One Last System

I stormed out of the building the second I spoke out my bit.

Just like I said, I had to head for the administrative center.

There was no way for the two of them to just let me go and do what I threatened to do. On the other hand, this was something that I absolutely had to accomplish, as Mia's future laid on the fact of my contract completing.

If there were anywhere to be wrong with the procedure or formality, Lucius would gain a weapon he could use against Mia!

'Fuck me in the ear,' I thought, killing my emotions over and over again. 'I got overexcited,' I forced myself to accept the fact.

Just because I got too into the moment, I acted high-key. And as great as it felt then, now I could see nothing but trouble coming.

'I guess you can only keep your head low for so long,' I thought, hurrying my steps towards the administrative building of the Sect.

Right now, speed was of the essence.

I managed to arrive at the building uninterrupted. Yet, just like one could expect, it was already closed for the night.

'It's way past midnight, isn't it?' I thought, finally managing to calm my emotions down.

Even with all the experience that I had in keeping my mind clear, this situation made me too emotional.

'I guess I need to go through the Auction hall again,' I thought, turning on the spot.

Even if the first step of my plan ended up as a failure, it wasn't any reason to stop or even to slow down. Rather than that, I was now in an even greater hurry to secure my position!

I rushed back to the outer ring of the city. And then, another thing struck me.

I had to pass by the gate. The gate that just about an hour ago, I destroyed.

'Let's just brute-force it,' I thought, pushing ahead with my head raised high.

For a moment, I thought that there would be another confrontation. Still troubled by the unexpected end of the very thing they were supposed to protect, the guards noticed me quite quickly.

Yet, not a single one dared to step forward and say something.

'I hope they will unfreeze before long,' I thought, slightly amused by the sight of their motionless bodies. 'It's too cold during the night not to move while outside,' I couldn't help but joke a little.

'Still,' I thought, raising my eyes towards the night sky. 'Even if I did overreact, it's not like it makes any change,' I thought, lowering my head and raising my hands to my mouth.

'The night sure is cold,' I thought, blowing some hot air on my fingers.

The cold of this degree could do me no harm. I was way too powerful for a common sickness to threaten me. But the uncomfortable feeling of my fingers freezing over was just the same as always.

"Still," I muttered, crossing my arms on my chest and tucking my hands in my armpits. 'This entire scheme being called a tradition,' I thought, looking back to what happened just a few moments ago. 'Could it be that it's something happening on a much greater scale?' I thought.

This was a pretty curious topic. And one that I had to deeply analyze, given how I was about to report on it to the Sect.

In the end, it wouldn't be good if they were to target me if this scheme turned out to be something that everyone profits from.

'I guess it's better not to stir the pot too much,' I thought.

I had to cut my analysis of the situation soon as I reached the doorstep of the auction hall.

Once again, I passed through the sculpted-out columns by its entrance. And soon enough, I stood before yet another receptionist at the welcoming desk of the place.

"I need to see the boss," I said, sparing no time for pointless pleasantries.

I was happy to indulge in this cultural bit during the normal times, but right now, the times were all but normal.

"Sir, I'm sorry," a middle-aged woman on the other side of the counter bowed, putting a regretful expression on her face. "I'm worried that the boss already retreated for the night," she informed, bowing her entire upper half of the body an apology.

I released a slightly annoyed sigh.

"The matter I came here with is urgent," I explained. "I will apologize all I need later, but I need to see the boss right now," I stressed out the importance of the situation with every bit of my voice.

"I..." the woman hesitated before biting down on her lips. "Sir, the boss, really dislikes having her sleep disturbed..." the receptionist tried to stop me again.

"Trust me," I shook my head. "If I just do what I need to do without reporting to her, she will dislike it far worse than being woken up," I proclaimed with absolute certainty.

I couldn't put any warmth into my voice. I was too stressed out by the self-enforced hurry to be able to squeeze out any sympathy.

I could understand that poor woman's position, though. I was well aware of how bad it was to be the bearer of the bad news.

"I... Fine," the woman finally gave up. Yet, outside of moving her hand around her counter for a few seconds, she didn't do anything.

"The boss will be here soon," she announced before resting her arms against the wood of the counter.

And sure enough, the boss of the auction hall arrived pretty soon.

Clad in nothing but what appeared like a long sheer of her bedding. Her hair was in disarray, and her eyes were still hazy... but that didn't stop the woman from appearing fierce like a horde of demons.

'I guess she really doesn't like waking up,' I thought, gulping down a mouthful of saliva.

"Don't you know how damn late it is?" she asked, raising her hand to rub her eyes while using her other arm to keep the bedsheets up and covering her otherwise naked body.

Even though it was pretty short, my time with Mia allowed me to notice that kind of detail, like how tightly the loose sheet would wrap around the girl's curves.

"Yes, I know," I replied with a nod of my head. "I wouldn't have called for you if it wasn't urgent," I added, not minding the angry tone of the woman.

She had all the right in the world to be furious. But my matters took precedence before the emotions of the boss.

The woman took a while, but she ultimately sighed and waved her hand at me, giving me the signal to explain.

"What's the problem?" she asked.

"I'm leaving the sect," I replied bluntly, not holding anything back.

"Huh?" the woman shrugged, shocked by the sudden message.

She then shook her head and took a few breaths to organize her thoughts.

I started speaking when her eyes once again laid on my face.

"I will be moving on my own to the location where they bring the sponsored students from the zero zone," I explained.

Once again, a few moments of silence commemorated what clearly appeared like an idiotic idea to the boss.

She released a deep sigh before shaking her head once again.

"Do you even have any damned idea where do you want to go?" she asked, raising her eyes on me with a look of disbelief and a complete defeat in them. "Do you even have a shred of an idea of how vast the continent is?"

For the third time, she shook her head.

For a second, I thought that a cock would cry out at this very moment.

"If you take a single different turn in the barrierlands, then you can end up with weeks' worth of distance to cover," she added, clearly trying to help me picture the scale of my plans.

"And that's what I need your help with," I announced quickly. I couldn't let her barrage me with protests and problems like that. I wouldn't allow this woman to change my mind. "I need to know where the sponsored students from the Zero Zone are taken," I explained.

"Boy..." the boss got lost for breath for a moment. "There are thousands upon thousands of locations within the Tuxi sect," the woman muttered, clearly shocked how I was unaware of the fact. "They are one of the four major sects for a reason!"

"And that's what I need your help with," I echoed my words from before. "I need to know where the disciples from the skyladder Sect were taken," I explained.

The look on the woman's face didn't change at all. She stared blankly at my face as if expecting a reindeer to suddenly jump out of my mouth.

"I left the Sect because they hindered my wish to help my girl. This is the one bottom line that I won't allow anyone to cross," I pointed out, realizing that I had to push a little further. "So, are you going to help me with this matter or not?" I asked, my voice turning cold.

This time, it wasn't about money, influence, or growth. It was all about a personal benefit of mine.

And right now, I could only hope that I brought enough profits to the auction hall for them to pay the favor back!

The boss finally released another sigh. She then fixed her hold over the bedsheets she was covering herself with before shaking her head yet again.

"Fine," she said in a decisive tone.. "I will help you in any way I can."