"Silver Moon, look over there," Rowan said, pointing toward a massive aquarium tank. "That fish is glowing."
"Oh, really?" Silver Moon replied absentmindedly before sinking back into thought.
"You're really taking this gift thing seriously, aren't you?" Rowan asked helplessly. "You honestly don't have to worry about it this much."
"I do," Silver Moon insisted firmly. "You put so much thought into the necklace you gave me. I have to put the same amount of thought into your gift."
Seeing how serious she was, Rowan stopped trying to persuade her. Instead, he felt a warmth spread through his heart. Having a partner who valued their friendship this deeply was, in itself, a rare kind of happiness.
That afternoon, the two returned to the shopping district. This time, however, Silver Moon wasn't shopping for herself.
She was shopping for Rowan.
"Let's start with the men's section," she declared, already planning their route. "Maybe we'll find something suitable."
The men's section was filled with luxury clothing, accessories, and advanced electronic devices. Silver Moon carefully examined every display, trying to imagine what Rowan would actually like.
"What about this watch?" she asked, picking up an elegant timepiece. "It looks sophisticated."
Rowan silently shook his head in his mind. He already possessed far superior timing devices, and a decorative watch would have little practical value to him.
"Then what about this suit?" Silver Moon asked, eyeing a custom-tailored formal outfit. "The craftsmanship looks excellent."
But before Rowan could answer, she shook her own head.
"Someone with your status probably already has personal tailors."
After more than an hour of searching, Silver Moon still hadn't found anything satisfactory. She finally sat down in a café, looking somewhat discouraged.
"Why is this so difficult?" she sighed. "Nothing feels special enough."
"Maybe we should change our approach," Rowan suggested. "It doesn't have to be something off the shelf. You could commission something."
"A custom gift?" Silver Moon's eyes lit up. "That's actually a great idea! But what should I have made?"
"What do you think has special meaning to me?" Rowan asked, trying to guide her.
Silver Moon thought carefully, recalling all the time they'd spent working together.
Suddenly, inspiration struck.
"Right! You've been studying spatial laws recently!" she exclaimed excitedly. "Maybe I can find something related to space."
"Something related to space?" Rowan asked curiously.
"Exactly. A spatial storage artifact, or perhaps something that helps with understanding spatial laws." The more she thought about it, the more convinced she became. "That way, the gift would be both practical and meaningful."
"That sounds promising," Rowan admitted. "Although finding something like that won't be easy."
"Then let's ask the high-end specialty shops," Silver Moon said eagerly. "Maybe they offer custom commissions."
After searching throughout the shopping complex, they finally found a peculiar establishment on the top floor.
The Law Workshop.
The shop had a mysterious atmosphere. Complex diagrams representing various universal laws were engraved into the walls, and faint energy fluctuations lingered in the air.
"Welcome to the Law Workshop," an elderly man greeted them. He had the air of a scholar rather than a merchant. "Are you looking for items related to universal laws?"
"Yes," Silver Moon replied directly. "I want to commission a gift related to spatial laws for my friend. Do you have any suggestions?"
The old man carefully observed Rowan. A flicker of surprise crossed his eyes.
"This gentleman's understanding of spatial laws is already quite profound," he said slowly. "Ordinary spatial artifacts would provide little benefit to him."
"Then do you have anything extraordinary?" Silver Moon asked.
The old man thought for a moment before nodding.
"I possess a rare material called Void Crystal. It can be crafted into a cultivation aid specifically designed for studying spatial laws. However, the crafting process is rather complicated."
"Void Crystal?" Both Rowan and Silver Moon became interested.
"It is an exceptionally rare substance," the old man explained. "It stabilizes spatial fluctuations and enhances one's perception of spatial laws. I could use it to create a Spatial Law Ring. It would be both beautiful and practical."
"That sounds perfect!" Silver Moon said excitedly. "How long would it take?"
"Approximately three days," the old man replied. "The cost would be around five million credits."
"Five million?" Silver Moon considered briefly before nodding. "That's fine. When can you begin?"
"Immediately, if you wish. I'll need the gentleman's finger measurements."
Rowan looked at Silver Moon, genuinely touched by how much effort she was putting into finding his gift.
"Silver Moon, you really don't need to spend that much."
"Didn't you tell me that it's the thought that counts?" she countered immediately. "This is my way of showing my feelings."
Seeing the determination in her eyes, Rowan stopped arguing and allowed the old craftsman to take his measurements.
"You may return in three days," the old man confirmed after recording all the necessary details. "I guarantee that it will be a masterpiece."
"Thank you," Silver Moon said as she paid the deposit. "We'll be back."
As they left the Law Workshop, Silver Moon's mood had noticeably improved.
"Now I finally have a gift for you," she said happily. "And it's custom-made."
"I'm looking forward to it," Rowan replied sincerely. "Thank you for putting so much thought into this."
"Now we're even," Silver Moon declared with satisfaction. "Although you've already given me your gift, you'll have to wait three days for yours."
"That's fine," Rowan said with a smile. "The best things are worth waiting for."
The next morning, Rowan and Silver Moon headed to the hotel's rooftop restaurant for breakfast as usual.
However, unlike the previous days, something felt different.
The normally elegant and peaceful dining room had become unusually noisy. Quiet conversations filled every corner of the restaurant.
"Do you feel it?" Silver Moon asked while cutting into her fried eggs. "There seem to be a lot more people here today, and the atmosphere feels... strange."
"Definitely," Rowan agreed, scanning the room. "And I don't recognize most of these faces. They must have arrived last night."
Just as they were speaking, a heated conversation from a nearby table reached their ears.
"Are you certain the information is real?" a well-dressed middle-aged man asked in a hushed voice. "The death of a King-Tier Immortal isn't a trivial matter."
"Absolutely," his companion replied mysteriously. "My sources are reliable. Apparently, it happened in Reno Port's deep-sea region. That King-Tier Immortal encountered an accident while exploring an ancient ruin."
"A King-Tier Immortal..." the first man muttered in disbelief. "If someone of that level could die, then that ruin must be unimaginably dangerous."
"But it also means opportunity," the second man said excitedly. "The belongings of a King-Tier Immortal are worth a fortune. If we can recover even a single artifact..."
Hearing this, both Rowan and Silver Moon paused.
"A King-Tier Immortal?" Silver Moon repeated quietly. "Died at Reno Port?"
A King-Tier Immortal was an existence far beyond the stellar level. Individuals of that rank were exceedingly rare throughout the galaxy. The death of such a being would inevitably cause a massive upheaval.
"If the rumor is true, it would certainly attract countless treasure hunters," Rowan analyzed. "That would explain why so many unfamiliar faces suddenly appeared."
"But how have we heard absolutely nothing about this?" Silver Moon asked. "Shouldn't the Virtual Universe Company have intelligence on something this important?"
"Perhaps it only happened recently," Rowan speculated. "Or the information is still spreading. Of course, it could also be a rumor."
They continued eating while paying attention to the surrounding conversations.
Before long, they realized that nearly every table was discussing the same topic, though the details varied wildly.
"I heard the remains were discovered ten thousand meters beneath the ocean," one group insisted. "The King-Tier Immortal died while attempting some ancient trial."
"That's wrong," another group argued. "My information says it happened inside a spatial rift connected to an unknown dimension."
"You're both mistaken," a third group interrupted. "My friend returned from the scene yesterday. He said the body was found on a floating island, surrounded by signs of intense combat."
Silver Moon frowned.
"These stories contradict each other too much," she said quietly. "Either the sources are unreliable, or someone is deliberately spreading false information."
"I suspect the latter," Rowan agreed. "Someone may be trying to profit from the rumors, or divert attention from something else."
After breakfast, the two decided to visit Reno Port's harbor district.
What they found there shocked them.
The normally orderly harbor had become packed beyond capacity. Thousands of vessels filled every available docking space, ranging from private shuttles to large exploration ships and even heavily armed warships.
"This is insane," Silver Moon muttered. "There have to be thousands of ships here."
"And more are still arriving," Rowan said, pointing toward the sky. "Look. Another fleet is landing."
The harbor staff were clearly overwhelmed, rushing everywhere as they tried to coordinate docking assignments. Some ships had already been forced into long waiting queues.
"Let's gather some information," Rowan suggested.
The pair headed toward the harbor information center, where many newly arrived treasure hunters had gathered. Judging from their equipment and demeanor, most were experienced adventurers or martial artists. Some clearly belonged to major organizations.
"Excuse me," Silver Moon asked one of the attendants. "Has something unusual happened recently? Why have so many ships arrived?"
The young local employee looked exhausted.
"You mean the King-Tier Immortal incident?" he replied mechanically. "Since yesterday afternoon, everyone has been asking about it. Apparently, a fallen King-Tier Immortal was discovered somewhere in our planetary waters."
"Has there been any official confirmation?" Rowan asked.
"No." The employee shook his head. "The government hasn't released any official statement. But the rumor spread too quickly. The entire star region knows about it now."
"Have people already gone searching?" Silver Moon asked.
"Lots of them," the employee replied, pointing toward the ocean. "Exploration fleets have been searching since last night. So far, nobody has found anything."
After leaving the information center, Rowan and Silver Moon continued observing the harbor.
"Their equipment is serious," Silver Moon noted while watching a team preparing deep-sea exploration gear. "These aren't tourists."
"And they're strong," Rowan added after sensing the surrounding energy fluctuations. "I've detected more than a dozen stellar-level warriors. There are also several individuals whose strength I can't even determine."
"This level of mobilization doesn't make sense," Silver Moon said thoughtfully. "Even if a King-Tier Immortal truly died here, there shouldn't have been enough time for this many people to gather."
"We need a more reliable source," Rowan said. "Rumors aren't enough."
"You mean..." Silver Moon understood immediately.
"The black market."
She nodded.
"I know a place. There's a bar in the lower district called the Dark Star Tavern. Intelligence brokers gather there."
Rowan looked at her with curiosity.
"And how exactly do you know that?"
"Occupational habit," Silver Moon replied calmly. "As a mediator, understanding information networks is a basic skill."
The two left the harbor and headed toward Reno Port's lower district.
Unlike the prosperous upper city, the lower district was crowded and chaotic. The streets were narrow, lined with aging buildings. Merchants, adventurers, and people who preferred to keep their identities hidden all gathered there.
"The Dark Star Tavern should be in that alley ahead," Silver Moon said, relying on memory.
The alleyway was cramped, flanked by weathered buildings. The air carried a mixture of scents, some pleasant, some far less so.
"There it is."
Silver Moon stopped in front of an unremarkable building.
Dark Star Tavern.
From the outside, the structure looked ordinary, even run-down. Only a small neon sign flickered above the entrance.
Without Silver Moon's guidance, no one would have guessed that this shabby establishment was one of Reno Port's primary hubs for trading information.
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