A Tool for a Trade

Alex and Wang Yanwei arrived at the Moonlight Alchemy store sometime later and were quickly taken to the top floor where Pang Mihua waited for them.

"Sister Mihua, thank you for the message. We came as quickly as we could."

Mihua turned to look at Wang Yanwei who had spoken and then to Alex who was just behind her. She gave an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry I couldn't do anything to help you."

"Did they come to tell you to stop working with us?" Alex asked.

"A man came earlier today and delivered this," she said, tossing a talisman over to Alex. Within it was written a list of apothecary stores that would stop working with her store should she not immediately stop supplying ingredients to their store.

"Who was this man?" Alex asked.

"Nobody related to the stores or the guild," Wang Yanwei said. "They keep a reasonable distance from everything by sending a third party to deliver this so they can say that they never sent it."