The two of them were currently on the branch rooftop. The fresh, breezy air hit their skin while they watched the city lights from afar.
"So, what do you want to ask, little Ying?" Liqin stated while munching the crispy fries.
"Why did you invite me?" Yami firmly spoke the words. He wanted a direct answer from Liqin. "You don't know me for long and hadn't seen what can I do. So why did you ask me to become a Combatant?"
Liqin's smile grew wider at Yami's question. He licked the cheese left on his fingers and threw the plate on the trashcan before facing Yami. Liqin grabbed Yami's hand where the black soul ring was inserted.
"This ring is a vessel, but it does not belong to the Defender base or from this world," Liqin looked at Yami's eyes that bore seriousness. "That means you're a Raider."
Yami's instinct kicked in. He pulled his hand and jumped away from Liqin to create a distance between them in case Liqin attacked him.
"My my," Liqin chuckled in amusement and raised both hands to show that he meant to harm. "Don't worry, I won't leak your identity."
Liqin lowered his right hand, grabbed something on his back, and placed it on the table. "We called this a Stygian vessel. A special kind of vessel emits stronger mana and energy force than a regular Combatant vessel. What you have is similar to mine, which makes me invite you to become a Combatant."
"This ring is a Stygian vessel?" Yami muttered and gazed at his soul ring and toward Liqin's Stygian, which looked like a black dagger with a green line in the middle. "Are you sure? This might be a normal ring."
"I'm sure it's not a normal ring, little Ying," Liqin chuckled and sat on the chair while looking at the night sky. "You are much safer here in Tsuki Branch."
Yami's lips formed into a thin line while looking at the paper on hand and his ring. "I need to find my sister in this world. After I'm done with my quest, I'll leave for good."
[!QUEST]
[JOIN THE BRANCH.]
[DESCRIPTION: JOIN THE TSUKI BRANCH AND BECOME A TRAINEE.]
[REWARD: MAGE CLASS SOUL.]
[FAILURE: QUEST CANCELLED.]
Yami's eyes glanced at the quest, but he didn't need to comply with joining because the system told him so. He had already decided what he would do.
"That's settled then. Join and use the Defender base power and information to locate your sister. Still, you need to share your knowledge about the Raiders," Liqin chirped and handed a pen to Yami. "The information you'll share will come from the branch itself. So, don't worry, your identity is safe with us."
Yami grabbed the pen and looked into Liqin's eyes. As a previous spy, he can detect lies and truth based on the person's eyes since facial expressions could say the opposite.
At that moment, a smile formed on Yami's lips since he knew Liqin showed sincerity and honesty.
Yami put his name on the paper as Yin Ying and gave it to Liqin. "If my life will be endangered by the Defender base. I will never hesitate to kill."
[JOIN THE BRANCH: HAS BEEN COMPLETED. YOUR REWARD CAN BE FOUND IN THE INVENTORY.]
[MAGE CLASS UNLOCKED.]
"Roger that!" Liqin saluted and took the paper from him. "You will never regret joining us."
"I hope that too," Yami chuckled and hoped he didn't make a wrong decision.
"Let's go back inside. I'm sure dinner is ready," Liqin walked first, and Yami followed behind him. They entered the kitchen room and saw them all sitting at the dining table with the food in the middle.
"Liqin, Ying. Dinner is ready!" Su Fang exclaimed and waved at them to come.
They settled on the chair and started eating and talking about random things.
"By the way, I joined to become a trainee under the Tsuki branch," Yami stated, and everyone looked at him with wide eyes.
"That's great, Ying!" They exclaimed and congratulated him.
"How about you, Mei?" Yami asked since the two of them were the same.
"Um, I don't know. I think I'm not fit to become a Combatant," Mei muttered and grasped the hem of her dress as she was burdened by the decision.
"It's fine, Mei. You can reject the invitation. You don't have to force yourself," Shun stated and patted Mei's head comfortably.
"Yes...But," Mei whispered. Her hands were trembling, and her mind was a mess trying to figure out what she would do. Mei's eyes stared into Yami, who was munching the chicken leg. "Ying joined to search for his sister. I want to be like him too... I want to find my brother."
"Are you sure? There's no turning back if you say yes," Liqin stated while leaning back on his chair.
Mei's eyes turned to Liqin, and she took the paper and gave it to him with her signature. "I want to be with my brother again."
"That's a good start, Mei," Su Fang stated softly and held Mei's hand, squeezing it lightly.
"That's settled then," Liqin looked at the papers with their signature. "I'll pass these papers to our branch director tomorrow since he's fast asleep."
"The admission papers will be approved in 2 days, and after that, the trainees need to participate in battles with other trainees to gain 5000 points to be promoted in Master rank and can form a squad." Su Fang explained. Her eyes twinkled while looking at them. "Ah, our branch finally has a second squad!"
Su Fang teared up joyfully, and everyone was amused by her reaction.
"Here, more lumpia," Xuxu gave one lumpia to Su Fang to comfort her.
"Liqin, what's your squad?" Yami asked in curiosity.
"I don't have one," Liqin answered and faced Yami. "Those who wield a Stygian vessel will become a Mythic rank Combatant. They can't form a squad and participate in rank wars."
"That means..." Yami trailed off and looked at his ring.
"You can't use your Stygian vessel since the Defender base could detect it was from a Raider. So you need to use a normal vessel from this world," Liqin said with a smile while everyone was shocked by the information he had blown.