Pov: Vik
The loud hiss of the brakes broke through the noise on the platform as the Continental Express finally pulled in to the West Oak City terminal. Outside, seen through the fog on the glass, the city seemed less like a mountain trading centre and more like an industrial fortress; all the buildings were made of white stone and polished steel, the elevated rails running across them and the entire area glowing with a weak, continuous amber light from the defensive barrier pylons.
I didn't move immediately. I remained in the plush leather seat for a further minute, allowing the tea to settle in my stomach as Pushpa shifted against my neck and tucked her cold nose under my collar.
I thought to myself, 'System', about the condition of the city's spiritual dampeners.
The host should know that the regional formation is currently sending out regular signals to high-density cores, and anyone who is at or above the 6th circle or the equivalent of a Golden Core will leave a trace unless they are masked by a local void resonance.
'Exactly as I had believed,' I remarked, while lightly tapping Pushpa's chin. 'The Westerners have a fondness for surveillance.'
I rose, brushing myself down to straighten the creases in my plain scholar's robes. There was no gold embroidery today and no flashy talismans; just simple linen with a worn traveler's coat worn over it. When dealing with ordinary cultivators you can afford to be cheeky. But when facing a transmigrator with a system—something like Ruby, the classic 'Chosen One' type—any small mistake is deadly. Such beings operate on the principle of narrative convenience. If you give them the slightest hint of warning, their system will instantly provide them with an emergency escape talisman, an projection of an ancient ancestor, or a pill that gives them an immediate breakthrough.
If you don't beat them down before they work out that they're involved in a fight, then you'll end up as the farming material.
I quietly said, "Noah," and turned towards the corner.
Noah drew his hood down a bit over his red hair. Although his jaw was tightly clenched underneath the cloth, he wasn't shaking. The best thing about his reconstruction was that the Nirvana technique had not only reformed his meridians but had also got rid of the impetuous young master within him.
"Master," he whispered.
I reminded him that we don't know the exact details of Ruby's system; since she has an identification appraisal skill, an alarm will sound throughout her interface the moment she sees your face or detects your bloodline resonance. Until we have established what safeguards she has, you are to be treated as my junior research clerk from the East—understand?
Noah nodded and breathed slowly, drawing the air in deep until it reached his abdomen. "I see what you mean, and I won't let my temper spoil your plans."
"Good boy," I said, looking over at Roman and Xiaoran. Roman had wrapped the Ivory Cleaver in several layers of coarse burlap and was carrying it over his shoulder just as a surveyor would carry his tripod. Next to him, Xiaoran was fidgeting with the strap of his sword case, his typical cocky grin having been replaced by a wary and tense squint.
I went on to say to Lina, "Make sure the connection to the terminal remains discreet. Instead of pinging the Governor's servers directly, gather information from public broadcasts and from the general crowd chatter."
"It's all arranged, Master," she murmured, adjusting a pair of ordinary wire-rimmed glasses—her magical monocle being safely kept in her sleeve. "The auction will take place in the outer courtyard of the manor, not in the Governor's private mansion. There will be a thick crowd there, as always: local merchants, sect scouts, and wandering mercenaries."
"A public crowd is our best friend," I said. "Crowds make noise. Noise covers up anything unusual."
Regarding Luther... that arrogant youngster was still contained within a spatial pocket in my ring, under heavy sedation and enclosed in three layers of sound-dampening seals. I had considered the idea of using him to kick in a side door, but that was nothing more than amateurish thinking. If you flash a hostage at the front gate, you'll let the whole garrison know you're there; you only produce the hostage when the executioner's blade is already poised upon the target's throat.
We left the train via the middle-class passenger corridor, joining in with the crowd of merchants, laborers, and junior disciples who had come from the eastern provinces.
Outside the station the air was crisp, having a sharp sulphur taste due to the city's mana boilers blended with the odour of roasting spiced nuts from the street vendors. Magic projection posters and broadsheets were stuck on the stone pillars all over where we walked.
Joy to the Prismatic Fairy! The Pavilion of the Heavenly Sword welcomes its newest elder!
The auction of the assets that have been forfeited will restore order to West Oak City.
People passing by were nearly falling over each other in their talk about her.
I heard that she managed to kill an entire nest of Shadow Drakes all by herself last week...
The Bloodborn family ought to have had much better eyes to treat a fairy in such a manner. See where she is now, while that coward Noah must have died in some ditch...
Noah's shoulder touched mine. Although his fingers moved within his cloak his pulse did not increase by a single beat. He had developed the ability to turn rage into ice. That was a positive thing since ice does not emit heat signatures.
We never took an enchanted carriage nor did we rent a luxury inn. Instead, we went into a simple three-storey tea house situated two streets away from the auction square and paid a small amount in silver coins for a quiet corner table on the second floor close to the windows which were shut.
I could clearly see the extensive white walls of the Bloodborn ancestral estate from among the wooden slats. The old crest above the gate had already been shaved off and was now replaced by the tall sword emblem of the Heavenly Sword Pavilion, while patrols wearing silver armour were walking around the outside of the property, their magical compasses making a humming sound as they scanned the cobbles for any hidden signatures.
Pushpa slid down my sleeve, put her chin on my wrist and looked through the gap in the shutter. She gave her tail one slow flick.
I quietly ordered the system to carry out a passive visual scan of my eyes, without sending out any active detection pulses, and to look for anomalies in the courtyard of the estate.
...I'm going through Host's optical feed, suppressing all external mana output... The target has been identified on the upper pavilion.
A figure became visible through the hazy heat haze rising from the defensive arrays in the courtyard.
A young woman dressed in rich sky-blue robes was standing on the balcony with the auction platform below her. She appeared to be just nineteen, thin and fair, with a small, proud smile on her lips as she leaned against a balustrade of jade. On her index finger was an obsidian ring which very slightly drew the sunlight into its centre, and there was a tiny, almost invisible distortion around it that ordinary cultivators would never notice.
In the eyes of the world she was a genius thanks to the favours bestowed upon her by heaven.
In my opinion, she was a collection of opposing narrative elements, a soul that was parasitic and wrapped around a destiny that had been stolen.
I had a slow sip of the bitter tea and, as the warm flow of Prana through my blood, my mind settled into a state of absolute stillness.
She hasn't spotted us, which is a good thing.
"Master?" Noah's whisper was so faint that it could hardly be heard over the noise of the teacups in the shop.
I didn't look at him and said that she was in the upper pavilion. "Her core is dense but unstable and depends a great deal on external devouring; as a result, her perception will be keen when it comes to direct aggression but dull when faced with systemic interference."
I put the cup down and used my thumb to wipe a stray drop of water off the table.
We won't hurry the moment, Noah, and we won't ask her to fight in an honorable duel. We only came here to get info on her. I don't start a fight until I am sure that I can win it, and currently I need more information about this otherworldly soul who calls herself Ruby.
Pushpa gave a small, silent yawn and her golden eyes mirrored the distant balcony as she waited for the curtain to rise.