No good deed goes unpunished

The next three days passed like nothing. Leonid was as excited about his new home as Dai was and spent some time moving. Dai sometimes looked at him as he carried things while she wrestled with the giant boulder.

The business also prospered. She still didn't have many customers, but every day an emissary from The Ninth Clan of the Moon Serb came to buy her supplies. In fact, after he left, she immediately restocked the shelves, and it's a good thing she did it because the customers from earlier returned as well.

Dai now had a solid 347 SC on her account. But even though Dai had learned from occasionally treating herself with something, she didn't really spend on anything other than replenishing the shelves.

Although she was given some distraction, the threat of war still hung over her head like the Sword of Damocles. She hadn't told Leonid about that either. She didn't want to stress his old heart. That's why even though she wanted to go out and find Filn, she understood that she couldn't be careless. At least one Clan already knows about her, and while the problem seems to have been resolved, it was unlikely to be forgotten.

And she couldn't even talk about her cultivation task, which was about to expire soon. Rather than rush things, she decided that the best thing she could do was gain cultivation and thus some protection of her own. Being under the protective wings of the system is not something she is comfortable with. She worked in the shop in the morning and left it open for some time in the afternoon, but when no one came, she closed it and went to train. Of course, Leonid had to as well.

She pushed the boulder until her arms and legs didn't hurt and she didn't run out of stamina. After a short rest, she tried meditating according to the book, and when nothing happened, she continued until she was exhausted. To save time, she stopped going back to the old house as well and fed herself lasagna from the shop, although it did not affect her other than satiety. By the way, she also found out that they taste much better when they are warm!

*****

As Dai feared, Filn was worried.

He hadn't seen Dai in days. It was normal for her to leave, but never for more than two days. He was always worried that his childhood friend would one day not come back at all. It was too dangerous outside. He checked the market, but he didn't see her anywhere, shouting and attracting customers. She has always been the loudest on the market. But when she attracted someone, she took care of him as much as she could and did not cheat. She always claimed that without a good reputation, it would be difficult to sell anything.

When Filn couldn't find her at the market, he went to see her at home. She wasn't there, but through the small window, he could see signs of life, and the dust hadn't settled.

He was reassured by that, so he let it be that Dai was probably too busy. But the third day and the fourth passed and Dai still did not appear. The worries quickly returned.

This time he went to Dai's house with his beloved wife Teru.

They looked in through the window again. He looked the same as he had seen it last time. No one seemed to sleep in the bed and there was no shortage of wood in the stove.

"She hasn't been home since yesterday at least," he said with a concerned frown.

Teru looked at him. "Is it possible that she went out again?"

He shook his head. "Not that it's not possible, but she usually shows up at least for a while when she comes back. She's not irresponsible to her loved ones."

Teru sighed to herself. She would never admit it, but she really wouldn't mind if Dai disappeared. She didn't wish her any harm, she wasn't such a bad person, but she couldn't stand Dai and Filn's close relationship. Before that, she was quite hostile towards Dai and she tried to drive the two of them apart, saying dirty things about her in front of Filn. But Filn didn't believe any of it and even wanted to beat up the evil soul spreading such gossip. She was even more angry. When she couldn't take it anymore, she tried to give him an ultimatum. To her dismay, this was the first time the Filn of Transport had gotten angry and told her that she would not control his life and who he would be friends with. She almost robbed herself of her love. It took some time, but she somehow got over their strange relationship. And even if she still didn't like Dai, at least she didn't hate her.

Teru looked at the door. "Shall we look inside?" she suggested.

Filn followed her gaze. "I soften the hinges and then you unhinge the door?"

Filn walked over to the door and covered both hinges with his hands. He let them soften a bit before Teru dropped them off and put the door to the side. Teru could have easily smashed them to pieces, but friends don't break down each other's doors.

Filn entered Dai's house and started checking everything. He soon found out that she hadn't taken her gear so she didn't go into the wilderness. There wasn't even anything important missing like she was going to return home normally, but for some reason, it didn't happen. Filn's throat tightened with anxiety.

Filn looked up at his wife.

"Something must have happened to her." He confirmed.

"Could it be Horn?" Teru wondered.

Filn hesitated for a moment before shaking his head again. "Horn may be a bully, but he doesn't kill his people."

Teru and Filn went to the door again to fix it and left.

"His people?" she didn't know Dai was working for him.

"Well... the market is his territory. Dai sells there. He needs people in his territory to make crystal. And Dai used to give them to him." he explained as he softened the hinges again so Teru could put the door back. She crumpled the metal back, they also tested if they closed without problems.

"But Dai hasn't been on the market for a few days. Couldn't he be upset about that?" Filn hesitated. "That... is possible." He admitted.

*****

At that moment in the sky. A little wave of disturbance appeared in the Purple Rift. Without anyone noticing, a small bat began to fly down. The bat looked ordinary. Dark black and with a pink nose... which for some reason had glued a piece of gold paper.

*sniff sniff*

The bat sniffed the paper before changing direction and heading in another direction. He was approaching a human city. Evil flashed in his violet eyes.

*****

Filn and Tu slowly made their way back, Filn wondering where he could look for Dai. Maybe he could try going to see Horn if he didn't see her?

Suddenly they heard a loud sound of broken glass behind them.

They turned around only to see that one of the two small windows of the Dai house was broken.

There was a noise from inside as something hit the wood, splintered, and tore, the house even shook more than once! Filn and Teru looked at each other before quickly walking away. Filn didn't believe it was Dai and knew he wasn't even inside. Whatever was going on there, it would be better if they didn't interfere. When there was another loud bang, they decided they had better run.

A black, purple blur flew past them and stopped in front of them, shaping into a slim woman with skin as black as tar but bright purple hair and equally purple eyes.

She parted her black lips to reveal white teeth that were all too sharp.

"Human. Where is it?" she asked, her voice dripping with disgust at the word "human".

Both Filn and Teru shook with fear as the woman looked unnatural. A human mutant? And what scared them more than her appearance was the sheer sense of dominance they felt from her.

Filn cautiously found his wife's hand and stepped forward and in front of her, and even though he suspected that his protection would be of no use, he had to act like a proper man and husband.

"M-miss…. we… don't know. We don't know where she is." He replied stuttering. Filn was just glad it didn't really know where Dai was. He didn't have to risk a lie, but he couldn't understand what Dai had gotten herself into. Why would a mutant woman seek her out?

Violet eyes pierced them. "You were inside. I felt you. You know it. Where is the thing that refused my lady's favor?!" she stamped her foot and was with them in no time. Her hand landed on Filn's shoulder and there was a sound of bone snapping.

Filn immediately paled and his eyes filled with suffering. "AAAHH!!!" he roared, crashing to the ground where he rolled over in pain, clutching his crushed shoulder.

"FILN!" Teru cried and rushed to him.

The woman wasn't done. She pushed Teru so that she flew two meters into the air and landed a few meters away where she moaned in pain.

"N-no...." Filn's voice trembled as he saw this. The woman stepped in her direction, Filn suppressed the pain and grabbed her ankle with his good hand.

"Please! Please! We really don't know anything!" he shouted.

The woman fixed her cruel purple eyes on him.

She shook off his dirty touch. "You find it. And bring it. I'll wait here. If not. Your female will be slaughtered. And you too."

Filn couldn't do anything to stop the mutant woman, he just lay there helplessly watching as she grabbed Teru and dragged her back to the Dai house. He was breathing heavily as he endured the pain and slowly got to his knees. He clutched his shoulder and the sharp pain nearly knocked him unconscious.

Dai, what did you get yourself into? What did you get us into?

*****

Dai tried to cultivate again. Sweat was still running down her forehead from exertion. Behind her closed eyes, she gazed with her inner vision at the white dots floating all around. She knew this was the energy she needed to store in her body. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't pull them together. She already had three days left. Almost two actually. If he fails, what will he do? She couldn't stay trapped here forever. Was it possible that this was really what the System was after? However, she could not afford such thoughts. The system could hear her thoughts, so she quickly pushed such dangerous ideas away.

Dai focused again on the energy points that faded as her mind wandered to other thoughts. After some effort, their glow grew stronger again, but they still weren't attracted to her in any way.

She didn't know what else to try...

And then it occurred to her.... wasn't it possible that she just needed a special way? Like everyone has to figure out for themselves how to boost their ability? Perhaps this cultivation method was simply not good for her? Could she somehow subconsciously reject the cultivation technique because it came from the same suspicious source as the martial technique? Could that have had something to do with it? She felt like she had figured something out. But...

System: WARNING! Urgent Task!

Description: A mysterious being is looking for the shop owner and has no friendly intentions. Deal with the danger!

Bonus: Combat the technique of your choice from 5 options

Failure: Death of Filn and Teru

Note: Boss, prepare for the worst.

Dai stared at the message and felt like a heavy stone had fallen into her stomach.

Filn and Teru can die!?