Both Carlos and Ning continued watching in surprise at the massive rock that had appeared out of nowhere and watched until it disappeared into thin air.
What remained was the crushed bodies of the two people that were caught underneath the rock. Not only the bodies but even the Essence sword and shield were destroyed, only their hilt and a small disc of the shield remained.
"Yikes," Ning exclaimed when he saw the bodies and turned around. "What the hell happened to the rock?"
Carlos looked at Alex with a shocked look on his face. "How did you do it?" he asked.
"What?" Ning asked.
"How did you… how did you make that rock?" he asked.
Ning shrugged. "I don't really know. I was just thinking of attacking them with a big rock and that thing appeared," he said.
Carlos's eyes drifted from Ning to his sword, and Ning noticed that.
"What? Do you want to steal my sword?" Ning asked. "I might be tempted to give it to you if you tell me where I can find that crystal mine of yours."
"What?" Carlos looked back up. "What do you want with the mine?"
"Sounds like a good place to improve my Essence rank, you know," Ning said. "So, are you going to tell me where it is at all?"
Carlos slowly held out his daggers once more. "I would rather kill myself than tell you where it is," he spoke.
"Damn, alright," Ning said and turned around. He started wrapping his sword once more. "Thanks for the money, I guess. I will go get a sheath for my sword and buy a few more things. I'm really curious about this world, you know?"
"You're leaving?" the man asked.
"Of course," Ning said. "There's no reason to stay here anymore. Especially since the guards might be coming here, you know."
"They won't," Carlos said. "That explosion from earlier, they will be gathered there."
Ning thought for a moment and nodded. "You're right," he said. "Still, I don't plan on staying around a place with so many dead people." He looked towards the road that was hidden by the house. "I suspect people have heard the commotion and reported it already."
Carlos couldn't deny that. He quickly picked up the crystal that Gerrin had thrown close by when the fight started. He found that there was no packaging to pack it in and simply wrapped it around his tunic.
"So, what are you exactly? Someone from some other gang?" Carlos asked.
"Huh? No, I'm a nobody really," Ning said as he walked away from the place. Carlos followed him.
"You don't strike me as a nobody," Carlos said. "I don't think you were trying to steal this from me, you didn't even know about it, so I'm curious why someone so strong like you would be looking for a job."
"Huh? I'm not strong at all," Ning said. "It is my sword that was strong. Oh right, do you know why the rock disappeared so suddenly?"
Carlos thought for a moment. "Are you only in the Physical Improvement realm?" he asked.
"I'm afraid so," Ning said.
"Hmm, then it is because your Essence wasn't strong enough to exist as a physical element for too long," Carlos said. "Don't you know what?"
"Nope," Ning said. "I know nothing about anything."
Carlos was surprised someone could admit to their ignorance so proudly.
"Anyway, if you're not gonna tell me about the mine, then goodbye," Ning said and walked towards the other side of the city.
Carlos quickly followed behind. "Wait," he shouted.
"What now?" Ning asked without stopping at all. Carlos quickly ran up to him and walked next to him.
"I have enemies in the city and they are most likely waiting for me outside," he said. "Can you please help me?"
"Dude, I told you, I don't want to help you deliver some package," Ning said. "I have no interest in that."
"What if I add more Earth coins?" Carlos asked. "I will give you 30."
Ning stopped. "30?" he asked while thinking how good that was. "No, I would rather have the crystals themselves. I bet they would sell for way more."
Carlos frowned. He needed to get Ning on this side any way he could. "Fine 50," he said. "And you won't have to deliver it. I will do it, you just need to be my guard. And I'll even put a good word with the boss to help you get into the gang. You okay with that?"
Ning paused. "50?" he asked.
Carlos nodded.
"How dangerous is the job?" he asked.
"Nothing more than what you just went through," Carlos said.
"That's… alright, you got yourself a deal," Ning said. "When do we leave?"
"Right now," Carlos said.
Ning looked at him weirdly. "You got the money here?" he asked.
"Yes," Carlos said as he brought out a pouch from his pockets. Ning glimpsed the two daggers hidden underneath his tunic as well.
"What else do you need to grab before we leave?" Ning asked.
"I doubt I have anything of those sorts anymore," Carlos said with a slight frown.
"What do you mean?" Ning asked.
"That explosion from earlier, I suspect that it was for me," Carlos said. "They have most likely exploded the place I was renting to stay."
"Damn," Ning thought. "They must really care about the crystal enough to come after you."
"Yes," Carlos said. "Now, can we leave?"
"Sure," Ning said. "But money first."
Carlos frowned and pulled out the pouch from before. He opened the pouch and pulled out 25 different brown coins.
"Here," he handed it over to Ning.
"25? You said 50," Ning said.
"Half now, half later," Carlos said.
Ning looked at the coin and sighed. "Fine, half later," he said and pocketed the coins. He had already received 35 coins just this morning, so he was more than happy.
"Now that you've received the money, can we go?" Carlos asked.
"Sure," Ning said. "Lead the way."
