Chapter 10: Nexus Outpost
"We'd better get out of here quick," Kael tapped Lawrence and Jayem's shoulder. It was good enough that they got to find out about this information this early on. In this way, he now possesses something he could use against Nexus in the future.
Other than that, getting more involved with Nexus prematurely in Avalon is detrimental to their group.
They haven't even finished addressing their issue regarding their future base. So, they really can't be bothered with this kind of mess, at least not yet.
"Okay,"
Kael, Lawrence, and Jayem hurriedly and silently left the area close to the merchant caravan.
"We already got everything we need, so it's time to leave this world for now." Kael looked at the duo.
"Okay!"
Lawrence and Jayem nodded. Their backpacks were already full with the resources they'd gathered just now. In fact, they've even put some in their pockets just so that they could bring more.
"See you on the other side!" Kael readied himself to leave.
"Eh?!" Lawrence quickly reached his hand for Kael to prevent the latter from leaving. "You haven't told us how to leave yet."
"Oh," Kael realized his mistake. He nearly forgot about that. That would have been seriously bad, considering there is a cooldown for one to enter Avalon again after leaving.
Now that he thinks about it, it's most likely related to the issue with spawn camping.
If players could just instantly return to Avalon after teleporting back to Noverra, then spawn camping would obviously not work on Noverra's side because they could just choose to instantly go back to Avalon to prevent becoming a victim.
Needless to say, spawn campers could always just wait until the player eventually returns, but that might force them to stay permanently in Avalon. After all, being stuck on a new planet is much better compared to becoming a slave.
That wouldn't work for those who got captured this early on, though, because they don't have any foundation. But if players with a foundation and have no other important matters in Noverra become a target, then the situation would be completely different. Nexus might even just end up with a troublesome opponent.
"You see this?" Kael raised his arm in front of the duo.
"What about it?"
"You tap your wrist twice." Kael demonstrated, tapping his wrist as a black device resembling a watch materialized and wrapped tightly around it. He gave his wrist a slight shake and continued, "This device is called the Anchorband. Most of the time, it stays hidden, which is called the hibernation mode, turning into a tiny, nearly invisible dot embedded in your wrist. But the moment you tap twice, it activates instantly."
This was written in the document Nexus provided. But because Lawrence and Jayem didn't read it… Well, he actually prevented them from reading it, which he now realizes is a mistake. In the future, he'll make his own version of a comprehensive guide for Avalon so that he won't have to repeatedly explain it to everybody.
"The Anchorband is very important since you need this device in order to return to Noverra. No worries, we can always get as many of these once we return."
After today, Anchorband will become a basic commodity, at least in the other four continents.
"And also, only we can use this device, and the people of Avalon can't use it."
The reason for that is because the Anchorband is bound to the DNA of its user.
Lawrence and Jayem followed suit. And just like with Kael, a black device also appeared on their wrist.
"Now, to return, you simply have to put your finger on top of the Anchorband and slide it until your finger reaches the bottom of your wrist." Kael demonstrated it mid-air since he has to make sure Lawrence and Jayem return first before he does.
The duo understood and quickly tried it.
*Whoosh!
*Whoosh!
In the next moment, bluish particles of light appeared on the duo's initial spot while their bodies disappeared and returned to Noverra.
"Time to go back!" Kael muttered as he gripped his luggage tightly before going ahead to wipe his fingers on his wrist.
*Whoosh!
…..
It was still midnight when Kael, Lawrence, and Jayem returned to Noverra. So, they organized the materials they brought with them before quickly going to sleep.
Though Noverra and Avalon are two different worlds, their time flows remain closely aligned. When dusk falls on Noverra, dawn breaks in Avalon, and vice versa. Basically, the opposite.
Needless to say, the rotation of the sun and which continent one entered from when going to Avalon also have to be taken into consideration. Although it's midnight in Rustfall right now, it is morning or afternoon in other parts of the world.
So, this case only applies to the continent of Rustfall.
That's why in the past, Kael always carried a watch that told the time in Rustfall whenever he was around Noverra. In that way, he could easily calculate what time it is in Avalon.
When morning came, Kael, Lawrence, and Jayem quickly prepared everything before leaving the apartment and going to the Nexus outpost in Rustfall.
Naturally, Lawrence and Jayem were both wearing a disguise in fear that people whom they had offended in the past would notice their presence and attack their group.
Just like what they originally planned, they will sell everything they found in Avalon and find another location to set up their headquarters for their future operation. Although it would only be temporary since their main goal was to leave Rustfall and go to whichever of the other four continents they decided on in the future.
The Nexus outpost was built in the southern part of Rustfall, so it took the trio quite a bit of time to reach there.
Unbeknownst to them, a few men were secretly following behind.
"Did you notice them?" Kael asked.
"Yes!" Jayem nodded his head. As someone with experience in tailing people, he quickly noticed the group of men that had been tailing them ever since they left the apartment.
This was the exact reason why they needed to find a base as soon as possible, so that even if people knew where they lived, they would think twice before deciding to attack them. Not to mention the benefit of leaving Rustfall. In the other continents, nobody would know them, and they could start a brand new life.
"Should we deal with them now?" Lawrence's eyes turned cold.
"Let's deal with that later." Kael shook his head. They were fully packed right now, so they can't afford to give chase if those people start running away. That might even just make their situation worse once those people report to their boss.
"But what if they found out?" Lawrence was thinking the opposite. If they lead those people to the Nexus outpost and they spot them selling a lot of materials, there's no doubt their boss will send men to chase after them once he receives their report.
"I have a plan." Kael was confident that there was nothing to worry about, even if they discovered they possessed a lot of cash.
Soon, they finally spotted the building that acted as the outpost for Nexus.
There was nothing special about the Nexus outpost.
It was just a two-storey building, but heavily fortified with armed guards on the roof and tight security on the ground, clearly intended to deter any attempt by Rustfall's citizens to raid the base. Even though they were part of Nexus, no one could predict what the people of Rustfall might do.
"Stop!"
A burly guard halted Kael, Lawrence, and Jayem from approaching.
"State your business!"
"We are here to sell items from Avalon!" Kael didn't fear the guard. These people might be part of Nexus, but that doesn't necessarily mean they can just do whatever they want to the people of Rustfall.
"I highly doubt that!" The guard doesn't believe this trio was here to sell items from Avalon. After all, it's only been a few hours since Avalon was made public.
"Here!" Lawrence opened his backpack, which contained a lot of the flora they had gathered. This was the best way to prove they came from Avalon since there are hardly any plants in Rustfall.
"Only one can enter!" The guard insisted solemnly.
"I'm afraid that's impossible!" Kael still didn't want to back down as he stared at the guard coldly. That's because if he backs down now, he'll always be in a disadvantaged situation in the future. And it's not like there is anyone who will buy items from Avalon at this point in time. Maybe in the future, once people start discovering its practicality and usefulness. But until then, he'll have to swallow his pride and sell to Nexus.
Saying that, Kael opened his luggage, and Jayem opened his backpack.
The guard was instantly taken aback after seeing the trio bring so many materials. This kind of situation was never mentioned in their seminar.
"That's enough!"
Suddenly, a middle-aged man dressed in a suit with clean features casually interrupted the troubled guard.