"Back at last."
On Pier Point, Topaz stepped off the aircraft, gazing at the towering skyscrapers stacked layer upon layer before her and the endless stream of cars and ships weaving through the air. A look of contemplation crossed her face.
By the terms of the contract, she shouldn't even be here right now.
That day on Belobog, aside from the Trailblazer crew, our Miss Topaz had also received an email from Yun Fan.
However, unlike the one sent to March 7th and the others, this one was written specifically for her. And in terms of content, it didn't say much.
The email simply informed Topaz that she was free—the two-month maid contract was automatically terminated, and she could return to the Interastral Peace Corporation.
When she received this notice, Topaz's first reaction wasn't joy. On the contrary, it was an indescribable, complicated feeling.
"Sigh… Really, after giving me the reward, I'd already prepared myself to give everything. But now you're telling me I don't have to pay anything? That the power is just… gifted to me?"
Topaz let out a helpless sigh. She had once thought her perspective was broad enough, but after meeting Yun Fan, she realized her cultivation still fell short. At the very least, she couldn't begin to fathom what went through his mind.
Dinglingling—
Just as Topaz was lost in her thoughts, a noisy ringtone suddenly buzzed in her ear. Frowning slightly, she reached up and tapped her earpiece to answer. On the other end, a bright yet steady voice came through the electromagnetic signal:
"Hey, friend. Long time no see. Welcome back to Pier Point—welcome back to the Corporation's headquarters."
Recognizing the caller's voice, Topaz's furrowed brows relaxed. "Oh? You're quite well-informed. I just stepped off the aircraft, and you already got the news. Should I expect nothing less from you, Aventurine?"
"Haha, don't credit me for this. It was Jade who told me."
"Jade?" Topaz's eyes flickered. She had only just returned, and Jade was already aware? Could it be…
"Exactly what you're thinking." As if reading her mind, Aventurine confirmed her suspicion. "It's about your business on Jarilo-IV."
"When you went to Jarilo to collect the debt, you took several of the Corporation's fleets with you. In the end, they were ambushed by the Stellaron Hunters, suffering heavy losses. And as for Jarilo-VI's debt… you unilaterally decided to waive it. That's not just a simple case of overstepping your authority, dear Miss Topaz."
"Come to the headquarters building for a meeting. This time, it's not just Jade—even the big boss, Diamond, is personally—"
Click! Beep beep beep—
Aventurine hung up without waiting for a response. Now that she understood the situation, Topaz pinched the bridge of her nose with a headache.
What was coming would always come. She never thought her actions could escape the Corporation's surveillance—and with something as major as losing most of a fleet, there was no way to hide it anyway.
"Still, it's not like my trip to Jarilo-VI was a complete loss. I think… this should be enough to cover my dues, right?" Raising her hand, she gently brushed her fingers over the mark of the maid contract—the sigil representing Causality—and murmured softly to herself.
Half a system hour later, at the top-floor meeting room of the Corporation's headquarters…
"Apologies, everyone. I've kept you waiting."
Topaz pushed open the conference room doors, strode briskly to her seat, and sat down with effortless composure. A quick glance around the table confirmed that aside from three or four high-ranking members stationed elsewhere, the Ten Stonehearts—including the boss, Diamond, and the matriarch, Jade—had all gathered.
Seems her little trip to Jarilo-VI had drawn quite a bit of attention.
"Took you long enough. You've wasted twenty precious minutes of my life, Topaz. You'd better make up for my losses." Aventurine checked his wristwatch, confirming the lost time, then spoke to her in a tone that hovered between seriousness and jest.
In response, Topaz merely smiled faintly, unfazed. Then, cradling Numby in her arms, she replied nonchalantly, "Oh? What a shame."
"Hm?" Jade raised an eyebrow at Topaz's demeanor. She had been the one to promote Topaz back when she was still Yelena, and their history went way back. When it came to understanding Topaz's personality and conduct, no one in the Corporation knew her better than Jade.
Topaz was smart. She knew exactly what consequences her actions might bring. Losing a few of the Corporation's fleets was a minor issue—after all, the Stellaron Hunters were an uncontrollable variable.
But throwing away the entire Jarilo-VI project and unilaterally forgiving all its debts? That wasn't something that could be easily brushed off. Revoking bonuses, demoting her rank—these would be the lightest punishments.
In fact, it wasn't just Jade. Everyone present could sense something was off. What kind of fool would dare speak so boldly after making such a huge mistake—unless they had something else up their sleeve? Still, none of the Ten Stonehearts pointed it out directly. They would follow procedure and let Topaz reveal her gains from this trip herself.
"Now that everyone's here, please take a look at these documents."
Jade tapped a few commands on the table, and soon, all attendees received a complete dossier. It detailed Topaz's actions, their consequences, and the losses incurred by the Corporation.
The Ten Stonehearts were all elites. They finished reviewing Jade's materials swiftly, submitting their opinions in the replies. The entire process was seamless—from receipt to response, it took barely two minutes.
After compiling and organizing the feedback, Jade forwarded the results to Diamond, leaving the final decision to the boss. Once Diamond confirmed, Jade stood and delivered the verdict:
"The disciplinary decision is as follows: Topaz's rank is demoted from P45 to P44. Performance dividends, stock dividends, and bonuses are suspended for two cycles. A three-year probationary period is imposed—during this time, no promotions will be granted without significant contributions. Furthermore, if another major mistake occurs within these three years, further demotions and removal from the Ten Stonehearts will follow. Any objections?"
"No objections." x5
"I object."
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Full Recovery!