Chapter 223 223 Risk and Reward

Chapter 223 223 Risk and Reward

<Indeed.> he answered; <Where might you be at this moment?>

There was a slight pause.

Nexus cut in; <Never mind, it doesn't matter. I need you to meet me at the Exchange Lodge. One hour.>

<I can be there in thirty.>

<Good. Bring your A-game. We've got work to do.>

The girl could not hide her excitement;

<OF COURSE MASTER NI YANG!>

Nexus hung up with a grunt- cutting off the communication.

"System," he muttered under his hat; "plot me the shortest and quickest route to the hunter's exchange."

[AFFIRMATIVE.]

[STAND BY FOR DIRECTIONS.]

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A few meters away from the great oak door, Nexus' black clad form stood under the canopy of a broad juniper tree. With his horse next to him, he gripped its rope tightly in his left hand- and pocketed the other hand in his coat.

Across the dusty road before him, his squinted eyes peeled on the entrance to the hunter's exchange carefully- watching, peering, waiting for his 'student' to arrive.

"Master Ni Yang. . ."

The strong, clear, feminine voice rasped from behind him.

Nexus' neck spun backwards- startling his horse with his sudden movements.

"Stacy?" he called aloud.

From the alley on the southern wall (Nexus didn't even know there was an alley), the familiar tint of red hair peeked out- flashing only for a second as she hinted at her presence to him.

"Stacy?" he growled; "What the heck are you doing? Get over here."

"Apologies my lord, but I can't be seen near the exchange."

"What?"

"Umm," she began slowly: "I may- or may not be responsible for the deaths of a couple of hunters in the past. So, I hardly think some of their colleagues wil be too excited to see me."

Nexus- mildly irritated, but slightly impressed with her past records, turned towards the direction of her voice;

"We're not here for them or whatever unfinished business you has in the past. So, get over here and stop jerking around."

Hesitating- like a child being forced to do her chores, she reluctantly struck her foot out of the side of the wall- spilling her shadow on the earth before her. Her peculiar red garments were gone.

Over her head was a beige colored hood- drawn all the way forward- and flapping behind her was the cloak itself. Next to Nexus' covert clothes, she looked like she was actively trying to hide herself.

"Greetings master," she stuttered unsurely- closing in the four meters between them. He feet stepped away from the granite curb; "You called for me?"

"Aye, we're getting ahead of your training. First things first, how are things with your family?"

A dark look streaked across her rotund bright cheeks.

The muscles around her lower jaw clenched.

And her palms balled into fists.

At once, Nexus found himself gladdened by the fact that she was now his disciple- and not his enemy.

"Lesson number one Stacy-" he lifted up his forefinger; "Family is everything. As a tree cannot grow properly if its roots are unstable, so is it impossible for a mage to excel if her family's is turmoil."

He straightened himself- gently fluttering his coat behind him;

"You're lucky your family's problem is money. . ." his voice echoed in the wind- carrying slicing blades in each word; ". . .if it was something psychological- like abuse, or a missing parent, or death. . ."

He paused, letting her catch up.

"But it's money. And like most things in life, money can be attained."

The disciple stood on her feet- face reddened, eyes glitching, and barely breathing. Inside her brain, all sorts of sparks went off. Her thoughts raged through her mind- cruising and rebounding.

The master was right.

About family. About money. About everything!

Clearing her throat in a low growl, she uttered her follow up words- glancing over his shoulders;

"Hence the hunter's exchange. . ."

He snapped his fingers and boomed; ""Exactly," then his eyes narrowed for a moment; "Well, not exactly."

Her eyes dimmed in confusion;

"Master?"

Nexus turned- away from her- towards the entrance to the Hunter's Exchange. Jaw squared, and two hands clasped behind him- he revealed the secret;

"There's two kinds of people Stacy. People who live for wages. And people who create opportunities by delving into the turbulent waters of business. . ."

Her eyes followed his gaze, as her heart followed his words.

". . .sure," he continued; "you can perform a couple of tasks, and get paid in meagre amounts for the time being. But if you want to be a wolf in the midst of sheep, you need to think long term. . .you need to come up with a business model. . ."

In the tree above. a murder of crows shuffled and took of from a branch- beating their wings furiously, and cawing annoyingly.

"I'm heading in," Nexus (Ni Yang) announced; "If I don't see you behind me, then I'll know for certain that I chose wrong. . ."

His thick neck craned forward, followed by this broad shoulders- and then his long flowing coat. The sun's glare reigned down on him as soon as he set his foot outside the shadow of the tree.

Stacy watched him bounce on his heels as he strolled away- towards the Hunter's Exchange- a place filled with vipers who wanted her dead.

As Nexus' hands pushed the door open, Stacy came up right behind him- saying;.

"I've always been wolf- never a sheep," she quickly added; "Master."

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Once inside, it took a moment to adjust to the low lit environment.n)-OVeLbIn

'The darkness,' Nexus thought; 'Can't believe I'd forgotten how dark it is here. . .'

Student behind him, and hat bearing down on his face, he waltzed through the sea of tables, chairs, and violent men seated on them. The glowing end of their cigars pulsed as they sucked in puffs of smoke. And as always, the voices and transactions were low.

"Here," Nexus announced quietly; "This' the mission board. See anything interesting?"

Her eyes roved across- searching silently.

"There," she shrieked excitedly- raising her hand to point at the–

"No," Nexus snarled- forcing her hand down; "We don't point in here. Pointing gets people killed. Now, tell me quietly- what do you see?"

"Top right, under the A-ranked section."

Nexus nodded; "Good. Very good. That's exactly what I had in mind."

The York girl resisted the urge to smile.

She had pointed to the mission because of just how promising and juicy it looked. The words read;

HARVESTING THE EGGS OF A GIANT WIREWORM.

"So, what's the play here master?" she whispered; "Are we killing them or–?"

"Patience," he answered coolly- and faced the board again; ". . .risk and reward Stacy. These are the two pillars that holds up every major busines decision. You always gotta factor in the how-does-this-benefit me question into every equation. As well as what's-it-gonna-cost-me. Always."

Slowly- she nodded her head.

Nexus could tell she was doing it already.

With the low buzz all around them, they both stood facing the mission board.

On each side of the rectangular board, two flaming torches mounted up high- cackled silently-pouring a blanket of golden orange upon both of them.

Slowly, in a patient tone, Nexus broke it all down for his neophyte;

"I don't need to tell you that wireworms are exceedingly dangerous creatures."