A few minutes later, the captain emerged from his room and went into the kitchen to prepare dinner. Grey, wanting to be useful, stood up and went to help, but the captain simply smiled and shook his head. The kitchen was too small for two people to work in, so Grey took a seat, quietly watching the captain’s graceful movements. It was hard to reconcile this man with the leader of a brutal scavenger camp. When the dishes were ready, the captain and Grey set out six plates, and they all sat down at the table. Instead of eating, the captain closed his eyes and began to cultivate. Grey, after a moment of watching him, did the same.
Ten minutes later, the captain’s eyes snapped open. Two minutes later, Grey’s did too. Just then, a knock sounded on the door. Before anyone could answer, the door swung open, and the burly man, Zuro, walked in. He glanced at the captain, then looked at Grey with a wide, cheeky smile before taking a seat and joining them in their cultivation session.
Soon, the remaining members of the party entered one by one. Luo was the first, her bright eyes scanning the room, followed by the two other men, Trogan and Freis. They all beamed a smile at their companions and took their seats at the table. When everyone was seated, the captain, who had opened his eyes, calmly picked up his utensils and began to eat. The others followed suit, waiting for the leader to start the meal. Even Grey, swept up in the silent ritual, found himself waiting for the captain to begin before he took a bite.
’What did he do to make them have this much respect for him?’ Grey asked himself, his gaze lingering on the captain. He couldn’t see anything overtly powerful about the man in this moment, but when he remembered the captain on the ice block that morning, looking out over the scavenger camp like a proud noble, his heart quickened. The aura of a king had been so palpable.
The meal was peaceful and silent, and Grey couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of comfort. Under the assault of six hungry people, the food quickly vanished. As soon as the last morsel was gone, Grey stood and began gathering the plates. He went to the kitchen to wash them, a small act of gratitude. When he returned, the captain and the rest of the team were already talking.
When he entered the room, they all looked at him, and the captain nodded, his voice soft. "Kid, we’re trying to decide where you’ll stay. Luo over here volunteered for you to stay with her. She also has a kid your age living with her. You can make your choice." The captain said nothing else, his face expressionless.
Grey was silent for a few moments, considering his options. A part of him thought it would be better to stay with Luo. The captain was too weird, his motives too unknown. Grey valued his silence and the freedom to cultivate. He looked at Luo, whose bright expression seemed to plead with him.
"Can I continue to live here?" he asked, his voice low but firm. The captain nodded after a few seconds, a faint smile on his lips, and the rest of the team went back to their conversation. Grey, still too young and unknowledgeable about the world, couldn’t join in. But he kept his ears open, listening attentively.
He learned more about the Shadow Sect’s recent activities. They were moving closer and closer to the scavenger camp, and in the next few months, they would likely be on their doorstep. When it was late into the night, the team members left one by one, until only Luo and Zuro remained. Zuro patted Grey’s shoulder with a broad hand and gave him a small smile before ducking his head to get out the door. Luo then came over and whispered something to Grey, to which he nodded. She ruffled his hair, a small, affectionate gesture, before leaving with Zuro into the dark night.
’What relationship do they have with the leader of the scavenger camp?’ Grey asked himself, but didn’t dare ask the captain. After a few more seconds, the captain gave him a few instructions and entered his room. Grey stood at the entrance for a few minutes before locking the door and closing the curtains. He then turned off the lights and entered the room the captain had told him to stay in.
When he entered, he looked at the plain furniture with a new appreciation. He was dirty and covered in grime, so he didn’t sit on the bed. Instead, he sat down on the cool floor and began to cultivate until the first light of dawn streamed through the window.
When Grey opened the door the next morning, he saw the captain standing on a single block of ice suspended in the sky. A few strands of his hair had turned white, and his face was cold and filled with an intense, almost proud expression. Grey knew it wasn’t pride, but the natural icy aura coming from the art he practiced. ’So, I didn’t imagine it...’ he thought, his breathing quickening.
When the sun had fully risen, the captain walked, step by step, down from his platform until he touched the ground. The cold aura retracted, and his proud gaze was gone. At that moment, the words Luo had whispered to him the previous night echoed in his mind.
"Do not disobey the captain. Whatever he tells you to do, you do it. And don’t argue with him. When you are with him, nothing in this scavenger camp can hurt you. He was once the number one genius of this continent, after all..." Her voice was a soft memory, and Grey couldn’t help but agree.
Now, the reason for their respectful gazes was clear. But why was the number one genius of the continent leading a scavenger camp? Something must have happened to him. The captain, oblivious to Grey’s thoughts, beckoned him inside and began to prepare a meal for both of them.
As Grey ate, the captain suddenly said with a rare flash of emotion, "You are a young boy and are still growing. You cannot be eating only once a day and late at night." The emotion on his face disappeared as quickly as it came, and Grey was left with his usual calm and cool self. The words, however, struck Grey to his core. He had been so vigilant, so suspicious of the captain, and yet the captain had been looking out for him. It was a strange mix of kindness and an almost painful melancholy that had him feeling a sense of deep respect for the enigmatic man.
**☺️😉**