After lunch, Li Qian found a spot to look over the information Sun Hongyi had given him before his departure.
This information was specifically about the evolutionary path of the Molten Rock Worm.
Since Sun Hongyi had told him something so secretive, logically, Comrade Lao Sun wouldn’t have tampered with the documents.
But, as the saying goes, you can know a person’s face, but not their heart.
To avoid being tricked, Li Qian still had to examine it carefully.
After all, this was the fruit of an "exchange" for the bundled evolutionary data of the Cyan-Scaled Flood Dragon and the Frostfire Salamander. He couldn’t afford the slightest mistake.
The only regret was that both his task slots were currently occupied. Otherwise, he could have verified it through the task slots and confirmed with one hundred percent certainty whether the information was a trap.
Now, he could only rely on his own knowledge to judge its authenticity.
Fortunately, he hadn’t slacked off on his studies just because he had a Golden Finger. Through extensive reading, his knowledge had already surpassed that of an ordinary high school graduate.
Using the knowledge he had recently accumulated, along with some critical thinking and judgment, Li Qian was more or less certain that there was nothing wrong with the Molten Rock Worm’s evolution data.
After determining that the Molten Rock Worm’s evolution data was likely genuine, Li Qian relaxed a little.
He didn’t study the evolution data in depth. Instead, he turned his attention back to the evolutionary path from Gray Bean Dove to Sky Escape Eagle.
The progress on this task had already reached ninety-six percent; it was only four percent away from completion.
Without a doubt, this was the task most likely to be completed soon, which would free up a task slot.
If he wanted to help Sun Ruirui, he needed to establish the evolution task for the Golden Pearl Bud to the Tidal Sea Spirit as soon as possible.
This was a matter Li Qian took quite seriously.
Of course, he hadn’t said anything about it yet, nor did he plan to bring it up on purpose.
Although the events of last night had brought him closer to the uncle and niece, Sun Ruirui and Sun Hongyi, they had still only just met. If he rashly offered his help, they might think he had ulterior motives.
Wanting to help was a good thing, but it required the right method and approach. Being clumsy about it wouldn’t do.
"Um, I should get going." Having made up his mind, Li Qian no longer hesitated. He walked right up to Sun Ruirui to say his goodbyes.
"Li Qian, please don’t take what my third uncle said to heart. You can stay here at Hongqiao Manor for as long as you like," Sun Ruirui said anxiously.
She thought Li Qian was in such a hurry to leave because of what Sun Hongyi had said earlier.
"It’s not because of what Professor Sun said. I have my own research to do," Li Qian said with a smile, denying her assumption.
Without pausing, he continued, "Now that I have the evolutionary data for the Molten Rock Worm and the Golden Pearl Bud, I can’t wait to start my research."
"And if I can figure out the evolutionary path from the Golden Pearl Bud to the Tidal Sea Spirit, I’ll be able to help you out, too." He said the last part with a joking tone.
"Thank you," Sun Ruirui said from the heart.
Regardless of whether Li Qian could actually do it or was just making a casual promise, his words at that moment were a comfort to her.
She held no hope that Li Qian could actually discover the evolutionary path from the Golden Pearl Bud to the Tidal Sea Spirit and solve her problem.
A problem that her third uncle and so many senior Breeders had failed to solve was not something even a genius like Li Qian could find a solution for in a short period of time.
After half-jokingly voicing his intentions, Li Qian chatted with Sun Ruirui for a few more minutes. Feeling it was about time to go, he delayed no further and left Hongqiao Manor.
Sun Ruirui remained in the manor while Uncle Liao walked him to the gate.
"Li Qian, I hope you can keep what happened here under wraps," Uncle Liao cautioned as Li Qian stepped out of the main gate of Hongqiao Manor.
Li Qian turned back and glanced at Uncle Liao. He didn’t say much, just nodded. "Don’t worry, Elder Liao. I’m not a blabbermouth."
With that, he strode over and got into a car parked at the manor’s entrance.
The car had been prepared for him by Hongqiao Manor. Li Qian accepted without protest and got right in.
"Sir, where to?" a middle-aged man asked as soon as he got in the car.
Li Qian thought for a moment before answering, "To Central Beach."
Li Qian had long since heard of the famous Central Beach and had even seen it on television.
One could say that visiting Zhonghai City without seeing Central Beach was like not visiting at all.
Li Qian wasn’t about to pass up such a unique attraction.
Besides, Central Beach’s fame wasn’t just due to its uniqueness as a scenic spot.
In fact, at least ninety percent of Li Qian’s reason for going to Central Beach was for this other purpose.
Central Beach was located at the mouth of the Hai City River. It boasted a stretch of white sand about ten kilometers long, making it one of the best places for recreation.
This was where the name Central Beach came from.
Since it wasn’t very far from Hongqiao Manor, the middle-aged driver soon brought Li Qian to the renowned beach.
The moment he stepped out of the car, Li Qian was captivated by the sight that greeted him.
He had already caught glimpses of the scenery from the car, but it was only after he got out and took in the entire panorama that an expression of shock unconsciously appeared on his face.
Even though Li Qian had seen plenty of skyscrapers in city CBDs in his past life, a sight like this still made him gasp in admiration.
Before him, stretching along the white sand beach and set against the azure sea, stood a perfectly straight row of high towers—a magnificent and breathtaking sight.
Each tower in the row soared toward the heavens, appearing to be at least three hundred meters tall.
Nineteen of these colossal towers stood by the sea like nineteen giants, guarding the urban jungle of steel and concrete behind them. It was impossible not to be drawn to them.
Legend had it that these nineteen towers were built during the founding of the Federation to defend against Extraordinary Creatures from the sea.
It was said that a Dominator Level Beast Master was stationed in each tower, guarding the then-fledgling Zhonghai City.
After so many years and countless repairs, these nineteen towers still stood as firm as ever, a record of those turbulent times.
Today, a Dominator Level Beast Master was no longer considered an unparalleled powerhouse, merely a regional expert. Yet these nineteen towers stood like monuments, inspiring countless Beast Masters of the Human Race to press ever forward and climb ever higher.
Li Qian gazed at the nineteen towers, his heart stirred with a mix of emotions.
The tale of the "Nineteen Dominators" had been adapted into countless television shows and movies.
But Li Qian was certain that no matter how many times one watched those films and shows, nothing could compare to witnessing them in person.