Emma thought, When I rescued Kael, I hadn't even said a word—yet he was already ready to pay me back. Edric felt an overwhelming urge to eliminate that foolish Kael, but in the presence of Emma, he refrained from revealing any hint of that thought. He grinned and remarked upon hearing she commended Kael, "Emma, judging someone's character solely based on their appearance can be misleading. Kael may appear competent, but behind the scenes, his tactics are far from honorable." "Kael is the young master of the Suncrest Lineage, a group infamous for its merciless nature; there's no end to the scheming and betrayal. Think about it: if he didn't have some clever strategies, how could he maintain that rank?" Before she entered this world, she had seen her fair share of palace dramas. His statement immediately brought to her mind the power-hungry princes competing for the throne. The well-known "Battle of Nine Heirs"—incredibly daunting. A shiver went down her back. "Of course—never judge a creature by its appearance." Someone like her, an absolute nobody, wouldn't even be acknowledged in the first two paragraphs of that type of tale. … The Interstellar Hunter Alliance's headquarters was situated on A1. The starrail sped through the vast galaxy at the speed of light. In less than a day, Emma's private starrail reached A1. A1 was the closest planet to the Central Planet— and was rumored to be a hundred times bigger than F-268. However, when Emma finally disembarked from the starrail, she truly grasped what worlds apart meant. She thought, It was no wonder many beastfolk referred to the F-268 as impoverished. On F-268, cities consisted solely of steel and glass. There was not a hint of greenery anywhere due to rampant plant mutations. Even the rare instances of greenery—like the tiny sprout she kept at home—were barely longer than Emma's finger. Now, as she set foot on A1, the first thing that caught her eye was a towering tree that went right up to the clouds. Lush foliage surrounded her, and soft pink petals floated through the atmosphere. She had no clue where those alien petals originated from, only that they were breathtaking. As soon as a petal contacted the ground, a smart robot swiftly came in to collect it. The paths, made of radiant starlight stone, were immaculate—so polished that they mirrored your reflection. Above, smart vehicles darted by; below, therian in their original form raced along the roadside. Storefronts lined both sides of the street—some traded beast cores, some offered herbs, and others displayed adorable low-tier beasts. It appeared to be a popular trend among therians in Interstellar—particularly female—to adopt those charming beasts as pets. Edric grasped Emma's hand as they carefully descended the shimmering sky-stairs. "Emma," he softly asked, "Are you feeling weary? If not, would you like to go shopping for a while?" He understood better than anyone that females loved to shop. He'd intentionally halted the starrail at this spot for one purpose—he wanted to take her on a shopping spree. Emma's eyes sparkled as she gazed at the array of dazzling storefronts. She could barely contain her excitement. "Let's go! I've never encountered anything like this back on F-268." F-268 had its share of shops and large shopping centers—but they only offered practical, everyday items. There was nothing comparable to these unique herbs and beasts showcased here. She pulled Edric by the hand and dashed straight towards a store that featured beasts. In the display window lounged a beast that resembled a mix between a fox and a rabbit, its entire body emitting a faint glow. The little beast was no bigger than her palm, lazily sprawled across its cage. It was so cute that Emma nearly melted right then and there. In the five years since Emma had entered this world, every beast she had encountered had been large, unappealing, and designed for combat. She had no idea they could also appear this adorable. "Do you like it, Emma?" Edric glanced at the creature in the cage. A female. Good, she can buy it. Emma opened her mouth to say yes, but then noticed the price tag and quickly shook her head. "It's too small. Not really my style." She thought, What kind of treasure was this supposed to be? One billion star credits? Seriously? That's not a price—that's sheer robbery! Intrigued, she turned to Edric. "What else can it do besides… glow?" "It can dig holes," he answered seriously. She was speechless for a moment and thought, It glows and digs holes, and that justifies one billion star credits? The shopkeeper might as well just mug people—at least then he doesn't have to throw in a glowing, hole-digging furball as a consolation prize.He found her astonishment amusing and chuckled. He clarified, "This little critter is called a Luma Fox. It never grows larger than this. It lacks offensive skills, but it's beautiful, making it very popular among females. That's the reason for the… rather steep price." As Emma strolled through the store, she nearly swooned— She thought, The least expensive beast here costs two hundred million star credits. High-tier planets don't cater to the broke. Before I form bonds with Drake and Edric, all the star coins I've saved—barely a few million—aren't even enough to cover a single meal here. There's always a bigger beast out there. Edric gently squeezed her hand, his tone warm. "Emma, don't worry about the star coins. Just pick out whatever you like, and I'll cover it."