“Very well. Let’s handle your other matters first. After those have been taken care of, we’ll head to the back and discuss the other items.” The large receptionist told them.

  “That’s fine.” Angie handed the man her guild card, which marked her as a member of her father’s company and gave her more legitimacy than a regular unaffiliated merchant might have.

  He entered her information into the system and nodded once. “It looks like you have sold herbs to the guild before and there were no complaints after the transaction. Very good. Let me call for the inspector.”

  ***

  The sale to the Merchant’s Guild went off without a problem, after which they were given the information for the auction. It was an open auction. No invitation was needed, though they would need to submit a deposit upon entry simply to prove that they had the ability to pay for their items. If they didn’t buy anything, then it would be returned at the end.

  When all of that was taken care of, and they had much more money than before, they were escorted to the local guild master’s office.

  Sitting behind the desk was a middle-aged woman surrounded by papers that hid her all but the barest edge of her name plaque and twin computer monitors. Her auburn hair was beginning to show the slightest streaks of gray, and one side of the room held all the different items from a life as a professional expeditioner. She was not as active as she had once been, but like everyone else, she was still a cultivator.

  “So, I’m led to believe that you have information on the dungeons, including one that you believe to be the first?” The guild master asked doubtfully.

  Angie nodded. “That is indeed the case. Before we provide you with any more information than has been given already, we need to talk about rewards.”

  The guild master gave all three of them a wolfish smile. “Ah, you want to know about the rewards?”

  Angie rolled her eyes. “This is the Merchants' Guild. Why else would people give you information? There needs to be something in it for themselves. No decent merchant gives their wares away for free, after all.”

  A glimmer of respect entered the woman’s eyes, though she continued to push the matter for the next couple of minutes.

  “Hmph, well, at least you seem like you’re more on the level than most of the recent idiots who have come in seeking rewards for their supposed information.” She said finally, standing from her chair to fetch a large map of the States. “The rewards are commensurate with the amount of information provided. The more information you have, the better the rewards.”

  At that, Angie looked back at Nate, deciding to let him take the lead in how much to reveal. Seeing her look, he stepped forward and spoke for the first time since entering the room.

  “I’d be honestly surprised if you didn’t already have information on this dungeon,” He put his finger on a section of the black forest in the foothills of Colorado. “Right around this area is where the dungeon should be. I’m sure you have the exact location of the dimensional zone for that area marked on another map.” He moved his finger to the right and up a little. “This is where our home city is, so we’re pretty close to that particular zone.”

  Behind him, Angie decided to add her own quick input. “I’m sure you know about that dungeon. There is a Merchant Guild in the city.”

  The guild master slightly smirked and gave them a half-nod. “Indeed, but continue.”

  Nate grabbed a few different objects from around her desk. “While on our trip, we also came across dungeons in these locations. We can also give you the information about the dungeons themselves.” Several of which Nate had created along the way. “Now, here is something you almost certainly don’t know, at least not in full. A little over a month ago, the dungeon back home evolved.”

  It took a couple of minutes, however, the three of them managed to convey a carefully edited version of everything that had happened.

  After they finished telling her the story, Nate took up the reins again. “We just received a message that a new feature has appeared inside the community. It’s a portal that leads to a second community, though they’re not sure where yet.”

  It was a gamble telling them this much. However, Nate was hoping that they would disseminate the information about what the dungeons were doing.

  The older woman’s fingers tapped on her desk as she thought. “What do you think, Ryan?”

  “A few of the locations are easy enough to confirm, and the information on the dungeon near their home, in particular, will be easy to look into.” The large man had his arms crossed and was thinking about her question seriously.

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  “Assuming the information can be confirmed, then I believe it would be best to spread the word that the dungeons are not to be touched in a negative manner. We have already seen a marked decrease in monsters appearing from the dungeons versus the regular dimensional zones. This would just let everyone know that it is business as usual and that they shouldn’t harm the dungeons.”

  “I agree. Get in touch with the guild at their city and see if Nathaniel’s parents, the Holmes would be willing to escort someone from the guild. Once the information has been confirmed, or proven false, then we can move forward.” She placed her elbows on the desk and leaned forward. “Now, what sort of rewards are you looking to receive for this information?"

  The three shared a look and shrugged. “How valuable was the information?” Lindsay asked after a moment.

  “Considering you may have given us the answer to their very purpose for being here, very.”

  “We wanted to go to the auction to buy supplies for our home city, items that they can’t make there. Portable arbalests, ballistae, storage bracelets, and the like.” Nate told her. “Would it be possible to get some of those items from you, or perhaps some specialized energy skills and meditation arts?” His eyes lit up. “Actually, I’ve been looking for information on how to create a dual-element meditation art. I know how closely the information on those is guarded, and well, getting one would certainly speed things up for me.”

  Lindsay smacked the back of Nate’s head while shaking her head. “Didn’t Mister Jones tell you to keep that on the down low?”

  He rubbed the back of his head and shrugged. “Sort of. The knowledge on how to do it is indeed valuable, but that’s all. Plenty of people could practice multiple cultivation mediation arts if they knew the right types. I think we even touched on this topic once.”

  “Did we? Oh?” She shrugged. “I don’t remember. Sorry for hitting you then.”

  The woman chuckled and turned to the large man behind them. “Ryan, would you be willing to talk to your father for me? Tell him that if he gives the boy the information he needs in full, I’ll give him the ‘Model T’ he has been lusting after from my collection all this time.”

  “An original Ford Model T?” Nate asked curiously. “That’s how you all do business out here?”

  “Favors and the exchange of goods that are meaningful to the other party are often more powerful than money once you reach a certain point.” She explained. “I’m no longer as active on expeditions as I once was and any benefits to my health and lifespan from cultivation have already been reached. The next milestone that would provide noticeable benefits is out of reach, so… Really, there are only a few things to work toward.

  “My hobbies, collecting alchemical aids since I haven’t completely given up on reaching the next cultivation stage, and spending time with friends and family. As for money, when you reach my age, the difference between a couple of extra million and not is immaterial. It’s just money. I have plenty of it. A little bit more isn’t going to make me happier or allow me to suddenly buy something I couldn’t before.” She tilted her head at Ryan. “His father and everyone else of any worth thinks the same.”

  Angie reached for the woman’s desk and gently moved the papers that had been obscuring her nameplate. A small gasp escaped her mouth as the name came into view. “I apologize if this is rude, but just how old are you?”

  Throughout the entire conversation, they had never gotten her name, not until Angie moved those papers, that is. ‘Nancy DeHoite’. It was a name they had heard about in school. The woman that name belonged to was one of the original cultivators in America, if not the entire Earth.

  The guild leader leaned back in her chair and laughed. “I guess I never introduced myself, did I?” She winked. “I don’t look bad for a woman who is just over a hundred years old.”

  “I need to tell George that he needs to start focusing on cultivating again,” Nate muttered after he regained his composure.

  “Don’t bother. He stopped actively cultivating years ago because of what happened with his son and Claire. Nothing has changed,” Angie told him, keeping her eyes on the guild master. “If you’re just over a hundred, then the stories about how young you were when you formed your core were true.”

  Nancy nodded. “I was the youngest among our group. Not the most talented, or anything, I was simply related to the head researcher. My mother wanted to give me the best chance at staying alive that she could, and it worked. Ryan’s father came from a few groups after mine. Mother continued to refine the process and helped develop the initial meditation models and mediation arts. We had help, obviously. Global communication hadn’t been fully disrupted just yet, and people had found cultivation manuals on some of the invaders. Translating them was the hard part, it still is.” She waved a hand in the air. “That’s all in the past though.”

  “Still, it’s nice to meet one of the firsts, and thank you for everything your mother has done for humanity,” Lindsay told her solemnly.

  Nancy took her words with grace, and then slightly quirked her lips. “Thank you for saying that. Although, it seems like someone has taken up my mother’s work in saving humanity and may even have a proper solution this time. Assuming your words are true, of course.”

  Angie discreetly looked at Nate with a fleeting, complicated look appearing on her face.

  “They are,” He assured her.

  She stared off to the side, where a row of photographs sat on her shelves. “I would like that. I was born a few years after the dimensional zones first appeared, and yet if I can see them be brought under control, I will be extremely happy. Whoever the mysterious person or being is, that has created these dungeons, I can only hope they have good intentions. Not that we have a say in the matter, regardless.”

  She turned back to them. “Now, concerning your other rewards. Once we have confirmation, they can be dispersed to you. So, we need to know what specific items you want, so we can begin retrieving them. Just know that should your information be proven false, a fine will be levied against your merchant account.” Nancy finished seriously.

  ***

  “Well, that was an experience,” Nate muttered once they were all safe inside the Overlander a while later. “I was not expecting to meet a historical figure today.” He pulled out the phone they had been using whenever they were in a city and began putting a message for his parents together.

  If they were going to be getting supplies for the city, then it made more sense for them all to pick up the items from the community outside the dungeon, than waiting for them to return in a few months.

  It would be a nice chance to see his parents again and update them on the latest changes to the community. However, they would be discovering a few of them on the trip with the people from the Merchant Guild.

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