The Path to Sky City

Time flew by. In the blink of an eye, another three months had passed.

The first batch of recruits Ming Yu had taken under her wing had all graduated, leaving her with a considerably long vacation ahead.

Ming Yu felt a surge of emotion regarding Little Nightingale’s progress.

‘Could this child truly be a genius?’ she wondered.

Perhaps it was due to her prior foundation, but in just five months, she had firmly grasped the fundamental knowledge across all subjects. What she lacked compared to students preparing for exams was merely repetitive training and revision.

Since entering the Academy of Engineering Sciences, Qing Shui Ling Yin seemed to have become incredibly busy. She could only spare time for occasional meals with Ming Yu; otherwise, she remained holed up in her laboratory.

As for Sky City, Ming Yu had also made significant headway.

****

“Why do you keep asking about this?”

Jiang Chen clutched his communication device, pausing his work, a puzzled expression on his face.

Hearing the old man finally deign to speak, Ming Yu replied earnestly:

“I’ve been to countless gene clinics and consulted numerous doctors. The girl my old friend entrusted to me suffers from an eye condition that only Sky City’s technology can fully cure.”

“Please, Old Jiang.”

“Alright, alright, fine. I’ll point you in the right direction then.”

“Tell me.” Ming Yu breathed a sigh of relief.

Jiang Chen glanced at the window, chuckling softly.

“See that? The Association’s office building. One leap, and all your worries vanish… If you reincarnate, you might even end up there.”

“…”

Ming Yu was at a loss for words.

Her fists clenched.

Imagining Ming Yu’s darkening expression, Jiang Chen clicked his tongue, his smile unwavering.

“Haha, don’t be so hasty… Actually, there isn’t no way to ascend to Sky City.”

“You’ve met the Association Chairman, haven’t you?”

At this, Ming Yu nodded, her expression softening slightly.

“I’ve met him once.”

“I thought as much… That fellow was invited to Sky City many years ago, but… he chose to remain in the Old World.”

Jiang Chen’s expression became rather peculiar.

Hearing the profound, storytelling tone, Ming Yu promptly cut him off, denying the old man his dramatic moment.

“What he did is irrelevant to me. I only care about how to get there.”

“See? Impatient again.”

“Yes, yes, you’re absolutely right… So, how did he get up there?”

“It’s quite simple. Back then, he single-handedly confronted a legendary behemoth, causing such a massive stir that it drew the attention of Sky City.”

“…”

Ming Yu fell silent abruptly.

Hearing the silence on the other end of the line, Jiang Chen shook his head with a smile.

“Evidently, compared to the latter option, the success rate of reincarnating into Sky City might actually be higher.”

****

Ming Yu removed her headset, her expression far from pleasant.

‘A legendary behemoth… What a joke.’

Leaning against the balcony railing, she was enveloped by the profound night. Her gaze drifted to the girl bathed in warm light within the living room, her eyes momentarily lost in thought.

Little Nightingale’s posture remained graceful and refined. She sat alone on the sofa, lost in thought, with Luna perched lazily atop her head.

‘If only those blue pupils could regain their luster…’

Ming Yu pressed her lips together, her eyes flickering with a mix of pity and melancholy. A faint thread of unwillingness began to stir within her.

‘Just two more years.’

‘Once Little Nightingale reaches adulthood, only then can I truly be free of worries.’

****

Ming Yu was looking this way.

‘What is she thinking about?’

‘Is it about Qing Shui Ling Yin?’

‘I really want to secretly listen to Ming Yu’s thoughts.’

‘But what if I’m discovered and make Ming Yu angry…?’

Recalling how a previous attempt at eavesdropping had alerted Ming Yu, Little Nightingale no longer dared to indulge in such recklessness.

‘It’s strange, why was I detected…’

Little Nightingale quieted her mind, silently reviewing months of experience in reading thoughts and perceiving senses, meticulously delving into this peculiar ability.

From the initial overwhelming sense of exhaustion to her current effortless usage, Little Nightingale distinctly felt that the side effects of her ability seemed to be diminishing.

‘Or rather, am I gradually adapting?’

In just a few months, Little Nightingale had developed numerous other peculiar superpowers.

Take this, for example.

Using Luna’s vision, Little Nightingale stared at the water glass on the table, beginning a brainstorming session.

‘Now, it’s fantasy time!’

Under the projection of her will, the once calm surface of the water in the cup suddenly rippled, stirring up concentric circles.

However, this projection lasted only a few seconds before Little Nightingale began to feel weary, the familiar sense of exhaustion returning to her mind.

Through multiple tests, she discovered that different fantasies required vastly different amounts of mental energy. The expended energy manifested not only as hunger but also left her feeling mentally fatigued.

‘A little sleepy…’

****

After extinguishing the light, Ming Yu fumbled in the dark to gently pinch Little Nightingale’s cheek.

“Goodnight.”

“Sister Ming Yu…”

“I’m sorry, I still have some matters to attend to, so I can’t sleep with you tonight.”

“…Understood.”

Leaving the room and closing the bedroom door, Ming Yu approached the storage cabinet. She opened its door and retrieved the Mistcutter, which had been stored away for months.

Although Ming Yu had never seen one of these so-called ‘legendary behemoths,’ this did not deter her from setting her sights on these creatures.

‘If I can just take down one, it will attract the attention of Sky City, and then Little Nightingale can go up for treatment.’

To this end, Ming Yu needed to make preparations in advance.

There was an ancient saying: ‘Know yourself, know your enemy, and you will never be defeated.’

Foremost among these preparations was understanding herself—her current physical metrics, including explosive power, stamina, and balance control.

Ming Yu had yet to test her physical capabilities after her transformation and thus had little understanding of her current physical state.

****

Hunter Association Headquarters.

Indoor Comprehensive Training Ground.

Throughout Pharos, when it came to the professionalism of testing equipment, neither the City Defense Camp nor the Law Enforcement Bureau could compare to the Hunter Association, a hub for gene-enhanced individuals.

Ming Yu did not wear her conspicuous metal mask. Instead, she concealed her face with a black mask, carrying the Mistcutter on her back as she strode directly into the training grounds.

To her surprise, no sooner had she entered than she spotted several familiar faces.

Several recruits who had recently graduated under her guidance seemed to be in a confrontation, causing quite a commotion, though she couldn’t discern what they were arguing about.

The leading recruit was a girl whom Ming Yu vaguely remembered.

‘She seemed to be the elder sister of that pair of siblings, named… Yun Mo?’

“Does your Law Enforcement Bureau not have its own training ground? Why must you come here and monopolize our space?”

Yun Mo shielded her younger sister, Yun Yao, behind her, glaring coldly at the men and women blocking their way, her expression filled with indignation.

Among the group of young people, the leading woman frowned slightly. She didn’t rise to the bait but responded calmly:

“We are here accompanying our superior on a visit, making us guests of your esteemed association. Moreover, our people arrived first. First come, first served—do I need to teach you that?”

Fujiwara Yūka crossed her arms, her gaze cold and her expression unfriendly.

Hearing this, Yun Yao, who was protected behind her sister, couldn’t help but complain aloud:

“Who occupies a dozen spots for one person? You took them for the entire afternoon with no one here, only to show up in the evening…”

“Forget it, Yao Yao. After all, they arrived first…”

The colleagues in their group exchanged glances, all sighing helplessly and beginning to persuade Yun Yao not to act impulsively.

Hearing this, several colleagues beside Fujiwara Yūka exchanged knowing smiles. Among them, the one responsible for claiming the spots wore a particularly mocking expression.

“Captain Fujiwara, why bother wasting words on these short-lived wretches?”

He approached Fujiwara Yūka’s side, rubbing his hands together. He cast a triumphant glance at the group of ‘sea beast hunters with no future,’ a hint of fawning flashing in his eyes.

At this, Fujiwara Yūka let out a soft chuckle, casually sweeping her gaze over the obstructing figures. A barely perceptible hint of disdain flickered in the depths of her pupils.

“Don’t say anything that’s detrimental to unity.”

“While the Hunter Association members may be short-lived, their salaries are considerably higher than ours.”

Fujiwara Yūka nudged her chin towards Yun Mo, a peculiar smile gracing her lips.

“Wouldn’t you agree?”