The Weight of a Promise

Catching sight of the harbor’s silhouette in the distance, the professional hunters returning from their sea hunt collectively sighed in relief. Though weariness was etched on their faces, the profound relief of survival lingered in their eyes. Watching them, Ming Yu leaned against the stern railing, gazing out at the vast, boundless ocean, a melancholic expression clouding his eyes.

Just half a month prior, they had been clinking glasses and sharing boisterous camaraderie, arms slung over each other’s shoulders.

A team bound by unspoken understanding, a few old friends, kindred spirits… now, only he remained, clinging to life.

The whirring of the steel propeller persisted in his ears, mingling with the crash of waves and the cries of gulls. It unsettled Ming Yu’s spirit, leaving a persistent shadow of sorrow etched between his brows.

Recalling a late friend’s dying wish, he pressed his lips into a thin line. He reached into his pocket, retrieving a waterproof, old-model communication device, and unlocked the screen using the numerical password his friend had provided.

The screen flickered to life.

The wallpaper displayed a blonde, blue-eyed little girl, her face set in a cool expression. She clutched a rabbit plushie nearly half her height, her eyelids lowered as if reluctant to meet the camera’s gaze.

“Viktor, I will care for your daughter. I will watch her grow into an adult, and I will do so until my own life reaches its end.”

Ming Yu exhaled a long, drawn-out sigh. He gazed at the clearly visible outline of the harbor ahead, and the taut strings of his heart slowly began to loosen.

Perhaps he would never venture out into the ocean again. Instead, he would drag his scarred and ailing body, dedicating the remainder of his life entirely to his friend’s daughter.

Ming Yu’s gaze shifted downwards, settling on his feet. There, lying quietly, were several weapons that had accompanied him for years.

A large-caliber revolver, a finely crafted grappling gun, and a sheathed thermal cutting blade.

They, too, deserved their rest.

A strange sense of loss settled over Ming Yu. He stared blankly at his old companions before slowly sliding down the railing to sit at the edge of the deck.

From the moment the harbor came into view until the anchor finally dropped, most of the sea beast hunters showed no exaggerated outward displays of emotion. Yet, an inexpressible joy was suppressed deep within their eyes.

They were finally home.

****

Beneath a somber sky, a colossal entity forged of steel floated steadfastly upon the ocean’s surface.

This maritime fortress, a crystallization of countless technological advancements and ingenuity, was both a gargantuan vessel of unimaginable displacement and a steel city bearing the embers of an old-world civilization.

This formidable stronghold was known as ‘Pharos’.

Port 16 of the Pharos Fortress typically served as the docking point for medium to small-sized vessels.

Ming Yu rubbed his temples, slung his long blade across his back, and tucked the revolver and grappling gun into his waistband. He followed the flow of people off the deck and once more set foot upon the maritime fortress that now held the entirety of his world.

****

Outer City, District 16. A private gene clinic.

After entrusting his weapons to a repair technician, Ming Yu’s brow furrowed deeply as he stepped into the unwelcome confines of the clinic, a place permeated with the cloying scent of alcohol and disinfectant.

Inside the examination room.

The doctor adjusted his spectacles, occasionally glancing up to observe the male patient seated before him. He intermittently perused the physical examination report.

His expression gradually grew grave.

“Mr. Ming, I don’t know what you’ve endured. However, judging by your current condition…” The doctor paused, then spoke with an air of helplessness. “Once your condition continues to deteriorate, you will succumb to organ failure—be it in a matter of days or, at most, a few years.”

“This is a genetic disease. Perhaps it’s a complication you’ve carried since birth, or perhaps you’ve contracted something… unclean. Wait, are you a sea beast hunter?”

Upon hearing this, Ming Yu silently nodded.

“Ah, this…”

He could discern the doctor’s tone shifting from helplessness to regret, as if the man were genuinely pitying his fate.

The doctor folded the examination report. A conclusion seemed to have solidified in his mind, and a bitter smile touched the corners of his lips.

“Then it’s no surprise, no surprise at all…”

“Those elixirs that forcefully shatter genetic restraints, that power extracted by draining one’s bodily functions, are destined to backfire.”

“Ah, well…”

He found himself at a loss for words. He could only prescribe some mild tonics to bolster the patient’s constitution and advise him to return home for rest and recuperation.

The doctor’s words did not plunge Ming Yu into despair. Instead, they instilled in him a profound sense of urgency, a realization that time waited for no one.

Had it not been for Viktor’s self-sacrificing rescue, he would have long since drowned in the boundless azure sea, entombed within the belly of a sea beast. For one who had clawed their way back from the depths of hell, the prospect of having one foot already in the grave seemed to elicit a surprising calm.

Before he could calmly embrace death, there were still crucial tasks he had to accomplish.

Ming Yu squeezed out a single pill, swallowing it with a gulp of warm water. He then tucked the medicine back into his pocket and retrieved the phone Viktor had left behind.

Smartphones were truly relics from a bygone era.

Ming Yu scrolled through the contacts and quickly located the number saved under ‘Misha’.

According to Viktor, ‘Misha’ was a close friend he had known since their childhood days in the orphanage. Before embarking on his perilous path, Viktor had entrusted his daughter to Misha’s care.

Who could have foreseen that four years would pass since then, and he would ultimately fail to fulfill his promise of returning for his daughter.

‘What an irresponsible father,’ he mused.

Ming Yu coughed twice, his breathing noticeably growing heavier. He had only just taken the medicine, and its effects were already apparent.

‘Who would have thought such a tiny pill could have such a potent after-effect?’ he wondered.

Under the watchful gaze of the medical staff, Ming Yu dragged his feet, stumbling out of the gene clinic.

****

Guided by the information stored on the phone, Ming Yu successfully located Misha’s residence. He stood before the thick metal gate and pressed the doorbell beside it.

Soon, a woman’s voice drifted from behind the door, asking:

“Hello, sir. This is the Exxon residence. Who are you looking for?”

“I’m here to pick up Viktor’s daughter.”

“…”

The atmosphere abruptly fell silent.

Ming Yu repeated his words but received no response.

He dialed Misha’s number on the phone.

The next moment, the call was abruptly disconnected.

Ming Yu slowly narrowed his eyes.

Just as his patience was nearing its breaking point, a sound finally emerged from behind the door.

“Please go back. Viktor’s daughter isn’t here…”

“Are you Misha?”

“…Yes.”

“Why didn’t you answer the call?”

“I—I’m not… Please, just go back.”

The woman’s voice was low, and he could clearly detect the underlying guilt in her tone.

Ming Yu’s patience had completely worn thin.

‘This metal door, thick as it is, could it truly be as impenetrable as the scales of a mutated sea beast?’ he wondered, a dangerous glint in his eyes.

Sensing that something was gravely amiss, Ming Yu no longer hesitated. He pulled a minuscule syringe from his waist pouch and swiftly administered a subcutaneous injection to himself.

A surge of palpitations accompanied the sudden rush as a profound sense of power coursed through his entire being.

Every single cell within him thrummed with exhilaration.

His fingernails hardened and sharpened, tearing through the door lock as if it were tofu. Then, clenching his right fist, he unleashed a devastating blow, shattering the metal door with overwhelming force.

Behind the now-demolished door, a disheveled middle-aged woman sat sprawled on the ground, her face pale, her mouth agape but unable to utter a sound.

Just then, a man’s furious shouts erupted from the living room.

“How many times have I told you, you wench, not to disturb my afternoon nap!”

“I’m going to win back both the money and the girl tonight! How dare you make noise at a time like this?!”

The enraged shouts echoed through the house.

Ignoring the man’s furious bellowing, Ming Yu walked directly to the woman and crouched before her, his gaze cold as he stared into her face.

“I’m here to pick up Viktor’s daughter.”

“Where is she?”