Space station 14: The Girl's Initial Growth

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She glanced at the types of ammunition on the shelves.

"Boss, I'll take all the ammunition from this row to that one," Kafka's voice remained as cold and indifferent as ever.

"All of it?" the shopkeeper asked.

"Yes," Kafka replied firmly.

[Firefly: A sense of legacy...]

[Topaz: "I'll take them all"—what wonderfully enticing words.]

"Alright, alright. Please wait just a moment."

The girl was young, but the shopkeeper didn't dare underestimate her.

Kafka's gaze, though no longer completely lifeless, still appeared distant and emotionless. Combined with her cool demeanor, the shopkeeper felt that demon hunters ought to be like this, exuding an aura of mystery and indifference.

Of course, what made the shopkeeper even more cautious was Su Qing casually browsing within the store.

In recent years, Su Qing had become the most renowned figure in this region.

The shimmering silver epaulettes on his uniform spoke volumes.

Despite lacking sufficient seniority, Su Qing had forcefully earned the rank of Silver Epaulette Demon Hunter through his achievements alone. This feat was astonishing throughout Tianyi-5's history, and privately, some already regarded him as their idol.

"Any particular weapon catching your interest? I can offer you a discount," the store owner eagerly said. Selling a gun to Su Qing would surely attract more customers when word got out.

"Just browsing, nothing specific." Since becoming a Silver Badge demon hunter, Su Qing found himself using guns less and less frequently.

If his fists could solve the problem, why bother with unnecessary complications?

[Stelle: Now he's truly a One-Punch Man.]

With ample ammunition prepared, the duo left the weapons shop and placed their purchases in the SUV parked outside.

Su Qing opened the car door. "Let's go. This outing serves as your assessment for becoming a junior demon hunter, so be ready."

Kafka, often perceived as incredibly aloof by others, obediently nodded and took the passenger seat. "Yes, I'll do my best."

As a Silver Badge demon hunter, Su Qing naturally had the authority to serve as an examiner.

Although some might suspect favoritism due to him overseeing Kafka's assessment, having been through the system himself, he didn't want her to waste time on formal evaluations or trying to please senior hunters.

[Bronya: Senior: What?! Have you ever tried to please me?]

[Qingque: Ha ha, I only remember him beating up on seniors.]

[Fu Xuan: Firefly mentioned 'legacy.' Su Qing, as Kafka's senior, guides her forward and helps her avoid unnecessary detours—this indeed can be seen as passing down a legacy.]

[Qingque: Grand Diviner is right!]

The duo drove towards the outskirts of the city, cruising along the spacious highway.

Inside the car, a rock-style song played, with Su Qing humming along.

Kafka rested her chin in her hand, gazing out the window at the swiftly passing scenery. With the window slightly open, her purple ponytail danced in the breeze.

He's somewhat off-key..., thought Kafka, yet she quietly focused, straining to catch Su Qing's voice amidst the wind.

Compared to three years ago, she hadn't become significantly more lively, but her inner world was no longer as desolate as before.

This change occurred because someone familiar and trustworthy was by her side, just as always.

The location of their current mission was a partially abandoned amusement park, which had become a stronghold for a small group of demons.

Naturally, even demons have their gathering points.

In Tianyi-5, most regions still maintained civilization and order. However, rumors suggested that the first demon to come into contact with Stellaron was now indulging in pleasures within a city overtaken by demons, utterly succumbing to desires.

Su Qing drove straight up to the amusement park entrance without braking. He crashed through the gate, charging recklessly until the roaring engine attracted the attention of nearby demons. After ramming a few aside with a swift acceleration, he finally parked on an open space.

"There are about a dozen left, strong enough for this test," Su Qing observed matter-of-factly. "Kafka, your junior demon hunter assessment begins now: successfully eliminate these demons within fifteen minutes without taking any damage."

"Understood." Kafka nodded affirmatively, wasting no time as she stepped out of the vehicle to commence her task.

Su Qing also exited the car, walked to its rear, and retrieved an insulated box from the trunk, lifting the lid.

Inside the box, packed with ice cubes, were chilled beverages wrapped in frost.

He pulled out a can, opened it with a hiss, releasing a refreshing burst of cool bubbles.

With music playing from the car, Su Qing leaned against the door, sipping his chilled soda while observing Kafka's actions.

[Seele: Chilled soda, quite sophisticated.]

[Qingque: He knows how to enjoy life.]

[Black Swan: (laughs) When you have to do the same thing every day, it's essential to add some fun.]

Alongside the fizz of the soda, the sound of bullets being chambered echoed.

Kafka, armed with her gun, approached the demons.

Her boots clicked crisply on the ground with each step: tap, tap-tap, tap-tap-tap! As she drew nearer, Kafka transitioned from walking to running, gradually increasing her speed.

The demons had already gathered around.

Just before engaging, Kafka opened her mouth, "Listen to me..."

A surge of powerful spiritual energy spread instantly, akin to purple spider silk, firmly capturing the attention of all the demons.

As Kafka's abilities advanced, she realized that using specific guiding words could enhance the effectiveness of her Word Spirit Technique.

Under the influence of the technique, the demons involuntarily became captivated.

Then, the voice they heard transformed from cool to cold and commanding. In a concise order, the undertone of dominance was subtly evident: "All of you, stop."

All the demons abruptly froze in place.

Kafka, on the other hand, continued to quicken her pace. Weaving through the demons like an executioner, her agile figure aimed and fired with precision. Each burst of flame from the gun's muzzle sent another demon collapsing to the ground.

The girl's movements were swift and decisive, without any hint of hesitation. Facing over a dozen demons alone, she displayed an almost overwhelming dominance.

In just three years...

That little girl who once trembled in the rain, seeking refuge only under a demon hunter's coat, had grown to this formidable level.

Not even fifteen minutes passed—within mere minutes, all the dozen or so demons lay fallen on the ground.

Watching from afar while sipping his soda, Su Qing couldn't help but marvel: "Control-type abilities are truly handy; wish I had some too."

[Seele: If you could both deal damage and control, you'd be practically invincible.]

Less than five minutes later, Kafka entered the finishing phase.

She lifted her sturdy boots, mercilessly stomping on the demons. With each thud, if any lingering signs of life were detected, she followed up with additional shots.

Methodically checking one by one, she ensured no demon was left standing.

As she carried out these actions, a faint aura of killing intent unexpectedly surfaced on her pretty face.

Meanwhile, near the SUV, a demon burst out from the souvenir shop. It seemed to have been trapped behind the door earlier and now charged directly towards Su Qing.

Having just finished her soda, Su Qing crushed the can and swiftly threw it with incredible velocity. The can struck the demon's head squarely, killing it instantly.

[Stelle: Perfect aim!]

With her finishing blows complete, Kafka approached their location.

Su Qing took out paper and pen, writing her mission report while pointing at the ground with the tip of the pen, "Soda can."

Kafka paused, her murderous aura dissipating instantly.

A cool yet charming demeanor returned to her presence as she quickened her steps, her purple ponytail swaying gracefully. She briskly walked over to the demon, leaned down, and picked up the soda can.

The girl's slender and supple figure allowed her to bend forward without bending her legs, maintaining an upright stance. As she leaned over, her straight legs formed a subtly curvaceous yet innocent line behind her.

After retrieving the soda can, Kafka stood up straight. She glanced at Su Qing, blinking those lovely purple eyes.

[Stelle: So adorable.]

[Bronya: Such a stark contrast from her combat mode!]

[March 7th: Punches fiercely against demons?? Acts sweet and dependent around Su Qing?]

[March 7th: Yay! Another ship moment for me!]

[Firefly: Ah... Can you really ship that too?]

[Stelle: @March 7th, stop it! With your entangled fate, do you ship everything?!]

[March 7th (firmly): Shipping anything only keeps my health intact!]

"Just toss it in that trash bin over there." Su Qing noted down Kafka's achievements on paper, "Seventeen demons defeated in five minutes, including three Lesser Demons..."

Seeing Kafka discard the can and walk towards the trunk, Su Qing raised her voice, "Only orange juice is allowed!"

"...Okay."

Kafka subtly pursed her lips, diverting her gaze from the cola to the orange juice in the corner before picking up a bottle.

[Qingque: Ha ha, she's got such strict control.]

[Silver Wolf: "When Kafka was younger, Su Qing was very strict; she wouldn't even let her drink soda. Only orange juice was allowed, which used to make Kafka cry and throw tantrums out of frustration."]

[Kafka: I didn't throw tantrums.]

[Kafka: Seems like a certain little Silver Wolf might still hold a grudge.]

[Silver Wolf: What grudge? I don't know what you're talking about. I'm just stating the truth.]

[Himeko: (sipping coffee)(smiling)]

[Sparkle: Entertaining.]

[Himeko: (setting down coffee) Although Su Qing doesn't cook, he is very attentive to healthy eating.]

[Seele: Speaking of which, could Kafka's current figure also be attributed to Su Qing's nutritional care?]

[Fu Xuan: (voice solemnly) I believe her Talent plays a larger role...]

[Stelle: (patting head) Don't cry, don't cry.]

[Fu Xuan: (slaps away hand) Show some respect towards this venerable one!]

Kafka approached with her orange juice.

Su Qing switched the pen to his left hand and lifted his right to gently tousle Kafka's hair as well.

Kafka's expression visibly relaxed, her eyes slightly squinted in contentment while sipping her orange juice.

His earlier clumsy gestures now became more practiced.

[Head Pat Mastery: Lv 1 (98/100)]

[Bronya: Impressive, it's practically a skill now.]

Su Qing drove around the amusement park, clearing out the remaining demons and dismantling their stronghold.

"Let's go. First, we'll return to the demon hunter outpost, then visit Katherine."

At the mention of Katherine, Kafka showed a noticeable reaction before quietly nodding.

***

At the demon hunter outpost, they submitted the collected materials.

Kafka's abilities were already fully sufficient; likely not long from now, she would officially become a demon hunter.

A familiar voice nearby exclaimed, "Look at that! Based on my twenty years of experience as a demon hunter, I was right all along!"

The young apprentice demon hunter responded, "I envy Su Lie for having such a beautiful teammate."

Kafka's aloof demeanor almost made her seem unapproachable, but due to her striking appearance, she had gained some renown.

The mid-aged demon hunter promptly smacked the younger one's head, "Idiot! Envy Su Lie? You should envy Kafka instead! If you really follow Su Lie and become a full-fledged Copper Rank Demon Hunter, do you think you'd struggle to find a girlfriend?"

"Ah!" The mid-aged demon hunter sighed heavily, "Youngsters these days, truly getting worse with each generation. Back then, what caliber of strength did Su Lie possess? When we used to undertake missions together, we directly took down powerful Flame Demons..."

"And now, his strength has multiplied more than tenfold; it's hard to even describe..."

A Silver Rank Demon Hunter is already a prominent figure within a city. The mid-aged demon hunter boasted about their past, leaving the young hunter awestruck.

However, the young hunter scratched his head and bluntly asked, "If you're so close with him, how come after twenty years, you're still just a junior demon hunter?"

[Stelle: Ha ha, checkmate.]

[March 7th: Unbeatable response.]

[Seele: It's been three years, many things have changed. But mid-aged demon hunter, are you still stuck in your old ways?]

Kafka glanced over with a coldness reminiscent of her demeanor during missions. "That man is trying to cozy up to you again."

Su Qing waved it off. "Don't worry about him."

The mid-aged demon hunter was quite skilled at boasting.

However, once someone gains fame, such attempts at association are inevitable. From another perspective, this could actually aid Su Qing's advancement. In the world of demon hunters, experience and reputation were highly valued; the greater one's renown, the easier their promotion would be.

Go on, keep bragging. If you really manage to make me a gold-ranked demon hunter, I'll treat you to dinner.

"Let's go," said Su Qing. "We're heading to the clinic."

If there was anyone else Kafka had a good relationship with besides herself, it could only be Katherine. Su Qing felt that the two indeed got along harmoniously.

***

Adjacent to the demon hunter branch office stood the psychological clinic.

Katherine picked up a file. "Kafka, could you please deliver this to the nurse at the front desk?"

Kafka looked over, and after Su Qing gave a slight nod, she took the file and left.

Su Qing turned around. "What did you need by sending her away?"

Katherine pondered briefly. "Her recent psychological assessments show steady improvement, which is excellent news."

"But I heard you've obtained leads on the whereabouts of the demon from her past? This is a critical juncture. If her quest for revenge succeeds, a significant part of what supports her emotionally will become void. At that time, we must be particularly vigilant."

Su Qing nodded, indicating her understanding.

Shortly after, Kafka returned to find Su Qing and Katherine engaged in conversation.

"Ha ha ha, you know about that too, right..."

"Yes, it's quite interesting..."

The two chatted happily.

Watching this scene, a peculiar feeling welled up within Kafka. She couldn't help but approach, stopping very close to Su Qing, even subtly blocking part of his view as if by accident.

[Herta: Oh dear.]

[Fu Xuan: Oh dear.]

[Himeko: Who's this little girl, already learning jealousy?]

[Silver Wolf: My teammate getting jealous, how flattering.]

[Sparkle: Amused.]

[Stelle: Amused.]

[Firefly: ?]

[Kafka: ...]

[As Kafka continued observing the simulation, she felt an increasingly intense sense of embarrassment.]

[However, with her experiences and maturity, she managed to withstand it for now.]

"Speaking of..." Katherine noticed Kafka's actions but said nothing, continuing their conversation. Her teasing expression and subtle smile, however, clearly indicated that she had caught on.

[March 7th: Curse them! I'm being underestimated by these older ladies!]

[Himeko: Kafka is still quite naive. Even for a psychologist, she's too easy to read.]

After lunch, they headed to the shooting range for training.

Next, they went shopping at the mall; the morning focused on stocking up combat supplies, while the afternoon was dedicated to purchasing household essentials.

By the time they finished their errands, returned home, and unpacked everything, the sky had grown dark.

Dinner was light and simple. Following her shower, Su Qing cleaned off, and then Kafka took her turn.

As usual, Kafka sat before the mirror in the living room, eagerly awaiting something.

Su Qing brought a towel and gently dried her hair. Throughout this process, Kafka's eyes comfortably narrowed with contentment.

Her long purple hair felt as smooth as silk between Su Qing's fingers. Holding it, she breathed in the subtle scent of shampoo while combing through Kafka's locks.

Kafka possessed a serene, cool demeanor, and the more reserved she appeared, the more it accentuated her ethereal beauty.

Seated there, she wore loose-fitting white short sleeves paired with light blue shorts.

Beneath the light blue sleep shorts, large expanses of fair skin were visible. Her legs were slender yet full-figured, exuding a healthy gracefulness.

The full curves beneath her white T-shirt alone were enough to leave many Quantum Department viewers sweating profusely.

[Qingque: Th-this, this-this...]

[Qingque: It can only be attributed to what Tai Bu-sama said - pure Talent!]

"Alright." Su Qing put down the comb and gently smoothed Kafka's hair with his hand, signaling that he had completed the task.

He felt as if he'd mastered a new skill, but wondered whether it would prove useful outside of the simulation.

"Thank you," the girl graciously acknowledged.

Kafka went to prepare tea while Su Qing sat on the sofa, powering on the game console.

Since purchasing it, he hadn't used the console much. However, in a recently popular demon hunter-themed game, Su Qing surprisingly found himself added as a playable character.

Now, he couldn't avoid playing it any longer.

[Silver Wolf: Playing As Myself.]

Kafka placed the teapot on the table in front of the sofa, picked up a cup, and sat next to Su Qing. Steam rose from the teacup as she cradled it in her hands, gently blew on it, and took small sips.

During the day, she was a diligent worker and fierce demon hunter. But now, at this moment, completely relaxed, her girlish side emerged.

She maintained her usual posture.

Kafka leaned against Su Qing, curling up on the sofa. Her long, slender legs, pale and smooth, looked adorable even when crossed together.

She watched as Su Qing played the game.

Whenever Su Qing adjusted his gear or entered a story sequence, Kafka's gaze would unfocus, appearing lost in thought, with no discernible emotions.

As soon as combat began, her purple eyes refocused, intently staring at the television screen.

Occasionally, when in-game Su Qing faced danger, her legs would involuntarily tense and press tightly together. Once the peril passed, they would relax again.

Entering a narrative segment, Su Qing paused the game, set down the controller, and took a sip from his teacup.

He glanced sideways at the girl leaning against him, head tilted onto his shoulder.

Many people found Kafka unapproachable, but Su Qing felt that she could be overly clingy instead.

Considering her age, one might expect her to be entering a rebellious phase by now.

Despite spending the entire day together, running around from morning till night,

in the evening, amidst this spacious room and large sofa, she still clung to his side.

Is this really appropriate? Is it beneficial for her growth?

Su Qing took another sip of tea, contemplating like a concerned parent.

Kafka curled up next to him, resembling a clingy purple kitten.

After setting down the teacup, Su Qing couldn't resist reaching out to gently pat her head.

Like a true cat, Kafka softly murmured "mm..." in response, stretching her legs and relaxing her body. Without saying anything else, her demeanor clearly conveyed contentment.

A smile appeared on Su Qing's face.

Well then.

I'll leave this difficult question for Katherine to ponder later.

[Stelle: Katherine: ?]

There are various ways to interact; some require words, while others need none at all.

Over three years, whether in daily life or combat, he and Kafka developed a deep understanding between them. Even without speaking, their presence brought each other relaxation and reassurance.

To disrupt this feeling would truly be something Su Qing hesitates to do.

Su Qing maintained a regular routine. After playing games for a while, it was time to rest.

As Kafka opened her bedroom door, Su Qing noticed that the toy bear from years ago still stood neatly on the bedside table.

The toy bear looked somewhat worn, and Su Qing couldn't help but wonder if Kafka had hugged it again since then.

Noticing his gaze, Kafka paused with the door open and asked, "Do you want to come in?"

Su Qing shook his head, "Go ahead and get some sleep."

It was already late; early to bed and early to rise kept one healthy.

Another fulfilling day of hunting demons came to an end.

Upon returning home at dusk, as they were still in the car, Su Qing heard his phone ring and retrieved it. "You go upstairs first, I'll take this call."

"Okay." Kafka unbuckled her seatbelt, ready to exit the vehicle.

However, as she undid her belt, she overheard part of Su Qing's conversation.

"Hello, Katherine?" Su Qing said into the phone. "Dinner?... Oh, the restaurant by the beach? I know about it, but I've never been..."

"I do have time..."

"Hmm?"

Su Qing realized Kafka hadn't gotten out of the car and was instead staring at him. He turned, giving her a questioning look.

Kafka gently tugged at his sleeve, "I'm coming too."

[At this very moment.]

[Facing Katherine's dinner invitation and Kafka's request to join, you decide:]

[A. Accept the invitation, bringing Kafka along.]

[B. Accept the invitation, without bringing Kafka.]

[C. Decline the invitation, taking Kafka home instead.]

[D. Decline the invitation and reject Kafka. Hunt those demons trapped in darkness alone during the night.]

Su Qing's gaze lingered for a moment on option D.

[Seele: You'd better not.]

[March 7th: You'd better not.]