Coastal cities were always rainy. Raindrops fell softly, the sky turning hazy as scattered lights blurred into glowing patches. When he looked up, it felt briefly dreamlike.
The rain didn't slow the food stalls at all. Beer bottles clinked. Voices overlapped. The owner had wisely put up a canopy. Anyone ducking in without an umbrella would smell the food and end up buying something. Basic business sense.
"Boss, got any seats left?" A boy with rain-soaked hair stepped inside.
"Yes! If not, I'll set up another table!" The owner answered loudly, welcoming him like a big spender. From experience, he could tell Morin didn't have much money. Still, his attitude didn't change. If anything, he was even more enthusiastic. "Just you, or more?"
"Someone else is coming later." The boy smiled and found an empty chair.
"A girl?" The owner squinted, wearing an expression that said he'd already seen through everything.
"Yeah." The boy nodded. "She'll be here soon."
VROOM!
A distant engine roar cut through the rain, slicing off their conversation along with everyone else's.
People instinctively turned toward the sound. Through the mist, two sharp beams of light pierced the darkness. Like a warrior's blade tearing open the southern rain, the sound waves made hearts surge, as if charging across a battlefield.
"Holy crap, that car sounds insane," someone exclaimed nearby.
The owner silently agreed.
Then a flame-red Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano appeared. Everyone assumed it would blast past the stalls, splashing water everywhere before vanishing toward some upscale club.
Instead, it slowed.
And parked right in front of the stalls.
The door opened. A hot girl stepped out. No matter how plain her clothes were, getting out of that car automatically made her one.
Thud. She shut the door, looked up at the stall's sign, walked past the car, and came straight over. Raindrops landed on her dark red hair and silver four-leaf clover pendant, yet she looked completely composed.
The stalls fell into an unnatural silence. Only the frying pans kept sizzling. The chefs had frozen, spatulas forgotten.
The aura she carried made even the slightly drunk men hesitate to breathe.
"Boss."
The boy spoke.
His voice cut through the silence like sunlight, softening that sharp presence. He smiled. "The person I'm waiting for is here."
Everyone looked over.
Then fell silent again.
Damn. That face could live off looks alone.
The girl pulled over a chair and sat across from him. "You're treating me to dinner here?"
"We agreed you'd be treating." The boy straightened, serious.
Nearby, people nearly burst out shouting, If you won't, I will!
Then the voice in their heads screamed back, Look at that five-million-dollar Ferrari! Don't be stupid. Looks and money-what are you fighting for? They're just playing around. Otherwise, why eat at a stall?
"Hiss..." Nono stared at him. "You actually have the nerve to let a girl pay?"
"You're rich. I'm poor." Morin stated it calmly, without shame.
"I'm poor too!"
"You mean poor compared to Warren Buffett?"
"Exactly."
"Then it's fine. Boss, let's order."
"Yes, yes, right away!" The owner nodded repeatedly, wisely not asking who was paying.
...
Before long, the stalls returned to their usual noise. Still, many people kept glancing over. Men looked at the girl. Women looked at the boy. Fair distribution.
They talked while eating, voices low enough to be lost in the noise. That only fueled imagination. Some thought they were discussing luxury brands. Others thought they were flirting.
"What's your goal in finding me?"
"Why say that?"
"You hacked my QQ."
"Why can't it be that you added me and forgot?"
"I have a photographic memory."
"Is that why your grades suddenly jumped?"
"Partially."
"You're faking it. Why?"
"Looking for my own kind." Morin finished his stir-fry, put down his chopsticks, wiped his mouth. "Before sophomore year, I planned to stay hidden and observe. Unfortunately, I didn't find a single one."
"So you showed your uniqueness to draw them out." Nono bit into a tofu skewer. "What if the ones who come have bad intentions?"
"Anyone willing to spend five hours playing StarCraft with me probably isn't the 'destroy the world' type."
"And if they are?"
"Then the police station becomes my home."
"The police couldn't handle an organization like that. And they wouldn't protect you just because you're top of the city."
"I could help them solve ten years of cold cases. Or analyze national economics and classified plans. I'd become a protected asset naturally." Morin tapped his head. "Genius treatment."
"But you didn't go."
"No one wants to lose freedom. And I couldn't calculate the risk of being dissected for research." He took a sip of Coke. "Human behavior can't be reduced to numbers. I like numbers. At least results are honest."
"You're observing me."
"I'm not hiding it." Nono pointed from her eyes to his face.
If not for the chili flakes and grease on her fingers, and if they weren't at a food stall, it might've looked flirtatious.
"Not that." Morin shook his head. "You've been monitoring me. You accessed my files. Supercomputer? Hackers? AI?"
"...You deduced that too?" Nono raised a brow.
"I trust my brain. I once competed with a computer in calculation speed." He took another sip. "Your turn."
"Day after tomorrow, or the day after. Regent Hotel. There's an interview." Nono pulled out a Nokia N96. "Got a phone?"
Morin shook his head.
"Then QQ. Worst case, I'll notify you in person." She put the phone away.
"I thought you'd pull out the SIM and say it's a gift."
"I thought you'd beg, 'Sister, my family's poor, can you give me one?'"
"Sister, my family's poor, can you give me one?" Morin pleaded instantly.
"...Another round tomorrow." Nono looked up at the canopy, sighed, removed the SIM, and handed it over. "Remember to get a card. Don't say you don't have money."
"Okay, sister." Morin nodded, smiling bright and innocent.
She didn't buy it. This kid was definitely black-hearted. The Little Witch Nono hadn't gained anything-and lost a four-thousand-dollar phone.
"Check, please!" She slapped cash on the table and walked off, heels clacking.
People whispered.
"That's an N96!"
"She got mad and left!"
"If someone gave me an N96, they could be mad at me all they want!"
Then the red-haired girl stopped by the car and turned back. "I'll be waiting for you at the Regent Hotel!"
The engine roared. Lights cut through the rain. She was gone.
Morin stood alone under everyone's gaze.
"..."
He slowly stood.
Just when people thought he'd leave in shame-
"I knew she was just after my body," Morin sighed. "Money's really hard to earn these days..."
Everyone: "..."
Damn it.
We want money like that too.
...
"Nono, you don't have authority to add interview candidates."
In the car, Nono held another phone. A gentle female voice came through.
"I know, Norma. Help me connect to Professor Guderian."
"Connecting."
The call picked up quickly. "Nono? What is it? I'm on a red-eye the day after tomorrow! Lu Mingfei's parents already agreed!"
"I gave an interview notice to someone not on the list. I need approval."
"Nono, aside from Lu Mingfei, the rest are just cover." His tone sharpened. "Did you find something?"
"Yes. Someone with serious potential. Likely self-awakened." She paused. "Norma didn't flag him."
"Any abilities? High-risk Spirit?" His voice rose. "If so, I'll contact the Execution Department!"
"If it were high-risk, Norma would've already done that." Nono curled her lip. "As for abilities... he's very good at StarCraft."
"...When did we expand into e-sports?"
"He played Norma for four hours. Even. Then quit because he got bored. Combined with his records, his Spirit likely enhances intelligence."
"Could he just be a genius gamer?" Guderian pressed. "Norma doesn't make mistakes!"
"That's why I met him." Nono braked in front of the hotel and stepped out. "I couldn't profile him. At all."
Silence. Pages flipped frantically.
"A-rank!" Guderian laughed. "Likely A-rank! If he's self-awakened, his Spirit could be unprecedented-"
"Spirit: Predictive Logic!" Nono said at the same time.
...
The next day.
"HOLY CRAP!!!!!"
"I got accepted by an American university!"
"Cassell College!"
"They say they're affiliated with the University of Chicago!"
"I didn't even apply!"
"They sent me an N96! Real! Only the professor's number inside!"
"Old Morin, reply when you're online! What do I do?!"
After getting a SIM and burning a day's living expenses on credit and data, Morin logged into QQ.
Messages flooded in.
He smiled and replied:
"Isn't that a coincidence? I got one too. Looks like we can fight our way into blonde paradise together."