At half past one in the morning, Song Shi stopped 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 and fiddling with a little fortune cat figurine on the shelf.
As he repeatedly poked the cat, causing a faint click-click-click sound, the loud bang of the door curtain snapping back made him straighten up immediately, his expression transforming into a fierce scowl.
He gave the newcomer a once-over, and upon noticing her hospital gown, his thick, connected eyebrows furrowed deeply.
At this hour, a minor in a hospital gown usually spelled trouble.
"Staying here?" His voice was as rough as his appearance, like a blunt knife scraping against stone.
"Yes." Song Shi pulled her clothes tighter around her.
"Just for one night."
"Scan your brainlight." He extended his own brainlight for her to see.
Song Shi didn't move.
"I'll pay you tomorrow."
The man withdrew his brainlight.
"No tabs here. If you can’t pay, leave."
Song Shi’s face remained calm.
"When my family arrives tomorrow, I'll pay you triple."
The man eyed the brainlight on her wrist.
"If you can really pay, contact your family now and have them send the money." He clearly saw through her intentions.
Song Shi hesitated.
"...I’ll definitely have the money for you tomorrow. The Hunters..." She raised her hand with the brainlight but paused mid-sentence.
She had planned to say the Hunters Group would send her 10,000 federal credits once they confirmed the location of the Dire Wolf.
She was sure she’d be able to pay tomorrow.
But the man suddenly pulled out a gun, pointing its dark barrel straight at her head.
Song Shi froze.
Without a word, she let her hand fall, turned around, pushed aside the curtain, and left the store.
The store owner stretched his neck forward, making sure Song Shi was gone before tucking his beloved gun back under the counter.
Song Shi wandered aimlessly along the street.
The neon signs on both sides were bright and flashy. Many inns were still open, but as soon as they heard she could only pay the next day, they all turned her away without exception.
After trying seven places without success, Song Shi abandoned the idea of renting a room.
She decided to find a place to sit for the night and find a room the next day when the money came through.
Passing by a closed café, she saw a carpet laid out at the entrance. Song Shi found a corner, sat down, and curled up to keep warm.
She checked her account balance for the Nth time, still no money.
Song Shi wasn’t at all sleepy, so she browsed the Hunters Group's official website, checking her comment to see if her verification had gone through. The official account hadn’t yet replied.
Exiting the comments section, she browsed other sections of the website to learn more about the Hunters Group.
The Hunters Group spanned eleven human bases within the Federation and was one of the few companies to establish its presence in every base.
Its line of work matched its name: Hunting.
They handled mutant beasts that infiltrated human bases and captured wild beasts outside the bases, selling these creatures to wealthy clients.
The wealthiest people in each base lived in the Inner City, the center of each base, with stronger walls and a more formidable guard force, making it far safer than the Outer City. This was where the rich and the Awakened gathered.
Some researchers also resided in the Inner City, as they needed mutant beasts for their studies, which the Hunters Group provided.
Additionally, Hunters Group employees sometimes assisted government departments in capturing fugitives, earning bonuses for doing so.
In short, the Hunters Group had close ties to the government, acting as a bridge between the Inner and Outer Cities.
The website recorded all this information.
Scrolling down, Song Shi noticed a dedicated section showcasing recent Hunters Group missions and the people who had completed them with distinction, like an honor roll.
She thought of the business card Qin Yi had given her, which was likely reduced to ashes along with her luggage in the explosion.
Hoping it would still be useful, Song Shi opened the photo album on her brainlight; she’d taken a picture of the card while packing.
"Little girl, all alone?"
Song Shi’s fingers froze mid-scroll.
She had anticipated that, in this chaotic world, a young girl stranded on the streets might struggle to get through the night peacefully, which was why she had tried to get a room.
But she hadn’t expected trouble to find her so quickly.
Closing her brainlight, she turned toward the voice.
Four young thugs, dressed in street-punk attire, stood across the street, whistling at her.
Luckily, a tram passed between them, keeping them from reaching her immediately.
Song Shi stood up, glanced around, then sprinted back the way she’d come.
When the tram finally passed, the four realized she was gone.
"She ran that way! Let’s catch her!"
The street was still bustling, even in the early hours. Though it lacked the daytime crowds, there were plenty of people out having fun.
Anyone daring enough to be out at this hour wasn’t ordinary, and most traveled in groups. Seeing the chase, they stopped and watched with a sense of intrigue.
Some even joined in, trying to grab her as she passed.
With a grim expression, Song Shi used her forward momentum to grip one man’s arm, bending at the waist to throw him over her shoulder. Caught off guard, he crashed to the ground.
Before leaving, she stomped on his head for good measure, feeling satisfied as she sprinted on.
The four thugs quickly closed the gap, having somehow acquired two motorcycles.
While running, Song Shi scanned her surroundings for a hiding place, finally skidding to a stop in front of the first motel.
Looking back, she saw the motorcycles stop as the thugs eagerly dismounted.
One last gamble!
The store owner had a gun, hopefully, he’d scare them off.
Song Shi ducked through the curtain.
The owner, head propped up, was dozing off.
Startled by the sudden noise, he instinctively reached under the counter for his gun without even opening his eyes.
Seeing it was Song Shi, his hand froze.
"You again? Didn’t I tell you-"
The curtain lifted again, this time revealing the four punks in their garish outfits.
Ignoring the owner, they reached for Song Shi’s arm.
She shook them off and grabbed the counter’s edge, glaring at the store owner.
The burly man avoided her burning gaze, unable to meet her eyes.
Seeing he wasn’t planning to intervene, the thugs grew bolder, with two of them grabbing her arms to drag her out.
Disappointment flickered in Song Shi’s eyes but vanished as soon as they touched her.
Breaking free, she grabbed the fortune cat off the counter, ready to smash it over the leader’s head.
A panicked shout stopped her.
"Put down my fortune cat!"
"And you all, get out!! Don’t disturb my business!"
The gun finally emerged, its barrel aimed at the gang leader’s head.
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