Skott? Him again? Isn't he done haunting me?
Seeing the texts from Skott, Stelle thought for a long time before reacting: In the original plot, Skott did have a role in this segment. And a while back in Penacony, she really did owe Aventurine money— a full eight billion credit points.
Though for the current Stelle, a mere eight billion credit points was just a drop in the bucket, unfortunately, so many things had happened in the past few days that she'd actually forgotten about it for the moment...
But she hadn't expected that the one coming to collect the debt would be Skott again.
What could one say about fate...? It's just unfathomable.
Stelle shook her head helplessly. No matter her attitude toward Skott, the debt to Aventurine was real and tangible. Speaking of which, why was Aventurine so careless with his own money? He hadn't even sent an account number—otherwise, she could've just paid online directly, how convenient?
"Sigh..."
"Stelle, what's wrong?" March 7th turned back and asked.
Stelle scratched her head and explained the whole situation.
"Oh, I thought it was something big." March 7th casually brushed a strand of hair from her forehead. "I'll go with you. Might as well stroll around anyway."
"I'll go too!"
Sunday suddenly popped out from the side: "This is my first time on the Xianzhou anyway. I can tag along and tour with you all—that's fine, right?"
Dan Heng: "...If that's the case, count me in too. Staying alone in the restaurant isn't all that fun."
...
Artisanship Commission.
— "I'll say it again: During the Wardance Ceremony, imported goods inspections are strict. We must open the crates for inspection before we can clear you!"
— "Then if you open and inspect, and it affects our cargo quality, we might as well not ship at all!"
— "Then don't ship! That way, no inspection needed! And your cargo quality stays guaranteed."
— "Then since the quality's guaranteed, we need to ship!"
— "Then you'll need the crate opening for inspection."
"..."
The moment they arrived at the Artisanship Commission, they heard two groups arguing from afar. One of the voices sounded especially familiar—no surprise, it was Skott, dispatched here on business.
"Hey hey hey, what are you all arguing about? This is a public place—what's all this racket?"
Stelle sauntered over to stand between the two groups, hands on her hips.
Skott whipped his head around: "Who's that? Who's sticking their nose in... Ah?! It's you again! You got here so fast?!"
Xiqiu (the Ten-Lords Commission employee Skott was facing off with) also looked at Stelle: "Oh? You're from the Astral Express? I think I saw you at the Palace of Astrum last time... Did you bring orders from above to help?"
She was really fed up with this company employee in front of her. Opening the crates for inspection would only take a few minutes, but this guy absolutely refused, dragging it out for over a system hour.
He'd even eaten into her lunch break!
Stelle: "Ah, not exactly that, but no worries—I've got a way to make him budge. Just watch."
Stelle rolled up her sleeves and slowly approached Skott, whispering in a voice only the two of them could hear: "Mr. Skott, you wouldn't want a debt as big as eight billion credit points to go bad on your watch, would you?"
Skott's eyes widened: What? This trick again?!
Last time in Belobog, he'd taken the fall for a rotten account there—not only did he lose three months' bonus, his position dropped a rank!
He'd only just gotten his position back up with the Penacony mission a while ago—he had no desire to relive demotion!
"...Mom, I'll call you mom, alright?" Skott looked utterly dejected. "You're the bigger person, don't hold it against a small fry like me. You can do whatever you want to me, but... please don't default on the debt. I really don't want to take the blame for the boss again."
"If they get used to pinning it on me, they'll never let me off the hook!"
Stelle: "Then how about giving me some face and just opening the crates for inspection like a good boy?"
At her words, a hint of hesitation appeared on Skott's face. "But... but this batch really can't be opened!"
Stelle stepped back two paces, putting distance between them, and deliberately said loudly: "Oh? Why can't it be opened? Could there be some shady secret in there?"
"Because... because if it's opened, the cargo quality will be damaged. I... I'd cause losses starting at ten billion, so absolutely cannot open!"
Stelle had long foreseen Skott's shrinking demeanor. She knew full well what was in the crates.
Wasn't it just the biological weapons secretly manufactured by the company and the Genius Society? Made using Borisin flesh and blood.
From what she knew of the Borisin situation so far, though Stelle really couldn't imagine how a "prison break" event could happen, the necessary precautions were still essential. This stuff didn't have strong combat power, but in The Shackling Prison, it could easily cause no small trouble.
If they could resolve this hidden danger in advance, that would naturally be best.
"In that case, I have reason to suspect there's illegal contraband inside." Stelle crossed her arms and said.
Skott gritted his teeth in anger: "What's it got to do with you? Are you in charge of this? Don't cause trouble—the Xianzhou has no right to arbitrarily open company crates!"
"What's with your attitude? Don't want the money anymore?"
"Mom! What's it got to do with you? Are you in charge of..."
Stelle: ...
— "Who's making all this racket here? Your voices carried all the way to me."
At that moment, a voice with a soft timbre yet incredibly gruff wording came from not far away. A voluptuous red-clad woman sauntered over slowly from the side.
Stelle: ?!
"Ah! It's Lady Lingsha!"
Xiqiu, upon seeing the arrival, hurriedly bowed in greeting, then detailed the whole situation. Lingsha listened patiently to the end, finally looking at Skott with a half-smile, half-smirk expression.
"Oh? Throwing a tantrum and refusing to cooperate... Is that how it is?"
Seeing Lingsha's unfriendly tone, Skott lost all patience: "Where'd this little redskin come from? How come so many people for a simple ordinary cargo transport issue? Is the Xianzhou's efficiency this low?!"
"L-Little redskin?" Hearing this term, Xiqiu immediately froze.
He's talking about Lady Lingsha? N-No, this is bad—big trouble...
"Hm?"
Lingsha narrowed her beautiful eyes: "You rogue are quite the scoundrel! This lady was kindly advising you, but you turn out to be so ungrateful! Truly asking for a beating!"
Skott gripped his hand, and a metal rod appeared in it: "Hmph, I think you're just deliberately picking a fight! Enough talk—if it's a fight you want, then let's fight!"
"Heh, don't say this lady's bullying you young'un." Lingsha snorted coldly: "The forging body techniques of my Xianzhou Zhuming are no joke! What's one more weapon today? Open for this lady!"
As her words fell, under everyone's shocked gazes, lines full of power sense roamed across Lingsha's slender skin, sharp as knife carvings. In merely a few breaths, Lingsha's height had increased by a full foot, transforming into a super warrior covered head to toe in perfect muscular lines...