Beast Taming: Starting from Transmigration and Starting with a Cheat Code

Qin Ming expressionlessly took out the self-heating hot pot from the space stone, unpacked it, added water, and watched as the heating pack hissed out steam.

On the quiet, empty riverbank, the rich aroma of butter and spices filled the air, masking the faint fishy smell of the river water and whetting the appetites of several anglers nearby.

Several envious yet resentful glances were cast over. In this desolate morning with no village or shop in sight and no breakfast to be found, a steaming, fragrant bowl of self-heating hot pot was undoubtedly the ultimate indulgence.

Qin Ming calmly picked up a mouthful of wide rice noodles and put it in his mouth. Surprisingly, with the gazes of those around him, he felt... it tasted pretty good.

Old Zhou, a spectator, stared in disbelief, his eyes darting back and forth between Qin Ming, the hotpot, and the calm river in the distance, his expression a mixture of suspicion and shock.

Qin Ming ignored his complicated thoughts, slowly eating his hotpot while using a spare moment to arrange the underwater rehearsal details through the contract.

While the onlookers hesitated, wanting to remind Qin Ming that the turtle had slipped away, they called for Little Fatty to swim upstream for air.

Time slips away quietly amidst the calories of food and the mental exertion of mental activity.

As the clock struck 8:30, several vehicles painted with special markings steadily drove closer.

Officer Mu got out of the car half an hour earlier than the agreed time. He had obvious dark circles under his eyes, but he seemed quite energetic. He directed the personnel to clear the area. Even the "early-mouth warriors" who were sticking to their posts reluctantly packed up their equipment after being seriously informed and persuaded to leave.

Ten minutes later, the last group of onlookers were persuaded to leave, and the riverbank appeared much emptier.

At that moment, a special vehicle arrived, and as the side door slid open, a group of figures filed out.

They wore uniform dark training uniforms, stood tall and moved nimbly, exuding a capable air honed through long-term rigorous training.

Each person carried or shouldered various underwater equipment that Qin Ming couldn't name but could tell at a glance was technologically advanced—underwater lights, waterproof camera units, metal detectors, portable components of sonar imaging devices, and so on.

The leader was a burly, angular-faced, and eagle-like-eyed middle-aged man, who was the leader of the frogman team.

Officer Mu straightened his uniform, stepped forward, showed his identification, and introduced himself.

The frogman leader took the identification and glanced at it. His gaze lingered for a moment on Officer Mu's rank insignia on his shoulder and the department insignia on his cuff, and his brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.

For such a major case, with underwater investigation being a crucial step, the higher-ups only sent a police officer of this rank to coordinate the on-site investigation? Isn't that a bit...unreliable?

A flicker of displeasure crossed his mind, but he didn't show it on his face. He simply extended his hand and shook hands with Officer Mu in a businesslike manner, his tone flat: "Officer Mu, thank you for your hard work. My deputy captain will coordinate with you regarding the situation briefing and the coordinates of key areas. Let's get ready; the first round of underwater reconnaissance will begin promptly at nine o'clock."

His gaze then swept over the somewhat deserted shoreline, naturally passing over Qin Ming, who was standing a little further away.

His overly young, even somewhat student-like face, and his slender physique lacking the marks of long-term physical training, made him look like an office worker who had wandered onto a film set, or a relative who had come to join in the fun, in the eyes of the team leader, who was used to seeing tough guys.

"Crispy" was the first impression that flashed through the team leader's mind. He had no idea, nor had anyone informed him, that this young man would be a "special advisor" to the police.

Qin Ming's temporary addition was approved by Officer Mu after receiving a phone call, and the process was quick, but the information was not synchronized with the frogman team.

Yesterday's "discovery" was handed over to the forensic and trace evidence departments, which resulted in the police manpower deployment at the riverbank today being rather limited.

The team leader didn't say anything more, nor did he even glance at Qin Ming. He turned to his team members, assigned tasks, checked equipment, and emphasized safety procedures, throwing himself wholeheartedly into the upcoming underwater operation.

Only one deputy captain remained, holding an electronic tablet, to hand over details such as the specific division of areas, communication frequencies, and emergency signals with Officer Mu.

Officer Mu glanced at Qin Ming, who was being completely ignored, a hint of embarrassment flashing across his face, but he quickly regained his composure and focused on communicating with the deputy captain.

He believed that Consultant Qin would naturally find a way to make everyone realize his value later, so there was no need to say more now.

Qin Ming was happy to have some peace and quiet. He walked to a corner where he could observe both the water surface and the frogman team. He put his hands in his pockets, calmly looked at the shimmering river, and focused his mind on the bottom of the water, sensing the real-time underwater conditions through Xiao Pang.

As the morning light grew stronger, it dispelled the last of the morning mist.

On the riverbank, the frogman team members, dressed in heavy diving suits, carried oxygen tanks on their backs and pulled down their masks.

As the leader gave the diving signal, several frogmen plunged into the water one after another like torpedoes, leaving behind only a string of churning bubbles.

As the divers entered the water, the waterproof display screen set up at the temporary command post on the riverbank lit up, then split into several images, each from a different divers' helmet camera and handheld detection device.

The scene swayed slightly as dense bubbles rose to the surface. After the initial turbidity settled upon entering the water, the visibility of the river remained limited, only about four or five meters.

The light is absorbed by the water, giving it a hazy greenish-gray hue.

A supplemental side-scan sonar image is generated on another screen, outlining the general contours of the riverbed, protruding rocks, and the shadows of driftwood.

The team leader, who was intently watching the screen, couldn't help but frown. Experience told him that the underwater conditions were a bit "too clean."

Not only are there few living creatures, but there are almost no miscellaneous items either.

There was no trace of discarded plastic bags or empty bottles, which means the angler not only fished but also fished out the trash.

Furthermore, its popularity among anglers suggests that the fish population is likely quite active. Not to mention that during underwater surveys, curious fish often approach the light source, potentially causing disturbance.

"There aren't enough fish..." the team leader muttered to himself.

The abnormally low density of underwater organisms could be attributed, in addition to environmental factors such as water quality and temperature, to the fact that they have strayed into the territory of large carnivores.

He immediately grabbed the walkie-talkie, switched to the underwater communication channel, and said, "All groups, maintain formation and do not separate. Repeat, no one may act alone."

The commands were clearly transmitted to each diver via underwater communication equipment.

The team members, who were already highly focused due to the nature of the mission, were even more on edge.

They slowed their advance, their lights scanning more carefully every crevices where objects might be hiding, and behind every clump of water plants.

Diving in open water, especially in waters where there may be criminal activity, carries numerous unknown risks. There may be undercurrents, entanglements, and even aggressive creatures. You can never be too careful.

The atmosphere underwater grew heavy due to the leader's warning; every swaying shadow and every unusual current tugged at their taut nerves.

On the shore, Officer Mu, having found some respite due to the frogman team's condition, moved closer to Qin Ming and asked in a low voice, "Advisor Qin, what are your thoughts?"

He asked subtly, but his eyes held a questioning look.

Having gone through all that before, he had developed the habit of listening to the intuition or opinions of this "special advisor" at crucial moments.

Qin Ming's eyebrows twitched almost imperceptibly. What did he think?

This was the first time he had ever seen that the underwater area had been completely cleaned up...