The bell above the entrance chimed softly as Jin parted through the curtain.
Warm lamplight filled across the shop. The faint crackle of incense in air, sweet, but oversweet if you breathed too deep.
Racks of garments in beautiful colors lining the walls. Stacks of clothes were kept neatly on shelves, some mannequins at the front bore robes rich with detail.
Jin scanned the room quickly, noting the lack of customers and the single figure behind a polished wooden desk at the back. An Guoli, the merchant who'd apparently saved his ass.
An Guoli looked up. Sharp eyes and in his mid-forties. Dressed in a simple yet finely tailored hanfu of deep grey, with a barely visible jade pendant dangling from his neck.
Jin could tell at a glance that An was no ordinary shopkeeper.
"Young man," An said, setting down his brush. "You're finally awake. I trust you're feeling better after your... unfortunate mishap."
Jin bowed slightly, hands clasped in front of him. "Merchant An, I owe you my life. Without your intervention, I'd likely be food for the beasts out there. Thank you."
An waved a hand dismissively and gestured to a stool across the desk.
"Sit, sit. No need for formalities between benefactor and beneficiary. Tell me, how did a hearty young man like you end up collapsed so near the Qin domain? I heard some demonic cultivators were also involved."
Jin sat, his mind racing.
'Two days since the incident. By now they'll have found the bodies. The artifact will be missing, and I'll be the easy suspect. With Liang's word and whatever truth-finding torture they use there, maybe, just maybe. I can survive it.'
Since An's tone suggested suspicion, Jin decided to play it vague, testing the waters. "A miscalculation on my part. I was traveling alone, got ambushed by some... unforeseen troubles. Nothing more."
An leaned back, his gaze assessing Jin like a piece of merchandise. "Unforeseen troubles, eh? Funny thing about those cultivators, they were the scene of quite the uproar just days ago. A huge scale battle, betrayals from your own kin. One of them even stole a family heirloom of the Qin."
He paused, letting the words hang in the air like a guillotine. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?"
Jin's pulse quickened, "Merchant An, if I were such a fugitive, I'd be a fool to show my face here. Randomly believing such baseless rumors isn't fit for someone like you. Assumptions can be dangerous. What exactly are you implying?"
An laughed, low and humorless.
"Implying? Not at all, young Jin. But in these turbulent times, a man in my position hears many things. Sees opportunities. You're clearly no ordinary boy, your speech is... refined, almost foreign. And your wounds? Not from beasts. If I had to guess, Qi backlash."
His eyes narrowed.
"Truth be told, At first I planned to sell you to a brothel. Pretty face like yours fetches coin. But then the rumors came. A battle. The Qin hunting for someone named 'Jin Ranyi'. After that… letting you go stopped being an option, didn't it? Also the fact that I wanted a proper mortal in my team for some tasks."
'You should've just sold me to the highest bidder-er, I mean, helped me find a better path,' Jin thought, wincing internally. 'Anyway… so Liang's word meant nothing. Or worse, maybe the bastard lied. Great. Now I'm really on a tightrope.'
Jin went silent for a while, and thought of different scenarios. An also let him have his time.
After a few moments of silence. He asked, "But let's say, hypothetically you're right, what exactly do you want?"
An grinned wide. "Join my team and those suspicions vanish. I've wagons, sect ties, spirit stones to spare. Protection, coin, even a chance to cultivate again, as long as you've got the will."
He stopped, making sure every line lands perfectly, "Refuse, and well... rumors sure travel fast. The Family pay handsomely for tips on loose ends."
Jin weighed his options. The shop suddenly felt smaller, the air thick with the faint hum of Qi from An's pendant
'Playing along and buying time to figure out this world is the only option left for me.'
He wasn't about to be anyone's pawn, but alliances were exactly how you survive in these Xianxia tropes.
"Intriguing offer. But can you protect and hide me from the families? And what do you expect in return? I'm no cultivator."
An's smile sharpened. "Loyalty, that's all. Guard the wagons, scout when needed. In return, I'll keep you safe, patch you up, maybe even link you to the outer sects. Lone wolves don't last long, Jin."
Jin nodded slowly. With a sigh he raised for a handshake, "Very well. It's not like I have any other choice anyway."
An laughed and sealed the deal, "Don't worry kid. We're all in the same boat here. Dawei must've already returned with Yaoqing and Chunsheng. Go on and meet with them."
Jin bowed once more and exited the house. 'Well, fuck. Already got mixed up in some problems.'
Stepping out gave way to a warm sunset scenery and smell of grilled pork skewers from a nearby stall. As Jin came outside with a sour mood, he heard Dawei's yell.
"Ranyiii!"
He turned to see the other two people who are gonna be his co-workers for a while.
The first was eighteen. Lean frame, shirt open at the neck, hair tied small ponytail. Light skin and hands marked with old rope burns.
Yaoqing leaned against the crates, one brow raised, the corner of his mouth forming a nasty grin as he said,
"So this is the new kid. Judging by his face it looks like he got recruited too. The exiled young leader. World is truly a small place huh."
'Great. The bully type.' Jin sighed.
"Ah! You're finally awake."
The other one, Chunsheng, fifteen years old, kept the sack on the floor, dust rising to his knees.
Broad shoulders for his age and cropped hair. Eyes clear as river water. Shirt half-untucked and rough hands.
'This is starting to feel like military training all over again.' Jin winced.
"Nice to meet you! I'm Chunsheng," the boy said brightly. "I hope your injuries have healed a little. You were in bad shape. Don't worry, as the newest member, I'll show you-"
Jin tuned him out, gaze sliding to the sacks full of silk and leather.
'So this is what I've been reduced to.'
He let out a quiet breath. 'Could be worse. Then again, could always get worse. It usually does.'