Chapter 20 - Alchemist Union (2)

As mentioned before, there were only 8 recognised master tacticians in such big university. The number was not fixed. All of them did not belong to same year. Last year 1 had passed out, year before that 3 more. Currently only these 8 were in college. They had their own clique and groups and definitely did not come in way of other genius 'Minders'.

But one group in it had two tacticians working and staying together. Not brothers or cousins but best friends. Theirs was the smallest group. It had commanders 'Devil' Dev and 'Sin' Sinclair. It was rumoured that one of them had links with one of the prestigious families in capital and may be even links with underground network. No one knew the truth. If one knew, they did not say it or they were already dead.....just joking!

These commanders had only 3 sidekicks - 'Worrisome' Wen, 'Happy' Happy and 'Simple' Samba. Wen went to car races to sooth his worries. Happy worked as loanshark. Samba...he worked as specialist bouncer. He was very simple. He would break joints of any one who was opposite him. A single creature with simple thoughts and simple method of action.

The background becomes a necessity when Saachi is 'invited' by these commanders and Simple Samba came in as escort.

Saachi understood the escort part on after reaching destination. Their lair was inside a maze. Without escort service, Saachi would have been bumbling around for days.

Then he had to talk with loanshark. " I heard you are always asking for jobs to earn money. Obviously you joined the game to make money. But don't worry, I can let you borrow money from me. The prices are also very cheap." Yeah, right.

Then the 'MINDERS'. Saachi still slipped in front of them though he tried his level best to hold all the details within him.

The thing is these sort of people did not just listen what came from mouth, they listen body language and micro expressions and the way people said no. These details gave more information than others.

Saachi : " But I don't want to end up in war between you tacticians. It will bloody and loss making."

Devil : " We have always steered clear of each other. We won't end up fighting, that too inside a game. We have more opportunities in real world itself."

Saachi : " From this time, out of 8 masters, 5 of them are placed in south portion of map. This means you will meet each other when your guilds reach high levels. Maybe you will meet others if you take map expansion route with a mind to occupy new frontiers. But you will meet and it will be bloody "

Sin : " By the time we reach those levels, more players would have come in to play, so we won't be fighting."

Saachi : " But you will still fight other players, right? I once played in similar game. I got caught up with battles and wars. My levels, my advantages- all were lost. The top people didn't lose anything. In the end, they compromised and became richer to boot. So...no, I will steer clear of all of you. That way, all of you can be rest assured that I am not increasing enemy's strength.

Devil : " You are not such a big asset that we have to weary of you."

Saachi : " Even I had thought so. Yet I was brought here for a talk, that means I have some value."

Sin : " Actually we wanted you to be our money manager. A fairly high level job, with higher pay and less risk of falling in levels."

Saachi : " Then the loan?"

Happy laughed. He understood the actual question. In the group, he was incharge of making and using money. Would he give up that job in game?

Happy : " You have a long way to reach my level, my boy. You would have started from lowest level and slowly increase the number of people to be managed by you. And the loan interest would have been even less. And , I would have taken part of loan repayment from every salary directly. Too bad, you are not ready yet. I like to work with people like you."

Saachi ; " I have no wish to work under any person. I can do deals, contracts with others but I don't want to receive orders. You know about me. That means many do too. I could have joined any faction and slowly climbed up to earn wads of cash. Instead, I am still toiling for coins. You should understand from it."

Yes, if there was any side effect of his previous life, it was this. He did not hate the world. He was not thirsting for revenge. He wanted to keep his family safe and he did not want to bow his head in front of anyone. He did not mind being poor if he could have his dignity. That was his bottom line.