Universe Infinite Canteen

Ma Lu poked at it with a fork and easily pierced through it without much effort.

"That\'s it?"

"That\'s it." Boggy seemed deflated as well, retracting his hand and letting the wine fall back into the glass before picking up his own and taking a couple of fierce gulps.

"Water-Series Psychic Power is indeed a bit troublesome in the desert environment, you might want to consider trying a different setting, like the seaside," Ma Lu suggested.

"The sea? What is that? I\'ve never left this desert since I was born, and no one has left this desert. You\'re the only outsider I\'ve ever met, and I won\'t leave the Giant Curtain. My mother is still here, and so is the Harpist... although I\'m no longer one of them now," Boggy said forlornly.

"Is that so, then we\'ll have to think of something else."

"Don\'t bother; once a person\'s Psychic Power is awakened, it gets eternally fixed and can never be changed."

"What I\'m talking about isn\'t changing your Psychic Power, but there are a few things I still don\'t understand that need more experimenting," Ma Lu said.

"Experiment, experiment with what?"

Ma Lu hadn\'t had the chance to respond when a voice came from behind.

"Yo, isn\'t that the honor student? I heard you guys went hunting the Thousand-Tooth Sand Bream outside the city more than ten days ago. How was it, surely you\'ve returned loaded?"

The door of the Little Bear Bar had just been pushed open from the outside, and this time seven people strode in at once, all from the same Hunting Group as could be seen from the style of their badges.

One of them, a young man clad in a leather jacket and carrying a pitch-black katana, walked straight over to where Boggy was sitting.

"Back off, Yong Mu," Boggy warned.

Yet the young man called Yong Mu did not leave; instead, he plunked himself down beside the little lad.

"Don\'t be so heartless, we\'re classmates," Yong Mu said while draping his arm over Boggy\'s shoulder, "It\'s rare to bump into each other in a bar, why not take this opportunity to see who can hold their liquor better?"

His companions looked on, chuckling, and with the mention, they all hooted in encouragement.

Boggy shook his head, "I used to think you were just deaf, but now I see you\'re blind, too."

Yong Mu followed Boggy\'s gaze and realized that the table knife had disappeared at some point, feeling a sudden chill between his legs.

Yong Mu held up his hands, "I just came to greet an old classmate; no need to make such a big fuss. Since you don\'t welcome me, I\'ll leave right away."

However, he added in a lowered voice before leaving.

"By the way, I\'ve got some information you might be interested in. As compensation for interrupting you, I\'ll give it to you for free. That newbie in your Hunting Group named Chi Qi, he seems to have been in touch privately with the leaders of several major Hunting Groups last month."

Boggy was startled, "Really? Why?"

"Who knows? I heard he wants to partner with more powerful Hunters to earn more, which is pretty normal, you know? Especially since you\'re aware of the Harpist\'s current situation, your catches from last month, and the month before that haven\'t been very good…"

"Although the Harpist used to be one of the Giant Curtain\'s top three Hunting Groups, that was, after all, a matter of years ago. Glory isn\'t something you can eat, right? Plus, the group leader obviously favors the old-timers..."

Boggy\'s body trembled slightly as he clenched his fists.

Yong Mu, observing the situation, decided that it was best to stop there and stood up from the sofa.

"Anyway, if you ever have trouble, feel free to come to me. If you want to teach that guy called Chi Qi a lesson, as a classmate, I\'ll always stand by your side."

Having said that, he glanced at Ma Lu, who was sitting on the other side, and his few companions, then walked over to the other side of the bar to play darts.

After they left, the waitress Faya came over again.

"Are you guys okay? It\'s better to stay away from the people of Black Horn Hunting Group. Everyone in that group has dirty hands."

"It\'s okay in the city, but once you leave the high walls where the law enforcers and the guild can\'t see, who knows what they might get up to."

"It doesn\'t matter anymore. I don\'t plan on being a Hunter anyway," Boggy said, as if he had come to some decision.

"Huh?"

"I\'ve already left the Harpist. I don\'t intend to join another Hunting Group. Wherever I go, I would just be a burden, holding others back."

"But wasn\'t it your dream since childhood to become a hunter? You worked so hard in school just to follow in your father\'s footsteps, to one day see the landscapes that he had seen."

"I... don\'t have the talent like my father did," Boggy said disheartenedly. "No matter how hard I try, I could never become a qualified hunter. Ever since I took over the Harpist, the Hunting Group has been on a continuous decline. I\'ve even dragged Uncle Guli down with me. I should have left earlier. Continuing on would just be too selfish."

The waitress, at a loss because of what he said, could only cast a pleading look toward Ma Lu.

Ma Lu thought for a moment and then nodded, "That makes sense."

"Ah, can\'t you see how much Boggy is blaming himself right now? Even if it\'s just out of friendship, you should at least give him some affirmation and encouragement now," Faya said in dissatisfaction.

"Although I haven\'t known him for long, I don\'t think he\'s the type who needs false encouragement to get motivated. Someone who has faced his father\'s death and still dared to venture deep into that desert to face danger should not be this fragile."

Ma Lu finished his last sip of Bobo drink, let out a satisfied sigh, and then turned to Boggy on the opposite side.

"Let\'s start a New Hunting Group together," he said.

"Eh?" Faya\'s eyes widened in surprise.

"No." Boggy shook his head. "Didn\'t you hear what I just said?"

"Don\'t be hasty in rejecting it. You don\'t want to join a Hunting Group because you\'re worried about holding back your teammates, not because you really don\'t want to be a hunter anymore. If we start our own New Hunting Group, you won\'t have to worry about that anymore. Besides..."

"Besides what?"

"Although you\'ve left the Harpist, with the respect your father left behind and your connection with Guli, if you have a change of heart and want to return to the Hunting Group, do you think Guli could refuse? I know what you want to say; you wouldn\'t do it, but can you guarantee that Chi Qi wouldn\'t think that way?

Creating a New Hunting Group would also reassure him that you won\'t go back, and instead, he\'ll continue to stay with the Harpist. Especially if you\'re really the reason he has been considering moving."

Ma Lu finished in one breath, while Boggy fell into deep thought.