【Interstellar Contract Magician】Ruyuanke

I couldn't help but frown, unsure how to respond. His words always held a certain elusive meaning, as if every one of them held hidden implications, raising even more questions. But right now, I wasn't strong enough to decipher the implications of his every single one. I could only choose to accept this identity, this fresh start.

"What about me?" I asked, my voice a little lowered and a little uneasy. "Why would I choose to stand on your side?"

Nightingale's eyes darkened slightly, as if he was thinking about my question. Then, he reached out and gently patted my shoulder, his tone unquestionable: "Because, you no longer have a choice, Lingzhi."

"Where are you going later?" Nightingale's words sounded like a casual concern, but there was always a sense of some unspoken purpose behind them. His eyes held a seemingly insignificant curiosity, but I knew he always saw deeper than the surface.

I rolled my eyes at him, not hiding my impatience: "Go to school."

He tutted his tongue twice, as if he found my answer quite funny, and raised the corner of his mouth: "It's so humble to be a minor."

I rolled my eyes and thought to myself, do you really think I'm a child?

Then, Nightingale's gaze rested on me, pointing to the new optical computer on my wrist that was flashing with soft light: "You are an adult now, kid." He said this with a meaningful smile, as if reminding me that I am no longer the little character who can be manipulated at will.

I was stunned and realized that he was hinting at my new identity.

Is this what he meant by "second identity"?

He was reminding me that I was no longer that unlucky and weird minor, but a mercenary who had begun to enter the adult world.

I silently opened my collar, revealing the mark on my collarbone - it was a small implanted optical computer chip, with a faint blue light flickering under the transparent surface.

"It's a standard optical computer, implanted by the matching center for adoptees," I whispered, my gaze drifting slightly off into the distance. "Until I reach adulthood, this chip will continuously monitor my location and vital signs."

Nightingale raised his eyebrows slightly, with a hint of amusement in his eyes: "That's such a pity, he's underage." His words were full of sarcasm, but it seemed like he was deliberately probing my bottom line.

I couldn't help but sneer for a moment, "Regret?" I asked back with a hint of sarcasm in my voice, "Do you mean that you are not the target of surveillance?" I knew that his optical computer chip must be much more powerful than mine.

Nightingale shrugged, seemingly not interested in the topic: "Don't compare me with ordinary people like you. Do you think I need their surveillance?" He smiled faintly, as if he didn't care at all about the feeling of being "surveilled".

I remained silent, but a subtle sense of unease arose in my heart.

Nightingale's identity and background were so complex that every move and word he made seemed carefully considered. I suddenly realized that he wasn't just a "high-ranking mercenary"; there might be something more hidden behind his identity that I couldn't imagine.

At this moment, I thought about my own changing identity. I suddenly understood that the "adult" Nightingale mentioned didn't seem to refer to maturity in terms of age, but rather a deeper ability to challenge the rules of this world, the ability to "break the rules."

"What do you want me to do?" I couldn't help but ask, my voice low and uncertain. "Now that I have a new identity, what can I do?"

Nightingale didn't answer immediately. He gave me a deep, complex look. "All you can do now is choose the future you want," he said, his voice low but carrying undeniable authority. "You can stay in school and live like a normal person, but I want you to know that behind this kind of life, there will always be shackles."

His tone wasn't threatening, yet it exerted an invisible pressure. "If you choose to join us and embark on this path of 'mercenary,' you will have more freedom, but this freedom must be maintained through your own strength."

I was silent for a moment, feeling a complex mix of emotions. Nightingale's words made my heart beat slightly faster, and a hidden temptation quietly sprouted within me.

If you choose to enter this world...

"I understand." I finally answered in a low voice, deciding to give myself a chance to choose. "I'll think about it myself."

Nightingale's eyes became sharp, and he chuckled, as if he didn't intend to let me go: "But you, young master, your adoptive father is not ordinary." There was a bit of teasing in his words, but also a sense of scrutiny.

I didn't respond to him directly. Instead, I glanced at him coldly and ignored his provocation: "Why not the adoptive mother?" My tone was a little disdainful, and the feeling of rejection of Nightingale's frivolous words once again surged in my heart.

He was stunned for a moment, then smiled and continued fiddling with the object in his hand. "I don't think any woman can give you the energy of plant essence, even a new woman." His smile was a little mischievous, as if testing me. "That thing can't be bought with money."

These words left me stunned, and some emotions rose in my heart. I responded coldly without thinking: "That's mine." There was obvious dissatisfaction in my voice. I knew that some emotions were provoked in me, but at the same time, this was also my bottom line that I didn't want him to explore in depth.

Nightingale's eyes suddenly became sharp, and he looked straight at me, as if he was interested in my reaction.

His smile was no longer frivolous, but rather serious and profound: "You said it was yours, so how did it come from?" His tone was not as frivolous as before, but instead carried a faint sense of urgency.

I sensed he had moved beyond the initial teasing.

I have no intention of letting him know more about the source of my plant essence nuclear energy. Furthermore, Nightingale seems to be a calculating expert. If he were to notice anything, he might unknowingly reveal more of my secrets. For me, that absolutely cannot happen.

So I shut my mouth tightly and stopped responding to any of his questions.

Nightingale's eyes narrowed slightly, his smile still there, but this time he didn't press the issue. I could sense he was assessing my reaction, trying to gauge how far I would push this matter.

But he quickly dropped the topic and casually picked up the cigarette in his hand: "Okay, kid, if you don't want to talk about it, then don't talk about it. But you have to remember that when you have the ability, there are some things you can't avoid."

I didn't answer, only staring at him coldly. But deep down, I knew what Nightingale meant—he understood me far more deeply than I'd imagined. This man wouldn't let go of any clue he considered valuable.

He narrowed his eyes, as if he saw through my thoughts, or maybe he was just too lazy to delve into it any further, and then brought up a new topic: "But since you are so confident that it is yours, why don't you show it to me?" He raised the corner of his mouth slightly, as if provoking me.

I raised an eyebrow, feeling like I was being pushed into an uncomfortable position. Not just about the energy issue, but more about pushing my boundaries.

Looking at the nonchalant smile on Nightingale's face, I felt some suppressed emotions rising in my heart again.

"Do you really think I would show you my nuclear energy?" I asked softly, with a hint of sarcasm in my tone.

Nightingale was stunned for a moment, as if a little surprised by my attitude, but he quickly regained his composure, with a teasing look in his eyes: "It seems that you don't intend to tell me anything. Okay, I won't force you." He stretched, stood up, and seemed ready to change the subject.

I breathed a sigh of relief. At least tonight, he didn't pursue the matter any further.

I stared directly at Nightingale, my eyes cold and sharp, my words tinged with icy intensity that couldn't be ignored: "My adoptive father said that the exotic beast meat you gave me was poisonous. And it was the kind that would cause poisoning just by smelling it."