Vera and Colin's execution exceeded Allen's expectations. The day after signing the Soul Contract, the two split up. Vera returned to the Seven Towers Alliance to recruit personnel, while Colin stayed behind to hold down the fort in Hub City.
Their recruitment drive was not flashy. Instead of splashing money on advertisements in the Wizard Monthly Magazine, they utilized the alumni network New West had accumulated over the past twenty years for targeted outreach.
The recruitment notice was extremely plain:
"New West is sincerely seeking ambitious individuals. We offer a stable salary, cultivation resource subsidies, and a post in the commercial hub Plane. We don't need you to be a genius; we only need you to be reliable. —Wesren Heavy Industry and New Western Education Company."
There were no grandiose promises or gimmicks about a "million Magic Stone annual salary." However, this seemingly unattractive notice caused an uproar within the New West alumni circle.
