Chapter 224 - 10: This is the Standard, the Second Cover Paper

Chapter 224: Chapter 10: This is the Standard, the Second Cover Paper

「Five minutes later.」

Anya followed behind Mo Ning and began to prepare breakfast for the two War Rhinoceroses, Kent and Barce.

The method was incredibly simple—just open the sealed wooden barrels and pour the feed into the specialized wooden troughs.

In a way, it was a kind of "pre-made meal."

Mo Ning gave a single call, and the two War Rhinoceroses trotted over like puppies, wagging their short tails. Each of them first nuzzled his blue robe before moving to the troughs and burying their heads to begin munching away.

CRACKLE—CRUNCH—

An assortment of sounds rose and fell from the mouths of the two War Rhinoceroses, like a symphony of eating.

The feed contained several types of beans. One of them, called Rock Beans, had a shell as hard as stone. A human would certainly break a tooth on one, but they were a favorite delicacy of the War Rhinoceroses.

Their molars were like powerful grinders, crushing the Rock Beans effortlessly.

As Anya watched the two War Rhinoceroses eat in peace, a passage from the *Iron-Horned War Rhinoceros Taming Guide* came to mind:

"War Rhinoceroses are a herd species. A lone War Rhinoceros in a Taming Room will most likely develop psychological issues, such as depression.

"However, keeping many War Rhinoceroses in the same place would be a disaster. They tend to grow more agitated the more of their kind are present.

"This is because they love to show off in front of their peers by ’doing something different’—and that ’something’ is usually destruction.

"You would then see the herd of War Rhinoceroses competing to ram the surrounding man-made structures until they are utterly demolished.

"The most suitable practice is to place two War Rhinoceroses in a single Taming Room. This way, they are not too lonely, nor do they reveal their destructive tendencies.

"Nonetheless, because War Rhinoceroses enjoy roughhousing, you will see them frequently ramming each other with their heads and bodies, even during feeding time."

But the scene before her was completely different from the book’s description.

The two War Rhinoceroses ate quietly, showing no sign of their supposed habit of roughhousing.

’Could the book be wrong?’

Of course not.

The author of the *Taming Guide* was a Third Level Apprentice with over fifty years of experience taming War Rhinoceroses; it was impossible that he didn’t even understand their temperament.

The Noble Lady glanced at Mo Ning’s profile and understood. ’It must be him. This young man must have mastered some special method to make the War Rhinoceroses suppress their instincts and stay quiet while eating.’

A few seconds later, Mo Ning turned to Anya and asked with a smile, "Any thoughts watching the War Rhinoceroses eat?"

Anya blinked, shaking her head in confusion.

Mo Ning gestured toward the troughs and began to elaborate:

"The feed provided by the Taming Center is nutritionally complete. It meets all the War Rhinoceroses’ needs, helping them grow faster and stronger, and also increasing their Spiritual Power."

Then, his tone shifted. "But there’s one thing the Taming Center has overlooked."

Mo Ning paused deliberately.

Anya glanced from Mo Ning to the munching War Rhinoceroses, and it suddenly clicked. "Are you talking about the flavor?"

After making breakfast for Mo Ning for several months, Anya was keenly aware of the young man’s tireless pursuit of delicious flavors.

She had an instinctive thought—’If Mo Ning loves delicious food, why wouldn’t the War Rhinoceroses?’

Mo Ning grinned. "Exactly. I think this is precisely the area where your talents can shine."

He had personally tasted Anya’s culinary talent. From the initially bland flavors to the increasingly complex layers and masterful pairings, her every step of progress was undeniable.

He didn’t beat around the bush and gave his advice directly. "You could write a proposal to research ways to refine the War Rhinoceros feed, aiming to increase their interest in eating. Then you can submit it to Mr. Rock."

He stressed one point in particular: "You should also request Mr. Rock’s guidance in the proposal and ask him to supervise the final paper."

To put it bluntly, it meant sharing the credit with the Apprentice.

Anya was smart; she instantly understood what he meant.

She nodded repeatedly. "I understand! As an assistant, I must show the Tamer sufficient respect."

Mo Ning laughed. "Exactly."

With his reputation as a young genius and the backing of a Second Level Wizard, he could afford to ignore a Second Level Apprentice on his own research projects.

But Anya was different.

If the Noble Lady wanted to have a long and comfortable career at the Taming Center, she had to give Mr. Rock a taste of the benefits.

It couldn’t be helped. The academy was a society too, made up of real people, and you couldn’t escape its politics.

Mo Ning cut to the chase and instructed, "Go write a draft of the proposal. I’ll help you polish it when you’re finished."

"Alright," Anya replied, her tone light and cheerful.

The Noble Lady had only one thought. ’It’s so wonderful having Mo Ning around!’

She didn’t have to think about a thing; all she had to do was follow his instructions.

「Half an hour later.」

Anya, chewing on her Ink Tube Pen, finally produced the first draft of the proposal.

It was the first research project she had ever applied for in her life, so it was natural that she wrote it a bit slowly.

Mo Ning scanned it and, in just a minute, revised it beyond recognition.

The Noble Lady read the revised version carefully, her admiration growing with every line.

The revised version used more concise wording, more precise language, and its logic was more rigorous and coherent. It also included large blocks of Divination Formulas, none of which she could understand.

Most importantly, the picture he painted in the proposal was far more enticing.

Her original phrasing was "to enhance the War Rhinoceroses’ appetite and promote their growth and development."