After Sam left, Sia just stood there with a lot of thoughts going on in her head. She doesn't know how to react to this situation or how to proceed. The rational thought would be to kill Sam and be done with it.
Their secret would be safe and they can proceed with their lives as they are now. But the thought killing Sam didn't feel right in her head. She felt extremely uncomfortable. She looked at the wheat field they are working on and moved towards the hill nearby which had a creek that led to an underground room.
Within the secret room, Gran is looking through some letters.
Twin sisters. The resemblance is uncanny not just physically but also in terms of their temperment. They are extremely similar. At this moment the only difference is that Sia is in a gloomy mood.
"What happened Sia? Why are you unhappy? Did Sam do anything?" Gran asked with concern.
"He knows."
"What?"
"He knows about us.
When she heard this, the first reaction of Gran is that Sia must have told him and wanted to get angry but when she saw her sister's mood, she knew that there is more to it.
"How did he know?"
"I don't know how. But he knows and he came here to talk to me about it. He gave us a job offer."
With that, Sia went on to explain what Sam said.
"So, what do you want to do?"
"I don't know, Gran. You tell me. What should we do?"
"Do you really want this?" Gran asked as she looked Sia in her eyes. But Sia averted eye contact.
"You really fell for him didn't you?"
Gran said with a helpess sigh. After some thought, she spoke.
"Let us consider this. Think this through and tell me what you really want to do. If you really want to pursue this, I will support you wholeheartedly. In fact, I really think you should take it upon this offer. What he said is right. You cannot become the greatest bartender and wine maker when you hole up in a planet with no actual residents or resources to speak of.
You need to explore more and see new places."
"What about your.." Sia wanted to say something, but Gran immediately cut her off and said.
"Don't worry. All these years, you gave up your dream to realize man. Maybe it is about time I do the same for you. Anyway, this will also help my dream. I will be the master thief that is known across the realms and you will be known as the best wine maker of all realms.
But only few shall now that we are sisters until the day we die.
So, if you really want to pursue this offer, you can speak your mind."
Sia nodded and both of them sat there as they talked for a while and finally Sia gave her opinion.
"I would really like to take this offer. That is only if you are okay with it. If you have any form reluctance please reject it."
"Well, my only reluctance is due to the fact that you want to pursue more than just a job after and explore more than just ingredients for liquor."
Sia didn't know what to say and pretended like she didn't hear anything. But Gran continued.
"We will decide on what to do with that offer. But before that, let me test him once."
"Test?"
"In a few days, our annual sister bonding day is coming. I will use that to test him."
"But Gran.."
"Don't whine. I will be fair to him. Don't think I am some kind of devil."
Sam is roaming around the city and went back to his residence at night and he was about to take a shower, but he halted in his tracks and said.
"You know you could use the front door and visit properly. You don't have to sneak in."
He turned around with a smile after he spoke. Gran is standing beside the window completely cloaked.
"Why did you offer that job?"
"I think I was pretty clear with your sister."
"How did you find out?"
"That is a secret. You wouldn't tell me your trade secrets would you?"
Gran didn't reply but Sam continued.
"If you are here just worried about how I found out your secret and whether if it will affect your hiding efficiency of your identity, you don't have to worry. My secret and your secret is safe with me.
In fact, no matter what your answer is, I will be leaving this planet after I receive. I don't have time to horse around here too much and I certainly don't have time to mess with your life or secrets. So, Don't worry and come back when you have an answer."
"My sister, really likes your offer." Gran replied calmly.
"Oh? What about you?"
"It is not bad. It is the most straightforward offer I got. But before I make a decision, I want to test you."
"What kind of test?"
"A race."
"Race?"
"There is a mountain to the north of the city. It will take around four to five hours for me to travel at full speed. Many people know about it. But what many people don't know is that it is also a safezone like this city. But the mountain is so steep that no one bothered to occupy it.
Two days from now. We are going to race there?"
"That is it?"
"No that is not it. Here comes the main part. Two days from now, an event will happen on this planet. All the nine moons will come close to each other and closer to the planet and their gravity fields will cause meteor showers to happen. You can see all the moons in the morning and the meteors will strike every place except the safezones.
We are going to race in that situation.
I will suppress my cultivation level to yours, so don't think too much about it being unfair. I will make my decision after the race is over and my decision is final."
"Okay then."
Sam agreed and she left as swiftly and as sneakily as she came. If not for Sam's presence, nobody would have ever thought that she was there.
The next day, Sam started his inquiry about this special natural event and he got some details.
This event is not just simple as a meteor shower and natural disaster. There is a lot more going on with this and what follows this event is also one of the most dangerous times to spend on this planet.
The meteors that bring destruction on to the planet also bring a bunch of resources from the moons to this planet.
And once the shower is over on that day, the whole unsafe zones are scavenger zones for all the people and they search for these resources.
People kill each other for all the materials, spiritual energy resources that this planet brings and this week is also the busiest time for Gran.
All kinds of assignments would be given to her by these people. They don't care whether she would take it or not, but everyone would give assignments. Someone even gives assignments which are asking for her to not to take any assignments against them.
In fact, this week alone would bring a few months' worth of income for her.
In the next two days, Sam carefully prepared mentally for what is to come.
He decided to not use the dimensional drifters, transference scrolls or even harbinger since the other party is kind enough to suppress her cultivation. Any of these three things are complete cheats and there would be no point in this competition at all.
On the third day, Sam moved out of the residence and went to the North gate of the city before dawn.
There Sia and Gran are waiting. Gran still wore that cloaked attire.
Sia had that usual tender smile and Gran is looking at him coldly.
"We will start here and the first person to reach the top of the mountain wins." Gran said as soon as she opened her mouth. He just smiled at her and turned to Sia.
"I heard you liked the offer. Thanks for considering it."
She didn't reply and just smiled shyly.
"Anyway, I heard a big deal about this natural event. I am kind of looking forward to it."
"Don't say it until you see it." Gran said as she looked at the sky. Sam also looked upwards all the moons are getting closer and they became visible. The sky is looking beautiful and soon he started seeing some bright dots falling towards the earth and the whole earth quaking slightly.
He turned around to take a look at the city which is currently desolate. Everyone is holing up inside and from what he heard, even the tables at the inns are for rental today.
He is nervous and excited at the same time.
"Let's do this." He spoke and Gran and Sam started running towards North.
