"La la la, welcome to the Moon Primrose Group. I'm the leader, Amber."
"Mm, there's no need for introductions again, right?" Jiu Ming scratched his head and looked up at the sky. It was nighttime here. "The night sky's nice, but it feels kind of fake."
Looking at the night sky overhead, it was blanketed in stars, yet for some reason, it looked strangely off.
"Oh? Is that so?"
Smiling, Amber looked up at the sky as well. A shooting star flashed past the night sky. "Another one died."
"What died?"
"People like me, of course." She pointed at the sky. "The stars in the sky represent the existence of Contractors. Whenever one falls, it means a Contractor has perished. Amazing, isn't it?"
She explained with a soft laugh, "You should know that the sky was still normal ten years ago."
"I see." Jiu Ming rubbed his chin and continued gazing up at the stars. "What happened to the original stars?"
"Ever since the 'Gate' appeared, every celestial body other than the sun vanished. The space beyond the stratosphere also became an inaccessible zone. It's as though Earth has been sealed shut." She shrugged, looking somewhat helpless about the situation. "Oh, right. You probably don't know what Contractors are yet. Let me explain."
"The 'Gates' that appeared in the world brought about Contractors. They appeared for no reason at all, completely at random. And Contractors' mental makeup is fundamentally rational and self-serving—they use the most effective means to achieve their goals. Because of that, they seem cold and heartless compared to ordinary humans. At the same time, Contractors must pay a 'price' for using their abilities. There are all kinds of prices, like mine."
Amber gently tugged at her sleeves, which had grown somewhat longer.
"Every time I use my