The Broker's question hung in the air for a long moment as Jiang thought. What was he offering?

Service, really. The closest equivalent Jiang could think of was trading a meal at a tavern for a few hours of work, but he didn't really know how well that concept transferred to dubiously legal information brokers. Still, it wasn't like he had anything else to offer.

"I'm a hunter," he said bluntly. "I'm also at the fourth stage of the first realm, with a shadow affinity," he added a moment later. Considering this Broker had other cultivators working for him, maybe that would mean something to him. "I know how to track, how to move without being seen, and how to finish a pursuit."

The Broker's masked head tilted slightly, a gesture of consideration. There was no disappointment in his posture, only a thoughtful stillness. "A trade in service, then?" he asked rhetorically. "Interesting. Very interesting. Well, there will always be work for hunters, and Qinghe is full of prey, my friend. Two-legged prey, most of whom have long since forgotten what it feels like to be hunted."

A flicker of unease went through Jiang, and he suddenly got the feeling the Broker was getting the wrong idea about what he meant when he said he was a 'hunter'.

But he didn't say anything.

As if sensing his hesitation, the Broker leaned forward again, his voice becoming a reassuring murmur. "Let me be clear, Cultivator Jiang. I would not ask you to harm innocents. The targets I have in mind are thorns in the side of this city – extortionists, slavers, murderers who hide behind guild charters or the city's own apathy. They are men who deserve to be hunted." He paused, letting the weight of his words settle. "And I assure you, they are not helpless. This will be a proper challenge."

At the end of the day, did it matter? He was no saint – he'd killed before, first animals, then bandits. It felt… different, the idea of being paid to do it, but killing was killing. He didn't regret killing Kaelen – the man was a scourge, preying on innocents. While this might feel like a step into a different kind of darkness… he would take it willingly to save his family.

But that didn't mean he would step blindly. Some men may deserve to die, the predators hiding under the guise of society, but Jiang was not going to be a weapon freely wielded by others in service of their own goals. He would make his own decisions about whether or not his targets really were criminals.

He tried to ignore how the Broker's mention of it being a proper challenge made the idea a little more palatable. It wasn't just that Jiang didn't like the idea of killing someone who couldn't fight back, though that was undoubtedly true, but… well, he hadn't become one of the better hunters in Liǔxī because he hated the challenge. There was a thrill to hunting worthy prey, no matter how secondary the feeling was to helping his family.

"Now, as for payment," the Broker continued, shifting back to his professional tone. "We can structure this in one of two ways. A direct trade: you complete a task, I provide you with a piece of the information you seek. Simple. Or," he raised a gloved finger, "If you would prefer, I can pay you for your services in coin. You would then be free to purchase information from me as you see fit, with the added benefit of having funds for your own supplies and needs. It offers more flexibility."

Jiang's mind latched onto the second option immediately. Coin was a tool he didn't have but desperately needed. "The second option," he said without hesitation.

"Excellent." The Broker seemed pleased. "I hope you take no offence, but as I mentioned earlier, my business relies on certainty. Being a cultivator doesn't automatically equate to competence in the specific… disciplines I or my clients require. I would like to propose a preliminary assessment. A test, if you will, to verify your skills before we commit to a more significant arrangement – you'll still be paid for your time, of course."

He leaned back, the picture of a reasonable employer. "There is a corrupt merchant in the weaver's district who came into possession of an item – a jade comb – that belongs to one of my associates. The merchant, unfortunately, has proven reluctant to return it. I would like you to retrieve it. The shop is well-guarded, but I'm less interested in your ability to… handle guards and more in your ability to avoid them entirely. Infiltrate the premises, acquire the item, and return here. Do so, and we can discuss a more permanent arrangement."

The Broker paused, then added, "For this initial task, let's say… twenty silver for your trouble." He didn't wait for Jiang to respond or haggle. From a small, lacquered box on his desk, he produced a heavy leather pouch that clinked softly as he slid it across the polished wood. "All relationships are built on trust, so I'll even pay you in advance."

Jiang stared at the pouch, then back at the masked man, trying to resist the urge to splutter. 20 silver!? Paid in advance, at that? No one paid in advance, especially not in amounts like that. That was 2000 copper – enough to support his family for years, especially if they were even a little frugal with it. There was something going on here that he was missing. Some kind of test?

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

He shot a quick, questioning glance at Han, who simply gave a slight, almost imperceptible shrug as if to say this was just how the Broker operated.

"Consider it a gesture of good faith," the Broker said, his voice smooth and disarming, easily explaining away the strangeness of the act. "And besides, a man can't work effectively if he's worried about where his next meal is coming from. Qinghe can be an expensive city for a newcomer." He made a casual, waving gesture. "Take a couple of days. Get your bearings. Learn the city's rhythms. Complete the task when you are ready. I find that haste is the enemy of discretion."

Jiang reached out slowly and took the pouch. The weight of the coins was substantial and unfamiliar in his palm. It felt heavier than just silver; it felt like an obligation, a down payment on a debt he didn't fully understand. Unfortunately, he wasn't in a position to refuse it.

"The shop is called 'The Gilded Spool,' on the corner of Lantern Street and Silkman's Alley. You can't miss it; it's the one with the gaudiest red-lacquered shutters." The Broker stood, a clear signal that their meeting was concluded. "I look forward to your successful return, Cultivator Jiang."

Jiang nodded once, pocketing the pouch and turning to leave without a word, hoping it didn't look too much like fleeing.

— — —

The Broker – a name he felt suited him more than the one he was born with, most days – eyed the door the curious young cultivator had all but fled through. Of course, the age a cultivator looked was not always an accurate measure of their actual age, but in this case… well, Jiang Tian felt young.

"What an interesting young man," he said idly.

"Heh, you're not wrong," Han replied, slouching in his seat and rubbing at his jaw. "Reminds me of myself, to be honest."

"High praise, then," the Broker said, arching a brow under his mask.

"Hardly. I meant more in the stubborn, in over his head but refusing to admit it, way."

"Ah." The Broker paused. "So when he said he was a hunter…"

"He probably meant an actual hunter, not an assassin or thief," Han confirmed.

Well. That was a little embarrassing – he'd thought the cultivator's reaction was a little strange. If nothing else, it served as a reminder of the dangers of assuming things – believing an ally was competent when they weren't could be just as bad as assuming an enemy was incompetent.

It wasn't the end of the world in this particular case – even if Jiang got himself caught, there wouldn't be anything connecting them. He would be out the twenty silver, of course, but that was simply the cost of doing business. The opportunity to establish himself as a friendly face to a possibly up-and-coming cultivator was well worth the risk.

"…Not that it's any of my business," Han said slowly. "But… 20 silver for a job like that is a lot. And I've never known you to pay in advance."

The Broker leaned back in his chair with a chuckle. "I have to admit, it did feel strange paying for a promise," he admitted. "Still, you know as well as I that opportunities like a cultivator in need don't walk through the door every day. An early investment now may pay dividends down the line – and if the boy has future business in Qinghe, who do you think he will turn to for help?"

Han shrugged. "Fair enough. Not going to lie; I had similar thoughts when I nudged some of the guards to give him some instruction. Still, paying 20 silver to make a good impression is going a little far, don't you think?"

"It's not as bad as it sounds," the Broker explained. "The jade comb in question is a matter of some… political sensitivity. Apparently, it belongs to a particularly high-class escort, and it was found by a servant in a noble's bedchamber." He didn't say whose – Han may be a trusted associate, but one could never be too careful. "The merchant young Jiang will be stealing the comb from is related to the servant who found it and recognised it – he's trying to quietly extort the noble in exchange for his silence."

"Ballsy of him," Han observed.

"Yes, not much of a forward thinker, that one," the Broker replied dryly. "Still, for now, it's a tricky situation – one the noble is willing to pay a significant amount to solve. I won't be making much profit from it after paying our young cultivator friend, but I won't be making a loss either – and who can put a price on friendship?"

Han chuckled but then fell silent. The Broker found it amusing that for all the man loved telling random stories to strangers, he tended to prefer being quiet around those he trusted.

"Do you think he'll successfully complete the job?" he asked curiously after a moment.

To his surprise, Han nodded without hesitation. "No doubt. Kid's young, a little naive maybe – but he's determined. Whole journey here, I don't think I saw him do anything that wasn't meditating, training with the guards, or eating. One track mind, that one. He'll either go far, or burn out fast – and being a cultivator, if he burns out I reckon he'll take a fair chunk of the city with him."

The Broker grunted. Wasn't that the truth – cultivators were, in general, more trouble than they were worth for that exact reason. Something about using Qi seemed to make them… larger than life. And with the power they had, the trouble they got up to was rarely minor.

He hated them, personally. Not cultivators specifically, but more the idea of them. Too much power in the hands of a single person was always a recipe for disaster eventually. No one could resist the temptation to abuse their power for long. Still, if he wanted his plans to succeed, he had little choice but to use whatever means he could – and if he didn't have any cultivators in his employ, he would be at the mercy of those who did. The recent influx of cultivators who'd failed the various Sect's entrance exams was the perfect example of what a bunch of people with too much power and not enough control would do.

As it was, the one cultivator he'd managed to hire cost him more than a dozen other highly skilled employees – and did about a quarter of the work, at that. With the unrest in the city at the moment, though, he didn't have a choice but to pay the exorbitant rates.

Even behind the mask, the Broker was careful to keep his facial expression even. Soon. Soon, he wouldn't be at the mercy of those with too much power and not enough sense.

Soon, the board would be rearranged. And he would be the one setting the rules.

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