Dao Broker Xun listened to his proposal in silence. His swirling cybernetic eye fixed on Li Fang's face, assessing every twitch and every subtle shift in his aura.
When Li Fang finished, Dao Broker Xun made a relaxed gesture as he picked up a glowing, cracked data-crystal and tossed it idly in the air.
"One thousand Credits upfront for… consultancy? And a tiered commission for a market I'm not entirely sure will embrace a product that's going to invite the Bureau's scrutiny because of its 'perceived uses'?"
"My dear generous Spark, the public does not need privacy. What they crave is validation. But I get your idea."
"Tell me. What precisely ensures this 'Ascension Spark Initiative' won't simply cut me out once you've learned all my secrets and leveraged my Mid-Layer contacts?"
Li Fang met his gaze directly, his expression radiating from his unwavering stance.
