At 1:30 a.m., Song Shi halted in front of a small motel with its neon sign still glowing.
Through the transparent door curtain, she could see a burly man behind the counter, hunched over as he toyed with a small beckoning cat statue atop the cabinet.
His repeated fiddling made a faint "click, click, click" sound, and at the sudden clatter of the door curtain, he straightened his back swiftly, wearing a fierce scowl.
He eyed her up and down, and upon seeing the hospital gown she was wearing, his thick unibrow furrowed into a deep crease.
At this hour, a clearly underage girl in a hospital gown was often a harbinger of trouble.
"Looking to stay?" His voice, much like his demeanor, was rough, scraping like a blunt knife against stone.
"Yes." Song Shi pulled her coat tighter. "One night."
"Scan your lightbrain." He held out his lightbrain for her to scan.
Song Shi remained still. "I'll pay you tomorrow."
He pulled back his lightbrain. "No credit here. If you can't pay, leave."
Her expression remained unchanged. "My family will come tomorrow and pay you threefold."
He glanced at her lightbrain. "If you really have someone who can pay, why don't you contact them now and have them transfer the money?" Clearly, he had already seen through her story.
Song Shi: "…I promise I can pay you tomorrow, Hunter—" She raised her hand to show the lightbrain, but halted.
She had intended to say that once the Hunter Group confirmed the Direwolf Beast's location, they'd transfer her ten thousand federation coins.
She'd surely be able to pay by tomorrow.
But the man pulled out a gun, its dark muzzle aimed squarely at her head.
Song Shi: "…"
She silently lowered her hand, turned, lifted the door curtain, and walked out.
The owner craned his neck to make sure she was far away before tucking his gun back under the counter as if it were a treasured possession.
Song Shi aimlessly wandered the streets.
Neon signs on both sides flashed in a kaleidoscope of colors, and there were plenty of inns still open. But once they heard she could only pay tomorrow, each and every one turned her away.
After being rejected at seven places, she gave up on finding a room for the night.
She decided to find a spot to sit out the night, and then return once the money arrived in the morning.
Passing by a closed café, Song Shi spotted a carpet laid out at the entrance. She sat in a corner, curling her legs up for warmth.
For the Nth time, she checked her account balance—no money had come through.
Sleep was the last thing on her mind. She opened the Hunter Group website instead, browsing her post's comments. There was still no response from the officials confirming whether her information had been verified.
She exited the comment section and began browsing other sections of the website, learning about the Hunter Group.
The Hunter Group spanned all eleven human bases across the federation, one of the few companies that could establish itself in every base.
Their work was precisely what their name suggested: hunting.
They managed runaway beasts inside human bases, ventured out to capture wild ones, and sold those captured to the wealthy.
In each base, the rich lived in the inner city, a fortified center protected by stronger walls and fiercer guards—a place far safer than the outer city, home to the wealthy and the awakened.
Some researchers also resided in the inner city, needing beasts for their experiments. The Hunter Group provided the necessary specimens.
Beyond that, Hunter Group employees assisted government departments in capturing fugitives, earning them bounties.
In short, the Hunter Group was deeply entwined with the government, serving as a bridge between the inner and outer cities.
Such was the information recorded on their website.
Scrolling further, Song Shi found a special section featuring recent tasks completed by the Hunter Group and highlighting those who had completed them exceptionally well—a kind of "wall of honor."
Song Shi recalled the business card Qin Yi had given her, now most likely turned to ash with her suitcase in the explosion.
She wasn't sure if the photo would help, but she opened the photo album on her lightbrain; she had taken a picture of the card when she was packing her luggage.
"Hey, girl, all alone?"
Song Shi paused her browsing.
She had considered that, in this chaotic world, being out alone might mean she wouldn't make it through the night without incident. That was why she had wanted a place to stay.
But she hadn't expected trouble to come so soon.
She closed her lightbrain and looked towards the source of the voice.
Four young thugs, all dressed in typical street punk style, stood across the street, whistling at her.
An electric tram happened to pass between them, keeping them from crossing immediately.
Song Shi stood, glanced around, then turned and sprinted back the way she had come.
Once the tram passed, they looked over to find she had vanished.
"There! She's running, let's go after her!"
The street was still lively in the early hours, though not as bustling as in the day, with many still out enjoying themselves.
Anyone out this late wasn't ordinary, and they moved in small groups. Seeing the chase, a few paused to watch, intrigued.
Some even tried to grab Song Shi as she passed.
Her expression turned grim. Using her momentum, she grabbed one man's arm, bent low, and flipped him over her shoulder. Taken completely by surprise, the man's large frame crashed to the ground.
Before fleeing, she stomped heavily on his head for good measure, then continued to sprint.
The four had somehow gotten hold of two motorcycles, quickly closing the distance between them.
Song Shi ran while searching for a place to hide, eventually coming to a sharp stop at the entrance of the first motel.
Turning back, she saw that the motorcycles had also stopped, the men eagerly dismounting.
Time to gamble!
This motel owner had a gun—maybe it would scare them off.
She lifted the door curtain and dashed inside.
The owner was dozing off at the counter.
Startled by the sudden noise, he reached under the counter for his gun before even opening his eyes. When he saw it was Song Shi, his movement paused. "You again? Didn't I tell you—"
The door curtain rustled again, and the four garishly dressed men entered.
Ignoring the owner, they reached for Song Shi's arm.
She shrugged them off, grabbing onto the counter's edge, her eyes fixed on the owner.
The stout man couldn't meet her intense gaze and averted his eyes.
Seeing that the owner wasn't going to interfere, the thugs grew bolder. Two of them each grabbed one of Song Shi's arms, trying to drag her out.
Disappointment flashed in Song Shi's eyes, but it quickly disappeared as soon as they touched her.
Breaking free of their grip, she snatched the beckoning cat from the counter, ready to smash it onto the head of the closest thug.
But a frantic, distorted shout stopped her.
"Put down my beckoning cat!!!"
"And you lot, get out of here!! Don't disturb my business!"
The gun was finally drawn, aimed right at the leader's head.
*(End of Chapter)*
Through the transparent door curtain, she could see a burly man behind the counter, hunched over as he toyed with a small beckoning cat statue atop the cabinet.
His repeated fiddling made a faint "click, click, click" sound, and at the sudden clatter of the door curtain, he straightened his back swiftly, wearing a fierce scowl.
He eyed her up and down, and upon seeing the hospital gown she was wearing, his thick unibrow furrowed into a deep crease.
At this hour, a clearly underage girl in a hospital gown was often a harbinger of trouble.
"Looking to stay?" His voice, much like his demeanor, was rough, scraping like a blunt knife against stone.
"Yes." Song Shi pulled her coat tighter. "One night."
"Scan your lightbrain." He held out his lightbrain for her to scan.
Song Shi remained still. "I'll pay you tomorrow."
He pulled back his lightbrain. "No credit here. If you can't pay, leave."
Her expression remained unchanged. "My family will come tomorrow and pay you threefold."
He glanced at her lightbrain. "If you really have someone who can pay, why don't you contact them now and have them transfer the money?" Clearly, he had already seen through her story.
Song Shi: "…I promise I can pay you tomorrow, Hunter—" She raised her hand to show the lightbrain, but halted.
She had intended to say that once the Hunter Group confirmed the Direwolf Beast's location, they'd transfer her ten thousand federation coins.
She'd surely be able to pay by tomorrow.
But the man pulled out a gun, its dark muzzle aimed squarely at her head.
Song Shi: "…"
She silently lowered her hand, turned, lifted the door curtain, and walked out.
The owner craned his neck to make sure she was far away before tucking his gun back under the counter as if it were a treasured possession.
Song Shi aimlessly wandered the streets.
Neon signs on both sides flashed in a kaleidoscope of colors, and there were plenty of inns still open. But once they heard she could only pay tomorrow, each and every one turned her away.
After being rejected at seven places, she gave up on finding a room for the night.
She decided to find a spot to sit out the night, and then return once the money arrived in the morning.
Passing by a closed café, Song Shi spotted a carpet laid out at the entrance. She sat in a corner, curling her legs up for warmth.
For the Nth time, she checked her account balance—no money had come through.
Sleep was the last thing on her mind. She opened the Hunter Group website instead, browsing her post's comments. There was still no response from the officials confirming whether her information had been verified.
She exited the comment section and began browsing other sections of the website, learning about the Hunter Group.
The Hunter Group spanned all eleven human bases across the federation, one of the few companies that could establish itself in every base.
Their work was precisely what their name suggested: hunting.
They managed runaway beasts inside human bases, ventured out to capture wild ones, and sold those captured to the wealthy.
In each base, the rich lived in the inner city, a fortified center protected by stronger walls and fiercer guards—a place far safer than the outer city, home to the wealthy and the awakened.
Some researchers also resided in the inner city, needing beasts for their experiments. The Hunter Group provided the necessary specimens.
Beyond that, Hunter Group employees assisted government departments in capturing fugitives, earning them bounties.
In short, the Hunter Group was deeply entwined with the government, serving as a bridge between the inner and outer cities.
Such was the information recorded on their website.
Scrolling further, Song Shi found a special section featuring recent tasks completed by the Hunter Group and highlighting those who had completed them exceptionally well—a kind of "wall of honor."
Song Shi recalled the business card Qin Yi had given her, now most likely turned to ash with her suitcase in the explosion.
She wasn't sure if the photo would help, but she opened the photo album on her lightbrain; she had taken a picture of the card when she was packing her luggage.
"Hey, girl, all alone?"
Song Shi paused her browsing.
She had considered that, in this chaotic world, being out alone might mean she wouldn't make it through the night without incident. That was why she had wanted a place to stay.
But she hadn't expected trouble to come so soon.
She closed her lightbrain and looked towards the source of the voice.
Four young thugs, all dressed in typical street punk style, stood across the street, whistling at her.
An electric tram happened to pass between them, keeping them from crossing immediately.
Song Shi stood, glanced around, then turned and sprinted back the way she had come.
Once the tram passed, they looked over to find she had vanished.
"There! She's running, let's go after her!"
The street was still lively in the early hours, though not as bustling as in the day, with many still out enjoying themselves.
Anyone out this late wasn't ordinary, and they moved in small groups. Seeing the chase, a few paused to watch, intrigued.
Some even tried to grab Song Shi as she passed.
Her expression turned grim. Using her momentum, she grabbed one man's arm, bent low, and flipped him over her shoulder. Taken completely by surprise, the man's large frame crashed to the ground.
Before fleeing, she stomped heavily on his head for good measure, then continued to sprint.
The four had somehow gotten hold of two motorcycles, quickly closing the distance between them.
Song Shi ran while searching for a place to hide, eventually coming to a sharp stop at the entrance of the first motel.
Turning back, she saw that the motorcycles had also stopped, the men eagerly dismounting.
Time to gamble!
This motel owner had a gun—maybe it would scare them off.
She lifted the door curtain and dashed inside.
The owner was dozing off at the counter.
Startled by the sudden noise, he reached under the counter for his gun before even opening his eyes. When he saw it was Song Shi, his movement paused. "You again? Didn't I tell you—"
The door curtain rustled again, and the four garishly dressed men entered.
Ignoring the owner, they reached for Song Shi's arm.
She shrugged them off, grabbing onto the counter's edge, her eyes fixed on the owner.
The stout man couldn't meet her intense gaze and averted his eyes.
Seeing that the owner wasn't going to interfere, the thugs grew bolder. Two of them each grabbed one of Song Shi's arms, trying to drag her out.
Disappointment flashed in Song Shi's eyes, but it quickly disappeared as soon as they touched her.
Breaking free of their grip, she snatched the beckoning cat from the counter, ready to smash it onto the head of the closest thug.
But a frantic, distorted shout stopped her.
"Put down my beckoning cat!!!"
"And you lot, get out of here!! Don't disturb my business!"
The gun was finally drawn, aimed right at the leader's head.
(End of Chapter)