The strategy session deepened as the night wore on, transitioning from broad tactical strokes to the granular mechanics of a cold, professional occupation.
They meticulously mapped out the alchemy rooms to be hidden within the Jin Clan's fortified warehouses, calculating the precise number of Alchemists required to maintain a steady, untraceable supply. Lixue and Meng Yan collaborated on a roster of alchemists whose loyalty was beyond reproach, while Shen Yu dictated the formation of "Guardian Cells", small, lethal units of shadow guards trained to kill silently the moment an outsider breathed too close to the brewing chambers.
By the time the final ink dried on the revised trade maps, the candles had burned down to guttering stubs, and the heavy silence of midnight had claimed the estate. The intellectual fire that had fueled the room for hours finally settled into a thick, expectant tension.
