Xio, unaware of Luo Lin's wandering thoughts, sized him up. From Williams' info, she judged: likely middle-class, non-labor job, no malice. No accomplices nearby. Safe enough.
Relieved, she nodded. "I'm Xio. You're Jack Jones? Let's talk outside." She'd rather not linger in the bar.
Luo Lin agreed. They left for a nearby café, settling into a private booth. After ordering coffee, Xio cut to the chase. "What do you want to entrust me with?"
"I want to join Beyonder gatherings. Can you introduce me?" Luo Lin was equally direct.
Xio's eyes narrowed, her hand gripping a hidden triangular blade. She studied him again, voice cold. "Who sent you?"
"Miss Xio, you're well-known among East District bounty hunters," Luo Lin said, sidestepping. "My ancestors were Beyonders, leaving records. Though my family's declined, I know a bit about Beyonders—like Arbiters."
He stopped there, but Xio got the hint: he'd heard of her and guessed she was an Arbiter-path Beyonder.
Sighing inwardly, she asked, "What path are you?"
"Seer. If you know the sequence, you'll know I lack combat skills, so no need to be too wary," Luo Lin said with a wry smile, as if it were true.
"Seer…" Xio muttered, recalling what her father, a former official, told her about Seers—rare, often tied to the Church of the Night's Nighthawks, and weak in combat.
Her guard lowered slightly. After a moment, she said, "I can introduce you to gatherings, but what's in it for me? Helping you risks exposure."
"I'll pay 50 pounds," Luo Lin replied, prepared. Though he had only about 1,000 pounds, he wasn't stingy when it mattered. A generous impression would help future interactions.
"Deal," Xio agreed instantly. Fifty pounds was no small sum for just an introduction.
"Pleasure doing business." Luo Lin smiled, handing over ten pounds. "A deposit. I'll pay more per gathering, with a bonus for any I really like."
Generous, not foolish—he showed necessary caution.
Xio took the money, unsurprised, and nodded. "How do I contact you?" She gave an address. "Leave messages here if you need me."
Luo Lin shared an address for letters. With contact methods settled, Xio relaxed, confirming he meant no harm. Curious about his Seer claim, she asked, "Can Seers divine everything? The future?"
"Small things, sure. Big events or powerful people? Not so accurate," Luo Lin said, chuckling. "Even if the divination's right, it can be tricky. Say I divine if an investment will profit. It says yes, but I might lose big short-term and only gain decades later."
"That's rough," Xio said, sympathizing.
"But it helps avoid most dangers," Luo Lin added. "Like before meeting you, I divined. This deal's safe."
Xio raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Can you divine for me?"
"Sure. What about?" Luo Lin nodded.
"Any danger in the next two months?" Xio asked after a moment.
Luo Lin pulled out a crystal pendulum, prepared to play the Seer role fully. His Trickster abilities included divination, and he needed practice.
Using the pendulum, he frowned at its swing. "You'll face life-threatening danger within two months."
No lie—he genuinely divined it.
Xio's eyes widened, glancing from him to the pendulum, suspecting a scam to claw back money. But she dismissed it, asking seriously, "Can you tell where it's from?"
"I'll try, but no guarantees," Luo Lin said, equally serious. Switching to an astrolabe, he asked necessary questions, etched the disk, and said, "It's tied to money and the sea. That's all I can get—too little info."
(Chapter End)