Calling the police was definitely not an option. If she went to the station and they checked the surveillance footage, people would find out about Water Luriana existence.

Even if the cameras around here were conveniently broken or missed it, without any physical harm done, tailing someone typically doesn’t qualify as a criminal offense.

Even if the police deemed this tailing serious, at most, he’d get a fine or a few days of detention, and then she’d have to constantly watch her back for any of his petty schemes.

Qiao Sang thought for a moment, then picked up her phone and sent Xu Jia her location, along with a message: [Need a favor.]

Xu Jia replied instantly: [I’m in class right now!]

Qiao Sang quickly typed: [You’re allowed to have your phone in class at your school?]

Messages began coming in.

Xu Jia: [Our school isn’t as strict as yours; lots of students sneak their phones in.]

Xu Jia: [Huh? Isn’t it class time now? You’re on your phone too!]

Xu Jia: [I got it! You need Phantom Water Baby to take over for you, don’t you?]

Xu Jia: [Not to lecture you, but skipping on the third day of school isn’t great.]

Xu Jia: [Take it from someone who’s been there: The worst thing is being noticed by a teacher. Once that happens, they’ll keep an eye on you. Questions in class, death stares, surprise recitations… you’ll deal with that every day.]

Qiao Sang felt a slight chest pain from the last message, but after thinking for a moment, she typed: [I’m not skipping; I took leave. And the favor I need isn’t for Phantom Water Baby to attend my class, it’s something else. I can pay extra.]

Xu Jia replied quickly: [Talking about money is unnecessary. Just wait; I’ll send Phantom Water Baby over.]

After contacting Xu Jia, Qiao Sang opened her contacts and called the vice-principal’s number.

“What is it?” The vice-principal’s voice came through the speaker.

“Vice-principal, I don’t have my homeroom teacher’s number. Could you request a day’s leave for me?” Qiao Sang asked.

“Sure, but what’s your reason for leave?” Liu Yao asked.

“I felt a bit unwell this morning, like I have a fever. I’d like to stay home and rest.” Qiao Sang offered a plausible excuse.

“Fever? Where’s your family? You should really get checked at a hospital.” Liu Yao frowned.

“It’s nothing serious. I’ll rest at home for now; if I still feel unwell this afternoon, I’ll go to the hospital.” Qiao Sang feigned a weak tone.

Just then, a man carrying a briefcase happened to walk by. Seeing Li Songhai lying on the ground and his two unconscious pets, he walked over and asked kindly, “Miss, need any help?”

Qiao Sang quickly covered her phone’s receiver, shook her head, and mouthed, “No, thank you.”

Once the passerby left, Qiao Sang continued in a weak tone, “Please take care of the leave request.”

Thanks to the pet beast’s enhanced senses, Liu Yao, who overheard the whole exchange: …

However, Liu Yao didn’t expose her, maintaining his usual calm tone, “Alright, rest up. And remember, if the principal asks you to join the national campus Beast Mastering League for the senior division, refuse. We need to stay steady. With your skills, securing first place in the freshman division is very achievable.”

He paused, then continued, “If you make it to the national finals through the qualifiers, cultural scores won’t matter much.”

With a sense of shared understanding, Qiao Sang replied earnestly, “Understood.”

After ending the call, under Yabao’s psychic influence, Li Songhai and his two pets were moved to a nearby alley.

Half an hour later, Xu Jia messaged: [Phantom Water Baby is at your location.]

Qiao Sang went outside and saw the Phantom Water Baby, wearing a small navigation device around its neck, looking around in confusion on the roadside.

“Over here!” Qiao Sang waved.

“Phantom!” The Phantom Water Baby’s eyes brightened at her voice, clearly recognizing her.

Li Songhai opened his eyes and found a ghost-type pet beast sticking its tongue out just inches from his face.

“Ahhh!!”

Just as the tongue was about to touch his face, Li Songhai screamed and tried to back away, only to find his hands bound.

Helpless, he used his hips to shuffle backward.

Seeing him awake, the Little Treasure floated leisurely back to his Beast Tamer.

Only then did Li Songhai realize he was in an alley, the same one he’d lurked in last night and nearly passed out from blood loss.

“You’re awake.”

“Ahh!!” Li Songhai jolted at the voice, screaming reflexively.

After a rough night, his nerves were shot. Waking up to a ghost-type pet so close and realizing his hands were bound in the very alley that gave him nightmares… now, every little sound startled him.

Following the voice, he saw a young girl with a refined face, standing in the shadows and smiling kindly at him.

Beside her stood the superpower-type pet beast he couldn’t name and the ghost-type pet that had just frightened him.

“What do you want?” Li Songhai, now calmer, asked.

Recognizing her as the occupant of Room 1075, he felt less afraid. What could an underage girl possibly do?

Qiao Sang smiled, ignoring his question, and knelt to untie the shoelace binding his hands.

“Call your pets back first."

Call his pets back? Li Songhai was momentarily puzzled.

Had his Steel-Clad Leg Monster and Rain Swallow been found? Right, they were still out there. Why was he tied up, then, and taken here?

“If you don’t call them back, I can’t guarantee what’ll happen.” Qiao Sang warned.

“Yap!”

“Xun Xun xun.”

Ya Bao and Little Treasure played their parts well, posing threateningly, as if ready to act at any moment.

“I’ll call them back right away!”

Though he spoke, Li Songhai didn’t actually move, instead attempting to sense his Steel-Clad Leg Monster and Rain Swallow's location mentally.

Suddenly, he seemed to sense something, and with a stiff neck, he turned to look at the far end of the alley, eyes widening, his expression frozen.

“One… two… three…”

Before Qiao Sang could start counting, Li Songhai, now thoroughly scared, hastily recalled his pets.

“I’ve called them back!” Li Songhai said, his voice trembling.

He couldn’t believe that upon waking, both his Steel-Clad Leg Monster and Rain Swallow were unconscious.

In that instant, Qiao Sang’s image became terrifying and mysterious in his mind.

The gentle smile on her face? It looked anything but kind, it was downright chilling!

Qiao Sang promptly re-tied his hands.

Li Songhai didn’t resist. All he had left was a weak Water Snail; with his Steel-Clad Leg Monster out cold, he didn’t expect much help from it.

“Why were you following me?” Qiao Sang finally asked the real question.