Hunter Association headquarters.
In the bright office, Pariston sat upright in his chair, pen in hand as he wrote a page of notes. Every so often, he glanced up at the computer screen beside him.
The fluctuating data bars seemed like the pulse of the entire Hunter Association, even the whole world, beating with boundless vitality.
And that was precisely what Pariston most wanted to destroy. Of course, he knew how to weigh priorities; there were things he couldn't do yet.
He hummed an unknown little tune, smiling as he relaxed in a cheerful mood.
"Ring, ring—"
Suddenly, the phone on one side of his desk rang, its tone echoing through the otherwise quiet room and sounding rather noisy.
He glanced at it but didn't pick it up right away. He waited ten seconds before his smile deepened and he lifted it.
After checking the caller ID, Pariston answered.
"Hello?"
He heard the patter of heavy rain and indistinct voices, threaded with a hint of agitation.
Pariston wasn't in a hurry. He lightly tapped the desk with the fingers of his other hand and waited.
At last, the voice grew much clearer.
"Hey, can you hear me?" Xiyou practically growled into the phone, like a beast that had been holding back for too long. "Damn it! Damn it! This rain..."
Pariston's lips curled up. He cleared his throat, then asked softly, "I hear you. What's wrong?"
"You..." Xiyou fell silent for a moment, nearly unable to hold back his anger. In the end, he managed to rein himself in. "If you can hear me, then answer! This is urgent on my end."
"Mm-hmm." Pariston gave a perfunctory response. He raised his other hand and examined the length of his fingernails beneath the fluorescent light.
"In short, the original plan has