A Predator’s Feast and a Lonely Dinner

Ever since leaving that bizarre ‘dream,’ Ming Yu had noticed her physical condition becoming increasingly peculiar.

The food she had prepared, meant to last half a month, was completely consumed within two or three days, driven by an unbearable hunger gnawing at her stomach.

Ming Yu felt as though she was starving to the brink of madness.

The lingering twilight gradually faded, and night silently descended. The shimmering waves across the boundless ocean likewise vanished from sight.

Above the deep blue, the hum of propellers echoed far and wide as the vessel sped full-throttle towards Pharos.

Ming Yu leaned against the railing, her chest heaving violently.

Within her scarlet pupils, the hue of reason struggled against a burgeoning thirst for blood. Her two upper canines slowly elongated and sharpened, while her slender fingers gripped the railing tightly, sharp keratin layers gradually emerging from her fingertips.

Perched on the mast, the White-feathered Sea Eagle watched the scene, its gaze filled with uncertainty and alarm.

Just then, a series of dull, continuous growls emanated from beneath the water.

After several days at sea, any lone vessel was bound to encounter harassment and attacks from various sea beasts.

With a series of splashes, large-headed fish, their skulls the size of basketballs, burst from the water. They swarmed onto the deck, their gaping mouths agape, and scuttled about using their mutated, thick fins. Confronted directly, one would clearly see the layers of sharp teeth lining their blood-red mouths.

The horde of sea beasts clustered together, surging towards Ming Yu on the deck, their hoarse growls a ceaseless symphony.

Suddenly, the sea wind rose abruptly, ruffling her fluttering silver hair and parting the thick clouds to reveal the moon. Moonlight cascaded down, scattering shimmering reflections across the waves.

In the eyes of the piranha-like horde, their unarmed prey was merely waiting to be torn apart, divided, and devoured. Their foul-smelling mouths stretched into terrifying grins.

Until their gazes met her lifeless, blood-red eyes.

Without her thermal cutting knife, hunting sea beasts could no longer be as efficient as before; her combat effectiveness was bound to plummet.

Yet…

“Riiip—”

A pale hand plunged into a gaping maw, piercing through fragile membranes and flesh, before casually flicking it away.

The piranha that had leaped first was instantly ripped apart. Its half-human-sized body split in two, sending blood and gore flying.

Unlike the clean slice of a blade, the sound of flesh being torn by bare hands made Ming Yu narrow her eyes inexplicably. A surge of pleasure swelled within her, suppressing even a fraction of her hunger.

The keratin layers on her fingertips acted like the sharpest blades, effortlessly slicing through the sea beasts’ hardened scales. They tore through everything, as if shredding thin paper.

The night was still long.

Wails gradually replaced growls, forming the dominant melody of the hunting night.

Not until dawn approached did everything finally settle.

Ming Yu built a fire on the metal deck. She skewered the sea beast carcasses with harpoons found in the cabin, then turned and roasted them over the flames.

The wafting aroma drew the White-feathered Sea Eagle’s hungry gaze.

It circled in the air a few times, casting disdainful glances at the piles of sea beast chunks nearby. Then, its attention shifted to the roasted fish in Ming Yu’s hand, and it excitedly landed on her shoulder.

“Ming Yu! I want some too!”

“No.” She refused without hesitation.

‘What a joke,’ she thought.

She had been slaughtering all night, almost collapsing from hunger, yet the White-feathered Sea Eagle hadn’t offered any help. Now, it was here to freeload.

Ming Yu waved her hand dismissively, annoyed.

“Go cool off somewhere else.”

“Waaah! No, no!”

“I told you not to make so much noise… I’m practically starving. I’ll consider roasting some for you after I’ve eaten my fill.”

“Oh, oh, it’s a promise then!”

The White-feathered Sea Eagle nodded blankly, then spread its wings and swooped towards the pile of sea beasts, feasting with gusto, all traces of its earlier disdain completely gone.

Ming Yu shook her head with a faint smile. She then brought the roasted fish to her lips, blew on it gently, and plunged her now noticeably elongated canines—almost like a beast’s fangs—into the resilient sea beast meat.

These piranha-like fish had no tiny bones, making them exceptionally easy to eat without fear of choking.

An unprecedented sense of satisfaction swelled in her chest.

Ming Yu closed her eyes in contentment, as if her very soul had been nourished. Her mind grew clearer, and a tingling sensation sparked throughout her body.

This sensation lasted only a moment.

As the food in her mouth was swallowed, the pleasant satisfaction slowly receded, and hunger once again seized her mind. Her desire to eat was magnified infinitely, the instinct to devour, etched deep within her genetic code, expanding boundlessly.

It wasn’t enough.

Far from enough.

****

Day twenty-one since Ming Yu’s absence.

Little Nightingale switched off the induction cooker, then carried the steaming scrambled eggs with tomatoes to the dining table. She let out a soft sigh, lifting a hand to wipe away the fine sweat at her temples.

“Meowww~”

Luna hopped onto the table, her fluffy tail suspended in the air, dangling over the edge, and swaying occasionally from side to side. Her sapphire cat eyes held no trace of a human-like expression, pure and innocent like a newborn creature. Her gaze towards Little Nightingale was gentle and affectionate.

Hearing Luna’s soft call, Little Nightingale smiled faintly.

“Dinner’s ready.”

As she spoke, she arranged two chairs, taking a seat opposite Luna. Her delicate smile then turned towards the empty chair beside her.

“Sister Ming Yu, I’ve learned your favorite dish. Won’t you try some…?”

“Don’t worry, I didn’t add even a pinch of salt, so I guarantee it won’t taste salty…”

“Sister Ming Yu, don’t be shy…”

Little Nightingale spoke in murmurs to the empty air, as if addressing an invisible person. Her expression was unsettling, and her deep blue eyes held not a flicker of light.

If a third party were to witness this eerie scene, they would undoubtedly be terrified.

However, something even stranger occurred.

A pair of chopsticks, set before the empty seat, floated into the air. They gently picked up a morsel of food and slowly brought it to Little Nightingale’s lips.

“Ah—mm.”

Little Nightingale propped her chin in her hand contentedly, chewing the dish ‘fed’ to her by Ming Yu. She mumbled indistinctly,

“Mmm, no matter what, it’s never as delicious as Sister Ming Yu’s own cooking…”

“…”

From the moment they sat down until the meal concluded, Luna diligently munched on her cat food. She showed no confusion at her young mistress’s peculiar actions, as if she had grown completely accustomed to such occurrences.

After their brief but pleasant dinner, Little Nightingale familiar walked into the bathroom. She untied her house dress, revealing her bare, fair, and delicate body.

She tested the bathwater’s temperature, nodded slightly, then stepped directly into the tub. She bent her body, submerging her delicate form beneath the water.

The water seemed a little too hot; the steam flushed her cheeks crimson, giving her hollow eyes a slightly hazy look.

Little Nightingale parted her cherry lips, her pearly teeth gently biting her lower lip. Her breathing grew slightly ragged as she awkwardly leaned against the edge of the bathtub.

“Sister Ming Yu, I’ll trouble you, okay…?”