A Lifelong Matter, Settled Tonight

Bai Zhu slammed on the brakes.

The tires scraped sharply against the road as the black modified car came to a stop beside the port's main road.

Milluki pitched forward, the seat belt biting into his chest. He nearly threw up the snacks he had eaten at the casino.

"What are you doing now?!"

Bai Zhu did not answer. Through the windshield, he looked out at the distant sea.

Beyond the port, a ferry was approaching the pier.

The ship was long, with row after row of lights blazing along its sides, glaring in the night. Its bow cleaved through the water, shoving white waves aside, while its horn still trailed over the harbor.

At this hour.

This ship.

The Hunter Exam instance was probably already starting its countdown.

Milluki took a couple of breaths, then looked in the same direction.

"Hey, is that the exam ship?"

Bai Zhu did not answer.

Milluki pulled a terminal from his pocket, his fat fingers flying across the screen. A few seconds later, the port route map appeared.

He scanned the screen, his brows knitting together.

"No registration."

"This ship isn't on any public route."

"Damn, something's definitely off."

He immediately perked up and held the terminal toward Bai Zhu.

"Want to go take a look?"

Bai Zhu withdrew his gaze from the sea.

"We'll look tomorrow morning."

Milluki suspected he had heard wrong.

"Tomorrow morning?"

"Yeah."

"Aren't you taking the Hunter Exam? The ship's already here, and you're telling me to wait until tomorrow?"

Bai Zhu restarted the car and turned the wheel back onto the main road.

"When an ocean-going ferry docks, it has to restock supplies, fresh water, and fuel. It didn't fly here just to check in and leave."

Milluki opened his mouth.

That actually sounded pretty reasonable.

But