Business ideas

As we reached Jessica's apartment, I quickly ushered her inside and shut the door behind us, locking it securely. My heart was still racing from the encounter in the forest. Those ninjas we had stumbled upon didn't look ordinary, their presence was ominous, their movements too precise, and their aura unsettling. I couldn't shake the feeling that we had narrowly avoided something dangerous.

Jessica flopped down on the sofa, her expression a mix of curiosity and concern. "So... would you mind telling me now?" she asked, her voice soft but insistent. She had been patient, but I could tell she was growing tired of my evasiveness.

I hesitated, leaning against the door as I weighed my options. Should I tell her about my past life, my reincarnation, and the strange abilities I had gained? Jessica and I had only known each other for a few weeks, but she had already proven herself to be trustworthy. Still, the secrets I carried were heavy, and revealing them could put her in even greater danger.

"It's complicated, to be honest," I began, choosing my words carefully. My mind raced as I tried to find a way to explain without revealing too much.

"What's complicated?" she pressed, her eyes narrowing slightly. She wasn't going to let me off the hook easily.

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. For a moment, I considered telling her everything, about how I had died in my previous life, how I had been reborn into this world with fragmented memories and strange powers, and how I was still trying to piece together the purpose of my reincarnation. But something held me back. I wasn't ready to fully trust her yet, not with something so personal and potentially dangerous.

"I just felt that we would disturb them if they noticed us there," I said finally, offering a half-truth. It wasn't a complete lie. Those ninjas had been deep in conversation, and interrupting them could have ended badly. But it wasn't the whole truth either.

Jessica raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "Then what about us running back here? Shouldn't we have continued the training instead of fleeing like that?"

I shook my head, my expression serious. "Those guys didn't look like they were just discussing something mild. Meeting in secrecy in the forest like that... if they had seen us, they might have assumed we overheard their conversation. And people like that don't take chances. They would've killed us to avoid any unnecessary drama."

Jessica's eyes widened slightly, but she didn't argue. Instead, she sighed and leaned back against the sofa. "Well, we can always continue the training another time. Shouldn't you be heading to the old man's house? For training, at least?"

She had a point. Old Man Jaken was my mentor, a reclusive but incredibly powerful Apex Time Cultivator. He had taken me under his wing, teaching me the basics of cultivation and helping me unlock the potential of my healing abilities. But leaving Jessica alone after what we had just witnessed didn't sit right with me.

"Why don't we go together, then?" I suggested, hoping to keep her close. I didn't want to risk those ninjas tracking her down if they had seen us.

Her face brightened at the suggestion, and she nodded. "Sure, I don't mind."

We left her apartment and made our way through the quiet streets toward the forest where Old Man Jaken's house was located. The evening was calm, the air crisp and cool, but I couldn't shake the feeling of unease that had settled over me. As we walked, I kept a protective arm around Jessica's waist, my senses on high alert for any signs of danger.

Along the way, we passed a small shop that was in the process of closing down. The shopkeeper, a woman in her late twenties with a curvy figure accentuated by her skin tight outfit, was locking up the front door. Her expression was weary, and I couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy.

"Hey, what happened?" I asked, stopping in front of the shop.

She glanced at me, her eyes tired but kind. "I don't have enough money to continue my business, so I'm shutting it down for a while."

An idea began to form in my mind, one that could solve multiple problems at once. "Can I have this place until you're ready to have it back?" I asked, my tone casual but my mind racing with possibilities.

The shopkeeper raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "Sure, but won't it affect whatever you're going to be doing here when I get back?"

I smirked, my eyes briefly flickering over her curved figure. "I know how to pay for that," I said, my voice low and suggestive.

She caught my meaning immediately and let out a soft laugh. "You're one naughty boy," she said, shaking her head. But she didn't seem offended, if anything, she seemed amused. She handed me the keys to the shop and walked off, leaving me with a new opportunity.

Jessica, who had been standing quietly beside me, stared at me in shock. "What just happened?" she asked, her voice tinged with disbelief.

I shrugged, slipping the keys into my pocket. "I just got us a new hideout."

"But what did you mean by 'I know how to pay for that'?" she pressed, her cheeks flushing slightly.

I chuckled, deciding not to elaborate. "Don't worry about it. Let's just say I have a plan."

As we continued our walk, I couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement. The shop would be the perfect base of operations for my new venture, a small business where I could take on assassination contracts and use my cultivation skills to earn a living. But I couldn't do it alone. I needed allies, people I could trust to help me build this new enterprise.

Jessica seemed to sense my thoughts. "I have a friend who's coming over soon," she said suddenly. "I'd like her to join us. She's an assassin with a curse cultivation."

I stopped in my tracks, turning to face her. "A curse cultivation?" I repeated, my interest piqued. Curse cultivation was rare and feared for its destructive potential. If Jessica's friend was as skilled as she claimed, she would be a valuable asset.

"Yes," Jessica confirmed. "She's... unique. But she's loyal and incredibly powerful."

I nodded, a sly grin spreading across my face. "I want to meet her when she arrives."

Jessica smiled, clearly pleased by my reaction. "I thought you might say that."

We arrived at Old Man Jaken's house shortly after, and as expected, he was fast asleep. The old man had a habit of napping at all hours of the day, and despite his incredible power, he often seemed more interested in resting than training me.

"You've got to be kidding me," I muttered under my breath as I glanced at his sleeping form. "Is this all he does? How did he become an Apex Time Cultivator like this?"

Jessica giggled softly. "Well, at least it's safer here with him around."

I nodded, turning my attention back to her. "Why don't we continue the training since he's asleep? This place is as good as any."

We sat down on the floor and began to meditate, focusing on channeling our energy and honing our cultivation skills. But as the minutes passed, I found it increasingly difficult to concentrate. My thoughts kept drifting back to Jessica, and before I knew it, I had reached out and playfully pressed her breasts.

"Seriously, Ashbourne?" she said, her voice a mix of exasperation and amusement.

I grinned at her, unapologetic. "What can I say? You're distracting."

She rolled her eyes but didn't push me away. Instead, she leaned closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Fine. If you reach level 30 in a month's time, you can do whatever you want with my body."

My smirk widened. "Nice reward. Now I have something to make me work twice as hard."

She laughed it off, while I close my eyes.

We continued our meditation until well past midnight, the quiet of the forest surrounding us. When it was time to sleep, I insisted that Jessica stay with us for the night. Old Man Jaken didn't seem to mind, as long as she didn't disturb his sleep.

As I lay down to rest, my mind was filled with thoughts of the future. The ninjas in the forest, the new hideout, Jessica's mysterious friend, it all pointed to something bigger, something I couldn't quite grasp yet. But one thing was certain: my story was only just beginning, and I was determined to see it through to the end.