An S-Rank Revelation Amidst the Tide

In Pharos, there was no commodity that could not be purchased with trading points.

If one existed, it simply meant the points weren’t plentiful enough.

Hearing the female customer’s offer, Chen Xin abandoned all pretense of composure, her eyes widening in shock.

“H-how much?”

“Is one hundred thousand points not enough? Then… two hundred thousand points?”

Ming Yu wasn’t entirely sure of the market price for these cats and dogs, so she could only estimate based on her experience, assuming it would be roughly similar to what she remembered.

She once had a neighbor who, after their pet cat went missing, posted a reward of eighty thousand points for its return.

Eighty thousand points…

For Ming Yu, such an amount was rather trivial.

Having worked in high-risk professions for so many years, her accumulated trading points had long since surpassed ten million.

While earning them had been arduous, they were ultimately external possessions, things she couldn’t take with her in death. Spending them on Nightingale, therefore, didn’t pain her in the slightest.

Chen Xin’s gaze transformed entirely.

‘Which sheltered young lady is this?’

Even a precious, high-quality breed wouldn’t command such a price, let alone her stock of custom-cloned pets.

‘A naive customer has arrived.’

Chen Xin’s face instantly broke into a wide smile.

“More than enough, more than enough! Please, take your time, choose whatever you like… Would you like me to introduce them one by one?”

“That would be much appreciated.”

Ming Yu gave a slight nod.

“Based on your requirements, I can guarantee that this Ragdoll cat is absolutely the perfect breed. It’s gentle, adorable, and loves to be petted. You can try it for yourself.”

Guided by Chen Xin, Ming Yu extended a hand, beginning to stroke the Ragdoll from its head and neck.

Her fingertips glided downwards over its pure white fur, savoring the delicate sensation, and her heart stirred slightly.

The texture truly was delightful.

As a first-timer petting a cat, she quite enjoyed the feeling.

‘You’re the one.’

Just as she completed the payment and picked up the little white cat, preparing to leave, a prolonged alarm suddenly blared, echoing across the sky.

Without warning, it enveloped the entire city, piercing the ears of every citizen.

Once the alarm ceased, it was replaced by an urgent command broadcast throughout the Pharos Fortress.

“Sea beast tide incoming! Numerous A-rank sea beasts, ‘Ghost Shark’ and ‘Steam Squid,’ have been sighted. Citizens in districts fifteen, sixteen, and seventeen, please proceed immediately to the nearest shelter!”

“Repeat! Large numbers of A-rank sea beasts have appeared near ports fifteen, sixteen, and seventeen. All citizens in affected districts, please proceed immediately to the nearest shelter!”

Upon hearing the news, Chen Xin’s face instantly paled. She spun around in a panic and fled, leaving Ming Yu alone, cradling the white cat.

“This place is very close to the port, you should run too!”

Chen Xin, having quickly gathered her belongings, returned to push Ming Yu out of the shop. She left her with a final warning, then locked the shop door and hurried with her employees towards the shelter.

The sudden turn of events left Ming Yu utterly astonished.

‘Hadn’t it been said that the sea beast tides wouldn’t exceed B-rank? How could a large number of A-rank sea beasts reach the vicinity of the port? Were the hunters in the patrol zone sleepwalking?’

‘Ghost Shark and Steam Squid…’

While both could evade radar and sonar detection, experienced hunters would never fail to identify them upon encounter, given the on-site situation.

‘Could it be that not a single messenger survived?’

Ming Yu was deeply puzzled.

Regardless, trouble had arrived, and she needed to assess the situation.

She gently placed the little white cat on the ground, looked intently into its clear, ocean-blue eyes, and said with a serious expression:

“Don’t wander off.”

“Meow! (≥﹏≤)”

The little white cat seemed to understand her words. After circling a few times, it blinked its watery eyes and obediently curled up on the ground, resembling a ‘cat-worm.’

Seeing this, Ming Yu rubbed its head, then stood up, reslung her Mistcutter, opened her umbrella, and strode directly towards the sealed port area.

****

Nightingale was jolted awake by the shrill alarm.

As consciousness returned, a sharp, needle-like pain surged from deep within her skull, causing her to involuntarily furrow her brow.

This was the second time.

Each time she listened to Ming Yu’s inner thoughts, this stinging pain would follow.

‘Wait, why can I hear Ming Yu’s thoughts?’

Although Nightingale’s life had been short and monotonous, she possessed a basic understanding of common sense. Normal people shouldn’t be able to hear others’ inner voices, should they?

‘It seems I’m not quite normal.’

Nightingale pressed her lips together tightly, her body remaining in the same position she’d been in before falling asleep, curled motionless on the sofa.

She began to fantasize.

Against a backdrop of profound darkness, she conjured the colors she remembered from before her blindness, constructing a small world of her own.

In this world, her will reigned supreme. Unseeing eyes painted vivid scenes, and invisible hands reshaped all things.

Nightingale immersed herself in this fantasy.

Yet, a flicker of unwillingness remained within her.

“I truly wish I could see you…”

“Ming Yu…”

In her fantastical world, Ming Yu was nowhere to be found.

Here, the helplessness of isolation, the grievances that had nowhere to be voiced, and the deep-seated hatred were all twisted and reshaped by Nightingale’s will.

Here, the blatant exclusion and bullying from her peers, the unreasonable lectures from her teachers, her father’s absentmindedness… all these terrible memories transformed into the scenes she yearned for.

Here, she no longer tolerated everything, no longer lived at the mercy of others. She had a kind yet strict father who cared for her, and a mother…

Nightingale often wondered what kind of person her mother, whom she had never met, truly was.

Perhaps she would tear away her chains without hesitation, or gently and patiently teach her how to use cutlery, or naturally dry her hair for her, or lavishly provide her with clothes…

Nightingale fantasized thus.

In this imagined realm, her mother would be someone like Ming Yu—like a radiant, luminous moon, or a harbor shielding her from wind and rain.

Such a thought lingered in her heart, refusing to dissipate.

“Sister Ming Yu…”

A soft call echoed through the living room.

However, Nightingale’s call went unanswered. For a moment, countless thoughts raced through her mind.

Finally, she bit her lip and accepted the truth.

‘Ming Yu isn’t home.’

‘But she will return.’

****

Port 16.

The roar of heavy artillery rivaled thunder, reverberating through the sky.

Plasma shells streaked skyward, carrying a shrill cry like a thousand birds, their white trails of light tearing through the ominous clouds.

They precisely struck the areas where shadows lurked beneath the sea.

In an instant, a breathtaking spectacle unfolded.

Heaven’s thunder ignited earth’s fire.

On the sea’s surface, amidst a succession of deafening explosions, eerie blue flames erupted.

Below the waves, sharp howls rose and fell, coalescing into a monstrous sound wave so immense it nearly contended with the cannons’ thunderous roar.

The seawater was ablaze.

Before the sealed-off zone, Ming Yu unstrapped her Mistcutter, holding it in a reverse grip and propping it against the ground.

She leaned against the building’s exterior wall, adjusting her breathing to the most optimal rhythm.

A fierce wind swept across her, carrying fine droplets of water that splashed against her face.

Ming Yu touched the gene syringe in her waist pouch, and a series of withered faces, victims of its effects, flashed through her mind. A complex mix of emotions churned within her.

At that moment, a guard tasked with overseeing citizen evacuation spotted her. He waved an arm and shouted loudly:

“You, the white-haired woman over there! This area is highly dangerous. Leave immediately and head to the shelter! Do you hear me?”

“Can’t you understand plain speech? I told you to hurry and…”

The guard stepped forward, intending to usher her away, when his gaze suddenly fell upon the weapon in Ming Yu’s hand. His voice caught, and his assertive demeanor instantly deflated.

“Are you a sea beast hunter? My apologies… Please show me your identity code.”

Hearing this, Ming Yu nodded slightly, transmitting her identity code to his communication device, where it projected onto a holographic screen.

After reading the QR code she provided, the guard quickly scanned her identity information, scrolled down casually, and nodded once he confirmed its authenticity.

Just then, at the very bottom of the file, information regarding her hunter rank certification caught his eye.

His voice suddenly rose.

“S-S-rank?!”