Chapter Nine

On the fifteenth floor of Velvet Apartment, the floating screens fell into silence once more, the images vanishing.

After a long while, a voice spoke from the shadows: "So, that’s how she secured the permit to open the shop? Is Tongue-Blade showing too much favoritism toward this human?"

Humanity’s culture and history have crafted a brilliant civilization, and the sages among them perceived the weaknesses of human nature tens of thousands of years ago. Just as animals cannot defy their biological instincts, most humans, even when aware of these weaknesses, are unable to overcome them.

"Cricket" was a supernatural entity born from these very weaknesses, constantly suppressing and destroying the human spirit through caustic, venomous words. No matter how resilient or strong a human might be, if there was even a hairline fracture in their spirit, the tip of Tongue-Blade’s weapon would pierce it, leading to a slow, incremental collapse.

A former SSS-rank Spirit-value Hunter had once entered Cricket’s domain, hoping to retrieve an ancient relic. Within three days, that arrogant Hunter had been mentally shattered by the blades of words, reduced to a meek, mediocre, and neurotic shell of themselves.

There is a chasm of magnitude between B-rank and SSS-rank Spirit-values. A typical B-rank raider would have suffered simultaneous destruction of mind and body the moment they entered the Tongue-Blade domain, much like that S-rank bodyguard’s experience on the bridge.

You Xing’s performance within the supernatural domain simply did not resemble that of a native human with B-rank Spirit-value and C-rank physical ability. They knew Tongue-Blade’s strength well; it was hard to believe that such a mediocre administrator had earned her recognition unscathed.

The other shadows remained silent, though their eyes turned toward the Apartment Manager.

Facing the skepticism of the floor managers, the Apartment Manager replied, "I originally only valued her resilience; I didn't expect such a surprise. If you have doubts, feel free to wait for Cricket to return and verify it with her yourself."

The shadows fell silent. Tongue-Blade was a madwoman who usually kept her mouth sewn shut, fearing she might accidentally contaminate the low-level minions. Interacting with her was a risk of corruption; only the resident of 250 dared to associate with her—those two were each madder than the other.

***

Inside a room at the Cundu Hotel, Chu Jing was jolted awake by the notification chime of her Star Ring. Before her eyes were even fully open, she groggily tapped it, and an anxious voice she recognized all too well poured out.

"You finally picked up! Chu Jing, are you alright?"

Still dazed, Chu Jing slurred, "Yueyue?"

Gan Yue let out a long sigh of relief. "Oh—you scared us to death! You left a message saying you were going into the Tongue-Blade domain—do you have any idea how terrifying that place is? The Captain has headed straight to the Ninth Sector to find you!"

Chu Jing suddenly sobered up. She opened her eyes to find herself lying on the hotel bed, flashes of memory racing through her mind too quickly to process. "The Captain is supposed to be on medical leave. What is he coming to the Ninth Sector for?"

Gan Yue replied, "To save you! Thank god you haven't gone in yet. You don't know this, but the Captains said that a Platinum Hunter with SSS-rank Spirit-value from the First Sector was lost in that bizarre domain."

When Chu Jing had sent that message to Gan Yue before entering the domain, she had been fully aware of the terror of the Tongue-Blade domain and had prepared for the possibility of never returning by settling her affairs. She hadn't expected to make it out alive. She still remembered standing on the rooftop, You Xing desperately stopping her from jumping, but she couldn't recall how she had actually escaped. She didn't dare tell Gan Yue, her expression turning subtle.

The room’s temperature plummeted, and Chu Jing looked up sharply.

You Xing appeared out of thin air in the corner with Mu Ren. Chu Jing could not hide her astonishment: "You went back in?"

Seeing the flickering Star Ring, You Xing did not speak, only nodded.

Having answered the message while still disoriented, Chu Jing hadn't thought to open a shielding barrier. Gan Yue’s voice came through: "Who are you talking to? The employer? What’s going on? Who went where?"

You Xing raised an eyebrow.

Chu Jing felt a pang of embarrassment and hurriedly closed the chat box. Her complexion had not yet fully recovered—she was pale as paper—and her voice was dry. "Just a friend. I told her I was entering the Tongue-Blade domain before I went in, and she’s just worried."

You Xing walked over and pulled up the chair by the bed. "Are you feeling better?"

Chu Jing felt even more awkward. As the bodyguard, she was the one being cared for by her employer. But since she couldn't remember what happened after the rooftop, she could only rub her temples and avoid You Xing's gaze. "Much better. Did you give me a spirit stabilizer?"

You Xing: "Yes. Your spirit level is high, so you’re recovering well."

Chu Jing could barely lift her head. "I’ve caused you trouble. Deduct the cost of the stabilizer from my commission."

You Xing shook her head. "That’s a minor matter. I’m just glad you’re safe. The mission is over, and dawn is approaching. You should rest a while longer."

Chu Jing was stunned, blinking rapidly. "Did you retrieve the ancient relic?"

You Xing: "No."

Chu Jing: "It just ended like that?"

You Xing: "The domain was too bizarre and dangerous. I decided to give up."

Under normal circumstances, Chu Jing would have considered this a rational and correct decision. But having been inside the Tongue-Blade domain herself and having seen You Xing enter alone only to return in one piece, the entire night felt wrong.

You Xing had no intention of explaining. She had actually heard the last two sentences of Chu Jing’s conversation with her friend. It seemed Huo Yuandu had returned from his mission and was rushing to the Ninth Sector to find Chu Jing. She had no intention of meeting him; now that the shop permit was secured, she no longer needed a bodyguard.

You Xing looked at Chu Jing: "You should have a recorder on you. This mission was my personal affair, and I don't want any data leaked. Could you give it to me?"

Chu Jing looked up in shock: "Are you from the Supernatural Research Institute?"

Only those in the profession would know that professional hunters were equipped with recorders to explore and document the interior of domains, deducing their rules to increase survival rates. Because You Xing’s ability levels were so low that she needed a bodyguard and had to recruit on the supernatural forums, Chu Jing had initially assumed she was just a wealthy, bored enthusiast.

However, You Xing’s request was not unreasonable. Chu Jing hadn't contributed anything on this protection mission and had instead ended up being protected and cared for by her employer. If she took the recorder back to Blood Rose, it would be like taking payment for a job she hadn't done.

Chu Jing sat up, removed the blood-red rose earring from her ear, and handed it to You Xing.

You Xing collected the recorder, took two soy milk buns from her bag, and poured a cup of warm water for Chu Jing. "Eat something, then sleep a bit more. I’m going out to take care of some business."

Chu Jing looked down at the soy milk buns in her palm. They looked familiar, but the packaging was different; perhaps she was overthinking it. With her mind occupied, she had no appetite and set the buns on the bedside table, silently replaying her experiences in the Tongue-Blade domain.

After a while, Chu Jing snapped back to reality and realized You Xing hadn't returned. Feeling a bit uneasy, she looked down to see Mu Ren sleeping under the bed and finally relaxed.

***

Thirteenth Sector, Velvet Apartment, fifteenth floor.

The floor managers had left, leaving only Yan Zhen in the office. His Star Ring flickered. He stared at it for a long time before looking up to report to the Apartment Manager: "You Xing asked if it's possible to enter 444’s domain directly from the apartment. She wants to come back and discuss the shop opening with 444 in detail."

The Apartment Manager looked up from a stack of documents written in strange, twisted script: "Tell her our people will meet her in the Eleventh Sector."

Yan Zhen replied as instructed.

When Chu Jing woke up the next morning and saw You Xing hadn't returned, she panicked. Seeing the dog still there helped her force herself to calm down. She frantically sent messages to You Xing on the Star Ring, only to realize You Xing’s Star Ring was hanging around Mu Ren’s neck.

Chu Jing: "..."

By midday, Chu Jing followed Mu Ren downstairs. She stood numbly in the hotel lobby, watching the black-and-white dog calmly check out at the front desk, with the lingering illusion that her mental pollution hadn't fully cleared.

As Chu Jing walked out of the Cundu Hotel, she saw Huo Yuandu and two colleagues approaching. She waved a greeting, but when she looked back, the unusually clever dog was gone. The twenty thousand Star Credits for her commission had already been deposited into her account three hours earlier.

***

That day, before dawn had fully broken, You Xing left the Cundu Hotel alone, caught a transit vehicle to the airship base, bought a ticket to the Sixth Sector, transferred to the Eighth, and finally met up with Mu Ren in the Eleventh Sector. After that, she vanished.

It was three days later in the dead of night when You Xing and Mu Ren successfully returned to the Velvet Apartment. Yan Zhen met her at the entrance.

Since she started working there, You Xing had never wandered the apartment at night. The apartment was quiet during the day, and the residents appeared human, but at night, it was different; the residents shed their human forms, becoming bizarre and grotesque.

Even with Yan Zhen and Mu Ren by her side, the residents wandering the halls at night drooled and chased after You Xing with twisted faces, wanting to devour her.

Yan Zhen walked You Xing to the thirteenth floor: "Night is when they are most active; only the dorms are safe. They saw you just now; they might come knocking. Don't respond to anyone."

You Xing: "Where is Cricket?"

Yan Zhen: "I haven't seen much of her these past few days. She's likely in her domain."

You Xing: "Then I'll go find her later. Mu Ren, stay with me for now."

Back in her dorm, You Xing took semi-finished ingredients from the fridge. As the food processor whirred with rice paste, she took the time to shower and change. She quickly fired up the stove to sear a few beef patties and enjoyed a steaming hot midnight snack with the fragrant rice paste. Mu Ren crouched on the floor, eating dog food.

At 2:30 AM, with both human and dog refreshed, You Xing put on her cloth bag, took the leash, and touched the Star of Bethlehem on her wrist.

The temperature in the room dropped sharply. You Xing walked toward the coldest corner, and when she turned, she was already inside the Tongue-Blade domain.

It was a desolate, empty street, and the night wind howled. You Xing tightened the leash and asked Mu Ren: "Where is this?"

Mu Ren looked back, its button-like eyes full of innocence. It had followed her instructions to find the domain master, but it had been sent here the moment they entered. There was nothing it could do.

You Xing took a breath: "Forget it. Find her current location."

There was no one around, yet fragments of hushed discussion were carried by the wind into You Xing's ears.

"It's her again, why is she here again..."

"This woman has no face, so shameless; she remains unmoved by anything."

"Thicker-skinned than a pig; if I lived like her, I'd rather be dead..."

A crisp, metallic "clink" rang out, unnaturally sharp in the night, scattering the ghostly whispers like startled birds.

You Xing paused, looking down. Something was glimmering faintly on the pitch-black road.

Pulling a flashlight from her bag, You Xing crouched down. A pair of rusted, stained scissors lay on the ground. You Xing didn't pick them up; she stood, stepped over them, and continued walking with Mu Ren.

After a few steps, she kicked something. She shone her light and saw the same familiar scissors on the ground. Raising an eyebrow, she stepped over them again and quickened her pace.

The third time she tripped over the scissors, You Xing’s face darkened: "What is going on?"

Mu Ren nudged the scissors, sniffing them, and barked twice at You Xing. After their trip, the human and the dog had developed a bit of synergy. You Xing understood Mu Ren’s meaning: there was likely no danger.

Still, she was always cautious. Not reaching out to touch them directly, she put on leather gloves, took a clean isolation bag from her pack, and used it to scoop up the scissors, tying the bag tightly.

The rest of the journey was peaceful. Ever since she picked up the scissors, You Xing didn't hear the monster’s whispers again. On the way, she passed two supernatural raiders being chased and cursed by monsters, both sides fleeing and crying. You Xing passed them by, and neither side stopped.

About two hours later, You Xing found Cricket on the roof of a high-rise building. She was sitting outside the railing, her legs dangling, her gaunt figure like a slip of paper, drifting in the night wind, silent and lonely.