The Shifting Shadow and the Thirsters

The time had come.

As the clock on the wall shifted from midnight to one, the dark, silent rental apartment was suddenly filled with the jarring ring of a mobile phone.

Extremely unwillingly, the black-haired youth dragged himself from beneath the covers, his face a mask of exhaustion and drowsiness.

“Today’s location is…”

He picked up his phone, scrutinizing the incoming message.

A codename, a location, a quantity—it was, as expected, a commission from the [Mutual Aid Society], tasking him with delivering specified items to a designated person at a particular place.

However…

‘Haven’t the night missions become increasingly frequent lately? He’d been sent to deliver things to desolate outskirts in the dead of night several times in a row now; never mind the working hours, personal safety should at least be guaranteed.’

‘I’ll have to find time to complain to Old Wu.’

Grumbling about his superior, the youth settled on the edge of the bed before a mirror, where the reflection showed a man with prominent dark circles and a pallid, weary complexion.

His scrawny physique, utterly unbefitting his age, made one wonder if he would topple over with a mere push.

“Shadow.”

Accompanying the soft whisper, tendrils of black mist began to rise from the youth’s body.

The original boy vanished like a fleeting illusion, replaced instead by a grey-haired girl.

“How beautiful,” she mused. “No matter how many times I see it, it still doesn’t feel like myself.”

Although she had taken on this form for some time, Xiu Lan still couldn’t grow accustomed to the girl staring back at her.

With a mere blink, she had inexplicably found herself here, in a world largely devoured by the [Blackblood] and where human civilization clung precariously to a mere corner, struggling for survival.

Yet, eerily, the language and culture here were largely identical to those of her original world.

‘A parallel world? A future era? Or perhaps some higher-dimensional entity’s amusement?’

Xiu Lan had no way of knowing.

The only fortunate thing was that the unknown entity had still granted her a cheat.

[Shadow]

This was the power Xiu Lan called [Shadow], the swirling black mist around her its very manifestation.

Through continuous exploration, she had tentatively mastered several of [Shadow]’s abilities.

It could envelop her body, obstructing others’ vision, while simultaneously diminishing her presence.

It could alter her outward appearance; perhaps due to some subtle detail, she could currently only transform into her past male self.

While this seemed rather rudimentary in a world teeming with demons and monsters, having it was certainly better than having nothing at all.

Putting an end to her mental wanderings, the grey-haired girl donned a pair of gloves, flipped the mirror ninety degrees to the left, and retrieved the black briefcase hidden behind it.

Simultaneously, the previously dispersed black mist reconverged around the girl, forming a black overcoat disproportionate to her figure, completely obscuring her body and face, before she stepped out the door.

Work began.

****

[Thirst Syndrome]

An incurable disease afflicting the survivors in the wake of the Great Migration.

Those afflicted typically exhibited extreme sensitivity to blood; even the slightest wound, emitting the faintest scent of blood, would provoke a powerful reaction in a Thirster.

This condition would steadily worsen over time, ultimately driving them to violently attack others.

Fortunately, a research team soon overcame some of the challenges.

Regular medication could temporarily alleviate the urge of the [Thirst], and the team announced they would provide free medicine to every registered Thirst Syndrome patient residing in the city.

For fame, for wealth, or for a cure, a ceaseless stream of people flocked to the frontier city of [Dongchuan], contributing to its prosperity.

However…

“This is yours.”

Handing the vial extracted from the briefcase to the man before her, Xiu Lan closed the case, her eyes cautiously surveying her surroundings.

In the pitch-black night, with only the moonlight and dim streetlamps, she could barely make out the four large characters for ‘Heshang Factory’ on the main gate.

Scattered individuals stood or squatted across the area.

This place, near the [Special Zone] established for Thirsters, saw virtually no passersby at night, making it perfect for illicit drug transactions.

“Next time… when?”

“I’m just the delivery person; specifics await notification from my superior.”

‘This must be the last one, right?’

Xiu Lan scanned the man before her, who was feigning composure.

His face, hidden by a mask, was indiscernible, but his slightly aged voice suggested he was perhaps in his forties or fifties.

A black cloak enveloped him, subtly revealing formal attire beneath—likely a mid to high-level executive from some company.

“If you still want more inhibitors, you’ll either have to find other channels, or… you’ll just have to register with the Supervision Bureau.”

“No, no, I was just asking.”

At the mention of the [Supervision Bureau], the man reacted like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, speaking in an ingratiating tone:

“You know my family situation, little brother.

If word got out to my superiors that I have [Thirst Syndrome], forget about promotion—even putting food on the table would become difficult.”

“Sigh.”

‘I certainly don’t know your family.’

Xiu Lan sighed.

Even in a society that championed equality, distinct social strata would always exist.

The prejudice faced by Thirst Syndrome patients, however, transcended mere class divisions.

After all, few were willing to share a roof with a monster who might go berserk at the scent of blood at any moment, despite the government’s constant appeals that “inhibited Thirsters are no different from ordinary people.”

‘What if they forgot to take their medicine one day?’

Ultimately, Thirsters were considered inferior; rather than a societal trend, it was more a primal human instinct to seek advantage and avoid harm.

And so, her job was to provide medicine to [Thirsters] who wished to feign a normal life—acting as a courier who sold specially acquired drugs to others, a truly grey industry.

After dispatching the middle-aged man, Xiu Lan continued to check off the list provided by the [Mutual Aid Society].

If nothing unforeseen occurred, her work for the day should have concluded.

If nothing unforeseen occurred, that is.

“Don’t move.”

A man’s nervous voice sounded beside her ear, followed by the chilling press of a hard object against her head.

‘The Supervision Bureau? The Orderly Squad? Though I’ve long been mentally prepared to be brought to justice for this line of work, this is far too soon.

How long have I even been at it?’

Xiu Lan grumbled internally, yet her hands didn’t pause.

Slowly, she placed the briefcase on the ground before her, raising both hands high in a gesture of surrender.

“Give me the medicine.”

The man stammered, his voice trembling.

‘Damn, is this a robbery?’

Xiu Lan almost lost her composure, her beautiful face beneath the overcoat twisting into a comical expression.

‘This fellow is too reckless,’ she thought.

“My friend, if you require medicine from us, you can leave a message with the [Mutual Aid Society], and we will arrange a delivery time soon.

Your current actions will only cause panic and affect our future supply of medicine.”

Xiu Lan deliberately raised her voice on the last sentence.

“Pat-pat-pat-pat-pat.”

As her voice faded, scattered footsteps echoed through the quiet factory.

People were gathering.

For the Thirsters present, maintaining a normal life was paramount.

While simply snatching the medicine and fleeing might seem easy, it would inevitably sever their stable supply.

After all, no one was willing to do business with someone who disregarded the rules, and the ‘robber’ behind her had just crossed that red line—a line that also represented the very lifelines of everyone gathered there.

“Shut up! Don’t think I don’t know what your Mutual Aid Society does.

Open the case and turn around.”

The uninvited guest poked Xiu Lan’s head again with the gun, a clear threat: “And all of you, don’t come any closer, or I might not be able to control myself.”

‘What a nuisance.’

Sighing inwardly, the girl picked up the briefcase again.

It was a security briefcase specially designed by [Morning Star], featuring even the latest spatial folding and self-destruction systems.

Without the correct password, the system would automatically destroy its contents.

The ‘robber’ behind her must have recognized this product, which was why he specifically demanded she open the case.

[15042365]

Password confirmed.

The remaining four inhibitor vials lay neatly arranged in a corner of the case.

The man eagerly scooped them into a pre-prepared bag, then glanced at the black-robed figure still standing with her hands raised in surrender.

He pulled out a wad of banknotes from his person and stuffed them onto her.

“Here, consider them bought.”

‘You’re actually quite decent, for a robber.’

Pocketing the banknotes, Xiu Lan was momentarily speechless.

She watched as the hooded man bolted away, though she wondered if he had noticed the shadowy figures subtly trailing him.

‘Those who disregard the rules are naturally punished by them.

I hope you manage to get away with the medicine intact.’

‘But whatever happens next is no longer my concern.’

Finally, this dreadful night was over.

After tidying her personal belongings, the girl stepped into the shroud of night.