By noon, Kiara and Zion returned to Nexus.
Given the time, she delayed reopening until one in the afternoon. Three transactions occurred before evening. She closed at ten and retired early, skipping monster hunting for the night but completing the remaining daily quests through crafting and sales.
Thirty credits earned.
Acceptable.
Twelve days passed swiftly.
Nexus began opening earlier, around seven in the morning, accommodating the new routine with Lucian. The adjustment proved wise. Within two hours, twelve transactions occurred, mostly single-shot pistols and ammunition.
The reasons were simple.
First, damage output between single-shot and semi-automatic pistols remained identical per bullet.
Second, most buyers hesitated to invest heavily in ungraded weapons without proven lineage.
Third, ammunition was expendable. Unlike arrows, bullets could not be retrieved. Continued purchases were mandatory, making it impractical for poorer customers.
