Chapter 547

 

“Inspector Li,” Arthur greeted the woman as she walked into his office where he was busy reading over the documentation he needed to sign. All of it stored on a simple tablet so that he could scan through, e-sign everything and move on.

“Clan head,” the Inspector was not alone this time. Her partner, Inspector Azzaam, the annoyed looking older Malay man was with her. He stomped over, glaring down at Arthur as though his additional height could intimidate the Climber. “Thank you for seeing us.”

“Always happy to help.” Arthur gestured to the side where his secretary – a thirty something, rail thin Chinese matron whose curly, shoulder length hair and impeccable makeup belied her intelligence and efficiency – waited, ready to take orders. “Drinks?”

“Kopi Ping,” Inspector Azzam barked. “Also, got anything to eat?”

“We have some kuih and pineapple tarts,” Bridgette said, breezily. “I’ll bring them in and some plates.” Then, she waited, took Ivy’s order – water, no ice – and breezed right out. Leaving Arthur with the inspectors who glared at him.

“You were attacked,” Inspector Azzam said, without preamble. “Again.”

“I was,” Arthur opened his hands. “Wasn’t by choice.”

“You know who did it?” he asked.

“No.” A hand rose, stopping the inspector from continuing. “I really don’t this time. None of the gangs we’ve fought have that kind of firepower. If they did, the other gangs would have known. And I already heard from our allies, the Hai San were surprised too. Upset, even.”

The pair of inspectors shared a look with one another, one that Arthur took to be confirmation that they too had heard the same. He truly had thought the Hai San had been the ones who had brought in the attackers, but it seemed that they hadn’t yet approved such an escalation. In fact, from what he understood, hasty meetings were being arranged right now to confirm that they had not been part of this.

Problem when you’re one of the underworld, when things went so loud, those hiding in the dark had lights shone on them which was bad for business. As it stood, the attack had been in the papers and Arthur had his first front page picture taken. That he looked like a warmongering imbecile, he was less than happy with.

Especially since he had to deal with his mother and sister talking his ear off about it later on.

“Then who?”

Arthur shook his head. “I already said, I don’t know. If it’s the TG Group, doing it without informing their allies…” He shrugged. “It seems silly.”

“International then?” Azzam said, eyes narrowed. “Who did you anger, outside of the country?”

“Is that any of your business?” Arthur asked, curiously. Casey was, right now, over with the government, dealing with the Malaysian External Intelligence Office – MEIO. They, along with Manager Kong, were exploring the idea that the Clan might have been targeted by someone overseas.

“Jika mereka mari sini…”

“We don’t know that,” Arthur said. “If they’re sending people, or coming themselves or if they’re doing anything. I certainly didn’t make any enemies on purpose.”

“Your position in Bhutan…” Ivy said. “It’s not normal.”

“But anyone who wants to, is willing to, can get the same deal,” Arthur said. “It’s not like we’ve got a special relationship. Maybe in the future…” He trailed off, shook his head. “No, I don’t think it has anything to do with us. At least, not like that.”

“Then, like how?” Azzam asked.

“We might have drawn attention by climbing fast, but…” he shrugged. “It’s not like there’s a public database. We know our own numbers, but there’s no official chart. At least, not down where we are.” He gestured to the ground. “Top ranks, sure; that’s pretty well known. So many Clan and Guild members, any change happens in the top 100 and everyone knows.”

Within reason, that was. But when you had tens of thousands of members, all of which were quite willing to feed information into a public database just for extra virtual points and credits, you did okay. Especially when such information could be cross-corellated against whatever standing changes happened with another Clan.

However, that only went for the top 100. Everyone below, even a miniscule change in numbers could make a big difference in their ranks. Which was why no one paid that much attention to the bottom of the rankings – not even Arthur.

“Maybe it’s other companies?”

“Who else could there be?” Arthur said. “TG is the biggest other major player in the Tower, locally. We have some multinationals, but they’re like us outside. Only really there to get the Tower completion. Anything else is too much trouble.”

“Unless they’re looking to expand,” Ivy said.

“Then why us and not the TG Group and the Chua’s directly?” Arthur said, reasonably. “We’re growing, but we’re not that important. We’re still not making that big a difference, not yet.”

“Except to the government,” Inspector Azzam said, flipping his old school pen and paper notebook back. He found the notes he had written and read it out. “Decent increase in the number of Climbers you’ve helped, both yours, in general and the bumi scholars. I hear even the TG group are pushing more people through and lowering their prices, which are helping everyone.”

“Didn’t you all release some information on the Focus Strike, so that everyone can have a copy of it to bring in?” Ivy said, curiously.

“We did,” Arthur agreed. “It’s not really that big a deal.”

“Except none of the other companies ever did that. Got a lot of kasihan from that, eh?” Ivy said. “Even my sister’s children were talking about it.”

“You have a sister?” Arthur asked curiously.

“Two. And a brother.” Ivy smiled a little at the interest, then wiped it as Azzam shifted by the side. “So, maybe some government doesn’t like you. If you’re making Malaysia stronger…”

“What? We make their country weaker?” Arthur scoffed at the zero sum game attitude. Then he reconsidered, because there were quite a few such thinkers. The current American president – much like the one before him – were cut from that cloth. “Still… all speculation. Better to look at the people who came, no?”

“We are,” Ivy said. “Pulling up border information, checking on the international databases, all of that. We can track them back, but what we can tell, it won’t matter.”

“Why?”

“They’re professionals,” Azzam answered. “Paid mercenaries coming from the border conflicts.”

Arthur grunted at that. The border skirmish between Myanmar, Laos, Thailand and China had gotten quite hot at times, with small groups fighting one another – all to take the mines and the rare earth deposits that had been found in the region. Some people said it was to keep control of the Advanced Tower that had formed in that region, but it made little sense to Arthur. After all, no one restricted Advanced Climbers from going in – not that they were populous enough that restrictions like that made sense either.

“So, no leads. You figured you’d ask me?” Arthur said, to clarify the point. When neither inspector wanted to directly clarify it, he laughed and stood up. “Well, if I hear anything, I’ll let you know.” His voice dropped, growing cold. “Trust me, I want them as dead as you.”

 

Chapter 548

 

Shaking the umbrella out, Arthur stepped into the limousine. There were multiple police cars set all around the funeral home, security having been extended and multiplied for the event. A little like worrying about your shirt after spilling curry on it, but Arthur understood why it was happening.

Staring outside as the monsoon rains swept through the surroundings, turning everything dark and grey, Arthur could not help but feel it matched his mood. He never liked funerals, and turning up for one for his first – confirmed – Climber loss was painful.

Before he could trudge down eve more weary thoroughfare of thoughts, the car door swung open. Mel slipped in, closely followed by Uswah.

“So?” Arthur asked his head of, well, sneakiness.

“A lot of photographers and journalists. Your inspector-”

“Li?”

“Azzam. A few others, most likely to be private investigators. Two unknowns.” Uswah replied. “I took photos, we’re looking them up. We’ll trail the two unknowns, but…”

“But?”

“I think at least one of them just likes funerals.”

“Weird.”

“Everyone has a hobby,” Mel said. “Especially these days.”

Arthur stared at Mel incredulously before shuddering. Just because… yeah. He was okay making sure they knew who the creeps were, even if it was a somewhat harmless hobby. In fact… “Could we have them help us? Make use of them?”

“For what?” Mel asked.

“If they have photographs, then everyone who goes to a gangster’s funeral has to be connected. If they follow our enemies…”

Mel frowned, glanced at Uswah who was nodding. It felt strange to be thinking of using civilians in this manner, but if they were going to show up doing such things anyway, they might as well make use of them as best they could.

They fell silent for a while, the car finally pulling away. Arthur watched the raindrops splash against the window, dribbling down like so much blood and obscuring his vision of the world outside. Flashes of light, as cars turned and the occasional harsh horn resounding as Malaysian’s chose to play dominance games with multi-ton death machines.

“You okay,” Uswah asked, putting her hand on Arthur’s.

“Not OK-lah?” Arthur said, a twitch of his lips showing his sense of humor rebirthing briefly before he felt the same tug of darkness causing him to sigh and lean back.

“Arthur…” Mel said, straightening.

“I’m just sad.” He gestured out the window. “Grief stricken because someone we brought along died, and I still can’t remember his name.” He snarled. “I can memorise a whole cultivation technique in hours, remember the lyrics of a half-dozen inane songs and quote – verbatim – the entire Princess Bride, but I can’t remember his name. Hell, I’ve even got whole passages of the Akta Pendaki floating in my head, and that’s all stupid legalese trying to control who we are and what we do!”

“You have the Akta memorized?” Mel said, confused.

“I was bored the last time I was stuck coming out…” Arthur grumbled. “Casey made me download it onto my phone.” He shook his head. “What kind of person am I, that I can’t even remember the name of someone who died for me.”

“Eh, boss. Don’t think he died for you…” Uswah held her hand up at his glare, deflecting it. “He did it for the Clan. Which, is you, for now. But not really. If the Clan was only ever going to be you, we wouldn’t do it, you know.”

“Do it?”

“Die for you. Work for you.” Uswah smiled thinly. “No point.”

“I’m going to try not to take that personally.”

“You shouldn’t,” Mel said. “You’ve been working hard at giving up the Clan, growing it so that it doesn’t rely just on you. We know it’s not for you, that what’s happened isn’t your choice. It’s because you’re willing to push so hard, to give us more than…”

“Me?” Arthur said, amused.

“Yes,” Mel said. “We get it. You’re not a people person. You like hitting things more than, well, doing paperwork or planning how it works. We see you working hard at it, late into the nights, then training till you’re about to fall over. So, yes, some people are upset you don’t know their names or what they look like. Most of us though, we know. You’re doing your best. And you’ll bring – do bring – one important thing that we’ll need, more than anything else.”

“What’s that?”

“An unwillingness to die,” Uswah said, amused. “Because we’re going to need you to keep climbing, as high as you can get. So that the Clan isn’t just taken over, the next time someone decides that it’s time to do so.”

Arthur snorted, because it was not that easy. It wasn’t like some of the Eastern European countries, or South America. Where battles had spilled into he streets and Climbers had started fighting one another, to justify themselves being the top dog in their city or country. Those widespread battles had been close to all out wars, and the losses – to not just the Clans themselves but the civilians – had been staggering.

Most functional countries tried to avoid that, mostly by limiting such battles. Korea had gone the way of limiting it to battles in Clan owned buildings – anything that spilled outwards ended up being a massive fine. Other countries like Malaysia just banned such things entirely, making attacks illegal and forced to go through proxies while the ‘fights’ went on via resources and land and influence. Until, of course, one group or another chose to take it into towers.

“We know. Except if the Dragon Emperor or the Trickster or the Flame Queen-”

“Terrible name,” Arthur interrupted Mel.

“-it is, but any of them decide to say they want us taken, we’re done.”

“Why would they?” Arthur pointed out. “We’re nothing to them.”

“We won’t be, eventually.” She closed her fist, looked at Uswah. “When you rank up, when you finally get the Accelerated Healing improved, maybe more…”

“It’ll be big,” Uswah said.

“Come on, not that much,” Arthur said. “There are, what? Thirteen other Clans who have healing techniques.”

“Twelve,” Uswah said. “Only five of them can regenerate limbs or big body parts. They’re limited, quite often. By time, by extent of injury, by type. Or, faith in two of the cases.”

“The Roman Catholic Church’s Camillians,” Mel murmured.

“Right.”

“It doesn’t matter. Most people would want healing – need healing – and they can’t afford it. For just joining us, you’d get healing?” Uswah said, softly. “That’s a lot better than what most can afford. It’s not the elites who will want to join us.”

“It’s everyone else,” Mel confirmed.

Arthur sighed, rubbed his face. “I thought you were trying to make me feel better.”

“Nah, just trying to know why you were sad,” Uswah said. “And being said is fine. It’s just…” She sighed. “You’re doing fine. More than fine. It’s a rough time, but you’re doing well.”

“Very well, for someone who never wanted to do this.”

“Thank you.” Arthur smiled, tiredly and turned back to the window. His mind turning to the future and what might come. Which, he had to admit, was looking less rosy by the moment.

 

Chapter 549

 

Arthur ducked backwards, dodging the swing of his Sifu’s pole. He leaned far enough away and started recovery almost immediately, raising his lead foot in anticipation of his master sweeping it off him with the other end of the pole. Unfortunately, all that meant was that when his sifu altered the direction to clip and lift his foot further, he was dumped on his back.

Landing with a roll, Arthur kept moving, pushing with the back of his arms to speed the retreat even as the pole came swinging down, cracking the ground. He managed to get halfway up to his feet as he came out of his roll, only to catch the next spear on his forearms as it swung at him sideways by the other student.

He grunted in pain as the dull impact reverberated through his arms, but rather than absorbin the impact directly, he surged forward into the student. One hand grabbed the weapon, the other his opponent’s face. A simple front leg sweep finished the attack, dropping the kid onto the ground and ripping the weapon out of his hand.

Immediately, Arthur tossed it backwards, letting the heavy bamboo pole fly through the air on a collision course for the next pair of students coming at him from behind. By the rules of engagement, he was not allowed to keep the weapons – but nothing said that he couldn’t briefly use them as a distraction.

Unfortunately, his sifu was on him before Arthur could take advantage of the distraction, causing him to fall back as he dodged and avoided the spinning staff. For all of his seemingly slight build, his sifu was built like a gymnast – all corded muscle and whip-lean energy, that exploded in chained reaction. He hit a lot harder than he had any right to, and worse, managed to project those attacks in such a way that each strike left deep brises on Arthur’s reinforced body.

He'd once watched his sifu put a metal staff through a brick from a direct thrust, just as a way to showcase what the human body – properly trained – could do. That his sifu was not holding back – beyond a modicum of safety to ensure his other students weren’t struck – meant that Arthur had to fight on the retreat constantly, his senses – both Tower and natural – extended to the maximum.

Even so, Arthur was realizing, fighting five Climbers was actually not pushing him that hard. Not anymore.

A discovery that he intended to showcase to his sifu the moment he had the opportunity.

 

***

 

“How did you manage to get even faster?” Arthur groaned, rubbing his head. He could feel the welt growing on it, his scalp sticky from the matted blood that had only stopped flowing after a pulse of directed energy. “And weren’t you the one always warning us about CTE?”

“You Climber-lah.” Sifu Kow replied. “Does it count?”

“I… Don’t actually know. Neither do you!” Arthur pointed his bloody finger as his master, as he got to his feet and hobbled off the floor so that others could finish cleaning it and start the next session. Clan head or not, they had grown so fast their facilities were not keeping up – and he could not afford to hog the floor to himself.

“Then this is a learning experience.” A big grin from the older man caused Arthur to roll his eyes. He did, however, make note to have someone look into it – and maybe start getting regular MRIs for the Durians in general.

After all, what might be true for Climbers in general might not be true for the Durians and their Accelerated Healing. He would need to find some time to do more research into that – healing and biology and how the physical body worked – when he had a moment. Thankfully, there were quite a few apps and online courses available to help wannabe doctors, nurses, massage therapists and physios, such that he had his pick of information.

“Training going good?” Arthur said, as he slowly rotated his head from side to side. The crack of releasing muscles and tendons echoed sharply, causing his sifu to smirk.

“Sound like me in the morning,” Kow Sifu said. “But it’s okay. I don’t like sending so many into the Tower.” Bit his lip, shrugged. “I’m glad you’re letting me expand the women’s and older people programs too. It’s good for the seniors to teach them.”

“You always said, teaching is the best learning,” Arthur replied. “I don’t like it either, but the opportunities out there for non-Climbers keep shrinking. Unless you’re rich, or have the money to get a Master’s, or don’t mind pushing buttons for machines…”

“I know.” He pointed backwards, to the training floor. “You have gotten better, fighting multiple people.”

“Had a lot of experience in the last gate.” Arthur grimaced. “A lot fighting guns and ranged weapons too.”

“You’re thinking of asking to let our people train on them?” Kow Sifu asked.

Arthur shook his head. “Where we got the money?” He dodged the smack his sifu dealt out, grinning a little but did correct his English. “We don’t have the money. None of our people do. Shooting’s expensive, training to shoot well is even more expensive. Especially when the US keeps raising their export prices.”

“You could buy from other countries.”

“Doesn’t make a big difference. They all raise prices in unison,” Arthur said with a grimace. “It almost doesn’t make a difference if you make your own too, because they started taxing the blanks and gunpowder too.” A slight hesitation, then Arthur had to add. “At least, that’s what Rick says.”

“Good. I don’t like guns.” Kow Sifu said, softly. “Better not to learn how to use them. Or make them so popular.”

“They all have shortcomings anyway, at the higher ends. You really need a whole economy based on it like the US,” Arthur said, ruefully. “People who can create enchanted guns, who can make enchanted bullets, who can provide you techniques and even cultivation forms to help enhance your abilities. Easier to do without.”

His master nodded, glanced back at the training space where a handful of fights – carefully watched over by more senior students – had begun. There was a quiet look of satisfaction on his master’s face, one that Arthur knew came from the increased level of expertise showcased by the students.

Pressure – the gangs, the Tower, the competition between returning Climbers and newcomers – had driven the level of expertise higher. Of course, all that competition and challenge also led to its own problems.

“You should visit the hospital soon,” Kow Sifu said, softly. “Be good to talk to the doctor’s. Maybe see what they can do.”

“The hospital?” Arthur said, surprised.

“The one nearby,” Kow Sifu said. “And the Metro One Complex building. We keep sending people – ours and the refugee gang members – there. They’re getting quite familiar with the Durians.”

Arthur sighed. The entire problem with the refugee gangs had been a new wrinkle. With the Hai San having pulled back after the gunfight battle, not wanting to cause even more trouble; they had instead started hiring proxy gangsters. In this case, people from the refugee camps – many from Indonesia, Northern India, Bangladesh and Pakistan where climate change had made certain provinces impossible to survive. Coming over in refugee boats and hiding on container ships, or flying in on ‘tourist visas’, they had been shepherded into refugee slums where they struggled to survive.

An easy and ready source of personnel who were willing to do just about anything for a few dollars. Even if it meant taking on actual Climbers. Their harassment had meant the Durians – and some of the triads – had actual teams moving up and down the transit lines leading to their headquarters, just to keep the stations clear and safer.

That the police were stretched thin and willing to look the other way as the Durians helped contain the refugees spoke a lot to how fed up everyone was with the situation.

“Need to make sure they don’t start getting angry with the normal refugees…” Arthur muttered, his mind spinning outwards.

“We’re keeping an eye on it,” Kow Sifu said.

“How?” Arthur asked, curiously.

“Rotating those on guard duty. Making them join the outreach groups.”

“Outreach groups?”

Jan, hanging out and watching nearby, a beast core cradled in her hand and being sucked into her dantian spoke up. “We bring food, teach some martial arts to women and children. Try to get them jobs, when we can.

“Under the table, of course.”

Arthur grunted, knowing that the refugees weren’t actually allowed to work. He understood why – it was hard enough to get a job as a Malaysian citizen. Adding a couple of million refugees to the competition numbers would not help. On the other hand, it left them ripe for picking for the gangs.

“I’ll see what I can do,” Arthur said with a sigh. “We need to do something about the Hai San.”

“If you can think of how, you should become Police Chief,” his sifu said, causing Arthur to chuckle ruefully.

His master wasn’t wrong. If it was such a simple thing to solve, someone else would have done so long ago. On the other hand, getting pecked to death was incredibly annoying too.

“One problem at a time, boss. Sell our stuff and get us more duit, eh?” Jan called out.

“One thing at a time.”

 

Chapter 550

 

Arthur stared up at the massive twin towers. For a brief moment, they had been the tallest twin towers in the world. Then, of course, some other country had chosen to build a bigger pair, and then, decades later, another country had done the same. Now, it was like the fourth or fifth tallest twin towers, never mind the Towers that dominated capitals all the world.

Even so, they were still impressive buildings. Two thirds of the way up, a bridge stood and swayed between the two towers, connecting the Petronas Twin Towers together and offering the kind of view that made those with acrophobia cry.

Down in the park beside the towers, Arthur could not help but admire the sight, though he could not help but turn and repeat the numbers so recently uttered in his direction. He then added, “And that’s for the public floors near the bridge?”

“Just on one side, sir. If you want both…” The young woman in the neat suit was smiling, her tablet held by her side as she hovered beside Arthur. “You’re lucky to be able to get a spot so soon. Normally, we need reservations made months in advance.”

Arthur mentally snorted. He was not certain how much of a lie that might be, considering the disparity between corporations and everyone else.

As though reading his doubt, the saleswoman added. “We actually do a lot of bookings for weddings. We have quite a good catering team, and host weddings and other events for the government on those floors.”

“Oh… It’s still a little expensive. And you said we have to use your catering and AV teams?” Arthur said, grumpily.

“We can get you a quote on the AV cost, of course, but we have given the minimum expected amounts. If you cannot afford it, we do have lower levels…” she trailed off, leadingly before she added. “But we also have impeccable security who are used to working with government agencies for their events. Everything, of course, is further insured against disruption.”

“What if we want to add our own security?” Mel asked, quietly.

“That is easy enough to arrange,” the woman said with a smile. “As I said, we’re quite used to having multiple security details and high profile events.”

“Good to know,” Arthur muttered. “And you said it can fit a couple of hundred people in the floor?”

“For a cocktail party. If you wished to split it for the auction, we would have to reduce the amount of floor space. You can expect to fit about a hundred chairs comfortably, with space for your online auctioneers too.” The woman swiped through her tablet and showed the pair the images of previous events along with the room set-up.

“If you’re using a professional auctioneer, we can also make suggestions. We have worked with a few of the major groups in Malaysia, and once with Sotheby’s.”

“Only once?” Mel said, amused.

“They have their own facilities,” the saleswoman said, stiffly.

“Right.” Arthur grimaced, thinking. “I don’t know yet if we’re going to work with anyone, but that’s worth knowing.”

The woman smiled benignly, though Arthur wondered if she was cursing herself out for mentioning that now. After all, such information had not been needed and might have convinced them to go with the well known company. Arthur could have put her mind at ease, since their ‘take’ was so high that the Clan had declined to pursue that line of enquiry.

No, they were not at the size where using such a large organization was worth it. In fact, outside some minor international interest, it was unlikely they were going to have anyone but local buyers at their event. Though, even the hint of an auction happening had started enquiries being sent to his poor overworked secretary.

“I guess that’s it…” Arthur muttered. Of course they had to finish saying goodbye, the group having come out here to finish the discussion so that she could show them the outdoor options for the event. It had not taken Arthur much time to dismiss the idea, even if they were going to hold the auction at night. Climate change had made Malaysia much hotter than normal, with sweeping torrential rains arriving at the most inopportune of times.

Even with the massive storm drains and water management methodologies utilized – including the ever increasing number of green roofs present, often directed and utilized for food – flooding still occurred on a semi-regular basis. Often enough, at least, that Arthur was not willing to risk it.

Never mind how warm it would be, such that his guests might be less inclined to spend their funds on his spirit stones and enchanted goods.

Watching the young woman walk away, Arthur turned to see Mel giving him a look. He shrugged, and the pair headed for the mall beneath the Twin Towers, the unspoken desire to eat something leading them onwards.

Unfortunately, they only managed to make it towards the wide open doors before a young man managed to interpose himself between the two. Arthur had noticed him, of course. The number of gweiloh around Bukit Bintang was quite high, being a major tourist attraction, but they were still rare enough that they were easy enough to pick out.

The fact that the one before him moved with a dancer’s grace was another reason for him to be noted. And once he entered Arthur’s passive aura range, he could feel the man’s more substantial, Climber dense aura pressing against his own.

“Arthur Chua?”

“Who’s asking?” Arthur asked, quietly.

“Jack Doherty.” A card was offered with two fingers. “Guild of the Silver Accords. We would love to have a word with you, if possible.”

“About?”

“A merger.”

 

Chapter 551

 

They got a private room. The Nonya restaurant they visited at the top of the mall had quite a few available, and the one that Arthur had chosen was set far back and away from others. It also had good, solid concrete walls making it very difficult for anyone to overhear.

Once dishes had been ordered – all spicy, extra hot and tasty, of course – Arthur turned to Mr. Doherty, eyeing the middle aged Climber with his dyed blonde hair. Little bits of brown roots could be spotted sticking out, showing that the man needed to visit his barber soon enough.

Well, that and his brunette eyebrows.

“I don’t know anything about your Guild,” Arthur said, quietly. Mel, not far away, was on her tablet, swiping through simple searches to gather as much information as possible as quickly, leaving Arthur to do the in-person discussion. Doing so in front of him was an obvious insult, but Jack did not seem to mind. Which was a point in his favor.

“We’re not very large. We’re in the nine thousand or so rankings right now, so I figure we’re probably about twice the Durian’s size?” Jack shrugged. “Guild and Clan numbers are different, of course. Your Clan bindings can be much more strict, later on. Guilds have it harder keeping our people, since leaving is less onerous.”

“But also means you can acquire people easier,” Arthur pointed out.

“Exactly. So, more numbers, less loyalty.” A shrug. “Anyway, we’re in our growth stage, with our Clan leaders all having passed their Intermediate Tower trials and recently emerged. We’re looking to expand, in-world and are looking for partners.”

“That’s what I don’t get,” Arthur admitted. “To do what? You must have your own Beginner Towers to climb. You don’t need to borrow our Clan buildings for that. And we don’t need to trade information either, because we’re so different.”

“Maybe not as much as you’d think…” Jack said, then shrugged. “But you are right. An alliance with another larger Clan would be more suitable for you. But it’s the cross-organisation alliances that makes us think it could work. Since we’re not challenging one another at all.”

“That’s nice, but maybe you want to get to the point?” Arthur asked again, firmly.

“I already said, an alliance. We trade enchanted goods, make sales of stones to one another directly.” Jack froze, then smacked his head. “Oh, right! I forgot…” He reached for his bag, causing the bodyguards to tense. He ignored them as he finished pulling out the long, suede box that he pushed towards Arthur. Mel intercepted the box beforehand, opening it away from Arthur.

Her gasp made Arthur raise an eyebrow, even as a wave of energy rolled outwards from the box as it was released. “What?”

“Look!” Mel pushed the box around, such that Arthur could see it. Within were three beast stones, the source of the waves of power. He could feel the energies within the surroundings rise, just by their very presence. Putting a finger on the nearest, he let the merest hint of energy enter his body. It was like sipping on raw electricity as it tore through his meridians into his body, joining the refined energy within his core and doubling the amount in moments.

“Those…” Arthur trailed off, uncertain of what to say.

“They’re Intermediate beast cores,” Jack confirmed with an easy smirk. “Call that our gift and sampler.”

“Is it a gift or a sample?” Mel asked sharply.

“A little of both. You intend to go into an Intermediate Tower soon, right? Well, this is the way you get a leg-up. Start absorbing stones now, so that you’re strong enough that you don’t die immediately,” Jack said. “We can supply stones to your group, a small number to start but more soon.”

“For…?”

“Beginner stones too. We figure a ratio of forty to one?” The gweiloh kept smiling as he said the words, as though he was not suggesting outright robbery. Arthur managed not to snort or otherwise throw anything at the man, mostly because the food that had begun to arrive was too good to waste in that way.

“Let’s eat…” Arthur said.

“Mah-kan!” Jack slurred the word, overpronouncing it like most foreigners did and seemed inordinately proud of himself in managing to remember a single word of the other language. Which, Arthur had to admit, probably was the best his English-dominated brain could do. It also probably put him ahead of like 99% of his compatriots too, who couldn’t remember another word in another language if you put one of their favored gunpowder implements of destruction to their head.

To Arthur’s disappointment, there was very few outward indications of discomfort when they dug into the various curries, sambals and chilli-laden meals before them. In fact, Jack was savoring the meals, complimenting every dish that he tasted and taking second and third helpings. He was eating so much that Arthur found himself speeding up to match the other’s pace.

Eventually, of course, everything was finished and the group leaned back in unison, one long contented sigh emerging from their lips.

“Good mah-kan.” Jack said.

“Makan,” Arthur corrected. “And I won’t negotiate the exact rates right now. That’s something Mel and Casey will handle. But we don’t need a formal alliance just for a few stones. What else do you have?”

“Some manufacturing of goods,” Jack said. “We have a few Towers like the Dakha ones, and have a couple of our people making our way through. It’s not as often as we would like, but over the years we’ve built enough of a surplus of basic gear that we could sell it to your people.”

“Beginner gear?” Arthur said. “What kind?”

“Enchanted swords, spears, shields. Basic self-cleaning and mending armor in various sizes. Half of them have reshaping runes and we built a really good reshaping armor stand. We’re making more of them, but you basically reconfigure the stand to your seller’s body and then strap the armor on. In a day or two, it reshapes the armor to fit the new body configuration. Combine that with reshaping runes on the armor itself and our stuff is actually quite comfortable.”

Arthur noted how expressive Jack had grown while speaking of that. Something well worth looking into, though he had not expected the Guild he was representing to be a crafter’s guild. When Mel mentioned it in his stead, without his prompting, Jack shook his head.

“We’re not. We do some of it – every Guild has to have a crafter portion – but some of the Towers we run actually give these enchanted goods more often than not.”

Arthur’s eyes narrowed, knowing the math. “So you’re low on Beginner cores.”

“We could always use more,” Jack agreed. “And before you ask, or look it up, it’s not that easy establishing ourselves in new Towers in the West. You understand how they’re divvied up?”

“A few public ones, a lot of private ones,” Arthur confirmed. “Many Western governments, especially the US, have sold access to Towers to corporations. They manage who gets to enter or not, and charge based off that.”

“They also put regulations in place on who can have buildings within or not.” Jack frowned. “And if you don’t follow their laws, they do raids. A lot of them.” He sighed. “So most of the Beginner Towers that are publicly owned are enchanted object heavy, which they want the public to enter, because that means there are more enchanted items floating around for sale afterwards.”

“Limiting strength and driving the price of the goods down,” Mel said quietly. “You can’t climb to the next Tower without enough stones, so they limit the speed people grow unless you sign onto some of these other big corporations.”

“You say raids…” Arthur said, slowly. “You mean they kill those within?”

“If you leave a Clan or Guild building abandoned for long enough, they disappear. If they wipe out – or just capture – every guild member on a floor, whatever you built is gone.”

“I didn’t know that.” A glance over to Mel showed she had no clue either.

“They don’t exactly advertise it but…” Jack shrugged. “It’s not uncommon knowledge in the west.”

Except Rick had never mentioned it. Did he not know or was there another reason? Arthur made note to look into that, while he nodded slowly.

“So you want to sell us your excess and some Intermediate beast stones because you have access to that now, in turn for something we have. Why us?”

“You’re new, you’re growing and as a Clan over here, you’re likely lacking enchanted gear.” Jack sighed. “It seems they tried to balance things a little, with the kinds of Towers they have. And you’re also not likely to screw us, being new.”

Arthur snorted, but waved the man on. “We can have a deal without an alliance though. Why make an alliance. That implies us working together, fighting together maybe.”

“Because you’re going to have to join one, sooner or later,” Jack said, firmly. “Might as well get you to join us now, before you realise why you need friends.”