Xu Xiaoyou considered the matter for a moment before asking, "You just said a company executive contacted you. How high up?"
"Diamond 9," Jian Liu replied calmly.
Those brief words caused Xu Xiaoyou's eyes to narrow slightly.
She had some understanding of the internal management hierarchy of Universal Heavy Industries. It was generally divided into four levels: amber, agate, emerald, and diamond. Each level consisted of nine executives with different sequences. The lower the number, the greater their authority and influence within the company.
Management at the emerald level and above could already command the winds and clouds within a hive city. Even Ayin Winter, who appeared in the news, was merely a high-ranking executive in the agate group.
Diamond 9—that was a figure at the very core of the company's management, wasn't it?
Such a person indeed had the standing to contact the head of the Dawn Agency. She began to wonder what that defecting executive had done to warrant such attention from someone as highly placed as a Diamond 9.
"Why me?" Xu Xiaoyou asked, keeping her expression neutral.
"Because you are the only S-rank employee the company has in the Star of Art. The next closest S-rank employee is in Chichutian, but a family branch there has launched a coup, and he is unable to extricate himself."
Xu Xiaoyou gleaned more information from his words. An S-rank employee of the same grade as herself actually had the ability to influence the struggles of a hive city’s political factions, yet she was just a fixer who had recently been promoted to grade 2.
"Although I am not very clear on the company's internal situation, the Strategic Talent Resource Department is very strict with S-rank assessments," Jian Liu said, as if guessing her thoughts.
"Since they have assessed you as S-rank, then you must possess the ability, potential, resourcefulness, or strength of an S-rank specialist."
"There are no coincidences. Since they have entrusted this to you, it means you are certainly capable of resolving the matter regarding the defecting executive."
The company valued S-ranks even more than she had imagined. Xu Xiaoyou suppressed her inner thoughts.
"Fine, I accept this commission."
"I will send someone to meet you later to hand over more details of the commission," Jian Liu said. "I wish you success, Miss Xu. May victory be constant, and glory shine upon you."
The call ended. Xu Xiaoyou let out a soft breath and turned to look at Tang Xin.
Tang Xin looked back at her and tilted her head. "Hmm?"
...................
In a certain basement in the Queen's District.
A conference table sat in the room, and a whiteboard hung in the corner. A man was currently standing before the whiteboard, planning the details of a combat operation. He wore a blue pinstriped shirt, suit trousers, and a black tie—a simple and efficient outfit that brought to mind a white-collar worker from a major corporation.
He pushed the glasses up the bridge of his nose, his marker moving across the whiteboard as he circled a key point.
"Here..."
Seeing the two girls suddenly push the door open and enter, a flash of displeasure at being interrupted crossed his stiff face, but he still gave a slight nod.
"For capturing such an important criminal, couldn't you have found a better place to discuss the plan?" Xu Xiaoyou said, glancing around. "At least choose a luxury restaurant."
She saw two familiar faces at the conference table. The shadow brothers, Lin Sheng and Lin Xing, were staring at her with complex expressions.
"Yo, long time no see," Xu Xiaoyou greeted them.
Lin Sheng and Lin Xing both looked miserable.
Because of the girl’s antics, they had received the maximum punishment from the company: a full year's performance bonus deducted, their internal rank dropped five levels, and a host of other minor penalties. When a shadow failed a mission, they faced physical punishment upon their return—brands of shame burned into their flesh to be remembered for a lifetime.
The physical pain was nothing compared to the internal humiliation. This girl had ditched them in less than a day, playing them like fools!
If they hadn't noticed that the blonde girl's face remained expressionless for three straight days, as stiff as a machine, they might still be in the dark. It was only when they made a casual comment that she revealed a daisy-like smile capable of making a child cry.
Their careers as shadows would forever be nailed to this pillar of shame. Thinking of this, Lin Sheng felt a surge of anger and slapped his younger brother, Lin Xing, hard on the back of the head.
"Brother!" Lin Xing wanted to protest, but seeing his brother's eyes practically spitting fire, he timidly shrugged his shoulders.
The shadow brothers looked at Xu Xiaoyou as if they wanted to devour her.
"Yuzu, what are we doing here?" Tang Xin leaned toward Xu Xiaoyou and whispered.
"It's fine, they're all old friends."
Xu Xiaoyou pulled out a chair and sat down, with Tang Xin sitting beside her.
The atmosphere was awkward for a moment, falling into silence.
The man in the suit broke the silence first. He leaned his hands on the conference table, exuding the aura of a social elite.
"Our target for this capture is a grade 3 puppeteer. He is a defecting executive of Universal Heavy Industries carrying top-secret documents. He was last seen in the suburban snowfields, approximately five hundred kilometers north of the Star of Art."
"Five hundred kilometers? That's already in the badlands, isn't it?" Lin Sheng frowned.
In his mind, all areas outside the hive cities were collectively known as the badlands. Mystery and danger were synonymous with the badlands.
It was an absolute forbidden zone for life, filled with countless urban legends and miracles. It was an area where even prism grade fixers did not dare to tread lightly, known as the edge of the world.
"Yes, but it's a bit different. The badlands classification for the Star of Art begins beyond six hundred kilometers. During the Company-Church War a century ago, the scale of this hive city was reduced by eighty percent. There are still traces of survivors living in the ruins of the former war zone."
"I see." The two shadows nodded.
If the defecting executive named Yorick really reached the true badlands, it would be like a fish leaping from a basket into the ocean. No matter how great their abilities, it would be impossible to retrieve him.
Chen San said, "Before we arrange the combat plan, I'll introduce myself. My name is Chen San, a fixer from the Dawn Agency and the commander for this operation..."
"You're the commander?" Xu Xiaoyou raised an eyebrow. She noticed a pattern on the chest of the man's blue pinstriped suit—it was the diamond suit from a deck of cards.
Everyone's gaze fell on Xu Xiaoyou. Her expression remained unchanged; she simply propped her chin on her hands with interest, leaning against the table.
Tang Xin sensed that she was acting differently than usual, but didn't feel it was the right time to say anything. In her impression, her friend wouldn't act so out of line unless she was certain of something.
"I have participated in twelve capture operations and served as the combat commander. The highest difficulty target was a grade 3 assassin, and I completed the commission in just three days from acceptance," Chen San said, adjusting his glasses.
He straightened up, his stiff face projecting a sharp light. "Twelve operations, zero failures, with only four resulting in casualties. I will command this operation. Is there a problem?"
The others present looked at each other.
The air was thick with the scent of gunpowder.
Chen San stared into Xu Xiaoyou's eyes and said, word for word, "And just who the hell are you? What right do you have to challenge me?"
Xu Xiaoyou suddenly burst out laughing, spreading her hands. "What, are you an S-rank too?"
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