Chapter 9 : Open Source

Chapter 9: Open Source

In a deserted alleyway, various discarded objects were piled haphazardly against the wall. Dark yellow sewage flowed along the ground, and the stench of rotting garbage filled the air—no one would willingly pass through this place.

However, for a few stray cats and dogs, this was the perfect refuge where no outsiders would disturb them.

From a cluttered corner, an abandoned pet raccoon cat crawled out, ready to begin searching for food for the day.

It stretched its front legs backward, opened its mouth to reveal sharp white fangs, and arched its body—it must have just woken from sleep.

At that very moment, a streak of black light appeared above the cat’s head without any warning, as fast as lightning.

“Meow—”

The raccoon cat let out a sharp, miserable cry. Its fur stood on end, and with a powerful leap, it jumped into the air.

It shook its head frantically, trying to throw off whatever had landed on it.

When it finally managed to fling the thing away, it turned out to be a small snake. The raccoon cat raised its paw, ready to strike back—and perhaps turn the creature into its lunch.

“Bang.”

A very faint sound echoed.

The nimble raccoon cat, which had landed silently, suddenly collapsed to the ground, its limbs weak. Not a single twitch followed.

At the mouth of the alley, Zhou Ming witnessed the strange scene clearly.

The small snake that had attacked the raccoon cat was none other than his beast—the Ironthread Snake.

The reason Zhou Ming did this was to test the potency of his Ironthread Snake’s venom after mutation, so he could decide his next move.

Ordinary Ironthread Snake venom was enough to paralyze a normal human within a minute, causing the heart to stop soon after.

Yet, the mutated Ironthread Snake had killed the raccoon cat in just a few seconds. Judging by its venom alone, Ironthread Snake No. 1 might already possess the strength of a pseudo–Ferocious Beast.

Through his spiritual link, Zhou Ming issued a command and recalled the Ironthread Snake. It was time to proceed with his next major plan.

“A full set of sealed protective gear costs one thousand Alliance Coins, a head-mounted searchlight three hundred Alliance Coins, and a level-two filtered respirator with an emergency oxygen bottle seven hundred and fifty Alliance Coins.”

“That’s two thousand and fifty Alliance Coins in total. I’ll give you a round number—two thousand.”

At a shop near the walls of Qinshan Base, a middle-aged man was calculating the cost of the supplies Zhou Ming needed.

“Want a steel fork? It’s extendable.”

Seeing Zhou Ming empty-handed, the shopkeeper dutifully made his recommendation.

“Thanks, but I don’t need it for now.”

Besides, even if he wanted one, Zhou Ming’s funds were too limited to spend recklessly.

Hearing that this young man didn’t even want the steel fork—a must-have for a Rat Exterminator—the shopkeeper studied him a few more times. But since the customer had clearly declined, he could only give up on pushing further.

Still unwilling to give up entirely, he raised his head and asked once more, “Anything else?”

“Thanks, no. Just see if you can make it any cheaper.”

“That won’t do. Standard pricing. You can ask around if you don’t believe me.”

The shopkeeper quickly shook his head, rejecting the haggling attempt. He said no more.

Seeing that, Zhou Ming could only hand over his limited funds, pay, and leave.

After leaving the shop, he found a quiet corner, put on the gear, and walked toward a nearby entrance that looked like a subway station.

Without a job, Zhou Ming had no income. His remaining savings wouldn’t last forever—he had to find a way to make money.

Becoming a Rat Exterminator was the decision he made after confirming the Ironthread Snake’s venom strength.

Due to the influence of the Dimensional Rifts, native creatures on Blue Star had begun to mutate. Rats, with their incredible adaptability, had the highest survival rate among them.

Beneath Qinshan Base, countless rats lurked in the sewers. The enormous rodent population gave rise to many mutated variants—each about the size of a housecat.

These were called Hardfur Rats. They often damaged pipelines, attacked pedestrians above ground, and caused various other problems.

Because ordinary rats could never be completely eradicated, the Hardfur Rats kept reappearing—it was impossible to wipe them out entirely.

To address the issue, the Alliance government issued a bounty: one Hardfur Rat tail was worth one hundred Alliance Coins, a long-term standing reward.

This decree gave rise to a new profession—the Rat Exterminators—and the businesses that supplied them.

The middle-aged man selling extermination gear earlier had made his fortune off this trade.

Zhou Ming didn’t know if the exterminators themselves were getting rich, but that greasy shopkeeper clearly was.

Still, Zhou Ming didn’t envy him. The man might have looked ordinary, but to secure such a profitable business, he must have had strong backing.

At the sewer entrance, several other Rat Exterminators in protective suits were entering or leaving. They didn’t chat—just exchanged brief glances before hurrying off.

The sewers had been built at the founding of Qinshan Base. Perhaps by foresight, the tunnels were designed with a two-meter-high ceiling, walkable ledges on both sides, and a deep drainage channel running through the middle.

“Snap.”

When Zhou Ming turned on the high-beam headlamp, his brows furrowed instantly.

Even though he had mentally prepared himself, the filth before him still made him hesitate to breathe too deeply.

Dirty, chaotic, foul—those three words would have been flattering for this environment. After a single glance, Zhou Ming quickly looked away, unwilling to see the ground again.

After all, he didn’t rely on himself to hunt the Hardfur Rats.

Or rather, he didn’t need to fight personally—since his beast was part of his power.

Suppressing his discomfort at the sticky feeling beneath his boots, Zhou Ming summoned his Ironthread Snake from within his clothes, letting it coil into his palm to begin searching for prey.

Though it couldn’t understand human speech, the spiritual link between them allowed it to grasp its master’s intent immediately.

With the searchlight in hand, Zhou Ming ventured deep into the labyrinthine sewers beneath Qinshan Base.

As a Beast Tamer, Zhou Ming might very well have been the only one doing extermination work.

Not because the pay was too low—but because anyone who could become a Beast Tamer was either wealthy or extraordinarily gifted. Even wild Beast Tamers couldn’t make a living if their tamed beasts weren’t suitable for the job.

“Hisss—”

The Ironthread Snake flicked its tongue repeatedly, tasting the air for information, making faint sounds as it moved.

Soon, it began behaving like a compass. Not long after entering the sewers, its head locked onto a fixed direction and signaled Zhou Ming.

“Good job, little one. I’ll treat you to some meat when we get back.”

With its small body, Zhou Ming had no trouble feeding one Ironthread Snake.

Though, he might have forgotten—Ironthread Snakes were carnivorous by nature. They simply ate differently.

After paralyzing their prey, they would inject more venom, softening the flesh before feeding by absorption. If the prey was small enough, such effort wasn’t even necessary.