“Cheers!” The crisp sound of clinking glasses drew well-wishing glances from other Operators dining in the cafeteria.
In the Rhodes Island cafeteria, the A4 Action Reserve Team—temporarily expanded to six members—was celebrating the arrival of their newcomer, Fuyuki.
Of course, since they were all underage boys and girls, with the eldest, Fuyuki, being only seventeen, the cafeteria naturally didn’t serve alcoholic beverages.
So, they used juice instead.
Having just restocked in Lungmen and not yet departed, Rhodes Island was being quite generous with its supply rations for the time being.
Usually, when supplies weren’t tight, the Rhodes Island cafeteria provided quite elaborate and all-you-can-eat meals.
But the tray in front of Fuyuki still gave the others a bit of a shock.
“Fuyuki, the punishment for wasting food on Rhodes Island is very severe!” Cardigan gave a friendly reminder.
The rice, steaks, and other staples on her tray…
were roughly three times the amount a normal adult man would eat.
It was piled up like a small mountain.
“Don’t worry, I’ve never wasted food since I was a kid.” Fuyuki had always lived in poverty, and her appreciation for food was practically etched into her bones.
The reason for her poverty…
besides the inherent hardships of the Lungmen Slums…
was also related to her massive appetite.
Ever since she arrived in Lungmen as a child, Fuyuki’s need for energy intake seemed to have become abnormally large.
Jobs that others would consider enough to make a living…
barely kept her from starving.
This was also why she appeared to be slightly malnourished.
However, it hadn’t affected her health, aside from her height being somewhat impacted…
compared to other girls her age.
But with a normal diet for a while, it was entirely predictable that these negative traits would disappear.
Under the astonished gazes of the others, Fuyuki’s eating efficiency was not slow at all.
Yet her movements weren’t crude in the slightest; one could even say they were somewhat elegant.
The sensation of chewing was always accompanied by a sense of happiness.
Whether it was her twitching ears or her gently swaying fox tail, they practically broadcasted her current joyful and happy mood to everyone.
And the food piled like a mountain quickly leveled out.
In the end, just as she said, not a single bit was wasted.
“I’m full!” Fuyuki wiped her mouth with a tissue and sighed contentedly.
“Ah…” The rest of the A4 Reserve Team nearby had long since been dumbfounded.
They had truly watched with their own eyes as Fuyuki shoveled down enough food to feed their entire team.
If Rhodes Island ever held an eating contest, Fuyuki’s appetite could definitely hold its own!
“Hmm?
What are you all doing?” Just then, a soft and sweet voice chimed in.
“Amiya!
Good afternoon.” Fuyuki waved her arm, greeting Amiya with a touch of post-meal lethargy.
“Good afternoon, Fuyuki!” Amiya carried her tray and sat down at the A4 Reserve Team’s table.
Despite her busy schedule, Amiya still tried her best to eat in the cafeteria.
Having become more familiar, Amiya no longer called her “Miss Fuyuki,” as it felt too distant.
“Amiya, Wind…
Fuyuki ate a terrifying amount of food!
Won’t she get a stomachache?” “Huh?” Amiya then looked Fuyuki over.
No problem at all; she looked perfectly healthy.
Knowing Fuyuki’s physical data quite well, Amiya could probably guess some of the reasons.
After all, for such a powerful body, it was normal to have a matching energy intake requirement.
“It’s fine.
Fuyuki, you can eat at whatever pace you need.” After saying that, Amiya put a finger to her lips and winked playfully.
“Of course, as long as you don’t waste anything!” “I definitely won’t!” Fuyuki responded without hesitation.
Seeing the ribbon on Fuyuki’s head and how she was getting along with the A4 Reserve Team…
“It seems Fuyuki has adapted well to life on Rhodes Island!” Amiya said with a smile between small bites of her lunch.
“Everyone is very kind to me,” Fuyuki nodded.
However, these things were mutual.
Fuyuki was trying her best to integrate into this environment, and the people here responded in kind.
No one’s sincerity would go unrewarded.
Who wouldn’t like a place like this?
Even though it hadn’t been long, Fuyuki truly wanted to do something meaningful on Rhodes Island as an Operator.
Of course, that would be after passing Rhodes Island’s tests.
Even with her great individual strength, Fuyuki had to start honestly from the basics.
It was all for the sake of an Operator’s survival rate on duty.
Although Rhodes Island wished that number was 100%, practically speaking, it was impossible.
“I need to work even harder.” As the current “CEO” of Rhodes Island, Amiya was as strict with herself as ever…
“Mr.
Wei?” “Skip the pleasantries.
State your purpose, Miss Kal’tsit.” The Lungmen Governors Mansion.
In the reception room were only the current Governor of Lungmen, Wei Yenwu, and the visiting Kal’tsit.
Wei Yenwu was not surprised by the visit of this “guest,” Kal’tsit.
“Fuyuki.
Rhodes Island wants to take her.” “Miss Kal’tsit came all this way just for a girl from the Lungmen Slums?
That seems a bit excessive.” Wei Yenwu picked up his pipe and took a light puff.
The smell of burning tobacco made Kal’tsit, a doctor, frown slightly.
But right now, business came first.
Besides, Wei Yenwu didn’t need a doctor’s advice.
“We both know she isn’t just a girl from the Lungmen Slums…
that’s just the result of your ‘free-range’ approach.” “And ‘free-range’ is already the best countermeasure Lungmen can provide,” Wei Yenwu said bluntly.
“Whether for that girl, for Great Yan, or…
in the worst-case scenario, against the Sui Beast.” It turned out that Fuyuki had been silently observed by the Governor of Lungmen all along!
“The current Great Yan can bear the consequences of angering the Sui Beast.
But even with the full might of Yan, we would likely lose forty to fifty percent of our strength, and our elites would be decimated.” Wei Yenwu exhaled slowly.
“But if this girl doesn’t die an untimely death, then that young sui beast fragments, Yao Mei, has no reason to retaliate against Yan—and if it’s just one sui beast fragments, it poses no threat to Yan at all.” “But angering one fragment and thus affecting the attitude of the other sui beast fragments is also something Yan is unwilling to see,” Kal’tsit finished the thought for Wei Yenwu.
“Miss Kal’tsit.
Throughout Yan, attitudes toward the Sui Beast vary.
‘Free-range’ was the best method Lungmen could secure under the circumstances.” Wei Yenwu tightened his grip on his pipe.
“If Rhodes Island takes Fuyuki, you will naturally have to bear the scrutiny that comes with her.
You should understand what that means.” “As you wish.
Then so be it.” With the preceding conversation, Kal’tsit had essentially obtained Wei Yenwu’s tacit consent.
“Miss Kal’tsit, why are you so concerned about such a trivial matter?” In all of Lungmen, only Wei Yenwu knew the secrets of Fuyuki’s existence.
If Fuyuki hadn’t happened to run to Rhodes Island herself, her original life path would have been to live in Lungmen forever and eventually pass away as an ordinary Infected.
She would have caused no ripples, just like a speck of dust in history.
“Yan shouldn’t focus too much on beings that shouldn’t be threats.” Kal’tsit paused in her departure.
“And—” “A beautiful wish should naturally bloom into a beautiful flower…” “A doctor can say such naive things?” “Doctors exist precisely to protect such things.” ————————
It might not seem tempting right now but who knows what the future holds?
“And If you’re enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!”