It had been two days since my first battle in the wilderness, and I'd made significant progress in my genetics energy practice. I'd also mastered the first stage of the Ice and Snow Saber, and could now release a chilling aura with my blade. As a Spirit Master, I knew I was good, but I couldn't rely on that alone. My priority was physical fitness, and I'd been practicing non-stop since I got home. I stink, I thought, deciding to take a bath.
My communication watch rang, and Captain Jin's voice came through. "Hey, Kia, I've got something good for you here at the Alliance Mall. Come check it out."
"Okay, Captain, but I need to take a bath first," I replied.
After a refreshing bath, I headed to the Alliance Mall. Captain Jin greeted me with a smile and pulled out a suitcase. "Hey, Kia, check this out."
He opened the suitcase, revealing six S9 flying cutters. I gasped. "Where did you get these?"
"I contacted a friend who just came back from the wilderness. These are part of the collection from the beast generals they killed."
"Beast generals?" I asked, intrigued.
"Yeah, they're smart and hate warriors. They collect warrior weapons as trophies, like badges. Your flying cutters were destroyed in the battle with the Silver Moon Wolf. It's not about your skill, but the quality of your weapons, Feng. As a Spirit Master, the quality of your flying cutters determines your power."
These are my gifts to you."
I hesitated. "I can't take it, Captain. I'll pay for it."
Axel's retirement had weakened our team, but if I could improve fast, we wouldn't be afraid of the Huya squad. Captain Jin's words struck a chord.
"Alright, Captain Jin. I'll take it. I'll work hard to catch up with the team."
As we walked, I spotted Su Lena and approached her. "You just came back two days ago, you should be taking some rest," I said.
"I'd rather work, Kia. There's too much going on at home," she replied.
The manager approached, "Ah, Kia, Miss Su Lena is also a part-time manager of our mall."
"Ohh, Kia, thanks for bringing me from the wilderness. I'll catch up with you after work."
Just as she left, a good-looking man appeared, asking, "Where's Lena?" The manager addressed him as Su Feng. "She just went up," he replied.
Su Feng's eyes scanned the area, and our eyes met for a brief moment. I nodded, and he smiled back. Something about him seemed off.
Before going up, Su Feng turned to Kia and asked, "You're Kia?"
"Feng Kia, ohhh, Feng Kia from the Fire Hammer team," Su Feng exclaimed. "Wow, my name is Su Feng, Lena's senior brother. Thank you for rescuing her from the wilderness. I will go now."
As Su Feng went to find Lena, Kia's thoughts swirled. "So he is Lena's brother."
Kia turned to Manager Wang, asking, "Who is Su Feng?"
Manager Wang's expression turned serious. "The Su family is a big family in the HR Alliance. The HR Alliance is an alliance of the nine super clans around the world, supported by dozens of secondary clans among the five states. His clan is among the top 12 clans in our state."
Kia's eyes widened, processing the information. "Su Lena came from a big family, and a powerful one. I have never heard of it."
Manager Wang nodded, understanding Kia's surprise. "The Su family keeps a low profile, but they're influential. Be careful, Kia. You're dealing with people who play on a different level."
Kia's mind was racing. What did Su Feng want with Lena? And what did this mean for their team?