That’s not right!
‘Why am I even thinking about this?’
Aya Tone grew wary.
‘I’m here to help with an S-rank dungeon, not to be some hired hand!’
He understood the spatial fluctuations caused by the sudden increase in dungeons.
But understanding it and wanting to do it were two entirely different matters.
Having finally made it to the Imperial Capital, the last thing he wanted was a memory filled with nothing but work.
“President Bai, I…” Aya Tone began to refuse, but Bai Xiao cut him off with a raised hand.
“The pay is negotiable.”
What!?
“President Bai… no! Auntie Bai! Just say the word, and I’ll take on any mission you have!”
Aya Tone seized Bai Xiao’s hand.
“Your business is my business!”
His gaze was as firm as if he were swearing an oath.
‘It really isn’t about the money; it’s about contributing to the stability of the Imperial Capital.’
‘Yes, that’s it!’
‘Of course… getting paid would be the best part. o(*￣︶￣*)o’
“Haha…”
Bai Xiao couldn’t help but laugh.
This kid really was amusing, far more endearing than that brat of hers at home.
It seemed the more you saw other people’s children, the more you couldn’t help but feel envious.
‘I’ll have to give that little rascal a good beating when I get home tonight!’
Somewhere, a certain high school student suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. “I sense a murderous aura!”
“…”
“Auntie Bai, um…”
Aya Tone released her hand, rubbing his own together sheepishly. “Could I borrow a few people who can use spatial magic?”
“I swear on my Guild Master’s name that I’ll bring them back to you in one piece.”
Fearing Bai Xiao might refuse, Aya Tone deliberately brought up Fire Finch.
After running three dungeons with Miao Qingzhu, Aya Tone had learned his lesson.
He needed someone with spatial magic around to handle the grunt work.
Otherwise, he’d have to slowly gather all the scattered resources himself.
That would be far too time-consuming… and he had important things to do.
“Alright.”
Bai Xiao did not refuse his request.
Even if Aya Tone hadn’t invoked Fire Finch’s name, she still would have agreed.
After all, from her perspective as Fire Finch’s aunt, her niece didn’t have much credibility to begin with.
How could she not know the disposition of a child she’d watched grow up?
What she valued was Aya Tone’s strength.
She then turned to Fan Ying, who was standing nearby, and said, “Go with this child, and then find a few other spatial ability users.”
Fan Ying froze, pointing at herself in astonishment. “Me too?”
It had been a long time since she’d worked as an adventurer.
Ever since her entire team was wiped out during a dungeon raid, she’d been left with severe psychological trauma.
While she could still use her abilities under normal circumstances… she had lost the courage to enter a dungeon.
So, she had remained at the headquarters, working as a receptionist.
But now, from the President’s tone, it seemed she intended for her to go along.
‘Why?’
Bai Xiao nodded. “What happened wasn’t your fault. It’s time to let it go.”
“…”
Fan Ying pressed her lips together but said nothing.
‘Let it go?’
‘Easier said than done!’
‘To watch, helpless, as the companions I spent every day with fell one by one before my very eyes.’
‘To see those vibrant lives become food for monsters.’
‘How could I ever let that go?’
‘Only I… only I survived…’
‘I’m a coward…’
Aya Tone was completely bewildered by their exchange.
‘But is this receptionist lady really going to come with me?’
It wasn’t a bad thing.
Having an attractive young woman around always felt like getting a buff; it made the work more pleasant.
But no matter how he looked at her, this receptionist didn’t seem like a spatial ability user.
Bai Xiao noticed Aya Tone’s confusion and explained with a smile, “Don’t underestimate Fan Ying. She’s one of the few A-rank adventurers here with spatial abilities.”
‘If that incident hadn’t happened, she might have even become another S-rank… What a pity…’
Bai Xiao felt helpless regarding Fan Ying’s ordeal.
After so many years as President, she had long grown accustomed to life and death.
Too many, far too many lives had been lost before her eyes.
So many…
She could no longer remember how many times she had carved a name onto the Memorial Stele.
‘I hope this child, Aya Tone, can help Fan Ying find her strength again.’
‘Her talent shouldn’t be buried like this.’
“Really?”
Despite Bai Xiao’s words, Aya Tone remained a little skeptical.
“Alright, I guess~”
Aya Tone didn’t press the issue. In any case, he was only taking these people to collect resources.
It wasn’t like he needed them to fight.
Spatial ability users were simply faster at gathering resources than others.
****
Bai Xiao watched as Aya Tone left the lounge.
The moment the door clicked shut, the tension finally left her.
Fatigue washed over her like a tidal wave, flooding her senses.
For days now, her body had been running on fumes, pushed far beyond its limits.
Now that two S-rank powerhouses had arrived to support the Imperial Capital, she could finally afford a moment of rest.
The worry etched on Bai Xiao’s face slowly began to fade.
Closing her eyes, her mind continued to calculate.
An S-rank had arrived the day before yesterday, and now there was little Aya Tone.
Before long, the space around the Imperial Capital should return to stability.
The next step would be to prepare for conquering the S-rank dungeon.
An S-rank dungeon…
Bai Xiao sighed.
Every S-rank dungeon was a venture into the unknown.
Humanity knew nothing of the abilities or attack patterns of the newly emerged monsters.
But the monsters had only one perspective on humanity—kill!
And humanity’s response was exactly the same.
Only by slaughtering these monsters into submission would they ever quiet down.
Only then could humans begin to develop the dungeon’s resources.
The development of every S-rank dungeon was paved with hundreds, even thousands, of lives.
She wondered how many casualties there would be this time…
Bai Xiao rubbed her aching temples.
Fortunately, the higher-ups had already issued an order: ignore all potential profits and conquer it directly!
No matter what fantastical creatures this new S-rank dungeon contained, the dungeon core had to be destroyed with the utmost speed!
In that case, all they had to do was focus on an all-out assault.
After all, the Imperial Capital could not bear the strain of a fourth S-rank dungeon.
****
“Sister Fan~ Slow… slow down…”
Aya Tone hurried after Fan Ying, his short legs struggling to keep up.
He grumbled internally about how fast she was walking.
Couldn’t she spare a thought for the person behind her?
‘Doesn’t she know some of us have short legs!’
“My surname is Ning.”
Ning Fan Ying, walking ahead, paused for a moment before continuing on.
Her inner turmoil was a stark contrast to her calm exterior.
‘The moment I think of facing those monsters, the gruesome fate of my teammates flashes through my mind.’
‘They were dragging their mangled bodies, reaching out to me, screaming.’
‘Save me…’
‘And I could do nothing.’
‘I’m sorry… I was too weak to save you…’
She had lost count of how many times she had repented.
But they…
They were never coming back…
“Ning?”
Aya Tone paused, then quickly understood.
“Sister Ning, slow down!”
If he didn’t hurry, Ning Fan Ying would disappear around the corner.
She continued to walk on, lost in her own world, leaving Aya Tone utterly confused.
‘Hadn’t this lady seemed perfectly nice before?’
‘Why did she seem like a completely different person after Auntie Bai told her to enter the dungeon with me?’
‘Could this be some kind of melodramatic backstory?’
Aya Tone couldn’t help but be curious.
But it was only curiosity. From Ning Fan Ying’s expression, he could tell it was something terrible.
He wasn’t foolish enough to go deliberately picking at someone else’s old wounds.
****