"So, what's the plan?" Scott asked, his voice tight with urgency.
Daziel paused, considering, then said, "Mingxi letting us in… it's deliberate. She's ready for a direct approach. If we just barge in, we'll find nothing."
"Then what? We know what's happening. Are we just going to stand by?" Scott's agitation was clear now.
Daziel shook his head slowly. "Of course not. We just need to… shift gears."
"Shift gears how?"
"Direct's out. Let's try covert. Isn't that your company's favorite play?"
A slow smile spread across Daziel's face, a flicker of something sharp in his eyes as he licked his lips. "Don't worry. Tonight, you'll see. Later, we'll touch base with the Sky-Faring Commission, get their official line. This is Xianzhou business, after all."
Scott still couldn't quite read Daziel, but he nodded anyway. "Alright. I'm waiting for your good news, Brother Daziel."
"Yeah, yeah. Let's split for now. My stomach's growling. Need to grab some food." Daziel patted his stomach for emphasis.
Lowering his head slightly, Scott adopted a more obsequious tone. "Then, please, allow me to treat Brother Daziel to 'Shangziwei'? Been meaning to take the company's star out for a proper meal."
"Sounds perfect, actually…" Daziel agreed readily.
...
Evening descended. Daziel, having finished his dinner and bid farewell to Scott, returned to the inn.
He pulled out his phone and created a new group chat: Yukong, Sushang, Scott.
Daziel typed out a message:
[Daziel: Master Yukong, Miss Sushang, status report on your end?]
Almost instantly, Sushang replied, her frustration evident even in text.
[Sushang: Don't even ask, Mr. Daziel! We came up completely empty! It's like they knew we were coming. Everything was cleaned out, contraband vanished! Nothing!]
[Daziel: Did you dig into the Golden Pavilion Chamber of Commerce's accounts? Maybe something hidden there. They'd have to be laundering money somehow in this kind of shady business.]
[Yukong: Accounts checked. Found some… unusual entries, but they had paper trails for everything. 'Excuses,' as you might call them. No solid proof, I'm afraid.]
[Daziel: So, my gut says informant. Inside the Sky-Faring Commission itself. With a full team investigating, they'd have to get a heads-up to be this clean.]
[Yukong: Inside our Sky-Faring Commission? Damn it all! If I get my hands on whoever leaked this…]
[Scott: Seriously? Even your official Xianzhou organizations can't handle this? Looks like Luofu's rating in my report is taking a dive.]
[Yukong: Mr. Scott, hold your horses. This situation is an embarrassment for the Luofu Xianzhou, a lapse in our administration, and I apologize on behalf of the Luofu. But that doesn't give you license to disparage us.]
[Scott: Hmph. You just better get to the bottom of it! Best re-open bidding for the Golden Pavilion Wharf contract, and keep those crooks out.]
[Yukong: We will. Once this matter is settled, I will personally oversee the re-bidding process. However, that is not a guarantee of your company taking over the docks. Proper procedure will be followed for everyone.]
Daziel read through the messages, sighed, and summarized their findings for Yukong and Sushang in the group chat. The news from the Embroidered Spring House clearly ignited their anger.
...
[Yukong: To think such a depraved, filthy operation could fester in a place blessed by the Imbibitor Lunae's arrows! {Angry Emoji}]
[Sushang: Damn that Golden Pavilion Chamber of Commerce! Thought Secretary Mingxi was on the level. Turns out she's just as rotten as the rest!]
[Daziel: 'Birds of a feather,' you mean? 😉]
[Sushang: Yeah, yeah, close enough. {Head down Emoji}]
[Daziel: …Anyway, something's seriously off at the Embroidered Spring House. Those 'embroiderers' are almost definitely trafficked in from off-world, forced into… that kind of work.]
[Scott: So, what's the next move? Acquisition contract for Golden Pavilion Wharf's practically written. Just waiting for you to wrap this up.]
[Sushang: Why not just escalate? Report straight to the Divine Foresight? Send in a Cloud Knights squad. See how they talk their way out of that.]
[Yukong: Divine Foresight is… stretched thin. Cloud Knight deployments need a General's order. No concrete evidence yet. Can't just send troops into the Golden Pavilion without cause.]
[Sushang: Divination Commission? Could they… calculate something for us?]
[Yukong: Divination Commission's even busier. Navigational routes, volumetric calculations for docking ships – that's their priority. Can't trouble them with every little… smuggling case.]
[Yukong: No, for now, this still falls under smuggling and illicit business operations. Sky-Faring Commission jurisdiction. We have the resources. We just need proof. Then they're done.]
Daziel pondered for a moment before typing.
[Daziel: Simple, really. Evidence. Last time, I'm betting the Sky-Faring Commission op leaked. Gave them time to sanitize. Realm-Keeping Commission contact's risky too; informants everywhere.]
[Daziel: Direct approach burned. Time for covert. Hence, this group.]
[Daziel: Plan: slip back into Embroidered Spring House tonight. Quietly. Mingxi's not watching 24/7.]
[Yukong: Absolutely not. Too dangerous alone! Golden Automata guards, Chamber thugs… dozens of them.]
[Daziel: Exactly. Need backup. Someone to coordinate inside-out. Remember those cargo boxes in the Golden Pavilion? Bait-and-switch tactic. One of us slips in, meets me inside Embroidered Spring House, we find the proof together.]
Silence hung in the group chat for a few tense moments. Then, Yukong's reply broke the stillness.
[Yukong: I'll go.]
[Sushang: Then I'm going too!]
[Daziel: Too many raises red flags. Just one infiltrator needed. I'll be your inside man. 😉]
Daziel paused, then elaborated.
[Daziel: Master Yukong, you're the best choice. Stronger, level-headed. Miss Sushang… Still a little green, with all due respect. Best if Master Yukong takes point on this one.]
[Sushang: Hey! Are you saying I'm not good enough, Mr. Daziel? {Aggrieved Emoji} {Aggrieved Emoji}]
[Yukong: Understood. Cargo loading point – where is it?]
[Daziel: Address incoming. Group chat, in one hour. Meet point: [Coordinate 313.22]]
[Yukong: See you then, Mr. Daziel.]
[Sushang: Good luck! {Clapping Emoji} {Clapping Emoji}]
[Scott: Break a leg. Already sketching out logistics for when we snag those docks. 😉]
...
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