Humanity has been living alongside the spatial gateways for so long that most people treat them as a normal part of life.
Everyone knows what exists on the other side. Exotic beasts, dangerous hunting grounds, and opportunities valuable enough to attract thousands of Beastmasters every year. News channels report casualties whenever large-scale beast tides occur, schools encourage talented students to pursue Beastmaster careers, and successful card users enjoy a level of wealth that ordinary families rarely achieve in a lifetime.
Zhang Che’s family isn’t one of those families.
His father earns what he can, his mother spends more time at hospitals than she’d like, and household finances are tight enough that every expense matters. Under normal circumstances, his future would probably look much the same as everyone around him: finish school, find stable work, and try to get by.
The trouble is that Zhang Che isn’t very interested in a stable future.
Like countless teenagers his age, he wants to become a Beastmaster. The difference is that most of his classmates can afford failure. Zhang Che can’t. Missing his chance means watching opportunities pass him by while medical bills and daily expenses continue piling up at home.
Unfortunately, wanting something and qualifying for it are two different things.
His test results have never been particularly encouraging, and nobody looking at his situation would place money on his success. Even Zhang Che himself has moments where he wonders whether he’s chasing something completely unrealistic.
Then a series of unexpected events begins pushing his life in a direction he never planned for.
Before long, examinations, awakening ceremonies, and classroom competition are replaced by things far more dangerous. Beast Cards that people would fight over, hunting expeditions where mistakes carry real consequences, and a profession that looks much less glamorous once you’re the one taking the risks.
For Zhang Che, getting his foot through the door is only the beginning.
