Before going to do anything else, she jumps down and starts heading towards the alley. I can see shivers running down her straightened back.

 She's definitely planning something.

Now the question becomes whether it's a plea for forgiveness or a trap to cover her mistakes.

Either way, I'm not making the same mistake.

I still need to deal with this issue, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to check every single thing to make sure that I don't get taken advantage of. Especially, by someone who was just trying to spy on me.

As I continue to probe at Wei’s past and current dealings, I definitively find out that the reason she was spying on me, was on behalf of the merchants who wanted to gather more information. They were looking for Undercover methods to find more information about me, in a way that I most likely would never know. This isn't the first time they've used this method.

Almost whenever they need to get information on cultivators, they use her services. Considering her cheaper cost and special skill set, she was the most cost efficient solution.

Once again, I adjust my scans to be able to get a better idea of what’s going on. I need to go deeper and find what the merchants have planned for her. It’s unfortunately as bad as I suspected.

If she's found to have been compromised, they'll try to get rid of her. She's gathered way too many secrets on their behalf, and could cause many problems.

 Obviously, since she's part of the sect, she can use that to defend herself. She successfully hid her identity from almost everyone, so she would have to actively reveal her status in order for it to work.

All the merchants could do is grit their teeth and move on at that point, potentially even bribing her to stay silent. The only issue is that before they find out, they may act and even if she does reveal it, she always will have an enemy at her back.

This is the risk she's taken.

There are only two positive situations that can come out of this for her.

One is that she could become a contact between me and them, thus making her an asset rather than a liability.  That may only last for so long. However, even if the relationship between me and them goes bad, she would have a myriad of ways out.

The other alternative is to disappear, since she doesn’t have any connections to her real identity and kept everything separate.

 

 The first option would be good for me, because then I can regulate the relationship between the merchants and I. If I don't give them a way to at least have some allowed method of gathering information on me, they’ll continue to try other probing methods.

The second option would also be good. I'm pretty sure since I'll be breaking my identity open at the sect eventually, they're already going to get information on me. From that point, they'll mainly be trying to get at the supposed person behind my activities. My secret, nonexistent backer.

I'm not planning on going for any other options. And from what I saw from her past, she's a smart woman. She’ll recognize these are the only two viable options against a potential enemy like me.

Prepared with my plan, I lower the other aspects of my scan to wash pulses all over the alleyway in the local area. Looking for any signs of a trap.

What I find is that there are two listening devices in this alleyway.

It's likely a prep zone, made by Wei herself, in case she needed to capture information.

 On her person, she has several stashes of knives, but my danger scan shows she has no intention of using any of it. There's no one of note in the area to listen to this. Likely being the reason that she chose this alleyway for this prep zone. There’s no one else around or hiding.

With my inability to tame creatures in the area for fear of gathering the wrong attention, I have rats nearby that could ‘realistically’ intervene like it would for any other fight.

With my abilities, I should also be able to handle a cultivator of her level. I turn my reaction speed to its highest.

 

Walking into this alleyway, I keep my expressions motionless and my gait casual. To appear as if everything is already in my sight… which it really is.

Right before I stop in front of her, I turn to my left and casually pick up one rock covering a small divot in this alleyway. Underneath is one of the listening devices. Erasing one of the markings on it, which turns it off, I toss it to her and get the other one from behind a stone in the wall. I also turn that one off and toss at her, as well.

”… That wasn't the smartest thing you could have done. After offending someone, usually you don't gather blackmail on them immediately after.”

If she could be considered shuddering earlier, now she’s just plain shaking.

 She doesn't appear to be saying anything.

Quite literally, she's frozen in shock.

… sigh.

 What makes this tougher is that the thing that wasn’t as apparent but was a common theme in her normal life is that she has Enormous social anxiety. And awkwardness.

Loads of awkwardness.

Piles.

 

Adding to that, she's normally extremely shy, despite her desperation to get to a better place in her life.

Similar to the super villains and superheroes that I read about back on earth; it looks like she adopts a different persona when she wears the clothes here. One that is secretive, but knowledgeable about many things and able to handle a variety of different situations.

Having herself be discovered has jolted her out of that persona.

 

Knowing these things about her causes me to have way too much sympathy for her.

 

… Hmm. This could actually be a dangerous part of my ability.

Knowing too much about a person’s situation could make me hesitate to do something about them. Similar to a parent growing up with their child and ignoring the bad aspects, because they know their child’s struggles.

… or Stockholm syndrome.

 

 Either way, I still decide to wait for her to calm down and go along with the flow that she is comfortable with.

Ultimately showing pity for her.

Her breathing, which was quick and on the cusp of hyperventilation, slows down little by little. I just had my arms folded staring around the area calmly waiting for her to do something. My scan lets me know this will pass, if she’s given time.

Eventually, she whispers out, “What do you want from me?”

“Well. That really depends on you, doesn’t it? What do you think the best way through this situation would be?”

After I say that, I pause.

Oh shit. I was being vague again. I should correct this before she gets the wrong idea. Better yet, how about I just remove all guesswork and just give her the two options that are acceptable.

Just because I know she could come to those answers doesn’t mean I should allow her to do so. She is the one that started this.

“To be more specific, I’m going to give you two options.”

From there, I communicated the two options to her.

 

After my words, it was clear she initially misunderstood me, but is now seriously considering what to do.

Once again, I wait patiently.

 

… She’s really thinking hard on this.

 

I begin daydreaming at some point, because of the amount of time she takes.

 

… I think I’m going to make ice cream in this world. It’s a travesty that they have the ingredients available, but haven’t come up with it yet.

I could really use some ice cream right now. Mmm… cookies and cream. The smooth taste of a dairy treat on my lips, the slight crunch of Oreos betw..

 

Hearing her voice suddenly speak snaps me out of my ‘mediation.’

 

“Senior, my apologies for my massive disrespect. I had eyes but could not see Mt. Tai. You are clearly a magnanimous individual and half a teacher to me. Here, I had acquired this talisman for myself, but maybe you can use this for one of your purposes.”

 She speaks sagely and extends her hands with the gift, as if I had taught her something important.

… I have no clue what it could be.

 

My scan is telling me nothing and I have no context. It can’t read minds.

 

The talisman she holds out is a good one, but utterly useless to me. A gradual healing talisman. Able to heal egregious wounds, but over a large period.

Though, I could use it as an excuse… no. It’s hers and I’ve done nothing to deserve this. This is a bribe to let her go. Better she keeps it, in case things go south.

And honestly… I just want to get back to the marketplace.

 

“Ahem. Keep your gift. You will probably need it far more than one such as I. Have you decided yet, though?”

Her eyes widen at my refusal and her hands shake as she pockets it again. Tears pool at the corner of her eyes.

“I… I do not deserve to work with one such as you. I will leave this profession and return to the righteous path. Thank you for your guidance, Senior. I will look to use this life in better ways!”

 

With a quick bow, she then runs off. Right in the path's direction to the outer court buildings of the sect.

I still do not know what she was thinking. But… I think I’m just going to move on at this point.

With that weird situation completed, I head back to the marketplace. The sun is dipping towards the horizon and I have less time than I thought to get back to work.

 

Reactivating my previous scan settings, I go back to my market search.

 

This time, I think I’m just focus on buying things instead. I… really don’t want to deal with something like this again. Especially this close to joining the sect.

 

… why do I feel something else is going to come up as well, before this day is done?

 

Hmm…

I’m sure it’s just my imagination.