"The wizard," Ah Liang whispered to himself as he walked down the street. Watching Ran Wei and Lin Zhuyues' instances had been rewarding. Money was hardly the problem, but he felt as if he had gotten a glimpse into the illusory world that nobody else had (except maybe the owner). He didn't know if that was of importance or really just a lighthearted pastime, but one thing was for sure—if he wanted to get closer to the truth of the store, then learning more about The Witch Hunt was integral.
Alas, time did not seem to be on his side.
Ran Wei: 22% Completion Rate.
Lin Zhuyue: 18% Completion Rate.
Ah Liang imagined both of these to be quite high. Of course, he has no unit of measurement to compare with, but a basic understanding of business told him it would be most profitable for Shou if his customers' rate remained low, as that incentivized more purchases. So, reaching around 1/5th of the necessary progress to see the ending, had to be somewhat good.
An Bai, his associate who had entered the store with him the first time, had been waiting for him at a nearby park. The two of them met up and talked while continuing their walk.
"So, what's the deal with the store," An Bai was the first to talk.
Ah Liang sighed. "No tact at all, as always. Would it hurt not to be so direct all the time?"
"Stop it, there's no time to waste. Although it is hard to admit it, your insight is better than mine." An Bai rubbed the back of his head. "For now, it is only us who knows of this place. It is our only trump card, so I have to ask will it be of use to us?"
"I can't tell." Ah Liang shook his head, disgruntlement painted on his face. "There's so much mystery surrounding the Store of Fates, I can't wrap my head around what it is trying to accomplish. The owner, the location, the artifacts, and even the story itself seem to have a different secret. It's like trying to solve a riddle in an unknown language."
An Bai slapped his forehead. "I really don't know what to say to that. If even you can't solve it, then who can? Trouble just keeps popping up."
"It's also been a while since I have been so perplexed. It reminds me of the time I first started out as a merchant." Ah Liang chuckled dryly. "But then again, where's the fun in playing a game you know the ending of, right?"
"Maybe if this wasn't my livelihood, I'd find much more joy in this, but currently, I fail to relate," An Bai said. "So what do we do now? Should we find out more first?"
"We tried that already. There's not enough time. Now, it is time to choose a side."
The two wealthy merchants wandered for quite a while now, with no guards surrounding them. They did not worry as the place the two went to was the upscale part of the town. Specifically, the most famous restaurant within the City of Delight:
The Flying Swan.
The place was huge, with four stories, yet there were still people waiting outside, lining up to enter. The Flying Swan, even today, was filled to the brim. Entering, Ah Liang was barraged by many noises and smells. Paying them no heed, he immediately made his way to the upper floors. He hated taking these steps, which was why he never visited often, but this time he had no choice.
A few employees greeted him. Were they waiters, staff, or maybe even management? He had no idea. They all said the same thing. "The owner has set up the table for Sir Ah Liang and Sir An Bai. I hope you enjoy your stay."
The top floor, as always, was silent. No, today it was even more so than usual. Today, there were no customers allowed up here. Within all the seats, there was only one woman occupying it. . . but she was hardly a customer.
The first thing catching someone's attention was always her bright red lips. Afterward, it was her eyes, two slits, inhabited by green irises. Just like a snake. She wore a loose robe, hardly covering her chest and even less her shoulders. The woman twirled the pipe in her hand around, ash flying everywhere. If one did not know better, they'd have mistaken her for a courtesan of the lower district.
But Ah Liang knew better. "For the owner of the Flying Swan herself to greet us, today's meeting might just be different from all the others," he joked.
"You and your sarcasm," the woman clicked her tongue. "Your glib tongue is the only thing good about you. Well, and all that stored up body fat might help you survive a harsh winter."
An Bai took a seat. "The others aren't here yet?"
The owner of the Flying Swan, she went by Xing (as in the stars of the night), turned irate. "Of course not! I mean, why would they be? It's not like our time is valuable, hah!" She shrugged her shoulders. "Anyways, would you like something to eat?"
"No thank you," Ah Liang said, "Let's just do what we came for."
"Stop lying," Xing immediately dismissed him. "Is duck alright?" And before anyone had the time to protest, she had already ordered several dishes.
The merchant duo was left speechless. They knew there was naught they could do though, as this was the overbearing lady's nature. Xing, as the owner of multiple successful restaurants, was, just like Ah Liang and An Bai, a member of the prestigious Golden Dragon Circle. She was the 4th richest person within the City of Delight, earning her spot as an incredible sense of fine dining and bold decision makings.
The three heard footfalls come from afar. They all turned their attention to the entrance. The only person that could come through there was someone they knew, so their curiosity was piqued, and indeed, it was another person from the Dragon Circle.
A young man, late twenties, with an innocent face and long hair, arrived, out-of-breath. He was the youngest member of this group and took the 5th spot on the rich people list. He was a rather peculiar case, earning all his money from outside the city. Export and import was his business. Thus, he was seldom in the city, which may explain his frequent tardiness.
His name was Tian Shu.
"But of course, the one to call us would be late as always. Typical," Xing spoke, "He really has no respect for our time, I see."
"That's not quite true. It is only that time slips past me these days. I apologize, I suppose that is the consequence of age." An old man walked in, and promptly, the four merchants stood up and greeted him with respect. With a cane guiding him, he went to the center seat while stroking his long beard. "But let us not dwell on past misgivings, that would be an unwise use of our limited time, do you not think so?"
Xing bowed her head. "Glad you could make it, with your busy schedule and all."
"Xing," Tian Xu whispered in a not-so-whispery voice and poked her rib with his elbow.
After all, sitting in front of them was the leader and founder of the Golden Circle, the wealthiest and most powerful man in this city (after its lord), and of unidentifiable strength and age, Fu Hao.
Even his business was a mystery. He dealt with many things, from medicine, national security, and weapons, to books and children's toys. He was a walking conglomerate.
"Now, let us start dinner."
The food arrived, punctual, just as the talks began. Ah Liang led out a hidden sigh. That was what he feared. How was he supposed to eat and speak at the same time?
They started with some uninteresting pleasantries. Even though they all saw it as pointless, such was the nature of a merchant. Always good at sweet-talking. It was not until half the food was gone, did the old man Fu Hao speak. "As you should be aware now, the City Lord has finished with his preparations."
"But what exactly does that mean? You still haven't told us what exactly the plan entails," Xing said. "Isn't it about time for us to find out?"
"Xing, we have worked together for so long now, do you trust me?"
"Yes, I do, but—"
The elder cut her short. "Then just believe me when I say everything will be revealed in due time." He huffed. "I believe you too Xing. In fact, aside from my family, I believe you four to be the closest to me. It is not that I do not want to tell you, but I have yet to ascertain the City Lords motives myself."
Tian Xu, the youngest one, spoke. "But still, we have aided the Lord financially and with manpower to arrest all these people. At first, he stated it was because of possible insurgents, especially the people from the Waning Principle Sect, but my men have checked that place out, and apparently, that sect has already been destroyed a while ago." He paused, sipping his tea. "It wasn't due to the Empire's militia, or competing cults. I hear the reason was internal strife. A single member eradicated the higher echelons by themselves. It has nothing to do with us."
An Bai jumped out of his chair. "Wait, is that true? How come I have not heard about this before? I supported these arrests because they were made out to be evil cultists. You're telling me this wasn't true?" He grew agitated. "What have we been doing all this time then?"
"Relax, Bai." Fu Hao sighed. This man has always been too rash. "It is true. The insurgence, the sects, and the emperors' illness were just a smokescreen." Fu Hao rested his head on his knuckles. "It is all part of the City Lords' plan. Your duty as a merchant is to support what brings the greatest returns. The three families, the Golden Circle, and soon, not even the Emperor and his children will stand in his way."
"That's bullshit. Numerous innocent people are behind bars. What's gonna happen to them? Even if it was the City Lords' orders. . . That is too much!"
"Have we not all done things in the name of money that we aren't proud of?" Fu Hao's brows knitted. "Why grow a conscience now? If you want to be charitable and a good samaritan, do it with the wealth you have accumulated. But right now, it's business. One wrong choice, and the fortune you amassed a lifetime, vanishes without a trace."
"That's. . ." An Bai did not have a good comeback. He looked at the other members. "Did you all know about this?"
Xing shrugged her shoulders. "Well, it was rather obvious, even if nobody told us, ya' know? There can't be that many bad people wandering the streets."
Fu Hao laughed. "An Bai, when have I ever disappointed you? Though the City Lord may be acting strange, as long as we ride his coattails, only success will follow. In this civil war that is soon to break out, there is no better said to take than the Lords."
"Uhm," Ah Liang, who hadn't said anything until now, chimed in. "Actually, there may be something." He scratched his cheek, as if embarrassed. "Have you heard of the Store of Fates?"