I can feel everyone’s eyes boring a hole into me. Trying to discern where she could have found such a person, that could supposedly easily discern the nature of the codes that they’ve created.

Practically ignoring the unspoken question, she then moves on to her next comment.

“For everyone else, that doesn’t need to have their children retrieved, there will be more food and water brought in. Luckily, we had a recent kill of one of the underground beasts. So, you will be able to enjoy some more food to eat.”

Two giant spiders bring in a giant smoking beetle, clearly cooked over a spit and brought over. Even as it came through the entrance, the smell wafted over and smelled delicious. Several times better than that mysterious meat that I ate near the street stalls.

Everyone’s eyes are now transfixed on it, as they bring it right over and begin stripping it and handing out pieces of meat.

While this is happening, the spiders take away the dog demi human, while releasing but still watching and following the bird and lizard demi humans. They seem to get the message. The dog demi human’s mouth is bound, so no one can hear him scream as he’s taken away.

In contrast to the majority of people, the people with kids they want to bring come over to Gong and begin asking her to bring certain people.

Most of the people who make the requests asked to do so straight out and tell her what to bring or say to the kids to gain their trust. Not everyone that came over had children, but had little brothers or sisters they want to bring as well. Which we allowed, as long as they were sufficiently young. If they were old enough to take care of themselves, or Gong didn’t believe it would be a good decision, she denied the request. It appears that anyone above 13, Gong didn’t really consider a ‘child.’

Since we are trying to avoid contract deaths, we also reiterated that they could die if they are looking to betray the group. To only bring people who they truly believe they can convince. But also mentioned that they might not be able to see them for a very long time.

That stopped quite a few requests at the start, but also prompted others to come forward.

For most of them, though, there were no issues, and I’ve been using my scan to catch anything in the codes or the words they say, that shows anything else. It appears the scan uses historical references, and snippets of that person’s relationship to figure out any other ways that this could be used or secret codes that they might be using.

Using my scan this way gives me a pretty intense headache. Not to the point where I might have a migraine or go down, but pretty serious nonetheless.

Anytime I seem to have to look up secret information, it seems to cause more effort and issues. Things that are known to everyone are pretty easy, while things that are hidden but not secret, aren’t that bad. Anything that’s actively being obscured causes a bit of pain.

Luckily, secrets of this level can be discovered

Ultimately though, there are a few people who try to test us and Gong gives a long look to them before saying no, after I affirm they tried to pass information along. I’m surprised when she gives everyone a second chance to give a proper code. Which after the first code fails, everyone who tested us, seems to give a genuine answer.

I’m also pretty sure that some of the people who tested us were just seeing whether we could actually determine what their secret codes meant.

Over the course of the next two hours, more than a few kids are brought in, a total of 23 children. Which brings the entire group to 61 people, now a majority of kids.

The crazy part about it, though, is that many of the kids are much more mature than kids from my part of the world would be at their age. The downside of living like this, I suppose.

I’ll admit it, though… I’m scared. I can’t see a situation where some of these kids don’t get paralyzed. Hopefully, their parents or brothers or sisters can convince them. otherwise…

Regardless of my feelings, Gong has everyone signed the dotted line once everyone’s there.

Some children initially could not sign, but after some discussion with their parents or siblings, they seem to be able to afterwards.

As the last hand leaves the page, tiny thrum goes throughout the room.

That’s not exactly right. It feels like it went through each of us. Like a vibration slotting into place.

Silence.

Nothing else happens.

No kids or adults dropping dead on the ground. Just silence.

Huh, that was easier than I thought.

There seems to be a pause for everyone in the room. Eventually, Gong speaks up, clapping her hands together once.

“Well. This is a good sign. It appears everyone here is looking for this venture to succeed. Since that’s the case, we can move on to the action that was mentioned in the contract, that I believe everyone here will really appreciate.”

She motions a hand back over to me.

“As you all might have already guessed, there is quite a bit more than is apparent to the eye regarding our alchemist here. In actuality, he has a special technique, that allows him to transfer energy and heal people of certain wounds.

“Honestly, it probably is easier to show you, rather than just tell you.”

From here, she has the spiders bring out a chair. She then brings up the first person to be healed to me. It appears to be the small, but confident lion demi human from before.

This guy came with the group that Gong trusts earlier. And from the look she gives him, I’m pretty sure she trusts him quite a bit.

Before healing him, I give her a look. She nods back at me, confirming this is the moment. We’re actually healing this person. Raising my hands over the demi human as he sits in front of me, in the chair. Using the optional glow setting, my hands glow yellow as I feel mana coursing through me and out through my palms down to this demi human. My intuitive scan shows a number of different scars, traumas, and of course the curse that every demi human has on them.

1 by 1, I get rid of each of them, leaving the curse for last. Before our eyes, we can see him grow larger, fitter, and equally surprised as everyone else at the changes he’s going through.

However, it’s the last change, the removal of the demi human curse, that causes the most surprise in him. Causing him to snap his head back at me, in a way that’s very reminiscent of what Gong had done when I had done it to her.

He knows. It’s happening.

He goes silent, not saying a word. It appears no one else can tell what had happened in that last change. He gives a glance at Gong and I, before turning out of the chair and kneeling to us both. He speaks with a powerful voice, much deeper than it had previously, before he was healed.

“I, Xavier, pledge myself to this group and you two.”

There are some gasps, but he seems to ignore them. He locks eyes with me.

“I’m very grateful for what you have given me and understand now.”

Gone gives him a nod, which seems to prompt him to move next to us.

It appears he’s a leader for some in the group. We’ll be able to use this.

From there, Gong picks out each of the people from the most loyal going down to finally the people we are unsure of. All the ones who came with Gong’s trusted group follow the Lion’s lead. Including Jenn and the fox family, with whom I also make sure to heal the dent in their foreheads. While confused at first, everyone who is healed seems to subconsciously look at Xavier, the lion man and Gong, before staying silent, and moving to stand next to us.

Even just standing next to them is a bit intimidating. It feels like there’s a genuine change happening here. Making me feel even more nervous, honestly. Which is the truth, but no less nerve-wracking.

All until we get to the other group.