"$7200," Zane thought. The number was correct. He had completed 4 projects, which should amount to over $35,000 after complete verification. As for the issue of trust? Well, there is no such thing in the dark web. Zane only worked with established companies that had built a reputation over countless years, but even that was not reliable. After all, he was essentially dealing with a bunch of criminals. In the dark web, trust is both the most important thing and the most fickle. One person or company might spend decades building a reputation of trust — which is good for business when doing things under the radar of the law — but the next moment, the same individual or company might do something to ruin those decades of user loyalty.
Zane smiled. Now that his bank account was no longer empty, he had to consider how to use the money. The first thing he thought about was updating his computer setup, building a local server. It was comical that a "hacker" was using a cheap $500 laptop. In fact, without using the library's server, Zane wouldn't feel secure enough to involve himself in such work. But the library still posed a major risk, and the last thing he needed right now was the FBI on his ass.
"Building my own setup is a must, but where will I put all the equipment?" Zane thought, glancing at his small studio apartment. "Plus, this money still needs to be clean, so it's best if I buy magic crystals with it." Seven grand should buy him 7 magic crystals, which would last his meditation for more than a month.
After making his decision, Zane continued scrolling through the web. Although it's only been a few hours, the Earthling's return has been a sensation. After 24 days, everyone could easily utilize their powers, resulting in countless images and videos online. Zane wanted to find some useful information, but it was mostly about people recounting their experiences or bragging, so he stopped. Just as he was about to rest, he received a message from Ziyad.
"That makes sense," Zane muttered. According to his cousin, Shamans are not taught in an academic class. Instead, all of them are taken to a scenic area with mountains, forests, lakes, and even a volcano, to learn directly from nature. The only time they returned to the academy was for the club fair.
[Zane: Don't you guys have club activities?]
[Ziyad: Everybody has joined the Shaman Order, which has many subdivisions and focuses that meet all our needs.]
[Zane: So, you guys are completely separate from us?]
[Ziyad: No, we have a dorm, and some people do return every Sunday.]
[Zane: In that case, how about we meet at your dorm this Sunday to exchange soul crests.]
[Ziyad: That's fine with me. I live in …]
…
According to the tower, all recruits must be back the next day by 8 PM, which meant they only had 36 hours to spend on Earth. Zane chose to spend the rest of the day relaxing, and at around 5 PM, Alisha finally arrived; she had been delayed at work and couldn't come during lunch.
"I'm surprised you called me here," Alisha said after Zane opened the door; she knew her brother was embarrassed about his apartment, so they rarely, if ever, met there.
"Don't worry about that," Zane replied, leading her to the small kitchen table.
"What smells so good?"
"I made vodka penne."
"Don't you still have leftovers from yesterday's meal? Why are you wasting money?"
Zane did not answer her.
"Give me a plate," Alisha said as she sat down, and Zane went to the kitchen to serve her the leftovers he planned to finish tonight.
"What was so important that you even invited me here?" Alisha asked as she chewed her food.
"Take a look at me: is something different?"
"Different?" Alisha muttered, her mouth full. She swallowed the bit before focusing on Zane's face. "You seem a bit more muscular than I remember; your face is also a bit thinner; your eyes are brighter than normal; and your hair — wait, didn't you just get a haircut yesterday?" She vividly remembered the picture he had sent her after the haircut and all his bragging about how handsome he was.
"Did you send me an edited picture? Is this some kind of prank? If it is, it's not a very good one."
Zane sighed, "I forgot how stupid you sometimes can be."
"Says the guy who couldn't tie his shoes properly until he was five years old," Alisha clapped back. The world might praise this man for being a genius, but as someone who knew him since they were in diapers, she knew how stupid he could be. So, she never truly bought into the "propaganda."
"My brain had other priorities, okay? Plus, I still tied it, eventually," Zane defended.
"Do you want me to list all the other stupid things you've done?" Alisha sneered.
"Aherm, we're getting distracted," Zane said. "Look, one day passed, and my hair has grown instantly, almost as if one month had passed — 24 days to be precise."
"You're one of the tower recruits!"
"Finally, you're getting it."
Alisha dropped her fork and stood. "No, no, this can't be. That's very dangerous. What if something happens to you?"
"That's why I'm telling you now. In case something happens to me, you must take care of Ma."
"Can't you quit? Tell the tower you don't want to be one of their recruits."
"That's impossible," Zane shook his head. One student had tried this, and he was rejected. According to the tower, the Supplement Accord forbade anyone chosen for the training program from leaving. "And even if I could, I don't think I would want to."
"Why?"
Zane reached for her spoon and, after a bit of mana channeling, easily bent it with one hand. "After acquiring this power, I don't think I'd want to give it up."
Alisha glanced at him, and she saw it: the former confidence. Back then, her brother had a certain air about him; you could call it arrogance, pride, but she called it confidence — the confidence that he was often the smartest person in a room, the confidence that his future was bright, the confidence that one day, he would have a lasting impact on the world.
But the moment he put on that orange jumpsuit, that air was gone. And every time she visited him in that hellhole, the confidence was not only gone, but she saw how it was slowly being replaced with darkness and despair. And even after his release, he didn't regain that confidence. Instead, it had morphed into a quiet fear — the fear of making another mistake, the fear of suddenly losing everything once again. In the past year, Alisha had seen how Zane was navigating the world completely unlike how he used to, always with a chip on his shoulder, afraid he would make another mistake, afraid of the world, and afraid of being sent back to that hellhole.
But now, for the first time in over five years, she saw that confidence again; the confidence to face the world proudly and fiercely — the confidence to pursue his dreams and desires. Alisha saw it when Zane bent that fork; she saw a glimpse of the man he used to be — no, an even more confident man.
"I see," she uttered before slowly sitting down. "Since this is the path you're on, the only thing you can do is your best. Is there anything I can do to help?"
"No, well, any chance you could lend me some money? I'll pay you in a few days after I receive my reward from the dark web."
Alisha frowned but did not comment on his job on the dark web. "How much do you need?"
"I'll take anything you can give."
"How about 25 grand?"
"That's too much," Zane immediately shook his head.
"Your safety is on the line, so, no, it's not too much."
"Can you move so much money from your savings without Sarah's complaining?" The last thing he would want was to further complicate Alisha's relationship.
"It's not from our savings," Alisha explained. "Ma forced me to open a secret account for an emergency before my marriage. And she and I have been building it for a while."
Zane secretly praised his mother before shaking his head. "More reason I shouldn't take it."
"Do you need the money?"
"I don't need it, but it would be immensely helpful."
"Are you confident in paying it back?"
"I am."
"Then, why are you hesitating?" Alisha asked. Without wasting another second, she logged in to her bank account and initiated the transfer. However, the way this account is set up is that Mama Sarfowa is alerted as soon as any major movement is made, so Alisha receives a call immediately afterward. She swiftly explained the situation, and everybody felt relieved.
"What exactly have you experienced in the tower?" Alisha asked.
After briefly confirming that he had received the money, Zane talked in detail about everything he had seen, what he had learned, and the people he had met.
"I can't believe you've experienced so much," Alisha sighed. Yesterday, they discussed elections over family dinner, and the next day, her brother entered a new world and expanded his worldview beyond what most people could even fathom. It was truly a mind-boggling experience. However, Alisha swiftly adapted. Unlike Zane, who used to denounce magic and spiritual practice, Alisha could be considered a semi-believer. Although she wasn't fully devoted like their mother, Alisha often prays to the ancestors and even has her own altar.
"I can't believe so much happened to Judy. I feel terrible," Alish continued. "However, she has no right to judge you. She has no idea what you've been through."
"In her story, I am the villain, and rightfully so. I just hope she'll one day forgive me. But, if she doesn't, that's fine too," Zane replied.
"Do you want me to talk to her? I can probably track her down on Facebook."
"I think that would make things worse. Plus, this is my mess to fix."
"I told you it wasn't cool being an asshole. If only you had listened to me back then."
"Yeah, yeah, you're always right," Zane rolled his eyes. Although it sounded like he was joking, he had long realized that he could have saved himself a lot of trouble had he listened to her.
The two talked for an hour before Zane called a taxi to send Alisha home. Then he went to the ATM to withdraw cash to pay Evans for the mini-fridge. While he was out, he also bought a few dozen cheap shirts for his guild missions every Sunday. Finally, he returned home before 7 PM to await Cindy's call.