The atmosphere of the conversation stiffened instantly.
Facing Rudolf's staunch refusal, Ai Qing was not annoyed. Instead, she interlaced her fingers and placed them on the desk. "May I have a reason, Mr. Rudolf? You didn't even let finish. It's only about cooperating with a minor operation. I just want to check the passenger list of the Group Star, which shouldn't be difficult for you, should it?"
"This is the private property of the Fred Family, ma'am."
Rudolf frowned, replying unhappily, "On the Group Star, the Astronomical Society has no enforcent rights. We will not allow our guests to be disturbed because of so nonexistent problem."
Ai Qing fell silent for a mont, then suddenly asked, "What if I insist?"
"Then I will insist too."
Rudolf said indifferently, "I am obliged to do so. Please excuse ."
The influence of the Astronomical Society might work elsewhere, but not on the Group Star.
The Group Star itself had intricate connections with the Astronomical Society. Without high-level relationships, how could one acquire Utopia's heritage and install Osiris's auxiliary engine on their own ship?
Although it was operated by the Ancient Group, its true ownership belonged to the Fred Family, one of the Pureblood lords dominating the Aegean region within the Ro Genealogy.
If the world of Sublimators had a social structure, then these families, involved since the founding of the Astronomical Society, would undoubtedly occupy its very apex.
They were known as 'Purebloods,' bearing the sacred nas of their ancestors and continuing to this day. Even in the embryo, every legitimate descendant inherited the Sublimating blood of their ancestors and part of the Source Substance of high-level Stigmas.
A single family held a complete path of Sublimation that perfectly fit their own bloodline. Beyond enormous wealth and influence, they even possessed large border territories as their private domains.
The current head of the Fred Family, the [Howler], was not only a noble mber of the Roman Senate but also a Fifth Stage Sublimator at the pinnacle of the Sea Emperor's path, known as 'Ten Thousand Fathoms Abyss.'
It was only through their operations, along with a few other Pureblood families, that investnt from the Forever Group could be secured, turning the Group Star into a grand annual gala on the Endless Sea.
It was precisely this freedom, which not even the Astronomical Society would inquire about, that made this place so prosperous, almost a semi-open black market.
Nowadays, who knew how many people who shunned the light were active here. If agents from the Astronomical Society were to start arresting people and conducting searches indiscriminately, he didn't know if they could continue operating next year, let alone how he would explain it to his master.
In his view, this was just another attempt by the Border Managent Bureau to ddle in the affairs of the Group Star.
No matter what, he would not give the Astronomical Society any room to intervene.
"Is that so? That's truly regrettable."
Ai Qing sighed but said no more. She stood up, adding, "Then I can only hope that nothing unfortunate happens."
In the silence, Rudolf slowly lifted his eyes, holding back his annoyance, "Young lady, are you threatening ?"
"No, just a friendly reminder," Ai Qing replied calmly.
Across the desk, she extended her hand, waiting for Rudolf's response.
But Rudolf remained dismissively seated. Ignoring Ai Qing's outstretched hand, he shook his head coldly. "You may leave."
Ai Qing did not leave, simply maintaining her original pose, waiting quietly.
Even as Rudolf's gaze grew increasingly mocking, she did not retract her hand.
"You know, Mr. Rudolf, you have made several mistakes," Ai Qing sighed softly, "but one of them can still be rectified, right now, for example."
She lowered her head to lock eyes with the old man and told him, enunciating each word, "As a commissioner of the Central Decision Making Room of the Jurisdiction Bureau, I represent the Astronomical Society. I have co here, following your customs, to engage in conversation with you. Therefore, I am entitled to courteous treatnt and your respect—you may be stingy with your tea, you may humiliate , but you cannot refuse the handshake of the Astronomical Society. No one can."
Rudolf's expression stiffened for a mont, but it remained cold and hard. "What if I say no?"
"You cannot say 'no,' because you are not qualified."
Ai Qing looked at him with pity. "If you stand there today until I retract this hand, then you—no, I should say the Fred Family you represent—will no longer be friends of the Astronomical Society."
In the deathly silence, Rudolf's expression changed.
Though entirely reluctant, he still rose slowly under Ai Qing's mocking gaze, raised his hand in humiliation to et hers, and withdrew it the mont they touched.
"You may go," he said, his face ashen.
Ai Qing shrugged, turned, and pushed the door to leave.
In the corridor outside, a man wearing a Horsehead Mask leaned against the wall, a cigarette between his fingers, carelessly flicking ash onto the precious carpet beneath his feet.
Under the watchful gaze of several guards, wisps of blue smoke rose elegantly from the mouth and nostrils of the silicone horse head, occasionally forming an 'F', then a 'U', then a 'C'...
When he noticed Ai Qing erging, the last letter dissipated into the air.
He turned his head and asked curiously, "How did the talks go, Commander?"
"Don't ask what you already know."
Ai Qing reached out, took the bag from him, and removed a spray bottle. After carefully spraying her hand, she wiped it twice with an alcohol wipe, her disdain evident.
"Let's go," she said. "He's just an old fool who's gotten too big for his boots. He's not infected, so there's no need for you to clean up."
"That's good to hear."
Tony shook his horse face. "After all, with these lads watching , I was under quite a bit of pressure... Goodbye, gentlen."
After a polite farewell, he casually tossed the cigarette butt onto the carpet and followed Ai Qing out.
It wasn't until they were outside the door that Tony asked offhandedly, "You did that on purpose, didn't you?"
"Hmm?" Ai Qing pretended not to understand.
"You deliberately angered him, right?" Tony asked. "You avoided a head-on clash with the stubborn Fred Family, yet still carried out your duty. No matter what happens in the end, that old man will take all the bla. You not only completed your mission but also gave the Border Managent Bureau a reason to get involved. Everyone will owe you for this."
"You know, Tony," Ai Qing said, her steps pausing suddenly, "among all vices, the most intolerable is stupidity, surpassed only by pretentious cleverness."
"There are always those who think they are important because they rely on so powerful backing, but in reality, they know nothing of true power. Their ignorance is laughable. Even though I reminded him that I am a commissioner for the Jurisdiction Bureau Decision Making Room, he still tried to bury his head in the sand, defending his inconsequential power and dignity like a hen guarding her eggs. To this day, he doesn't even understand the purpose of my visit, let alone what he actually refused."
She turned to look at Tony and asked, "Do you think soone like that even deserves to be saved?"
Tony just shrugged, his horse mask bobbing. He offered no answer.
He always felt that if he nodded in front of this malicious woman, she would definitely shove this arduous and glorious task onto him...
"Don't worry, I won't," Ai Qing said, walking ahead without turning her head. "Because there are even more challenging tasks waiting for you. After all, compared to idiots, I much prefer those who are too clever for their own good."
Tony's horse face froze.
He felt annoyance and desolation rising from within. Why the hell did he bother exposing her? Hadn't he learned his lesson enough tis? With a superior like her, he was starting to seriously consider where to open a hair-washing salon after taking disability retirent. He'd heard the hair transplantation industry in Shambhala was quite advanced... Perhaps that was worth considering?
* * *
Inside the Director's office.
Ever since Ai Qing left, Rudolf had been engulfed in an odd unease, a mix of irritation and a faint sense of panic.
It was as if he had screwed sothing up.
After declining several subsequent etings, he pondered for a long while before finally writing a detailed report about the Astronomical Society commissioner's visit and submitting it to his superiors.
Then he paced back and forth in his office, anxiously waiting. It wasn't until dusk that he received a response from the higher-ups.
As the email opened, his heart plunged into an icy abyss.
The formal content of the email consisted of just two words.
A furious reply from the family head.
Brief and direct.
——Useless!
* * *
Around three in the afternoon, Huai Shi finally heard the first piece of good news in days.
His qin had arrived.
It ca through a special channel of the Hell Music Association, delivered to Huai Shi's room by the elderly man in charge of the concert hall. Along with it ca another ssage.
"In a few more hours, the local association might be temporarily relocated," said the elderly man. "If I may be so bold as to ask, do you plan on going to Kyoto?"
"Hmm?"
Hearing that even the Hell Music Association was preparing to pack up, Huai Shi quickly realized—these large organizations must have also caught wind of sothing and were planning to bail.
"No, no need." He shook his head. "After all, I am still technically a mber of the Astronomical Society."
"Then I wish you triumph in your endeavors."
After a mysterious smile, the old man politely exited the room and closed the door behind him.
In the ensuing silence, only Huai Shi and the qin case before him remained.
Like a swordsman in a martial arts novel who can sense sword qi, Huai Shi sat before the qin case and could feel a faint Resonance emanating from it.
More importantly—it was ti for the joyful unboxing!
Huai Shi rubbed his hands together, took a deep breath full of anticipation, and opened the clasps.
He prepared to be surprised.
No blinding golden light appeared, not even a qin was in sight.
Only another, smaller qin case.
Huai Shi was stunned. "Unbelievable! Are you freaking kidding with this nesting doll trick?"
He reached out and opened the case within the case.
Then it was another qin case.
Huai Shi opened it again.
This ti the qin case was almost the size of a violin case, but inside was another box.
"It really is a freaking nesting doll!"
He beca enraged and tore open the last lock with one swift motion.
Inside was a small box.
Opening that box revealed another box.
Finally, when he opened the palm-sized box, he saw a note on the black velvet.
[I hope you appreciate the surprise we've prepared for you.]
"Surprise?"
What the hell kind of surprise is this!
He was certainly surprised, but Huai Shi felt no joy whatsoever.
Inside the box, aside from the note, there was only a heavy bracelet.
* * *
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