Somewhere, beyond the uncharted, endless expanse of the cosmos, there existed a place where all manner of travelers and traders from every corner of existence converged.
The Cosmic Station.
Inside one of its more popular establishments—behind a counter carved in primitive designs, resembling a hasty assembly of enchanted timber from fallen celestial trees rather than the fine craftsmanship expected in a place of such grandeur—stood a tall black cat, poised like a delicate figurine, licking his paws with exaggerated grace.
However, after hours of persisting in the same position, his smile finally cracked and turned into a fierce hissing grunt.
"I can't take this anymore, nyaa!" Midnight snapped and growled as if he was about to go insane.
BAM!
Without any more care for his image, he repeatedly slammed his furry arms onto the counter and hatefully scratched the old wood. The sharp noise created by his claws while scraping the timber with such intensity that it seemed on the verge of flipping over could even make the Gods wince in irritation, but he didn't stop there.
"No one's buying anything! Nyaah!" Midnight was frustrated. Inside his mind, there was only a factual equation.
No buyers = No commission. That means less food on the table!
The black cat thought angrily and snarled, "I'm done with this dumb job, Nyaa! I quit—"
But then, as the chime of the doorbell sounded, his mood shifted in an instant as if nothing happened. A frail-looking woman entered, and all signs of frustration vanished. Replaced by the charm of an eager cat, Midnight's demeanor transformed, softening into a coquettish, almost pet-like sweetness.
Nyaa~
The big fish who shall pluck him out from the drowning poverty finally arrived! Midnight's cat eyes twinkled bright stars and shimmered expectantly.
"Welcome to Nyan-Nyan Cosmic Store! Nyaa~" he purred.
The fawning in his voice was audibly smooth and honeyed. It was only by the time he saw the woman's striking waist-length black hair that he paused and pondered, "Hmm, nyaa?"
Before long, Midnight's cat face instantly brightened with excitement upon recognizing the newcomer.
"Immortal Bai, it's you Nyaa! You've finally come, Nyaa~"
But then his sharp eyes caught sight of her ragged attire which was different from her usual simple yet clean white clothing. For this reason, his smile visibly faltered and turned wry, and his movements halted for a moment. His scrutinizing gaze quickly scanned her weary form, but after confirming there were no visible wounds or bite marks, only exhaustion, the cat's expression softened, resuming his usual sweet tone, though now laced with concern.
"Nyaa~, oh my, looks like someone's running on fumes. Is everything well, dear customer?"
Bai Xiao, sensing his gaze, suppressed a sigh. She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself before offering a polite, strained smile.
"Yes, I just..." Bai Xiaotong paused and took a deep breath, feeling the weight of her exhaustion bore down on her. She straightened her back, though her body protested with every movement.
"Hah… hah..." Bai Xiaotong panted and said, "My apologies for showing up like this."
She wasn't ashamed. Even then, she still felt the need to say sorry.
The battle with the beasts had taken every ounce of her energy and as she stood there now, she was a far cry from the composed and calculated fighter she normally was. Her body ached from the relentless battle and her mind, too, felt like it was on the brink of collapse.
Bai Xiaotong was too drained and there had been no time for her to think about anything else, least of all her appearance or the exhaustion slowly consuming her.
However, though she didn't mind appearing like a wringing wet rug and covered in bloodstains in front of others, for Bai Xiaotong, it was a different story if her actions were implicating another person.
While more often than not, she would act bothersome and fierce due to the kind of environment she grew up in, the woman still had a conscience to own up to her mistakes, as she was not someone shameless or devoid of human conduct. Thus, Bai Xiaotong thought she had to apologize for entering a business establishment, looking so disheveled and causing discomfort to others.
"I've just finished clearing out a horde of mutated beasts in my world. And to be honest, I haven't had a proper rest in weeks, nor do I have the luxury to wash my body. I hope you don't mind me smelling of blood and rotten corpse," her voice was calm but tinged with weariness.
Even if she did find the time to wipe her skin, Bai Xiaotong who barely had a wink of sleep during the past weeks would rather close her eyes for one more minute than soak in a river full of lurking specters.
All she had thought about in that moment of chaos was surviving the horde—obliterating every single one of those menacing creatures in her path and collecting their energy nuclei. But the other part of her... the part that had been driving her through the endless days and nights... was the thought of finally reaching the cosmic station, of buying her own little space to escape the nightmarish period of apocalypse and living her remaining years in peace.
While in her exhausted state, Bai Xiaotong understood how equally important it was to show sincerity when making amends as it was when expressing gratitude and respect. With that in mind, she lowered her head slightly toward the black cat with her eyes reflecting a genuine apology.
"I truly didn't mean to disturb you or cause any discomfort to the other buyers," she said softly. "I understand if it was a bit... unsettling, but I hope you won't take offense and chase me away. Please, accept my sincerest apologies for any discourtesy, Mr. Midnight."
Upon hearing the customer address him so formally—something even the shop owner didn't receive from these arrogant beings of other realms—the cat couldn't help but purse his lips and secretly chuckle with a hint of conceit.
Fufufu~
'Mr. Midnight? Nyaa~ "Mr. Midnight" sounds so expensive and refined. Nyahaha, I like it... it suits my high standards, nyaa' he thought, grinning widely.
After a lifetime of fawning over others, the black cat felt a strange satisfaction in being the one admired and taking their bow. For this reason, Midnight couldn't help but beam with pride as he slowly waved his paws.
"Immortal Bai, rest easy, Nyaa. Why are you being so formal, nyaa?"
"You are a valued patron of our shop. There's no need for such formality—no need to bow for something so trivial. Nyaa~" Though he said that, it was very obvious to her that the cat was very pleased and enjoying the moment.
Thus, without bursting his bubble, Bai Xiaotong could only let the little cat bask in his newfound glory.