said.
He glanced at the agreement He Qingyuan had written. It was fairly straightforward.
Ye Bai was wagering Li Weiyang's seat beside him and two resource boxes. In return, He Qingyuan offered a Tier 2 Insect Stone and one resource box.
The value of the seat and the insect stone had been debated already. If it wasn't put in writing, it would be seen as unfair.
Other than that, there were no additional conditions.
When He Qingyuan handed the agreement to the class teacher, Zhang Lingxue, for review, she frowned and shook her head.
"The stakes aren't equal. Two resource boxes for just one? That's not fair."
"He Qingyuan, either raise your bet or cancel the match."
Realizing Zhang Lingxue was leaning toward Ye Bai, He Qingyuan clenched his jaw and took out an invitation.
"Teacher, how about this Dragon Auction invitation? That should even the stakes."
He was clearly determined to win.
Zhang Lingxue said nothing more. Invitations to the Longteng Auction House were exclusive—you had to spend at least a million alliance coins to qualify. The He family likely had very few of these.
This meant He Qingyuan was making a serious sacrifice.
Zhang Lingxue didn't hesitate any longer. She signed the agreement, making the bet official.
"Alright, let's head to Battlefield No. 2 at Shenshan Middle School."
"Everyone who wants to watch the pet battle, follow me."
Shenshan Middle School had six large-scale battlefields, each capable of holding thousands of spectators. A massive screen recorded every battle to prevent disputes about the outcome.
On the battlefield, Ye Bai and He Qingyuan stood at opposite sides as two summoning portals swirled into existence beside them.
Two pet beasts emerged.
On one side was the majestic Thousand-Change Silkworm, its once-slim body now plump and sturdy. It hopped around the field, wide-eyed and alert. A faint white glow radiated from its brow as it continuously reinforced its defenses.
Like its lesser counterpart, the Variant Silkworm, it wasn't built for offense. But its defensive capabilities were leagues stronger.
The fact that even a Diamond Ant couldn't pierce its defense was a testament to its resilience.
On the other side stood a Boxing Rabbit, with scarlet eyes and a three-petaled mouth. Enhanced by a Fighting Stone, its strength had surged.
Muscles bulged along its arms, and its powerful legs thumped against the ground with force, each step echoing with weight.
In terms of demeanor, the Thousand-Change Silkworm appeared clueless—almost unaware a battle was about to begin. In contrast, the Boxing Rabbit was coiled with tension, fists clenched, breathing heavily, brimming with aggression.
"I'll referee this match," announced Zhang Lingxue.
She strode forward, dressed professionally with silver-rimmed glasses and a pointer in hand. Her long legs were encased in sheer black stockings.
"This is a wager battle. The first pet unable to fight will be considered the loser. The winner claims all the staked items."
"Alright. Let the battle begin!"
She blew the whistle.
He Qingyuan adjusted his glasses, throwing a smug glance at Ye Bai. He was in high spirits, relishing the thought of Ye Bai's frustration.
"Ye Bai," he sneered, "so what if you're good at studying? Out in the real world, it's all about power and connections."
"Sadly, you have neither."
"Even your so-called 'advantages' disappeared the moment your talent was evaluated."
"Go, Boxing Rabbit—punch with everything you've got!"
Boxing Rabbit focused, two beams of white light gathering at its fists. It sprang forward and hurled a powerful punch toward the Thousand-Change Silkworm.
The silkworm blinked, seemingly confused by the incoming attack, tilting its head as if wondering why this strange rabbit was trying to hit it.
It stared in innocent curiosity, looking rather adorable.
"Thousand-Change Silkworm—use Harden!"
Everyone was stunned by Ye Bai's command.
"Wait... what did he just say? Isn't that a Variant Silkworm?"
"Did he call it a Thousand-Change Silkworm? Did I hear that right?"
"Maybe that's just a nickname?"
As the class buzzed in confusion, Zhang Lingxue froze like she'd been struck by lightning.
Ye Bai's words triggered a realization. A lightbulb went off in her head, connecting pieces she'd missed before.
"That's it! I always thought Ye Bai's silkworm looked off. It wasn't like a typical Variant Silkworm... because it's actually a Thousand-Change Silkworm!"
She understood now.
Thousand-Change Silkworms were incredibly rare on Blue Star. It was said that only one family had ever successfully bred them.
Zhang Lingxue had never seen one in her life—no wonder she hadn't recognized it right away.
She had always regretted that, but to witness one here and now made her ecstatic.
Zhang Lingxue crossed her arms and stared at the Thousand-Change Silkworm with admiration. Every side of it seemed majestic to her now.
The silkworm, however, suddenly felt a chill.
It turned its head and saw a terrifying woman staring at it with intense desire. Her burning gaze sent shivers down its back.
"Oh no," it thought. "She's going to roast me with her eyes!"
It shuddered and shuffled two steps to the right to escape the laser-beam stare. Just then, a shadow smashed into the ground where it had been standing.
Stone shards scattered, landing on the silkworm's body as dust billowed.
When the air cleared, everyone saw Boxing Rabbit's fist deeply embedded in the ground.
It was stuck and couldn't pull it out despite trying with all its strength.
Perfect timing.
"Thousand-Change Silkworm—use Impact!"
With a thump thump thump, the silkworm charged forward and slammed into the defenseless Boxing Rabbit.
The impact sent the rabbit flying, its body flailing as it let out a sharp shriek.
It crashed to the ground like a sack of bricks. It felt like it had been run over by a freight train—every bone aching.
It lay there, unable to speak, and shakily pointed a finger at the Thousand-Change Silkworm.
The silkworm cheekily stuck out its tongue, then slapped its own butt with a smack, clearly taunting the rabbit.
Its nostrils flared proudly, and a smug grin spread across its face, flashing eight neat little teeth in open mockery.