A day later, at around eleven in the late evening.

Anne and her sister were once again seated in front of a laptop in the same office unit as before.

They had expected the mysterious information merchant to send the results only after three working days, but it seemed that they had guessed wrongly.

They knew that there weren’t many hints to be found in a single image alone, so they expected the investigation to take quite some time.

It had to be mentioned that the image in question didn’t even contain distinct elements, making the investigation much harder than it seemed.

However, they had an inkling that the merchant might be able to pull something off.

They had already assumed the latter to be in possession of metaphysical means, courtesy of the test they posted on the forum.

The merchant in question had provided them with a vast compilation of information from only a single image, more than half of which they didn’t even know existed.

The sheer amount of information, both relevant and trivial, was quite unnerving.

They could only imagine the consequences if their personal photos ever came into the hands of the merchant.

Nevertheless, it was a testament to the latter’s ability.

If the merchant retained that level of performance even in this recent commission, then their investigation would already be considered half-finished.

To be fair, they actually had more relevant clues in their possession.

It was just that they didn’t want to risk more exposure than necessary, especially when the other party had already proven to be capable.

Modest as he was, Jay couldn’t have fathomed that the poorly-detailed image was sent not out of helplessness but rather out of cautiousness.

“That was quick. What do you think, sis?”

Anne was somewhat amazed by the efficiency of the information merchant.

“Hmm. Ordinary methods of investigation would take weeks, if not months, given the meager details in the image.

On the other hand, specialized metaphysical methods would only take a while, if not an instant, to excavate information.”

Her sister paused to drink coffee and continued right after.

“Sending the results only a day later could either mean that he was incapable of deeper investigation hence the early surrender to avoid wasting both of our times, or that he had enough propriety not to flaunt his abilities too much and alarm his customers.

Either way, it shows that he has enough tact to navigate these types of situations. Of course, everything will be made clear once we open the e-mail.”

“Should we open it directly, sis?”

“Go ahead. I’ve already installed some safeguards. You don’t need to worry about anything.”

“Alright, here goes…”

It was about two hours later when they finished the entire compilation.

They had never imagined that something could be dissected so thoroughly that there was essentially nothing left to uncover.

Of course, that was an exaggeration of the matter, as there were still many details that couldn’t be observed with the ordinary senses.

However, almost every attribute of every element in the image had been included in the compilation.

Even seemingly irrelevant details such as the chemical composition of seawater and the type of wood used in the pier were somehow included.

They could only thank the merchant silently that the latter actually bothered to arrange the data to make it presentable.

Although there was still a chance that everything had been thoroughly fabricated, they could just investigate the place in person if they wanted.

Also, considering that the merchant had been quite earnest in establishing a transaction, even giving a free demonstration of their ability, the sisters were inclined to think that the former wouldn’t do such foolishness that would destroy his credibility.

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

“Huh. So this is a real data sorcerer…”

Anne’s sister muttered under her breath while having a thoughtful look on her face.

“Isn’t this too amazing, sis? There’s no doubt that this person is a fellow ascendant, and a powerful one to boot.

I wonder if we could meet them in person. They would be an invaluable ally in our investigation.”

“Yes, they are powerful, but that’s all the more reason to steer clear of them. I had planned on establishing a long-term cooperation with them, but I changed my mind now.”

“Why though? Isn’t this a good thing for us, sis? They seem capable and trustworthy enough, at least when it comes to transactions.”

“It’s better not to reveal more details to this person, especially when they could gather this massive data compilation just from an image that didn’t even offer much.

After finishing this transaction, we should cut off contact with this person, at least until we have no other choice.”

“Fair enough. So how much should we pay them? This person didn’t even specify an exact amount but provided a range instead. How unusual.”

“Oh? This guy seems to be a noob. I would gladly give about a hundred thousand for the quick and excellent job, but it seems that they themselves aren’t aware of the monetary value of their work.

What do you think? I’ll let you decide on the remuneration.”

“Hmm. If you think it’s worth a hundred thousand, then let’s settle for that amount. I also think they deserve it.

Besides, I think it’s more than enough to show our sincerity, no?”

“Then that settles it. I’ll transfer the funds from my own account.”

“Wait, sis. If this person is actually a newbie, like you said, wouldn’t they get in trouble with the authorities with such a large amount?”

“You don’t have to worry about that. I have my own methods. Besides, they must have already made preparations on their side since they dared to engage in this type of business.”

“Oh, okay. Then shall we continue the investigation? I feel like we’re going to make great progress this time…”

-

Early morning, in Jay’s room.

Jay was keenly aware that the automated e-mail should’ve been sent the previous night, so he couldn’t help but check his virtual card account to check for any updates.

Much to his delight, a six-figure amount greeted his eyes. It was the most money he’d ever had, which instantly boosted his mood to new heights.

However, despite his mood, he only had a big smile on his face, without performing any exaggerated gestures indicative of intense excitement.

He didn’t shout or laugh. However, deep down, he was overwhelmed with happiness at his first windfall.

Nevertheless, he quickly noticed something amiss as he skimmed through the transaction history, which slightly toned down his jubilant mood.

The entire hundred thousand in his balance had actually been transferred in one go.

This worried him a bit. He had expected the client to be prudent enough to send the remuneration by batches as to avoid drawing attention from others.

However, he was also aware that it was partly his fault as he hadn’t specified this matter to the other party.

In his worry, he then quickly opened his anonymous e-mail account in an attempt to clarify the matter with the client.

However, before he could proceed to write a message, he barely noticed a message notification in the corner.

It was a short message from the client, assuring him that he didn’t need to fret about money laundering accusations and whatnot, as the other party had already taken care of it.

The somewhat nonchalant tone in the message indicated that the sender wasn’t Ms. Anne, but someone else.

However, this didn’t matter to him that much. He didn’t care about the identity of the person he corresponded with as long as they represented the same party and honored the same agreements he made with the previous correspondent.

As for the matter at hand, he was inclined to believe the client, given the sincerity they had shown thus far.

Nevertheless, he still felt that he had to do something about it. Otherwise, his heart wouldn’t be at peace.

Jay quickly distributed the amount across various mobile payment accounts he had prepared in advance.

Afterward, he abandoned the current virtual card account and set up a new one.

He realized the importance of specifying this matter in future transactions to prevent potential complications. He was still a novice in this field and hadn't developed the necessary safeguards yet.

It would take quite some time for him to develop the capabilities to do so. Until then, he would have to do his best to stay low whenever he could.

After the brief episode of panic, his thoughts gradually returned to the large sum that he recently acquired.

He could finally implement the course of action he thought about earlier.

Of course, before everything else, he had to transfer the funds to his personal mobile payment account. Otherwise, he still wouldn’t feel that he actually owned the money.

After doing a series of transactions between his different accounts, he finally transferred fifty thousand to his main account.

As a test, he purchased the most cost-effective, but still somewhat expensive, mobile data promo from the mobile payment app.

After he received the SMS confirmation about the success of the promo subscription, Jay could finally feel the matter sink into his mind.

-

“Are you sure about that? You don’t have to force yourself, you know.”

“Yes, Ma. I’m quite certain I’ll be alright. Besides, aren’t you proud that your little boy can finally stand on his own?”

His mother had the day off, so he chose this time to discuss his proposition with her.

“Yes, yes, of course, we are proud of you. There’s no doubt about that. But you are still a university student, and we also have the means to provide for you.

We just don’t want anything to hinder your education, especially when there are other options. Do you understand my point?”

“Alright, Ma. I understand. How about this? Just give me a chance to prove myself, at least for this semester.

If I ever show poor performance even once, then I'll stop what I'm doing and focus on my studies. However, if I can consistently show you good results, will you allow me to continue my initiative without any complaints?"

His mother sighed at the stubbornness of her boy, but she also recognized his prudence enough to seriously consider his proposition.

“Since you’re quite sure about it, then why not. I’ll talk to your father about it later.”

“Oh, I’m not worried about him. In fact, I think he would high five me if we talked in person.”

“Is that so? Are you implying that I’m troublesome? How dare you? Should I just cancel our agreement?”

“No, no, Ma. I meant that you’re more caring than Pa. You know, since he doesn’t check on my well-being like you do.”

“Really? Then I should tell him this later. Bye, son. Take care!”

“What? No, no…”