章 12: Chapter 12: Classmates
Faced with a burly man, easily twice their size, pointing a gun at them, the intimidation was palpable.
The gang leader raised his arm, pointing at the shopkeeper, and cleared his throat, trying to appear composed. "Y-you... better mind your own business!"
"Get out!" The shopkeeper's roar was deafening, and with the gun tilting threateningly forward, the gang leader thought he would actually pull the trigger. Instinctively, he ducked and covered his head.
His three underlings exchanged awkward glances before rushing to help their boss up, each grabbing an arm. Muttering a few hollow threats, they left in a flurry of embarrassment.
Only Song Shi remained.
Song Shi carefully placed the beckoning cat back on the counter and, using her fingertips, adjusted it slightly until it was perfectly aligned with its previous position.
The shopkeeper had no kind expressions for her. He patted the undamaged figurine before stowing his gun back beneath the counter. Fixing his eyes on Song Shi, he said gruffly, "Leave your comm here as collateral. When you bring me the money, you'll get it back."
Song Shi was momentarily stunned. His words, though blunt, implied he was letting her stay for the night.
"Thank you," Song Shi said with genuine gratitude, removing her comm and handing it over with both hands.
The man pocketed the comm and tossed a room keycard onto the counter.
Song Shi picked up the keycard, glanced at the room number, and made her way upstairs.
The inn was far from luxurious—perhaps even a bit shabby. The stairs were wooden, creaking with each step, and were narrow enough to allow only one person at a time.
There were three floors in total, and Song Shi's room was located at the far end of the third floor.
Swiping the card to enter, Song Shi found the room a bit more spacious than she had expected. She closed the door behind her and glanced at the electronic clock on the wall—it was already three in the morning.
Sitting down on the edge of the bed, she let her mind wander. Scenes from the last two days flashed through her thoughts in rapid succession.
These past forty-eight hours had been more thrilling than the sum of her previous twenty years.
At least she now had a basic understanding of this world.
Once she received the rewards for her bravery and reporting the location of the Diwolf, she figured her life would stabilize.
Next, she needed to focus on accumulating "Pain Resistance" and "Resilience" points until her abilities awakened and she could apply to the Academy for Empowered Beings.
As for how to achieve that, Song Shi had thought of the Wild Hunt Corporation.
She had to join that group. Not only because of Qin Yi's recommendation, but also because, judging by their operational model, she could gain substantial experience and perhaps even earn enough for her living expenses.
With her next year roughly planned out, exhaustion began to overtake her. She decided to take a bath before sleeping.
Suddenly, the doorbell rang.
Song Shi paused, changed direction, and cautiously approached the door, pressing her face against the peephole to look outside.
It was the shopkeeper, holding a bag.
Song Shi opened the door.
The towering shopkeeper handed her the bag with a deep voice. "These are my daughter's clothes. Borrow them for a couple of days."
Song Shi accepted the bag. "Thank you. I'll return them tomorrow."
The man said nothing further and headed downstairs, the wooden stairs creaking loudly beneath his weight.
She had heard no noise earlier while in her room, which proved the building had decent sound insulation.
Song Shi walked to the bed and emptied the bag.
Inside were a pair of well-worn, faded denim overalls and a simple but soft blouse adorned with small, playful floral patterns at the chest.
Song Shi neatly folded the clothes and carried them to the bathroom. She took a quick shower, dressed, and locked the door behind her as she went downstairs.
It was now four in the morning.
The shopkeeper still sat at the counter, dozing with his head propped up, while the beckoning cat in front of him swayed gently.
Hearing footsteps on the stairs, he blinked awake, turning his head to see Song Shi. He frowned slightly. "What are you doing back down here?"
Song Shi pulled a chair from the corner and placed it beside the counter. "I need to check my comm. I think the money may have been transferred by now."
The shopkeeper looked surprised. He pulled the comm from his pocket as he spoke, "You really do keep your word. Though I'm not in a rush—middle of the night, and you're still up and about. You're one restless girl."
Song Shi accepted the comm, smiling faintly without responding.
She sat down, turned on her comm, and indeed, there were two new messages.
After over four hours, the Wild Hunt Corporation had finally confirmed the verification.
The official message asked her to provide her account details so they could transfer the reward.
Song Shi sent her account information, and within three minutes, ten thousand federal credits had arrived in her account.
From zero to ten thousand. Song Shi couldn't help feeling a bit emotional.
"Money came in, didn't it?" The shopkeeper, noticing her expression, hurriedly reached for his comm. "One night is five hundred. Let me scan you."
Song Shi calmly extended her comm for payment, but just as he was about to scan, she pointed towards the door, covering her mouth in feigned alarm. "I think those thugs are back."
[Ding, Payment Successful]
The comm confirmed the transaction, but the shopkeeper didn't even look. He swiftly pulled out the gun from beneath the counter, aiming it warily at the door.
It was eerily quiet outside; through the scratched, transparent curtain, not a soul was visible.
"Maybe I overreacted, just being too nervous," Song Shi apologized.
The man gave her a hard look. When he saw she was wearing his daughter's clothes, a hint of paternal concern flickered in his eyes. She was just a young girl, after all—being scared was normal. He exhaled and let the tension dissipate.
Song Shi noticed, and spoke up, "You should check the transaction log. I transferred the five hundred."
She knew from her research that the "High-Risk Individual" notification only appeared at the moment of successful payment. It wouldn't be visible in the subsequent transaction records.
"No need. I heard it just now," the man said wearily, sitting back down and returning the gun to its hiding spot. He rubbed his face. "Money's paid, you can go rest."
Song Shi didn't leave. "Do you rent rooms by the month?"
The man looked up. "You want to rent it for a month? What about your family? You're still a minor. Did your parents kick you out? Or was it the orphanage? The federation prohibits abandoning minors. Should I help you file a report?"
The more he spoke, the more he saw Song Shi as a forsaken, pitiful child. No wonder she was wandering around so late, unable to afford a place to stay. He was suddenly stirred with emotion, eager to pick up the phone and report her situation.
Song Shi quickly calmed him, "No, I chose to do this myself. My family has given me the money for rent and living expenses."
He gave her a perplexed look, clearly unable to fathom why anyone would willingly put themselves through such hardship.
"It's five hundred a night, nine hundred for a full day—monthly, that's twenty-seven thousand. But since you plan to stay, let's make it twenty thousand."
Song Shi had braced herself for the cost, but the sum of twenty thousand still made her heart sink.
Considering the inn's proximity to her school and the decent room conditions, she gritted her teeth and agreed, "How about this: I'll pay seven thousand at the start, seven thousand halfway through, and the final six thousand at the end of the month."
Though it was an unconventional way to pay, the shopkeeper deemed it feasible and agreed.
"Seven thousand, I'll transfer it now," Song Shi paused. "Let's exchange contacts, so it's easier to reach each other. Let me scan you."
The man held up his comm, allowing Song Shi to scan it, and soon received her friend request.
Seeing the name on his comm, his finger trembled before tapping "Accept." He hesitated for a moment, then sent his name to her.
"Wang Ding."
"Song Shi."
After updating her contact, Song Shi transferred the seven thousand directly to him.
Adding him as a friend before transferring the money prevented any "High-Risk Individual" alert—something Song Shi had confirmed earlier.
With only two thousand five hundred credits left after the payment, Song Shi couldn't help but worry.
Meals were going to be a significant challenge.
"Aren't you going to bed? It's almost five. You're young—you probably still need to attend school, right?" Wang Ding glanced at his comm for the date, "Tomorrow isn't even a weekend."
Song Shi sighed inwardly. She did want to attend school.
"My uniform was lost. I have to buy a new one." She didn't know if what she had left would be enough.
Rubbing her hair, a bit frustrated, she realized that even if it were enough, she'd have nothing left for food.
In ten days, she would also need to pay the next seven thousand.
And the reward for her bravery hadn't come in yet.
She really was living on the brink.
"Which school do you go to?" Wang Ding asked casually.
Song Shi thought of the name tag and answered honestly, "Renxi High School."
"Renxi? What a coincidence, that's the same school my daughter attends." Wang Ding clapped his leg, "She has an extra uniform. When she wakes up, I'll ask her to lend it to you."
For a moment, Song Shi was speechless. Then, she thanked him sincerely, "Thank you."
"No need to be polite," Wang Ding waved his large hand dismissively. "Since you and my daughter attend the same school, you're classmates. Classmates ought to help each other."
Song Shi lowered her gaze, concealing the bitterness in her eyes.
If he knew she was a Berserker, would he still say the same?
"Which class are you in?" Wang Ding, finally loosening up, allowed his talkative side to surface after spending such a lonely night shift.
"Senior Year, Class 2."
"My daughter's also a senior, but in the Empowered Class 1."
Song Shi lifted her head. "She awakened?"
Pride glowed on Wang Ding's face, the hostility that once surrounded him dissipating, "Yes, she's Fire Affinity."
Song Shi recalled "The Human Differentiation Guide."
Fire Affinity: Elemental Class.
Other Elemental Class awakenings included Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth.
Elemental awakeners possessed widespread destructive capabilities, with some of their combat power even rivaling that of Berserkers. But they had a fatal flaw—rapid depletion of mental energy.
Without vast mental reserves, their abilities would be significantly weakened.
The strongest among the Elemental Class could easily annihilate a horde of beasts with a flick of their fingers, while those lacking mental reserves, no matter their talent, could merely conjure a small flame to light a birthday candle.
Thus, Elemental Class awakeners relied more on continuous training rather than just talent.
"She's talented indeed, awakening at sixteen and already rated as B-level by the Empowered Management Bureau," Wang Ding beamed with pride.
Song Shi, based on her limited knowledge over the past two days, responded, "Fire Affinity, B-level at sixteen... She could at least reach A-level in adulthood, and with enough effort, maybe even S-level."
Awakeners' levels were evaluated and adjusted continuously. The initial assessment was based on talent, but subsequent evaluations occurred annually—meeting the criteria allowed for level advancement.
Her words resonated with Wang Ding. The three-hundred-pound man smiled brightly, almost like a blooming flower.
They continued chatting until seven o'clock.
Wang Ding's replacement for the morning shift was an elderly man with graying hair. After briefly updating him on last night's events, Wang Ding led Song Shi upstairs.
His daughter also lived on the third floor of the inn, just a few rooms away from Song Shi.
Wang Ding asked Song Shi to wait outside while he went in to wake his daughter. A while later, he emerged with a school uniform in his hands.
"Here, take it. No rush to return it."
Throughout their two-hour conversation, Song Shi had subtly hinted at her current financial struggles.
Although Wang Ding hadn't said anything at the time, his words now, "No rush to return it," showed that he had taken her situation to heart.
Song Shi accepted the uniform, thanked him, and returned to her room.
She quickly changed into the uniform, straightened her tie, and looked at herself in the bathroom mirror.
After a moment, she picked up a pair of scissors and trimmed her bangs to eyebrow length.
Her face instantly appeared brighter and more refreshed.
She then touched her nearly waist-length straight black hair, and searched the vanity for a hair tie. Failing to find one, she decided against tying it up.
Better to take it slow—too drastic a change might raise questions.
Once everything was in order, Song Shi opened the door and headed downstairs.
She found Wang Ding packing snacks into his daughter's backpack.
The girl had a round, slightly chubby face, and her hair was casually tied in a low ponytail. Still half-asleep, she stood swaying gently, her eyes half-lidded, with a backpack slung over her shoulder.
One hand held a box of milk, while the other held an egg.
Appearance-wise, she was far from what Song Shi had envisioned.
The "Human Differentiation Guide" described Fire Affinity awakeners as typically flamboyant, headstrong, quick-tempered, and proud.
Wang Ding spotted Song Shi descending the stairs and hurriedly pulled his daughter over to introduce them. "Xiao Song, this is my daughter, Tang You. Tang You, open your eyes. She's your classmate—you'll have company on your way to school from now on."
Tang You listened sleepily, barely lifting her eyelids. The moment she saw Song Shi's face, she immediately became wide awake.
"You two know each other?" Despite his gruff demeanor, Wang Ding was sensitive enough to notice the sudden change in his daughter's expression.
Tang You shook her head, lowering her gaze to resume her drowsy state. "Seen her a few times, don't really know her."
"Same school, so it's normal to have seen each other," Wang Ding glanced at the clock, suddenly exclaiming. He pushed his daughter forward, "It's 7:25! Hurry and catch the bus."
Tang You tugged her bag straps higher and walked out, with Song Shi following closely behind.
Tang You walked quickly, clearly in no mood to wait.
Song Shi sensed her aversion—she seemed to want nothing to do with her.
Confused, Song Shi simply trailed Tang You at a safe distance, heading for the bus stop.
At 7:30 sharp, Bus 901 arrived.
Tang You boarded and immediately found an empty seat.
Song Shi also boarded, scanning her comm to pay, then swept her gaze across the bus. Most passengers were students in Renxi High uniforms.
The only empty seat was directly behind Tang You. After a brief hesitation, Song Shi chose to stand, grabbing a handle across the aisle from her instead.
(End of Chapter)
週次パワーステータス
-- 推薦
ランキング 
-- 推薦
チケット