A Challenge Accepted

Ming Yu took a deep breath, an expression of disbelief flickering in her eyes.

When she had first cut down the Steam Squid, she had noticed the thermal cutting blade felt significantly lighter, sparking a suspicion in her heart.

To her surprise, it was exactly as Chairman Seti had claimed.

Without even a gene injection, her bodily functions had reached an entirely new peak.

What would happen after an injection?

Undeniably, she was already a monster in every sense of the word.

Ming Yu extended her slender, pale fingers, then clenched them into a fist, repeating the motion several times as a wave of astonishment washed over her.

The flow of her strength felt effortless. Her muscle strength perfectly matched her bone density, and her nerve endings firmly commanded her muscles and glands.

The equipment here likely couldn’t even measure her true limits.

She needed to find a durable punching bag to test herself.

Just as Ming Yu pondered how to gauge her full capabilities, Fujiwara Yūka finally snapped back to reality. Her face was frozen like ice, her teeth clenched, as she slowly stepped forward.

“Hey, this is the Hunter Association Headquarters. You’ve not only assaulted someone, but you’ve also forcibly seized the training grounds. Are you trying to violate our regulations?”

Fujiwara Yūka felt a pang of panic, yet her face remained haughty as she immediately accused the other party of “violating regulations.”

Manipulating rules was, after all, her greatest skill.

However…

“Yes.”

As Fujiwara Yūka approached, Ming Yu adopted a peculiar expression, a half-smile playing on her lips.

“I am breaking the rules. What are you going to do about it?”

“You! Who do you think you are?” Fujiwara Yūka’s face flushed crimson, her anger twisting into a furious laugh.

Ming Yu seemed utterly unconcerned by her interrogation. Instead, she changed the subject, countering with a question of her own:

“What is your relationship with Fujiwara Yūkawa?”

“Aha, so now you’re scared? I’ve already sent someone to call my father. Just you wait!”

“Indeed, I’m terrified.”

Upon hearing that Fujiwara Yūkawa was on his way, Ming Yu abandoned any thought of leaving.

A faint, almost imperceptible curve tugged at the corner of her lips.

The punching bag had arrived, hadn’t it?

****

Meanwhile, Yun Mo stared intently at Ming Yu.

As she gazed at the face largely obscured by the black mask, it grew increasingly familiar, almost confirming her suspicion that this was the elusive Silver Kite instructor.

After a moment of hesitation, she moved closer and tentatively called out, “Instructor.”

Ming Yu responded with a sidelong glance.

The instant their gazes met, Yun Mo’s breath hitched.

Ming Yu gave a slight nod.

“Hello.”

“It’s… it’s really you?!”

It wasn’t just Yun Mo; all the hunters who had followed widened their eyes, mouths agape in shock. Their gazes instantly became evasive, none daring to meet Ming Yu’s eyes directly.

“Holy smokes, Instructor Silver Kite is so young? She doesn’t look much older than us!”

“I don’t believe it. The recreational district is full of cosmetic clinics. That old geezer definitely got some work done!”

“She was so brutal when she tormented us, utterly inhuman. I always imagined a grim reaper’s face beneath that mask…”

“Even though most of her face is covered by the mask, the parts that are visible could effortlessly outshine any internet celebrity. It’s unbelievable.”

The chattering whispers of the newcomers reached Fujiwara Yūka’s ears, causing her to frown slightly.

‘Silver Kite… Instructor?’

‘What? A mere hunter instructor dares to speak to me like that?’

‘Does she have no one to teach her manners?’

Fujiwara Yūka’s face instantly darkened, and the coldness in her eyes was no longer restrained.

She didn’t have to wait long.

Soon, the crowd blocking the entrance was dispersed.

Fujiwara Yūkawa and Fujiwara Tachima entered, their faces grim, their eyes simultaneously drawn to a certain silver-white figure.

****

At the same time.

Ming Yu dialed Jiang Chen’s number, speaking as if nothing were amiss.

– “Old Man Jiang, are you busy?”

On the other end of the line, Jiang Chen was pondering the new intelligence from the patrol team. His thoughts were abruptly interrupted by the ringing, and he retorted sarcastically:

– “Miss Ming, what is it now? Is it that time of the month?”

Although he was aware of Ming Yu’s condition, he understood and was willing to help her keep it a secret. However, the thought of that brat’s sour face, having had her sensitive spot poked, always gave him a perverse, inexplicable thrill.

Sure enough, Ming Yu’s expression stiffened. The force in her hand suddenly increased, nearly crushing the communication earpiece.

– “…Hehe, nothing. I’m hanging up.”

Hearing this, Jiang Chen frowned.

– “Don’t play coy. What happened?”

– “You guess.”

– “I’m not guessing. If you keep wasting my time, I’ll hang up.”

– “I’m about to get into a fight. Just giving you a heads-up so you can handle the aftermath for me.”

– “Getting into a fight? With whom?”

– “Fujiwara Yūkawa, and his father.”

– “What? What are you talking about? Fujiwara Tachima? You’re going to fight him?”

– “Mm-hm.”

– “Hey, wait a minute. Fujiwara Tachima might be useless, but Fujiwara Yūkawa isn’t someone to trifle with. He’s renowned in the enforcement units, having once suppressed the berserk rampage of the S-rank Hunter ‘Demonic Blade’…”

– “Oh.”

– “Where are you? I’m coming over now.”

– “At the headquarters training ground… Why are you coming over?”

– “Just calm down and wait for me to arrive. If you happen to win, I’ll secretly record it. That way, he’ll never dare to bark at me again, haha…”

– “…Hilarious.”

Ming Yu ended the call, her expression unwavering as she gazed at the two familiar, hypocritical faces not far away. Yet, a chilling iciness flickered deep within her blood-red eyes.

Since Jiang Chen had no objections, she had no further reservations.

If not for Little Nightingale, she wouldn’t even have bothered to ask Old Man Jiang. She would have simply indulged her every whim, becoming the ultimate free spirit.

Seeing her father and grandfather finally arrive, Fujiwara Yūka rushed forward to meet them.

With a face full of grievances, she pointed at Ming Yu, vehemently accusing her of the egregious act of forcibly occupying the training ground.

Yun Mo’s teammates quickly backed away, unwilling to show their faces. Even Yun Yao tugged at her sister’s arm, shaking her head as a silent plea for her not to get involved.

No team wished to be assigned an impossible mission, nor did anyone desire to needlessly sacrifice their lives.

Yet, Yun Mo bit her lip, her gaze fixed on those blood-red eyes. Her feet felt rooted to the spot, utterly unwilling to leave.

Fujiwara Tachima frowned deeply, his eyes scrutinizing the white-haired woman’s face before him.

He questioned in a low, stern voice:

“Which unit are you from?”

Hearing this, Ming Yu merely cast him a dismissive glance. She then withdrew her gaze, offering no response.

It was as if she regarded Fujiwara Tachima as mere air, completely ignoring him.

This infuriated him beyond measure.

“I’m asking you one last time, which unit are you from?!”

As his voice rose, the atmosphere began to grow increasingly tense.

Ming Yu simply smiled, still offering no reply.

‘Why hasn’t Old Man Jiang arrived yet?’

After being ignored once more, Fujiwara Tachima grew agitated.

“Yūkawa, get her out of here!”

The very next moment, the smile vanished from Ming Yu’s face. An expression of cold indifference instantly replaced it, her gaze as sharp as a blade.

Without a sound, Fujiwara Yūkawa appeared behind her, his arms crossed and a mocking smirk on his face.

“Watch out!”

Yun Mo knew she shouldn’t speak, but she couldn’t help herself. She instinctively wanted to warn the demonic instructor.

Fujiwara Yūkawa, a prominent figure in the Enforcement Bureau, had transitioned from a sea beast hunter to an enforcement captain. He had personally suppressed his former mentor, ‘Demonic Blade,’ during a rampage, subsequently rising swiftly through the ranks.

How could Instructor Silver Kite possibly afford to provoke such a man?

Watching Fujiwara Yūkawa reach for Ming Yu’s nape, Yun Mo’s face contorted in panic. She tried to shout a warning again, but her sister clamped a hand tightly over her mouth from behind.

Fujiwara Yūkawa raised an eyebrow slightly, a playful taunt in his voice:

“Should I call you foolish, or merely naive?”

“Challenging the Fujiwara family is, in itself, an act of sheer folly.”

“It’s pathetic.”

With only a hair’s breadth separating them, his hand would seize the nape of the person before him. He would then pin them to the ground, shattering their worthless pride.

The corner of his mouth curved upwards slightly.

So too did Ming Yu’s.