One Last System

"Here it is," the boss returned to her office and slammed some papers on the table.

It's already been an hour since I arrived at the auction hall.

'It really had to be buried deep,' I thought.

I was aware of the scale of the auction hall. There always had to be enough people to move around in an organization like that.

And yet, the boss still took over an hour to find a single document.

I put a wry smile on my face.

"I think you are aware of how I can't read it," I commented, alternating my eyes between the document and the boss' face.

"Ah, sorry," the woman shrugged. Judging from the face alone, she was pretty exhausted. "It's so late I forgot," she added in a sleepy voice before leaning over the document.

She then grabbed an empty sheet of paper and a goose's feather.

"The place you are looking for is here," she said, making a small circle on the paper. She then glanced over the document for a moment before her hands went into a flurry.

"To get there, you need to follow the highway to the west. You won't take the turn you usually do to head for your camp," she said, raising her eyes at my face to ensure I understood the point. "Then, just head along the highway all the way to the massive crossing over a river," she explained.

Her hands would leave a trail on the paper for every sentence the boss said, allowing me to better understand her explanations.

"Once you arrive at the southern bank of the river, head north," the woman explained, finally connecting the two points she drew at the very beginning. "Don't cross it; just take the turn to your right," she added before an uneasy smile appeared on her face.

"What's wrong?" I asked, noticing the change in the woman's aura.

"I hope you are aware of just how massive of an undertaking this is," she said, locking her eyes on my pupils.

"Isn't this only a bit further away than my own camp?" I asked, looking down at the map.

"Fool," the boss hissed, shaking her head over my naivete. "Assuming you can move at the top speed of rank ten," she bit her lips and took a moment to calculate, "a month at the very least."

I found it hard to react to this statement. Because how was I supposed to calculate the top speed of the tenth rank? Was it far greater than my current ability? Or maybe I could move far faster?

Without a proper ground to compare the units, I failed to learn anything useful.

"No, two months seem more reasonable," the boss fixed her earlier statement as she fell deep into her thoughts. "And that's still, assuming that all you do will be moving forward," she added, raising her eyes from the map.

I took a minute of silence to commemorate my hopes of quickly reuniting with Mia.

Because that's what this endeavor was all about.

After being kicked in the soft spot of my soul by Lucius' betrayal, I craved to reunite with the one person I could trust.

Obviously, I was pressed to ensure no harm would come Mia's way, but the more I realized that I would be heading to meet with her again...

The more excited I got at the idea.

"Tell me," I muttered, only to shake my head and raise my chin properly. "Tell me, what do I need to prepare?" I asked.

"Huh?" the boss looked at me with curiosity. Even though she was visibly tired, her usual behavior returned now that we got into the momentum of doing things. "What exactly do you mean?" she asked.

I released a deep sigh before spreading my arms out.

"Honestly, I have no idea what to expect from this road," I said, pointing one of my hands at the map. "This will be the first time for me to travel that far all on my own," I explained.

Sure, I moved through vast distances back on earth. Even though I didn't travel much, I took my fair share of plane trips.

It wasn't the distance that bothered me. It was the potential troubles that someone from an advanced civilization like me would have no clue existed.

"Should I stock up on food? Prepare sturdy bedding for the nights? Make sure to sleep during the day and travel during the night?" I suggested several options that came to my mind when I couldn't see any change in the boss' eyes. "Literally, any tips that you would deem useful..." I continued, more and more troubled by the lack of understanding between us.

How else I was supposed to ask this question?

"What I should be wary of during this journey?" I asked after taking a moment to calm myself down.

"Hmm," the boss turned silent for a moment. She raised her hand to rub her chin as she thought. "Make sure to have enough water," she finally said something after a fair while. "Heavens forbid you from drinking anything you find out on the road," she warned, going as far as to raise her finger at me.

'What, did she turn into a mother scolding her child?' I thought, amused by the unexpected situation a bit.

"You can eat monsters all you want; just make sure to roast them first," she added, lowering her head as she thought about more of the potential troubles I could face.

"That will be enough," I raised my hands and said.

Seeing how she struggled to answer, there was no point pressing the issue. I could easily ask the same question at some merchant's place and get a proper answer out there.

Out of everything, money was the last thing that I lacked right now.

"There is one more thing that I need to ask of you," I said when I suddenly recalled one of the important aspects of my visit to this place. "Could I trouble you with submitting certain information to the sect?" I asked.

"Huh?" the boss raised her eyes, surprised with the direction I took our encounter. "Did something happen?" she asked, raising her worried eyes at my face.

She didn't care about me on a personal level, I could tell. She was too professional for that. But she cared deeply for a person who came up with the revolutionary idea of exploiting dual cultivation.

"As I reached the tenth realm of cultivation, I finished my contract," I said.

There wasn't any need for me to explain any further, as this woman was the one who taught me most of the things I knew about the contract!

"And you need me to submit your opt-out decision, right?" the woman smiled. Even though she knew about my advancement already, she clearly enjoyed being reminded of it.

After all, it was her decision to invest in me. And right now, she could see just how quickly this decision started to pay for itself back.

There was a dime a dozen tenth-stage cultivators. But the same couldn't be said about someone capable of reaching the tenth stage in just a few short months!

"That's correct," I nodded my head in response before putting a small, uneasy smile on my lips. "What's more..." I hesitated for a moment before my shameless side took over. "One last thing, how much cultivation resources can I take out right now?"

I was driving a hard bargain here. The auction hall invested a lot in me already, and the chances were that my current value reached the limits of how much they were willing to invest.

Yet, there was no harm in trying. After all, just like I made enemies in the lower headquarters, I was likely to end up with some opposition at Mia's place.

And to prepare for such a situation, my only chance was to get strong enough!

'Sometimes I'm amazed by how simple this world can be at times,' I thought, taking a quick breath to relax.

"You are going to drive your opportunity to the maximum, aren't you?" the boss threw me an eye before releasing a deep sigh.

She was perfectly aware of where this topic was going from.

"I just dislike the idea of not making the most of what can be done," I replied with a fearless smile.

If I was going to be shameless, then I had to drive my shamelessness to its ends!

"On the other hand, do you have any tasks you would like me to do while away?" I asked, changing the topic before the boss could come to any definitive decision.

It was better to let this topic settle deep in her for a moment.

"Hoard more bones," the boss was quick to reply to my inquiry. "We have more than enough for now, and we will establish a supply..." she hesitated for a moment.

"But there is no harm in getting more of them for cheap to help expand the business," I finished the boss's words in her stead, a small smile appearing on my lips. "I will be more than happy to," I replied.

Just like I wanted. Now that I did her a favor...

"Also," the boss didn't give me the time to ask about the former topic. "When you reach the Tuxi Outerpost, make sure not to mention the business you have with us," the woman warned. "It's fine to flaunt your wealth; just don't let anyone track you," she added.

"Huh?" I shrugged, surprised by the sudden mention.

"They are one of the branches that refused to partake in the business," the boss explained. "As such, they might be quite hostile if they were to learn who you are," she added.

"Thank's for the head's up," I nodded my head before taking another look at the woman. "Right, about those resources..." I muttered, turning my eyes away.

For a moment, the boss simply eyed me down, lost for words.

"Fine," she finally muttered, releasing a deep, exhausted sigh... Only for her lips to form into a smile.

She then reached out to her pocket and pulled out a storage ring.

"Did we already tell you that we are going to invest in your growth?" she asked with a smug smile before throwing the ring my way.

"Thanks," I nodded my head in gratitude. "Right, once the profits from the business start kicking in..." I raised my head a little.

"I know, don't worry," the boss raised her arms to stop me from wasting my words. "I will transfer them to the other branch," she reassured me.

"I see," I muttered before looking the woman directly in the eye. "Thanks for all the help. I will do my best to return as promptly as possible," I added, hiding the storage ring in my pocket before turning around.

"Safe travels," the boss threw as I approached the doors. When I took a glance behind, she relaxed in the chair, clearly eager to return to her interrupted sleep.

I walked outside, seeing no point in bothering her any longer.

The huge array of stars shone upon me from their elevated position on the vast night sky.

'And so my journey begins,' I thought when a gentle breeze washed over my face.

I then looked down in the direction I would have to go.

'It's better to get going as soon as possible,' I thought before killing all my thoughts and heading west.