0016. Indus and Boundary

Jessica looks at Nile with a calm but serious expression. "Sit down," she says, gesturing to a nearby spot on the ground, her tone carrying a weight of authority. Nile hesitates for only a moment before he sits down, eager yet cautious about what comes next.

Maya, observing Nile's hesitation, pulls out a small, sleek device from her pocket. With a few clicks, she activates it, and an invisible barrier forms around them. "This will stop anyone from hearing or spying on us," she explains, her voice steady and serious. "Only beings of Level 6 cultivation would be able to break through it, and as of now, there's no one like that on this town island. Even Principal Hector is only at Stage 9 of Level 4."

Nile feels a sense of comfort knowing that this moment is private. He looks at Jessica, who now seems even more serious, her usual playful demeanor absent.

"Now," Jessica begins, her gaze sharp as she locks eyes with Nile. "Let's get to the point. You asked about decimal values in imprints. That's not a simple question for anyone in our line of work. What's going on, Nile?"

Before Nile could respond, Maya speaks up with a sudden realization. "Hold on—Nile, did you just say your imprint is transparent and attributeless?"

Nile nods, and both Jessica and Maya let out a sigh of relief. "Thank the heavens," Jessica murmurs, her voice softer than usual. "An attributeless imprint means no special mutation or external influence has occurred. That's a blessing, Nile. If it had been a mutated imprint with decimals, you'd be at risk for all sorts of dangerous experiments. You wouldn't be the first one dragged into such a situation."

Maya agrees, her expression softening. "Attributeless means there's no power that others could exploit... It's a clean slate."

But before the mood could settle into a calm understanding, Nile speaks up, his voice uncertain yet firm. "Actually… I do have decimal values in my imprint."

The moment the words leave his mouth, a heavy silence falls over the group. Jessica's face hardens, and Maya's expression darkens considerably. It's as if the air in the room has dropped in temperature. The tension is palpable, and Nile feels his heart race. The consequences of his words hit him immediately.

"You… have decimal values?" Maya repeats slowly, her voice tinged with disbelief. "But you said your imprint was transparent."

Nile nods again, feeling the weight of their gazes. "It's still transparent, but when I looked closer, I noticed the decimals. It's there, in the numbers."

Jessica and Maya exchange a brief but intense glance, and then they turn their attention back to him. The unease between them grows, and Nile can feel it. His earlier hope of understanding seems to have spiraled into something much more dangerous.

"Listen," Jessica says, her tone now grave. "We need to take action, and quickly. What you're saying… it's not just a matter of curiosity anymore. If this is true, your imprint might be much more than we thought. We need to make sure no one—no one—else finds out about this. Ever."

Maya's voice follows suit, her usual teasing nature gone, replaced by a hard edge. "Nile, you have to understand. The fact that you have decimals in your imprint means that you could be linked to something much darker, something that no one can afford to know about. If word spreads, if the wrong people get their hands on this knowledge…"

Jessica interrupts, her voice colder now. "No one can know about this. That's why we're going to take a Dao oath. All three of us. A vow, bound by the heavenly rules, to never reveal anything about your imprint to anyone, under any circumstances."

Nile feels a cold shiver run down his spine. He doesn't fully understand the magnitude of what they're asking, but the gravity in their eyes tells him that this is no small matter. "A Dao oath?"

"Yes," Maya explains. "A Dao oath is a sacred vow, overseen by the heavenly rules themselves. It's stronger than anything we could make here. The heavens will enforce it. No one can break a Dao oath, and the consequences for violating it are… severe."

Jessica nods. "It's the only way to keep you safe. It'll protect not only you but all of us. No one can ever know about the decimal value, the transparent imprint, or any of it. The oath will bind us for life."

Nile swallows hard, the weight of their words sinking in. He knows that this decision will change everything for him. But in the face of such dangerous unknowns, what other choice does he have? The Dao oath feels like a prison, but it might be the only thing standing between him and a future he can't even begin to understand.

As the three of them prepare to perform the Dao oath, the atmosphere grows heavy with the weight of what they're about to undertake. The rules of the heavens are not to be taken lightly, and the oath will bind them all for eternity. What this oath means for Nile, for Jessica, and for Maya remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: they are now bound by forces beyond their control, forces that could determine the course of their lives in ways they cannot yet fathom.

As Jessica and Maya finalize the steps and words of their Dao oath, they are unaware of a strong presence of spirit senses. Veena and James have been quietly observing from a distance. Veena, though feeling assured by Jessica's calmness and wisdom, continues to worry about Nile, unsure of the challenges he'll face moving forward.

James, proud of his adopted daughter for her decision-making, feels both relief and a sense of duty. He steps forward, ready to share his thoughts with Veena.

"I've been thinking," James begins, his voice tinged with a weighty resolve, "perhaps we should take the same oath. After all, this information isn't just ours to keep. We need to protect Nile from any potential danger." His eyes search Veena's face for a hint of agreement.

Veena nods slowly, the sense of duty clearly etched in her features. "Yes, we can't let this knowledge spread any further, especially if it involves something so risky." She glances at Jessica, then at Nile. "But there's more to consider. James, you've been around long enough to know that even the Dao oath can be overridden by the supreme rule. There's still twenty-five years before the boundary between our region and Indus is lifted."

James nods solemnly. "Yes, and once that boundary is lifted, everything changes. The world of Indus could bring forth beings with unimaginable power. But for now, we must ensure Nile remains safe, and that this secret stays between us."

Their quiet discussion, though laden with concern, carries a firm resolution to protect Nile, Jessica, and the very future of their world.