Morning light spread across District three's narrow streets, brushing over tilted roofs. Vendors called from their stalls, and carriages rattled by. Amid the lively current, a modest Huaren pharmacy sat between a tailor's shop and a bookstore.
Diana adjusted her collar as she and Rosa approached, the faint jingle of the bell over the door blending with the street noise.
She glanced at the customer moving in and out with curiosity. 'Nothing about the place feels out of place; it's just another shop in the district.'
"You remember the story?" Rosa asked quietly.
Diana nodded."Pharmaceutical business, security manager. Keep the act simple."
"Good." Rosa's lips curved in a small smile. "Then let's make our entrance."
They stepped inside, the bell chiming softly behind them.
Soon, rows of glass jars came into view. They lined the shelves, labeled with neat brushstrokes of calligraphy. Behind the counter stood an older huaren gentleman with ashy brown hair. He wore a brown linen shirt with white patterns. Crow's feet gathered beneath his thin eyelids.
"Welcome, welcome," he said, voice warm and polished. "What might you fine people be looking to purchase today?"
His gaze lingered, sliding downward toward Rosa's chest.
Diana's eyes narrowed immediately. "Up," she said icily.
"Keep your eyes up before you lose them."
Stunned, He stammered, bowing his head. "A-ah—my apologies...Sir, I simply meant—"
"There's no need to trouble yourself," Rosa said, her tone smooth. From a small pouch at her waist, she drew a glass vial, holding it delicately between two fingers. "We came to discuss business. I'm Cynthia Rockwell, proprietor of Rockwell Remedies, and this is my security manager, Jonathan."
The old man's eyes darted between them, confused.
Rosa continued, undeterred. "We specialize in specialized pharmaceuticals, unique blends tailored to specific demands." She raised the vial, letting the liquid within catch the light. "This, for instance, is a miracle aphrodisiac. It enhances stamina, allure, and pleasure, without side effects for both men and women."
The old man's expression twisted into disbelief. "Such a claim is… preposterous."
Clenching her fist, Diana stepped forward, her gaze cold. "Are you saying my employer is lying?"
The shopkeeper nearly tripped over his words. "No, no, of course not! I merely meant, if such a thing truly existed, it would be regulated by the Churches themselves!"
Rosa's lips curved in a slow smile. "Indeed. And it is." She tapped the vial's crack-top seal. The print of a Church approval emblem reflected off the glass—an illusion carefully woven over the mark she'd carved herself hours earlier.
"I went through the proper channels," she said lightly. "I even used it myself. I wasn't always…this alluring."Her gaze lingered, her tone threaded with amusement. "But I discovered what a single sip could do for my presence."
The man hesitated, caught between skepticism and the unease Diana's presence instilled in him.
"M-Madam Rockwell," he said finally, "would you allow us to have this appraised? It's merely a formality, of course."
"By all means," Rosa said with a gracious tilt of her head.
The man bowed, retreating quickly into the backroom.
Watching him disappear behind the curtain, Diana's arms folded. "You think he'll fall for it?"
"He'll fall for something," Rosa replied. Her voice was calm, but her eyes followed the curtain like a predator waiting for movement. "People driven by greed always do."
***
In the dim backroom, the older man placed the vial on a lacquered table where a pale-skinned figure sat half in shadow, toying with a mysterious trinket. The man was bald, had a long scar cutting across his lips, and the cold detachment of someone long accustomed to violence.
"She called it a miracle aphrodisiac," the shopkeeper said. "Claims it's Church-approved."
Raising his man's green eyes beamed with curiosity. As his expression shifted, he casually lowered the trinket on the table before turning the vial between his fingers, the liquid inside catching what little light the room offered.
"This is High-quality," he muttered. "A refined base compound of the Pain Enhancer line… modified. I can't tell what was added, but it's potent. Whoever made this knows their craft."
"Make the deal. Then have someone follow them. Once you find where they keep the rest, I'll send a collector to claim it."
The old man hesitated. "And… if we keep one alive? For production?"
The scarred man's lip twitched into something like a grin. "Do as you please."
Moments later, the old man returned, all smiles and sweating palms. As they expected, he spoke of cooperation and profit percentages, of shared distribution networks and the potential for exclusive partnership.
Rosa played her part to perfection, polite and calculated, while Diana stood beside her like a silent wall of muscle.
With the agreement sealed with a handshake and polite bows, they turned to leave. "We'll be in touch once our next shipment arrives," Rosa said, winking playfully towards the old man.
The man nodded too eagerly, his eyes darting to the vial still on the table.
As they stepped back into the street, the door chimed softly behind them. "Two of them," Diana murmured under her breath once they were several paces away. "The shorter one's tailing on our left. The tall one just crossed the street."
Rosa's tone didn't change. "Keep your stride steady. There's a mirror shop ahead—don't draw attention."
The street ahead shimmered with morning light. A row of decorative mirrors leaned against a storefront, their carved frames glinting gold and bronze.
Rosa reached out, letting her fingers trail across the surface of one, a faint pulse of spiritual energy threading through her touch. The mirror shimmered briefly, then stilled.
"These carvings," she said aloud with a casual tone, "Exquisite craftsmanship. Don't you think, Jonathan?"
"We already have a standing mirror," Diana replied, her gaze flicking toward a reflection that showed the two shadows behind them.
Rosa smiled faintly and stepped on.
They turned down a narrower street, leaving the busier district behind. The sounds of vendors and chatter faded, replaced by the hum of distant machinery and the cawing of crows on a power line.
'So far, so good,' Diana thought, her hand brushing against the wrapped gauze at her wrist. 'Now we just need them somewhere quiet.'
***
The taller of the two stalkers kept his eyes locked on the backs of the two salespeople. As he passed the same mirror store, his gaze flicked over the glass for a moment, a faint, shimmering silhouette of the woman with golden eyes seeming to linger for a split second before fading. He shook his head and continued.
"Think they noticed us?" his partner whispered.
"Not a chance."
They trailed the two women to a modest house at the edge of the district. From the outside, it looked unremarkabl.
The taller man pulled a small metallic cube from his coat. Muttering a short chant he funneled energy into it until a blue light pulsed at its core.
"Sir," he said, leaning closer. "We found their residence. We're returning now."
The cube vibrated softly, then a familiar cold voice answered. "Good work . Come back. We'll handle the rest."
The connection quickly faded.
"Promotion's as good as ours." The man grinned gleefully.
"Ha! Maybe they'll even let us sample the product first," the other joked, elbowing him.
They laughed,standing in the secluded alley beside the "apartment house", already counting their future earnings.
From around the corner, Diana's voice came from shadows as she watched the men laughing.
"You hear that?"
Nodding , Rosa lowered her hand with a small mirror, the glass rippled faintly before fading into transparency.
-Click ..She closed it with a softly and slid it into her hidden inventory.
"The illusion's in effect," she whispered. "They believe they've reported our location and are now returning to their base. The illusion bind their senses and should keep the one controlling the vines occupied, thinking his agents are still on route."
"It should give us enough time to comb through their minds before the manipulator realizes his connection has been severed. Let's apprehend them. Quietly."
Morning light spread across District Four's narrow streets, brushing over tilted roofs. Vendors called from their stalls, and carriages rattled by. Amid the lively current, a modest Huaren pharmacy sat between a tailor's shop and a bookstore.
Diana adjusted her collar as she and Rosa approached, the faint jingle of the bell over the door blending with the street noise.
She glanced at the customer moving in and out with curiosity. 'Nothing about the place feels out of place; it's just another shop in the district.'
"You remember the story?" Rosa asked quietly.
Diana nodded."Pharmaceutical business, security manager. Keep the act simple."
"Good." Rosa's lips curved in a small smile. "Then let's make our entrance."
They stepped inside, the bell chiming softly behind them.
Soon, rows of glass jars came into view. They lined the shelves, labeled with neat brushstrokes of calligraphy. Behind the counter stood an older huaren gentleman with ashy brown hair. He wore a brown linen shirt with white patterns. Crow's feet gathered beneath his thin eyelids.
"Welcome, welcome," he said, voice warm and polished. "What might you fine people be looking to purchase today?"
His gaze lingered, sliding downward toward Rosa's chest.
Diana's eyes narrowed immediately. "Up," she said icily.
"Keep your eyes up before you lose them."
Stunned, He stammered, bowing his head. "A-ah—my apologies...Sir, I simply meant—"
"There's no need to trouble yourself," Rosa said, her tone smooth. From a small pouch at her waist, she drew a glass vial, holding it delicately between two fingers. "We came to discuss business. I'm Cynthia Rockwell, proprietor of Rockwell Remedies, and this is my security manager, Jonathan."
The old man's eyes darted between them, confused.
Rosa continued, undeterred. "We specialize in specialized pharmaceuticals, unique blends tailored to specific demands." She raised the vial, letting the liquid within catch the light. "This, for instance, is a miracle aphrodisiac. It enhances stamina, allure, and pleasure, without side effects for both men and women."
The old man's expression twisted into disbelief. "Such a claim is… preposterous."
Clenching her fist, Diana stepped forward, her gaze cold. "Are you saying my employer is lying?"
The shopkeeper nearly tripped over his words. "No, no, of course not! I merely meant, if such a thing truly existed, it would be regulated by the Churches themselves!"
Rosa's lips curved in a slow smile. "Indeed. And it is." She tapped the vial's crack-top seal. The print of a Church approval emblem reflected off the glass—an illusion carefully woven over the mark she'd carved herself hours earlier.
"I went through the proper channels," she said lightly. "I even used it myself. I wasn't always…this alluring."Her gaze lingered, her tone threaded with amusement. "But I discovered what a single sip could do for my presence."
The man hesitated, caught between skepticism and the unease Diana's presence instilled in him.
"M-Madam Rockwell," he said finally, "would you allow us to have this appraised? It's merely a formality, of course."
"By all means," Rosa said with a gracious tilt of her head.
The man bowed, retreating quickly into the backroom.
Watching him disappear behind the curtain, Diana's arms folded. "You think he'll fall for it?"
"He'll fall for something," Rosa replied. Her voice was calm, but her eyes followed the curtain like a predator waiting for movement. "People driven by greed always do."
***
In the dim backroom, the older man placed the vial on a lacquered table where a pale-skinned figure sat half in shadow, toying with a mysterious trinket. The man was bald, had a long scar cutting across his lips, and the cold detachment of someone long accustomed to violence.
"She called it a miracle aphrodisiac," the shopkeeper said. "Claims it's Church-approved."
Raising his man's green eyes beamed with curiosity. As his expression shifted, he casually lowered the trinket on the table before turning the vial between his fingers, the liquid inside catching what little light the room offered.
"This is High-quality," he muttered. "A refined base compound of the Pain Enhancer line… modified. I can't tell what was added, but it's potent. Whoever made this knows their craft."
"Make the deal. Then have someone follow them. Once you find where they keep the rest, I'll send a collector to claim it."
The old man hesitated. "And… if we keep one alive? For production?"
The scarred man's lip twitched into something like a grin. "Do as you please."
Moments later, the old man returned, all smiles and sweating palms. As they expected, he spoke of cooperation and profit percentages, of shared distribution networks and the potential for exclusive partnership.
Rosa played her part to perfection, polite and calculated, while Diana stood beside her like a silent wall of muscle.
With the agreement sealed with a handshake and polite bows, they turned to leave. "We'll be in touch once our next shipment arrives," Rosa said, winking playfully towards the old man.
The man nodded too eagerly, his eyes darting to the vial still on the table.
As they stepped back into the street, the door chimed softly behind them. "Two of them," Diana murmured under her breath once they were several paces away. "The shorter one's tailing on our left. The tall one just crossed the street."
Rosa's tone didn't change. "Keep your stride steady. There's a mirror shop ahead, don't draw attention."
The street ahead shimmered with morning light. A row of decorative mirrors leaned against a storefront, their carved frames glinting gold and bronze.
Rosa reached out, letting her fingers trail across the surface of one, a faint pulse of spiritual energy threading through her touch. The mirror shimmered briefly, then stilled.
"These carvings," she said aloud with a casual tone, "Exquisite craftsmanship. Don't you think, Jonathan?"
"We already have a standing mirror," Diana replied, her gaze flicking toward a reflection that showed the two shadows behind them.
Rosa smiled faintly and stepped on.
They turned down a narrower street, leaving the busier district behind. The sounds of vendors and chatter faded, replaced by the hum of distant machinery and the cawing of crows on a power line.
'So far, so good,' Diana thought, her hand brushing against the wrapped gauze at her wrist. 'Now we just need them somewhere quiet.'
***
The taller of the two stalkers kept his eyes locked on the their backs . As he passed the mirror store, his gaze flicked over the standing mirror. For a moment, a faint, silhouette of a woman with golden eyes seeming to linger before fading.
'Am I seeing thing?'Slightly startled , the man shook his head and continued walking.
"Think they noticed us?" his partner whispered.
"Not a chance."
Carefully, they trailed the targets to a modest house at the edge of the district. From the outside, it looked rather unremarkable.
"What business owner would live in a place like that" he said with a smirk, pulling a small metallic cube from his coat. He muttered a short chant, frantically he funneled energy into it until a blue light pulsed at its core.
"Boss" he said, leaning closer. "We found their residence. We're returning now."
The cube vibrated softly, then a familiar cold voice answered. "Good work . Come back. We'll handle the rest."
The connection quickly faded.
"That Promotion is as good as ours." The man grinned gleefully.
"Ha! Maybe they'll even let us sample the product first," his partner joked, elbowing him.
They laughed,standing in the secluded alley beside the "apartment house", already counting their future earnings.
From around the corner, Diana's voice came from shadows as she watched the men laughing.
"You hear that?"
Nodding , Rosa lowered her hand with a small mirror, the glass rippled faintly before fading into transparency.
-Click ..She closed it with a softly and slid it into her hidden inventory.
"The illusion's in effect," she whispered. "They believe they've reported our location and are now returning to their base. The illusion bind their senses and should keep the one controlling the vines occupied, thinking his agents are still on route."
"It should give us enough time to comb through their minds before the manipulator realizes his connection has been severed. Let's apprehend them. Quietly."