"Coming right up! Just a moment, please," the waiter called out before scurrying toward the kitchen.

  Kael picked up the teapot and poured two cups for himself and Shier. A faint, refreshing floral scent wafted from the cups, soothing the senses. As expected of a famous establishment; even the pre-meal rinsing tea is high-grade Jasmine.

  Kael took a sip, swirled it around his mouth to cleanse his palate, and then spat it into the large porcelain basin on the table. He then looked up to see Shier watching him with a look of utter confusion.

  "Did you... just swallow the tea?" Kael asked.

  "Was I... not supposed to drink it?" Shier stared at him blankly.

  "You can drink it," Kael said, quickly pouring himself another cup and gulping it down to hide the awkwardness. It was only natural; Shier hadn't been exposed to the eccentric etiquette of the wealthy before.

  The service at Cloud Drunk Restaurant was top-tier, but even their speed couldn't outrun a crisis. They had only finished two dishes when a high-pitched, lingering howl echoed from outside the city walls.

  Almost immediately, a thunderous chorus of roars responded, shaking the very heavens. The sound was so terrifying that the waiter, who was bringing out the next dish, nearly dropped the plate.

  "The... the Beast Tide! It's here!"

  "So that’s what a Beast Tide sounds like," Kael remarked, looking at the waiter. Seeing the man’s hands shaking, Kael reached out, took the plate from him, and said calmly, "If the rest of the dishes aren't cooked yet, don't bother. I doubt your chefs are in the mood for cooking anymore."

  "Yes... yes, sir," the waiter stuttered, nodding frantically before fleeing downstairs.

  "Manager, did something happen?" Shier asked, her voice muffled by the chicken leg she was chewing on. "I can suddenly sense a lot of magical beast signatures outside."

  "You felt it too? They say it's a Beast Tide. Eat up quickly, then we’re heading back to the shop," Kael explained casually. To be honest, he wasn't worried. Inside his shop, he possessed strength comparable to a Hero-rank, with mastery over both magic and martial arts. A Beast Tide of this scale couldn't touch him.

  "Just as I suspected—these beasts chose the cover of night to attack," Wan Zhongshan muttered. He stood at the top of the Mercenary Guild, looking out toward the city perimeter. Beyond the towering walls, the pitch-black night was littered with thousands of glowing green eyes.

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  "So what if you suspected it? We still have to deal with it," Mu Qianqiu said from behind him, a chill running down his spine as he stared at those eerie eyes.

  "Dealing with the tide is Qin Ming’s job. We’re just the reinforcements," Wan Zhongshan said with a confident smile. "Notify the major mercenary squads. We move out at dawn."

  Outside the city walls, the City Guard was already in position. The moment the tide struck, the mages among the guards held their staffs high, casting Illumination spells that turned the battlefield as bright as day. Humans were at a disadvantage in the dark compared to magical beasts.

  Qin Ming arrived at the battlements the moment he received the news. "Nighttime again. The intelligence of these beasts only seems to manifest in choosing their timing," he observed, overlooking the front line.

  Under the magical lights, the swarming beasts were exposed. The fully-equipped City Guard moved to intercept them. In the past, Qin Ming would have been anxious, but with the weapons and armor from Kael’s shop, the guards' strength had multiplied. This first wave was likely just a probe.

  However, just as the two forces clashed, Qin Ming’s body stiffened.

  "Damn it!" He stood up abruptly, his face pale with horror. He had just felt two Class-rank signatures enter Cloud Mist City. "These beasts have grown clever... they’re using a pincer attack from the inside."

  He knew that if two Class-rank beasts were allowed to run amok inside the city, Cloud Mist would fall from within.

  Deep within the Cloud Mist Forest.

  An organized phalanx of Beastmen stood in perfect formation. Inside the command tent, a massive Beastman clad in iron armor sat regally upon a throne made of bone. To his left and right were four empty chairs.

  A soldier entered and bowed. "Commander Naga, the beast swarms have reached the city. The initial probe has begun."

  "Good. Watch the engagement closely. This is only the beginning of our conquest," the leader, Naga, nodded. He looked toward the city, whispering to himself, "The Aoyuan Empire... Cloud Mist City is just the start."

  "Heh, what luck. We arrived just in time for the riot."

  Under the moonlight, two Wolf Hunters with protruding fangs moved with lightning speed through the city streets.

  "Stay sharp. The Elder said the person protecting that girl might be extremely powerful," one of them warned.

  "I know! You've said it a dozen times already," the other replied impatiently.

  These were Lie Pa and Lie Wa, sent by the Wolf Hunter Elders to investigate the mysterious deaths of the clansmen previously sent after Shier.

  "The Elder's intel points to this area," Lie Wa said, landing on a rooftop.

  "Correct. From here on, we need to be careful," Lie Pa added, twitching his nose to catch a scent. The Wolf Hunters were legendary for their tracking and hunting skills; once they marked a prey, no one escaped unless they had a backer the clan truly feared.

  The unique scent of a Moon Spirit Cat was like a beacon to them.

  "Right here. The scent is strongest in this spot," Lie Pa opened his eyes.

  Lie Wa unsheathed his claws, a cruel grin spreading across his face. "Since we found her, let's wipe out this last remnant of the Moon Spirit Cats once and for all."

  "Gentlemen, I assume you aren't citizens of my Cloud Mist City?"

  Before they could move, Qin Ming appeared, having tracked their powerful auras.

  "Who are you to interfere with our business?" Lie Wa barked, his patience already wearing thin.